Should my fiance return home once we get NOA2?

[JGHH 76]

Hello everyone, my fiance is planning on coming to visit this summer...  Our timeline says NOA2 around July 17th (and it keeps dropping, yay!  I hope it keeps it up!) So we are trying to plan when he can come to visit...  He has the ability to come and stay for a long period of time (financially and work wise) so my question is, if we get our NOA2, does time go by fast that he should return asap to start preparing or does he have plenty of time?  

 

Or if he doesn't have to leave asap when should he return?

 

Any insight or advice would be appreciated and helpful.... Thanks

Edited April 7, 2018 by JGHH

[payxibka 10,048]

1 minute ago, JGHH said:

Hello everyone, my fiance is planning on coming to visit this summer...  Our timeline says NOA2 around July 17th (and it keeps dropping, yay!  I hope it keeps it up!) So we are trying to plan when he can come to visit...  He has the ability to come and stay for a long period of time (financially and work wise) so my question is, if we get our NOA2, does time go by fast that he should return asap to start preparing or does he have plenty of time?

 

Any insight or advice would be appreciated and helpful.... Thanks

Typically 1 -2 mos after the NOA2 the petition will be at the Embassy ready for action.  So while time is faster it is not quick by any means

[Alabamak1 688]

43 minutes ago, JGHH said:

Hello everyone, my fiance is planning on coming to visit this summer...  Our timeline says NOA2 around July 17th (and it keeps dropping, yay!  I hope it keeps it up!) So we are trying to plan when he can come to visit...  He has the ability to come and stay for a long period of time (financially and work wise) so my question is, if we get our NOA2, does time go by fast that he should return asap to start preparing or does he have plenty of time?  

 

Or if he doesn't have to leave asap when should he return?

 

Any insight or advice would be appreciated and helpful.... Thanks

your best bet is to look through Vjer timeline from Sweden. From our NOA-2 to Embassy was only 23 days! 

[AL-MJD 144]

2 hours ago, JGHH said:

Hello everyone, my fiance is planning on coming to visit this summer...  Our timeline says NOA2 around July 17th (and it keeps dropping, yay!  I hope it keeps it up!) So we are trying to plan when he can come to visit...  He has the ability to come and stay for a long period of time (financially and work wise) so my question is, if we get our NOA2, does time go by fast that he should return asap to start preparing or does he have plenty of time?  

 

Or if he doesn't have to leave asap when should he return?

 

Any insight or advice would be appreciated and helpful.... Thanks

So. Let me just relate to you about our experience. Our NOA1 was 28th July 2017. We booked a ticket for me to visit my future-hubby on 14th February. At this time, we were long-overdue for NOA2, and we didn't expect NOA2 anymore until early March. 

 

USCIS then approved our petition on 16th February. I went along with my visit to U.S. from 7th March to 1st April, during which our case arrived at my resident-embassy on 19th March, and the Packet 3 reached my home on 21st March.

 

You should keep in mind that cases expire 4 months after approval, regardless of how long it took to get the beneficiary's resident consulate to send the documents to the beneficiary. In my case, my case expires 15 June 2018.

 

You will have to clarify with the beneficiary's resident consulate, but either a reply must be sent by the beneficiary or an interview must be booked before or on the expiry date. While you're at it, you can also ask about possible extensions.

 

I replied the U.S. Embassy in Singapore the day after I arrived, and things are smooth for me.

Edited April 7, 2018 by AL-MJD

[payxibka 10,048]

3 minutes ago, AL-MJD said:

 

You should keep in mind that cases expire 4 months after approval, regardless of how long it took to get the beneficiary's resident consulate to send the documents to the beneficiary. In my case, my case expires 15 June 2018.

 

The petition can be extended simply by contacting the Embassy and requesting an extention

[AL-MJD 144]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

The petition can be extended simply by contacting the Embassy and requesting an extention

Yes, I did mention OP should ask for possible extensions. Whether the couple's reasons are sufficient is not an area I am familliar with.

[payxibka 10,048]

3 minutes ago, AL-MJD said:

Yes, I did mention OP should ask for possible extensions. Whether the couple's reasons are sufficient is not an area I am familliar with.

A reason such as "we are not ready with our documents" is one that has been sufficient 

[AL-MJD 144]

For @JGHH, ask the consulate at the beneficiary's residence anyway. It is not that I do not respect the previous poster's response, it is that the beneficiary has to declare all his visits to U.S. on the DS-160, its contents available to the consulate officers. Documentation not ready could be a lie if you give this reason(if they even require one), for the beneficiary chose to be out of the resident country. Better be safe than sorry.

 

I doubt this will be an issue for you if the beneficiary is only planning a Summer visit and realistically speaking, your petition should expire in end-Autumn or early Winter, from the timeline you provided.

[Sav&Har 142]

We are sort-of in the same plannings. From what I've learned, the petitioner doesn't have to be in the US at the time of receiving the NOA2, just make sure they have someone to keep a watch on the NOA2 handcopy in the mail, store it and keep well secured (as is needed later on during the AOS, I think). The rest can be done outside of the US, if necessary (calls to NVC to get case number, and e-notifications about when it arrived at the Embassy and ready for schedule). At least for my country's embassy, the petitioner doesn't need to receive anything else physically or mail packages back and forth, I am pretty sure most countries are the same. The only reason the petitioner may need to return is in the case of an RFE. If you didn't miss anything in your original petition and since the beneficiary is from Sweden, there is minimal chance of an RFE though. So as suggested above look on timelines from Sweden from NOA2 to Embassy dates and will give you an estimate. 

Now if your case is the other way around, the beneficiary visiting the US. From NOA2 approval you will have 4 months to book an interview and use it. So in this case maybe would be better to book a one-way flight to the US and be ready to return when NOA2 is received.

[JGHH 76]

28 minutes ago, AL-MJD said:

For @JGHH, ask the consulate at the beneficiary's residence anyway. It is not that I do not respect the previous poster's response, it is that the beneficiary has to declare all his visits to U.S. on the DS-160, its contents available to the consulate officers. Documentation not ready could be a lie if you give this reason(if they even require one), for the beneficiary chose to be out of the resident country. Better be safe than sorry.

 

I doubt this will be an issue for you if the beneficiary is only planning a Summer visit and realistically speaking, your petition should expire in end-Autumn or early Winter, from the timeline you provided.

Thank you for all the info... But I'm a little confused (this whole process is so confusing to me, so I apologize).... I'm the US Citizen, my fiance is from Sweden... According to our VJ timeline we should (hopefully) get our NOA2 around July 17th 2018 (I know that date is not promised and anything can happen)

 

We do not want to extend anything, he can go back anytime he needs too, but if he arrives lets say July 1st and we get the NOA2 on July 17th, does he need to turn right around to go home July 18th or could it be an issue if he waits till July 28th?

 

If I've read correctly... The consulate in Sweden, he has to schedule his interview over the internet, so technically he can do it from anywhere... And he can schedule his exam before leaving here too...  He can also have most of his information (that we know of) that he will need ready before coming over... 

 

Basically, we want to see each other again (doesn't everyone in here) but we don't want to do anything that may make the Visa process longer....

 

 

[JGHH 76]

13 minutes ago, Sav&Har said:

We are sort-of in the same plannings. From what I've learned, the petitioner doesn't have to be in the US at the time of receiving the NOA2, just make sure they have someone to keep a watch on the NOA2 handcopy in the mail, store it and keep well secured (as is needed later on during the AOS, I think). The rest can be done outside of the US, if necessary (calls to NVC to get case number, and e-notifications about when it arrived at the Embassy and ready for schedule). At least for my country's embassy, the petitioner doesn't need to receive anything else physically or mail packages back and forth, I am pretty sure most countries are the same. The only reason the petitioner may need to return is in the case of an RFE. If you didn't miss anything in your original petition and since the beneficiary is from Sweden, there is minimal chance of an RFE though. So as suggested above look on timelines from Sweden from NOA2 to Embassy dates and will give you an estimate. 

Now if your case is the other way around, the beneficiary visiting the US. From NOA2 approval you will have 4 months to book an interview and use it. So in this case maybe would be better to book a one-way flight to the US and be ready to return when NOA2 is received.

We are the "other way around". He's coming here to the US...

 

So basically as long as he has someone getting his mail regularly and we will be here getting my mail (for the NOA2). 

So we know when he can schedule his interview so we don't miss our four month mark.... we should be good?

[Alabamak1 688]

3 minutes ago, JGHH said:

We are the "other way around". He's coming here to the US...

 

So basically as long as he has someone getting his mail regularly and we will be here getting my mail (for the NOA2). 

So we know when he can schedule his interview so we don't miss our four month mark.... we should be good?

the petitioner is the one who gets the NOA-2. sign up for informed delivery from USPS. the NOA-2 has a validity of 4 month total from the day it is issued.... in that time frame you will want to get through NVC, medical and interview. NOA-2 can be extended in the embassy if the paperwork didnt make it in time out of NVC or something 

[Sav&Har 142]

2 hours ago, JGHH said:

 

We do not want to extend anything, he can go back anytime he needs too, but if he arrives lets say July 1st and we get the NOA2 on July 17th, does he need to turn right around to go home July 18th or could it be an issue if he waits till July 28th?

Yes, he can do that. In fact after NOA2 there is a extra 1-2 week wait (from NOA2) for the petition to get to the NVC, when is there you can call to get a case # and with it you can book at least the medical exam, file things like the DS-160 form (to be used at the interview) or even book the interview.

[Unidentified 2,930]

18 hours ago, JGHH said:

Thank you for all the info... But I'm a little confused (this whole process is so confusing to me, so I apologize).... I'm the US Citizen, my fiance is from Sweden... According to our VJ timeline we should (hopefully) get our NOA2 around July 17th 2018 (I know that date is not promised and anything can happen)

 

We do not want to extend anything, he can go back anytime he needs too, but if he arrives lets say July 1st and we get the NOA2 on July 17th, does he need to turn right around to go home July 18th or could it be an issue if he waits till July 28th?

 

If I've read correctly... The consulate in Sweden, he has to schedule his interview over the internet, so technically he can do it from anywhere... And he can schedule his exam before leaving here too...  He can also have most of his information (that we know of) that he will need ready before coming over... 

 

Basically, we want to see each other again (doesn't everyone in here) but we don't want to do anything that may make the Visa process longer....

 

 

He definitively does not need to turn home the day after you guys receive the NOA2. I was here when we received our NOA2. We received it in April and we had our medical and interview in May. It will take some time for USCIS to send your file to NVC and then for NVC to send it to the embassy. I scheduled my medical while still in the US and then maybe two weeks later I went home. He'll be fine. 

Edited April 8, 2018 by Unidentified