Sent I-129F to Belfast, only process in London

[2ndMessiah 184]

Ugh of course. Nothing in this process can ever be easy.

That's okay at this point it feels like we're never going to get to that phase anyway and will be waiting for a NOA2 for the rest of our lives...

Vermont Processing times

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do;jsessionid=bacGwqbV7LjVfb0WmHoGu

There is hope....

Edited August 25, 2014 by 2ndMessiah

[PrincessButtercup 4]

I'm training for a marathon, practice yoga twice a week, play in a kickball league, and spend time with girlfriends about twice a week. My fiance and I spend about an hour a day discussing the fantansy football, Breaking Bad, telling jokes, and discussing everything under the sun EXCEPT this.

I'm sorry for being negative as I haven't been waiting quite as long as you, but at this point I think I have enough experience.

We all are human and have bad days. Sorry for spreading negativity.

[PrincessButtercup 4]

Vermont Processing times

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do;jsessionid=bacGwqbV7LjVfb0WmHoGu

There is hope....

We're Texas sadly. People around us are starting to get approved but it's sinking in he really won't be here when we hoped.

It'll happen when it happens

[2ndMessiah 184]

We're Texas sadly. People around us are starting to get approved but it's sinking in he really won't be here when we hoped.

It'll happen when it happens

Urggh I edited my post from Texas to Vermont for some reason.

Here is Texas as off June 30th.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do

looks like just over 6 months.

[Maria and Mike 5]

I wasn't trying to criticize, just support.

Of course we all have our bad days. If you need to vent, go for it, most definitely

[2ndMessiah 184]

If it helps you ladies, I suffered a bout of clinical depression for 4 months during my wait for I129F to be processed.

I sat in my parents house (After my fiancee returned to the US to setup our new home there)for that length of time.

Cleaning out our little house was like after a funeral. Almost a mourning period for me. So yes it can get a lot worse.

Cheer up lol.

[PrincessButtercup 4]

The support is very much appreciated :-) Actually, it's nice to finally see some other people from Northern Ireland!

Having to go to London was actually a bit of a relief, my fiance had a bad encounter with the consulate in Belfast and did NOT want to go back there!

[Maria and Mike 5]

Lol it's funny you should say that. I was declined a Graduate visa last March at the Belfast consulate because I told them my then Bf (before engagement) was American and I'd be staying with him. One of the worst experiences ever, truly traumatic lol. It's left me with so much anxiety about another interview so I can fully appreciate you fiances hesitancy.

It's really nice to see people from my own neck of the woods experiencing the situations.

I was hoping to not have another birthday apart but fingers crossed for a Christmas together!

[PrincessButtercup 4]

Lol it's funny you should say that. I was declined a Graduate visa last March at the Belfast consulate because I told them my then Bf (before engagement) was American and I'd be staying with him. One of the worst experiences ever, truly traumatic lol. It's left me with so much anxiety about another interview so I can fully appreciate you fiances hesitancy.

It's really nice to see people from my own neck of the woods experiencing the situations.

I was hoping to not have another birthday apart but fingers crossed for a Christmas together!

That's really rough, they've gotten so tough. My fiance was one of 3 guys he works with who went home for Christmas and never made it back.

My thoughts exactly! I'm lucky enough to be going to visit for his birthday next month but really hoping he'll be here by Christmas! I'm sure you will be, you're so close!

[Anna Grant 169]

As much as I hate the expression, "it is what it is". It will happen when it happens and not a minute sooner. There's nothing you can do to quicken the process so try to accept the wait and attempt to make it as good as it can be. You dont wanna look back in 6 months time and think "that was the most miserable period". For the sake of keeping your sanity, exercise a little self care and less defeatist attitude. Lol just speaking from my experience. My advice may be dusting of past experience and offering it for more than it's worth so feel free to take it or leave it lol but before I squeeze in any more nauseating, compensatory cliche...if life gives you lemons...

+ 1

We applied for our K1 in July 2012 and we didn't get our NOA2 until April 2013. It went a bit quicker after that and we got married on 12 July 2013.

So we have been married for just over a year and the separation that we endured is now just a vague memory. When you can be together on the other side of the pond and wake up together every day, then the pain you went through is so much worth it. Of course, then everyday issues like trying to get a job and trying to get people in stores to understand you begin! And understanding different US accents. Only today, I couldn't work out if someone was telling me to go to office A or 8!

My advice is to investigate everything to do with the process post-NOA2. And AOS too, if you are a K1. You don;t want to be one of the people who post 'I have my NOA2, what next?' Or 'We've got married. What next?'

[2ndMessiah 184]

I had a completely different experience at the Belfast Consulate. It was nothing but a pleasure.

Mind you, we were doing CRBA's for our two kids and getting their US passports. Went like clockwork.

[caiti92 23]

It's really a shame that they won't let Northern Ireland beneficiaries use the Dublin consulate. It's just logistically so much more accessible than London. Honestly, the process is expensive enough, travel aside. My fiance is from Waterford City and just traveling up to the medical in Dublin was nearly 100 Euro round trip. Then they require he returns to pick up the results in person (refuse to post it) and then go back again for the interview.

He was here on a J-1 work visa when we filed in February, so no one would hire him part-time when he returned to Ireland. Especially because we didn't anticipate he'd be gone for so long. So being on a fixed income, affording the fees for the petition, the medical, the interview, airfare, marriage certificate, AOS, etc is expensive enough on its own. Having to fork over even more to travel to London from NI would just have added insult to injury if he were from there. I can only imagine how frustrating that is.

Also, I'm sure a lot of the NI people who consider themselves more Irish than British really resent having to use the London consulate. Lol

[Brit Abroad 166]

You will want to take note of time expiration on things like the police certificate and making sure that you plan to AoS within a year of your medical. The latter because it exempts you from having to have another examination in the US to satisfy the requirement. You would simply need to make sure you have any missing "shots" and then send evidence to support it, along with the copy form from your medical.

If you read the forms AND their accompanying notes you will see exactly what is required. The VJ guides give some great additional ideas on evidence that you can send, but I wouldn't panic too much, as the UK is not regarded as a high fraud consulate and you won't be subject to the same level of scrutiny as a few of the other nationals.

Best of luck in your process.

[2ndMessiah 184]

Also, I'm sure a lot of the NI people who consider themselves more Irish than British really resent having to use the London consulate. Lol

It really is only a logistics/travel issue. It does not matter how Irish or British you think you are. And yes, I would have preferred to drive for two hours instead of taking flights. It is what it is.

As you know it comes down to the country you currently reside in. I lived in Northern Ireland (part of the UK) so processing is done in the UK. If I lived in ROI (republic of Ireland), i would have expected to be processed in Ireland. I am aware of exceptions but these are only in rare cases.

In saying that devolution may add an interesting spin. Belfast does have an American Consulate. Unfortunately they don't handle immigration visas. Like wise I know Scotland has or had a Consulate as well. If Scotland votes yes to independence I doubt the London embassy will be processing immigrant visas from North of the border.

This will be interesting to watch in the future as to how USCIS will handle that.

On a side note, if Scotland does vote for independence, will this be the first new country in Europe ( I don't consider Eastern Europe as Europe. More independent Russian colonies) in a long time?

Edited August 26, 2014 by 2ndMessiah

[Maria and Mike 5]

I did find it a bit annoying that while I live in Belfast I'm an Irish citizen and hold an Irish passport, issued in Dublin but still need to go to London.

It would def be quicker, easier and cheaper to go to Dublin but as long as everything goes smoothly I don't mind.

The red tape of this whole process is shocking especially in 2014.

Update for us, we got our hard copy Rfe, they want proof of intent to marry within 90 days.

I'm sure like a lot of other people, we haven't made a whole lot of definite plans due to the nature of not actually knowing when your likely to be together so at this point:

I've written a letter of intent

Mike has written a letter of intent

Provided emails and wattsapp conversations of wedding plans

Provided my engagement ring receipt

Provided my wedding dress receipt

Provided congrats cards we received after engagement.

We haven't actually booked a venue or officiant yet as we were intending a very small legal ceremony in Florida and an intimate meal with his parents. Nothing fancy.

Any views on whether we should preliminary book a officiant as proof of intent?