KimchiLumpia

OP - many health insurance companies count marriage as a "qualifying event" and allow you enroll your spouse even in closed enrollment periods.

For Kaiser Permanente here in Washington State, a couple has 60 days after the wedding day to enroll the spouse onto a KP insurance plan during a closed enrollment period.  Other health insurance companies allowed enrollment only 30 days after the wedding. 

We went with Kaiser, and my wife now has full health insurance coverage, and we did not have to wait til the open enrollment of November 1st here in Washington State.  
 

OP, looks like you've got your questions answered.

If you have not already, make sure to visit the consulate reviews section here on VJ for the UK.  Members have posted their interview experiences, and have provided a lot of great information for what to expect during the K1 Visa interview for your country:
http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=United+Kingdom&cty=&dfilter=5

Good luck to you and yours!

You being a student should have no effect on your K1 Visa, as long as you have a family member that is willing to co-sponsor your fiance.  That family member must meet the financial/poverty guidelines as stated in the affidavit of support instructions.  

Also be aware, your foreign fiance's finances will have no effect (positive or negative) on the affidavit of support.  Even though your fiance is a doctor in Brazil, the USCIS will only take into consideration fiances of the US citizen sponsor and/or co-sponsors.

    

@snowcat @thisguyjerry  Ahhhh..thanks for the clarification guys.  I hope you guys get your interview confirmations soon!

During the K1 Visa process for Canada, once our status showed as "Ready" - we were able to schedule my fiance's interview without having the actual hard-copy paperwork instructions on scheduling her K1 Visa interview.  We had her interview scheduled, yet, received the hard-copy instructions in the mail 2 weeks later - and we had no issues.

Can scheduling the interview also be done during the AOS process without the actual hard-copy paperwork instructions in the mail if your status shows "Ready"?  Or, is one only able to schedule an interview with the hard-copy paperwork?  

1 hour ago, minemar said:

In my case didn't take long. I had my biometrics on the 12th this month. The case updated on the 20th. That's 8 days

Awesome...Thanks for the heads up!

Hey @minemar and @snowcat  - sorry to semi-hijack this thread.  But how long did it take to have your AOS case ready to be schedule for interview from the day you had your biometrics taken.  My wife's biometrics were taken yesterday, Sept 19th.  Thanks and good luck guys going forward! 

5 hours ago, shayden10 said:

 

Hey friends,

 

When I went to the DMV with an unexpired i94 (after about 25 days of being in the states because I had to wait to get my SSN), my SSN, and mail proving my address (with the intention of getting a DL valid until my i94 expired) they would not allow me to, even though I had all the documents on the document list, based on the wait time for a road test. Because my country wasn't a part of the reciprocity agreement I had to take the written and road test. The wait time was two months, so it didn't make sense to get my license to have it be valid for a few days. 

 

I waited until I got my EAD to go back with all of my information and try again, and walked out with a "learner's permit." I had been driving for years, the fact that I had a learner's permit made me laugh. I drove on my learner's permit and carried my unexpired Canadian license for two months before taking the road test, which went fine. 

 

The biggest hassle with getting a license is that it's only valid until my current status expires. (Currently it expires next April). With my conditional green card being approved I will have to go back sometime and renew it for the period my green card is valid for. The worst part is constantly having to go back to the DMV, and constantly having to pay to renew it! 

 

On top of that, my husband and I just moved, so we also have to go back to the DMV soon to update the addresses on our licenses and the titles of our vehicles. 

 

They sure know how to not make it easy! Haha

For those reading this moving to Washington State, according to the Washington State DMV website:

"If you have a valid out-of-state driver's license (or a valid driver's license from British Columbia, Germany, South Korea, or Taiwan), you don't need to pass any kind of driving test—just a vision screening."  http://www.dmv.org/wa-washington/apply-license.php

My Canadian wife from Vancouver BC had no issues when we got her drivers license here in Seattle.  We walked in, she took a vision test, they verified her paperwork, showed her BC drivers license, and received a Washington State drivers license in the mail with-in a few days.

How annoying how each state differs with drivers license reciprocity.

Hope all works out with the OP.
 

1 hour ago, Armywife1130 said:

What kind of questions did they ask your mom?

For others reading this, VJ has a consulate reviews section where members have written about their interview and POE experiences:
http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

To the OP, I had written a review on my fiance's interview experience in Montreal and was about to share with you...but looks like that is unnecessary as I read your fiance was approved.  Congratulations and good luck on your continued visa journey moving forward!

Through recommendations here on VJ, my Korean born fiance and I had all her Korean documents translate by rev.com: 
https://www.rev.com/translation/certified

We emailed her Korean documents to rev.com, and their return email turn-around time was less than 24 hours.

Some may find rev's services rather pricey at $33 per translated page.  

We didn't want the hassle of translating the documents ourselves and rev's prices weren't a bother for us.  Our certified translated documents were accepted without issue, and we are very happy with their service.  

To add, rev.com is a San Francisco based company.

17 hours ago, MAFER said:

Hi, did you send your marriage license or a marriage certificate?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Certified marriage certificate

Hey fellow August filers!  

I'm the US citizen and my wife the Canadian citizen.  

We mailed her AOS, EAD, AP on August 19th and just got our text/email NOA1s today, August 30th.

Good luck to everyone, and I look forward to reading everyone's experiences.  I wish everyone a smooth process!

 

Mailed our AOS, EAD, AP on August 19th, and just got our NOA1 text/emails for our AOS, EAD, AP on August 30th.   Our check was cashed on August 28th.  

If you want to know other VJ member's interview experience and the type of questions that were answered, make sure to visit the consulate reviews section here:
http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/
 

With the time-frames you presented for your fiance to have her birth certificate and police certificate, I would personally be comfortable submitting packet 3 now.

Good luck with everything.  And if you guys haven't already, make sure to read the Montreal interview reviews section.  My review is in there for April 19th:
http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Canada
 

Once she emails the packet 3 requested items, she will receive a return email with packet 4 instructions.  We waited only 12 hours for our packet 4 return email.

In packet 4, your fiance will be given instructions on how to schedule your interview and medical exam.  We were able to schedule our interview as soon as 3 weeks, and as far away as 6 weeks.

Hopefully this gives you a time-frame on submitting packet 3 and when your fiance will have her long form birth certificate and police certificate in-hand.

I'm not sure which city in Canada your fiance is from.  My fiance was able to get her police certificate same day, after about a 20 min wait.  She is from Vancouver BC and received her police certificate from the RMCP in Coquitlam.

  
 

On 6/19/2017 at 3:06 PM, Marzena & Stephen said:

Hello,

 

I am curious as to how long after you got your NOA2 in Canada was your interview at the Montreal embassy.

 

Any tips?

 

How long to book the medical prior to the interview?

where to stay?

How long to take off of work?
etc

 

Thank you

Marzena

Everything your asking about the Montreal consulate can be found here:
http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Canada&cty=Montreal

VJ members' Canadian Visa interview reviews can be found here:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Canada

55 minutes ago, Min & Mark said:

Hello, 

My interview date is July 24 Monday at 8am in Montreal and I live in Montreal. I'm planning to buy a flight ticket to go to USA with my husband that Friday. 

Will Monday-Friday be enough time to get my passport back? 

 

I saw a couple who had their interview in May got theirs in two days because they lived in Montreal. 

 

Has anyone done the interview recently and received the passport back in a week? 

 

I really appreciate your time in advance. 

Why risk it?  

I want to give you best wishes, however, there is no guarantee your Visa will be approved.   And once approved, it can take up to 2 weeks to receive.

Its pretty much agreed upon on VJ not to schedule definitive plans, weddings, or purchase airline tickets until the Visa is in-hand.  There are too many VJ posts from members that risked it regardless, and were left stressed out and disappointed.

Congrats! 

To add to what others have posted:

• Make sure to update your timeline
• Have patience....the immigration process is not fast, and no lawyer or extra amount of money will make it go faster
• Check, double check, date, and sign your forms....then double check again
• Make sure you are submitting the latest forms
• Make sure you are submitting payment for the latest fees
• Ask lots of questions
• Viewing VJ on a laptop shows more content vs. viewing on a cellphone
• When things get tough, remember that thousands of ppl have gone through this process and have gotten their K1 Visas.....you'll be fine!

"Trouble" refers to being denied entry.  

CBP officers request secondary inspections for many things...sometimes random.  This isn't considered "trouble" if they let you into the US after their inspection was complete.

You guys will be fine.  Just make sure to save those airlines ticket receipts, hotel reservation stays, take plenty of pictures together with distinguishable landmarks, and get those passport stamps.  Build that evidence of a bona fide relationship and of meeting with-in the past 2 years.  

14 hours ago, lifequestion101 said:

I just one more question. I've read that we should notarize the employer letter, even though its on a thick paper (aka stationary). Would you say its better to be safe than sorry? I wonder how necessary it is when the letter is from the boss.

I've read no where on this site or others stating that your employment verification letter from your employer should be notarized, as long as its on company letterhead.  

The CO in my fiance's interview didn't even look at the employment verification letter.  Only the tax transcripts showing my income was well above the poverty guidelines.  

Just by reading some of other VJ members' interview experience in Russia, looks like many had a very pleasant experience:
http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Russia
 

On 6/3/2017 at 11:46 AM, K1VISAT said:

We've got our I-129f and supporting documents all together and filled out so I'm just double checking what all requires signatures.

 

I know our passport style photos require our names lightly printed,

our intent to marry both require our signature, and that's all I can think of.

Was there anywhere else, or anywhere on the actual I-129f that needs a signature, as I'm seeing nothing, and would hate to get an RFE for a missing signature. 

 

Also while I'm here, what is the exact address I would be putting on the money order to send with the I-129f package?

 

Thanks so much!

Don't forget to sign and date the actual I-129f on page 10, 6a. and 6b.  

Also, there should be 2 separate written, signed, and dated intent to marry letters - one from the beneficiary and one from the petitioner.  I've read VJ members writing only one intent to marry letter and having both sign, thinking this was ok.  Unfortunately, they received an RFE.

 Here's info on how to make your payment: http://www.visajourney.com/content/paying-immigration-fees