I129f September 2017 filers

[ahmedahmadyar 41]

I’m a bit late to the party but I’m glad to have found this forum!

 

Our K1 application was received on 21st September and we are on day 95 of waiting for NOA2. No previous marriages, visa attempts, children or criminal records. We did everything ourselves and sent the form to Lewisville. Will keep you guys updated when we hear back from USCIS.

 

Its a bit of a shame because I had heard from a friend that it took him 3 months between filing and having the visa in hand, so I expected ours to take about the same. Disheartening to know processing times are increasing but at least we have 3 months behind us now.

 

My fiancé is staying with me in London now until the process is complete and we are flying back together. 

[Kush_Omaded 29]

5 hours ago, Kyle2017 said:

Thank you!  Oh yeah, I was puzzled by that for a long time.  I follow r/LongDistance on Reddit and it seems like more than half of those people are always together!  I'm like "How?!  What do you people do for money?!"

 

My fiance is like 7,000 miles away from me and it's not like I can just go hop on a plane to spend a month with her any time I feel like it, and it's been a real test of our relationship over the last 3 months to be so far apart.  Looking forward to another 3 - 5 more months of being apart is not a happy thought, but I think it's been making us stronger in the long run.

 

I was unemployed for quite a while, which gave me the time to go see her, but I ended up burning through my savings and I had no other choice than to go get a job, an apartment and make sure I have everything set up for her to come here.  If I was still unemployed like I was before, what was I going to do?  I have a co-sponsor, but that doesn't solve the problem of where we would live and how I would support the two of us.  Now I've got that figured out and I'm relieved, but I wish I had a way to go visit her while this visa process is still ongoing. 

I'm with you there, it's a frustrating process. My fiancé can't leave Tajikistan to visit me (currently residing there on a refugee visa, so he can only leave for permanent resettlement or to return to Afghanistan), and I'm undergoing my security clearance for work with a government contractor, so I can't leave the U.S. to visit him. So we're kinda stuck until the K-1 pulls through and brings him here. It's hard, and while it is making us stronger as a couple, I wish we had a way to see each other. But, I do consider us lucky to live in the age of technology. I don't know what I'd do without WhatsApp; daily video calls really do help us feel closer. We'll all be reunited with our sweethearts eventually, though, that's for sure. Optimism is the best approach!

[geowrian 22,336]

9 hours ago, HarmonyAndYoussef said:

If I would have done this myself, I would have received two RFE's. It doesn't slow down the process to use a professional service because your RFEs are coming from the professional service if you have any, as opposed to receiving them when you submit your documents. For instance, there is a section where it says to write his home address. Well his home address is written in French, but they actually wanted it written down in Arabic since that is the native language of the country. Even though the population does speak French as well. I would have never caught that myself without the help of RapidVisa. Also, my name is spelled differently on my birth cert, literally by one letter and it wouldn't have been accepted so they asked me to use my passport instead. I wouldn't deter from professional services. It was only an addiitonal 400$ because the rest is the fee they send a check to USCIS.

I hear you, and there is no generic answer to cover everybody or all circumstances. For some people and circumstances, a second look and the back & forth is beneficial. For others, it's unnecessary and delays the filing by weeks to months as they are (nearly-all) just following a checklist & guide that doesn't apply well to everybody's circumstances. But in more cases than not, I have seen people report about how it slowed down their process (and some cases, like some should-be DCF filers, have slowed down the case by ~9+ months!).

 

Just for a reference, they would almost certainly issue only 1 RFE in that case.

The address issue is not something they would RFE over, although it may raise a question later in the process if trying to send mail to said address.

[noraliz73 243]

3 hours ago, HarmonyAndYoussef said:

For the most part you just have to accept the new belief in your heart. If you doubt it at all, you're not ready to convert. I happened to spent the month of Ramadan with them, finishing the entire fast and I loved it. I loved the happiness and love that surrounded the  entire family and I felt like the fact that I was able to do my first fast for the entire month with little to no help, was enough confirmation for me that I was doing the right thing. I didn't grow up religious at all and my fiancé never even asked if I would convert but I said considering I'm not the religious one, whoever I marry, our kids will follow their religious beliefs as I never really had any growing up! I learned the Shahada and said it on video, which means I've accepted that there is no God but Allah. Sometimes you have to do it in a mosque with witnesses but I didn't have to, although I think eventually I will because I can get a certificate or something which will help when I want to visit Mekka and you can't do so unless you're Muslim! 

Congratulations on taking your Shahada.  I made mine in 1990 when I was an exchange student in Egypt.  I didn't need to convert to be the same religion as my fiancé.  He prays five times a day and I hope he can motivate me to start doing so too.  I think the reason we get along so well is that I wanted to be with someone with my same religious beliefs who was not going to be pushy and constantly tell me everything was haraam.  I wanted to be with someone who was in the middle between being an "Arabic Person" and being a westernized person.  Then, I discovered my long lost love from high school!!!!  I'm really looking forward to spending Ramadan and Eid together and I hope to be able to do so in Egypt one day when I can get enough vacation time.  I don't eat pork and I do my best to be a good person.  I need to read Quran more often, but I am always going to listen to music, watch all kinds of stuff on TV, work in a male dominated profession and wear modest but non-Islamic garments.  Two of my children are Muslim and one is Jewish.  My parents are Episcopalian.  My fiancé and I are going to be comfortable everywhere with anyone, but I know that at home and in our hearts we are one and the same and I will soon have someone to celebrate my holidays with me.  Every Eid has been spent home alone over the years since I was divorced from my first husband.  Being Muslim and isolated from other Muslims is terrible.  It is important to be surrounded by love and happiness.  And it is also good when both partners are comfortable in each other's cultures and can adapt to either one and make home a unique combination of the two that suits them.  I hope that you and your new family will have a lifetime of happiness and love.  Asalaam alaykum.

[Swissmiss82 1,620]

hello my september's!

i just quickly wanted to let you know how my ESTA / tourist entrance went:

i landed in Washington and as I used ESTA with this passport before, the lady sent me to the line with the American's and not with the other tourists.

It took no time, in within 10 min I was at the machine to enter some questions, get my print out and wait another 5 - 10 min in line to talk to the officer.

officer: "good afternoon, why are you visiting the US?"

me: "I am visiting my fiancé for the holidays"

officer: "How long are you staying?"

me: "until January 7th"

officer: "well enjoy your christmas and happy holidays"

 

BAAAAM!!!!!!!! not even 2 minutes conversation with this guy It was super quick and easy!

 

I can certainly recommend to do that if you have a chance! We are already planning on the next trip for me in February as NOA2 is not expected till mid March now (when we filed it used to be Jan 22nd!!!!) 

[noraliz73 243]

2 hours ago, HarmonyAndYoussef said:

Thank you!

 

i fell in love with the culture. I fell in love with Morocco.my fiancé asked me 100x if I was sure that I wanted to convert. He wasn't nervous for me and actually said he felt I was ready and was happy I decided to do so on my own!  I dress modestly. I usually wear Long tunics or dresses and dress it up with a jacket and platform sneakers. I do wear a scarf. For about 3 months I didn't . Then I kind of joked that it was awesome when I was having a bad hair day and I became so used to wearing it, I feel naked without it! 

I think that's great!  As long as you believe that is what your faith calls you to do.  I hope your wait will be easy on you, insha'allah.  I hope everyone's will be.  I'm August 10th.

[noraliz73 243]

9 hours ago, HarmonyAndYoussef said:

Inshallah. I just sent 35 pages requesting an expedite of my case. Who knows if it'll work but I rather know then wonder. We agreed if it doesn't get approved I will make a trip at the end of Jan/ beginning of February. My last visit was for Thanksgiving and spending more than two months away is just too much for me. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life 

I want to visit, but I will wait until the interview.  I will bring my paperwork to get married there if they say no and come back here to shut my life down.  My family will be devastated.  But, visa or not, I decided a long time ago this is who I wanted to marry.  The fact he is a different nationality is inconvenient.  Or, you could say, whatever happens is all part of God’s plan for a person.  I mean, since we believe that.

[ahmedahmadyar 41]

On 25/12/2017 at 2:34 PM, HarmonyAndYoussef said:

Hello!

 

I'm just curious how do people stay together for the entire process when USCIS requires proof of employment? I'm assuming people are working from home or something? I took a leave of absence during my last job and spent 6 months in Morocco, followed by two other trips pretty much back to back, but I came back to start a new job in order to provide adequate proof of income. Just curious because if there's something I'm missing, I'll up and leave until we receive the NOA2 haha! 

 

Also, today I have faxed over 35 pages of documents regarding my expedite request. Aware today is Christmas, but if they're open tomorrow, hopefully i'll be on my assignees desk in the AM.

 

My fiancé was working at the time of filing and we have some savings between us. I’m actually not sure if USCIS will see that as an issue, can anyone shed some light on that? In any case her last employer said they are happy to give her job back whenever she returns to California but on top of that I am still working here in London so we’re ok for money.

 

Good luck with your expedite request! 

[Christy&J 837]

On ‎12‎/‎27‎/‎2017 at 1:28 AM, Swissmiss82 said:

hello my september's!

i just quickly wanted to let you know how my ESTA / tourist entrance went:

i landed in Washington and as I used ESTA with this passport before, the lady sent me to the line with the American's and not with the other tourists.

It took no time, in within 10 min I was at the machine to enter some questions, get my print out and wait another 5 - 10 min in line to talk to the officer.

officer: "good afternoon, why are you visiting the US?"

me: "I am visiting my fiancé for the holidays"

officer: "How long are you staying?"

me: "until January 7th"

officer: "well enjoy your christmas and happy holidays"

 

BAAAAM!!!!!!!! not even 2 minutes conversation with this guy It was super quick and easy!

 

I can certainly recommend to do that if you have a chance! We are already planning on the next trip for me in February as NOA2 is not expected till mid March now (when we filed it used to be Jan 22nd!!!!) 

That's awesome !! enjoy your time there  merry Xmas and happy new year

[geowrian 22,336]

3 hours ago, ahmedahmadyar said:

My fiancé was working at the time of filing and we have some savings between us. I’m actually not sure if USCIS will see that as an issue, can anyone shed some light on that? In any case her last employer said they are happy to give her job back whenever she returns to California but on top of that I am still working here in London so we’re ok for money.

You can use assets for the I-134. Assets must be at 3x or 5x the required income level. It's 3x for a spouse or minor child and 5x for everybody else...some COs are fine with the 3x level for a fiance anyway, but obviously 5x would be safer in case they use a more literal/strict interpretation of the I-134.

 

If she is not currently working then her current income is $0, so she either needs to use assets or find a co sponsor. Or she can return back to the US and obtain employment again beforehand.

 

That said, London has one of the most lenient embassies with the I-134 (and I-864). They even let the beneficiary self-sponsor with assets sometimes. So I doubt it will actually be an issue when the time finally comes to present the I-134.

[Swissmiss82 1,620]

4 hours ago, Christy&J said:

That's awesome !! enjoy your time there  merry Xmas and happy new year

thaaaanks sweet - same to you!!! enjoy the holidays and have a great time celebrating the start of 2018! 

[Just-in-case18 160]

Officially hit 100 days today.. don’t know whether to be happy that (hopefully) we’re halfway through or sad thinking times seem to be increasing for everyone... holiday blues kicking in  hope everyone has a wonderful new year !!  

[dominika 10]

The timeline on here seems to be getting later and later, now it’s almost the end of March!! Let’s hope and pray things will pick up after the holidays because it’s getting ridiculous  🙏🏻

[dominika 10]

6 hours ago, HarmonyAndYoussef said:

so I thought joining something like this would help but it's only been making me more anxious and frustrated. I guess to see that others aren't really moving, so I think I'm going to stay off for awhile. inshallah everything will happen the way its supposed to and worrying and making time lines just isn't cutting it for me. best of luck to all

I feel you  the more I look at the dates and timelines the more fed up I’m getting with the whole process 

[Just-in-case18 160]

6 hours ago, dominika said:

I feel you  the more I look at the dates and timelines the more fed up I’m getting with the whole process 

I never look at the timeline on here as it seems to be rather useless  but! It’s nice to see all the approvals that have happened in June and exciting for everyone who gets that magical NOA2 

 

Our time will come  patience seems to become your best friend in this process haha