M+B

Uhm the answer I got from the USCIS call line is that if you file the AOS with the address you're currently at now, you don't have to file for a AR-11, but if you move after you have a pending case with them, you have to file for an AR-11 within 10 days,

Thanks a lot, that's pretty interesting - I've been freaking out about this all day. I might just do that then. I'll do some more research and see if anyone else posts their experience here and make a decision.

Was wondering if anyone can help us,

I arrived here on a K-1 in December and didn't realise I had to file an AR-11 if I ever moved. We listed my wife's parents house, but she found a place in the same city for us to live before I came, so we've lived there the whole time.

Now that we're about to file for AOS I'm not sure whether I should just file an AR-11 now, or just file AOS with the updated address. All reading I've done on it is giving conflicting answers, ranging from just filing an AR-11 now to saying that I don't have to file one before doing AOS. It's complicated by the fact that our lease is up in a few months and we intend to move, but I suppose I can just file another AR-11 and call them when the time comes.

My (limited) informed opinion is that they only seem to care about an AR-11 not being filed is when it becomes a problem, i.e. they send things to an address you're not at and it holds up the process. If that's all they care about it isn't an issue as we can just pick up our mail 5 minutes away from my inlaws house.

I'm just not sure what to do because saying that my stay's expired on the AR-11 seems like a really bad idea, but so does lying and saying we still live with my inlaws when we don't, which I'm not willing to do.

I just want to do the safest and right thing for us - what should I do?

Thanks

Okay, your further explanation makes it clearer. You are given the x-ray back at the embassy because they don't need it. Your medical report clears you of TB. They tend to say take it to POE, but the POE guy isn't a radiologist and isn't going to evaluate your x-ray. So you handed in your brown envelope and also gave him your x-ray, which he didn't need. That is standard. Your files are fine the except you didn't get immunizations recorded on the DS-3025. Mexico also won't do that form for K1s.

You will need to find a civil surgeon who will copy your immunizations to an I-693. Call around because the prices vary a lot. Some will say you need a new exam because they don't really keep up with K1s. Most of their patients are adjusting from another visa and did not do any exam to get here like you did. Your exam is in the brown envelope and will be used for AOS. It says you don't need another in the I-693 instructions (on page 4 I think). So keep calling until you find a reasonable priced one who will record your immunizations only. $25 is reasonable in my mind. There is a thread you can search for called "Civil Surgeons who don't rip you off" in this AOS forum. People have listed places they found. Maybe one near you is listed. It's a long read because there is no order...just posts.

That's such a relief - I figured that was the case but wanted to double check. I'm really glad it's just a case of getting my vaccinations recorded like I originally thought. Thanks for your help.

Wow, you really got the bum deal.

Your shots will have to be recorded on an I-693 because USCIS won't take proof from your personal doctor in Spain. But USCIS also needs your medical record from Spain as well as your files up to POE. All of that is supposed to be in the sealed envelope and kept at POE. Did the officer open your envelope and process it and give you back a second sealed envelope that was in the first?? I am wondering if any of your files were forwarded on, or you were given everything (medical+petition files+embassy files). I think it's best to contact a CBP supervisor at your POE and get the envelope stuff straight while it is sealed. Hopefully they will take it and forward it properly.

Then I would file AOS without the immunization form. BECAUSE if that sealed medical file is lost or not accepted, then you are going to have to take an entire medical again. You might as well wait until you get an RFE telling you to get the immunizations or one saying there is no medical file to be found. That way you don't pay for the immunization form, then have to go pay again to get a new medical. One visit and price would cover all of it if you have to have a new exam.

Here's the list of Passenger Service Managers for the POE airports. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/ports/cbp_psml.xml

Man, this sucks. When I arrived at POE the embassy files and the medical files were in separate envelopes - the medical stuff was in an x-ray bag that's covered in red do not open stamps. I didn't see what the POE officer did exactly because it was a waiting area and I was called up after giving my stuff. From what I can tell the medical bag is unopened - the bag he gave me was the same bag I gave him. He kept the brown envelope, so there's no doubt in my mind that at least the non-medical stuff has been kept/forwarded.

I can roughly see what's inside if I shine a light through so I'll try and see if there's only x-rays in there, or if there's papers and stuff too at which point I'll assume those are my medical papers and try to contact the POE and get this straightened out. If there's no papers inside, should I assume that the medical papers were put into the brown envelope at some point and everything's okay? I should mention that the original x-ray bag was opened at the interview and taken away, and given back to me re-sealed and stapled. So maybe the guy saw the medical forms in the brown envelope and that was all he needed - in which case why would I have been given the x-ray bag to begin with and told to bring it?

It seems those are the two most likely scenarios. I really hope this is just a case of needing my vaccination form updated, because I really can't afford a new medical all over again.

What files would be needed in a worst case scenario? I've got a duplicate of my I-129F package, and my vaccination records of the TD and MMR injections. What else would I need?

This whole thing's exhausting. So many times in this process I've been unnerved into letting people who should know better do the wrong thing and just hoped they knew what they were doing. I wish I had the resolve to make a scene and say "No, that's wrong, I want you to do it like this", but anxiety gets the better of me. I was just so scared of there being some problem at POE that I just wanted to get out of there as soon as I could.

edit: I just put the x-ray bag up against a flourescent light and there's definitely only x-rays in there, and coming to think of it, it does feel a lot flatter than I remember it was when I picked it up from the medical place.

I'm about to start AOS but I've got a few issues:

I had all my vaccinations done privately in advance (MMR, Td) on the VJ guide's advice that you can have the medical reflect that, but when I arrived at the medical place in Madrid they wouldn't listen to me about my vaccination records - I'd brought them and asked if they could put it down on the form, and the woman kept telling me that it doesn't matter because vaccinations aren't required for a K-1. I told her I understood that, but needed it put down for AOS, and she told me to just send in the vaccination records with the AOS forms. I argued with her for about 15 minutes, and I was anxious so I eventually gave up because she insisted that it was okay to send the records alone with the forms. I still have the vaccination records on hand, but now that I'm here I'm assuming I can't do that, so what are my options? Do I have to go find a civil surgeon and spend even more money to have the shots done all over again? I have no idea what to do.

The second issue is at the airport, the immigration officer gave me my medical package back and said they didn't need it anymore. I asked if he was sure, and he was positive so I took it, but I still haven't opened it just in case it was a mistake and I have to give it back. Should I open it, and would the records from the medical be in there? Would they help at all in this situation if they were?

Thanks to anyone who can help.

THE VISA CAME!!!

Can't describe how relieved we are, this means we can book flights for Monday and I can be there for Christmas! Thank you so much for your help and support, if I hadn't known we could call MRW I wouldn't have been able to know anything. I called at 4pm and they said it was out for delivery, and after worrying some more it finally came at 6.

The whole time I was pessimistic thinking "there's no chance it can come Friday, everything's taken longer than I thought", etc etc, but this goes to show, never give up! It's never as bad as you think.

My thoughts are with you and Eddy, I'm certain your visa will come soon too and you'll be with eachother before you know it. You're only a week behind me, so maybe a week from now you'll be saying the exact same thing

Thanks for the fast reply! We will wait this out together

Don't worry about the paper, it wasn't a paper saying we were approved, I think it was just a paper that had the phone # to MRW. Do you have that?

I am also glad we did not book the flight right after the interview. It's just soooooooo frustrating because you think... ok the interview, this is it, we will be together soon!! And then each day we have to wait when we thought we were almost there.. feels like it's taking FOREVER!!! I really hope (and do believe) that we will be able to spend Christmas with our fiances. Hay que tener fe y esperanza! The flights are just going to be a lot more expensive

Unless the number on the paper's different from the one on their website (902 300 400), no...So do you just call and ask if they've gotten your package yet? What information do you need to give them? And do you have to call them to schedule the delivery or is that done by the embassy? I wish I was told this by the consular officer

Starting tomorrow I'm going to start calling every business day. Hopefully this is all because of the puente and we both receive our visas next week.

Ahhhh we are still waiting for my fiance's passport too!!!!! And also feeling really nervous. I came on here today to see if anyone else was in the same situation. I feel like this is almost the worst part because we are soo close to the "end" but have no idea when it will come! I am trying to stay optimistic, they always say the darkest part of the tunnel is right before you see the light. I'm just nervous because I have seen all these horror stories on here about consulates losing visas, putting it into AP after being approved, taking a month to mail it back, etc.

My fiance had his interview on the 27th and they gave him a paper with the information for MRW to call for express shipping. Supposedly once the consulate gives the passport to MRW, they can then ship it express (to be paid by fiance at pickup). He has been calling MRW every day and they said the consulate has not given them the passport yet and it's been over a week (but the consulate told him at the interview that it would take 5-10 days to mail out). Do you have the # for MRW? If not I can get it for you. I want to email the consulate about ours but I don't want to be annoying, I am sure they have a lot going on with the holiday season right around the corner. Plus it's a "puente" this week, right?! That means no mail

We just feel disappointed I guess bc a lot of people on here said that it only took a week to have the passport in their hands and we were planning to buy a flight for the following day when he gets his passport. Estamos desesperados ya!! This is a good lesson to never expect anything or you will be disappointed After all of these months waiting, we can wait another few weeks... right??

It's relieving to know that someone else is in the same situation - what confuses me is that they didn't give me any papers at all. They took my passport, and the woman asked me where I'd like it sent to. I asked if it was possible to send it to a different address, and she gave me a post-it note to write the new address on and give back to her. I asked how it'd be mailed, and she said it'd be mailed with MRW couriers, but didn't say anything about a paper, even when I asked about tracking - she said to call or email. (edit: What was on the MRW paper they gave him? I assumed without tracking information or anything it'd be pointless calling them)

Even though they took my passport and said I was approved I wasn't given any paper at all from them, which kind of worries me even though the DoS say the visa's been issued :S

We were planning the exact same as you, we thought from all the reviews that the visa being mailed would be easy and assumed we'd be able to book flights on the 1st or 7th at the latest. Really glad we didn't book them ahead, in a way. I can definitely relate to how you feel about the last part being the worst. The not knowing and sparse contact from the embassy just has us both totally demoralised and dejected at the possibility of not being able to spend christmas together because of this.

On November 21st I had my successful interview at the Embassy in Madrid, where I was approved with no trouble at all and the consular officer said it should arrive in one to two weeks. I returned home elated, but by the next week was beginning to get anxious again after hearing about people receiving their visas in about 3 days.

My fiancee called the DoS last Friday, where she was told the status was "Visa issued". The operator said this meant that it "should" be in the mail and that the embassy's "done" with it.

It's now Tuesday and we're beginning to panic, especially as we just received an email from the Embassy. I had been sending emails frantically trying to get updated on progress or any problems (calling was completely useless, they just say they're general visa information) and all were ignored until today, where they responded to the first one (sent last Wednesday) with the following:

Dear [name]:

The Consular Officer has your case and we will send your passport with the visa to your address in [hometown] this week or at the beginning of next.

Regards.

IV Unit Madrid.

To us that suggests that they still aren't "done" with it and it's not in the mail yet, which completely floods us with fear - flights are getting expensive and if it takes much longer we're going to have to wait until January before I can come. I really wanted to have Christmas and New Years with my fiancee, and don't know why we're taking so long. I planned to be able to be there by the 7th at the latest, and of course that's completely blown out of the window because of this. We've already leased a place at the start of this month in anticipation for me coming some time this month, which is a months worth of rent we really could have used.

This whole process has been an emotional rollercoaster and I just hate that there's absolutely no way of tracking this final step. I was hoping we'd be able to celebrate and that the visa coming would be issue at all, but it's boggling to think that they can't/won't give you any tracking or information about it given that they've got your passport.

I'm really just confused as to what could be going on, and why it's taking so long. If the embassy still has my passport, I feel like the chances of receiving the visa by the end of the week are close to nil, and by extension having to wait until next year to be with my fiancee. I guess it's not such a bad place to be compared to some people here, but it's still somewhat depressing.

I'm unfamiliar with embassy processes and don't know if Madrid's any different - the DoS says "visa issued", so surely that means the Embassy is done looking at it, so why would the Embassy still be saying that? Should we be panicking?