ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
My interview is in 4 days!
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-12-01 12:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
Been waiting for a replacement interview letter as the Embassy agreed to move my interview date forward to 5th Dec.

Well it hadn't arrived and I was just wondering where it was when a neighbour from the farm up the road came down holding it. She had just found it in her dog's bed!

Apparently he has a habit of lying in wait for the postman and stealing a bit of post which he then just keeps and sleeps with. She found it today when she was cleaning his bed and has no idea how long he's had it!!

Thank goodness he didn't just chew it up - we would never have known where it went!
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-29 13:16:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
QUOTE (desilu @ Nov 27 2008, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
HELP!!

I have my medical tomorrow morning and Ive just found out I have to provide a medical questionnaire - form IV18a. I havent recieved this document in any of the packets. Is there somewhere I should download it from??

Thanks guys smile.gif


Hi Lou - I replied with the details on your post in the UK forum - PM me if it doesn't make sense - I didn't get the form in my packet either.

Lynne
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-27 15:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
QUOTE (desilu @ Nov 27 2008, 01:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Oh thats good news - I was getting worried. Hopefully all will be straightforward.

Good luck for your interview Isma biggrin.gif


PS Have you looked into international shipping? Im rubbish at organising this type of thing...


I am still deciding what to do about my things. I'm thinking of taking some extra cases with me on the plane and then getting the rest later. Or I might do a few boxes of books and things shipped. I have some antique furniture which I would like to bring over but at the moment our first house doesn't have much room for more furniture so I might leave it there for a little while.

I can't decide! Are you taking a lot?

Lynne
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-27 09:03:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
QUOTE (desilu @ Nov 27 2008, 12:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Congrats to everyone on getting interview dates and those who are already in the US good.gif

I have my medical tomorrow. Interview in 14 days.


Good luck guys - I had my medical last week. It was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be - in and out in about 50 mins - most of that waiting around to be seen.

My interview is on the 5th Dec - a week tomorrow!
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-27 07:58:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
QUOTE (shrewdgal @ Nov 17 2008, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
who all is left without an interview date??

me...sad.gif

???????????


I hope you hear soon - any idea if it's close?
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-11-17 14:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
QUOTE (desilu @ Oct 30 2008, 05:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thanks CHD smile.gif

Congrats me262 smile.gif

Good luck Rajaa smile.gif

Arranged my medical today, now its just sit back and wait time ClockWatch2.gif lol


Hi - how did you arrange your medical? Do you have to have a letter or just know the date and call?
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-30 13:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
I called today and was told our interview has been scheduled for 17th Dec!
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-10-29 09:59:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
QUOTE (Shpat_Argjira @ Sep 5 2008, 06:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (MsZ @ Sep 5 2008, 12:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey Shpat : Fill in your timeline!!



There's nothing to be filled...that's all i've got done.


I think MsZ means the VJ timeline - the one which links on left hand side - yours still says waiting for approval.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-05 12:13:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
NVC receieved today but they wouldn't give me the IIN number. I guess I can email the DS3032 now?
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-03 18:38:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
Still no sign of my case at NVC on the automated system
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-09-02 12:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAugust I-130 approvals, lets do NVC together.
I'd like to be added too! Timeline is in my signature

Thanks
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-08-25 10:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresSuccesfully moving to the USA without a co-sponsor
This whole site is for immigration to the US - so the Canada forum is for Canadians moving to the US - although you can usually find information on other Canada related issues there aside from immigration matters.

It's a little confusing that you say you will not be living with your husband when you move to the US. Do you mean if you enter on a fiance visa you won't live together until you marry. Or do you mean you plan to live separately from your husband - if so is it a temporary arrangement to cover a temporary separation for education or work reasons?

So at present your options are really to choose between the K1 (fiance visa) and the CR1 (spouse visa)

K1 - fiance = you apply before you get married with the intention or marrying once you enter the US using your visa. After marriage you apply to adjust your status and can usually receive your green card and work authorization within 3 months (times vary)
CR1 - spouse = you marry before you apply - when you enter you automatically have green card / work authorization (well the actual card comes through the post a few weeks later but you have a stamp in your passport which works until then)

For either of these visas the couple needs to show financial support - the US citizen will be the one to fill out the forms to do this and will be the one who needs to acquire a co-sponsor if needed. You have the option to show that you have enough assets (usually money in the bank) to cover the financial obligations if the USC has no job or no co-sponsor.

People can help you more with details if you can specify the household size needed for the financial requirement. So just the two of you or does your fiance have children/other dependents too
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2011-07-20 11:05:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOriginal Documents

You should have provided good copies with your application, take the originals and a copy with you for their inspection if needed. Pretty standard.


That's not true, as the OP correctly pointed out in the case of a spouse visa CR1/IR1 going to the UK embassy you need to send the original documents to the NVC.

OP - I was super cautious so I had a second set of originals of the ones it was easy to get - birth, marriage, police cert etc. But at the interview they actually gave me back the originals I had sent to the NVC. I was worried that if they had lost something in transit they would claim I had never sent it. But I think in the majority of cases that never happens.

Edited by LSMA, 25 September 2011 - 09:59 AM.

TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2011-09-25 09:59:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview to Visa received London

So we just received our interview date which will be friday the 18th of November. We are super excited but are just wondering whether anyone has any information or experience on the time period between the interview and receiving the visa in the post, (we heard the London embassy does not process the visa the same day). Thanksgiving falls on November 24th and obviously we would love to be together for it, but are not sure whether this is a realistic goal, Any thoughts?


That is going to be really tight for time. It's not impossible but I would say unlikely. I suspect you will probably get the visa back that week but before the 24th?

I had my interview on the 5th of Dec 2008 and my flights booked for the 15th Dec. I think my passport arrived back on the 13th - I was very stressed about it. Having said that some people have had an interview on the Friday and had the passport in their hands on the Sat afternoon. Others have waited 2 weeks.

So I wouldn't book a flight but if you can afford it you might be able to get a last minute ticket if it does come in time.


EDITED TO ADD: Asking for an earlier date is a good plan. I did that too. Our original interview date was for the 15th and I wanted more time to get there before Christmas so I phoned the embassy and got the special email code then emailed and said if it was at all possible I would like an earlier interview date. They gave me one ten days earlier. It can't hurt to try.

Edited by LSMA, 02 October 2011 - 08:55 AM.

TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2011-10-02 08:52:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresSpouse Visa and Cosular Processeing

You don't need a marriage visa to get married in the UK.
I got married on my 6 month tourist visa, no problems :star:


Actually you do if you are already outside the country when you decide to travel to the UK to get married. Please see the following information from the Home Office's UK Border Agency:

If both of you are in the UK

If you and your future husband, wife or civil partner are both in the UK but at least one of you is subject to immigration control, you will need to give notice to marry or register your civil partnership with a registrar at a 'designated office'. The Giving notice page contains more information.

Since 9 May 2011, you do not need to obtain a Certificate of Approval before you marry or register your civil partnership.
If one or both of you are abroad

If either partner is not already in the UK, they will need to obtain a visa before they come to the UK to marry or register their civil partnership, unless they:

are a British citizen; or
are a national of a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, or the family member of a national of the EEA who has the right of residence in the UK; or
have a certificate of entitlement in your passport, giving them the right to live in the UK; or
are not subject to immigration control.

The visa that you need will depend on how long you intend to stay in the UK:

If you will be coming to the UK for a short time, and you plan to leave the UK soon after the ceremony, you must obtain a visa as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership. See the Visitors for marriage or civil partnership section.
If you are planning to come to the UK to get married or register a civil partnership with someone who is already settled or settling here, and you want to stay in the UK afterwards, you will need to obtain a visa as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner. Both you and your partner must be aged 21 or over, and you will need to show evidence that you plan to marry or register your civil partnership within 6 months of your arrival. See the Fiance(e)s and proposed civil partners section.


http://www.ukba.home...ip/eligibility/
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2011-12-04 18:55:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresSanity Check needed on visa application for non-US spouse

So this guide is the one I need? (As I (the non-us citizen outside the US) and my wife a us citizen in the us filing for me)

http://www.visajourn...tent/i130guide1

Is there more to it than that? Seems 'to' straightforward?


It often is very straightforward in terms of process - unless you have certain issues in your background such as convictions for certain crimes, drug use, previous abuses of the American immigration system.

The only problem for someone with even a very straightforward case there is no getting around the waiting. And apart from visits you will have to do most of this waiting apart - particularly if you need to work. I managed to get a sabbatical from my job during our process so spent 3 months in the US while waiting for the visa to be processed. (We applied in 2007 at a very backlogged time and it took over 12 months to complete)

If you are good with paperwork and have no big 'issues' in your background you should process as fast as the current processing times allow - I imagine it's going to take 5-10 months from the time you file (but could take longer, or for some really lucky people less).

The thing that's frustrating is that apart from having very clean paperwork and responding to all deadlines promptly there is really nothing more you can do to speed up the process. There's a lot of luck involved - which service center you get and how fast they are processing visas at the time you are there is the key to first stage which takes up the main amount of time.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2011-12-04 16:01:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMarriage in US -> Return home -> CR1

Sometime's they'll ask you where you're staying and going and such. If you are going off to some resort to get married, you could say "such and such resort", but if you were going to stay with your fiancee, you'd probably have to provide that answer, which might lead to further questions. But yeah, if CBP wants to probe further they can, and you have to be honest, but it's not required to volunteer the information.


Really strangely I nearly almost always got asked where I worked and what my husband's job was. And because we both worked for quite interesting companies that always led to the immigration officer lightening up and saying something like "That sounds really fun / interesting" quickly followed by "Have a great trip"

And once the guy was looking really stern and frowning at my passport and I thought "uh oh" and then he looked up and said "What a gorgeous necklace you are wearing, it really suits you" "Have a great vacation" Stamped my passport and waved me through.

I wore that necklace every single time I visited after that. :)
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-04-22 15:24:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMarriage in US -> Return home -> CR1

That's really interesting--so if you enter and get married, you can adjust to "indefinite leave to remain"? How does that compare with the process for seeking a visa for a spouse outside from outside the UK? It would be interesting if it were faster and easier for fiances to enter and stay than it is for already married couples.


This was back in 2007 and even then if you were planning to get married and stay you were supposed to apply for a different visa -not the 'marriage visit visa' which we did. But once he entered on that visit visa we were told it was possible. I checked at the time with the office we were told to go to and they confirmed it. (was just wishful thinking on my part as we were never planning to settle in the UK)

I think the correct visa for marrying and settling (Equivalent to K1 in US) is much easier and quicker to get so if that's the plan it's probably just as easy to apply for that one.

At the time my husband left to go back to the US 3 days after we got married and that was a hard thing to go through. We also got caught in the massive USCIS backlog of 2007 ( 90 days to get just the NOA1 - ten months to get NOA2) So we spent the whole of our first year of marriage apart. I was very upset with the time it took knowing we could have been together much quicker if we had chosen the UK. Of course now it's fading to a dull annoyance and I'm pleased we chose our beautiful UK wedding, it was very special getting married at home with all my family there.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-04-17 17:28:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMarriage in US -> Return home -> CR1
An interesting comparison to the US system we all have to go through is that although my husband had applied for a marriage visit visa to come, get married and not stay in the UK. The border control officer said to him as he entered that if he did want to stay on after the marriage he could just go to this particular office and ask to adjust status and that would be it. It would have been so simple and stress free to have been able to do that as the marriage visit visa took just 5 days to get from sending the packet off to getting the passport back with the visa in it.

The UK marriage visit visa also gives you six months to stay in the UK as a visitor if you want it after your marriage. Which is nice for those couples who can take advantage of that.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-04-17 15:13:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMarriage in US -> Return home -> CR1
Hi

Re marrying in the UK...you said

3. Marry in UK, then pursue CR1 - This requires us both to be resident in the UK for 7 days plus 14 days before the wedding, so would use up all of my fiancee's vacation allowance.

This is partly correct.

If you want a civil ceremony then you have to give notice with your local authority. To give notice you have to be resident in the UK for 7 days.

(So when we did this my husband came over for an 8-day holiday and then we gave notice just before he flew home.

After you have given notice you cannot get married until 14 days have passed. Your fiancee does not have to be in the UK for those 14 days. Your 'notice' is valid for a year.

When we got married my husband came over in March to give notice (an 8-day trip)

And then he came back in July for the wedding. I can't remember how many days he was here before the wedding but it didn't matter because more than 14 days had passed since the notice was given.

So it doesn't have to take as much vacation leave as you might have thought.

Also we didn't pursue this option but I think the rules are different if you get married in a Church of England Church. I don't think the residency requirements apply for the foreign spouse - but I think you have to apply to get a special licence -check out the CoE website. http://www.churchofe...s/weddings.aspx

And I think the rules are also slightly different if you want to get married in Scotland - I don't think they have the 7 days residency notice needed to get married. But they have a 15 day wait between the notice being given and the wedding taking place.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-04-17 15:02:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWho can I call

My wife and I are applying fro her to relocate to the US and have sent our application to Chicago Lockbox this past Thursday. Does anyone know how long it takes from here before receiving a response or if there's someone I can contact to find any information w/o interrupting the process? I'm afraid of missing the email that they are supposed to contact me by so if there is any information you have it will be greatly appreciated.


Hi - can you make it a little clearer at what point in the process you are? Your profile says Adjustment of Status pending - is your wife here in the US with you? If so what visa did she enter the country with? Or perhaps VWP.

If she is in the UK is the application you sent to the Chicago Lockbox the I-130 for the spousal visa?

And when you say how long it takes to get a response - do you mean the first acknowledgement that they have received your application or a response to approve or deny the application?
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-05-15 14:13:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTravel to USA while I-130 pending
I entered the US again yesterday under the VWP - this time I wasn't asked at all who I was staying with. They just wanted to know why I was there. When I said for a vacation they seemed perfectly happy.

I had letters from work and the person I rent from showing my intention to return to the UK but they weren't needed.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-08-14 07:52:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTravel to USA while I-130 pending
Hi Sarah Jayne - just to update you I entered the US successfully under the VWP today - no hassle at all and no mention of the visa at all. Just the following brief but odd exchange:

IO: Purpose of visit?
ME: Vacation
IO: Who are you staying with?
ME: My husband
IO: (Deep stare at me) How long are you staying?
ME: Two weeks
IO: Have you ever lived in Florida
ME: No (thinking - what?)
IO: Do you have any relatives in Florida
ME: No (what?)

IO then stamped all the forms and told me to have a nice vacation. Simple and quick. I was very pleased and surprised. I didn't have to show any of my evidence for return to the UK. For reference I had:

Return ticket
Letter from work
Rental agreement letter
Old passport to show good history of short stays and returns to the UK

So for those applying for a spousal visa and able to use the VWP it can be done. I'm now going to enjoy two weeks with my husband!

Clearly someone with my name or similar is doing something bad in Florida but my basic answer of no seemed to reassure her that it wasn't me.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-03-26 00:10:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTravel to USA while I-130 pending
This is an interesting post on VJ on the subject

http://www.visajourn...p;#entry1570178

read down to mateo's wife's experience. They clearly knew she was in the system but it worked out okay in that case.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-02-29 15:27:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTravel to USA while I-130 pending
My husband is USC - I'm from UK. We have travelled numerous times to see each other during our four years of long distance relationship. For the first three years we were together (unmarried) I travelled over to see him about five times a year - each time for about a week to two weeks. I was always questioned about who I was seeing and saying "my boyfriend" usually just resulted in a raised eyebrow and a look at my return ticket. Sometimes they asked me what I did for a job and what my boyfriend did for a job. We both work for quite high profile companies so that usually made them happy. Since we got married last year I have been over twice. Suddenly I was very nervous about travelling as visiting a "husband" does sound suspicious. The first time was a month after we got married - I hadn't changed my name in my passport and we hadn't sent our I-130 in at that point. I told them I was there for a week's holiday - and there were no further questions.

The next visit over I had changed my name and passport. Also we had sent in the I-130. We sent it in Oct and I travelled over in Nov for Thanksgiving. But because of the delays we didn't have an NOA1 at that point so I didn't know if they had even opened it. I did take with me a letter from work confirming my return to work two weeks later. A letter from my landlady confirming my ongoing rental agreement. An invitation from my mother-in-law showing I was attending an official family party in my honour (she thought that might sway things if there was a problem) POE at Atlanta was fine - the only thing the IO was worried about was that I had a good Thanksgiving as it was my first one! BUT - the word husband or visa never came up so I didn't need to present my evidence anyway.

I am now planning to visit my husband for two weeks in April. We do have an NOA1 now so I should be 'in the system'. I will take the letter from work again and my rental agreement - I have a return ticket and my past good history of visiting for no more than two weeks at a time and leaving promptly. I hope this will be enough.

I'll keep you posted!
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2008-02-29 14:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIf you had to get a replacement immigrant visa what did you have to do how long did it take how much did it cost?
So this is my experience with both a water damaged US visa in a UK passport and contacting the embassy:

Before I got married and applied for the green card I had an I-visa which is a type of working visa for the US, valid for 5 years. It's a visa you use for very specific working trips into the US, so I was also using the VWP on trips when I was just going as a tourist. One day (in the UK) I knocked a glass of water off my bedside table into the drawer below - that drawer was where I kept my passport and it got soaked - the visa was water damaged around the edges and the numbers in the big number along the bottom were smudged but you could still see what they were. Because I didn't need to use the visa at that point I was annoyed but it wasn't urgent. Anyway next time I entered the US as a tourist I asked the CO at the immigration check point "By the way - I damaged the I visa recently - do you think it's still valid or do I need to replace it before using it again" He looked at it and said " Well - I would let you through, I think it's okay"

So my point:

- accidentally damaging your visa can and does happen to anyone.
- a little bit of damage does not necessarily make the visa invalid - but it can depend on the particular CO you get when you enter

- you do not have to APPLY for the visa again if it is damaged too badly to use but you have to get the embassy to issue a replacement. I don't know the current cost - it may be a couple of hundred pounds or so - it may just be the cost of the courier there and back.

You have two options now - you already know this you stated one of them above:

1. Try flying to the US and using your visa - if they think the damage is too extensive and send you back you can:

2. Get the embassy to replace the visa in your passport.

Oh and just to check:

When you emailed the embassy you did the following, right?

1. Put the 'special' code they gave you on the phone in the subject line of the message
2. Included all your visa numbers and details

If you did that then I can tell you from experience that they will email you back within 5 working days - you might even have their reply by now and they will tell you exactly how to proceed. This might take a few weeks to sort out but you will have the peace of mind that it's done. Loads of people on here damage the brown envelope they get and have to get that resealed by the embassy - it's not that different to have the visa replaced in your passport in terms of having to send something back to the embassy and wait for a reply before travelling.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2011-05-16 08:21:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresmarriage ceremony for CR1
You might want to double check with others who have gone through the CR1 process in China. In some consulates and embassies they take into account what is the custom in that particular country to determine whether the marriage is genuine.

What is fine in a European country might not be okay in China.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-12-17 05:42:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWhat is the fastest way for a foreign spouse to enter US?

Your ONLY option now you are married and she is outside the US is to apply for the spouse visa - CR1. 

 

She can visit using the VWP while the process takes place - as long as she didn't overstay on her last trip. Although bear in mind that she will not be guaranteed entry and may be required to show evidence that she intends to return to her home country at the end of the visit before being let in (letter from an employer etc)

 

She will only be allowed to stay up to 90 days per trip with the VWP. 

 

It's going to take 6-12 months for the process to complete before she is able to emigrate.


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-05-26 11:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIR-1/CR-1 Spouse Visa. About to submit. Gray area question.

Actually I believe the issue is intent. 

 

It's not fraud to come to the US on a visa waiver with no intent to stay and then change your mind later. Married or not married.

 

But of course being married makes your argument that you had no intent to stay look a lot weaker. However people have successfully AOS'd under similar circumstances. 

 

Only the OP knows for sure what his wife's intent was.


Edited by *Lynne*, 15 June 2013 - 09:18 AM.

TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-06-15 09:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresSponsor difficulty

One other thing to consider before you move is have your wife apply for UK citizenship if she is eligible based on how long she has been in the country etc. 

 

If she can become a UK citizen before you move (and don't worry it won't affect her US citizenship) it will make is a lot easier on both of you if you ever want to move back to the UK in the future. 

 

It's become a lot harder - lots more rules and financial levels to meet - to have the spouse of a UK citizen move to the UK.

 

 


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-07-05 13:39:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNeed help on what to do keep getting different answers when calling uscis.

Did she come with the intent of getting married and immigrating to the US? 

 

Or did she come for a vacation and then you suddenly decided to get married while she was here?

 

 


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-17 21:20:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCan we move to the US while we wait on approval?

The K3 used to make sense when the spousal visas were taking 2-3 years to complete. In those cases - the K3 still took several months but it allowed the family to unite more quickly that waiting for the CR1 - there were still several months to wait. 

 

Once the processing the the CR1 caught up with the K3 processing, the K3 became less useful for most applicants. 

 

Of course if processing times seriously slow down again then they may come back into fashion.


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2013-10-15 13:19:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAny way to expedite the IR-1 process?

 

Did you ever get the feeling that the separation would never end? My wife and I are almost five months into the process and are anticipating another year before she's here. It feels like it's never going to end and really makes me despair sometimes. Any coping advice? 

 

 

If only we all could do that....

 

It was the uncertainty which drove me crazy, more than the length of time. It's not knowing whether it's going to be 7 month, 10 months or 20 months. 

 

This is what we did: 

 

Worked, sorted through belongings, putting some in storage and working out what to pack, talked on the phone every day. researched the area of the US I was moving to, checked the USCIS website 20 times a day

 

This is what I wish we'd done:

 

Saved money like crazy by taking on as much overtime as possible and perhaps a second job (having a money cushion is so helpful when it might take a while for the immigrant to get a job, and even if that's not an issue you can use the extra money to decorate the house, buy new furniture together, travel around the US to get used to your new home)

 

Decluttered massively on both sides of the ocean. I did get rid of a lot of my belongings before moving over but there is still stuff sitting in boxes in my parents' house which I haven't looked at for seven years. I wish my husband had done a similar amount of pruning on his stuff before I moved to make space for the things I was bringing over. I spend the first six months in the US cleaning out closets which was a bit of a drag.

 

I wish my husband had done more research on his end and created a welcome to America package which contained things like - maps of the area, info on getting the drivers' licence in his town including the theory booklet for example, lists of shops and places I'd like to visit, places to buy British goods, 

 

I wish I'd spent more time of getting ready for a big new job hunt - resume primed, contacts gathered, research on possible companies etc


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2014-01-27 10:29:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAny way to expedite the IR-1 process?

Unfortunately there is no way to expedite a normal case simply because you don't want to be apart. A senator or congressman can't do anything to speed up your case unless it's outside of normal processing times. (normal is what USCIS say is normal obviously, not what we consider normal)

 

However it might be worth getting your politicians involved even if all it does is to try to raise more awareness of the severity of the backlogs for spousal visas right now which are definitely bad. 

 

On the 'bright' side you are surely very very close to your NOA2. I'm not sure what the wait times are for interviews etc in Canada but if I were you I'd be putting all my energy into making sure I have everything ready to go immediately for the next few stages. 

 

I know that's not much comfort when it feels as though your family is being torn apart. My husband and I spent the first 15 months of our marriage apart because of similar backlogs in 2007 and it was horrible. 


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2014-01-26 12:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNot being able to visit the USA during the I-13O process?

I don't know, but having been on this board for seven years now I have heard so many stories of lawyers giving bad or false advice on every single step of the immigration process. Not just the visiting issue.

 

I suspect that a lot of lawyers offer immigration forms help but are not immigration specialists so give questions like visiting their 'best guess' or maybe they have had one client who couldn't visit and have made an assumption that it's like that for everyone. 


TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2014-01-24 17:57:00
United KingdomWhat options exist for being together while we await I-130?

It will not be that easy for him to visit the US while you wait! Yes he will have to prove his intent to return to the UK but they can still deny him entry, they don't want to risk him getting a denial on his visa app while in the country and then decide to stay illegaly... The VWP is no guarantee to get in, they have their right to put him on next plane back to the uk...


It's true it's not guaranteed that he will be able to visit the US but most people visiting from the UK during both K1 and CR1 visa applications have had few issues. I visited my husband about 5 times while we were waiting for the visa to be processed - trips ranging from a weekend to almost 3 months.

I always had the stack of papers showing I had intentions to return (lease, letter from boss etc) but I was never asked for any of it. They only ever wanted to see my return ticket. I was always worried on the flight over which wasn't pleasant of course.

If you can go to the UK for that length of time then I would say go for it. You'll have a great appreciation of living in a strange country which will help you appreciate his point of view when you move to the US.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-01-24 09:36:00
United KingdomWhen did you leave your job in the UK?
You have six months to activate your visa once it's given to you - I know you probably want to be with your fiancé as soon as possible - but you could always wait until you get your interview date to give notice or even later.

Looking back I now wish I had worked a couple of extra months before moving to go over with more savings than I did. Especially as I ended up basically buying all the furniture and home stuff to make it more comfortable than my husband's bachelor pad. I had enough savings to let me not work for nearly a year but even so it would have been nice to have even more of a cushion.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-05-14 15:37:00
United KingdomWhat Won't You Miss About The UK?

Oh, I forgot. Don't forget to add in the bits your insurance won't pay at all.

For example, my husband had a recent 2 1/2 day hospital stay. So far it looks like we are in for $800. So far.


I certainly appreciate the lack of financial stress that the NHS gives you, now I've been here for a while.

I get my coverage through my husband's work plan which is an amazing plan so our coverage is great - we had no co-pays at all when I gave birth in a hospital here. I saw the paperwork though and if we hadn't been covered it would have cost us something like $20,000 (for a simple, no complications birth). A friend with a different insurance plan had to pay about $2000 as her co-pay for her hospital stay after giving birth. And that didn't include all the prenatal care etc. A Caesarean birth was about $80,000.

But even though we were covered for everything, I still had to ring the insurance company every time a test was ordered to see if it was covered. It made the experience really stressful.

With our plan my asthma inhalers cost me $20 but I can only have one every four weeks, so if I lose one I have to pay the full price to replace it which is $200. I found that out the hard way.

The care you get here is lovely - very plush and private. But on the other hand I always found really nice GP practices in the UK, even in central London so I would never knock the NHS too much now.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-06-24 22:24:00
United KingdomTransition Issues

PS: pardon my Frenglish


Laure are you French because your English is amazing.

I've been here just over three years now and I've found that the transition to life here has come in waves. We dated long distance for three years before I moved so there was the initial euphoria at being together finally and then the same first frustrations as everyone else here, feeling a bit helpless and dependent. Then back to confidence and a happy balance with things starting to fall into place - job, driving around getting to know the area, finding favourite places etc.

Then I had a baby and wham - all the homesickness came back, several of my friends back home all had babies the same year and I felt isolated from the fun of sharing the experience with them. Sure I had new friends here but it's not quite the same as your old long term buddies, if you know what I mean. I started to miss all the UK shops again and of course it made being apart from my close family harder too. Add in new baby exhaustion and there were definitely some teary nights. Two years on from the birth and I'm back into a happy balance. So I think the key is to hang on in there and be prepared for some ups and downs.
TrellickFemaleUnited Kingdom2012-05-11 16:26:00