Hannah B

Nick + Elizabeth thats amazing news. That really made me smile after a very long day at work.

Still no news for me yet. Will be 7 months on Monday. But I fly out to America to be with my fiance for 2 weeks this Saturday so am really excited about that. Hopefully we will hve some news when we are together. Im starting to feel like I will be the only Marchie left whose file hasn't been looked at yet lol!

Monday will mark 7 months of waiting for us. I could cope with a delay buts its the uncertainty of what if its an RFE at the end of it that gives me anxiety. I contacted my fiance's congressman and senator yesterday and got an email back from the congressman asking for more details and for my fiance to sign a release form. We will see if that helps. And we will try to do a service request when I get to the States in a few days time. I know its somewhere on here but could someone point me in the direction of the USCIS telephone number for Vermont and the options you press to get through to a tier 2? That would be really appreciated, thank you. I thought for sure we would have heard prior to my upcoming visit but I am grateful I get fly to America on Saturday to spend 2 weeks with my fiance and enjoy the fall weather in Arkansas, going to go to some craft fairs to pick out Christmas presents to bring back to England.

There were 7 in my stack. All were all processed either end of September or first week in October. I'm the only one left now. I have some complications in my case so that may be the reason for the delay but who knows. In our case the Petitioner has some relevant criminal records we had to disclose. We sent certified copies of the court records and a certified letter from the Sheriff's office. If they looked at our file and wanted more info then they would ask for it I guess. May just be bad luck of the draw. I am sure everything else in our pack is good. From reading what others have got RFE's for there is nothing that sticks out that I didn't send. We had plenty of primary evidence of meeting in last 2 years etc. Just have to keep waiting. Im trying to be patient but I get really worried when I see others who are waiting 240 days +.

I know this feeling , it's very hard to deal with this , plz be positive and don't think about rfe , Im sure u will be approved as soon as possible .

Try to call them and put a service request , it will be helpful

Thanks I intend to as soon as I get to America for my visit next week. My fiance isn't sure of the process for calling so I will research who he needs to call and what options to press to get to a Tier 2 so we can call together next week. It sucks that USCIS won't talk to the Beneiciary because I am the organised and pushy one who will demand answers whereas my fiance is really laid back lol! Thanks for your response, I am trying to stay positive.

Hi All, ive been away from VJ for a couple of days and have just caught up on al the posts. Congrats to everyone with approvals it looks like its been a good few days. I reach 200 days of waiting on Sunday and Im hoping to hear something soon. I know others have been waiting longer so my best wishes go to them for approvls this week. I read that someone asked about a second visit to the US during the K1 process. I have had two visits since we filed our I-129F in March and next week I go back for my third visit. I am alo planning to go over for Christmas as I'm not able to move there until March as my employment contract ends at the end of Feb. When I started this process I thought 12 months would be plenty of time for things to run their course even with some delays but now i'm getting worried when see others waiting for so long, and what if we get an RFE? Ahhh I don't want to think about it, just taking things one step at a time. Anyway, I hope tody brings more March approvals, its frustrating seeing so many in April get approved when there are about 60-70 Marchies left!

Tigerflower im so happy for you!! Have been following your posts for a while now and was overjoyef when i just checked igors list. Enjoy this moment you deserve it. You have been here supporting everyone else. This time will come for each of us soon so dont be sorry. You waited long enough. Good luck to all the other marchies still waiting!

Haha I like this topic. We haven't had too much opportunity to try out each other's cuisine but I'm looking forward to it. I once made my fiance and his friends a homemade Indian banquet of curries, bombay potatoes etc since I had told him it was our national dish (I think it still is). He said he liked it at the time but a few months later when the politeness had gone told me not so much lol! He also wondered why I got so excited when I found a gas station with an English Isle which had proper Heinz baked beans! They were about £2 a tin but thats cheaper than shipping them! Chocolate on the other hand is definitely a winner, now I have to take bars of cadburys and galaxy on every visit!

I just read the post about the petition that was just approved after 245 days with no RFE. That terrifies me that there could be another couple of months of this wait. I sure hope that no one else is put through that.

I just checked the numbers around mine and the one immediately after me was denied yesterday. It scares me that some petitions are denied after waiting all this time. I wonder why in some cases they issue an RFE and some they flat out deny?

On a positive note - I have enjoyed reading the stories of how everyone first met. I applied to do an exchange program in the States after I finished High School and happened to be placed with my fiance's Aunt and Uncle as my host family for a year. I ended up meeting my fiance a few days after I arrived and after a few nervous dates we became inseparable. I was lucky to be able to have a full year dating him and getting to know him. The following summer he came to England for a couple of months and stayed with my family. What followed was many years of of ups and downs and each doing our own thing here and there before we finally got it together last year, 13 years after we met lol! Its so funny to look at pictures of us from 1999 we look like schoolkids!

Kaaha, 03/01

MaRaAl 03/01

amazinglove , 03/02

MY997TT, 03/05

anita , 03/07

islandgal , 03/08

justinandoksana 03/08

tigerflower ,03/09

Websingr , 03/09

noebe , 03/09

kmulenga2012, 03/09

Vroum 03/14

EdwardClement 03/15

charbot ,03/21

wobaafut , 03/23

miguel angel , 03/30

Here we are, welcome Edwardclement and MaraAl

DON'T PANIC !! It's coming my friends :dance:

Hi, HannahandJosh here. We are still waiting too. NOA1 is 03/22. It will be 6 months tomorrow but i'm trying to keep my epectations low and that it will be around the 6 1/2 month range. I'm just hoping to get some news by the time of my next visit to the States on October 22nd so if its an RFE we are there to sort it out together. On the plus side this week I ordered my wedding dress which will be ready by January and I found a great venue and caterer for us to check out on my next visit. And asked my best friend here in England to be my bridesmaid so its been a good week overall. I do see the posts from Feb and early March filers still waiting which depresses me and I pray it will come for you guys very soon.

Hi All,

I just got back from a week's visit with my fiance. Had no problems going through immigration and I told the Immigration Officer I was going to visit my fiance. I bought evidence of my return but thankfully nothing was needed.

It was so nice to spend time together and even though it went way to quickly and I know I am very lucky as some VJ'ers have been apart for a long time. When we started this process our estimate for adjudication was the end of July and we though for sure we would hear by the time I was due to visit at the end of August. Now my estimate is the end of September and I hope to hear by the time I visit again at the end of October so we can put together any information if it's an RFE whilst i'm there. I was so excited to hear about the March approvals when I came back. Its been such a long time coming I feel like I have bee dreaming to see the start on March forever! Good luck to everyone for this week I hope the approvals start rolling in now for March.

I'm counting down the days until my next visit to the States, only 10 days to go and I get to spend 8 days with my man I can't wait! I think that is what is stopping me from going too crazy with the waiting. I get back at the beginning of September and really hope to hear something by the end of September. Fingers crossed. I am so excited today to see the first March filer approved, that is a milestone for us March filers. Even though my NOA1 is the end of March it has given me hope that at long last they will get to our applications soon.

When I first contacted my GP the receptionist could only see my injections on their electronic system from the age of 10 and they made me a print out of that. They suggested I contact Child Health Department for my area for earlier records which were only kept in paper form. I had to do a little research as I had never heard of the Child Health Department but I found the relevant one for my county and called them and after a few security type questions they confirmed they had my records since birth until the age of 10 and sent me a record of them within a few days at no charge. It may be worth you checking with your area. I'm not sure about the tetanus question but hopefully someone will come along and answer that.

I'm in a similar position. I firstly want to take a lump sum with me or transfer it electonically so I can buy a car and get by for the first few months until I am working. Then I have also rented out my flat here in the UK and will receive monthly rent payments so am wondering the best way to transfer smaller regular amounts to me in the US once I have a bank account so if anyone has any advice/experience of this then it would be greatly appreciated. I will also check out www.xe.com

Thanks

Hi All,

I couldn't see that this information had been posted yet so I wanted to update everyone who will shortly be needing to obtain a police certificate for their medical and interview. I went to the ACRO website :

http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx to research getting the certificate and saw that they are due to bring out a new style of application form on 6th August 2012. The old style forms are still available on the website and will be accepted by ACRO until 31st August 2012. The reason for the new type of application form is because of a price restructure. It does not specify what the price changes are but in case the prices are going up then depending on what stage you are at in your visa process you might want to consider getting your certificate now. Currently the certificate is £35 with each additional copy being £5. Then there are additional fees for express processing and/or express delivery. Maybe someone else knows what the new price structure will be?

Hi there, I have heard that the maximum time someone can spend on VWP is no more than 6 months in any 12 month period. I am not certain about this though so I'm sure someone with more solid facts will confirm the rules. And I don't know how this would even be enforced, e.g. if someone does stay longer than that period whether it comes up as a red flag upon the next entry or something like that.

I would say that with any entry, however, it will be up to the immigration officer who processes you to determine your intended reason for visiting so be sure to have as much documentation with your ties to the UK with you at the POE. I remember one thread by a girl from the UK who was asked to provide proof of funds for her long visit (around 80 days) and she did not have it on her, as she used online banking, and she was refused entry. So be sure to be safe than sorry and print off sufficient evidence to show you can support yourself during your visit.

should your boss knows how to write it.any way it ca n be like this...

(date............)

(name of the business )

To whom it may concern

This letter is to inform that ( YOUR NAME ) has been a full time employed by( the name of the business)since(the date you start)as a ( your occupation )

( your name)receives a salary of(how much money you make)which is paid.(weekly or hourly) and his position is(permanent or temporary)

please contact the under signed if you have any further questions.

sincerely

(name of the business)

phone number

the name of the manager or owner

signature

and stamp.they should have one at work with the information of the business on it

[/quote

Great, thank you I was also wondering about a saple format for my application so this helps me too!

USCIS updated their current processing times today for I-129F applications out of Vermont and it still states 5 months. Makes no sense to me but hopefully it is a sign that things will soon speed up!

VSC seemed to speeded up last week but now its back to one or two VJ apporvals per day. My original estimate was end of July when I started this process and now its mid September. I had prepared myself for the waiting but now it feels like the goalposts just keep moving further and further away its getting so depressing. And CSC approved an April filer yesterday, im so happy for the CSC filers but it makes it even more difficult to see dates after my NOA1 being approved and I have another two months and maybe more to wait. I get to see my fiance in August so am trying to just focus on that visit which I really looking forward to but some days this process really gets to me!!

Blackhawk - i read and offered advice on your previous post. I dont recall anyone saying you would have problems with a k1 visa because u have a conviction. People understood from your post that u did not. What followed your post was a discussion about the difference between acquittal and not guilty verdicts much of which was general and not intended to suggest you were convicted or would be seen by uscis at such. However, the advice given to u specifically was that if at any stage in the visa journey you were asked if you had ever been arrested for an offence then you would have to answer honestly that you had and you may be asked to provide details. This would still be the case if you have a lawyer or not or if you adjust from a B1 so my advice would be to prepare for that possibility and not assume that it will never be an issue. I wish u luck with your journey whichever route you take.

8 VJ petitions approved out of VSC yesterday. Thats the most in one day for weeks. Lets hope this carries on, there are a lot of Feb filers to get through before us Marchers! Good luck everyone.

My fiancee is going to volunteer when she gets to the US and is waiting for the EAD to go through

It will suck to not make money, but she will build her resume, learn english better, gain friends, and not be bored at my house.

Thats a really good idea. When I arrive in the US and get married I hope to volunteer too as I am sure that after a couple of weeks I will go crazy not having something to do while my fiance (then husband!) is at work. I was also thinking of learning spanish and/or taking up a new hobby so I can get out there and meet people and make friends.

I'm a March 2012 filer for the K1 and I plan on working in my home country until February 2013 when my employment contract ends. That way I can save as much as possible for the move which I hope will be beginning of March 2013. I want to be able to buy a car and contribute to the household bills until I am able to work, plus have a little spending money each week, and also have some savings built up in case of a medical emergency or something unexpected. Its hard to predict exactly when the visa will be approved so I planned on around 10 months start to finish. Then you have 6 months to use the visa to enter the US too. Not that most people would want to wait any longer! Remember also that by the time the I-129F is adjudicated its probably going to be around 6 months since you filled in the paperwork and the G325a so its likely the employment information will have changed in that time. I understand you fill in a similar list of employment for the paperwork you send to the embassy prior to the interview anyway. So don't worry, work away!

I would agree about living together or at least spending time together in a non-vacation situation but thats not always possible for everyone. I've been really fortunate as I spent a year in America studying when I was first with my fiance. We didn't live together but I had my own life and purpose there other than the relationship so we were able to date and allow it to blossom naturally. This has definitely given me some reassurance that I could happily live where he lives after the initial romance of arriving in the US has faded and reality of employment, bills, change of weather and culture kicks in. But even still it has taken years of friendship to get to the point where we were both ready to marry. So many times we talked about marriage but we came back to the same obstacles - he was hesitant to be in a long distance relationship as he didn't want me to keep visiting him and have to leave and to be honest he didn't want to wait for a year for the visa process to take its course. I was happy to visit regularly and was prepared to wait but I didn't want to have to get married to be able to be together. Over many years we stayed friends and just kept coming back together until we got to a place where we were ready for the commitment and sacrifice and waiting. You can prepare youself as best you can but at some point you just have to take a leap of faith I guess!

Whats kind of interesting in my family is that inter-country relationships seem to be a trend that works. My mum is from Sweden and my Dad from England and they have been together for about 35 years. And my brother is married to a Brazilian girl and they are happily married here in England for a few years now. And having visited her family and seen Brazil I can't imagine you would want to leave that beautiful Country for rainy England but I guess for love you do what it takes.

Most convictions become "spent" at various time periods with the exception of very serious offences but this type of rule is often used for the purpose of fresh criminal matters. For example, if a person has a drugs conviction and it had become spent after five years and then after that he was prosecuted for another drugs offence, the defence could argue that because the first conviction is spent it then it should not be allowed to be introduced as evidence in the second case.

However, this is irrelevant to firehawk as he doesn't have any convictions. If he is asked in a form for the purpose of the visa if he has ever been arrested, or prosecuted for any offence he would always have to respond yes regardless of how much time has lapsed. That isn't a legal requirement it is a fact.