ESTA

[AndyR82 8]

Hi again,

First of all thanks for everyones help yesterday, I really cannot say thank you enough. My better half and I talked in detail last night and decided to hold fire on booking things until we get everything through. Bit gutted that we can't keep our plans but it's worth it. Looking at having a smaller ceremony then inviting people to a more formal one.

Quick question are you still able to travel on an ESTA when filing?

Thanks again.

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

yes, many people do.

[ChasUno 101]

In a nutshell, yes, but with caution.

The official line from the CBP website is:

"Can I travel to the U.S. for business or pleasure while my K fiancé/fiancée visa is pending?

You can travel however you may be subject to scrutiny. Travel under another visa status or the visa waiver program is not advised for K-1 fiancé/fiancée visa applicants prior to the approval of their K visa as they have already indicated their intention is to marry in the U.S. For more information about Nonimmigrant visa for a fiancé (e) K visa visit Travel.state.gov."

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1247/~/travel-while-k-1-fiance%2Ffiancee-visa-pending

However, many people going through the K1 process do travel to the USA without a problem. There's a thread covering this:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/67796-yes-you-can-visit/page-59?hl=%2Byes+%2Byou+%2Bcan+%2Bvisit#entry6830525

Also, in your posts yesterday you were stating that you were planning on a May 2016 wedding. If you start your I-129F/ K1 process now, there's a good chance that you will have attained a K1 before that date. Or at the very least, you should know in approx 6 months whether your application is going through quickly enough for you to plan on a May 2016 marriage. For example, my partner and I filed for a K1 at the end of February this year and my medical is next week. If all goes smoothly, the estimate for receiving the K1 visa is approx. mid - late July, give or take a few weeks. That's approx. 5 months from sending the petition to getting the visa. However, we were lucky to have been dealt with by CSC and not TSC, which sped the process up dramatically. But that can also all change for future filers, so there's still no guarantee as to how quick/ slow the process will be.

The import factor to remember is that it's possible to slow down the process, but nigh on impossible to speed it up. Hence if you apply now and you're one of the lucky ones whose petition goes through quickly, you can delay some of the stages so that you get the K1 nearer to the beginning of 2016.

Edited June 5, 2015 by ChasUno

[AndyR82 8]

Thank you, that is most helpful, will chat with my good lady and get it started as soon as possible.

The trip in August is paid for and it would be a killer not being able to see each other for a long length of time. Skype is lovely but not as good as the real thing!

It's an experience doing all of this that's for sure. At this stage i don't need to worry about getting US sized passport pictures etc?

[ChasUno 101]

Also just to add, if your partner files from the state of Iowa, as that's a mid west state then I'm pretty sure that it will come under CSC for processing (someone else needs to confirm if this is correct).

Currently CSC are processing petitions much quicker than TSC, though due to the backlog at TSC some new petitions are now being transferred to CSC, which is obviously going to slow down the process somewhat. By how much, no-one will know until we start seeing how long newer CSC petitions are starting to take to go from NOA1 to NOA2.

I can't re-iterate enough the importance of filing your I-129F ASAP. If you do so by the end of June, then your May 2016 wedding should be very likely. Or at the very least, you will know by Xmas if you will get your K1 in time.

[ChasUno 101]

Thank you, that is most helpful, will chat with my good lady and get it started as soon as possible.

The trip in August is paid for and it would be a killer not being able to see each other for a long length of time. Skype is lovely but not as good as the real thing!

It's an experience doing all of this that's for sure. At this stage i don't need to worry about getting US sized passport pictures etc?

I believe the photos must be taken within the 6 months prior to sending them in with an application. It will likely take you a few weeks to get all the necessary info/ details to file with your I-129F, and most take a good few weeks to prepare their I-129F before sending. Thus if you start now and are looking at filing your petition in 4 weeks or so, then yes, best get all these things done earlier rather than later.

Most UK photo booths offer both UK and USA sized passport photos (I used a "Photo Me" booth at a Tesco superstore). Use the guides to establish how many UK/ USA sized photos you will need. You are going to need them for your initial I-129F filing, your ACRO/ Police Records check (or you can scan one for this if you use the apply online option), your medical (I think you need 4x for this) and your interview.

Check the pinned posts at the top of the UK forum here. They will guide you and give you all the information that you will need, and if you get stuck on anything then by all means ask away

[AndyR82 8]

I will get that moving, we are just thinking of doing a low key marriage then a proper one if needs be. If I can get over there earlier I wouldn't mind that at all

The location could be helpful if we need to go to Chicago, for anything I notice it come up as one of the major places.

Thanks for the info on others going through still on ESTA's i'll get my manager here to write me a letter, saying i'll be expected back, shall be over for 2 weeks, never over stayed and been over 11 times.

We've completed the forms for the I-129F all the taxes evidence etc has been gathered. So i'll need to get the pictures completed before filing, I'll have a look at Tesco over the weekend get some done and mail them asap.

Really do appreciate the help provided it means a lot

[ChasUno 101]

The location could be helpful if we need to go to Chicago, for anything I notice it come up as one of the major places.

I believe you may be thinking of a "lockbox", which is just a place that the petition is initially filed. At present I think all applications are filed at the Lewisville lock box in Texas, and then they are routed to either TSC or CSC. The important factor for determining which service centre deals with your petition is the location of the US Citizen "petitioner". If your partner is from Iowa, that will determine which service centre gets to deal with your case. As far as I'm aware, that will mean your case goes to CSC (but I need someone to confirm that). Your partner won't need to go anywhere during the K1 process. It's only once you get a K1, marry and apply for AOS that you will need to start going to places (though I haven't got to that stage yet so don't know what/ where yet).

We've completed the forms for the I-129F all the taxes evidence etc has been gathered. So i'll need to get the pictures completed before filing, I'll have a look at Tesco over the weekend get some done and mail them asap.

You don't need all the tax information until you fill in the I-134 for the interview, which is some way in the future! Be wary that if your application takes a while (more than six months) then you might need to gather more recent tax information to submit with the I-134. That's easy enough to do though for most.

Work on the process one step at a time. You are doing the right thing by concentrating on the I-129F first, as the wheels won't start turning until you get that filed. Once that's been submitted, concentrate on all the other things you will need i.e. Police Report, Long Form Birth Certificate, completing the I-134 (and gathering all the necessary information/ transcripts needed). Use the complete guide on the forum as a check list. I did and it was a massive help in organising and prioritising each step of the process.

[AndyR82 8]

Can't stop saying thanks, we will be messaging each other in a few minutes and will go from there.

[Shauneg 762]

As of March 27th all cases are routed to CSC until further notice, cases are still getting approved at about 30 days or so....

[Wooderz 314]

Yes to needing 1 US sized passport photo for the I-129F. There is not much needed from the beneficiary for the petition, but that is one of the things. The others are the G-325A and letter of intent. Both should be original signed versions, not scans. You should also can your passport for your fiancee to show the stamps of your 11 visits, assuming they were all to see her. That is excellent primary evidence. Better than photos and skype logs.

I wouldn't anticipate you having trouble entering the US after filing the petition with 11 visits in your passport. Especially if they've not given you a hard time yet. Daniel has been here a total of 14 times, I think. 2 were after we filed the petition and all he has ever been asked is who he's here to see and how long he's staying then they usually say something about how it must be love if he keeps coming back and to have a nice visit. But as Chas mentioned, it's better to be prepared with proof of your return flight home, a letter from your employer and anything else that might prove you're going back home.

[AndyR82 8]

I've just had a chat and we are going to start, just need to get a passport picture over there.

We both signed and completed letters on my last visit over in April/May as well as the G-325A.

Photocopies of my passport were taken showing every trip and they were to see the good lady.

Sounds like the usual kind of chatter I have with TSA people never had any issues with them and they always crack jokes. Will make sure I have the evidence of heading back always have my return ticket saved on my phone and i'll ask one of the managers very nicely to write something up.

Thanks.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I've just had a chat and we are going to start, just need to get a passport picture over there.

This is a photo tool provided by the US Dept of State. You can make your own US size photo if you have a digital camera and a white background. Then email it and she can print at home or take to a drugstore photo kiosk.

Information and "Start the Photo Tool" on this page http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/photos/photo-composition-template.html

We have used this for adjustment of status as well as both of our US passports and printed at home on photo paper using our inkjet. The tool does the sizing, positioning, and cropping and creates a 4x6 standard photo with the proper size passport photo in the middle which you cut out after printing.

A tip for taking your photo--don't try to take a head shot. It will be too big to properly size and position. Take at least the whole head and torso, then upload and let the tool size and crop for you.

[AndyR82 8]

Thanks that will make life so much easier, i'll get that done over the weekend. We have white doors at home so they will be perfect, worked for a Glastonbury ticket.

Wish I came on here sooner!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Thanks that will make life so much easier, i'll get that done over the weekend. We have white doors at home so they will be perfect, worked for a Glastonbury ticket.

Wish I came on here sooner!

Sounds good. We took our photos in the garage because it has finished white walls. Nothing inside worked. The tool cropped out the shovels and broom hanging on the wall that were captured off to the side. LOL.

I don't remember if anybody gave you the guide for this first step of submitting the I-129F petition. It will help you get it done properly http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide.

And if you will look at the blue menu bar at the top of the page, you will find "Example Forms" to help with any forms you need for most every step in the immigration process.