Zumbadaddy

Yes now looking back I think I'd have been better off applying for the CR-1.  I wish i had read about this at the time..

. but maybe I thought the      -K-1's     were being approved faster.  last year when I looked it up RapidVisa told me they were being approved in 4-6 months...Yawwwwwwnnnnn.

2 hours ago, TM92 said:

If the 2 things above are really important you could consider cancelling the K-1, marrying in the US in January, and do the CR-1 route:

 

2 minutes ago, Unidentified said:

They deal with so many applications every year. They are human beings. Nothing with immigration is fast. Honestly, the part about them being naked is just ridiculous and childish. Immigrating here is a privilege, not a right. 

2 minutes ago, Unidentified said:

They deal with so many applications every year. They are human beings. Nothing with immigration is fast. Honestly, the part about them being naked is just ridiculous and childish. Immigrating here is a privilege, not a right. 

I just know for a fact about government workers... I have a good friend that works for the IRS...they try to work her with an iron fist but she let me know they basically can't be fired for nothing.

Sorry you don't like my comment. 

When I have traveled to other countries... Japan for example immigration there is so organized compared to here, China, Canada, Mexico...

I know then why don't I go live there...lol... because I have 3 kids, family, friends and a business here that provides.

Thank you all so much.  Last year when i was planning everything... the K1 application... I really thought it would take only about 4-6 months and then once we got our application in and USCIS said on March 1st they were working on Application dated September 1st... I was like from 7 months ago?...

And I';m thinking my god... how can someone really work so slow and get paid.  I can't imagine it really takes that long to review the applications... I just think these govt workers really drag their feet.  I mean I know they don't get paid a lot (prob minimum wage) but they can't be fired ...they could come to work almost naked and still not be fired.  This entire process could probably be streamlined if it was digital... BAR CODE EVERYTHING AND BOOM DONE.

It's just so frustrating... and I can see my fiance getting frustrated with the waiting like I am.... ugggghhhhh

2 hours ago, TM92 said:

If the 2 things above are really important you could consider cancelling the K-1, marrying in the US in January, and do the CR-1 route:

whats the CR1 Route?

2 minutes ago, missileman said:

^^THIS^^  There have been plenty of people here who were burned after paying huge non-refundable deposits.  There are just too many variables in this process.

RFEs

Administrative Processing

Delayed/Lost delivery of Visa

Mistakes on the Visa

Torn (sealed) Packet

 

Chances are everything will go fine, but things like have happened......Good Luck.

Thanks Tex... Yes we have put it all on hold... I'm really hoping it does go smoothly but yes I understand...

OK so what about once the visa is approved and applying for the marriage license... doesn't that take several weeks?

12 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

As others have said, make no financial commitments prior to having the visa in hand.  One thing to consider, once the visa is received it is valid for six months, so it is possible to take some time and plan a nice wedding prior to the POE.  I realize most couples want immediate togetherness, but it is tough moving halfway around the world in some cases without needing some time to shore up their lives as there will be no real means to re-enter the US if a K1 recipient leaves after marriage for four to five months.

 

Good Luck!

I thought you can leave with a special situation... i forget the process but after the wedding we apply for green card and then during that process we apply for expedited ... my fiance's son graduates college in April And USCIS said we can apply for a special document that will permit her to go to his graduation. and then come back.

I don't remember the name of the form or what it's called.

9 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

I just got my NOA2 for my K1 visa on July 3rd. Took 189 days and happened about a week before my timeline estimate of July 10th thru the 16th I think it was. No RFE and I'm feeling like a champ that nothing can stop me now, I've got this immigration thing down. I so much want to plan for some things because I figure NVC and the embassy stage will be a walk in the park, and is very predictable. Then I wise up and search a few threads where people have lost thousands of dollars in reservations, flight tickets, invitations, deposits on wedding halls, etc. etc. Just do a search and you will see the horror stories. I have convinced myself no matter what until the visa is in my fiancees passport I am not doing anything. I believe everyone else on here will tell you the same thing. I honestly think if you had to you could throw together a wedding in a month tops. I'm not getting that fancy, on the way from the airport after we land I hit the drive thru wedding chapel and get it done. Total time 20 min. drive from the airport to the chapel. I just would not risk planning anything unless you don't have to put any money down, or it is 100 percent refundable. I have learned on these forums in the past 7 months I have been on them every day because it is the only thing keeping my mind off the wait, that just when you think everything is good the train derails and spins you into a nightmare you never believed could happen, and to have that happen and then see a bunch of money being wasted isn't worth it in my mind. I mean, who knows, the embassy could burn down, it floods, a rival militant group takes over the embassy and takes hostages( This has happened) I just think hold on for that visa in the passport, and even then you still have to get thru POE. The visa just gives you a chance of admission to the US, doesn't guarantee you are getting in. I feel the same way you do, even more so, but resist the urge. Maybe pick out colors for your wedding, work on a guest list, shop for invitations( Don't buy any), just do things to keep yourself occupied that are free with no commitment. I know this whole process is expensive from the start, so why add to the costs.

Once the Applicatin was approved do you need anything else to bring with you to the exam or interview?

I would love o have that all together in a file and prepared so she can call and schedule it for ASAP... like if they said we can fit you in today in 40 minutes it would be great to be prepared for that if it were to happen.

Our original date was scheduled for August 4th.  When we found out that date was a def no go.... we got the go ahead from the country club  in Philadelphia that my moms clkub in Florida is owned by the same company and they will allow the deposit I gave be used there... but there only date was on a Friday... so be it if need be... but my fiance's coworkers from Japan will all be here in Florida the 2nd week of January so if we scheduled it for that weekend it would work perfectly... otherwise they won't be coming to the wedding for sure.

I keep receiving updates like this.

We sent in our K1 application on

2/28... RECEIVED 3/1

Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between September 11, 2018 and September 15, 2018*. 

We are hoping to plan our wedding for the 2nd week of January but don't want to reserve anything until the K1 approval... from what I'm told..after that its the medical exam and interview and that should go pretty fast once the K1 is approved.

Opinions on this?

Just now, Zumbadaddy said:

 

Trying to edit my original post to remove a question.

4 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Multiple posts have been removed because of off-topic bickering and bad language.  Administrative action has been applied.  This thread will remain open if appropriate posting behavior is resumed and maintained.

 

TBoneTX

VJ Moderation

3 hours ago, NateAndJessica said:

well over 1 year for us.

Please all lets avoid the bad talk and stick to the topic at hand.

7 minutes ago, Amy_and_Victor said:

Medical exam was done the day before interview. In Russia it has to be done in Moscow as well as interview, and since I had to travel there from my hometown I did it in one trip. Not sure how it is now but back then medical exam in Moscow could be done in 1 day and you could get results the same day and it made it easier. If I would live in Moscow or close I would do it in advance to be safe.

 

- Victor from Russia

My fiance lives in Tokyo and they are a very organized country .. I'm hoping hers goes as smoothly as yours did.

2 minutes ago, Amy_and_Victor said:

You're welcome, and yes, we were lucky enough to be approved with no delays. But we also had very easy case comparing to many cases on VJ (no prior marriages and children, clear criminal records, good travel records with no violations, two vacations together, whole binder of relationship records/evidence month-by-month, low fraud consulate, no obvious red flags etc.).  Btw if you're interested in our detailed timeline it's in our profile and also in our signature under the spoiler.

 

- Victor from Russia

I see your interview was 2/14/2012 and received the visa on 2/20/12...

Your I129F was approved in 184 days and 40 days later was the interview....when was the medical exam?

1 hour ago, Amy_and_Victor said:

I don't want to pee on your parade, but I think you're missing one important part. It sounds, at least to me, like you think approval of your petition is only matter of time, but actually K-1 is not guaranteed to be approved, as you can see by VJ, many people get denials or being put into AP for months after their interview, and your case may fall into these categories as well. 

That's why planning marriage before your fiancée will have visa in hands is a lottery, you may need to simply cancel everything because CO will not believe that your relationship is real or there will be some kind of paperwork issue. I didn't even purchase tickets before I received a visa let alone planning more expensive arrangements unless they were 100% refundable.

Btw Trump has nothing to do with K-1 visas so far, it took us about 7.5 months between NOA-1 and interview, and it was back in 2011-2012.

 

- Victor from Russia

Thanks Victor,    so at the end of the 7.5 months and after the interview when was the VISA stamped?

She said yes its Ropongi... i didnt realize.

So my question really is how long is the interview and medical exam after the visa is approved? And after that is it stamped and were good or is there a waiting period after the interview?

2 minutes ago, Jenny17655 said:

Depending on which embassy you are using the times are different. It could be another 2.5 months to get through nvc/medical/interview. Some embassies are busier and take longer!. You should definitely not make plans yet.

Interesting... how do we find out which embassy?

She lives in Tokyo Japan. And said the US embassy is in Ropongi.

We got our NOA1 Notice on 3/1/2018...we were planning our wedding for August 4th but we were told that is highly unlikely.  Now my fiance is very skeptical when we can actually plan our wedding for.  I was told by USCIS it might be approved between August-October.  If we are approved by October whats next...her medical exam and then her interview...?

How long does that take?

Is it safe to try to plan a wedding for January?

Is all this delay because of Trump?

On 3/21/2018 at 8:44 AM, Limey said:

I don't think it has anything to do with Trump... when I went through the process in 2015 Obama was president. NOA2 took me 7 months (via Texas, the California center was running much faster), and entire process around 9 to 10 months. If they are currently processing Sept 2017 then it sounds like the timeline is pretty similar.

I'm not a fan of Trump, but I don't believe this has anything to do with him.

Thanks for the update...

So now we have pushed our wedding date to the beginning of December... but not putting deposits down because of the need to cancel sgain.

Here's my question.  Assuming we get married in December, my finances son graduated college April 2019 in Japan... will she be able to to his graduation?

21 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I remember you posting last year and replying. 

 

You are not the first VJ member to be screwed by RapidVisa and no doubt will not be the last.

I think being screwed is kind of an over statement... I take responsibility for not paying them sooner to find out these details... I feel I waited too long... the screwed up in another way... they lost my $535.00 money order for UCSIS then after I sent it out the next day they told me they found it.  Ansd i also sent in my fiance's divorce decree... from JAPAN and never thought about it being translated so that held it up another day.  The gave me a credit for the mistake but the difference was only 4 or 5 days... I still should have sent it all in sooner... but I didn't realize...  Bottom line... MY FAULT.

I really don't think I could have handled all the paperwork without there help.

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

I thought you were filing last September, why did you wait so long?

I'm not sure what made you think I was filing last September.....

54 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Not sure they have ever been that quick, mine was a bit over  a year. I think 9 months or so is reasonable now, of course you can always slow them down, speeding them up is the tricky bit.

Initially rapid Visa had told me they were taking about 6 months for approvals... and since we have plans for my fiance's company cruise out of Miami Beginning of April we didn't want the approval before then... So I thought it was best to wait until the end of January or February to apply.  then I went to Japan to see my fiance the 1st week of February and didn't get back until after Valentines ... and the promise to marry form needed an original signature which we didn't know about until after I paid the full fee.  And then along with copies and translations of divorce docs and also pics it didn't get out until the end of February.  So thats where it's at now... in the hands of a government minimum wage employee that probably takes a 15 minute cigarette break every hour and has 1 working speed... "extremely slow"

Just now, Boiler said:

I thought you were filing last September, why did you wait so long?

We have April plans here in the US... didnt want the visa approved early... the we couldnt go on her company trip...she doesnt have a work visa... Had it been approved before April if we did send it in September then most likely we would not be able to go on these trips that we have planned and my understanding At the time was processing is roughly 4 to 6 months That lead me to believe that if we submitted the application in middle of January or February It would be approved on time by August but obviously that is not so.

So my I-129 was received on March 1st and we got our letter of receipt dated March 7th.

I just called USCIS and asked the nice lady on the phone if its reasonable to plan our wedding for August 4th... she elt me know they are current;y processing applications dated September 1st, 2017.

To say this in the nicest French accent I can think of.... 

THAT SUCKS. 

I wonder how many people actually work there at USCIS.  instead of trump firing these Bozzo's he should hire more help AKA create more jobs... god knows the whole coal fiasco didn't create jobs.

5 hours ago, Habitaters said:

How long did uour process take? -  7 long months!

Did you use a service like rapidvisa? - No, we prepared our application package on our own.

Have you planned a wedding date yet? - Yes, shooting for October 2018

 

Best wishes to you and your fiancée.

 

 

Thank you... and best wishes for your October Wedding date... we have deposits on our venue and also the DJ but they are also in the loop that the dates can change due to K1-Visa hold ups.... otherwise we will be looking around Xmass 2018... but with both of us having kids in college and there involvement we really want our 1st date to go thru.

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

I came from the UK many years ago, I was answering your post.

Thank you... the reason I asked what country you came from... I read that fiances coming from. Mexico and countries Trumpbdoesntlike are taking longer for approval... my fiance is coming from Japan... and were really hoping for an easy transition.  Also were using RapidVisa...and hoping the process goes smoothly withthem.