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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Taiwan
Timeline
Posted

Hi there,

My girlfriend (Taiwan citizen) and I (U.S. citizen) are currently living in Taiwan, and have been talking about getting married and moving to the U.S. together (or vice versa) for a long time, but still haven't started the process.

We have plans with my family in the U.S. for August of this year. She has a tourist visa already, but we would really like to be able to stay for the long term starting in August. Unfortunately, it seems like it's too late for us to arrange this via marriage-related means, since we would be waiting on either the I-129F petition (for K-1 or K-3 visa) or the I-130 petition (for CR-1 or for getting married in the U.S. while she's on the tourist visa), both of which I'm hearing take more multiple months to process.

Is there any way for us to stay in the U.S. beyond the term of her visitor visa if we arrive this August? If not, are there other options besides returning to Taiwan for several months to get all the paperwork through?

Any advice or ideas are much appreciated! Thanks!

P.S. Currently looking into the possibility of using DCF - but any other ideas if that doesn't pan out?

Removal of Conditions:

2016-09-27: I-751 removal of conditions petition sent (with fee waiver request)

2016-09-30: I-751 petition delivered to California Service Center

2016-11-01: Informed in USCIS customer service call that they had no record of receiving our petition, but that it might still be languishing somewhere in fee waiver limbo

2016-11-01: Filed I-751 again, this time with payment check instead of fee waiver request (sent Priority Express)

2016-11-03: Date on I-797 Notice of Action (received 11/7)

2016-11-09: USCIS mailed out denial of our original fee waiver request, with denial letter dated 2016-11-02

2016-11-19: Biometrics appointment notice issued, for 2016-12-07 appointment

2016-11-26: Second biometrics appointment notice issue, for 2016-12-16 appointment (see this thread)

2016-12-07: Biometrics appointment. Allowed to complete biometrics despite mix-up on their end (again see this thread), but some people had to come back for second appointment date.

2018-05-01: Notice that our case was transferred to National Benefits Center in Lee's Summit, MO

2018-06-11: Approved after N-400 interview in Portland, OR (they seemed to be waiting for that before bothering with it)

 

Citizenship:

2017-12-11: N-400 Application for Naturalization submitted online while still waiting to hear back on I-751, received same day

2017-12-15: Biometrics notice

2018-01-04: Biometrics completed, on appointment date (Portland, OR)

2018-02-28: Interview scheduled for April 12 in Portland, OR

2018-03-01 (approximate): We sent in a letter requesting that the interview be rescheduled to after June 8, due to combination of work and family travel plans

2018-03-07: Notice that our April 12 interviewed had been "canceled" (pending rescheduling, but the letter didn't actually say that; officer at InfoPass later explained that interviews aren't scheduled until five or six weeks before the interview date, so they were waiting until closer to our requested rescheduling window)

2018-05-03: New interview scheduled for June 11.

2018-06-11: Citizenship interview - approved!

 

Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: France
Timeline
Posted (edited)

Everybody here wants to live their life with their loved ones as soon as possible, but the process of immigration takes time, and you can't change that... File either for a fiance visa, she can still come to the US in August but have to return to Taiwan before the end of her allowed time, or get married now, file for a spousal visa, and same thing, she can come but need to return before her tourist visa expires.

Edited by didopage

K-1 Visa Timeline AOS Timeline

- Aug 31st, 2011 - Mailed I-129F package - May 29th, 2012 - Mailed AOS/EAD/AP package

- Apr 13th, 2012 - Visa received - Aug 24th, 2012 - Green Card received

ROC Timeline

- May 19th, 2014 - Mailed ROC package to CSC

- Aug 8th, 2014 - Green Card received

N-400 Timeline

- Dec 29th, 2021 - Filed online. Got notice that biometrics will be reused.

- Now waiting...

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Taiwan
Timeline
Posted

Yes, I understand that it takes time. Just trying to better understand what remaining options we have. Thanks.

Getting the fiancee visa (K-1) also requires waiting for petition I-129F to go through, right? Do you mean that we should just file whichever petition we choose now but plan on visiting on the visitor visa and coming back to Taiwan to wait for the paperwork?

Thanks again.

Removal of Conditions:

2016-09-27: I-751 removal of conditions petition sent (with fee waiver request)

2016-09-30: I-751 petition delivered to California Service Center

2016-11-01: Informed in USCIS customer service call that they had no record of receiving our petition, but that it might still be languishing somewhere in fee waiver limbo

2016-11-01: Filed I-751 again, this time with payment check instead of fee waiver request (sent Priority Express)

2016-11-03: Date on I-797 Notice of Action (received 11/7)

2016-11-09: USCIS mailed out denial of our original fee waiver request, with denial letter dated 2016-11-02

2016-11-19: Biometrics appointment notice issued, for 2016-12-07 appointment

2016-11-26: Second biometrics appointment notice issue, for 2016-12-16 appointment (see this thread)

2016-12-07: Biometrics appointment. Allowed to complete biometrics despite mix-up on their end (again see this thread), but some people had to come back for second appointment date.

2018-05-01: Notice that our case was transferred to National Benefits Center in Lee's Summit, MO

2018-06-11: Approved after N-400 interview in Portland, OR (they seemed to be waiting for that before bothering with it)

 

Citizenship:

2017-12-11: N-400 Application for Naturalization submitted online while still waiting to hear back on I-751, received same day

2017-12-15: Biometrics notice

2018-01-04: Biometrics completed, on appointment date (Portland, OR)

2018-02-28: Interview scheduled for April 12 in Portland, OR

2018-03-01 (approximate): We sent in a letter requesting that the interview be rescheduled to after June 8, due to combination of work and family travel plans

2018-03-07: Notice that our April 12 interviewed had been "canceled" (pending rescheduling, but the letter didn't actually say that; officer at InfoPass later explained that interviews aren't scheduled until five or six weeks before the interview date, so they were waiting until closer to our requested rescheduling window)

2018-05-03: New interview scheduled for June 11.

2018-06-11: Citizenship interview - approved!

 

Posted

File the I-130 petition from Taiwan, and you could get into the "auto-expedited" queue for those filing from abroad. You could get through the USCIS stage in less than a month, but you still have the NVC, medical, and interview, so most likely the whole process still wouldn't be finished by August.

When using her tourist visa to visit your family in August, be sure to bring VERY strong ties to Taiwan. The officer at POE can deny her entry because she has a USC fiance/spouse - which is a very strong reason to believe she might try to stay illegally on her tourist visa.

USCIS

10/01/11 - Filed (2) I-130's

10/04/11 - NOA-1

04/05/12 - NOA-2

Your I-130 was approved in 184 days from your NOA1 date.

NVC

04/23/12 - NVC received both cases (18 days/12 business days from NOA-2)

05/07/12 - Case numbers and IIN's (14 days/10 business days since NVC received)

05/07/12 - Sent out DS-3032 by email; auto-response received

05/08/12 - AOS fee invoiced, paid - "IN PROCESS"

05/09/12 - AOS fee shows as "PAID"

05/10/12 - Spouse's DS-3032 accepted; minor child's rejected = had petitioner call NVC = received verbal acceptance from operator

05/11/12 - Spouse's IV fee invoiced

05/14/12 - Daughter's IV fee invoiced, paid both IV fees - "IN PROCESS"

05/15/12 - Both IV fees show as "PAID"

05/16/12 - Sent both AOS and both IV packages to NVC via USPS (expected delivery: 05/19/12)

05/21/12 - All 4 packages delivered

05/30/12 - Received checklist for daughter's AOS

05/31/12 - Sent response to checklist via USPS (expected delivery: 06/01/12); Spouse's case completed

06/07/12 - Daughter's case completed; waiting for interview date

06/14/12 - P4 received: interview date 07/11/12

Embassy

07/04-05/12 - Medical at SLEC

07/11/12 - Interview: APPROVED!

07/14/12 - Visas on hand

POE: 10/17/12

GC's on hand: 10/31/12

Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: France
Timeline
Posted

Yes, I understand that it takes time. Just trying to better understand what remaining options we have. Thanks.

Getting the fiancee visa (K-1) also requires waiting for petition I-129F to go through, right? Do you mean that we should just file whichever petition we choose now but plan on visiting on the visitor visa and coming back to Taiwan to wait for the paperwork?

Thanks again.

Yes, if it's the I-129F or the I-130, in both cases it takes time to get through. Inquire about the DCF thing is good, you may be able to get that part faster (in the spousal thing for sure, don't know if it works for fiance). As reginakrys said, if you file now and that your fiance/spouse comes to visit you this summer, be sure she brings with her serious proofs of her coming back to Taiwan before her visa expires... The risk that they will think she's trying to immigrate will be higher than usual.

K-1 Visa Timeline AOS Timeline

- Aug 31st, 2011 - Mailed I-129F package - May 29th, 2012 - Mailed AOS/EAD/AP package

- Apr 13th, 2012 - Visa received - Aug 24th, 2012 - Green Card received

ROC Timeline

- May 19th, 2014 - Mailed ROC package to CSC

- Aug 8th, 2014 - Green Card received

N-400 Timeline

- Dec 29th, 2021 - Filed online. Got notice that biometrics will be reused.

- Now waiting...

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Taiwan
Timeline
Posted

Thanks so much for telling me about the "auto-expedited" possibility! I've gone and read the thread about that. Like you said, maybe we don't have enough time to do the NVC process before August, but the shorter processing time could still be very helpful (much better than many waiting months for a K-1, which I was also considering!).

Filing the I-130 now and trying to visit on the tourist visa sounds too scary...we have big plans with my family in August, and it would be heartbreaking to have to cancel all that because of a suspicious immigration official. I'm thinking now maybe our best option is to visit before filing any petitions (we won't yet be officially fiances, married, so no more problems than before), then return to Taiwan and file the I-130. That's not what we originally wanted to do, but at least we won't be putting any specific plans at risk...we'll have time to let everything go through.

Any other ideas are still very welcome!

Removal of Conditions:

2016-09-27: I-751 removal of conditions petition sent (with fee waiver request)

2016-09-30: I-751 petition delivered to California Service Center

2016-11-01: Informed in USCIS customer service call that they had no record of receiving our petition, but that it might still be languishing somewhere in fee waiver limbo

2016-11-01: Filed I-751 again, this time with payment check instead of fee waiver request (sent Priority Express)

2016-11-03: Date on I-797 Notice of Action (received 11/7)

2016-11-09: USCIS mailed out denial of our original fee waiver request, with denial letter dated 2016-11-02

2016-11-19: Biometrics appointment notice issued, for 2016-12-07 appointment

2016-11-26: Second biometrics appointment notice issue, for 2016-12-16 appointment (see this thread)

2016-12-07: Biometrics appointment. Allowed to complete biometrics despite mix-up on their end (again see this thread), but some people had to come back for second appointment date.

2018-05-01: Notice that our case was transferred to National Benefits Center in Lee's Summit, MO

2018-06-11: Approved after N-400 interview in Portland, OR (they seemed to be waiting for that before bothering with it)

 

Citizenship:

2017-12-11: N-400 Application for Naturalization submitted online while still waiting to hear back on I-751, received same day

2017-12-15: Biometrics notice

2018-01-04: Biometrics completed, on appointment date (Portland, OR)

2018-02-28: Interview scheduled for April 12 in Portland, OR

2018-03-01 (approximate): We sent in a letter requesting that the interview be rescheduled to after June 8, due to combination of work and family travel plans

2018-03-07: Notice that our April 12 interviewed had been "canceled" (pending rescheduling, but the letter didn't actually say that; officer at InfoPass later explained that interviews aren't scheduled until five or six weeks before the interview date, so they were waiting until closer to our requested rescheduling window)

2018-05-03: New interview scheduled for June 11.

2018-06-11: Citizenship interview - approved!

 

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Taiwan
Timeline
Posted

Today I read somewhere that they don't do DCF anymore except in countries with USCIS offices (there's not one in Taiwan). Is that correct? That would explain why the consular office in Taiwan doesn't say anything about DCF on its website.

Removal of Conditions:

2016-09-27: I-751 removal of conditions petition sent (with fee waiver request)

2016-09-30: I-751 petition delivered to California Service Center

2016-11-01: Informed in USCIS customer service call that they had no record of receiving our petition, but that it might still be languishing somewhere in fee waiver limbo

2016-11-01: Filed I-751 again, this time with payment check instead of fee waiver request (sent Priority Express)

2016-11-03: Date on I-797 Notice of Action (received 11/7)

2016-11-09: USCIS mailed out denial of our original fee waiver request, with denial letter dated 2016-11-02

2016-11-19: Biometrics appointment notice issued, for 2016-12-07 appointment

2016-11-26: Second biometrics appointment notice issue, for 2016-12-16 appointment (see this thread)

2016-12-07: Biometrics appointment. Allowed to complete biometrics despite mix-up on their end (again see this thread), but some people had to come back for second appointment date.

2018-05-01: Notice that our case was transferred to National Benefits Center in Lee's Summit, MO

2018-06-11: Approved after N-400 interview in Portland, OR (they seemed to be waiting for that before bothering with it)

 

Citizenship:

2017-12-11: N-400 Application for Naturalization submitted online while still waiting to hear back on I-751, received same day

2017-12-15: Biometrics notice

2018-01-04: Biometrics completed, on appointment date (Portland, OR)

2018-02-28: Interview scheduled for April 12 in Portland, OR

2018-03-01 (approximate): We sent in a letter requesting that the interview be rescheduled to after June 8, due to combination of work and family travel plans

2018-03-07: Notice that our April 12 interviewed had been "canceled" (pending rescheduling, but the letter didn't actually say that; officer at InfoPass later explained that interviews aren't scheduled until five or six weeks before the interview date, so they were waiting until closer to our requested rescheduling window)

2018-05-03: New interview scheduled for June 11.

2018-06-11: Citizenship interview - approved!

 

 
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