From K1 to CR1

[TJandJR 69]

Well, I'm back on VJ getting ready to do this crazy waiting game again with Immigrations. Met in 2010, engaged in late 2011, filed for K1 in 2012 and didn't get the interview until late 2013!!! K1 was denied for...yep... not convinced of a bonafide relationship (No specifics) Nigeria. Petition was frontloaded. We married this year Feb. I'll be mailing in our CR-1 I-30 spousal visa petition in about a week. What's been the average processing times (if there's no glitches and rfe's etc.) from NOA1 til interview? This is what is in my package. Forgotten anything? Advice? Encouraging words? Thanks in advance.

Cover Letter
G-1145
USPS money order for payment
I-30 Petition with atachment
G325a Petitioner with photo and attachment
G325a Beneficiary with photo and with attachment
Copy of Marriage Certificate
Copy of Petitioner's passport pages
Other Supporting Evidence of Marriage:
wedding photos and other photos
copies of flight itineraries and tickets
copies of Nigerian visa stamps in Petitioner's passport including a multiple entry visa
4 affadavits from people with first hand knowledge of long relationship and the marriage
mother of petitioner
close friend of petitioner
petitioner's brother in law (husband's eldest brother)
husband's cousin
Insurance papers listing husband as beneficiary
Copy of utility bill
Some of our phone records and recent chats (about 50 pages of phone records/20 pages chats and texts)
Additional evidence of ongoing relationship - includes some additional phone records, emails and chats going back to 2010 and postal mail from husband. (about 200 pages)

[dwheels76 5,484]

Well, I'm back on VJ getting ready to do this crazy waiting game again with Immigrations. Met in 2010, engaged in late 2011, filed for K1 in 2012 and didn't get the interview until late 2013!!! K1 was denied for...yep... not convinced of a bonafide relationship (No specifics) Nigeria. Petition was frontloaded. We married this year Feb. I'll be mailing in our CR-1 I-30 spousal visa petition in about a week. What's been the average processing times (if there's no glitches and rfe's etc.) from NOA1 til interview? This is what is in my package. Forgotten anything? Advice? Encouraging words? Thanks in advance.

Cover Letter

G-1145

USPS money order for payment

I-30 Petition with atachment

G325a Petitioner with photo and attachment

G325a Beneficiary with photo and with attachment

Copy of Marriage Certificate

Copy of Petitioner's passport pages Not needed

Other Supporting Evidence of Marriage:

wedding photos and other photos

copies of flight itineraries and tickets

copies of Nigerian visa stamps in Petitioner's passport including a multiple entry visa

4 affadavits from people with first hand knowledge of long relationship and the marriage

mother of petitioner

close friend of petitioner

petitioner's brother in law (husband's eldest brother)

husband's cousin

Insurance papers listing husband as beneficiary

Copy of utility bill

Some of our phone records and recent chats (about 50 pages of phone records/20 pages chats and texts)

Additional evidence of ongoing relationship - includes some additional phone records, emails and chats going back to 2010 and postal mail from husband. (about 200 pages)

Through all this how many visits and how many days all together was spent in this 5 years? That is the evidence that will approve or deny you? Nothing else matters but Facetime, Facetime, Facetime. And Pictures to show all those visits. For a 5 year span at least 5 visits I hope.

Congratulations by the way. And welcome back to the wild wild world of Immigration. NBC and CSC is at about 5 months at best. Than another 3 to 5 at NVC than another 2 months of interview waiting. so realistic a year from filing to Interview day is realistic barring no issues or what hell this 2014-2015 folks have had to endure with NVC and embassy Visa printing wahala. It's been a nightmare for real.

Edited July 14, 2015 by dwheels76

[TJandJR 69]

"NBC and CSC is at about 5 months at best. Than another 3 to 5 at NVC than another 2 months of interview waiting. so realistic a year from filing to Interview day is realistic barring no issues or what hell this 2014-2015 folks have had to endure with NVC and embassy Visa printing wahala. It's been a nightmare for real."

Sounds like it. Ugh! But I'm glad to see you're still on here. You're a familiar face... voice. I often wonder how Gowan is faring. Remeber him? Anyway to answer your question, I've spent a total of about 9 weeks. (5 weeks and then I just returned recently from almost a month visit). So only 2 visits so far but not short ones. I plan on going again this winter and then also at the time of the interview if our finances act right. For a year he was living in Sokoto and I refused to go there and he couldn't get time off work. But he's back in Lagos now and I'm much more comfortable there. I've seen people on here who meet then two months later marry and visit just a week and get approved. And it's good for them, I'm not against them, but it was discouraging me, especially after our K1 denial, and especially after we took our time getting to know one another and not rushing into things.

I've heard that after a K1 denial that spousal visas are often approved... not always and not guaranteed, but that we have a good chance. I hope so.

[FutureMrs 1]

I'm so sorry!

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Hello again and best wishes !

I know the feeling, we were denied a K1 and re filed for a K1 and were approved.

5 year journey !

[TJandJR 69]

Ebunoluwa, that's awesome! Glad you stuck it out and triumphed!

[afrocraft 314]

Not sure what's included in your cover letter, but I would also add a 1-2 page "Our Story" explaining:

• How you met
• How you've stayed in touch (travel, communication, etc.)
• How your lives are intricately linked together/plans for the future (co-mingling of finances, engagements that aren't customary marriage, kids, etc.)
• Additional context that's relevant to understand your relationship (to explain away any gaps in your story or evidence)

Use this to build your case and guide the immigration officer reading your file. For instance, as you narrate "How you met", refer to relevant pictures/communication/evidence of travel/other evidence that were taken/exchanged at the time you met and included in your package. Do the same for each section. Embellish with personal stories (about your favorite hangouts while you were dating, interesting experiences you had during joint trips, or major shared milestones in each others lives -- births, deaths, graduations, etc.) This should be a story only you two can tell. Finally, include the following declaration (or something similar) at the bottom of your write-up:

I, {Insert Petitioner's Name}, declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.