ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionVisa issuing time-scales after interview
Hi there,

Finally having reached the final hurdle stress doesn’t seem to be dissipating.

I have a visa interview in London in a couple of weeks on a Monday. Does anyone have any guidance on how long it would take from then to get the visa (K1) in my hand assuming no problems?

I am thinking at the moment that I should be maybe booking flights for Friday of the same week although is this long enough?

Embassy, as expected, states not to make any travel plans until after you receive your visa however, as I am sure most people do, I am arranging interviews, weddings etc in advance.

We are going though London although experiences from other areas will of course give some indication also

If anyone has any recent experience we would be eternally grateful.

Thanks and good luck to everyone

B&S
bbaleMaleUnited Kingdom2007-02-09 16:05:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussioninterview questions

Ummm, could you please add which country you are from? This is really variable based on which country. Try to look on the specific forum for where you are from.

i currently live in the UK and am awaiting my interview in 2weeks time,i would like to know which questions are generally asked at the US embassy in London, Thanks in advance.
toffenuttMale02007-04-07 16:35:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussioninterview questions
what are the questions generally asked at the interview?
toffenuttMale02007-04-07 16:23:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionvisa status

i am a nigerian citizen who lives in london on a temporary resident permit which expired yesterday,i have my interview in 2weeks at the US embassy london, i did not extend my residence permit as it takes about 4-8weeks for the documents to be processed and i would need my passport for the interview in 2 weeks,could anyone please tell me if this is okay?


Nigerian in london on temp resident permit? What is the interview at the US embassy for?

the interview is for a K1 visa guys,thanks in advance.
toffenuttMale02007-04-08 14:19:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionvisa status
i am a nigerian citizen who lives in london on a temporary resident permit which expired yesterday,i have my interview in 2weeks at the US embassy london, i did not extend my residence permit as it takes about 4-8weeks for the documents to be processed and i would need my passport for the interview in 2 weeks,could anyone please tell me if this is okay?
toffenuttMale02007-04-07 16:53:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionforeign national
Hello Everyone and Happy Easter,
i am currently living in the UK and would like to know if anyone's been able to get a police certificate from Ukraine and how is the best way to go about it ?
toffenuttMale02007-04-08 14:09:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-134 and Foreign earned income?
Hi all,

I'm the petitioner and have been preparing all my documents for the I-134 but have just read something on the board that I wanted to have confirmed- is it true that any American living abroad and earning foriegn income will need a co-sponsor?

I've been living in England for over 9 years and have been making enough money to qualify to be a sponsor (the last 3 years my income was $22K, $26K and $42K). I've also filed taxes with the IRS for the last 3 years so I can submit my tax papers, bank statements, letter from bank and letter from current employer. I can also supply them with a letter from a company in the US confirming that I'll be employed with them once I arrive. Is this not good enough? By the way, I have no assets or properties.

Thanks in advance!
thefriendlyghostFemaleDenmark2008-05-25 10:02:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVSC Systems are not funtioning fully...
I am one of those my case showed a touch on the 3rd, case was still pending.

We received out hard copy on Friday and out of curiosity checked USCIS and it still says pending............go figure
Stinky MonkeyFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-10 15:33:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOMG!!! after my temporary refusal I finally got the visa!!!
Congratulations. :dance: :dance: :dance: You must feel great.

I am so pleased it has come through for you at last. I wish you all the best for the future.
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-07-24 11:41:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGOT MY APPROVAL
Congratulations to both of you. I hope the rest of the journey is plain sailing....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-01 02:58:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-130 Approved!!!!
Congratulations :dance: and Good Luck with the rest of your journey....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-09 03:04:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI 129 F Approved
Congratulations :joy: and Good Luck with the rest of your journey....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-16 03:16:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAPPROVED ON I-129F FINALLY AFTER AROUND 138 DAYS
Congratulations :dance: and Good Luck with the rest of your journey....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-14 15:41:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-129 approved.
Congratulations :dancing: and Good Luck with the rest of your journey....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-17 10:43:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVisa Approved !!!
Congratulations dancin5hr.gif dancin5hr.gif and Good Luck for the future....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-22 03:09:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresvisitor visa (B1/B2)
Just wanted to add my best wishes for you and echo MargotDarko.

I was refused a tourist visa before I even started the immigrant route for the sole reason of being married to a USC. The CO in London told me that they automatically presume that a spouse of a USC is an intending immigrant.

Good Luck good.gif
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-23 02:50:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresvisa apppproved...
Congratulations kicking.gif and Good Luck for the future....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-23 09:37:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAm I dreaming??? I-130 Approved!!!!
Congratulations dancin5hr.gif and Good Luck with the rest of your journey....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-22 15:43:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApproved I129 and I130 Aug 23, 2007
Congratulations kicking.gif kicking.gif and Good Luck for the future....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-24 09:45:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFinally got our approval on I 130& I129 F
Congratulations dancin5hr.gif and Good Luck with the rest of your journey....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-27 03:46:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedureszolanden got approved
Congratulations dancin5hr.gif
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-27 03:50:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWish us LUCK!!
Congratulations kicking.gif
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-27 03:36:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUK Members
Down in the UK forum, we have noticed our members have been succesfully graduating with their visas, but are not being replaced by new applicants. Either everyone has decided to stay put in the UK, or some of you haven't ventured in to visit us.... unsure.gif

So this is a general call to anyone going through London, come put an appearance in to the UK forum and give us your dates. We'll welcome you and add you to the list. yes.gif

See you soon good.gif
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2007-08-25 10:31:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWife APPROVED for VISA
Congratulations....
essjayFemaleUnited Kingdom2009-08-10 17:37:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?



Your case is different, and only USCIS can tell if you will receive a new case number. And that 1-800 number is useless so don't bother calling them.


Well, everyone, I tried to call USCIS today to get a firm answer on the status of our case, and scy was not kidding...calling that 800 number was definitely a useless exercise! :no:

At this point, all I can go by is the fact that our application does show up on the USCIS website, and even the 800 number confirms that our case is in the system. So, I made an executive decision to file I-129F using the NOA-1 we have...I mean, hey, they sent it to us, so I'm going to use it!

Hopefully, everything will be fine and our case number will remain unchanged. (Fingers crossed!)


Found this interesting tidbit in USCIS Adjudicator's Field Manual:

(2) Screen for Applications and Petitions Which Must Be Rejected. No application form may be accepted for processing unless it is completed and signed and the proper fee submitted [See 8 CFR103.2(a).]. If, subsequent to receipting, a check submitted for payment is returned as uncollectible, the receipt (priority) date is forfeited. Rejected applications receive an "R" or reject number in the CLAIMS tracking system. Because rejection occurs before completion of CLAIMS data entry, the system maintains only skeletal information concerning rejected applications and petitions. If a rejected application is later resubmitted, process the case as if it had never been submitted.

http://uscis.gov/lpb...pter-32-10-46-1

Seems to apply to your case there. Perhaps it's best to wait for a new NOA1. Good luck though.



Hi scy,
Thanks for finding this...but it leaves me a little bit confused...? How can we find out if this has happened to us since the 800 number has no option for speaking to someone? They seem to have sent the NOA1 under the impression that our payment was ok, and not caught it until after NOA1 was sent, so I still feel our scenario is a bit different....? I just really don't know what to do without talking to USCIS...isn't there any way at all to talk to someone live?
Thanks again for your help.


OK, I've been thinking about this and scy, you might be the right person to figure this out...
To file I-129f for the K-3 visa, you must include 'evidence of filing the I-130', correct?
I could swear that at one time I read that the mailing receipt of the I-130 was sufficient evidence.
Comments anyone?

PS: awesome, specific find on the payment part, scy!

From all I have read, any mention of the possibility of using the mailing receipt of the I-130 seemed to of occured around the time of first implementation of K-3. As having a I-130 in process is a requirement of obtaining a K-3 visa, I don't imagine that just a mailing receipt would suffice. The I-129F would need the NOA1 as being evidence of the I-130 being accepted and not returned, as has happened in the OP's case. I also believe that the NOA1 receipt number is what connects the I-130 to the K-3 when adjusting status etc. A mailing receipt wouldnt do that.

And yes.....good find scy :thumbs:



What does everyone mean by "mailing reciept?" Are you referring to NOA1? I really appreciate everyone's help...just not sure I understand the implications of today's replies.
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-07 15:09:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?

Your case is different, and only USCIS can tell if you will receive a new case number. And that 1-800 number is useless so don't bother calling them.


Well, everyone, I tried to call USCIS today to get a firm answer on the status of our case, and scy was not kidding...calling that 800 number was definitely a useless exercise! :no:

At this point, all I can go by is the fact that our application does show up on the USCIS website, and even the 800 number confirms that our case is in the system. So, I made an executive decision to file I-129F using the NOA-1 we have...I mean, hey, they sent it to us, so I'm going to use it!

Hopefully, everything will be fine and our case number will remain unchanged. (Fingers crossed!)
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-06 15:14:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?


Their letter does not state that the application is rejected. It literally says, "Please mail back this entire packet with this letter on top, along with your corrected payment." That doesn't sound like all-out rejection to me...but again, only they can tell us! :wacko:

I'll post next week and let you know!

Ahhhhhhhhh.........I take back what I said about it being a different NOA1 that you will be issued now that I know exactly what said. Will teach me not to ask :blush: Would take a bit of doing, finding a smiley eating its hat. IMO you have simply been given an RFE to supply the corrected payment. They still have you in the system???? Let us know what happens for sure with it. Out of curiousity, did you try checking online?



Yes, I did check online. Our case is there.

It says: "Current Status: Your I130 IMMIGRANT PETITION FOR RELATIVE, FIANCE(E), OR ORPHAN was received on February 23, 2006. We mailed you a receipt with information about processing. It is taking between 990 and 999 days for us to process this kind of case. We will mail you a decision as soon as processing is complete."

Now, that RFE we got for payment was sent on Feb. 28, and when I login to USCIS's website, it says our case was "Last Updated" (touched?) on Feb. 28, 2006. (Probably the day they sent the RFE.) It doesn't give any further information about the status.

I sure hope we're not awaiting a new NOA1! That would be soooooooo great! Still, I'm going to call tomorrow and will let you guys know what they say. Here's hoping!
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-05 14:06:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?

now when you file again please make sure chq or money order put the Month in words instead of Numbers



Seriously! We no longer have to get money orders anyway, and we can use my US bank account, but I am going to always spell out the month name for USCIS from now on! :no:

Thanks to aussiewench and yodrak (and everyone else) for their help on this. I'll have to keep you guys posted. I have scoured the USCIS website for any information that might clue us in on what to do, and it SEEMS like maybe we will keep the same Receipt Notice Number after the new check clears. (Though I could be wrong? :unsure: ) Basically, they advise anyone with a payment problem NOT to submit a new application. So I can't imagine that THEY, themselves, would want to process it as a new application when we already have a Receipt number? (Again, who knows! :unsure: :unsure: )

Anyway, I'm going to try and ring them up Monday and see if I can get an answer from USCIS directly. Their letter does not state that the application is rejected. It literally says, "Please mail back this entire packet with this letter on top, along with your corrected payment." That doesn't sound like all-out rejection to me...but again, only they can tell us! :wacko:

I'll post next week and let you know!

I sincerely hope that this fiasco has at least saved others out there from the same pitfall. :blush:
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-04 15:59:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?

This is why you should send a personal check and not a money order but I digress.. You know, there seems to be no concept of a post dated check here. I send my mortgage company a post dated check and it clears way before the date on it. I think the USCIS is just being goofy and if they put that check in the bank it would clear without issue.



No, it's definitely because a bank won't cash it if the date is too far in the future. My mom works at a bank, so I know this is the case...banks cannot cash checks until the date on it has passed (or is the same day). Perhaps mortgages work differently? Anyway, that is definitely what our problem was...the date on our money order appears (to Americans) to be July 2, 2006 because it was dated 7-2-06, and therefore can't be cashed until then.

Believe me, we would have LOVED to send a check from my US account, but circumstances prevented that at the time, and our only way to get the process going was to ask HSBC for a money order. We're going to give them an earful on Monday morning!! We told them how to write the date correctly in the first place, and they not only refused to do it as we requested, they guaranteed us there would be no problem. Annoying.
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-04 15:38:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?
Thanks you guys. (Especially for reading my rant!) I agree, the blunder is on the part of HSBC...and they claim to be "The World's Local Bank"??!? HA! I bet Yodrak is right and that USCIS glanced at the check, thought it looked ok, and sent NOA-1.

We have not mailed our I-129F today, because I thought I'd better see what you all had to say.

Yodrak, is it your opinion that our current NOA-1 is ok to use alongside our I-129F? Aussiewench, would you agree based on this discussion?

Would love to know what you both advise as a next step. Maybe I should call USCIS and ask..... ?

Thanks for your help and understanding, as always!
Mariel



By the way...if it helps to know this bit of info, the "RFE" type letter that USCIS sent rejecting our check DID carry the same Receipt Number as was on our NOA-1. That leads me to believe that very same Receipt Number will follow our application all the way through (vs. them issuing us a new one after my mom's US check is cashed.)

Thoughts?

Cheers.
M
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-03 18:26:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes a payment-related RFE stop us from filing I-129?
(um, sorry for the long rant below...but it felt good! i promise, there is a question at the end!)
**********
Ok, I am seriously frustrated with HSBC.

I woke up today and was not only thrilled to find our NOA-1 for our I-130 had arrived, but my husband and I also got several other bits of great news. We couldn't believe our luck all in one day!

Well, just as I was about to go to bed, blissfully at peace with our application process, I got an email from my mom back in the States...it said that another envelope had arrived from USCIS. Curious, I called and told her to open it. It was our I-130 petition, enclosed with a letter saying our payment was unacceptable.......all because HSBC INSISTED on dating our money order as they do in the UK (day first, then month) and they did it in numbers...so to the USCIS, the date looks like July 2, 2006 and therefore couldn't be cashed yet!!

I AM FURIOUS WITH HSBC OVER THIS!!!! :angry: :angry: :angry: I told them REPEATEDLY when I first saw the money order that no US government agency (or bank, for that matter) would accept payment of a check with a date that APPEARS (to Americans) to be months away from now. BUT THEY REFUSED TO CHANGE IT!!!! Their excuse was, "Well, we have to write it this way, and we can't change it because the money orders are written offsite. We have money orders cashed in the US all the time and they are always written this way and are accepted."

BULL(insert expletives here)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stupidly, we let them persuade us. Never again! On top of it, we were charged a whopping GBP 15.00 for the privilege of them writing us a money order which is now USELESS. Oh yes, and thanks for delaying our application, HSBC. GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! Thankfully, my mother is bailing us out and sending a US check to USCIS today.

Now that I'm done ranting, I can pose my question:
Does this "RFE" of sorts delay our ability to file I-129F? Since we got NOA-1 this morning, we were going to mail our I-129F tomorrow.

:help:

GRRRR, I am so annoyed.

Thanks for listening! :(

Edited by metinspain, 02 March 2006 - 11:27 PM.

metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-02 23:22:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-134: Foreign earned income only...implications??
[quote name='Yodrak' date='Mar 17 2006, 08:08 PM' post='80907']
Mariel,

You need to demonstrate that you will be able to support your husband after he enters the USA.

It's nice that you made enough last year, but will you be able to this year and next? And can you prove it?

Yodrak




Yep...I have no problem on current employment and income. So it sounds like it didn't matter where I earned my paycheck in 2005 then. I was just concerned that there might be an issue based on that other post, and wanted to make sure that foreign earned income last year didn't make me a candidate for needing a sponsor. Thanks! :thumbs:
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-17 21:06:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-134: Foreign earned income only...implications??
Hi guys,
I see another member has a similar question, but thought I better post my own since our situations are somewhat different.

Here's my situation:
I meet the 2005 poverty level guidelines for the I-134, but none of my 2005 income was earned in the US. (I only worked in China during 2005.)

Does it matter WHERE I earned my income for sponsoring my husband? Do I need a co-sponsor since I only worked abroad, even though I financially meet the guidelines for poverty level? Or am I ok to sponsor him on my own?

Thanks!
Mariel
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-16 18:46:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMy I-129F status (for K3) is listed as Fiance Petition!
:lol: That must be my problem...we didn't make it out for any St. Patty's Day pints yesterday, so I had too much time to obsess over visa applications. Think I better have a belated pint tonight. :P
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-18 10:38:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMy I-129F status (for K3) is listed as Fiance Petition!
Hi,
When I login to USCIS.gov with my Receipt Notice Number for our I-129F, it comes up as: "Petition for Alien Fiance." But we're already married, and our I-129F is part of our K3, which I clearly stated in the coverletter!

Does USCIS just always list that as the form name on their website, even though it's not necessarily for a Fiance visa? Should I be worried that they're not processing it correctly?

I'm paranoid as always.
Thanks!
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-17 21:16:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPayment Related RFE...Resolved!
Hi everyone,
About a month ago, I posted an unusual problem my husband and I had with payment for our I-130 (see the following link: http://www.visajourn...showtopic=4339) Well, to our pleasant surprise, the outcome wasn't so bad afterall! :dance:

Basically, we had a VERY unusual situation: USCIS sent us our NOA-1 even though there was a problem with our money order. We were advised through this forum (correctly, I might add) that USCIS should have rejected our application and that we'd be issued a brand new NOA-1 when we sent in correct payment, and that we should wait to submit our I-129F until we got it. Well, that's correct under normal circumstances, but what happened to us falls outside normal guidelines.

I finally talked to someone at USCIS and confirmed this after my last post. The woman said it was no problem...our I-130 was processing normally because it was USCIS's mistake, and we wouldn't receive a new NOA-1! We're lucky, because we'd taken a gamble at the time and sent in our I-129F using the original NOA-1, and it paid off...we are on the timeline we should be with no delays! :D

Thanks to everyone who tried to help. All your advice was basically right...it's just that our case was highly unusual. Since USCIS didn't notice the payment problem until AFTER our NOA-1 was sent to us, the regular rules didn't apply! Thank goodness for that little error! ;)

Anyway, thought you'd want to know what happened in case any other members encounter something similar. Good luck to all!
:)
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-29 20:15:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedureswhats the correct way to date Money orders
Yes, mm/dd/year. I'm the USC who posted that and of course, we TOLD the bank that originally, but they didn't listen. And we were stupid enough to trust HSBC when they told us that we would have no problem.
:(

My advice, especially for anyone ording a money order in a foreign country, is to tell them to SPELL out the name of the month, instead of putting a number. If only HSBC had written "7 February, 2006" instead of 7-2-2006," I'm sure we would have had no problem.
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-03 18:54:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMoving to US n applying for K-3 ??


Now that you have decided to marry and immigrate to the U.S.:

What you CAN do:


1. You can come here on the VWP and get married, but you'll have to leave before your I-94 expires and then your spouse can file for K-3/CR1.
2. Your spouse can file for K1 and you can wait to come here and get marred (you may or not be admitted for visits on the VWP during this time)
3. You can marry outside the U.S. and then your spouse can file for K3/CR1 and wait for that processing (you may or not be admitted for visits on the VWP during this time)
4. You can marry outside the U.S. and possibly do the Direct Consular Filing.

What you CANNOT do:

Enter on the VWP, marry, and adjust status without leaving


We alredy got married on october 2005 in CHICAGI, IL...

Groomit




Firstly, groomit, I just want to make sure that you wouldn't read the above and think you should try to marry AGAIN in the US. DO NOT do it! I have heard that a 2nd marriage to the same person casts doubt on the legality of the first marriage. Anyway, I'm sure you understand this, but would hate for there to be any confusion regarding that advice. :P

The I-130 application is what you need to file first. From there, you can begin the K3 process, which should allow you to be reunited with your wife while the I-130 is pending approval. Unfortunately, as many of us have learned, you just cannot escape being separated during this period...it's a sad truth of the way the visa application process works. Just start as soon as possible and get it over with, is my only advice! Best of luck.
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-03-06 09:47:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresThank You Everyone
Hey, good luck! We're all in this together. :)
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-05-10 09:55:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2!!!!
Fab news! So happy for you! I hope we are as lucky...our timeline is just a few weeks behind yours. :)

All the best,
Mariel
metinspainNot TellingUnited Kingdom2006-05-11 09:17:00