Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	I-130 at National Benefits Center	Here's a trend chart for Washington Field Office. You can view for the other offices as well. Compared with other offices, we are swamped. About 4000 total applications in Dec 12 contrasted with 250 applications at the Wichita office. This blows. I hope I dont get transferred to Wasthington. Also, there are lot of disgruntled Atlanta field office filers here in the forums. If you check Atlanta office trends, its similar to Washington's. I donot mean to discourage, but lets brace ourselves for a wait.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2013-02-15 02:52:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	I-130 at National Benefits Center	I'm listening in on this discussion too.... So, what I am understanding here is there is no way to know if and when your case is transferred to a field office. Any knowledge/opinions on the Washington, DC field office? If mine gets routed, that's where it's going... I'll be at Washington DC field office too (Fairfax). Kinda worried that they're going to be slow because DC/VA has heavy population of immigrants (hence more cases). Would love someone who has experience with their I-130 approval there.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2013-02-15 00:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Question regarding I130 review by appellate body	Hello All, I would really appreciate your help on this. Today when i check on USCIS website following message shows up for I130 file for my wife: "On March 25, 2013, we mailed you a notice that we certified our approval of this case and sent it to the appropriate appellate body for review. They will notify you directly when they make a final decision. If you move while this case is pending, follow the instructions provided in the notice and use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or call our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283. During this step, USCIS initiates the background checks of the applicant/petitioner and identifies issues that may need to be addressed either during an interview or by asking the applicant/petitioner to submit additional information or documentation. USCIS reviews the applicant's/petitioner's criminal history, determines if there are national security concerns that need to be addressed, and reviews the application/petition for fraud indicators. If you have filed an I-485, I-589, I-751, N-400, I-90, I-821, I-131 or I-765, you can expect to receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints and/or photographs taken. The timing of your appointment is determined by the number of applicants ahead of you that also need a biometric appointment. We try to schedule biometric appointments as quickly as possible and in most cases you will receive your appointment notice within 30 days of submitting your application. We will send your appointment notice approximately 14 days ahead of your scheduled appointment. It is important that you keep this appointment. If absolutely necessary, you can request that your appointment be rescheduled however, please be aware that rescheduling may delay the processing of your application. Please follow the instructions on your appointment notice if you need to reschedule. Occasionally, you may receive an appointment notice to appear at an Application Support Center to have your fingerprints taken when you have filed a form other than those listed above. In these situations, you may receive your appointment notice more than 30 days after submitting your application or petition." Could you plz let me know if my case has been approved or not? If not, how long does appellate body take to make the final decision? I would really appreciate your help on this. Thanks Hi I am in a similar situation. The USCIS website says I am still in initial review, but I already have NOA2 in hand. Could you share any trouble you may have had with your application? Thanks!	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2013-09-15 02:57:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Wife file 2013 tax as married or single?	Married. Your wife is not single, she is married.   hehe. thanks for the clarification.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2013-11-07 22:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Wife file 2013 tax as married or single?	Hello,   I'm expecting to be in the US by January next year (2014). We got married in Jan 2013. When its tax season, will my wife have to fill out her taxes as single or married? We are confused because I will not physically be in the US till 2014.   Thanks in advance.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2013-11-07 21:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	I-864 n/a or leave blank	That's what I was thinking someone said I would get a rfe for leavinf blank I should writw n/a in black ink as it only lets u type numbers   Please don't leave anything blank. I got checklist for leaving sponsor info blank. My wife makes enough to not need one and on instruction it was written to leave it blank. However, we got checklist. When we called they said because of discrepancy the info on form doesn't reflect info given to their adjudicators. Messed up!!	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2013-11-25 21:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	how to print my chat history with my fiancee help anyone ?	Hello, I just finished sending in my I-129F along with "proof of ongoing relationship". Basically we chatted using couple of different services. It helps if you screencap your chats rather than copy paste them because, in doing the latter, you are printing out an 'editable' copy of proof. As with any of us who've fallen in love online, this burden of 'proof' can be quite a big pile of screenshots. I'd recommend a screenshot library program like LittleSnapper (for MacOS) which facilitates the process of taking, organizing, and printing the screenshots.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2012-11-10 21:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Clearance from abroad...	Further extending OP's question: I lived in the US for 7-8 years in three different states (as a student and later working). Would I require police statement from all three states? Thanks! Edit: I found out my answer 2 minutes after posting this. Nevermind For those with similar question: no you dont need police certificate from US. Have a good day. Edited by Kaale and Dalli, 20 December 2012 - 07:51 AM.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2012-12-20 07:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k1 marriage ceremony	I'm agreeing with this. I sat and watched 4+ hours of people being denied in Phnom Penh. About 5 out of 30 interviews that morning passed. 90 percent of k-1's were denied. 90% of K1's were denied? How sure are you of these statistics, because that is a very scary situation. I was under the impression that k1's were a tad bit easier than, say, a B2 Visa.	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2012-12-20 08:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	The RFE Master List	Is you make an account at the USCIS website and check your application upon signing in, it'll tell you the date your application was last "touched" Can you clarify this? I dont see an option to create a new account. Thanks	Kaale and Dalli	Male	Nepal	2012-11-10 21:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	just got our NOA2!!!!	Congratulations!!!!!!	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-13 08:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	WE GOT OUR NOA2 TODAY!!!!	OMG THIS IS SO EXCITING. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESCRIBE THE FEELING. WE FILLED IN APRIL AND WE GOT IT TODAY. FOR ALL WHO ARE STILL WAITING HANG THERE IS COMMING.   ANY CLUE WHAT IS NEXT??????? WHEN I GET MY INTERVIEW???   HOW CAN I MAKE SURE THE INTERVIEW GOES GREAT?   THE SUPPORT AFIDAVIT? WHAT I CANT FORGET ABOUT IT?   THANKS SO MUCH!!!	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-16 20:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Who else is a April filer?	Hey I got my NOA2 yesterday!!!!! just after 3 months, so excited!!!!	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-17 07:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Who else is a April filer?	Hi!!!! We Got our NOA1 on April 16th but we havent heard anything yet.	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-11 13:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	turists visa while waiting for the NOA2	Thanks so much. I think i am not gonna do it. It it way too risky and i dont wanna lose he chance to be with my fiance again	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-12 20:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	turists visa while waiting for the NOA2	Hey!!! Someone know if i can ask for a us tourist visa while waitng for my NOA2 or that can be a problem for my process or even to get the turist visa?	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-12 08:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Co- Sponsor Different from my fiance	Hi. What document do i need for a co-sponsor different from my fiance? Are they the same documents my fiance has to submmit???	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-17 17:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	G325-A and Letter of intent form question	When my fiance who lives overseas fills out the G325-A form, can she send me a copy of the form? Because it says on the guide that "All Forms that you submit must be originals with original signatures". So i was wondering, what would happen if she prints it, signs it, copies it and then sends it? would it be ok? how would i obtain the original if not?   Also I have many people telling me to do the K-1 Visa because it is faster and I have the choice of doing either K-1 or Cr-1 because of my circumstance. Under Islamic law I am technically married amongst my family members because it is required for me to have a nikah in order to be able to talk with my fiance or now considered in my eyes, wife.  How would the government know I am married or not? It is in Saudi Arabia and it is not documented meaning I don't have an official marriage certificate under the state of Saudi Arabia or the consulate or embassy of Saudi Arabia. So I dont know what route to take on this? any advice is appreciated.   She should print the forms and write the letter and mail the originals to you.	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-08-14 10:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Yes, you can visit!	Thanks so much!!!	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-12 14:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Yes, you can visit!	Hi!!! does someone know if i can ask for a tourist visa while i am waiting the USCIS to give us a respond abour our case??? I am from Colombia and it is difficult sometimes to get a visa although i have been in the US a couple of times even like an au pair, but know i am with my fiance in the K1 visa process and i dont know if i can ask for a tourist visa while we wait for the answer.   Any help it is appreciate	CataRobert	Male	Colombia	2013-07-11 13:17:00
Philippines	Philippines fire kills 15, many nursing students	To lose anyone, especially such promising young people and at this time of year, is always a cause for deep sadness. We pray for the souls of the departed: that they find rest among the saints and that their memory be eternal. We also pray that the One whose nativity we celebrate gives comfort to their families and friends now and in the times ahead.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2010-12-19 05:39:00
Philippines	What is a CEAC Barcode #?	Yep, unfortunately they will be out of business until March 9th. The remaining days in March must have gone quickly; when I scheduled there were dates available from March 22 through the end of the month.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-02-28 20:46:00
Philippines	What is a CEAC Barcode #?	Yep, you will have to wait a few days before you can schedule; you won't be able to schedule until they record in the system that the physical file has been received. On the positive side, it is very nice to know that they have received the electronic file ... after all of the waiting it is a sure sign that things are starting to move. As I write this my fiancee and her son are in Manila for their medical examination at St. Luke's, with a scheduled interview date at the embassy of March 22nd. By the way, when you download the interview appointment letter, it will not look like a letter: just a table with the seal at the top of the page and the very deceptive title "Immigration Address Confirmation Sheet". Yikes!!! Good luck! Joe P.S. That is correct, the Case Type # is the MNL case number assigned by the National Visa Center (NVC) ... like I said some of the terminology can be a bit tricky. Edited by Joe and Ann, 28 February 2011 - 08:44 PM.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-02-28 20:43:00
Philippines	What is a CEAC Barcode #?	I forgot to add that you will not need a receipt number, but rather the date of the payment. Take a look at the Bank and Payment Options page, which can be accessed off of the home page. Note that sometimes the payment date may be the next day or next business day depending on the day/time that the payment was initiated. Cheers! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-02-28 20:27:00
Philippines	What is a CEAC Barcode #?	From the home page (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph) go to Applying for an Immigrant Visa Appointment (NOT Non-Immigrant). Once you are on that page, go all the way to the bottom. There will be a selection for K-Visa Appointment Scheduling. Be sure to write down the UID numbers presented during the process; you will need them later. Also, make sure that when you get to the calendar that you select a date VERY quickly ... otherwise it times out and you will need to wait 24 hours AND follow a different set of instructions to get back to the scheduling screen. I hope this helps! Joe P.S. The CEAC code is received when you complete the online DS-160, which you do not do for the K-1/K-2 visa. Edited by Joe and Ann, 28 February 2011 - 08:24 PM.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-02-28 20:23:00
Philippines	Delay in Visa Issuance	Hi Guys, Thanks for the feedback! @ Carolyn: We have not previously tried that number, but will be sure to do so first thing on Monday morning. Thank you for bringing it to our attention! @ Messy: I believe the number to which you are referring is the one for the Immigration Visa (IV) unit: 02 301 2000 (ext. 5184 or 5185). We have been trying those numbers for the last week and a half and can't get through, even first thing in the morning. We got through once on Thursday, but were told that they were at lunch and to call back. Began calling about 5 minutes for the 50 minutes they quoted to us and ... couldn't get through. Obviously, we will keep trying that avenue as well. In our case, it works out to about 12 business days (the IV unit was closed for an offsite event on March 30). Thanks again and have a great evening! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-04-10 18:09:00
Philippines	Delay in Visa Issuance	Hi Everyone, I hate to reply to my own topic, but wanted to also include that I have also sent constituent assistance requests to both of my Senators and the my Congressman. Still too early to report any results. Thanks! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-04-10 05:34:00
Philippines	Delay in Visa Issuance	Hello Everyone, My fiancee, Ann, had her K1 interview at the U.S. Embassy in Manila on March 22, 2011. It has now been 19 days since the interview and still nothing from the Embassy or 2GO. At the interview, she was told that her application was approved and dutifully waited in line at the window to provide information to the courier service. She was not asked to submit any 221(g) documentation nor was administrative processing of any kind discussed. We have contacted the Embassy by phone, which proved to be a waste of time ... the call center can't provide any information and simply can't get through on the IV number. I have sent inquiries to IVManilaReplies@state.gov, to no avail (no response). We have even bugged the courier, just to be on the safe side. Has anyone else here had a similar experience? If so, how did you get it resolved? If anyone is aware of a general slowdown in the issuance of visas, that information would also be helpful. Thanks and have a great afternoon! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-04-10 05:21:00
Philippines	NBI clearance	The NBI clearance that my wife took with her to the interview at the Embassy was a single document that indicated that her clearance was run under both her previous married name, her maiden name, as well as a couple of permutations of her names (e.g., switching the middle and last names). Take care and God bless!	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-07-21 14:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	APPROVED!!!	Congratulations!!! We also received our NOA2! From the look of it, Vermont Service Center (VSC) has really been cranking through the petitions today. Take care and may God bless you during the rest of your journey.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-01-31 14:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Should Buy One way or Round Trip ticket?	Ann and I went with what was cheapest. This meant a round-trip ticket for me purchased here in the U.S. through Korean Air (I am accompanying her and her son back to the States) and two one-way tickets purchased by Ann in the Philippines through a travel agent for the same flights on which I am booked.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-03-19 13:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NEED ADVICE	I am very shocked that this occurred while in the hands of the United States Postal Service (USPS). With that said, though, when you re-send the documents please consider using FedEx, UPS, or another courier service. Next time around, they would probably make it to the Philippines via USPS. However, the Philippine Postal Service is unreliable at best. Packages, cards, and letters frequently arrive late, damaged/opened, or both. And if you are sending during the holidays know that the country will literally shut down from December 24 through January 3 during which time the government is not working (includes both the postal service AND customs). FedEx and other couriers ARE expensive, but documents generally get to where they are going on time and without any evidence of tampering. If any of the missing documents contained SSN, DOB, and/or financial information, it may not be a bad idea over the coming months to watch your credit report like a hawk. Good luck and God bless you both	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2010-12-19 04:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	OCTOBER 3 TOUCHED...ANY OF U?	Hello Everyone, Like a lot of people we were also a part of the mass "touch" at Vermont Service Center on October 3, 2010. Our NOA1 date is August 13, 2010. Like one of the other posters here, I had to call to get some information corrected in their system: they misspelled my fiancee's last name and stated that her country of origin was "Unknown". Seems like for over $400 they could at least get those items right ... they only appear everywhere in the petition package. If I don't hear anything by January 17th, I will call but do not expect any real results at this point. It looks like they are working on mid-July filers right now. While the waiting has been hard on us, like everyone else here, at least we know that there is some movement. Take care and have a great evening! Joe and Ann	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-01-09 19:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How much is too much?	Yes, the fee was recently reduced to $340. That was an artifact from my index submitted with my petition in August 2010.	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-02-28 20:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How much is too much?	Hi There, All I can offer is what Ann and I submitted along with the I-129F. It was probably overkill, but since we tabbed everything and included a comprehensive index it was likely not overwhelming for the individual charged with reviewing it (we must have done something right ... we received our NOA2 on January 31, 2011; Ann is currently completing her medical at St. Luke's in Manila, and her appointment at the embassy is March 22nd). We submitted in addition to the cover sheet and a request for electronic notification: - Payment in the form of a personal check in the amount of $455.00. - Form I-129F - Form I-129F Continuation Sheet: Questions 18 and 19 - Form G-325A and passport style photo (Petitioner) - Form G-325A and passport style photo (Fiancée) - Birth Certificate (Petitioner) - Final Annulment Decree (Fiancée) - Proof of Intent to Marry, including Letters of Intent, Engagement Ring and Gift Receipts, (Petitioner and Fiancée) - Proof of having met in person (complete passport copy, documents and photos from trips, documentation of planned trip) - Proof of ongoing relationship (sample e-mail communications, e-card records, greeting card copies, phone records, evidence of financial support) Again, may have been overkill but my fiancee is now armed with this package as well as a secondary package of evidence covering the period between the submission of the I-129F and about February 12th, including receipts of goods for our eventual wedding (wedding rings, wedding dress, etc.). Take care and good luck with your petition! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-02-28 17:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k1 filing fee	The USCIS website shows the current fee for the petition for alien fiancee as being $340; it used to be $455. The $350 fee that is found on the ustraveldocs.com website, and is quoted by another poster above, is actually the visa application fee, which is paid to the embassy/consulate, and not the amount that accompanies the petition. Have a great evening! Joe I meant to say "State Department" and not "ustraveldocs.com".	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-03-16 21:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k1 filing fee	The USCIS website shows the current fee for the petition for alien fiancee as being $340; it used to be $455. The $350 fee that is found on the ustraveldocs.com website, and is quoted by another poster above, is actually the visa application fee, which is paid to the embassy/consulate, and not the amount that accompanies the petition. Have a great evening! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-03-16 21:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	ever hear of "recognition of foreign divorce decree" in the philippines?	You have all of the right information; it just needs to be reorganized a bit in order to make sense of it. It is true that a USC can obtain a divorce in the United States. However, such a divorce is not automatically recognized by the government of the Philippines. This is where the petition for recognition of foreign divorce decree comes in. That failing, the only recourse would be for your fiance to file for an annullment. Ann had to go through the annullment process and we would be happy to share our lessons learned with you if that ends up being the path that you pursue. Take care and God bless! Joe	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-03-22 15:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Interview with Kids	You definitely do not want to wait on Packet 3 to arrive. We were told by the Embassy that it had been sent. We inquired as to the method and they informed us that it was by regulare Philippine post. It was never received. All we needed was our case number. We called the Embassy and verified that it had been received from NVC and had been logged in. After that, we paid the visa application fee at BPI and then used the online appointment system to set up the appointment. When you set up your appointment it will ask if others will be joining you; you will be able to add your children, who will accompany you to the interview. Take care and God bless!	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-07-25 11:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	CFO Pre Departure Orientation Seninar	My wife attended the CFO Pre-Departure Seminar prior to receiving her visa. In fact, she attended not long after receiving her passport in October 2010. The certification you receive from the CFO at that time is valid for one year. Upon receipt of the visa, she went back to the CFO office to obtain the CFO stickers for both her and my stepson's passports (even though he did not have to attend the seminar, he was still required to have the sticker). By the way, when you go to the CFO for the sticker, please remember to bring along the documentation you have gotten from NBI and NSO; she was asked to show this to them. She was also asked to provide passport size photos (for their records; they clip them to a form that you need to complete to get the sticker). Luckily she had them in her magic bag of documents. If you have any concerns about what to take to the CFO on the day of the seminar/interview, let us know and we will provide the listing of documents that we gave to them. Take care and God bless! Joe and Ann	Joe and Ann	Male	Philippines	2011-08-09 15:48:00