BeachMusic

2-3 months is not a short time-frame. But how big wedding are you guys planning? how many guest are you expecting? Are you guys expecting alot of guest from India?

Priest cost a few thousand dollars???? Seems like you guys are looking for wrong priest. Temple/Church wedding must be inexpensive. Priest should be free as he shouldnt be concerned for money. Church/Temple runs by donation, and whoever takes priest position, thats mean he should be renounced, maya-free.

I don't think it can be anything shorter than 2-3 months, it'll require some amount of planning atleast I believe. We're mostly just expecting guests from US itself if the wedding is in the US around 150 people.

Yea, the priest thing was a little ridiculous. My fiance doesn't really know much about wedding-y stuff. Maybe its a norm to give that much donation to temples for a marriage?

Your problem seems to be you are trying to please everyone. It is not possible to please everyone in your current situation. Do what's best for you and according to the terms of your K-1 visa. Many if not most couples have a legal civil ceremony first then have their religious wedding/reception later.

Is there a reason why you didn't do the CR-1? If your plan was to have a religious wedding in India the whole time it seems that this route would have made more sense. I can understand if your plans changed later.

My husband and I had a very brief Hindu ceremony in May 2012 then we had the huge wedding reception this past January 2013. His family was not happy at first with our plans but they learned to deal with it and are happy now.

Well it was never really a big issue at the time that we got engaged, doing the whole court wedding first then the religious wedding around the holidays etc. But the family just thinks there will be no enthusiasm if we have the indian wedding 6-7 months later, so they now want the wedding in the US around 2 months after I go. Which is fine but its unexpected for me and I don't know how I'll plan it that quick or if its even possible. I spent a lot of weekends in India looking at places here itself thinking the wedding will be here. And I came up with a good streamlined plan for accommodations, venues, caterers, etc. which suited both our families (my fiance and I have different wedding rituals) and was under-budget yet promised to be pleasant and fun. Now to do that again in the US where I dont know how to drive, don't know the places as well, is whats driving me nuts. So I'm just wondering if someone has experience with this. Things like, the priest, what kind of venues should I be looking for, not all of them seem indian-wedding friendly. Anyways it was a long shot posting here.

Status on ustraveldocs changed to 'origination scan' today. Hoping this is a good thing.

You're checking on this page? http://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/in-niv-passporttrack.asp#options

Hope you get your passport soon

Hey guys,

Just wondering what everybody else does about weddings with the K-1 visa. I know I can go to the US, get court married and apply for AP come back to India and then get married on AP. That is what we had originally planned. But my family is uncomfortable with having the indian wedding months after the court marriage. I'm sure I'm not the only K-1 visa applicant who is having this problem. What did the rest of you do?

I'm considering just having a religious wedding in the US (tri-state area) a few weeks after the court wedding, but I'm completely not sure about how to plan it in a short time (2-3 months) or if it'll be ridiculously expensive. My fiance tells me even a priest there costs a few thousand dollars. That sounds a little ridiculous to me. We'll start exploring and calling places to get estimates. But if anybody can share their experience that'll be great.

Hi,

Just thought I'd share my experience.

1. Medical: That was easy. I called Max Med center up, they told me to come the next day with photographs, my passport, appointment letter (email-ed appointment letter was also ok for them) and about 4000 Rupees.

I showed up at noon on a Saturday, that was a mistake. It was terribly crowded and it took me 4 hours to be done. They take your blood test and xray, and then you have to meet a doctor. The doctor wanted to see records of Dtap and Meningococcal vaccination. If you don't have one they'll ask you to buy it and get it done. Thats it. I picked up the report around 10 days after that. The 4k estimate included the two vaccinations btw.

2. PCC: I din't have police verification done for my passport so I couldn't get it on the same day. It was a LOT of waiting. At the PSK you can walk in for PCC's. You need to make an account online on passportindia.gov.in. Fill out your PCC application, and upload it back again, and take a print out of the receipt (ARN sheet with the Barcode) when you go to the PSK along with your passport copy, residential proof (they were not accepting Drivers license/ration card - i took verified Bank statements for the last one year) and your appointment letter. The APO did insist On seeing something for the visa.

This was the easy part. It took them 10 days to send it to the central office in my city by registered mail. i went there often to check on whether my application got there. Then I followed up constantly, with the local police, then when it was finally sent back to the Passport office, i went to the regional passport office to get a status of my application, which they cleared then, then i went to PSK, and finally got my PSK. Took 3 weeks, and a LOT OF follow up. If I hadn't followed up it would have take 5-6 weeks atleast i Believe.

Hi. My police verification etc. has been complete and i was told it was sent back to the Passport office on 7th March 2013. The status on passportindia website still hasn't changed. Does anybody know how long it takes for the status to update so I can pick up my PCC. Any way to Expedite it?

Thank you!!! Did you get all your documents ready for the interview?

Not yet, waiting for PCC. The processing is done and it reached the PSK on thursday I heard. So i hope they get to updating it on their system and i can collect it before my interview

Since you're not getting a response still, please try to search the India portal to see if you find a similar case or try to Ask a lawyer or even the embassy to see if this is ok . Just throwing ideas out there.

Hi everybody, my fiancée finally received her visa after 221g pending for last 2 months.

I have a quick question, I was thinking about going to India so I could travel to USA with my fiancée. So, does she have to travel to USA by her self, or have I could travel with her? Also, at the POE, is it better to go by her self at the custom officer or I could join her? I mean will the custom officer ask me any question or anything? Thinks everybody for your help!

Congratulations! I doubt there's any requirement that she has to travel by herself. You can do either.

At the immigration line yes you can probably join her saying you're her fiance. i've even seen girlfriend/boyfriend going there together. If they want to process her separately I'm sure they'll just tell you to go back in line.

It probably takes a day or two to update everywhere?

You know you are approved when they grant your visa. Keeping or returning passport is not a sign for approval/denial.

When do you finally get to relax in this process? After POE? Or not even then.

Annexure F is an alternate for someone who needs to get passport in Taktal and has no address proof. It applies for Fresh/Re-issue passport if mailing address is required to be changed.

Since you are not changing address, then you are not even required to give any address proof.

Annexure F is not an ordinary doc, and it is not easy to get it at all.

Ok.. Also, nowhere on the website did it say I needed an Annexure F.

I think the APO at the PSK just tries to find reasons to kick me out since I go there without an appointment. Even for PCC she created a whole fuss about not having an appointment, despite the website saying PCC's were walk-ins and as well as the customer care. The behaviour of that officer and her assistant is really bad.

Thanks for reply reading similar post every where i can really getting crazy coz at my marriage there were only close few relative like mom, dad, mama mami their kids and only one friend and 1 cousin with his wife and same for my husband but in paper they gave me its said that i can't give names of close relative now what should i do. Can i sand the names of few friend and neighbors names that were present at the reception

What is AP asking for exactly? Can you share the text?

And what kind of questions were you asked? What was there concern? - At the interview

Guys, i notice a lot of you dont have timelines. it'll help track how long it takes under AP these days, and other Indian Embassy related statistics.

Thanks. The information in this topic is really helpful.

Today i had my visa interview. while interviewing interviewer asked me a few things and told him everything but then he gave me a paper and asked me to submit a few more papers later. this was jut not with me but it was same with other 3 girls who were there for CR1 visa and the asked us to send in written about how we meet and why we decide to get married and for our parrent to write and sigh and tell what they think of our marriage and proof of our marriage and every pic that we ever had.

i can arrange pics and profs but i have no idea what to rite about why we got married coz it was an arranged marriage. and what and how should my parents write what they think of our marriage.

and why do we had to send these paper we have given everything they asked to prove our marriage.

please help me write letter explaining why i married my husband i have no idea of the format and how should our parent write wast they think of our relation

The IO's know about arranged marriages. Based on what you've written, you should need a simple letter stating what you're putting in with different sections for

1) Affidavits from parents

2) Proof of Marriage

3) Proof of Bonafide marriage (Finances etc)

4) Pictures (pictures with family) etc..

5) Letters from both of you regarding your marriage

and sub-sections accordingly

I don't know for AP if its appropriate to bombard them with evidence including Chat Logs, Video Logs, Phone Calls, Trips, Facebook/Social Networking posts, change of name after marriage if applicable,How the marriage was arranged,pictures of Gifts, Proof of Engagement, maybe even extra affidavits from relatives, friends. But I dont see how it could be counter-productive in any way.

Other people could probably advise you better about AP. Also search for similar topics on VJ to see what people have done to overcome this kinda of AP successfully.

Also,

Annexure F is a serious document. You can't get it easily unless you have someone in your relation who is a high profile gov official who is qualified to sign Annexure F.

Are you changing your mailing address from passport?

Nope. Not changing my mailing address. I'm not sure if this is normally asked for Or maybe its because of a damaged Passport. At any rate, I'm going to try to complete documents before my interview so I'm prepared in case of 221g.

Hoping for some progress on PCC this week. *Fingers crossed*

Went to apply for Passport in Tatkal today. Needed a verification (from government official etc. Annexure F) and needed Annexure I also. So came back. Now I'll just wait for Passport Verification to be complete first and keep my documents prepared for Tatkal passport in case i get a 221g for the passport.

Thank you, gives me some hope than. I know I've driven myself nuts from wondering if I will receive an RFE or will it move straight along and all would be good. Thank you again calms me down just a tinny bit. Now to move on to other nail biting stuff.

It seems CSC is just being really slow for some July Filers. Did you include photos in your packet (with dates, names and places on the back?)

Also, you can sign into your account on USCIS and see if your application has been "touched" recently.

Lots of luck to you. Hoping everything goes well and smooth.

If you are not changing your mailing address, then it should not require for address proof, since address would be the same as per passport. But it is just better to bring address proof ( just in case ). Since you dont have originals anymore, then bring the photocopies as you got no choice in this case.

Thats what I'm hoping for. Keeping my fingers crossed for some good progress regarding Passport+PCC tomorrow.

If you feel that your passport looks damaged, then it is better get to re-issued now, as it can be issue anywhere even at POE. Why is your PCC taking so longer time? Generally PSK issue the PCC same day.

Yea, I guess I'll try. I think I have all the documentation. My proof of residence Is a copy of my verified bank statements (not the original - since i submitted the original for the pcc). Any idea if a photocopy is alright for tomorrow for a tatkal passport? It doesn't really specify anything on the passport india website.

The PCC is taking long because my police verification wasn't done for my current address. I'm following up at every place and its stuck because of nobody being available to take my form from one office to another..Its really ridiculous. I'm going almost everyday.

I wasn't worried till a few months ago, because AP for these things din't seem to be taking long at all. But I feel since the new system of VFS has kicked in, something has gone wrong, It is taking people months to get out of Ap for simple things it seems like (based on posts I've seen on VJ)

I understand how it may feel. Pick up may not be an option for PSK since they are pretty quick. You will receive tracking number within 24 hours, so you would able to track it down. If your postmaster knows you very well, then be assured, he will bring it for you asap without any delay.

Yea..its just really stressful because I dont even know if i need a new one. I wish I could just go to the embassy, show them the passport and ask them if it will work or not and then act accordingly. Then it would be worth the risk. My PCC is also going on, I'm losing hope of getting it back on time. I just hope tehre are no other issues at the interview apart from these expected ones.

They send it thru Indian Speed Post.

When I applied thru Taktal in Chennai PSK, then it took less than 3 days to arrive. Applied on 12th and got passport in hand on 14th morning.

I'm going to try and go tomorrow and request for letting me pick it up if possible. Don't want to risk a mail-in a week before my interview. I'll be having panic attacks till i dont get lol. Wondering if anybody has been able to do that at any PSK

Do not reschedule,its better to show up without the document than rescheduling. They will just issue you a form to hand in the paper later,I have seen similar posts on here which suggests to show up to interview no matter. I would reconfirm with other members on here.

Yea..i think its best not to reschedule. Thanks for your advise.

Yes,my wife applied on Feb 21,got hers on Feb 23. They are very fast!

Thanks for your reply

Was she allowed to pick it up from the passport office on Feb 23? Or did they dispatch it via mail on 23..

Which PSK was this ?

Thinking of applying for Passport in Tatkal tomorrow morning (4th march), from Ghaziabad PSK, Do you think I'll get it before 15th March?