Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	getting a holiday visa while waiting for IR1	I think i know the answer to this question already, and i'm sure that there is almost no chance, but i thought it was worth asking anyway. we got married in september 2006 and started the process of direct consular filing. as soon as we had all the documents assembled, we took them to the consulate, only to be told that the law had changed at the beginning of that week regarding payment and we could no longer file there. my husband had to go back to the usa for work anyway and started what he thought was the K3 process. due to some confusing legal advice, we realized four months later that we were applying for the IR1. this whole process has been so frustrating all along the way. when we got the DS3032 i thought we were close to the end, only to realize yesterday that we still have ages to wait and will probably miss our first anniversarry. my husband can't come out to visit me for any decent length of time because he is working. i on the other hand do nothing but wait. is there any chance that i could get a holiday visa for a month or two to go over to the USA and visit him while i am waiting for my visa? i fully intend to come back to South Africa and finish the visa process here. if it is possible, what would i need to prove my intention to return? it feels like we have been waiting forever and the end seems so far away!	mishka b	Female	South Africa	2007-08-14 13:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	police clearance	just in case anyone else was wondering, i emailed the consulate in JHB and they said that my south african police clearance is valid for a year and that if an interview isn't scheduled before then, that i should go ahead and apply for another police clearance. thanks everyone for your replies!	mishka b	Female	South Africa	2007-08-16 02:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	police clearance	this whole process is taking so long. i got a police clearance certificate in January and my i130 has been approved. will i need a more recent one when i go for the interview?	mishka b	Female	South Africa	2007-08-15 08:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	DS230 sent - what next?	Our case has finally reached the end of its stay at the NVC (or so i think), since we sent off the DS230 yesterday. Could some one please tell me what happens next, and time estimates if possible? What am i waiting for now? Is there anything else i can get ready in the mean time? I know that our case will be forwarded to the US consular office over here, but i'm not sure if i am supposed to contact them or whether they will contact me? I can't wait till this is all over and i can be with my husband again. Tomorrow is our first anniversary and we have only spent 5 out of the 12 months together since we have been married! I hope this is almost over. Thanks in advance for any help	mishka b	Female	South Africa	2007-09-23 09:00:00
USCIS Service Centers	hw long	whatsapp has the option to email a chat history...it will mail back about 4 months worth of chats... it will come in note form,copy it and paste to a word doc where its easier to read and also to edit. We waited 5 months for the Noa2 and then it ws sent to the NVC where it was processed and sent out really quickly- but it was sent to Nairobi instead of Johannesburg- caused another 2 week delay to get it to Jhb. The guys at JHB office are really helpful if yu have any questions	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-04-12 00:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	K1 frustrations	Hi All I am getting so frustrated with all the waiting!! I know it will all be worthwhile in the end but at the moment it feels hopeless! We submitted our package and recieved our NOA1 on 12 Oct 2011. I have just checked and the last time the case was touched was 14 Oct 2011!!! According to all timelines etc we should be hearing about our case anytime soon but does the fact that it hasnt been touched since 10/14/2011 mean it will be delayed??? I am feeling so despondent at the moment and just want to be with my man ASAP!!!	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-03-04 01:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	Approved!! Just one small thing left to do!	Congratulations!!! It is a long stressful journey!!!! I have my interview in johannesburg next week and I'm already pooping in my pants with nerves and excitement, knowing the next part of our lives are hinging on this interview!!! Congrats again!	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-04-18 11:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports	I got my visa.	congratulations and safe travels :-)	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-07-31 21:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NVC sent docs to wrong country	OK, so my fiance calls the NVC to check if they had recieved the docs from the USCIS.. they had and they had done what they needed to and they sent everything off (on 15 March) to Nairobi and we must wait to be contacted from this side... One problem... I am not in Nairobi, I have never been in Nairobi. I really don't know why this happened. I met my fiance in the Seychelles while he was deployed there and I was on a 18 month work contract and we originally filed for our K1 while I was still living in Seychelles. I have since come back to SA. In Jan we sent a registered mail letter to USCIS to notify them of my change of address and we called and were told it was sorted... All I can think is the address wasn't changed and they looked at the map of the world and thought Nairobi is close to Seychelles let's send it there... but when filling out the paper work for the K1 pettion we stated we would go through the process at the Johannesburg consulate....bleeurgh so much of frustrations So does anyone know what this will mean in terms of delays? or does anyone have any insight? Thanks!	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-03-20 23:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Help, emergency!	Man alive< I can imagine what you are going through. I would want to do anything and everything to be there. However Jozi was really quick once we got our NOA2( although it was routed via an incorrect country) once they recieved everything, we got our packet 3 and submitted it and had our interview within a week. I had to wait for a few docs before i could submit our packet but it was really speedy. I suggest you have everything you need for packet 3 ready so you can submit asap and get your interview set up asap. The doctors app and medical was also set up in record speed. Good luck and just keep sending loving and healing thoughts to your man until then <3	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-07-14 11:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Birth Certificates	unfortunately, they do need the un-abridged version of birth certificate. I went to home affairs and was told could take up to 6 months to get, i ranted and raged but applied for it and paid the fee. I was very pleasantly surprised when i got a message saying it was ready for collection 1 week later. Get the long version certificate- it will take longer if you get a RFE for incorrect docs	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2012-12-22 08:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Question about medical.	Hi! There are basically 2 options for your medical- there is a doctor in Capetown and one in Johannesburg. I went to the guy in Jozi a week before the interview. He asked lots of questions, asked for my vaccination history, then sent me for chest Xrays and for blood work. After that i went to another doctor in the same building and got the vaccinations i needed.I had the medical done on a thursday and i collected the results on tuesday and had my interview on the wednesday. I wouldnt get any vaccinations in advance as you dont know exactly what you will need and they will determine what you need at the visit. Provided you had all your childhood shots chances are you will maybe only need boosters for those- I had the MMR and the Tdap, Also note they want a 'current as possible' medical so try book it about a week to 10 days prior to your interview. Dont forget to take your photos with for the medical. Shout if you need to know anything extra. Edited by MichelleClark, 19 January 2013 - 11:17 AM.	MichelleClark	Female	South Africa	2013-01-19 11:13:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	From South Africa	Hi All I have lived in south africa for over 30 years but am a dual citizen . What i want to know is do i use my british passport or south african and which way do i go... I would like to talk to any south africans that are busy with the K-1 process. I'm completely new at this and just starting with the K-1 and need advice for anyone that has it to give Thank you	gotcha	Not Telling	South Africa	2007-11-07 03:02:00
Africa: Sub-Saharan	unabridged certificates SA	B)--> QUOTE(mishka b @ Oct 14 2007, 03:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> We thought we had reached the end of our stay at the NVC, but they have sent a request for my original birth and marriage certificates. Our marriage certificate took us 4 months to receive when we applied in November 2006. The birth certificate (both unabridged) took only 6 weeks. I am hoping that getting them re-issued will be quicker. does anyone know how long it takes for them to reissue these documents in South Africa?[/quote] Hi there i had applied for my children's unabridged birth certificate for their british passports and it took nearly 12 weeks to recieve them. I hope your process goes quicker for you as I know it takes you a whole day to stand in the queue there to hand it in and then you wait a another 10-12 weeks to recieve it. Good luck. Nice to see another south african on the forum. 0 Back to top	gotcha	Not Telling	South Africa	2007-11-07 04:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is visiting the US during K-1 Visa in Process allowed?	QUOTE (DMZOCT2005 @ Nov 6 2007, 10:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi All! My finance, a Japanese citizen, would like to visit the US to be with me (in New Jersey), but we have a K-1 Visa in process (about the 5th month now). We thought she had to get a Tourist Visa, even though Japanese citizens can enter under the Visa Waiver Program. She was unfortunately rejected from getting a 3.5 month Tourist Visa (US Embassy didnt believe she would go back to her country ). Should she still attempt to travel to the US without a Tourist Visa? If she is rejected again at the airport, will this negative record impact the approval of our K-1 Visa? Since the K-1 Visa takes 6-9months to complete, should we play it safe and wait until the process is done? Thank you for your time and help! Hi again after reading more i see that people have commented that it is fine to travel in and out of the USA so long as she has proof of ties in her country and not intending on staying . That is a good one for me too because i was worried about it too not being able to see my bf for months on end... so i'm dancing around after i found that Best of luck DMZOCT2005	gotcha	Not Telling	South Africa	2007-11-07 02:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is visiting the US during K-1 Visa in Process allowed?	QUOTE (DMZOCT2005 @ Nov 6 2007, 10:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi All! My finance, a Japanese citizen, would like to visit the US to be with me (in New Jersey), but we have a K-1 Visa in process (about the 5th month now). We thought she had to get a Tourist Visa, even though Japanese citizens can enter under the Visa Waiver Program. She was unfortunately rejected from getting a 3.5 month Tourist Visa (US Embassy didnt believe she would go back to her country ). Should she still attempt to travel to the US without a Tourist Visa? If she is rejected again at the airport, will this negative record impact the approval of our K-1 Visa? Since the K-1 Visa takes 6-9months to complete, should we play it safe and wait until the process is done? Thank you for your time and help! Hi I'm new but from what my bf has found out from his lawyer is that is better for your fiancee to stay in Japan until the process is completed as they will probably not let her into the USA when a K-1 is in process.	gotcha	Not Telling	South Africa	2007-11-07 02:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Another immigration joke	HAHAHAHA!!!	SarahBuny	Female	South Africa	2010-08-03 09:19:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Unable to accept I-130 petitions	Thank you so much, once the I-130 petition is approved, as you apply for the green card, you can move over? or am I misled??	SarahBuny	Female	South Africa	2010-08-04 08:06:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	Unable to accept I-130 petitions	I am a soon to be wife of a US citizen, whom has lived in Africa for most of his life. His study visa is almost coming to an end and we have decided to choose The US as our home. I am a South Africa Citizen. I recently saw this post on http://southafrica.u....gov/i130.html: "Due to recent legislative changes, the Department of State will no longer be able to accept I-130 petitions (for immigration of relatives) on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security." I am unsure as to how to proceed. Also, when is the ideal time to file? Our wedding is in November, can one file shortly before the wedding has taken place?	SarahBuny	Female	South Africa	2010-08-03 09:08:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	A magnificent one	Chris and I are almost married for one month. And no, we don't regret our decision. It was on the West Coast of South Africa in a place called Langebaan. I wish we could have it all over. Also, to our suprise, after having waited just two weeks, our first notice of action( I130) has been approved by the Texas service centre. We really didn't expect it to be so quick, but we are happy about it. Your first notice of action is just to tell you, we opened the mail and cashed your check. Nothing has been "approved". That comes with notice of action two. In between, you might get a "Request For Evidence" (RFE) if they need anything more. Since you say you filed for K-3, it is important to note that the I-130 alone will not result in a K3 visa. Now that you have the NOA1 for the I-130 you can file an I-129F petition that can eventually result in a K3 visa. Thanks. My wife just got ahead of herself a little, but we know it was not an approval for anything.	chris and flo	Not Telling	South Africa	2007-04-17 11:49:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures	A magnificent one	Chris and I are almost married for one month. And no, we don't regret our decision. It was on the West Coast of South Africa in a place called Langebaan. I wish we could have it all over. Also, to our suprise, after having waited just two weeks, our first notice of action( I130) has been approved by the Texas service centre. We really didn't expect it to be so quick, but we are happy about it.	chris and flo	Not Telling	South Africa	2007-04-01 09:21:00