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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline
Posted

Hi I am a UK citizen, fiance lives in america.

 

I want to know which consulate I should choose for my interview. 

 

As I am British I was originally going to use London, UK as I thought it would be the smoothest and easiest option.

 

However I am currently in Hong Kong. I am not a hong kong citizen or resident card holder, my parents are and they live here.

I visit Hong Kong a lot due to my family being here and I am allowed to be here for 6 months at a time as a tourist. 

I am allowed to leave the country and come back in to refresh the 6 months and Hong Kong borders are not strict on this as long as you don't continuously do it for long periods of time.

I have never done this but know of some people that have.

 

The issue is I am worried due to the current Covid-19 situation that if i choose London, UK as my consulate there may be travel bans etc

I would also want to return to Hong Kong after the interview but Hong Kong currently has a restriction on border entry and not allowing anyone who is not a resident into the country. 

I also do not know if I can choose a consulate in a country where I am simply classified as a visitor with no residency or citizenship.

 

Any suggestions would be great thank you !

Posted (edited)

In general, one must have legal residency to interview for an immigrant (or K class) visa. Visitors would not qualify.

Specifics vary by consulate. Ask them to confirm if you want, but I would expect to do London.

Edited by geowrian

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

Posted
Just now, LibertyBears said:

Do I have to choose the consulate before filing for i-129F form ?

You will need to list the consulate on the I-129F, yes. If none is listed, they will typically use the address where you live.

The issue is if you do not meet the requirements to interview there and they send it there, they will need to transfer it to somewhere you can interview (i.e. London).

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline
Posted
2 minutes ago, geowrian said:

 

The issue is if you do not meet the requirements to interview there and they send it there, they will need to transfer it to somewhere you can interview (i.e. London).

I see and that would just create a longer wait. I will try to get an answer from Hong Kong's consulate and see. Thank you 

Posted
1 minute ago, LibertyBears said:

I see and that would just create a longer wait. I will try to get an answer from Hong Kong's consulate and see. Thank you 

Correct. Yes, checking with them directly would be the best course here.

Best wishes.

Timelines:

ROC:

Spoiler

7/27/20: Sent forms to Dallas lockbox, 7/30/20: Received by USCIS, 8/10 NOA1 electronic notification received, 8/1/ NOA1 hard copy received

AOS:

Spoiler

AOS (I-485 + I-131 + I-765):

9/25/17: sent forms to Chicago, 9/27/17: received by USCIS, 10/4/17: NOA1 electronic notification received, 10/10/17: NOA1 hard copy received. Social Security card being issued in married name (3rd attempt!)

10/14/17: Biometrics appointment notice received, 10/25/17: Biometrics

1/2/18: EAD + AP approved (no website update), 1/5/18: EAD + AP mailed, 1/8/18: EAD + AP approval notice hardcopies received, 1/10/18: EAD + AP received

9/5/18: Interview scheduled notice, 10/17/18: Interview

10/24/18: Green card produced notice, 10/25/18: Formal approval, 10/31/18: Green card received

K-1:

Spoiler

I-129F

12/1/16: sent, 12/14/16: NOA1 hard copy received, 3/10/17: RFE (IMB verification), 3/22/17: RFE response received

3/24/17: Approved! , 3/30/17: NOA2 hard copy received

 

NVC

4/6/2017: Received, 4/12/2017: Sent to Riyadh embassy, 4/16/2017: Case received at Riyadh embassy, 4/21/2017: Request case transfer to Manila, approved 4/24/2017

 

K-1

5/1/2017: Case received by Manila (1 week embassy transfer??? Lucky~)

7/13/2017: Interview: APPROVED!!!

7/19/2017: Visa in hand

8/15/2017: POE

 

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline
Posted

Have you started? I am assuming not and you could be in Hing Kong for a long time, begs the question how you would get the documents needed.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline
Posted
1 minute ago, Boiler said:

Have you started? I am assuming not and you could be in Hing Kong for a long time, begs the question how you would get the documents needed.

No I haven't started, we are still in the process of filling out the I-195F.

Which documents are you referring to ?

I have all of my birth certificates, passport, bank letters etc on my person. 

I assumed that most stuff could be sent through the post either directly here to Hong Kong or to my address in UK which a family member can then forward to me by post to Hong Kong.  

Posted
54 minutes ago, LibertyBears said:

No I haven't started, we are still in the process of filling out the I-195F.

Which documents are you referring to ?

I have all of my birth certificates, passport, bank letters etc on my person. 

I assumed that most stuff could be sent through the post either directly here to Hong Kong or to my address in UK which a family member can then forward to me by post to Hong Kong.  

Since you already have most of the documents needed the only other one needed is the PCC from the UK

Filed: Timeline
Posted (edited)
7 hours ago, LibertyBears said:

I see and that would just create a longer wait. I will try to get an answer from Hong Kong's consulate and see. Thank you 

You are likely not going to get a quick response to a visa inquiry right now, given the suspension of visa services and reduced staffing.  The Consulate General website says they process immigrant visas for "citizens and residents of the Consulate General and Macau".  That does not appear to include visitors, so you would likely need to choose your place of residence, i.e., London.

 

 More importantly, if you have not even filed your petition yet, you are months away from a visa interview.   There is no way to predict what the travel situation will be a year or so from now.  So, perhaps best to go with the place you know you can interview -- London.  If it turns out that is not possible, when your petition is approved and sent to NVC, you could change the interview location.

Edited by jan22
Posted
6 hours ago, LibertyBears said:

No I haven't started, we are still in the process of filling out the I-195F.

Which documents are you referring to ?

I have all of my birth certificates, passport, bank letters etc on my person. 

I assumed that most stuff could be sent through the post either directly here to Hong Kong or to my address in UK which a family member can then forward to me by post to Hong Kong.  

You would need a resident visa to interview in Hong Kong.  If you did interview in Hong Kong expect that you would need a Hong Kong police certificate and any other requirements for that consulate in addition to the London requirements.  This is what happened to us when interviewing in Mexico for my Filipina spouse; granted she had a resident visa for Mexico.

 

Select London for now and if you can meet the requirements for Hong Kong, by the time the case gets to the NVC, you can change the consulate.

March 2, 2018  Married In Hong Kong

April 30, 2018  Mary moves from the Philippines to Mexico, Husband has MX Permanent Residency

June 13, 2018 Mary receives Mexican Residency Card

June 15, 2018  I-130 DCF Appointment in Juarez  -  June 18, 2018  Approval E-Mail

August 2, 2018 Case Complete At Consulate

September 25, 2018 Interview in CDJ and Approved!

October 7, 2018 In the USA

October 27, 2018 Green Card received 

October 29, 2018 Applied for Social Security Card - November 5, 2018 Social Security Card received

November 6th, 2018 State ID Card Received, Applied for Global Entry - Feb 8,2019 Approved.

July 14, 2020 Removal of Conditions submitted by mail  July 12, 2021 Biometrics Completed

August 6, 2021 N-400 submitted by mail

September 7, 2021 I-751 Interview, Sept 8 Approved and Card Being Produced

October 21, 2021 N-400 Biometrics Completed  

November 30,2021  Interview, Approval and Oath

December 10, 2021 US Passport Issued

August 12, 2022 PHL Dual Nationality Re-established & Passport Approved 

April 6,2023 Legally Separated - Oh well

Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: China
Timeline
Posted

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

Our journey:

Spoiler

September 2007: Met online via social networking site (MySpace); began exchanging messages.
March 26, 2009: We become a couple!
September 10, 2009: Arrived for first meeting in-person!
June 17, 2010: Arrived for second in-person meeting and start of travel together to other areas of China!
June 21, 2010: Engaged!!!
September 1, 2010: Switched course from K1 to CR-1
December 8, 2010: Wedding date set; it will be on February 18, 2011!
February 9, 2011: Depart for China
February 11, 2011: Registered for marriage in Wuhan, officially married!!!
February 18, 2011: Wedding ceremony in Shiyan!!!
April 22, 2011: Mailed I-130 to Chicago
April 28, 2011: Received NOA1 via text/email, file routed to CSC (priority date April 25th)
April 29, 2011: Updated
May 3, 2011: Received NOA1 hardcopy in mail
July 26, 2011: Received NOA2 via text/email!!!
July 30, 2011: Received NOA2 hardcopy in mail
August 8, 2011: NVC received file
September 1, 2011: NVC case number assigned
September 2, 2011: AOS invoice received, OPTIN email for EP sent
September 7, 2011: Paid AOS bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 9, 2011)
September 8, 2011: OPTIN email accepted, GZO number assigned
September 10, 2011: Emailed AOS package
September 12, 2011: IV bill invoiced
September 13, 2011: Paid IV bill (payment portal showed PAID on September 14, 2011)
September 14, 2011: Emailed IV package
October 3, 2011: Emailed checklist response (checklist generated due to typo on Form DS-230)
October 6, 2011: Case complete at NVC
November 10, 2011: Interview - APPROVED!!!
December 7, 2011: POE - Sea-Tac Airport

September 17, 2013: Mailed I-751 to CSC

September 23, 2013: Received NOA1 in mail (receipt date September 19th)

October 16, 2013: Biometrics Appointment

January 28, 2014: Production of new Green Card ordered

February 3, 2014: New Green Card received; done with USCIS until fall of 2023*

December 18, 2023:  Filed I-90 to renew Green Card

December 21, 2023:  Production of new Green Card ordered - will be seeing USCIS again every 10 years for renewal

July 23, 2025:  Filed N-400 online

 

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

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