How long should we wait to petition for a K-1 visa?

[SeattleSkyline 1]

Hello!
My fiancee is finishing school in September and she's not certain whether she will be able to stay in Japan or if she'll have to fly back to China. I might also be changing my job soon, maybe in the next month.

If we apply now for a K-1 visa permit, how will our changes in employment and/or address impact our application? Should we wait until she's settled in one country or the other? Or apply as soon as possible?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[Alabamak1 688]

1 hour ago, SeattleSkyline said:

Hello!
My fiancee is finishing school in September and she's not certain whether she will be able to stay in Japan or if she'll have to fly back to China. I might also be changing my job soon, maybe in the next month.

If we apply now for a K-1 visa permit, how will our changes in employment and/or address impact our application? Should we wait until she's settled in one country or the other? Or apply as soon as possible?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

K-1 is still 8-10 month and growing. Changing jobs shouldn't affect your case, unless your income does get affected and would need a co-sponsor. Now her country of residency...that's a different story altogether. Refer to more experience vjer's  

[chi6488 94]

Plan ahead before she leave Japan to get a police certificate.  Do it early enough before she leaves

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

1 minute ago, chi6488 said:

Plan ahead before she leave Japan to get a police certificate.  Do it early enough before she leaves

But keep in mind that some police certificates are only valid for 6 months or less. There's no use getting that PC now if her interview will be in 6+ months.

[chi6488 94]

20 minutes ago, Little_Vixen said:

But keep in mind that some police certificates are only valid for 6 months or less. There's no use getting that PC now if her interview will be in 6+ months.

 Yes, but I believe if she does not go back to that country then the police certificate is still valid.  I recall reading that somewhere on this forum

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

7 minutes ago, chi6488 said:

 Yes, but I believe if she does not go back to that country then the police certificate is still valid.  I recall reading that somewhere on this forum

Oh really? I hadn't seen that. That would be very convenient.

[SeattleSkyline 1]

22 minutes ago, chi6488 said:

 Yes, but I believe if she does not go back to that country then the police certificate is still valid.  I recall reading that somewhere on this forum

Very interesting! So she gets the police certificate for her embassy interview? I assume that I'll need some way of notifying the USCIS and/or embassy of any address or job changes aside from the certificate?

 

Here is where it says the certificate doesn't expire:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/collect-and-submit-forms-and-documents-to-the-nvc/step-5-collect-supporting-documents.html

"Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued. If at the time of your interview the following three items are all true, you must bring a new police certificate to your visa interview: You are more than 16 years old; The police certificate submitted to NVC was obtained more than one year ago; and You still live in the country that issued the certificate.

Edited April 25, 2018 by SeattleSkyline

[Naes 12,207]

25 minutes ago, Little_Vixen said:

Oh really? I hadn't seen that. That would be very convenient.

 

11 minutes ago, SeattleSkyline said:

Very interesting! So she gets the police certificate for her embassy interview? I assume that I'll need some way of notifying the USCIS and/or embassy of any address or job changes aside from the certificate?

 

Here is where it says the certificate doesn't expire:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/collect-and-submit-forms-and-documents-to-the-nvc/step-5-collect-supporting-documents.html

"Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued. If at the time of your interview the following three items are all true, you must bring a new police certificate to your visa interview: You are more than 16 years old; The police certificate submitted to NVC was obtained more than one year ago; and You still live in the country that issued the certificate.

Police certificate does not expire if you don't reenter the country.

 

And yes she will need from every country she resided more than 6 months after the age of 16.

[Little_Vixen 1,869]

30 minutes ago, SeattleSkyline said:

Here is where it says the certificate doesn't expire:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/collect-and-submit-forms-and-documents-to-the-nvc/step-5-collect-supporting-documents.html

"Important: Police certificates expire after one year, unless the certificate was issued from your country of previous residence and you have not returned there since the police certificate was issued. If at the time of your interview the following three items are all true, you must bring a new police certificate to your visa interview: You are more than 16 years old; The police certificate submitted to NVC was obtained more than one year ago; and You still live in the country that issued the certificate.

 

17 minutes ago, Naes said:

Police certificate does not expire if you don't reenter the country.

Thank you both very much for clearing that up!