TRUSTNOONE

Ok, I'm not a February filer but just on the cusp (Jan. 30th) and we just got approved.

The approval email went into my promotions box in gmail...

I am in shock right now. I just got my NOA2 approval. It wont be long now for the rest of you.

Congrats!

They received mine on January 30th but seem to have skipped over a lot of us from that day. Maybe, I'm at the bottom of their box?

Ugh... still no NOA2 And today ImmiFairy is showing more January approvals than February approvals. Need to get some positive vibes quick

I'm January 30th. I can tell you that I have entered 1000 receipt numbers before mine and all the k1s in that thousand went through to dept of state except for a few rfes. They seems stuck right at me, lol...but maybe that is good news for February since I am the 30th!

We haven't even got our NOA1 yet and I'm already having second thoughts as to whether K1 was the right choice. Going by the timelines, wouldn't it have been better to get married and file for the spousal visa? We did K1 cause we thought it would get us together faster, but I'm beginning to doubt that, judging by the ridiculous wait times at TSC. At least if we had done the spousal visa, I'd have been able to work immediately and leave the country without waiting for the authorization to be issued.

Since we already sent them our packet (and our money), it's probably useless to wonder about these things now...

Well, when we filed things were going better than now, it's always a gamble I suppose.

Edit: I'm not technically a Feb filer (Jan 30).

I've been watching mine update sporadically for a month now. lol

I posted yesterday about how I actually entered one thousand receipt numbers directly before mine into the USCIS page to check case status. All k1s within those one thousand have all gone through to dept of state...well, except for a few RFEs. It's as if they just finished a box and mine is in the next one...or they just took a break when they got to my file. The thing is, they are also still working on applications from last fall still too so...

I also use immifairy to see what's getting done on a daily basis. It's personal preference but I find Igor's list a little hard on the eyes and a bit difficult to figure out, plus, there really isn't THAT much data entered...or accurately entered and updated quickly.

After NOA2 and as soon as it's gone through NVC it's all up to you guys how long it will take. For me it took 1 month and 3 days from NOA2 to approved visa. I had all the paperwork done (thanks to info here on VJ) before even receiving the checklist from the embassy. I might have been able to do it sooner if it wasn't for the fact that I was in the states until April 21st. Had my medical April 27. Interview May 5th.

So like I said, it's up to you guys how long it should take after NOA2 basically and of course depends on available interview dates.

It depends more on the country I believe.

Well we decided not to risk it and here we are still waiting...

Hello everyone!

I'm finally done with my K1 journey (for now) and in the process of packing up. I just learned (and I was really surprised) that contact lens and birth control pills can't be sold without prescription in the US. This became a concern since I just bought 6 pairs of contact lens and pills for the next 6 months so I won't have to worry early on about stuff like these when I arrive in the US.

In the Philippines, birth control pills are sold over the counter and so are contact lenses so I do not have a prescription for these items (although I have checked with my doctors before I started using them and doctors are not mandated to hand over the prescription to you). I'm worried that these will be confiscated once I arrive in LAX? How do I go about it?

Please advise! Thank you!

I've brought back birth control from Morocco before and never had a problem. It's something you would travel with anyway. Even though we need prescriptions it's not a controlled substance per se.

yes, after mine took so long at NVC I checked numbers before and after mine

no idea who they belonged to or what country

just wanted to know if other cases were moving or delayed

mine was about the same as around me

Just curious, where from in Morocco? I used to live outside Agadir.

I too belong to immifairy and have checked out some numbers after mine as well. It feels good to know I'm not alone but this is misery...

Hi all,

I was just curious if anyone ever types in the receipt numbers before their own to see how things are going. I have typed in...ummm I cannot believe I am admitting this but 1000 receipt numbers before my own and all k1s in those one thousand (from what I can tell) have gotten either RFEs or have been sent to the US Department of State except for a few (maybe 2 or 3) that have recently gotten a document (NOA2?). It;s been about a week like this. It sucks wondering if mine is going to be next or if they are actually working on it now but there was a hit because of a similar name etc...

I second milimelo's advice. We used our congressman to expedite our EAD and it was amazing. He would keep calling USCIS, USCIS would *always* respond that they can't change anything in their process and I am in line just like everyone else, and then magically things would get updated 1 hour later. This happened over and over! So either the congressman helped or we just had a lot of coincidences.

(Also funny reply to your post using the word "partner"! Of course partner is spouse! Ah America.)

I couldn't even get my congressman to help check if USCIS had the wrong address in their computer system. They did, it was a typo on their end. Took forever for me to finally get through to somebody who let me know. Everyone else just repeated after me saying that was what was in the system. I know who I WON'T be voting for...

I thought I'd add that I think it's not just an issue of 1% of USCIS fund coming from our taxes (of course when you are talking about billions of dollars 1% isn't quite as tiny as you would think). I think it's also the idea of somebody who when they come here won't even be really spending time with their spouse much (due to circumstances) and that persons paperwork getting put ahead of others who are trying to come and will be REALLY spending time with the petitioners. I realize it's the petitioner in this case that isn't a law abiding citizen but it irks me to see a non law abiding citizen gets the same rights as me in this case. Particularly while they are IN PRISON. It would be another story if they were already out.

I do understand that you want it fast and of course to get approved. Also, everyone here understands how difficult to be apart from their love.

But this is how I see the situation realistically:

You want it fast? Yes maybe go for k1 but... co-sponsor we don't know if they will allow... Which could make it longer...

You need a co sponsor? Go for Spousal visa they accept co-sponsor but... It takes more time than K1

You want DCF? It's fast, accept co-sponsors but... needs more time to prove relationship(some couples show joint bank accounts, electric bills in their name... Etc)

Try to weigh things. Maybe some sacrifices need to be made. Whether it's time, distance...

It's just my opinion. I hope it all work out. God bless both of you.

Best advice yet! These are the choices. Be realistic and make a firm decision. After that don't worry too much about the what ifs or wish you filed something else. Finish one step and plan for the next one.

Enjoy your time together and best of luck.

Forget being judgmental, why in the world would a man in prison be allowed to bring someone here? He can't support himself, much less another person. And why would a person come here to marry a person in prison? Judgment or not, this defies reality....just sayin... As an American taxpayer, I think I have a right to comment on this one....

I completely agree with this! I think even prisoner's have rights but this is too much - actually bringing somebody from another country here for marriage when you are in PRISON? Come, get married then go back and keep in touch online or through snail mail or however. Come join him if he ever gets out... I know I sound harsh but this is incredulous. I wish we would reform the whole immigration system.

Thank you

I meant banns* and I really hope I posted this in the right place, I am terrible at picking the correct spot.

Hello everyone,

I am curious, for those of us marrying a French citizen, how do we go about getting the marriage recognized in France? I know a couple years back I read something about needing to have the publication de bans even though the marriage was to be held abroad. Is this still true? Is there a certain time period when this MUST be done? Are they lenient at all? Any help, info...a point in the right direction would be great.

Thanks in advance!

I only see two besides the flu shot, and the reason I came to VJ is because the information presented on the internet is conflicting....I will call the embassy myself.

Did you ever find out?

Yeah, I do have the engagement ring receipt, even frontloaded it into the I-129F

So I guess we won't make any mention of wedding bands and such

Probably better not to though it's kind of silly since a lot of interviewers seem to ask questions about wedding plans!!!

Do you have a receipt for an engagement ring?

Thats what my fiance told me too but it confuse me how american doctors say that is ok and serbian doctors say its not recomended at all, someone have to be wrong, i hope american researches are the right one.

Lots of countries have different ideas about what is ok or not. In America we tell pregnant women not to drink alcohol, in France they say it is okay during a certain portion of the pregnancy.

Obviously the health of your baby is very important however I would like to say (as have a couple relatives who work in radiology). There is always a slight risk but it is very slight and they do use a lead "vest" to help protect you. We should actually ALL REQUEST ONE whether we are pregnant or not and cover our reproductive organs when x-raying other body parts as a precaution (as I have family members who work in radiology I have been doing this my whole life as per their recommendation).

NHS (British) article on the matter

We are also exposed to radiation when we fly etc...

File K1. Get interview in a few months. If they don't ask for I-134 then your set, if they need co sponsor then offer one, if they want to see checks, then go home and get a job or two and show paychecks.

I doubt K1 will be rejected. Or you could just spend a few months in PHilippines, Hang out. Go back home, get a job and then file K1.

I'm just completely curious since I don't have this issue and all but you said "go home and get a job or two"....just how long would somebody need to be making an appropriate amount of money before the gov would consider that enough evidence of ability to support both parties? Don't they take the support issue kinda seriously? Plus, just sayin, this kid doesn't seem like he's wanting to wait too long nor willing to leave his girl behind to get things going stateside (understandable though it is).

Ohh, I get it. I read that incorrectly. I thought you already spent over 6 months here.

You could technically be married and living apart. It would be harder to prove as being a legitimate marriage but people do such things all the time. Before I give you ideas on proofs I'll let somebody with more experience on this particular topic answer. Sorry!

Hi Visa Journeyer's!

I'm in a bit of a strange position. I'm from Canada and came to the U.S. on a K-1 visa to join my fiance . I'm in the entertainment industry and she is also invovled in music marketing/distribution for her family's business here in New York. Our original plan was to stay in NY for a maximum 6 months to 1 year after are wedding and then to head out west to California to focus primarily on are own own careers. She now is straying from the orginal plans we had made, due to unxpected work obligations with her family. I love my fiance but I've put my career on pause far to long for not only just her but others was well. My question now is I'll be given a 2 year conditional GreenCard, can I still move out to California for business and commute back and forth between California and NewYork? I plan to stayed married to my fiance after we marry but my concern is when it's time to remove conditions what do I do? In regards to Joint assests, lease, utilities etc? Can I go and she joins me at a later date? I'm confused to what my options are at this point. Based on how things are going I sometimes just feel to go back to Toronto and forget even moving over here besides being with my fiance. I'm stressed as there were other things I want/wanted to accomplish while living here with my soon to be wife. Answers would be great thanks!

You came as a k1 and you still haven't married? You only have 90 days from entry to do that. Sorry, Im too confused to help!