biggish data

By the way, it is perfectly OK to drive in the US with a foreign driver's license.

All good to know! Seem there's SO many things to consider! :wacko:

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-04 00:44:00

Welcome to Visa Journey! I am a US citizen who has a fiance in the UK. There is also a website called britishexpats.com that may also be helpful. This site was recommended to me and the later.

Jen & Barry

Appreciate the welcome and the helpful link. Cheers!

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-04 00:39:00

If money is a concern, why don't you have a very close look at the CR-1?

You can get married either in the US, or in the Ukay, have a nice honeymoon afterward. The CR-1 visa takes only a month longer to process than the K-1. Advantage: hubby enters the U.S. as a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) and can work immediately, get a California Driver License immediately and, best of all, does not have to file for Adjustment of Status (AOS), but gets his Green Card in the mail shortly after setting foot on US soil. That's $1,070 saved right then and there, more than a flight to the US would cost him. Hawaii is calling!

I feel like there has to be a catch or that the CR-1 sounds too good to be true!

Forgive me, I've not read too much about the CR-1 so I've got some reading to do and to talk things over with fiance.

Very quickly though - on K-1 Visa, would fiance be able to get a California Driver License right away?

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-03 22:08:00

Welcome! Like your fiancé, I'm from the UK and moved to California.

I don't have answers for all of your questions, but here are some:

1. This is more of a tip than an answer: Don't just count the filing fees themselves but the cost of postage, travelling to and staying in London, any printing costs, etc... especially important if you are on a tight budget

2. As others have said, 6 months.

As for shipping, personally I had really good experience with Excess Baggage - http://www.excess-baggage.com/ They provided me with all the boxes, I packed, and then they did door-to-door delivery (picked it up and dropped it off in the US 12 weeks later) for around $500 for 12 boxes. I had no problems with customs, except for having to provide $50 for an x-ray. There are many recommendations in the UK forum, but that's my personal recommendation It was so easy!

3. You will have to wait for AP - this can still take a month or two after you file for AOS, so there's really no way to leave immediately for a foreign honeymoon. You'll have to delay, unfortunately.

4. Yes. It's really not rocket science! It sounds as if you already understand quite a lot. As long as your case isn't complex (criminal backgrounds, your sixth marriage, etc.) it's really just a case of following the instructions and telling the truth, like Damian&Kelly says. Keep a copy of everything you send and receive!

Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback!
1) Good tip - I'll keep an eye out for the 'miscellaneous' costs. When it comes time for the fiancé to have his interview - I'll be able to go to London and accompany him? (I'm accumulating lots of air miles so fingers crossed I can redeem those points!)
2) 2nd time I've been recommended Excess Baggage; will investigate more as fiancé may want to have items insured, which may bump up the fees
3) Plenty of places to honeymoon in the US, just have to pick where! We did enjoy a trip along the CA-1

4) KISS theory: Keep it simple and sweet! And make copies of EVERYTHING

Hope California is treating you well. I'm curious as to how you're adjusting but will save that question for another time/thread.

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-03 21:46:00

As you are obviously trying to get a view of the big picture and plan for your AOS already (a good idea!), do some research on the DS-3025 from the overseas medical exam. The instructions on the form say that the applicant should receive a copy, but that's not always the case. Make sure the Panel Physician provides you with a copy. It will save you frustration and money later on. It's something I wish I had known about earlier.

I think we'll be so nervous and ask for copies of everything anyway, but thanks for this tip.

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-03 21:30:00

1) MONEY/FEES: It takes 2-3 months from filing for the EAD to be able to work, and you can't file until you are married and have the marriage certificate in hand.
a) The 350 is just for the fiance, fee for the visa itself, but there's also medical, and police certificate(s) to pay for.
b) It cost my husband 180GBP but that was 3 years ago, plus vaccinations, which my husband went to his family doctor and got them for free.
c) It's 1070USD to apply for AOS, EAD and AP. There's no EAD renewal as once AOS is approved there's no need for EAD as the green card allows him to work. The green card that's received through AOS is conditional and good for 2 years. 3 months before the 2 year green card expires, you will need to file to remove conditions/renew the green card (ROC) this costs $590.

2) K-1 VISA ITSELF: He will have 6 months to Enter the US.
a) There are a few threads about shipping in the UK regional form.

3) TRAVEL: You apply for the AP with the AOS and EAD, the processing times are similar to the EAD. And the fee is included in the 1070USD.

4)You should be fine, just tell the truth and follow the instructions. I did all my husband and I's paperwork, K-1 and AOS, on my own without any problems.

Oh so many answers! Thanks ^_^

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-03 10:56:00

Hi Everyone -
I'm new here and have been doing a lot of reading on the K-1 Visa process. Thanks to this site and members, I'm getting a LOT of information and reassurance that I'm not alone in what can be an overwhelming bureaucratic process!

My fiancé is a resident of the UK and I'll be petitioning for him to join me here in California. We're most likely to file a K-1 Visa as the processing time is the shortest (relatively speaking cause some of the processing times listed in the timelines...woah!). I know the K-1 visa is just to get him into the states so we can officially marry, whoo-hoo! It all sounds simple enough, but there's quite a lot of (paper)work involved just to get started.

Initial questions/concerns:
1) MONEY/FEES: Without the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), fiancé will be unemployed for first part of his stay in the US (approximately 2-3 months). We're examining our funds and want to make sure we've got enough saved up for that 2-3 month welcome period as well as have enough to cover the visa processing fees plus any extras.
a) It's USD340 just to get the I-129 started and USD350 for the Consulate Visa, right? Is the USD350 for the consulate visa just for fiancé or do I also have to submit an application as well?
b) When the I-129 is processed, there's a medical exam of approximately USD200-500, possibly more GBP?
c) After we get married, file for I-485 AOS / EAD at the same time? It's USD985 for AOS or for both AOS & EAD? What are the renewal fees for EAD?

2) K-1 VISA ITSELF: After the K-1 Visa is granted, I know that we'll have to marry within 90 days of fiancé arriving at Point of Entry (POE). But when fiancé gets the K-1 Visa, how long does he have to get things settled/sorted/shipped and book travel to get to the US?
a) When it comes time to it, can anyone recommend any good shipping companies?

3) TRAVEL: Note that on the K-1 Visa, fiancé will not be allowed to travel outside the US without Advance Parole (AP) and won't be able to enter US while K-1 is in process.
a) What's the process to request leave after we marry? Let's say we want to travel outside the US for our honeymoon or fiancé wants to return to London to visit his family/friends?
b) Processing time?

4) APPLICATION FOOL-PROOFED-NESS: The time and effort spent on the K-1 Visa petition is going toward OUR FUTURE. As this is really important to me, I don't want to mess anything up! If I follow the checklists/guides/flow charts/tips and double, triple, quadruple check everything, toss in some love/prayers/good lucks, I should be okay, right?

I'll have more questions sooner than later.

Thanks so much!

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-03 00:52:00

I-129 Fee

Hi -
I'm starting to look over the first of many papers to get the fiance over; already confused :lol:

The I-129F instructions I have are dated 14-June-2010 and list the filing fee at USD455. The USCIS website lists the I-129F filing fee at USD340 (for 23-Nov-2010 edition but 14-June-2010 edition is also accepted).

Which is correct?

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-05-04 20:17:00

Forms & address

Okay, so I'm sticking with using the address as it appears on all my other documents. I figure the USPS has been delivering mail to that address for so long...hope they'll continue to do so even after the change. Just out of curiosity, I mailed two postcards to myself with the 2 addresses to see if I'll get both of them back! Thanks for the help.

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-09-07 17:06:00

Forms & address

Hi folks -I'm having problem with basics of completing the I-129F.

My city just recently incorporated and so my address will change to list a new city name. This new city name isn't on any of my official documents (passport, drivers license). For consistency purposes, I should just use the old city name on the forms, right? If I used the new city name, it may cause confusion with USCIS, but if I don't, I'm afraid of missing out on important communication from them or the NVC.

I'm being a bit too paranoid, but this paperwork stuff is important and I don't want to mess it up!

socalgal

Female

United Kingdom

2011-09-07 00:40:00

Living together during K1 processing?

Hi everyone,

Please excuse me if this question has already been answered previously. I'm new here!

Anyway, here's my story. I am planning to submit the I-129F by the end of this month. However, right after this is submitted, my Swedish man and I are going to Australia together for approx. 6 months, both on a Work and Holiday visa. We're going there so we can be together while we're waiting for the K1 to be processed.

So I have several questions:

1. Are there any travel restrictions for the alien fiance during the K1 process? Is it ok that he will have a visa from a different country while the K1 is being processed? Basically, is it ok for him and I to be in Australia together while this is all being processed?!

2. Would it present problems if I were to designate the US embassy in Australia in the I-129F to contact him for the interview (as he is a Swedish citizen)? It would be a lot easier if he could just do the interview/medical exam in Australia.

Thanks for your help!

Swenglish

Female

Sweden

2009-01-13 04:34:00

Confusion with my fiance's legal name...

I need some help with my fiance's name in regards to filling out all the documents for the I-129F.

Ok so here's my situation: Let's say for example that my fiance's full legal name is John Joseph Chris Smith. In his passport under "Given Names" it says John Joseph Chris and his "Family Name" is Smith. However, Chris is technically his first name (everyone calls him Chris, he was registered at his university as Chris Smith, his boarding passes say Chris Smith, and so on).

When I was filling out the I-129F and the G-325A, I put John as his first name and Joseph Chris as his middle names because judging from his passport, this would be legally correct. Right? Then in the cover letter, I briefly explained that while John Joseph Chris Smith is his full legal name, it's common to actually be called by one's second or third given name in Sweden and he actually goes by Chris. I wrote this in case USCIS are wondering why on the back of photos it says "Chris Smith" or why I'm writing that "Chris" and I last met in February 2009 blah blah blah.

Do you think this is ok? Am I correct in writing "John" as his first name and "Joseph Chris" as his middle names for the purposes of the I-129F and G-325A?

Swenglish

Female

Sweden

2009-03-23 03:30:00

Whats the hardest part

I agree with the not knowing part...will we be lucky and only wait a few months to get our NOA2 or will we be waiting a year? Will we get any RFEs? For what? When will we be together in the US? When can we get married? Etc.

Plus the financial aspect is/will be hard for us too because we both recently finished our master's degrees, don't have real jobs yet, moved to Australia in February (to be together during this process)...and then once we get to the US, Chris won't even be able to work for a few months! So the financial part is definitely going to be a struggle for us!

Swenglish

Female

Sweden

2009-06-30 00:11:00

NOA2 to NVC How Long?

QUOTE (mox @ Feb 29 2008, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Call NVC at 603-334-0700. Give them your USCIS case number, and they'll be able to tell you if and when they received it. Make sure you get your NVC receipt number from them if they have it, which they almost certainly do. Very early in the morning or late at night are the best times to call.

More info at http://travel.state..../info_3177.html .

Thanks very much. Will do. Like I said, hopefully the approval notice taking 24 days is really not that big of a deal. It just irks me how the USCIS thinks that sending out a simple approval letter within 30 days is "on time."

James

phewall

Male

Russia

2008-02-29 17:59:00

NOA2 to NVC How Long?

First the Good News. NOA2 Approval on 5 Feb 08 for an application received by USCIS on 16 Aug 07.

Now the Bad News. Have not received any approval notice in the mail. What gives? I called the USCIS information line and was told that unless I had not received my approval notice after 30 DAYS to continue to wait. Currently its been 24 days... It takes a MONTH to send out an approval letter? I think people living in Darfur get better service from their immigration agency.... USCIS is truly a disgrace.

Anyway, I have to hope that my application is already at the NVC and getting ready to be sent to Moscow. Or am I being delusional? Hopefully the approval notice, is just a "lagging indicator" and all is well. Anybody got any words of comfort for me?

Thanks,

James

phewall

Male

Russia

2008-02-29 17:41:00

Help need K-1 I129F INFO

QUOTE (summerspring @ Dec 1 2009, 02:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Cali_Derry09 @ Dec 1 2009, 01:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We filed in June with CSC and the I-129f was received June 24, 2009... Apparently it is still under initial review??? WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG? WHAT IS GOING ON? When I called the USCIS they said it was received June 24 and is still processing... I called on November 25th which was when it fell outside of the 5- month processing time estimation and they said that the CSC was still processing cases received June 16th so they were behind but I am looking at everything on this site now... wishing I hadn't gotten a lawyer and realizing that something just isnt right?

Any Advice? COmments Questions

contact congressman, tell him/her your situation and ask for his help or the person-in-charge's help to send in service request. That's how most of the people speed up the process. I waited for quite a while ( even tho shorter time compare to yours) and had the person from congressman office to check for us. After that, we receive the approval.

So, keep trying. Lawyer doesnt help at all, unless you get a really good one, else they are more likely to delay the process, i am speakign from experience.

good luck.

I contacted the congressman and they said all they could do was check the status this was in sept and nothing so far... no push, no progress
nothing...

Cali_Derry09

Female

Ireland

2009-12-01 08:55:00

Help need K-1 I129F INFO

QUOTE (maggieNomar @ Dec 1 2009, 01:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Cali_Derry09 @ Nov 30 2009, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In this process patience is everything. It is quite possible that they are still reviewing it. At the time we went through K1 process, there were people who filed 2-3 months behind us that got their NOA2 about the same time as us. There is no rhyme or reason. Have you signed up with the USCIS website to get updates on your case via email? You can sometimes see when it has been 'touched', which is sometimes reassuring that is at least not hiding at the bottom of the stack. I hope you get your NOA2 soon.

Yes I did sign up for notifications and that was a couple months ago and so far nothing... no touches...nothing...ty for the response

QUOTE (rebeccajo @ Dec 1 2009, 06:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your member name and your country flag caught my eye. I also notice you just joined the forums.

My husband is also from "Stroke City".

I just wanted to mention that your fiance/fiancee will attend their visa interview in London. Many from border areas of the north mistakenly believe they can interview in Dublin.

I just wanted to bring this up as interview time will be here soon, and because you are 'new'. My apologies for intruding if you were already aware.

Yes I do know that Northern Ireland is still in the UK however we were told his interview would most likely be conducted in Belfast at that consulate? any word on that? ty for the response

Cali_Derry09

Female

Ireland

2009-12-01 08:53:00

Help need K-1 I129F INFO

Cali_Derry09

Female

Ireland

2009-12-01 01:17:00

Has anyone heard of being Denied at Point of Entry?

Hey Everyone!!
I heard that people can still be denied access into the US at Point of Entry, is this true? And has anyone heard of that happening to anyone? Thanks guys!!

Bernard+Ashley

Female

Haiti

2010-11-20 01:21:00

Middle East and North Africa

What 2007 car should you drive?

You Should Drive a Ford Explorer SportTrac

Posted Image

Tough and supercharged, you have some rather extreme driving practices.
You've been known to intimidate a few drivers. You rule the road.

What 2007 Car Should You Drive?

http://www.blogthing...ldyoudrivequiz/

John & Annie

Male

Scotland

2006-11-10 17:08:00

We finally have an interview date!

Hey Guys,

Know we are praying for you.

We are thinking about going to CLAN 2007.

John & Annie

Male

Scotland

2006-11-02 11:39:00

Holding the ceremony outside of the USA?

Back to the OP:

The Answer to your question is Yes, provided you follow the rules:

1. Enter the US on the K1 Visa
2. Get Married Legally in the US
3. Apply for Adjustment of Status(AOS), Advanced Parole(AP), and a Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
4. Once you receive your AP, you can travel and have a tropical service

Otherwise there are some great suggestions earlier in the post.

John & Annie

Male

Scotland

2007-04-30 17:00:00

One-Way Ticket

I got a one-way ticket, simply because it was cheaper. They're not too bothered since you're coming over on a K-1 Visa.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-02 00:08:00

Total Confusion

We both went through Nebraska and through Newark. Maybe Newark screwed up or something. I'll have a look for Nebraska's address.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-02 12:52:00

Total Confusion

It says the same on the online status. It's nice to know we're not the only one they're messing up on.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-02 00:01:00

Total Confusion

So, uh. We're pretty confused. I came over to the US on my already approved K-1 Visa with Newark as my POE. We're due to get married next month and today we recieved this email:

Application Type: I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status:

On January 30, 2006, we received this case back from the Department of State for further review. We will mail you a notice when our review is complete or when we take other action.

Anyone else had this, does it mean that we're in AR, even though I've already been issued the Visa? We got emailed this 3 times, so I'm wondering if maybe it was a mistake or a weird glitch in the system or something.

We're just totally confused by this.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-01 23:41:00

When do you get the results?

As your time line says that you're going through London he should find out that day. The CO interviewing me simply asked a couple of questions then told me "Well, I can't see why we can't approve you!", and that was it. I then paid for them to post my passport and port of entry envelope back to me and was out of there.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-02 16:14:00

Wedding TOMORROW!!!

Have a great day! I remember we had our interviews on the same day. Hee. I arrived a bit earlier though, and we're getting married a bit later.

What can I say? We're procrastinators.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-02 15:03:00

Length of Relationship???

No, you don't have to have known each other for two years, you simply need to have met in person in the last two years. That is what it means.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-03 12:40:00

How long does it take to obtain a police record?

They say allow 40 days, and it really does take about that long, give or take a few days. So I'd advise that you go down to your local police station soon and fill out the paperwork to send off.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-02-18 12:57:00

Port of Entry With K1 - What all do they need?

You're welcome.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-06-21 17:30:00

Port of Entry With K1 - What all do they need?

That's exactly what I did, Jay. And it was the Consulate Officer at my interview in London that told me to do that.

What are they going to do with the x-rays? They're border control, not doctors. So an x-ray means nothing to them. Besides, the results of the x-ray are on your medical report inside the envelope. So I'd pack them in your suitcase and not worry about it.

I went via Newark as my POE and no one mentioned seeing an x-ray at all.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-06-21 17:24:00

Pictures as evidence with engagement ring visible

At this point in time, all the USCIS really want to see is that you meet the 2 year requirement. So it's not really something worth knocking yourself out for. We only sent three pictures and one of those was a polaroid, while we figured there was no way to date that photo, it at least proved we'd met in person at some point (it was taken that year when we were in Paris).

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-08-09 08:56:00

Can a UK citizen enter the US and then apply for a K1?

It's hard enough trying to gain entry with your K-1 visa, Nevermind going through POE with evidence, Maybe you could get an officer thats just spilled his/her coffee or having an awful day, Just my opinion! Going with the flow and trying not to throw a spanner in the works with being patient helps a great deal.

Actually very, very few people have any trouble entering the US with a K-1 visa, it's really easy and very few people report having any trouble whatsoever.

It's up to you how you go about this, but I would strongly recommend doing a K-1 or a K-3 over risking entering on the VWP and then marrying.

HuffyTheSlayer

Female

United Kingdom

2006-09-27 18:44:00

July filers from CSC

QUOTE (Mark Whcker @ Oct 29 2008, 07:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello everyone any July2008 Filers from CSC waiting for NOA2 approval come lets gather in here, we will discuss and exchange ideas it might help us a lot.

Our Journey:

Sept. 05,2005 - We met online at Asianeuro (thankful for asianeuro staff)
May 10, 2007 - Exchanging of Vows ( Our Wedding)
May 14,2007 - Hubby Return to Tennessee
Sept. 20,2007 - Whew Bana Back to Philippines ( )
March 14,2008 - First application submitted of CR1
May 28, 2008 - Package return (wrong check amount)
June 30,2008 - Re-submitted our petition
July 8,2008 - Received NOA1 (with hard copy and USCIS cash the check)
August - Waiting for NOA2
September - Waiting for NOA2
October - Waiting for NOA2

hello! yes i'm a July CSC filer. I'm thrilled th month is almost over! i think november will be a much better month and we'll start seeing some progress! Hopefully we'll see some July approvals!

PB&JAM

Female

England

2008-10-29 17:22:00

Travelling to USA while waiting for NOA2

QUOTE (paul. @ Nov 10 2008, 05:16 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just for info, I am flying out anyway in 2 days for thanksgiving, I just decided to do it and if it don't work, it don't work. My only hope is that it doesn't "black mark" my visa application if I get turned home.

I am going to fly via Toronto in to Kansas city and will stay until just after christmas. Now I just need to round up my documents to prove I am coming back here...

Honestly, i think u should be fine. My fiance has come out during our process. they asked him a couple Qs but never asked for proof or anything at all. Just tell them that you are visiting ur fiance (just be honest). you'll be fine, i'm positive.
Also...it wont hurt ur visa app. it will only look good that you are trying to visit your fiance! more proof of your ongoing relationship!

Edited by PB&JAM, 12 November 2008 - 01:35 AM.

PB&JAM

Female

England

2008-11-12 01:32:00

Question about Oath Ceremony

QUOTE (hadi84 @ Nov 18 2008, 04:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What happens if someone gets married to a non-US citizen before taking Naturalization Oath Ceremony?

what is that? i've never heard of it.

PB&JAM

Female

England

2008-11-18 07:18:00