K-1 Visa - not in time for wedding

[cdngrl 0]

OK, to continue with my obsession over this topic ..

First off, my FI and I thought we were being 110% realistic when we planned our wedding a year from the date we filed for our K-1 (April 2006 - our wedding is in mid-May 2007). And yes, this was OUR mistake .. absolutely. ... but who knew?? I mean .. we know now don't we (referring to all us VJ'ers). It looks like I'll be lucky to get my appointment in time for my wedding.

has anyone had this happen to them? what do you do? go over and have a 'fake' marriage with the reception as planned/booked, then come back to Canada and start over by applying for a K-3 ... no way .. not after we've spent the past year filling out forms, sending in evidence, etc. etc. the date of the wedding cannot be changed either ... toooo many things booked ... too many deposits, etc .. and i know we will not be able to get another date in that area during the summer.

thank god my current employer is flexible with my 'end date' ... which was at one point in time Jan 31, 2007. yeah right. friggin hilarious.

[kitkat1 5]

If you absolutely cannot cancel the wedding, you would have to start all over again with a K3. Only other option would be to have the wedding/reception without actually saying the vows officially I guess.

[CutienPurg 0]

I'm not sure it's a mistake. You took the information that was provided to you and made a judgement call based that info. Things changed, information wasn't accurate, whatever......... How were you supposed to know that would happen? A mistake would be if you took the information and disregarded it, which you didn't. Sure there will be those who will get on their high horse and say( using 20/20 backward vision) you shouldn't have. Well screw them.............life is about planning.......if you didn't have a plan you'd be ridiculed for that too.

Go forward with your plans........have a backup plan..........like go through the motions but dont register the marriage til you're legal..........a sort of " spiritual union "if you will.

Good Luck to you...........and don't give up hope for it all working out........it still might.

[Jersey Girl 2]

Why not have the mother of all engagement parties? Then elope for the wedding once you have the visa.

[Caladan 19]

From your timeline: of they're predicting your interview for March, you should have the visa by May. Another possibility: can you get your petition transferred to Vancouver?

[cdngrl 0]

Thanks for the advice fellow Vj's .. you guys made me feel a bit better.

Yep, we'd be doing the spiritual union thing and would get legally married after the consulate appointment. I think that's the plan. It will seem strange walking down the aisle (or in my case a park path) knowing that I'm not really getting married.

However .. it may all work out just fine. Time will tell .. but getting comfortable with this new backup plan is probably wise.

.. and no ... we can't transfer our case to Vancouver .. someone in a similar situation just looked into that and they won't allow them because their address isn't in Western Canada (nor is mine).

[Carlawarla 1]

Being the eternal optimist, I'd take a deeeeeeeep breath and think about this. If your interview is in March, April, or heck, even a week before your wedding, unless you seriously think you won't get the visa, you'll have it and can still get down here for the wedding!

If all else fails, walking down the garden path with your friends and family looking on, will still be a precious time for you. You can have a civil ceremony when you are able to later.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Let us know as soon as you hear about an interview date!

Carla

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Why not have the mother of all engagement parties? Then elope for the wedding once you have the visa.

This one looks like the best option, IMO.

[misa 2]

It's possible that you'll still get an interview in March or April. As others have said before, Montreal tends to say whatever they want to get people to go away. If they're scheduling 4 months, then you should, at the latest get your interview date for April 21 (4 months from when you sent in your checklist).

Seems to me that no one here has received a March date from Montreal. I wouldn't be surprised if they start rolling in March and April interviews soon (and hopefully yours will be part of that batch!)

If worse comes to worse, have the reception since you can't change any of that and have the wedding when you get the visa.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[cdngrl 0]

It's possible that you'll still get an interview in March or April. As others have said before, Montreal tends to say whatever they want to get people to go away. If they're scheduling 4 months, then you should, at the latest get your interview date for April 21 (4 months from when you sent in your checklist).

Seems to me that no one here has received a March date from Montreal. I wouldn't be surprised if they start rolling in March and April interviews soon (and hopefully yours will be part of that batch!)

If worse comes to worse, have the reception since you can't change any of that and have the wedding when you get the visa.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

thanks Misa .. .and to everyone else. Sometimes you just need a good listening ear (or rather .. reading eyes and listening ear) from someone going thru the same thing .... to vent .. and to calm ones' nerves down.

whew ... already feeling a bit better. it's good to not feel alone in times like these ....

[charmie 0]

Hi Cdngrl,

You're not the only one who's worried that you won't get your visa in time. Just this morning I was checking your timeline to see if you'd received anything yet. My fiance and I sent in our checklist on Dec 19 and our wedding is also set for May 19/07. We've booked the church, made all of the deposits and many of my out of town guests have already made their travel arrangements. Needless to say I've been freaking out at the thought of not getting my visa on time. It's like pulling teeth to get any information from Montreal, but my fiance called Monday and the person there said that I should probably be receiving an interview sometime in late March or early April, so this should probably be the same for you since our timelines are so similar. Hopefully there's some truth to that and they weren't just saying whatever to get off the phone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the both of us.

[Laura0588 0]

You girls are breaking my heart!! My deepest darkest fear is that in a few months I am going to be have the same thoughts you are. (I am starting to book for my August 18 wedding and I am just sending in my checklist this week). I know "Theoretically" it should be ok, but there is just no way to tell with Montreal.

Let me just say that along with prayers for my own visa interview, you are all in my thoughts!!

Laura

(And yeah... I know you are freaking out, but it really feels nice to know I am not the only one in the world with panicked thoughts about this).

[mozplay 28]

.. and no ... we can't transfer our case to Vancouver .. someone in a similar situation just looked into that and they won't allow them because their address isn't in Western Canada (nor is mine).

Actually, there have been members on here who have had their petitions transferred to Vancouver though their addy is not in western Canada. They do require that you provide them with an address, but I do remember one member simply telling them that it was easier to get to Vancouver and they would be out there during that time visiting relatives. I am almost positive it was Bebop .. you may want to ask her about it.

Mo

[cdngrl 0]

Hi Cdngrl,

You're not the only one who's worried that you won't get your visa in time. Just this morning I was checking your timeline to see if you'd received anything yet. My fiance and I sent in our checklist on Dec 19 and our wedding is also set for May 19/07. We've booked the church, made all of the deposits and many of my out of town guests have already made their travel arrangements. Needless to say I've been freaking out at the thought of not getting my visa on time. It's like pulling teeth to get any information from Montreal, but my fiance called Monday and the person there said that I should probably be receiving an interview sometime in late March or early April, so this should probably be the same for you since our timelines are so similar. Hopefully there's some truth to that and they weren't just saying whatever to get off the phone. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the both of us.

thanks charmie wow ... how our cases are so very parallel eh? i'm starting to think a bit more positive today actually. i can deal with late march / early april .. or even late april. thanks for adding a bit more hope to my fluctuating hope i wish you the very best as well. i guess we'll be checking each others timelines like it's mad in the next couple of months. i'll be on VJ at least once a day .. and promise to post updates as soon as I get them....

and to think .. at one point in time i was worried i would get my visa too early (insert me LMAO here)

yeah . you NEVER can tell with Montreal. we should call this thread the Panic Room

and Laura0588 .. thanks for you thoughts and prayers .. right back at ya! although heck, i would certainly hope an August wedding date is far enough away ..... friggin montreal..