K1 - Can Interview be Scheduled for after Petition Expiry?

[Scotsman23 0]

Hi all,

We've recently had our I129F petition approved way sooner than we anticipated (took just over a month). The petition has an expiry date in February 2016. We were intending to get married in November 2016. My question is whether I can have my interview at the consulate in the UK after the petition date expiry? I understand if I'm successful the visa will be given on the day of the interview. Therefore an interview in February or before would be too early for me given I would have to enter the US within 6 months of visa issuance. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[baron555 934]

The Consulate automatically extends the date once they have the petition in hand. Contact them for a later interview date so that your 6 month deadline to use the K-1 visa (usually 6 months after your medical date) overlaps with your plans. Also note that you have 90 days, almost three months, once you enter into the US to get married, so that's almost 9 months total.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Hi all,

We've recently had our I129F petition approved way sooner than we anticipated (took just over a month). The petition has an expiry date in February 2016. We were intending to get married in November 2016. My question is whether I can have my interview at the consulate in the UK after the petition date expiry? I understand if I'm successful the visa will be given on the day of the interview. Therefore an interview in February or before would be too early for me given I would have to enter the US within 6 months of visa issuance. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Contact the embassy and ask them to delay it. Make sure you wait with your medical as the medical dictates the expiration of your visa that will be in your passport. The medical is valid for 6 months so you would have 6 months from the day of your medical to get to the US before the visa expires.

[Scotsman23 0]

Thanks for the responses.

Do I have to wait for an interview date to be sent to me from the consulate before I ask for it to be delayed? As of now they haven't contacted me yet.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Have you recieved a case number from NVC? You get a new case number from them at the NVC stage where the first 3 letters indicate what embassy your application is going to. When you have that you can probably contact them or at least wait until you know NVC has sent it to your embassy. But you'll need the case number so they know what case to delay.

[Scotsman23 0]

I don't have a case number yet nor have they sent me any correspondence yet. As soon as they contact me, should I write to them to delay the expiry date of the petition? Since I would not want to complete any paperwork and take the medical yet.

[Unidentified 2,930]

I don't have a case number yet nor have they sent me any correspondence yet. As soon as they contact me, should I write to them to delay the expiry date of the petition? Since I would not want to complete any paperwork and take the medical yet.

Just because they send you the checklist doesn't mean you have to finish it, it's not like they've set a deadline on it. Either call NVC and check if they have assigned you a case number or (since you're not in a hurry) wait for the letter from NVC that will have the case number or wait until the embassy contacts you. In my case the embassy wrote my case number in the subject line of the email they sent me.