Megan & Luke

since it's a SAVE accessing problem (and the K-1 visa holder is male)

I strongly suggest you go back each day until access to SAVE has been restored at the SSA office,

as

instant access to SAVE equals 'next day SSN assignment'.

ie - if the SAVE database is up on one of the days that you go in, you go back the next day and get the number (not the card) or learn of more problems.

Yes, get the shift supervisor involved, they know more and have god access into the computer system there and can rescind yer prior ss-5 application.

this is the kiss of death for any female K-1 visa holder,

as

it automatically triggers DHS verification,

since there is no federally issued document in the new married name that proves up 'who is who' in the SAVE database. None.

I do hope you noted this particular K-1 visa holder is a male of the species...

Yes, he is male. He will not be changing his name I did read other posts stating that we should go back each day (may even have been your comments on those posts). I am assuming when we do this we request the original application to be reviewed again, and are not filing a new request each time?

Our assumption was that if SAVE was up it would be an almost immediate process - we could get his number and the SSN card would be mailed to us. I'll have to try this out.

Thanks!

... to previous poster (sorry I didn't note your name) yes, the K-1 expired when he entered the country and we have a copy of the I-94. I guess I meant that his right to get an SSN number under the K-1 does not expire until we get married. Perhaps that is incorrect as well, but from what I have read about the process he could apply after EAD or prior to getting married. That's most likely incorrect though. Either way I just want to ensure he isn't stuck waiting if this isn't processed timely.

Hi everyone!

I wanted to get an opinion on our situation, preferably from someone who has dealt with this scenario, but all are welcome. I searched the current and past SSN threads but none really fit the bill. I could have missed something though!

Luke arrived from England on a K-1 visa on May 3. We waited 2 weeks to apply for his SSN. Surprisingly we had no issues at the Social Security office - we didn't need to present the requirement page showing he is eligible for an SSN. It was a pretty smooth process - until they couldn't get his status to verify in SAVE. Apparently the database was down. Our office told us it happens pretty frequently.

Now, instead of telling us to just come back a different day, they started the manual process of verifying his status. They made copies, filled out a form, etc. and told him it could take up to 6 weeks to receive a response. Absurd - they should have told us to come back another day. I wish I had known if we could ahead of time. It's now almost 4 weeks later and we haven't heard a word.

At the 3 week mark, this past Monday, Luke dialed the 1-800 number for the SSA. The guy on the phone told him that it was still pending and to try again in another 2 weeks. Luke then asked what happens if they still don't have it verified by then? The guy had no idea what to tell him. He said normally DHS are quick and getting an SSN is two weeks or less. He said they are backlogged (coming from the TSC for our I-129F it doesn't surprise me one bit that a government body is backlogged.) This guy honestly said he didn't know what the next step was. Now whether that's a load of bull or he honestly had no idea, I am not sure.

Frustrating to say the least. It's difficult for him to adjust and settle in Pennsylvania because we have strict laws on getting even a photo I.D. card from the DMV. He needs two proof of address and they won't even allow him a photo I.D. unless he can prove he is eligible to be in this country 1+ years. We've also heard other recent K-1's who have said they've been told they have to wait until their conditional green card! At this point he has no SSN, can't get a photo I.D., can't even think about a license (he does not have one from England, he lived in an area which didn't have a real need for driving)

Our one positive is that my bank allowed us to open a joint account, so at least he feels like he is on an even keel money wise.

Here is my issue: Outside of not knowing what to do if this SSN takes longer than 6 weeks, we are getting married July 10. Since his K-1 status officially ends the day we get married, what happens to his application for SSN or his ability to apply again? Will he need to wait until he receives his EAD (another 3-6 month wait)? Does he need his conditional green card? Or does his original application still hold true?

Thanks!

Megan

My fiance and I went to the Social Security office to get his SSN 2 weeks after he arrived on a K-1. This was suggested because if we went too soon they may not have his information in the system.

That was 3 weeks ago and we're still waiting. When we arrived they said the DHS system was down and they had to manually verify his visa status. Well, apparently we're still waiting. At this rate we'll be married and filing AOS by the time he gets his SSN. My fiance called them this past Monday and the gentleman on the phone told him that it usually is very quick, DHS seems to be backed up right now (surprise.). He said to wait another two weeks and to call back after that. When my fiance asked what we should do if he still didn't receive it within those two weeks and the guy on the phone had no idea. He said it normally doesn't happen that way and didn't even know what to do if it took that long!

Since he can visit after time has passed on the VWP, he can always come back for a July visit. I would suggest preparing a bit however, because there's no point wasting a lot of money on a flight and time off from work to be turned away.

I petitioned my fiance to come to the US, however, when I visited my fiance in England while our I-129F was pending approval, I took with me a letter from my employer stating that they expected me back to work on XX/XX/XX date and that I was currently employed there. I also brought along bills with due dates. Even though there was NO reason for them to deny me entry, there was a pending government request, so we took precautions.

I would suggest the same for your fiance. If it is not too much trouble, have his employer draft a similar letter and sign it. This shows he is expected to return home. Have him bring a few things that show ties to his country that he MUST return for - rent bills, letter from employer, gatherings he is supposed to attend, etc...

That way, if he IS questioned, he can show proof he is returning home.

Good luck

We use skype everyday after work. It might sound silly, but we let the call go through the night and fall asleep together. We send pictures and always communicate by text messages. We've been together for 3 years now and still a strong couple.

What I also did is I borrowed one of his hoodie. (I am the woman and he was nice enough to leave one to me ^.^)

There is some little details that can help, but I think Skype, viber and all the applications that let you have a video conversations are a great thing.

One of you can also visit, but it can be a costly solution.

And just tell yourself yes the wait is long, but in the end it's worth it .

This is exactly what my fiance and I did. We had an 8 year long distance relationship.. it was rough, but now that he's arrived in the states last week, it's worth it.

We talked each day on my break at work (5 hour time difference, he's ahead) for 30 minutes. Then when I got home, I would call him. We talked for an hour, then he went to bed. We let the call go through the night (thank god for Skype and unlimited internet) and I woke him for work in the morning before I went to bed. We texted a lot, sent pictures, and spent almost the entire weekend every weekend on Skype. It really helped. He also let me keep one of his hoodies safe for him until he arrived.

It really helps to keep as in touch as possible. It was the UK and USA so our data connections were much more stable than the OP, but as much 'face time' as you can get to do, do it.

Hi, your case was not transferred. It was simply routed to the proper servicing center, which is the correct procedure.

EVERYONE sends their K-1 petition to a lockbox in Texas. This is not the same as the Texas Service Center. Once it's been received (accepted and routed) as yours has, it is assigned to the proper servicing center based on petitioner's state of residency. Your petition was routed to the California Service Center. You would have received a specific update and letter stating 'transferred' if it was transferred from it's original servicing center.

This is part of the normal process. The email confirmation (letter will come in the mail shortly) is called your NOA1 - Notice of Approval #1. This means USCIS accepted your petition and assigned it to a service center. Now you wait for an actual petition approval (NOA2). For California it typically takes less than 90 days. For Texas it's 8-9 months.

Well, Luke's POE is in 4 days. He's coming through JFK and I think he's been reading way too many reviews on the process of going through security there. I've arrived from international flights through Philadelphia before and they even gave me a hard time, so we went with JFK. Not to mention the flight times and layovers were a bit easier.

I'll check in with you all here and there, but seeing as we're past the interview stage we don't really fit the bill for this thread any longer

Good luck to everyone with an upcoming interview and/or medical!!

That's just disgusting. It's even MORE frustrating that a specific request for information hasn't been assigned out. They must be behind in literally everything they do at TSC.

My fiance and I received our NOA2 at the end of January after almost 7 months. We had opened a case inquiry about the wording of the NOA2 which... to this day has not been assigned. We opened that around February 3. It's almost 3 months later. They must be doing absolutely nothing over there.

Good luck - I won't say hang in there because it induces eye rolling and resentment. You're so far into this process and it's incredibly frustrating but hopefully you're over halfway if not almost all the way done!

Wow, looks like TSC is in even worse shape than when my fiance and I got out of that black hole back at the end of January. Surprising really, it seemed like they couldn't get any worse.

In response to a previous poster's comment about the amount of petitions received by USCIS per year... If every service center who handled the I-129F petition were in the same boat delay wise, we could have a discussion. However, they aren't. Not even close, not by a mile or even ten miles. CSC is still ahead of the game - approving petitions within 15-30 days, TSC is at 8 to 9 months. Explain to me how that wide of a gap in processing times equates to the amount of petitions received per year? Sure, the routing of petitions is based on the petitioner's state, but seriously. For a gap of 7 or 8 months that sounds more like 1 state goes to CSC, everyone else goes to TSC..

No idea what TSC is doing but they never seem to learn their lesson from prior issues. This excruciatingly long wait that almost all of the TSC K-1 filers are feeling hasn't changed much for almost two years. That's absurd. If I did my job as badly as whoever runs that center seems to I would have been fired a long time ago.

Congrats!

Congrats!

Hi, i need advice.

My bf and I are almost 2 years together now. He came here last feb to see me. We were sweet and good and romantic with each other. He came back to US and now, although we talk almost everyday and he calls me, its hard to reach him. Before his computer crashed so we can only talk by phone. Now he got a new smart phone and STILL its hard to reach him. He became so busy at work and when we skype, he seems uninterested with what I tell him. He seems uninterested talking about filing the visa when this has been his words, "our dream". He said he is too busy and tired from work to talk about it now. He calls me before I go to work almost everyday but it will only last few minutes unlike before where we spend hours talking. But it is ALWAYS him who calls me. Its always hard to reach his mobile. It is really confusing for me because he sends me financial help every month. He calls me all the time and tell me how much he loves me. But whenever we skype, its like his mind is somewhere else. He is no longer interested about what happens to my day and all the time talks about how tiring his job is. Everytime I mention the visa he seems like struggling to discuss it with me. Before I can always call him anytime of the day, anywhere. Now, its like this - he has FULL control of of when and how long we can talk, by mobile or skype. I don't know what to do. He seems no longer interested but then, why would he still support me financially? I'm really confused. I tried talking to him about this and he swears up and down that there is no one else and that he is just tired from work. I'm not sure myself now if we have to pursue the visa. I don't want to be with somebody not interested in me. I need advice. Long distance is hard enough and to go through this is on top of that... Should I break up with him or not? Need advice people. What would you do in this situation?

Well, I am going to be a bit stereotypical and general here. This doesn't apply to all men, but they deal with stress much differently than women do. I am assuming you are female? Correct me if I'm wrong.

A lot of men deal with stress by shutting down and being quiet, doing things on their own or sometimes with a few buddies. They need time to sort things through and can seem zoned out. It's even harder in a long distance relationship because you both already seem "zoned out" because of the distance. In the 8 year LDR with my fiance we've had those moments, especially when we both had more demanding jobs and responsibility piled onto us from all avenues. I can't tell you what the reasoning is for your boyfriends disinterest right now. It doesn't always signal something bad.

Since you have already spoken with him about it, now this part is up to you. You have some options here - Listen to your gut first. If it's telling you something is amiss, don't file the visa until you two are able to sit down and have a straight heart to heart. Tell him that you feel he is being evasive, seems disinterested in you and the relationship and this visa process, and ask him to clarify what he would like our of your relationship; ask him where he sees it going. Don't be confrontational, just be open with him about how you're feeling. The next step is all on you - do you trust this man? If you fully trust him and your gut isn't telling you something is wrong, then give him some space. Be supportive. The last thing a stressed man needs is to be "hounded" (that's what my fiance calls it when I get very overbearing) because you just end up in the same pile of burdens as everything else causing him stress. You need to know when to step back. I know that is very hard in an LDR because you're missing a very crucial piece - body language.

When you two Skype, is it always on his own time? It's a bit odd that if it's on his own time he can't seem interested. However, if these calls are more about your schedule I understand it. I call my fiance every day on my 4:00pm break. it's 9:00pm his time by then, and some days we don't say much. He's had a long day, I had a long day, or we can snap at each other because of stress - especially as we move closer to his POE date next Sunday. Just take it in stride and don't take it personally - especially if you can't sense that anything is amiss with him.

I know it is difficult to have a conversation with him and not make it all about you - I do this too often, even today. He reminds me of it when I am doing it and we try to take a few steps back. LDR is hard.. you aren't involved in every day life and don't see the forces around both of you circling. If you are willing to marry him you need to trust him - if he tells you that he is busy with work and tired from that stress then he is most likely telling you the truth. However, he needs to understand that the way he is projecting this makes you feel uneasy and unsure of the relationship. Voice this concern to him in that way, explain that maybe you two need to have some kind of boundaries - at least one set time each day you can fully devote attention to each other, etc..

Good luck!

Megan

Hey all,

So I'm going to contact the NVC tomorrow to get my case information. Right now, I am preparing the information that needs to be sent to the beneficiary, who is located in Paris, France.

The paris embassy information on VJ has this listed under the information for Packet 3 in relation to the i-134 affadavit of support:

"*** Not mentioned anymore but good to have to support your case:

- I-134 Affidavit of support + related documents (letter from sponsor's employer, bank, sponsor's tax returns, ...)

- Original letter of intent to marry from the petitioner"

Does this mean that I don't have to get this information for my fiance? I'm trying to follow the VJ checklist, and this is most-definitely on there, but I wasn't sure if the forms I'm supposed to send vary from embassy to embassy.

Thank you!

Well, I am not seeing a requirement for the I-134 on the official United States Embassy Paris website either. However - here is something to think about.

If your fiance is questioned about your ability to support them and needs financials, this could hold up the visa issuance. Since you are already sending a packet of information to your fiance you would probably be safe to fill out the I-134 and include some form of financials (if you work a regular job - paystubs, letter from employer are good; self-employed you will need to review the forums for specifics; tax returns are also good but paystubs and letters work best. You do NOT require bank statements or a letter from the bank - this is typically for odd job/self employed). If your fiance is given a soft "denial" at the interview pending more information you will have to ship it over then wait longer for the visa. It's up to you. Personally I would send it to be safe.

I assume you included a letter of intent with your I-129F packet.. so this is up to you. Either send your fiance an original, or send an updated once stating your continued intent to marry, or both.

I loaded my fiance up with photos, documents, financials, anything under the sun. They didn't care about any of it except my financials and this was the London embassy. We read about a dozen reviews of the London embassy and knew this going in, but also didn't want to be that one case that they wanted more.. so we prepared him to prove it. Unless you're willing to wait if your fiance gets a denial I would send anything you think will help it along.

After having read some of the discussions on here, I am getting the idea that the medical exam needs to be done within a certain time, i.e. close to the interview date. Is that true? What is the time frame? Or can my fiance do it now even though we have only recently received NOA1?

The Peruvian Embassy website doesn't say anything about this.

Thank you!

This really depends on your embassy. You'll need to visit the forums for your fiance's embassy and read a guide through the process there.

IE. Ireland (if i remember correctly) allows the medical to be booked and completed ahead of time. London however requires you to bring proof your case has reached the embassy and asks for an NVC number.

The medical is good for one year from the time it was completed, however your challenge starts with being able to book it at all. I am not familiar enough with the Peruvian embassy.

Well everyone, our big envelope arrived with Luke's passport in it. It's delivered by hand in the UK which you have to sign for. Don't worry if you get it scheduled on a day you can't be there, the delivery company has a very easy way to reschedule the delivery date.

You'll get a package with three things in it:

- Your passport, with the Visa on one of the pages. I'd send a picture but I'm not sure what information I'm allowed to show.

- A leaflet explaining the K1 Visa and that you must adjust after 90 days once you're married.

- A large envelope which a picture is attached for you. It states to not pack it and must be hand carried. You must also not open it.

That's it for us now, the flight is on the 3rd May so less than two weeks now!

My fiance and I met on an MMORPG game 8 years ago. He is from England - we only met twice in the last 8 years and it was all in the last year or so, mainly because of finances and family situations. We had no issues at the interview and didn't receive an RFE for anything during our 9 months of processing time - at TSC or Embassy. Granted everyone's situation is different and the beneficiary's country matters a lot in the process of determination/questions/level of scrutiny/etc. but a lot of people are in the same situation.

You have met your fiance many more times than we did. Meeting online is only a red flag really under IMBRA which you can read up on, but this situation doesn't seem to fall under that act. That's for international marriage broker sites - meeting through a website for the purpose of getting married. They are under a lot more scrutiny than other methods of meeting online.

Not true - there is no requirement to file for AOS within the 90 days post-entry. The only requirement is that you marry within the 90 days. You can file AOS whenever you want. You do not need to file for a spousal visa if you file after the 90 days is up.

However the sooner you file, the sooner you can get your EAD and eventually green card, and it will make life easier in general. Once the 90-day I-94 expires you will start to accumulate overstay, but this is forgiven for a spouse of a US citizen so generally this is not a problem. Once you file I-485 for AOS you will be in a new period of authorized stay.

If you happen to marry after the 90 day window, that is when you would need to file form I-130 together with form I-485.

Not sure why my last post errored out.. I'm not able to edit it either. Stupid iPhone posting.

I am adding an addendum to my original post because I can't edit that either and I misread the OP's original question.

If you marry after 90 days of POE you file I-130 and I-485 - Petition for Alien Relative and your AOS papers together since you didn't marry on a K-1.

If you marry within 90 days of POE you can file I-485 at any point. There is no stated USCIS requirement to file AOS within those 90 days, but their intention is for your spouse to file as soon as your visa requirements are fulfilled.

I understand some people have monetary reasons behind not being able to file AOS within the 90 days - it's pretty pricey at $1,070. I would suggest you marry within the 90 days however as you'll incur a much larger cost if you don't when you have to file both together.

Not true - there is no requirement to file for AOS within the 90 days post-entry. The only requirement is that you marry within the 90 days. You can file AOS whenever you want. You do not need to file for a spousal visa if you file after the 90 days is up.

However the sooner you file, the sooner you can get your EAD and eventually green card, and it will make life easier in general. Once the 90-day I-94 expires you will start to accumulate overstay, but this is forgiven for a spouse of a US citizen so generally this is not a problem. Once you file I-485 for AOS you will be in a new period of authorized stay.

If you happen to marry after the 90 day window, that is when you would need to file form I-130 together with form I-485.

Hi Guys was confused on something and was needing some clarifications on it..

What is the valid time in which to apply for a green card after marriage?

Does it have to be within 90 days of entry in the US or Does it have to be within the visa expiration date?

Please and thank you or your reply.

Once the beneficiary enters the USA, a new clock of 90 days begins. The AOS should be filed at some point during these 90 days. The visa expiration date no longer matters - that date is only there to give an expiration on the time the beneficiary must travel to the USA. Others have adjusted status after the 90 days ends, however that begins a new topic. You'd have to file a spousal visa request and AOS together at that point.

Long story short - 90 days from the day of Point of Entry is the time frame to file AOS.

I want to throw out a HUGE thank you to everyone who have been with us through this process. It's been a long, arduous journey but it really is true when they say that once that NOA2 comes it's a blur. You actually begin to forget the long wait. For those of you almost done with the process, it's ALMOST OVER!!! For those stuck at TSC, keep your chin up. Many of us have done the same thing you are going through and survived. Just keep looking forward to the next piece, the next bout of paperwork, the next step. Your preparedness will make the time after NOA2 speed by even faster.

I am happy to report that my fiance had his interview at the London embassy this morning and was APPROVED! His POE date is expected to be May 3. Now we just await visa in hand and for me to add the finishing touches to our new apartment

I'm grateful to all of you who offered words of encouragement and wallowed with me in misery during these last 9 months. I wish you all good luck on your own journeys! Luke and I will be hanging around the forums but haven't been too active because honestly, since NOA2 in January it's been a blur of getting things sorted. We will see many of you on the AOS forums soon

- Megan

There seem to have been some technical errors on their system over the past week or two. Don't worry - as long as you are approved, you are good.

Hi, welcome!!

All the best for your fiance's interview today. Let us know how it goes. I'm leaving work at lunch time to travel to London for our medical tomorrow, but will try check in on here if, as and when I can

You must be nervous and relieved at the same time. Your case was one of the 'forgotten' ones like ours. What a relief to see movement at last. It's really encouraging to see that you guys are almost at the end of this section of the immigration process.

Happy to report my fiance passed his interview this morning at London! We are so excited that this piece is over and now we can go full steam ahead to May 3 when he will arrive. We are booking his flight soon. We thought to wait until we had visa in hand, and maybe we still will, but if we wait much longer flight costs are going to be outrageous the closer we get.

Good luck on the medical!! Our cases were definitely forgotten but I'm happy that they moved much faster after the NOA1. Petition seemed to breeze through NVC which was a relief.

We expected them to just ask for proof of income though we prepared for more. London is typically an easier embassy to go through. The officer actually asked Luke to see his phone and show him the last calls we had, which were obviously very recent. I'd also sent him 200 pages of text messages, WhatsApp, Skype logs, etc.. over the past year. The officer asked about my family, about our history and how he proposed. I'm sure some of it was general banter, but also to get information. My fiance is on his train back home now so I will have more details later.

I would have posted sooner but didn't see this thread! Technically we are at the end of that in-between stage.. My fiance's interview is today at the London embassy, our NOA2 date was 1/23/15.

If all goes well his POE is May 3 and our wedding is July 10.

Here's to hoping for good news!

Well, USCIS isn't really part of the picture after it leaves the service center, so there shouldn't be an update after the one I posted. Granted, this is K-1 I am speaking of and may be different for others. Once it leaves USCIS it's tracked with the CEAC tracker.. I don't think there's anything in the middle of that to determine where the petition is in transit.

The comment I replied to mentioned they hadn't seen an example after approval. I may be taking that literally, but the only "approval" is NOA2 and Visa interview approval.. if they were looking for a different example I didn't see that request anywhere. I may have misread it though as I said.

The month time frame is pretty typical. Not all K-1's have a case number assigned as fast as we did. Many people wait 5-8 weeks on a K-1 to have it arrive and be assigned at the NVC.

I've read of a handful members who posted seeing a change on the uscis page after approval. I'm yet to see an example.

However, the NOA2 hard copy says your case has been forwarded to nvc.

This is what it looks like on the page. Not sure if it differs visa type to visa type, we are a K-1.

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/g-325a.pdf

i'm trying to file a k-1 this week and it says it expires 02/28/2015 (top right corner)

am i missing something or is the government actually slacking?

On the page for the G325-A: http://www.uscis.gov/g-325ait says the following:

Edition Date

02/07/13. A new edition of this form is coming soon. In the meantime, customers may file using the 02/07/13 edition or other previous editions.

My guess is this would fall under the same category. Typically USCIS accepts even previous editions of the form. As long as you are downloading it from their site, you are fine.

The page also seems to have a last reviewed date of 3/9/15, so USCIS probably knows they still don't have an updated form. Normally the forms aren't out on time anyways. They seem to use the "expiration" dates as review dates - which means once the date hits then they start to review it. I know for my portion of government that I work for this is the case and it seems pretty standard across other areas too.