Awaiting an approval: What to do during all that time?

[Lynxyonok 316]

In before it's pointed out:

 

- Yes, it's my first post here

- No, I don't have any internal USCIS, NVC data sources

- I'm just like everyone here, with a petition that's a really long way out from being decided on

 

That said:

 

We're all waiting. That's the game. Reasons, causes irrelevant, we're longing for an individual hundreds of miles away to finally say something, hopefully approving our petition.

 

In other words, we have time on our hands. Lots and lots of time.

 

We can spend it on routine stuff. We can watch a bunch of YouTube videos.

 

We can spend it writing thorough and thoughtful letters to our special others - I've seen that on this forum already, what an amazing idea! Apologies, I didn't catch who had said it.
 

And we can spend it preparing for what's next.

 

Out of curiosity, I tried checking how many I-129F forms had been filed in the 72 hours prior to mine. Lo and behold, it was almost 500. A'ight, that's a lot, but let's look for the lemonade we can make out of lemons we'd been given. There are hundreds of thousands of people out there in the same boat as us. What issues are they facing?

 

1. Quite a few petitions are being struck down for sending a wrong amount. So, verify it carefully before sending forth the next form. Amounts have been changing frequently.

2. And some petitions are being declined for using the wrong form. My personal guess - it's the missing barcode on the bottom of each page. I had to print my forms from Adobe Acrobat to get it to come out.

3. A few forms feature name and address changes right after filing. So please be crystal-clear when submitting them.

 

But that's just the start.

 

A lot of people are going to be in the same bucket that you (or I) are as we all stumble through the K-1/K-3 process; and these people aren't going to be silent - I appreciate VJ information, but - admin, please don't ban me for this simple fact - there are many, many other sources of data on the Internet. They do not replace Visa Journey database, they complement it.

 

Facebook has a ton of groups dedicated to the matter, all easily searchable.

Telegram has numerous chats - again, quite easy to look up.

So does WhatsApp, but those aren't searchable and may have to require knowing a member of the chat to join.

I'm sure that I've missed a lot more options - each lawyer site, each social group would have something.

 

We have time on our hands, so: read, read up, again and again.

 

There are many brave individuals who are stepping up every day to share their experiences.

 

About a document they forgot to bring to an interview, which led to a RFE at the embassy rather than a visa.

About learning how their partner did not end up being who they truly thought they were.

About saying the right words during an expedite request that got them to the front of the line.

About their life outcomes upon arriving in the United States, ones they may not have been prepared for.

About the difficulty and means of procuring a visa and travel plans to the embassy that would hear their case (that's specifically for my Russian friends).

 

VJ is an amazing database of such examples; all I'm saying is that Internet is vast and full of many sources, ones we can read up on and use that knowledge to answer questions posted on Visa Journey forums.

 

We have the time now as we wait. Please use it wisely. And we... you... I... we will persevere and be prepared for what's next.

[EatBulaga 316]

Don't forget to build a bona fide relationship while waiting.

https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/785400-feeling-depressed-k-1-visa-process/?do=findComment&comment=10693088

 

 

 

 

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.

[carmel34 3,639]

8 hours ago, Lynxyonok said:

In other words, we have time on our hands. Lots and lots of time.

 

We can spend it on routine stuff. We can watch a bunch of YouTube videos.

Working takes your mind off of the long wait, both of you can work, to earn money for visits to see each other as often as you can.  That's what worked for us.