Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k-1 visa	It has now been exactly 5 month since we filed for our k-1 fiancé visa. Every day it says it’s in the initial stages on the web site, and when I call it says the same thing. I guess there are just some days when I get so irritated that it takes so much time to do this, not irritated at my fiancé or our relationship, just at the process. I was told by our lawyer that this process would take about 9 months total, but at this rate I don’t see it happening anytime soon. I real don’t want to be a pessimist, because that not how I am at all, but there are some days when I just want to cry! I just want wait to be his wife and for us to start our life together. Does anyone else feel like there life is kind of on hold right now? Like you are waiting for it to start kind of? The status isnt necessarily reliable and you may find the 'Initial Review' may never change... this can happen long after people have been approved - so while its addictive to check the status, you can't rely on it. It is more helpful to check other peoples' timelines that are similar to yours to see how the general trend is going. .. and yes it can be really really tough - we are on 'round 2' and it appears they may have lost our petition but have our check. It is a work 'in progress'. Just try and keep busy on other things and know that you are not alone	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-07-12 18:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Who to write the I-129F Check Fee out to?	I don't send it to the Dallas Lockbox and they decide from there where is the best place? which will probably be the one in california since i am from Oregon. sorry for my profile being incomplete, i'm working on it right now. and the dallas lockbox (filing location) is: 2501 South State Highway 121 Business, Suite 400, Lewisville, TX 75067 correct?? which is where i send the petition and everything check included.. thank you so much for your reply. i'm working on replying to everyone else's replys right now. Kacey~ Yes... Check is made out to US Department of Homeland Security and the petition goes to Dallas Lockbox. In theory, if you complete the G1145 form you will be advised when your petition is received. (unfortunately this did not happen for us, but its still worth doing). Your best plan is to follow the Guides and refer to the Example Forms as to the format (see top of this page). Read and re-read everything, and put all your papers in order. Check back here for anything you need to query. Best of luck.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-09 07:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Who to write the I-129F Check Fee out to?	In addition to the information on the recommended link above, the processing times vary - at present California Service Center is approving petitions at a faster rate than Vermont, but the Center your petition goes to is not a matter of choice, it depends where the USC lives. Also, the K3 visa referred to no longer exists. To determine your Service center by state: If you live in: Alaska, Arizona, California,Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon,South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming. California Service Center If you live in: Alabama, Arkansas,Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York,North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, SouthCarolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, WestVirginia and the District of Columbia. Vermont Service Center Read the Guides in the Guide link at the top of this page and decide what suits you best. Also complete your profile when you get a minute - it makes it easier for VJers to help you with advice that may be specific to your location, embassy etc. Edited by Andie, 08 August 2012 - 10:02 PM.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-08 21:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Not the end of the world	Nice work ! Happy for you Waiting Still (as if there isn't enough stress in this process... )	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-15 16:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Forgot tracking receipt for I-129f	It relates to the petitioner's location.. For: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming. Your petition will be sent to the California Service Center For: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Your petition will be sent to the Vermont Service Center Best of luck with your journey.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-16 14:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	VSC vs CSC	Sorry, but I'd much rather have to scramble then this endless waiting....	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-17 14:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	VSC vs CSC	Last year at this time VSC wasn't quicker. You can google for so many complaints from people about VSC. ^CSC has obviously done something that has enabled them to drop to the bottom of the graph beyond recent recent production rates. Actually.. yes it was. We were petitioning at the time and it got down to around 90 days at one point - CSC petitioners were complaining about the fact that CSC was slower. Regardless of that, you have no control over what is happening timewise... it is what it is - a waiting game.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-16 06:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	VSC vs CSC	You sent your I-129F petition to the Dallas Lockbox. From there it is either sent to California or Vermont. This is determined by the location of the US Citizen. You cannot choose. If you live in: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming. Your petition will be sent to the California Service Center If you live in: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Your petition will be sent to the Vermont Service Center The processing times at California is quicker right now. This time last year Vermont was quicker so it does change from time to time but Vermont has been slow for a while now. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it but keep busy and wait. All the best ! Edited by Andie, 16 August 2012 - 05:30 AM.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-16 05:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I134 document question	I think this may be a question for the Aussie Forum. From what I have seen it seems to vary depending on the consular office. I think ours only requires letter from employer and recent payslips as it is proof of current income that is most relevant. Check in the Aussie thread in the Australia/NZ forum for specifics.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-22 03:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Requirement For POE	If you detour south, however, watch out for the checkpoint south of Alpine, Texas. Their attitudes and actions lend intensity to the term "De-Constitutionalized Zone," sigh man. We went through this checkpoint a couple of years ago - it wasn't nice. I think the road trip would be pretty cool, since your fiancee is agreeable to it. Some time to be together on your own - timeless.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-22 00:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	G-1145 is a must	Yes it would be nice if they were consistent in using the G-1145 and the status updates, but we are relying on them to actually use these options and keep us informed, but often it doesn't happen. We have yet to receive notification through either of these.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-23 12:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Visa.... APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!	Congratulations	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-29 16:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA2 After 190 Days from VSC	Congratulations !	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-31 14:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	introduction	Other than the above advice just follow the K1 Guide and the K1 Flowchart and you're on the right track. http://www.visajourn...content/k1guide http://www.visajourn.../content/k1flow Best of luck with your journey !	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-02 16:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	personal check	Better to send a personal check then you can trace when it is banked.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-05 17:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Process after NOA2 question	haha, I thought you might find that funny. Thats right, you don't NEED to contact them, it might be beneficial in some countries with really slow embassies, but Aus/NZ, not so much, I'd say if you didn't hear anything in 2 weeks or so, you could call them. In your case, I'd be calling them 3 times a day, just to be on the safe side. The A number came on the NOA2 anyway.. with any luck, you will get one of those soon. ETA: as loosely mentioned, I think the process for sending packet 3 out is country specific, I'd still check with one of the NZ K1 filers to confirm. Yes, In our case .... I'm considering camping out on the doorstep - I have a "do whatever works" mentality.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-15 08:30:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Process after NOA2 question	What happened in my case, I got an email notification as I had signed up for it on USCIS case tracking, no case number, just an email saying it was approved, my fiance didn't get an email. (20 August) my fiance got the official notification from NVC about 3 days later (23 August). No case number, there was an A number though. We didn't call NVC, there was no point as I couldn't do much anyway, I did look at the DHL tracking just to pass the time, but I had no idea really what i was looking at, then 2.5 weeks (6 September) from NOA2 date of email, my fiance got the packet 3 email with our case number on it from the Sydney consulate. Haha... well guess who.. thanks SD - so from what happened in your case, you don't actually NEED to contact NVC. Unless I've misunderstood. ..And, then the consular office automatically sends Packet 3 to the beneficiary. Since our file was lost, we never actually got an A number - I'm just wondering if we need it - but sounds like we don't.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-14 19:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Process after NOA2 question	Okay, someone mentioned this on another thread and didn't get a reply... I wondered about it too, so... Once you get NOA2, do you automatically get a message from NVC with their number and then they forward everything on to the appropriate embassy, who also contacts you with some acknowledgement? Just asking because most people seem to pursue NVC for their number and many try to track it from NVC to their embassy. So, once you're approved, what if you just wait, without going crazy trying to keep track of your file? Do they automatically advise at these 2 points? Thanks, A	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-14 18:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How do I know ??	I don't mean to hijack the tread but out of curiosity, does the petitioner have to contact the NVC and embassy to make sure they received the petition or can the benificiary just wait to hear from the embassy? Does getting the case number prior actually speed things up? I'm assuming it just follows the normal process after getting the NOA2 regardless, and you are contacted by the Embassy in due course - but I haven't got that far yet. .......anyone ??	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-13 21:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Out of options	Fiance has no job, no assets and we have no co sponsor.... we're out of options and my heart is breaking. After 4 years of hoping we will finally be a family, it looks like dreams don't come true after all. I'm sure you must feel that way, but the job is the first thing - I agree with what others have said. That is now the priority or a few part time jobs... just have to try and keep things moving so you can get back on track...	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-26 17:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Self Check In Boarding Passes - Primary Evidence	Boarding passes (in whatever form) together with passport stamps are strong primary evidence, but receipts of purchases while together, are also very good. A variety, coupled with photos (secondary evidence)of you together, make a strong combination.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-29 22:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	proof of relationship	I have the paper work just want to make sure pictures and plane ticket will be enough proof to show that we have met in person Boarding passes and copy of passport stamps is better ... these prove you actually travelled whereas plane tickets may not have been used.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-09-26 15:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	check did not cash	hello. it's been 2 weeks since my fiance sent out the petition to the texas lockbox via USPS priority mail. according to the post office it should have taken 2 days for the package to arrive. but we still have not received a noa 1, despite the attached e-notification form g-1145. neither did the check cash. i read it usually only takes a few days for the check to cash, so i am starting to ponder. did this happen before to anybody else? what could be the reason? Yes, this happened to us. We still don't know exactly what happened but we have never had an NOA1, and our check wasn't banked until some time after. Yours could just be delayed owing to the volume of applications but my suggestion is to contact them now and make sure they have yours. We had enclosed the G-1145 also and was a very thorough and complete petition sent in March 2012. We have since been told that we they have everything they need from us, but still waiting for the NOA2. They can retrieve the file without a number using your name etc. It may just be delayed, but its better to put your mind at rest and call. Best of luck. Edited by Andie, 08 October 2012 - 04:37 PM.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-10-08 16:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-29F Form assistance please? (Helping my US finacee)	What would be good proof of ties to my country? Letter from my employer? Bank statements? Letter from my landlord etc? Surely the fact that I applied for the K1 Visa would be a good enough reason to return to my country? Lol! That's a good idea, see if we can both get our petition expedited as soon as we can. If we stand united it would make our reasoning stronger... Of course you want to be with her under the circumstances. Depending on what your employer allows, but yes 90 days max. Yes, all those things for ties to your country... you can only give it a go and as usual, there are no guarantees - it all depends on how it goes on arrival in the US. Best wishes to you both	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-01 03:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-29F Form assistance please? (Helping my US finacee)	Ah....my biometric page? You mean my G-325A form? Yeah dude got hers and mine done! LOL! Im sorry I thought you meant the biometric page on my passport (for newer EU passports....mine isnt that new!). Biometric pages are the pages at the beginning of your passport showing your photo and full name, passport number and details etc. Passport stamps and boarding passes are best primary evidence. (No one can argue with the stamps since they show you arrived, and boarding passes proved you actually boarded the flights - it doesn't matter who travelled to see who). So make sure you send photocopy of those. You can also use for proof of ongoing relationship at interview if needed, but that is really more about what happens between sending the petition and interview date, so will be any further visits or proof of communications between now and then. Lots of people don't get to see each other between petitioning and interview, so chat logs, birthday cards etc are often all that is available. Best wishes to you both	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-05-01 16:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can an annoyed uscis officer delay your visa application?	I wouldn't worry about it - most of us on here are at least a little nuts. We're going through a long legal process of Kafkaesque opacity so that we can leave our homes, families and friends and everything we have hitherto known. This is one of the most accurate descriptions I've read of the situation. It reminds us of why it is such a difficult wait. Not all beneficiaries are leaving a bad or less appealing life or situation - they are just wanting to be with the person they love. You should be able to get support and good advice here. I don't consider your questions unreasonable and while you can complete your timeline and follow what this system reflects, it only gives you an approximate guideline. Some approvals come through faster and others take a lot longer - and for no particular reason. There is a system, but its inconsistent. I don't think it matters how often you call and what answers you get. We've found most of the responses totally inaccurate and unreliable anyway. Hope you hear something in good time... all the best !	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-02-19 16:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can an annoyed uscis officer delay your visa application?	Uh... calling to affirm about a RFE not being recorded, then just calling once about your case post expected average processing times / then returning that call like the officer said I should was not unreasonable. Continuing to call isn't a symptom of insanity; it's just obviously annoying for both parties. The question wasn't to complain about their reaction, which is understandable (I understand they get these type of calls all the time). I was just asking if the person involved has the option of putting my case in the way back or something ... or add some scrutiny to the case. I was worried, because I annoyed the person. However, I didn't think they would likely have any effect on my case. I was just worried and needed some reassurance. Thank you very much for all those who responded; I do feel a lot better. Seems to me that whatever you ask here..you will often get conflicting advice. I don't think that being concerned about your case is insane .... If you call, apparently you call too much, if you don't call, you haven't done enough. There don't seem to be any hard and fast rules. Personally, I didn't find anything aggressive or offensive in your tone. Just give it a little longer, and best of luck.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-02-19 02:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F Denied :(	Nor the money. Appealing a denial that was correct and warranted is just a waste of time and money. You cannot appeal and say they were wrong to deny you when they were not wrong. Just because they give people the option of appealing does not mean you have grounds to win an appeal. In other words, it is standard to offer the right of appeal, but in this case you are appealing against their decision and their decision can't be challenged, so you would not win. I doubt it will be quicker and it wont be cheaper. If you want an approval, I believe you are better to get a new petition on its way.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-08-04 19:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F Denied :(	Wait for the letter. Then you will know one way or the other what you are up against. In the meantime, read that guide, and start getting your information together. I agree with Cdneh - wait for the letter just to confirm this is the precise reason. Based on experience I dont believe there is any point in pursuing the original petition. The additional cost is compensated for by knowing you can be more confident with your new petition. In the meantime, put together all your information - get the 325a, photos and everything else underway and check back here for any verification or support. You could have the new petition on its way soon. Edited by Andie, 31 July 2012 - 10:57 PM.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-07-31 22:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F Denied :(	I hate to be harsh, but, the instructions on the I-129F are clear. If you only sent that form and money, not only you wasted money, you wasted time. Yes, I can assure you that's why you're denied. You must fill out all the forms and send evidence of having met in person within 2 years. You will have to refile and spend more money and wait more time. Yea I love the way some people do this ... don't let it get to you Mike! Just get all your paperwork together, follow the Guides for the K1 process - K1 Guide and K1 Flowchart (see Guides, top of this page) - read the site and ask on here about any questions you may have - people here can be really nice !	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-07-31 21:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F Denied :(	Hi Mike, Well, to answer one question .. Would not providing enough information or documentation result in a denial ? Yes Exactly the same thing happened to us. Also before we discovered this site we left out our documentation - not intentionally. We sent the rest of our documents off with a copy of the NOA1 (initial receipt) when we received it about a week later - but they didn't match up with the I-129F we had already sent. After 5 months we were denied. We tried to sort it out, but after every effort it came back to the same thing. We had to start again. I know how you're feeling right now - Looking back, I wish we had just taken a deep breath and followed the Guides on this site and filed a completely new petition as if the first one didn't happen. Ultimately, that was the only answer for us, but we had long delays in between trying to patch things up. Lack of documents is enough of a reason and thats all it took for our denial, so hopefully it will take some of the stress out of the situation for you.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2012-07-31 21:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Meeting in person within two years before filing K1 Visa Petition	What?! My fiancé and I refer to each other as husband and wife all the time - in e-mails and in cards we send each other whilst apart. And I've used his surname for requesting travel brochures and the like. We feel like we are husband and wife but we aren't legally. Are you saying that someone was denied the K1 visa because someone in authority thought they were married rather than engaged because they called each other husband and wife? Yes it has happened. For that reason it would not be a good idea to use any copy of communications with that reference as it can (and has been in the past) assumed that you are already married and therefore not eligible for a K1.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-03-10 19:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	The "Has your fiancé(e) ever been in the U.S.?" question on the I-129F	Awesome, that makes perfect sense, thank you! It's amazing some people have trouble providing information without being condescending in the process. Kudos to you. Agree totally ! I thought that was one of the benefits and purposes of this site. If in doubt, you get the opportunity to ask... but after a couple of years on here, I'd have to agree with you. Sometimes (sadly) people feel a need to act 'superior'. You're just trying to reassure yourself, which surely is better than missing something. best of luck with yours... ask away... there will always be someone that gets it and gives the answers you are asking for.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-03-24 03:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Reapplying for a K-1 Visa	The meeting requirement is from when you file, it doesn;t matter after. OP- to advice you fully we need to know more details. Normally if you are waiting for an interview date, the embassy extends the validity automatically. Why did they not in your case? Or were you denied at interview? Where is the petition now, did they say they would send it back to USCIS and that is where it expired? **** Moving from K1 Progress Report to K1 Process **** Yes I realise that... So it expired 4 months after approval then ... it wasn't totally clear, but I guess that's the case.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-03-26 10:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Reapplying for a K-1 Visa	How did it expire after only 4 months? Because you're meeting was more than 2 years ago or...?	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-03-26 04:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	We haven't heard anything	Yes that is your NOA1 - it will show your case number beginning with either WAC or EAC -  Western adjudication center or Eastern Adjudication Center - depending on which part of the US you are on.  West will go through California  CSC and east will go through Vermont, VSC.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-04-28 17:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Question 18 on I-129F Petition.	... also, you only need to have met once within the past 2 years, but it is strong support to list all meetings if you have others.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-04-28 17:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Question 18 on I-129F Petition.	They require both things.  Firstly, how you first met - whether through friends, on a dating website or while travelling etc. Then you need to give details/dates of meeting within the past two years.  You can just do a summary on the form of date/location etc. The most valuable form of proof of those meetings is passport stamps, copies of boarding passes (which proves you boarded and therefore more valid than air tickets).  Also photos of you together at the location if you have them.   If you put brief notes on the form and attach photocopies of these things to your petition, you have it covered.  You don't need to send originals with the petition - copies are fine.  It is at interview stage that the beneficiary will need originals as much as possible just to verify what they already know.  You are not dealing with a high fraud embassy so it is fairly straight forward as far as that goes.   Best of luck !	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-04-28 17:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	what is I-797 form???	It is really just a receipt of the petition and that it has been sent to a Service Centre (Vermont). It doesn't mean anyone has looked at it yet to see if you have included everything they need. Best of luck with your petition.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2011-07-14 16:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I got scammed the biggest scam of my life	The visa was already issued right?..I guess they can get married in her country without risking the visa since it was issued..Guess it will work..Marry her in her country before flying to US..   Not at all !   If she has been approved and issued a K1 visa the marriage must take place in the U.S.  If the marriage takes place outside the U.S. then you must begin all over again using the CR1 and the process will mean you are apart for a similar length of time before she is able to enter the U.S.     If you are saying she is using this as access to the U.S. but not intending to be with you, then you are correct in thinking you have been scammed.   Hope it works out for the best for you.	Andie	Female	New Zealand	2013-06-12 03:37:00