Can someone sense check my CR-1 plan? Please and thank you!

[MidAtlanticMerge 9]

Hello, I am new to the forum and after doing a considerable amount of research, I am ready to submit my plan to the VJ for their review/thoughts/questions/concerns! Thanks in advance for reading and offering any advise and support.

I am a 26 year old female, American, living in NYC. My fiancé is a 26 year old male living in the UK.

Steps

1. Get married in City Hall in NYC in November. This mean he has to book a trip from the UK to the US. We will have as much of the i-130 package done as possible before he gets here (payment, cover letter, I-130 form, copy of my birth cert, copy of my passport, G-325A for me, passport photo of me, G-325A for him, passport photo of him, evidence of bonafide marriage and the G-1145

2. Once we get the marriage license (not sure if we will get this on the day of marriage or if there are processing times) add this to the package, make copies of everything and send it to the Chicago lockbox, recorded delivery. We want to do this no later than December 1.

3. Receive NOA1. Estimating we will get this by January 1.

4. Receive NOA2. Our I-130 has been forwarded to NVC. Estimating this will happen in July or August at the latest.

5. Fiance in the UK receives a packet of forms from the NVC. (of-169, of-230 part 1 and 2 that will be filled out by him, an i-864 form that needs to be filled out by me along with past 3 US tax returns and bank/financial records). We fill them out, make photo copies, and send them back recorded delivery of course.

6. Interview date is scheduled. Hoping this happens in late summer or early fall.

7. Interview happens. Hoping for this to happen in the fall. He brings every single document with him.

8. Approved and my fiancé receives some piece of paper (not sure what its called)

9. Will brings that piece of paper and presents at POA. Border control then grants him a visa? Hoping this can happen by the end of 2015.

10. Next steps? SSN? Good to start employment immediately

Questions...

On step 5 - Does that mean my fiancé will have to mail me the i-864 that he receives in the mail and then I mail it back to him with my bank records?

Another question on 5 - Where do we send these to if he is living in Manchester, UK? NVC? Or a consulate in the UK?

On 7 - Where can we expect the interview will take place? At the embassy in London or are there places throughout the UK?

Another question of 7 - Do I need to be there? Or can he go alone?

Another 7 question - Do you get immediate approval at the interview? Or do we have to wait to hear back?

8 and 9 - How does this part work? I am unclear...

Final question on 10 - Is there anything else we need to do? Will he be given a SSN or will we need to apply separately. Is he okay to immediately open up a bank account and get to work?

I would love so much to have the above questions answered and of course let me know if I am leaving anything out or if you think I need to know something before we get started.

Thank you!

[Harpa Timsah 13,260]

Okay, the marriage license is the permission to get married. You must get that at least 24 hours in advance of your wedding (two separate trips). Once the wedding is done they will give you your marriage cert immediately. This is the thing you need. (This advice is NYC specific).

Your NVC steps are wrong. You the USC will do a lot of stuff with NVC, send them your financials, email with them, etc. That whole process can take a few months and there are many threads and guides on that step here.

At the interview, which will be in London, he are applying for a visa. The visa will be affixed in his passport, it is a small page with his photo and stuff on it (looks similar to a passport bio page). You can google for images. This is what allows him to come to the US as an immigrant, and his arriving in the US with this visa will make him a Legal Permanent Resident upon entry. He will then need to pay a fee to get his Greencard sent to him. The Greencard is the proof of Permanent Residence.

He can go to his interview alone.

You will apply for a SSN separately. He can work mostly immediately, but he will need the SSN for tax witholdings, so there is a few weeks delay after entry for working. But he can start looking for a job ASAP.

[MidAtlanticMerge 9]

Thanks so much for your response.

I am expecting the marriage to take 2 or 3 days as I am aware of the 24 waiting period. Definitely going to have the ceremony of Friday 21 of November so will probably get the license on the Weds before hand. I am gal to hear that I will have the certificate immediately.

Thanks so much for pointing out that I will be in touch with NVC a lot. I wasn't expecting that!

And thanks for clarifying everything else!

Okay, the marriage license is the permission to get married. You must get that at least 24 hours in advance of your wedding (two separate trips). Once the wedding is done they will give you your marriage cert immediately. This is the thing you need. (This advice is NYC specific).

Your NVC steps are wrong. You the USC will do a lot of stuff with NVC, send them your financials, email with them, etc. That whole process can take a few months and there are many threads and guides on that step here.

At the interview, which will be in London, he are applying for a visa. The visa will be affixed in his passport, it is a small page with his photo and stuff on it (looks similar to a passport bio page). You can google for images. This is what allows him to come to the US as an immigrant, and his arriving in the US with this visa will make him a Legal Permanent Resident upon entry. He will then need to pay a fee to get his Greencard sent to him. The Greencard is the proof of Permanent Residence.

He can go to his interview alone.

You will apply for a SSN separately. He can work mostly immediately, but he will need the SSN for tax witholdings, so there is a few weeks delay after entry for working. But he can start looking for a job ASAP.

[MidAtlanticMerge 9]

*Bump*

Anyone else?

[Stephaniazg 1]

Hi there!

Looks like we have a lot in common! I also live in NYC and my husband lives in England. Your steps are a bit off as noted from the person above. First and foremost, I would suggest having your I-130 ready to submit immediately after getting married. The USCIS is always delayed and even though they publish a 5 month processing time, it actually takes much longer.

Once you submit your I-130, which is relatively simple, its just a waiting game. The NVC is a bit more complicated but there is a wiki available that is very helpful. http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/NVC_Process

Right now Matthew and I are finishing up at the NVC so feel free to send me a message if you have any questions!!

Best of luck and am excited for you city hall marriage! It was lovely there

Stephania