A potentially tricky situation...

[TacoBun 1]

Hi there! My fiance and I have been living in Japan for about 2 years now. My fiance is a US citizen and I'm Australian. We're in the process of filling out the I-129f right now and we've bumped into something that may prove problematic later on.

First of all, we are due to leave Japan in about 6 months. We've indicated in the forms that our current residential address are in Japan (because they are), but will this be a problem later on once it is (hopefully!) approved? We are applying to have my interview at an Australian consulate, but by the time I have an interview there my residential address will have changed. Will this affect anything?

Secondly, how do they decide which service center to send our application to? Things look like they'll be a bit bleak right now if our application is sent to the Texas service center. We have to go back to our home countries in 6 months after having spent basically every day together. We really want to minimise the amount of time spent apart, especially since the time difference is brutal.

Thirdly, is it possible to get my police checks and medical done before the petition is approved? I ask simply because it takes a while to get a Japanese police certificate and I think I'd need to get it translated. I'd also need to get an Australian police cert. I'm worried about things timing-wise.

Thanks in advance!

[Pheebs1201 269]

Does Japan offer DCF? That might be a better option.

[TacoBun 1]

Nah, they don't. They used to a little while back, but not anymore.

Australia doesn't do DCF either. :'(

Edited January 27, 2015 by TacoBun

[Pheebs1201 269]

Move to the UK

But seriously, can you use your parent's address as mailing address the whole time to save change/confusion later down the road?

Service centre is based on the US state, there is a list on VJ somewhere. Half are sent to CSC and the other half are sent to TSC.

[Bjorn&lyne 20]

Hi there! My fiance and I have been living in Japan for about 2 years now. My fiance is a US citizen and I'm Australian. We're in the process of filling out the I-129f right now and we've bumped into something that may prove problematic later on.

First of all, we are due to leave Japan in about 6 months. We've indicated in the forms that our current residential address are in Japan (because they are), but will this be a problem later on once it is (hopefully!) approved? We are applying to have my interview at an Australian consulate, but by the time I have an interview there my residential address will have changed. Will this affect anything?

Secondly, how do they decide which service center to send our application to? Things look like they'll be a bit bleak right now if our application is sent to the Texas service center. We have to go back to our home countries in 6 months after having spent basically every day together. We really want to minimise the amount of time spent apart, especially since the time difference is brutal.

Thirdly, is it possible to get my police checks and medical done before the petition is approved? I ask simply because it takes a while to get a Japanese police certificate and I think I'd need to get it translated. I'd also need to get an Australian police cert. I'm worried about things timing-wise.

Thanks in advance!

I have read in several places that police certificates are valid for one year. I also read a thread yesterday that Japan translates police certificates to five languages. Someone receiving such from Japan apparently opened the sealed police certificate to check if it was translated to English, and it was. The problem was that the police clearance became void by opening the sealed envelope, but at least she learned it was translated into English according to what she described in the thread.

[newbie87 20]

For japan police certificate they'll request the approved USCIS petition letter before they can issue you the certificate. It will be in English and in a sealed envelop that you must NOT open! You can pick it up 7-8 days after you made a request at the police head quarters. But if you request through the embassy of japan in Australia it will take longer.

[-Shana- 152]

Hi there! My fiance and I have been living in Japan for about 2 years now. My fiance is a US citizen and I'm Australian. We're in the process of filling out the I-129f right now and we've bumped into something that may prove problematic later on.

First of all, we are due to leave Japan in about 6 months. We've indicated in the forms that our current residential address are in Japan (because they are), but will this be a problem later on once it is (hopefully!) approved? We are applying to have my interview at an Australian consulate, but by the time I have an interview there my residential address will have changed. Will this affect anything?

Secondly, how do they decide which service center to send our application to? Things look like they'll be a bit bleak right now if our application is sent to the Texas service center. We have to go back to our home countries in 6 months after having spent basically every day together. We really want to minimise the amount of time spent apart, especially since the time difference is brutal.

Thirdly, is it possible to get my police checks and medical done before the petition is approved? I ask simply because it takes a while to get a Japanese police certificate and I think I'd need to get it translated. I'd also need to get an Australian police cert. I'm worried about things timing-wise.

Thanks in advance!

Hey! This is quite funny, because my fiance and I lived in Japan for 2 years together too! Where did you live in Japan?

1. We began our petition while my fiance is still in Japan, but we listed his parents address as the address on the form because that's the place we'll be staying as a stepping stone. There are ways to contact USCIS to inform them of an address change, it's in the instruction pdf: http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-129finstr.pdf

2. I read in a different thread that they base it on which state the US citizen lives. You can't choose which one unfortunately despite Texas being so far behind right now.

3. Someone already said the process of getting it done in Japan, but just to let you know if you don't get it done in Japan it takes 2 months for it to get back to you if you get it via embassy/consulate. As for it remaining unopened, well, I accidentally opened mine and have been reassured by VJers that it'll be ok since other foreign police certificates are not sealed for the UK embassy. I think it's the US embassy in Japan that is funny about it being sealed. However, I'll be the guinea pig, since I have to wait until interview day to see if this has any consequences. Either way, best not to open it just to be safe! I was unaware it would be in English so was opening it to check if I needed it translated.

On a side note, some distance is pretty inevitable once you leave Japan and head into this process. It's hard, because it's so routine to be together in person, but once you get back to your home countries and some time has passed you get into a routine. My fiance visited me for 3 weeks over Christmas, it was actually quite strange being around each other for the first couple of days since I had got so used to being without him in person. Then things went back to being how they were when we lived together, so it didn't make saying goodbye a couple of weeks ago hard! It's been 6 months for me being away from my fiance, but knowing we're working towards something great really does help.

Edited January 27, 2015 by shana.mike

[Pheebs1201 269]

Secondly, how do they decide which service center to send our application to? Things look like they'll be a bit bleak right now if our application is sent to the Texas service center. We have to go back to our home countries in 6 months after having spent basically every day together. We really want to minimise the amount of time spent apart, especially since the time difference is brutal.

2. I read in a different thread that they base it on which state the US citizen lives. You can't choose which one unfortunately despite Texas being so far behind right now.

This thread is discussing this topic at the moment http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/533617-states-related-to-texascali/

[ricnally 258]

I got my Japan police cert in Canada. Had to go to the Japanese consulate--in person--to ask for it. It took almost 3 months. I knew I wouldn't be able to pick it up in person, so at the time of my first consulate visit, they allowed me to authorize a local friend to come and pick it up for me. You indicate what language you want when you apply for it. Mine was in an unsealed envelope.

[OLee 64]

I have read in several places that police certificates are valid for one year. I also read a thread yesterday that Japan translates police certificates to five languages. Someone receiving such from Japan apparently opened the sealed police certificate to check if it was translated to English, and it was. The problem was that the police clearance became void by opening the sealed envelope, but at least she learned it was translated into English according to what she described in the thread.

If you will get the Police Certificate in Japan and later on you will never go back there, your Certificate will be valid. You can get your Police Certificate from your home country (is it Australia?) later.

[OLee 64]

Another option for you is to get married abroad and file from abroad while still both living there. You will most likely get all USCIS process auto expedited. Read this thread, please:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/

[TacoBun 1]

Thanks for all of your tips guys! It looks like we're most likely gonna be processed by the TSC. >.<

Another option for you is to get married abroad and file from abroad while still both living there. You will most likely get all USCIS process auto expedited. Read this thread, please:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/357465-usc-petitioner-living-abroad/

That sounds very enticing! I hadn't noticed that before. What would happen if we aren't expedited though? What are the risks? How long might it otherwise take? To clarify, this is for the K3 visa, right?

Edited January 31, 2015 by TacoBun

[OLee 64]

Thanks for all of your tips guys! It looks like we're most likely gonna be processed by the TSC. >.<

That sounds very enticing! I hadn't noticed that before. What would happen if we aren't expedited though? What are the risks? How long might it otherwise take? To clarify, this is for the K3 visa, right?

No, this option is for CR-1/IR-1 . You have to be married to be auto expedited. We were approved in 11 days at the USCIS, it means we skipped about 6-8 months. It was hard to believe at first, but this is true.

[OLee 64]

about Police Certificate:

Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued.

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Supporting_documents.html

[CharmD 1]

TacoBun we're kinda in the same position as you. Currently residing in Australia but will be applying at the Malaysian consulate. Was wondering if you did your medical check in Japan or did you end up doing here in Australia? If anybody could be of help with this it would be great too. Should she do her medical check her in Australia or in Malaysia? As we're planning on staying here in Australia till we have to go for the interview in Malaysia.

Greatly appreciate any help anybody could provide with this. Thanks