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Food for thought, but why a K1 versus a CR1? Takes a longer, but it's cheaper in the long run and means you enter the US with a greencard in hand, able to travel freely back to your country, should you choose, and able to work, get a driver's license and really begin your life.

the idea of attorney handling the process is mistaken They get information from you and one of their secretary's type up the petition ($3000 or more) and they mail in the packet and that's it any RFE, it will be extra money to mail it back -after u, again, provide the documents for the proof they do not attend the interview if u go to the word source above in the blue line , you will see many lawyer offices have made mistakes on the petition and caused delays in processing the K1 Best to you but you can do this and if you think not , also be prepared to pay attorney for the AOS expensive part of K1 Research the K1 process, its not that hard to fill out the K1 petition

Online. Use The AR11 form. Also your sponsor must complete the I865 ( paper only i believe)

As @OldUser said, expect 90-120 days. If you don't see it after 120, submit an inquiry. Ours took closer to 180 days and one of the 3 were incorrectly statused. When you do receive the card, check it over for any errors - spellings and status. If anything is incorrect, file an I-90 immediately to have it corrected. It won't cost anything as long as the information provided to the DOS was correct at the interview.

Agree with this... Jaycel's EAD status never showed a tracking number until the case status updated to "Card Was Delivered To Me By the Post Office" and that update didn't come until about 2-3 weeks after we received it. Her Green Card was delivered on Friday, Aug 1st and the status still says, "Card Was Produced" and the tracking number is "UNAVAILABLE" In both instances we had the notification from Informed Delivery the day it changed to Card Produced though and were able to track it

Errata sheet at interview

Up to 90-120 days. You may want to sign up for USPS Informed Delivery, it's free. The package with green card will be sent by Lees Summit Production Facility and you'll most likely know about it in USPS Informed Delivery before USCIS will publish USPS tracking number.

1. Your marriage certificate, itself, is a legal name change document. You can immediately, after marriage, start using your new legal name. For USCIS purposes, your new legal name can be any combination of the names listed on the marriage certificate. Use your new legal name on AOS paperwork. 2. Yes, you can apply for a Social Security number before marriage. Use your maiden (Pre-marriage) name for the application. Another option is to wait until naturalization to change your name. In our case, wife has never changed her name, and it has been fine.

This official uscis document gives very clear instructions for documentation specific to each situation https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-130instr.pdf You would do well to study this carefully. It will answer not only this question but many others , and ensure your application is complete and accurate and less likely to get rejected or receive an RFE

Yes, not long though, the NVC stage is pretty quick and your wife is also at one of the quickest consulates so won't be too much longer. You can see NVC timelines here, it's updated weekly - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/nvc-timeframes.html Make sure you follow the step by step guide posted by @Crazy Cat super carefully to avoid any delays, good luck.

having never been to the US isn't a red flag. like MMRF suggested, you may not need an entire lawyer, but you could get a consultation to answer any questions you have. but over all you 100% can do the process yourself. I know it seems intimidating, but if you do all the research (VJ is great for this) it makes it less intimidating.

Yes. Once all your documents are approved by NVC, they will schedule the interview when your case reaches the front of the line for the london consulate. You will pay 2 fees at NVC.

OK. There are several things needed for NVC. You will receive a document list. You might want to review: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition/step-2-begin-nvc-processing.html https://www.visajourney.com/guides/ir1-spouse-visa/

@mopekmez you can avoid some of these questions if fill out your timeline here: https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=468693

If you don't have any red flags in your relationship or a criminal history by the beneficiary, your money would be better spent by paying for a consultation to ask all your questions and then doing the app yourself. You technically have to do it all yourself anyway, lawyers just fill in the boxes.

I-485s are for people already inside the US. Where is the beneficiary? Your post history indicates the beneficiary is outside the US.

congrats to u both Have a blessed life

My case showed 3 weeks until decision on the day of my oath.

Don't enter on Nexus, when coming on K-1 visa. There's thread going on Somebody used Nexus when entering the US and the immigrant visa was never endorsed. You don't want to be treated as a visitor, you need to be treated as K-1 After you cross the border, yes, you can go to Nexus enrollment center and have an interview on arrival. Then, in subsequent trips, when you become LPR, you can use Nexus lanes or lines at the airport. Is it worth it? Totally. Not only you'd get easier entry next time between US and Canada, but you'd also have TSA PreCheck for US domestic flights. And finally, don't pay $120 out of pocket next time. There's plenty of credit cards which reimburse Nexus / Global Entry / TSA PreCheck fees

How long have you been together? we have been together for almost 2 years How did you meet, and how many times have you met in person? we met online and yes we met 3 times and he totally stayed 70 days i think Is there a large age gap? no we have just 3 years between us Do both of your families know and are accepting of your relationship? yes he stayed at my parents house and he met everybody around me he is coming again in september 5th for one of my friends wedding.

What's NEXUS got to do with your K1? FYI - some airports have interview on arrival. If you're flying into HNL, they have that option. Another option is to go to a Trusted Traveler office at the airport and do your TT interview. You don't have to be traveling per se. You can do it after you enter the US on your K1 - like, later date entirely. I don't know where you're leaving out of Canada, but chances are it's a major airport and you'll use your K1 there. If HNL is your final destination, I'm guessing you'll potentially connect in LAX or SFO. They also have Enrollment on Arrival. So, plenty of options to get the interview done and sorted.

I'd be careful if registering to vote if the individual does not have a Certificate of Citizenship as the recent presidential Executive Order on requires running the person's data through the federal SAVE query system, which mostly hits Department of Homeland Security databases (i.e. USCIS) to verify citizenship status. If the individual has only been issued a U.S. Passport but not a Certification of Citizenship from USCIS it may generate a query result indicating the person is a U.S. Legal Permanent Resident and not eligible to vote (a felony and deportable offense). It can be resolved by producing a U.S. Passport, but it is one more potential legal complication. There is work being done to link the Department of State database to SAVE but I am not sure when that will happen and if it will avoid these type of false positives.

Hiring an attorney for immigration related petitions is not just a hire and forget endeavor. The petitioner (your boyfriend) will need to still gather all the required information required for the I129F, and check over anything filled out by an attorney prior to signing anything. Keep in mind attorneys make mistakes, and we have seen quite a few stories of that here on VJ, so both you and your boyfriend should study the I129F process and understand it as much as any attorney so you both can check over anything submitted on your behalf. As @Lil bear stated, VJ is a DIY site although there are certainly members here that have used attorneys, but if your boyfriend is confident in filling out forms, and there are no issues like a visa overstay, or criminal issues, it is fairly easy to go this yourself. Anyway, it is entirely up to you and your boyfriend, but when vetting an attorney, make sure they are competent, steer clear of any attorney that claims they can speed up the process, and make sure you review and check anything that they plan to submit on your behalf. Good Luck!

My wife had the same experience. She wasn't able to get her name changed on her SSN until after she received her green card (we applied for but never received her EAD due the green card being received first).

Minor typos. I wouldn't worry about these.

How long have you been together? How did you meet, and how many times have you met in person? Is there a large age gap? Do both of your families know and are accepting of your relationship? These are just a few questions to establish if your relationship has any red flags. Most couples do not require a lawyer to complete this process and do it all themselves. Many times, lawyers will actually cause problems in your application by filling out forms incorrectly or not responding to RFEs properly or promptly. There is plenty of information available online to find out what the process entails. You and your fiance should both educate yourselves on this in advance of applying so you are fully aware of the financial and time implications.

What you described applies only to foreign spouses entering the US visa a spousal visa after 2 years of marriage.

You only pay for one I-130. And when the time comes for the actual visa application if your sibling is the only one moving then it’s only one set of fees, if they change their mind in ~25-30 years and decide to bring any dependents then you pay visa fees, medical fees etc for each of them.

Ok perfect. Thank you. Also Will I be paying separate fees for each derivative or only one fee for my sibling petition ? thanks a bunch!

We dont think we need a red flag but we just scared to do something wrong and get denial and my boyfriend want to work with an Attorney so they can handle the process and we will be more relieved i think. Also since i am a turkish citizen i just dont know what will be the process look like lol and i have never been in the USA before. my bf got arrested because of weed but it was a long time ago like 3-4 i think. And we also want to know if we can do it by ourself.

Most here on VJ do it themselves. Do you have any “ red flag” issues or reasons that you think needs a lawyer ?

Gracias, Eh ma'am. It's more complex because Mama T-B. is still alive and has preferences in regard to her own stuff. See Thrilling Sunday-on-Monday report, see Eh ma'am.

Thank you! We actually got our interview and approved! So now just waiting for the card. Hopefully gets here soon!

No way to avoid removal of conditions in your case. She must file I-751. Removal of conditions can be avoided when coming on spousal visa. If somebody is married for 2+ years and enters on spousal visa for the first time, they'd get 10 year GC. But you chose K-1. And this means no way to avoid I-751, unless it took more than 2 years since date of marriage to receive green card.

Update: green card approved on 7/28! Case updated to approved on 7/30. No tracking or card produced notification yet. We waited for over an hour past our app time. Officer was very kind, she mostly asked questions about my child (1.5) who was present. Asked how we met, if my husband was working. Asked about his family members. Despite all of my worries regarding the DS-3025 (not having box marked off on back, not having note of some required vaccines according to someone here on VisaJourney), nothing out of order was noticed and she approved us there.

Yes, at least the same scrutiny you are seeing here, which is a few minutes to get the answer to the necessary questions, checking dates of previous marriage, immigration, and divorce in addition to the normal.

Tbone, I am exhausted simply reading this. It does affirm my decision years ago, to take every last article of my late husband's belonging to the hospice shop, to Habitat Restore, and to the local Vets association. All of it. One carload at a time. It's amazing what you can fit into the boot of a Toyota Matrix with the rear seats folded flat

In my experience, it was easy to get SSN before marriage, but I wasn't able to do the name change on the SSN after marriage before getting my EAD.

For name change, I'd think long and hard about this. The easiest time to change name is when becoming a US citizen. Before changing name, I'd also check how easy it is to change name in your country. Yes, if you're in the US, you'd have to deal with your consulate of your country to renew passport to have married name. You can file for AOS with married name and get GC with married name, as long as married name is mentioned in marriage certificate (for example it's your spouse's current name)

Every consulate should send that message to "verbally-approved" visa applicants. Verbal approvals actually mean nothing more than a recommendation. Every visa goes through some form of administrative processing and verification before issue. Too many times, I have seen applicants get so disappointed when their visa suddenly gets delayed, goes into extended AP, or denied after a verbal "approval". That CEAC message explains things pretty well, imho.

Well that’s fine too. This forum (in my opinion) is the best resource with experience from all the mods and users like @TBoneTX @Sandra G. and many others willing to assist, explain and simplify any hurdle. To start my process in 2017, I went several years to read thru line by line and that gave me the courage to proceed and here I am today as a U.S. citizen all thanks to this forum. My best wishes to your friend, with faith and perseverance it will surely be fine one day. Have a blessed day 🙏🏽

Well, you just got your first upvote for being an alert member who has asked a thoughtful question. Thanks for your endorsement. Others are more tuned in and can comment authoritatively. We'll move posts if they're not in an optimal forum. You guessed pretty much the right place to post, initially. USCIS, and the consulates, and CBP all thrive on the truth. A 4-month front-of-store job certainly isn't your fiancee's life's work, and sensible authorities will realize that. As the incomparable pushbrk says, "Reading carefully, interpreting literally, and answering completely & honestly is the key to your success during this entire process." Edited to add: Sincere thanks from ALL of us for your clear identification of who is who and giving your ages right up front. Everyone should emulate you in doing that.

I still think -- in all instances -- that if there's an opportunity to keep the government off our back now or later, take that opportunity... every time.

You will only file one I130 for your sibling.

Well by default you can only petition for someone you have a relationship with - your sibling. The fact that F4 also allows her family members (spouse, children under 21) doesn't mean you're petitioning them - they're derivatives of her petition.

Upvote for correct spelling of "piques."

That's not how that works....

You were all correct—customs was a ton of drama at the airport . I was pulled into the back for an interview, starting with one agent, then two, three, and finally four, including the supervisor. They were baffled about why my visa hadn’t been canceled, as I never activated it before its expiration and why it was listed as "in production." The boss asked, "So are you going to reapply for a visa?" Before I could respond, another officer jumped in, "It’s in production and already in the mail." The supervisor walked away, looking confused. The agent informed me that I’m considered a visitor until my green card arrives and advised me not to remain in the US until it does. They emphasized that my case is unprecedented but assured me everything is on track. Clearly I failed to get it activated as everyone said here.

Application sent in 7/28 Expected delivery 8/1 Conditional green card expires 10/25

Wife had her interview at the embassy yesterday. Was asked how we met, where do I live, do I speak Spanish(yup), where did the engagement and wedding take place, when was the last time she saw me...I was outside and flipped through a few pics. Everything went very well, young lady told her we were approved. Just waiting on emails for the next step now. Good luck to everyone else in the same boat.