Processing time for K-1

[JP John 65]

I would bet on 10 -12 months to be safe.  We one into it all optimistic last April when we sent in our docs.  Had NOA2 on October 12th and then everything seemed to slow down and didn't have interview until Feb 6th.

[SalishSea 16,721]

Ours was 8.5 months from filing to POE, but that was via Auckland, which is very quick to schedule interviews.  I wouldn't be so sure with Montreal, as I've heard the queue is quite long.

[Lana&Ivy 215]

On 3/30/2019 at 5:21 PM, Kyle89 said:

Hello everyone,

 

I’m the petitioner, my fiancé is Canadian. We filed in December of 2018. We have set everything up to get married in August of 2019. We have only received our NOA1. 

 

I’m thinking we will have to push the wedding back and send out new invitations and everything however I don’t want to have her freaking out yet, but I haven’t been able to reach anyone at USCIS to get a timeline on a decision for the K-1. 

My NOA1 was Aug 28 and NOA2 was Jan 22. My interview isn't until mid May.  I booked it a week ago and May 15th was the first available interview date. Montreal is currently booking interviews about 4 months out from NOA2.  I'm 1 week shy of NOA2 expiry.  I hate to be pessimistic, but you'll be very, very lucky if you even get an interview in August. Honestly, I think there's just no way.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,078]

On 3/30/2019 at 2:21 PM, Kyle89 said:

I’m the petitioner, my fiancé is Canadian. We filed in December of 2018. We have set everything up to get married in August of 2019. We have only received our NOA1. 

 

I’m thinking we will have to push the wedding back and send out new invitations and everything however I don’t want to have her freaking out yet, but I haven’t been able to reach anyone at USCIS to get a timeline on a decision for the K-1. 

On one hand, I'm completely on the side of everyone saying you shouldn't count on anything for USCIS processing times, and should definitely not by non-refundable plane tickets or put non-refundable deposits down on venues before you have your visa in hand.

 

On the other... I-129F processing has sped up quite a bit since the middle of 2018. It's not at all improbable that you'll have your NOA2 quite soon (non-expedited approvals from Dec 2018 are already showing up), and if you do, you can probably make August, even with Montreal being kind of slow. We managed just under four months from NOA2 to wedding in the US through notoriously slow Moscow (though we got an interview date quicker than most there, and the wedding was the two of us and my parents at a county clerk's office).

 

Still, I'd start checking with everyone you've put deposits down with about contingency planning, and suggest guests not book travel for awhile.

 

[Greenbaum 12,258]

On ‎3‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 5:21 PM, Kyle89 said:

Hello everyone,

 

I’m the petitioner, my fiancé is Canadian. We filed in December of 2018. We have set everything up to get married in August of 2019. We have only received our NOA1. 

 

I’m thinking we will have to push the wedding back and send out new invitations and everything however I don’t want to have her freaking out yet, but I haven’t been able to reach anyone at USCIS to get a timeline on a decision for the K-1. 

Follow some others from your embassy and you will have a "boots on the ground" perspective of how long it is taking.

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?op6=All&op7=Canada&dfile=No&op1=&op2=&op3=&op4=1&op5=5%2C6%2C8%2C10%2C11%2C13%2C14%2C15%2C16%2C17%2C18%2C20%2C21%2C22%2C25%2C26%2C27%2C28&cfl=0

 

[krystinL 0]

On 3/30/2019 at 5:21 PM, Kyle89 said:

Hello everyone,

 

I’m the petitioner, my fiancé is Canadian. We filed in December of 2018. We have set everything up to get married in August of 2019. We have only received our NOA1. 

 

I’m thinking we will have to push the wedding back and send out new invitations and everything however I don’t want to have her freaking out yet, but I haven’t been able to reach anyone at USCIS to get a timeline on a decision for the K-1. 

my fiance and I are in the same position (I'm Canadian lol) and we sent out our i129f in May last year, and I only just have my interview in Montreal on April 3rd. I'd for sure push it back if you are able to

[Kyle89 4]

3 hours ago, krystinL said:

my fiance and I are in the same position (I'm Canadian lol) and we sent out our i129f in May last year, and I only just have my interview in Montreal on April 3rd. I'd for sure push it back if you are able to

I was curious on the medical screenings and such, do you need to provide medical records or do you just go see a doctor they give you on a list and they do a physical?

 

According to the timeline estimate on this site it says we should be getting the NOA2 this month. And we are debating just doing everything but signing the marriage license in August if her visa isn’t ready by then, and just doing a courthouse after. I spoke to the venue today and despite it being in the contract that their my would be willing to alter the date for the visa process they said “no sorry you paid so it’s set” I informed them that’s not what the contract said but they pretty much told me what was paid for was paid. Nice people (the venue was the most expensive one).

[krystinL 0]

1 hour ago, Kyle89 said:

I was curious on the medical screenings and such, do you need to provide medical records or do you just go see a doctor they give you on a list and they do a physical?

 

According to the timeline estimate on this site it says we should be getting the NOA2 this month. And we are debating just doing everything but signing the marriage license in August if her visa isn’t ready by then, and just doing a courthouse after. I spoke to the venue today and despite it being in the contract that their my would be willing to alter the date for the visa process they said “no sorry you paid so it’s set” I informed them that’s not what the contract said but they pretty much told me what was paid for was paid. Nice people (the venue was the most expensive one).

If you get married at all before she enters the US on a K1 visa, you will have to start over on a K3 visa, as she will now be your spouse, not your fiancé.

 

And the Medical exam is not the same as a typical physical. All the information about when and how to do that will be in the notice after the initial approval of the 129f! It’s pretty simple and can be done quickly. Do not schedule one until they tell you to, as the results have to be given within 6 months of the interview I believe 

Edited April 1, 2019 by krystinL

[HP+IC 292]

18 minutes ago, krystinL said:

If you get married at all before she enters the US on a K1 visa, you will have to start over on a K3 visa, as she will now be your spouse, not your fiancé.

 

And the Medical exam is not the same as a typical physical. All the information about when and how to do that will be in the notice after the initial approval of the 129f! It’s pretty simple and can be done quickly. Do not schedule one until they tell you to, as the results have to be given within 6 months of the interview I believe 

Moreover, your visa is limited by 6 months commencing on your medical results release date. At the 03/18 interview the lady opened my medical envelope (did my medical on 02/21) and commented like, do you know that if you are approved today, your visa will be good till 08/23. I couldn't figure why, but now I know

[Kyle89 4]

22 minutes ago, krystinL said:

If you get married at all before she enters the US on a K1 visa, you will have to start over on a K3 visa, as she will now be your spouse, not your fiancé.

 

And the Medical exam is not the same as a typical physical. All the information about when and how to do that will be in the notice after the initial approval of the 129f! It’s pretty simple and can be done quickly. Do not schedule one until they tell you to, as the results have to be given within 6 months of the interview I believe 

What I was saying is we are going to do everything EXCEPT be officially married. So once the Visa is complete (if it isn’t done by August) we will just go to the courthouse and sign the marriage license to be officially married.