ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IMBRA Special TopicsLets collect some information about IMBRA effects
this is great news, im so pleased for all the folk who were stuck in limbo through all this nightmare :)

i hope you all have a speedy process form here on in and the RFE's drop through your doors any day now :D
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-13 18:34:00
IMBRA Special TopicsLets collect some information about IMBRA effects
just remember, the k-3 have been affected, none have been processed since march 6th either.

I would wait a little while before making any decisions :(
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-01 15:40:00
IMBRA Special TopicsLets collect some information about IMBRA effects


the draft looks like it will not require any additional documents UNLESS you have have a record or have filed k1s in the past. there is also a link to a document requesting an emergency form by June 9. is this progress?



where is this draft? what is the link you speak of?

thanks


http://www.uscis.gov...-129f-draft.pdf

that, posted today.

to me, the most promising update of this whole fiasco...
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-01 15:37:00
United KingdomTime delay between re-entering on I-94?
hey :) im english and I am currently in Texas on the vwp.

there are no set rules, its all up to the person at the gate you see at the aiport as to if they let you in or not.

no one will be able to give you anything 100%, some folk have had no problems going back quite often without long gaps, other folk have sadly been barred from entering on the VWP and sent home.

i came to texas 15 months ago for 2 weeks, came back this march for 2 weeks and then came back in very late june.

I was quizzed for a long time at the gate by the officer, i wasnt taken back to a second room or anything, but it was pretty clear i was starting to raise some concerns. I dont even mention girlfriend, i only had a 10 day return ticket (i go BA and extend once im through if need be) but still i was heavily quizzed and came away with the feeling i would not be let back in again if i came back anytime soon after arriving.

as a general rule, try to be out of the US for longer than your there! the VWP is not intended for people to live in the US, just to remove the hassles for tourists getting a visa.

my advice, see if your partner could come see you in the UK in the middle, but you say you have no job or flat. This could also cause major problems at US immigration if asked, you have no ties back to your home to show them you would be returning, which some folk get asked for.

just my experience :) good luck, it sucks having to play this game when we have no intention of doing anything wrong.
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-08-07 15:37:00
United KingdomFree calls to the USA
my partner has vonage in the US as she was looking for a phone service anyone and we saw the free to the UK bit for $25 a month ($20 for first 6 months).

its saved us a lot, but the quality can go down when your heavily using the net at the same time.
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-11-28 12:16:00
United KingdomApproved in London 12/08/06
ive always kept an eye on your case, so im really pleased its all finally over for you!

good luck and congrats, i hope 2007 is a heck of a great year :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-12-13 13:37:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresconfused questions
your in the best place :D

its kinda the same situation im in, do we go the fiance route or the married route. ill give any answers i can, although its never clear cut :)

first, i would forget setting the date till the whole process is over :( you just do not know how long its gonna take, so fix the date only after you have the visa in hand (or heck leave PLENTY of breathing space for mess ups and delays).

i think its accepted the fiance visa is the quickest way to be together. thats what most people do, and its probably the simplest way.

for me, im so tired of all the divorce crud being dragged out, i want to just get married and then tick down the waiting time, but at least I would actually be married. if it wasnt the situation, i would go the fiance visa route, generally quicker (i believe) and probably simpler (no k3 CR-1 dual forms).

as for money, you need to earn over the poverty line, think its 125% for your situation.

always good to have a sponsor if your not sure, just to be safe i would think.

good luck, sure many folk will over more advice and details :)

Edited by m_olask, 18 April 2006 - 03:53 PM.

m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-18 15:52:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresk-3 vs k-1
each case varies so its hard to say for sure :)

we are probably going to do the k-3 while i visit on the VWP and then come back to england after 90 days and do the rest of it.

i dont think there is too much in it right now, your gonna have to be apart for a good few months either way :(

ive been looking at peoples time lines, and its hard to say which is going faster.

of course you also do the CR-1 which could save time getting a greencard, but you wont get a SSN as early as you would via the K-1. might not be an issue, but my partner was told i couldnt go on her work medical insurance unless I have an SSN...
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-26 17:05:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK-3 vs K-1 times.

Hmm, how does this work?

I don't know much about the process but isn't the 90 days wait something that's option on a K-1? You could enter and marry the same day, hypothetically? Or is this 90 days for another bit? All so confusing!



sorry to confuse! but you can apply for either k-1 or k-3 while the non USC is in the US on the visa waiver program.

if you wanted to marry asap, you could go on the visa waiver program, marry the first day you can and then send off the forms. then you could spend 90 days together in the US and come back to do the last stages off the k-3 in the UK.

you can still do that on the k-1 of course, go over, put in the forms and wait your 90 days before going back to the UK to do the last stages....
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-25 14:49:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK-3 vs K-1 times.
you can do what we plan on doing, go over on the VWP, marry and apply while im still there.

this way, we knock off the 90 days waiting and then i come back the UK and do the interview etc.

I dont know for sure, but arent the k-3s picking up speed, so the difference isnt that great.
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-25 13:27:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUpdate to earlier post
that is some good news! thanks for letting us know :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-30 14:58:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresdoes it matter how you marry?
if i get to the interview and they question it, i can let them know its perfectly legal and point them to the same link i provided in an earlier post.

but i know what your saying and i appreciate your concern, really :)

i have a good few weeks till any decision has to be made, so ill discuss it over with my partner and see if i can find out either way 100%.

im thinking about just doing the marriage in texas for the paperwork, then going upto the mountains for the honeymoon and doing our own thing then :)

but of course if anyone else has any input, it would be good to read

Edited by m_olask, 06 June 2006 - 01:02 PM.

m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-06 13:02:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresdoes it matter how you marry?
there are two reasons why we wanted to do it that way.

first, its how we wanted it, we are just going to go away the two of us and get married, and we really liked the idea of the two of us hiking up to our favourite spot in the mountains at sunset to get married. how many judges would do the hike i wonder...

also, we might well be getting married at very short notice. If the judge in my partners divorce waives the 30 day remarry prohibition, then we will be scooting off the next day, late notice for an official.

of course, i would not do it if it was to risk anything at a later date. but having been assured its legal and accepted and the US embassy in london told me you needed a valid marriage certificate, we dont really want to change our plans unless we know for sure it would really be an issue :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-06 11:06:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresdoes it matter how you marry?
what are the requirements then? i just thought it was a valid marriage certificate?

the clerk of the court in boulder assured me its legal and accepted in the US.
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-06 09:33:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresdoes it matter how you marry?
thanks :D

yeah it is beautiful!! i just hope it would be okay.

I range the US embassy in london and they said they had never heard of it, but as long as you have a valid and legal marriage certificate, you should be okay.
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-05 13:10:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresdoes it matter how you marry?
its perfectly legal:
http://www.co.boulde...e/obtaining.htm
see final paragraph

and i also emailed the clerk of the court in boulder and they confirmed its legal.

I will also have a certified copy from the court.

its important because we wanted to get married up in the mountains at sunset, just the 2 of us :) but of course if it were a problem, i would change it, but if not, id like to stick to that plan....
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-05 12:51:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresdoes it matter how you marry?
hey all,
Just a quick question! we plan on marrying on colorado where its legal to self solemnize your marriage. This sounded ideal to us, no stranger doing the ceremony. I just wanted to know if anyone knew if this would be a problem for the k-3/cr-1 application? the marriage would be fully legal and recognised in the US, just that the officials names on the certificate would be our own and not a judge or legal bod etc.

many thanks
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-05 12:32:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApproved, but now I'm lost!
the timeline was a very useful answer, gives everyone a better idea of your current situation and could influence any advice given :)

as a quick general reply, the k-3 is usually quicker and you can use this to enter the US and either adjust your status, or fly back home and have the interview to get your CR-1 visa with the greencard to follow.

im sure someone will give you more details...
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-07 20:44:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFor those who have not recd Receipt notice
yeah i agree, some of us want to find out what's going on with receipt notices :(
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-04 14:20:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFor those who have not recd Receipt notice
thanks, thats awful, im sorry :(
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-29 11:34:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFor those who have not recd Receipt notice
they are being processed, but just the noa1 isnt being sent out?

is that right? so its not going to delay the cr-1 but would delay the k-3 application as you need the noa1?
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-29 08:43:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK3 vs. CR1
hi :) could you put your info into your timeline, just makes it easier for people to give any advice!

if your I-129f NOA1 was before march 6th, usually the K3 is quicker.

if it was after, well nothing is moving currently due to IMBRA, so normal time scales no longer apply...

the CR-1 normally takes longer, it has more stages to complete with sending back AOS bills and the like.

often, folk get their K3 approved much sooner and either adjust status and abandon the CR-1 or go back for the final interview.

thats just my basic info to keep you going until the real experts come along :D
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-10 17:25:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGot my I129F NOA1 ...yes !!!!!
congrats and enjoy your time together!! :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-13 14:25:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK3 at MSC at March 5th
so they are saying IMBRA isnt affecting K-3 post march 6th then?

i hope thats the case and good luck with a speedy approval :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-13 16:10:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresReceived NOA1 for I-130 and I-129F sent

I received NOA1 for I-130 after 18 days from CSC. For once, I am not complaining that USCIS was slow in sending me the receipt notice, as the delay helped me utilize the new I-129F form.

Now let's hope they restart K3 processing and show some traction.


your doing pretty much what i hope to be doing in a few weeks, except ill be going to texas then to CA :)

hope yours goes speedy and all the folk who are stuck in limbo right now...
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-20 10:26:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview for K3!!
thought i would chip in as im here :D

yep the K-3 was brought in as the CR-1 was taking ages and was meant to allow people to be together sooner. We all (or most) do the CR-1 AND the K-3 because you just dont know how long its all going to take.

while the CR-1 does indeed have the benefit of the green card, it still does generally take longer. Some folk enter on the k-3 and then come back to their home country for the CR-1 interview and dont adjust their status, just wait for the greencard.

its hard to say how long it takes from NOA2 to actual visa with the CR-1, embassies vary, but its a good few months due to the various forms that have to be sent back with the CR-1.

http://www.visajourn...wchart_v1-2.pdf

thats the flowchart for the stages.

sure others can add a lot more info :)

and congrats rebster!!!
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-17 08:30:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPlease help me ? I am dying !
hey :) some folk handle the being apart things better than others, i know im also gonna have a nightmare time being apart. the USC can always go visit the spouse outside the US, i have 2 trips penned in for my (soon to be...) wife to come visit me here in england.

also, you have started the process, so every day passes brings you closer together and once this is all done, you will be together and no one can say a thing :)

anyway, i hope your NOA arrives soon so you feel like things are moving :thumbs:
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-21 14:28:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresnebraska or california???
neither :P
http://www.visajourn...mp;page=k3guide

all K-3 go through National Benefits Center, from the form:

If you are filing for your spouse under the Knonimmigrant visa program, mail your petition to:
B.
USCISP.O. Box 7218Chicago, IL 60680-7218

you have the new i-129f with the IMBRA questions?

you dont need to send of anything like that, just answer the question on the new i-129f and if you have no previous, you wont have to send anything else in :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-25 18:18:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK3 and K4 Approved
congrats, go out and celebrate :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-07-21 15:06:00
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2 after IMBRA RFE!!!!
yeah this is fantastic news. even though i havent even put in the paperwork for anything yet, im so pleased things are finally moving for all you guys :)

fingers crossed its the first of many so you can all finally put the imbra nightmare behind you!!
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-07-21 15:05:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionNaturalized at last!
thats a long way off for me, but congrats, thats great news and gives us all a nice reminder that it will all be over one day :P :D :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-24 13:47:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApply while in the US?

Hiya...right...I am American and my fiance is British. I have been here in the UK since last May 2005. We decided to get married here in the UK and we were under the impression that we could just get married on my visitor visa as well. No you can't lol. As far as it taking 4 working days to get a visitor visa for marriage in the UK..no it doesn't take that long. What you do is you apply online, then make your appointment for the closest British Embassy office to you in America. You take all of your proof of finances, any previous divorce papers etc...and you get the visa that day! I had to fly back to NY to get mine, and the interview took aproxiamately 3 minutes then was told that I was all set and to come back in an hour to pick up my passport with my yellow visa placed in it!! Easy peasy...GOODLUCK!!!

Laura



hey thanks for all the info :) all looked fine till you said she had to go to the nearest british embassy for the interview, according to the site, thats LA and she lives in dallas. thats a $300 flight! which we just couldnt afford with all the other costs involved :( thanks british embassy people :(
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-17 19:19:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApply while in the US?

yes its a new law, the USC has to have a vis to get married in the uk, maybe you can find the details some where!!, maybe you could go for a holiday get married while visiting as i did & stay for your 90days & file while your there??, but beaware that if you file the K3 if it gets fast approval you might end up returning sooner than your 90days so you have enough time to arrange medicals etc, also you will need a police certificate this can take 40 days to get, so maybe you can apply for it now, as its good for a year!!



hey thanks :) yep ive just been looking into it! this mess of ours is getting so complicated :(

ive looked in the UK visa things, she could get one in 4 working days for £50 if i read right. she had her heart set on marrying over here.

yeah i think we could consider the option of me going there and marrying, applying, staying no more than 90 days :) if i got brought home early, i would be happy, would mean it wouldnt be too long. but as ill be going through texas, i think its gonna be a long drawn out process.

yeah, i have the police forms downloaded already, i should do that, would at least tick one thing off the list ;)

Edited by m_olask, 17 April 2006 - 11:35 AM.

m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-17 11:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApply while in the US?

If you do get married in the UK your other half USC will have to apply for a visa to beable to go to the UK to get married!!
as for you coming to the US then sending your I-130 petition, you would only beable to stay for the 90days the VWP allows!!
so do be prepared to return to the UK & wait for the visa to be processed!!
and ALWAYS tell the truth at POE as if not this WILL come back & bite you on the ####### :yes:

I came to the US for a weeks holiday & got married, THEN i returned to the UK to wait out the visa process, i am currently here on a K3, this took 112 days from mailing to getting the actual visa in my passport, i am returning to the UK for my CR1 interview which is 28th April!!

Good Luck on what ever you decide, just becareful not to do anything considered illegal!!!!!!

EDITED to say....i did visit the US while the visa was processing, you just have to be sure you take lotsa evidence to prove ties to the UK!!


oh, you need a visa now just marry on a visit! thats crazy :( but thanks for letting me know.

yep, I know i would have to wait out the full time back in the UK, but if we could have knocked off the first 90 days after getting married, this would be fantastic :)

I would never do anything illegal to mess this up, and I only give the minimal responses at the POE and havent had any problems in 7 years of visits to the US :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-17 11:01:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApply while in the US?

If they let you into the US then you can do this. Unfortunately, some POE officers feel that you are a potential illegal immigratn if you come to the US as a spouse of a USC without having your visa yet.

But it is possible to do this. However, it's always depending on the person you get


hi, thanks :) yeah i know about the POE folk, but i always just say im on vacation, they wont know im married :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-17 10:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApply while in the US?
hi,
We were originally going to do the fiance visa route, but for various reasons, were now looking at getting married in the UK.

Anyway, so that would mean doing the K3 route and applying for the IR-1/CR-1 first (if i understand it!). now ive just looked at the I-130 form and i notice that section 14 also (like the I-129f) mentions if your relative is currently in the US.

Im hoping this means I could travel back to the US, then we could put in the forms while I was there and kill of some of the wait together. I know this is perfectly possible via the fiance visa route, and it would be great if this was also allowed on the IR-1/CR-1+K3 route. if anyone has done this, or knows for sure its not a problem, this would help us greatly in finally making a choice as to which path to take :)

many thanks.

d+m
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-16 20:49:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresK3 & returned for CR1 interview
very cool! gives us all hope :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-22 14:58:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresGreen Card
yey, nice one :)

what a nice feeling that must be!
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-25 10:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAre I-130s stalled at USCIS?
well from what i have read, the NOA1 for the I-130 are not being processed due to a "computer glitch"

http://www.visajourn...showtopic=15028

so without that, you cant put in for the faster k-3 (which is probably going to be delayed through IMBRA as well).

also, it seems some folk say payment isnt being taken, which i dont think looks too good...

at this point, i dont think anyone can say what effect this will have on the overall time frame, the CR-1 is extremely long anyway, 12 months seems to be quite normal...
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-30 11:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresupdate to previous post - receipt notice
great news! hope it speeds along for you now, thanks for letting us know :)
m_olaskMaleUnited Kingdom2006-06-02 11:24:00