Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	August 2009 VSC Filers	Wow I am at CSC, and sent in my petition at the start of august 2009...I wish I had my NOA2 like a lot of you guys have gotten! But I am very happy for you all	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-10-16 07:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	America/Australia March Posting	Hi All Tell me if I should be getting worried. I know Vermont is taking longer to process K1 NOA2 than California but I am seeing were some couples are receiving their NOA2 and they submitted their application to Vermont after us. I have been checking if our application has been touched and it was only once on the 17th Jan 2010. We received our NOA1 on the 13th Jan 2010. Hope someone could put my mind to rest. Kathy To let you know what was happening when I was waiting for my K1, I was at CSC, and Vermont were cranking out approvals in a month, sometimes less. California seemed to be standing still! The two service centers seem to swap back and forth as to who is processing petitions quicker. Our NOA1 was August 5, and when the approvals started rolling out for August, I was one of the last to get mine. Also, my case didn't get a touch until the approval. Just hang in there!! You are almost there	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2010-05-02 13:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	August 2010 CSC Filers!	I hope your journeys are smooth, August 2010 filers! I was an August 2009 filer, about to have my first wedding anniversary next week Thinking happy thoughts for you all!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2011-02-11 14:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	How do you maintain your Long Distance Relationship?	When Alex and I are apart we text each other good morning and good night, we take turns calling each other, we send care packages for special occasions or no reason at all....We video chat as well so we can see each other. Being able to see each other makes the distance hurt less, for sure. I also find that keeping yourself busy helps make time go by quicker. Its hard not to dwell on being apart but making sure you are occupied helps! Good luck on your journey!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-31 18:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Former F-1 Students petitioning for K-1	QUOTE (sk28 @ Jan 26 2009, 03:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well I am sorry I guess I should not have used This is not right. YOu can do what ever you want to. Basicly, you will not have any problems if you have never been out of status and apply for K-1. You will have to wait usually for 6 months to have a K-1. You will have a very good evidence for why they should give you the K-1 as you lived together. Also, you could look at OPT after you graduate and get a EAD for a year after you graduate and work in the USA, you can contact your International office. But if you have a firm job offer from Australia than you should do K-1 as it is not easy to get a job in US as a recent graduate right now. Yeah, OPT is not an option I want to try as I'm not garaunteed a job here, whereas I prety much have a job lined up back home.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-26 21:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Former F-1 Students petitioning for K-1	QUOTE (pushbrk @ Jan 25 2009, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (sk28 @ Jan 25 2009, 08:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Going back and do the K-1 is not the right way. This is why you are allowed to adjust. When you get married and file your I-130 and I-485 you are not out of status you are waiting for your visa approval, and you do not have to maintain F-1, while waiting you can apply for EAD and I-131 which will let you go to Australia and visit your family and come back. If I were you I would adjust it is faster and cheaper. Also, F-1 holders if they have been in the US for longer time have less problems at the interviews. I adjusted from F-1 and my case was approved in 4 months and the we where at interview for 10 min max. asked just basic questions. Both ways are perfectly "right" and legal but it sounds like the couple's financial priorities dictate the K1 route. Thankyou! Thats what I was thinking. Also taking into account that we are not officially engaged yet, which is going to happen in the next few months, we are not ready to get married right now. Doing the K1 gives us that time and allows me to save money so we can start married life comfortably. It also gives our family and friends time to get organised to come out here and see us get hitched Please, I just want advice from people who have similar experiences to us, not to be told what we are doing is right or wrong.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-26 13:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Former F-1 Students petitioning for K-1	QUOTE (Soancika+Brian @ Jan 25 2009, 06:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi, As i mentioned i had F-1 as well. While we got everything ready for our wedding i overstayed a little. You should't worry about that. USCIS will forgive that. If you can live with out him for 6 or more months ,than you can go back and wait in your country.You only would't be allowed to work for 2-3 months till you get your EAD. It's all up to you that you want to do now. I decided to stay with my love. As much as I want to stay, the finances won't allow it. I also don't want to risk an overstay. Call me paranoid but I deal with F1 students every day at my school and way too many of them have run afoul of immigration. We've gone without seeing each other for 5-6 months at a time before, but like I said it still will be hard. How long did your change of status take, just out of interest? Did USCIS give you any hassle for being an F1?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-25 22:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Former F-1 Students petitioning for K-1	QUOTE (pushbrk @ Jan 25 2009, 02:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Your apartment lease, visa and passport stamps are plenty of evidence you've met in person. You also have the option of simply marrying and adjusting status to Legal Permanent Resident. We did consider this, but while we are adjusting status, I would still have to maintain my legal status of an F1, and I can't afford to pay yet another semester of $4000 in school fees. If I go home, I am able to work full time and be with my family, although it won't be fun being apart for 6 months or so.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-25 21:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Former F-1 Students petitioning for K-1	QUOTE (Soancika+Brian @ Jan 25 2009, 03:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Is your fiance a USC ? yes, born and bred in california!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-25 20:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Former F-1 Students petitioning for K-1	Hello everyone! A bit of background on myself first - I'm an Australian currently living in the U.S. on an F1 visa, I have lived here for two years with my soon-to-be finance. We have been dating for 3 1/2 years. I graduate in May and then I will go back home to Australia while we do the K1 process. My question to you all, has anyone else been in a situation like mine? Did it effect your K1 process? I know it will affect the type of evidence of having met/ongoing relationship (we have our apartment lease together, photos, plane tickets of flying together and to see each other etc). We don't really have anything like birthday cards or letters, there are some postcards I have sent him while I visited home but thats it. We also don't have things like MSN or AIM chats because neither of us have the computers we used before I moved out here. Do they check things like Facebook if we provided the link or screencaps? Thank you for any help!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-25 17:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I won't have an engagement ring during our K-1 process	QUOTE (Perseverance @ Jan 31 2009, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I never had an engagement ring and my SO came from a high fraud country, it was never an issue. You will be fine. QUOTE (payxibka @ Jan 31 2009, 05:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> INTENT not a ring signifies engagement Thats what I was thinking - thank you both for your answers!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-31 20:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I won't have an engagement ring during our K-1 process	My partner and I were discussing what our plans are for the future and the K-1 process, and he broke the news to me that right now he can't afford to give me the engagement that he thinks I deserve. He said that he wants to have extra time to save and will have to one give me when I come back to the states for our wedding. He said that yes, for all intents and purposes, we will be engaged, the only thing missing will be the bling. I have a promise ring that I wear on my left hand that he gave me, so until the real thing is on my finger, that will be acting as my engagement ring. From what I have read, not having a ring is not going to be a problem when we first file, because we just need to prove we have met and have a relationship. But what about when we get to the interview - will wearing my promise ring suffice? We may have the receipt for the real ring by then so we can have it as evidence. What have been your experiences with this? Were any of you not even engaged when you filed, but wanted to marry regardless?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-01-31 19:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is this an appropriate answer to how we met?	QUOTE (payxibka @ Feb 4 2009, 03:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> For USCIS purposes, anything outside the two years prior to the I-129F is information but not pertinent information.... They don't care about the how and the why but that you had a face to face meeting within the previous two years and you can document it. IMO, all other stuff is "fluff". For the two years prior to our filing, I was already living in the US on my visa and had been doing so for 6 months. All the boarding passes/passport stamps except for one predate that two year period. Of course, I have our apartment lease and other evidence to show, but the statement of how we met is going to be pretty bare.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-02-04 18:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is this an appropriate answer to how we met?	This is pretty similar to what we will submit with our K-1 petition in June this year. We originally met via the website matrixmanina.com during 2004, where we exchanged messages. In June 2005, Alex flew to Australia and we met in person for the first time in Melbourne. We agreed to become a couple July 21. 2006. In January 2006, Alex returned to Australia to visit Astrid for 10 days. In April 2006, Astrid flew to the U.S on the Visa Waiver Program and stayed at Alex's home until July 2006. In December 2006, Astrid qualified for an F-1 student visa and lived with Alex during the duration of her studies. During her time in the US, Astrid flew back to Australia once in August 2008. Astrid returned to her home in Australia June 2009. I pretty much kept the dates as just month/year, but should I put the specific dates of when we flew and visited? Anything else we should consider putting in there? I don't want to make it too complex, as the photos, plane tickets, and passport stamps are going to back it up. Thanks!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-02-04 18:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Why the U.S.?	My partner is starting his Ph. D program this fall and is thoroughly settled with car ownership, debt, credit cards etc etc. He also has a very large family. I don't have anything tying me to Australia except for my family, which is small, so its easier for me to uproot. I also have half my bachelors degree done here in the US so I want to complete it here. I still miss Australia and my family like a crazy woman	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-02-04 18:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	G325a form question	QUOTE (Karin und Otto @ May 10 2009, 02:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It's really not that difficult a question - they're not trying to trip you up. If you lived overseas - list the address (they're not asking for address' of summer homes, time-share condos, or the like). If a friend asked you if you'd ever lived overseas, you probably wouldn't respond "Do you mean lived? or where I maintained a residence?" Plain and matter of fact. Thank you, I know it was a illy question, but I would rather be safe than sorry!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-05-10 16:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	G325a form question	We are filling out our G325a forms, and I have some confusion about both the residences of the last five years and also the last address outside the US of more than one year. Let me give you some backstory so you can help me out, please! I have lived in the United States the past two and a half years. So, my last five years are easy right? The two apartments I live/lived at in Los Angeles for the last two and a half years, and then my parents house, where I lived for longer than the remaining two and a half years before that. That makes five years. My last address outside the United States though is confusing me. They mean where I physically lived, right, not where I maintain my residency? If they mean "physically lived", then I would put the house I lived in immediatley before I moved to LA. But, if they mean "maintain residency at while overseas" then it would be the house my parents now live in, which is a different address. I'm fairly certain that mean where I physically lived is what they mean, but I would just like clarification. Sorry for the seemingly silly question!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-05-10 16:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Date forms signed versus when petition is actually submitted	My fiance and I filled in our I-129f and G-325a today and signed them with todays date, however we aren't going to send in our petition until the end of next month (after I leave the US to go back home). Our letters of intent will be dated later this month, and we still need to get our visa pictures taken and do some copying of documents. Will it matter that our forms are dated a month or so before we file? Or am I being paranoid?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-05-16 22:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Social Security Number	What if you have a social security card, but it has restrictions on it? I was an F1 student in the US and I worked legally, so my SSN is for work only. Do I just need to go in to have that restriction removed and then change my name?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-06-10 23:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Whats the hardest part	The separation. My fiance and I lived together for two and a half years prior to me leaving the US and filing the K1. It kills me not seeing him every day.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-01 03:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K-1 or F-1	QUOTE (LandRStepp @ Jul 2 2009, 01:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (conny @ Jul 1 2009, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (LandRStepp @ Jul 1 2009, 08:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just a note why use an f1 when you have to go home for 2 years it doesn't make sense to me. I just think you should do the k1. Just my opinion but the government will turn you down for the littlest things. I say don't mess with it take the k1 and go to school when your done. I have researched until I'm almost blind from reading trying to find a way to be with my fiance and because i am a student here in Canada I was going to go that route before we decided we wanted to be together until I found out you have to go home for 2 years. Anyway good luck and hope what ever you decide everything goes really well for you! LandRStepp, 2 year rule only applies if you don't change status after your studies are done. If you change in the process (like we want to do) to say, K1 because it can be done in parallel, then you don't have any problem - F1 will just be invalidated as soon as you receive K1 and all its provisions will be void. I was under the impression that the two year rule only applied to J1 visas. They don't apply to F1 visas, do they? On my F1, and at my interview, it didn't say anything about a two year rule.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-02 07:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K-1 or F-1	I just came back home to Australia after studying for 2 1/2 years on an F1 visa in the US. At the interview for the F1, they specifically ask - "Do you intend to marry a US citizen while you are studying." They also want to see that you plan to return to your home country once you complete you course. Because your intent is to stay there and marry, that is seen as visa fraud, and you can be denied. I have seen it happen to friends at mine from my school in the US. My advice to to wait for the K1, as the benefits of that visa far outweigh the F1. Remember, F1 students cannot do very much on their visa except study. They cannot work, unless they are offered a job on campus, and even then, only 20 hours a week. If you wait for the K1, which you say should be approved any day now, once you are in the US, you can have a life, get a social security number, and start working once you get approved. A couple months wait to start school in nothing, and you won't have to stress about doing change of status from F1 to K1, which can take AGES. One last thing, when you go to an F1 interview, they will be able to see you have a K1 in process, as you need to tell them what visas you have been previously issued or applied for. They will probably know about it when they check your files. They may deny you the F1 based solely on that. It probably will have zero effect on your K1 petition, but after investing so much time and money, why run the risk?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-01 03:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Proof of ongoing relationship when you are living in the same country?	My fiance and I had the same situation, however, we rented an apartment together so we had our rental agreement. In your case, show photos for the time you lived together, and then emails, letters etc for the rest of the two year period.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-01 03:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Passport Pictures To Go With G325a forms	Thank you both! I did read the guide, but it wasn't clear to me. Always better to check, right?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-15 18:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Passport Pictures To Go With G325a forms	When attaching the passport pictures to the G325s forms, do you just need one picture for all four sheets, or one picture for each sheet? Thank you!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-15 06:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 visa payment	You can pay by money order, however I am unsure if they would take one from Australia, though it is made out in Australian Dollars and is by Western Union. I just sent my fiance my half of the fee, he deposited it into his bank account and then wrote a personal cheque to Homeland Security. I would suggest that you not pay by money order, as you cannot track it. The added bonus of the petitioner paying by personal check is that once it is cashed, you can look at the picture of it online in their transaction history and get your WAC number to track your case.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-08-09 21:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Aussie's K-1 process	I am fairly sure Varicella is Chicken Pox, so if you have had it, you don't shouldn't need the shot. Most aussies that are born here have all these jabs as children. you may just need a tetnus booster, and thats it. Unless you have had one within the last few years? Looking at that list, I just need to finish my course of HPV shots, and that is it!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-08-11 08:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Aussie's K-1 process	QUOTE (mingus_drake @ Feb 10 2009, 04:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> melbourne. haven't done much prep yet really cos we've only just started, how long have you been waiting? Just so you know, for the K-1 interview, the fiance(e) must go to the sydney consulate for the interview. Melbourne does not do the K-1 visa!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-02-10 20:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Facebook Concern?	We called all the very important people first, but then we couldn't wait, so we put it on facebook a few hours later. I actually screencapped the thread with the announcement with all the replies of congrats and included it in our packet haha	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-07-01 03:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	verbal confirmation of medical records enough?	I'm looking through the vaccination requirements for my medical and I have health records documenting that I have either had the shot or am age exempted for nearly all of them, which is good. Looks like I just need to finish my HPV course and get my adult diphtheria and pertussis and I'm gold, even better! The only one I don't have record of is chickenpox. I know that I had it when I was four years old, but is a verbal declaration enough for the panel doctor? Or should I get a blood test to confirm that I have immunity?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-10-06 05:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Interviews - Australia	YOu mean, is an australian beneficiary ever exempt from going to the consulate interview? The answer to that would be a resounding NO. Elaborate on your question so we can answer is better?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-10-06 04:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	DS-156K form	I am going to have the receipt for the ring, wearing my engagement ring, pics from our engagement party and then the letter of intent. But, the letter of intent should be sufficient. You will probably be bringing emails showing communication between the two of you, pick out a few that show you discussing wedding plans?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-11-02 05:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Passport pictures and the medical	Thankyou!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-11-08 06:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Passport pictures and the medical	When you had your medical, what were the size of the passport pictures you brought along with you? My doctor is asking for three standard size passport photos, but does this mean the normal Australian sized photos, or American sized photos? I have lots of recent Aus sized ones that I'd love to use instead of paying to get more done at the different size....Any help is appreciated!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-11-08 05:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	DS-230, questions 14-18	I have a question about the Ds-230, 1 & 2. I am filling it in ready to send back with packet three, and Questions 14 through 18 ask for my spouses name and information. I say "N/A" since Alex is still my fiance and not my spouse, right? If I filled in his info, they would ding me for saying he is my spuse, correct? Sorry if this is a silly question, but it seems a silly inclusion for those of us who are going for a K1! Thankyou!	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-11-09 07:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	No More Gardasil!!	I'm getting the third shot next month...I'm going to finish the course since I am getting it for free anyway, but it's good that they are letting us choose.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-11-17 05:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Phone Bill Owner	I was also wondering about this. My fiance has had his phone number since he was 16, but his Mom had to open it for him. So, the bill for his line is in her name, but is sent to our apartment's address. The number on the phone bill matches the phone number he has given on all the forms we submitted to USCIS, so won't that be enough proof? Also, my phone number (which the embassy now has, because it has been written on the readiness to be interviewed form) shows up several times on each of his bills, the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong to show that those two numbers are his and mine, right?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-12-06 06:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Who is in control-petitioner or beneficary?	QUOTE (Gary and Alla @ Dec 24 2009, 04:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My guess is she is a younger woman, not raised and educated in the Soviet system. Good luck with that Um, what exactly is that meant to mean? During my visa process, I pretty much did all the paperwork and legwork. I have never called the embassy, though I did email them to confirm the arrival of my petition from NVC. All Alex did was fill in his biographic form, sign where he needed to sign, and get the paperwork together for the Affidavit of Support. He also called NVC on my behalf a few times. It was a bit annoying that I did the majority of the work, but then again, since I did it, I know it was perfect To the OP - I can relate you to fiancee feeling overwhelmed and wanting all her questions answered by someone at the source. But she can get those answers from any of us also. Tell her to come on here, we are all willing to support you both in your journey! This place really is a wealth of information and I have never had to go anywhere else to have my questions answered.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-12-25 07:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	No updates since NOA I	QUOTE (cdneh @ Nov 2 2009, 04:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (krautlaus @ Nov 3 2009, 11:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi! I just checked when we had our last update on our case and realised it hasn't been updated eversince it got to CSC. Is this somewhat normal or should we be worried? It has been exactly 5 months today so i expected some kind of update but there is nothing. I am confused, also seeing that others have already received their NOA II after two months or so. Should we call them or is that considered too pushy? Sorry, please help! Your estimation, from your timeline, is : Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between October 24, 2009 and November 17, 2009. Ours was pretty close to being accurate, but you can ring them if you are concerned. We never showed an update or a touch the entire time, and the NOA2 turned up in the letterbox. Our K1 still shows pending. Ours also says pending, even though we have our NOA2 hardcopy, and we are at NVC. #######?	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-11-03 05:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 or K3?	QUOTE (keithnadine @ Dec 28 2009, 12:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hello, I wasn't really sure which forum to put this in (K1, K3?). Anyways, my g/f and I are both in the US now and she is due to leave on Jan. 15. I went to visit her in England 2 years ago and she came out here for about a month last year, so just getting married and filling for an A.O.S. is out of the question. We're trying to figure out if we should just get married before she leaves and then fill for a K3, or not and just fill for a K1. We really didn't want to go through the A.O.S. after she has already got the visa, but from what i read it sounds like we will have to that either way. We would really just like to which option would be easiest and/or less costly for us. Thanks in advance. You should shoot for a CR1. The wait to be processed is a tad longer, but your girlfriend/wife reenters the states, she will already have a green card and will not have to do AOS, unlike us K1/K3 unlucky buggers.	alex and astrid	Female	Australia	2009-12-28 03:51:00