HOORAY7

Hi everyone in South Africa!  My fiancé and I are almost done in our process, she lives in South Africa and I live in the Seattle Washington area.  It took us 5 months to get our NOA2, so be prepared for a wait and don't lose the faith!!  Go on this and search for your month and K1 visa and you will probably pop into a forum, we had one for us in the May 2017 forum.  Help me out a lot to know we were not alone.  We have a lawyer, so I wasn't too concerned about the process, but the waiting is to die for!
Best thing for you all to do is get your police certificates BUT they cannot be older than 6 months.  If you were 16 and older and lived in another country besides S.A., then you will need a police certificate from there as well, so be prepared. 
Start gathering documents, originals of birth certificates, divorce decree's, pictures and other evidence of your relationship that was not included in your original package (since it will take some time, they still want to see you are still an active couple).  Any passport photo's cannot be older than 6 months old. 
When you get your NOA2, give it about 10 days before you call NVC and asking status of your case.  You can always call USCIS for your status, but they are not the friendliest and I wouldn't even but them until at least 90 days minimum, I highly doubt they have caught up with the backlog, especially with all the immigration and DACA stuff going on.  The NVC is much friendlier, when you get there and will help you with no problem with any update you are asking.  But normally when you get your NOA2, like I said give it at least 10 days before you call them.  They didn't get our package for at least 14 days.
After you get your NOA2 and your package goes to NVC, it goes pretty quick, so use this time wisely to gather all your documents.  The petitioner needs to provide pay stubs (3 months), I-134 Aff. of Support, Employment verification letter, VA eligibility letter, if applicable, to show as part of income and last 3 years of tax records.
Then once NVC processes your package, a medical appointment can be made, you only have 2 options, one in Joburg and one in Cape Town.  My fiancé went to Joburg.   It's a 2 day process, but spread between 3 days.  You go one day for bloodwork and xrays and the next for shots and discussion with the dr., so plan on that.
Your finance, not the petitioner, will need to fill out the Visa app online, DS-160 and pay the fee.
Make sure you set up your online account correctly and schedule the interview, she finished her phyicals (her and her boys) in November, but we missed the interview's for Dec/Jan/Feb, due to holiday schedules.  They only do K1 visa interviews there at the consulate the last 2 weeks of the month and only on Tues and Thursdays.  So our interview is 20 March, we scheduled it 26 Dec, because they kept telling her there were no appointments, then we call and it jumped 3 months!  So plan wisely.
Hope this helps some.  Any questions let me know, i'll try to help.
 
Good luck to you all!!

Hi everyone in South Africa!  My fiancé and I are almost done in our process, she lives in South Africa and I live in the Seattle Washington area.  It took us 5 months to get our NOA2, so be prepared for a wait and don't lose the faith!!  Go on this and search for your month and K1 visa and you will probably pop into a forum, we had one for us in the May 2017 forum.  Help me out a lot to know we were not alone.  We have a lawyer, so I wasn't too concerned about the process, but the waiting is to die for!
Best thing for you all to do is get your police certificates BUT they cannot be older than 6 months.  If you were 16 and older and lived in another country besides S.A., then you will need a police certificate from there as well, so be prepared. 
Start gathering documents, originals of birth certificates, divorce decree's, pictures and other evidence of your relationship that was not included in your original package (since it will take some time, they still want to see you are still an active couple).  Any passport photo's cannot be older than 6 months old. 
When you get your NOA2, give it about 10 days before you call NVC and asking status of your case.  You can always call USCIS for your status, but they are not the friendliest and I wouldn't even but them until at least 90 days minimum, I highly doubt they have caught up with the backlog, especially with all the immigration and DACA stuff going on.  The NVC is much friendlier, when you get there and will help you with no problem with any update you are asking.  But normally when you get your NOA2, like I said give it at least 10 days before you call them.  They didn't get our package for at least 14 days.
After you get your NOA2 and your package goes to NVC, it goes pretty quick, so use this time wisely to gather all your documents.  The petitioner needs to provide pay stubs (3 months), I-134 Aff. of Support, Employment verification letter, VA eligibility letter, if applicable, to show as part of income and last 3 years of tax records.
Then once NVC processes your package, a medical appointment can be made, you only have 2 options, one in Joburg and one in Cape Town.  My fiancé went to Joburg.   It's a 2 day process, but spread between 3 days.  You go one day for bloodwork and xrays and the next for shots and discussion with the dr., so plan on that.
Your finance, not the petitioner, will need to fill out the Visa app online, DS-160 and pay the fee.
Make sure you set up your online account correctly and schedule the interview, she finished her phyicals (her and her boys) in November, but we missed the interview's for Dec/Jan/Feb, due to holiday schedules.  They only do K1 visa interviews there at the consulate the last 2 weeks of the month and only on Tues and Thursdays.  So our interview is 20 March, we scheduled it 26 Dec, because they kept telling her there were no appointments, then we call and it jumped 3 months!  So plan wisely.
Hope this helps some.  Any questions let me know, i'll try to help.
 
Good luck to you all!!

@LuFlolady  Sure can!  The only attachment I can't put on here because the file is too big is the medical appointment info for JOBURG.  But if anyone wants that, email me at goop7@msn.com and I will respond to you with it.  Also, since this response is so long, it will not let me attach the K1 instruction sheet, so I will add that in a response to this, so it should show up in the next window.
A little history: We were approved by USCIS on 15 Oct 17 Our package did not arrive at NVC from USCIS until 13 Nov 17 Our letter from NVC to me (petitioner) was mailed on 16 Nov 17, I received it on 20 Nov and the SA Consulate received it 22 Nov 17.  We received, via email, the attached letter of instructions (I believe this is the packet 3 instructions, because it’s all we received) on 22 Nov 17. So ensure you both check your email addresses, it came to my email address, but addressed to my fiancé because they had my email because i’m the petitioner.  But both of you should be checking your email inbox and spam, just in case your filters are pushing it to the spam folder. On 27 Nov 17, my fiancé filed her DS-160 applications (herself and her two boys) online at the website listed in the attached K1 instructions (1).  My fiancé scheduled her medicals and because of the holidays and the fact there is only one dr in JOBURG for Visa physicals, her appointment was not until 11 Dec 17. You cannot schedule an interview until you’ve had your medical, but what I am telling people (based off our experience and delay), schedule your interview right after you have scheduled your medical; BUT be sure to schedule the interview at least a week AFTER you have completed both days of the medical.  The medical is a 2 day process, but spread over a 3 day period, there is a day in between the 2 appointments. *Remember they only schedule VISA appointments the last 2 weeks of every month and only on Tues and Thursday’s. You can schedule it as indicated on the K1 instructions sheet. When you schedule your interview is when you will pay the $265, either in US dollars or ZAR, Kerren paid in ZAR because it was her credit card she used. The K1 instruction sheet I enclosed is everything you will need to bring to your interview. The DS-2001 listed on the SA Consulate interview page is no longer required, I confirmed that today via email from the Consulate. If you ever have a question for the consulate, they have been wonderful replying to all my emails, usually 1-2 day response time. Our interview is on 20 March, it was quite disappointing to have to wait 3 months, but because of the holidays they said, appointments in Jan/Feb went fast, didn’t make sense, but none the less we have our date.  That is why I suggest to people to schedule the interview AFTER you get your medical scheduled and schedule the interview for at least a week after the last day of your medical, this gives them time to get your medical results to the consulate for your interview.   If you follow the K1 instruction sheet (Packet 3 in my opinion) you will be fine and this is the letter you are waiting for from the Consulate via email. Best of luck to you all, not an easy process, glad to help with any questions and I will definitely update you all after the interview. Julie Remember the K1 instruction sheet I will put in my next response since this is so long it won't let me attach it.    

Alcon,
 
Disregard my last post, just got confirmation from the Consulate, she will need her unabridged birth certificate, so our interview date just got pushed out the window.  No idea when we will have a new interview date now.  So FYI to all, you will need an unabridged birth certificate for you and your children for the K1 Visa.  I'm so distraught right now .  Our interview was in 8 days!

Hi everyone in South Africa!  My fiancé and I are almost done in our process, she lives in South Africa and I live in the Seattle Washington area.  It took us 5 months to get our NOA2, so be prepared for a wait and don't lose the faith!!  Go on this and search for your month and K1 visa and you will probably pop into a forum, we had one for us in the May 2017 forum.  Help me out a lot to know we were not alone.  We have a lawyer, so I wasn't too concerned about the process, but the waiting is to die for!
Best thing for you all to do is get your police certificates BUT they cannot be older than 6 months.  If you were 16 and older and lived in another country besides S.A., then you will need a police certificate from there as well, so be prepared. 
Start gathering documents, originals of birth certificates, divorce decree's, pictures and other evidence of your relationship that was not included in your original package (since it will take some time, they still want to see you are still an active couple).  Any passport photo's cannot be older than 6 months old. 
When you get your NOA2, give it about 10 days before you call NVC and asking status of your case.  You can always call USCIS for your status, but they are not the friendliest and I wouldn't even but them until at least 90 days minimum, I highly doubt they have caught up with the backlog, especially with all the immigration and DACA stuff going on.  The NVC is much friendlier, when you get there and will help you with no problem with any update you are asking.  But normally when you get your NOA2, like I said give it at least 10 days before you call them.  They didn't get our package for at least 14 days.
After you get your NOA2 and your package goes to NVC, it goes pretty quick, so use this time wisely to gather all your documents.  The petitioner needs to provide pay stubs (3 months), I-134 Aff. of Support, Employment verification letter, VA eligibility letter, if applicable, to show as part of income and last 3 years of tax records.
Then once NVC processes your package, a medical appointment can be made, you only have 2 options, one in Joburg and one in Cape Town.  My fiancé went to Joburg.   It's a 2 day process, but spread between 3 days.  You go one day for bloodwork and xrays and the next for shots and discussion with the dr., so plan on that.
Your finance, not the petitioner, will need to fill out the Visa app online, DS-160 and pay the fee.
Make sure you set up your online account correctly and schedule the interview, she finished her phyicals (her and her boys) in November, but we missed the interview's for Dec/Jan/Feb, due to holiday schedules.  They only do K1 visa interviews there at the consulate the last 2 weeks of the month and only on Tues and Thursdays.  So our interview is 20 March, we scheduled it 26 Dec, because they kept telling her there were no appointments, then we call and it jumped 3 months!  So plan wisely.
Hope this helps some.  Any questions let me know, i'll try to help.
 
Good luck to you all!!

Hi everyone in South Africa!  My fiancé and I are almost done in our process, she lives in South Africa and I live in the Seattle Washington area.  It took us 5 months to get our NOA2, so be prepared for a wait and don't lose the faith!!  Go on this and search for your month and K1 visa and you will probably pop into a forum, we had one for us in the May 2017 forum.  Help me out a lot to know we were not alone.  We have a lawyer, so I wasn't too concerned about the process, but the waiting is to die for!
Best thing for you all to do is get your police certificates BUT they cannot be older than 6 months.  If you were 16 and older and lived in another country besides S.A., then you will need a police certificate from there as well, so be prepared. 
Start gathering documents, originals of birth certificates, divorce decree's, pictures and other evidence of your relationship that was not included in your original package (since it will take some time, they still want to see you are still an active couple).  Any passport photo's cannot be older than 6 months old. 
When you get your NOA2, give it about 10 days before you call NVC and asking status of your case.  You can always call USCIS for your status, but they are not the friendliest and I wouldn't even but them until at least 90 days minimum, I highly doubt they have caught up with the backlog, especially with all the immigration and DACA stuff going on.  The NVC is much friendlier, when you get there and will help you with no problem with any update you are asking.  But normally when you get your NOA2, like I said give it at least 10 days before you call them.  They didn't get our package for at least 14 days.
After you get your NOA2 and your package goes to NVC, it goes pretty quick, so use this time wisely to gather all your documents.  The petitioner needs to provide pay stubs (3 months), I-134 Aff. of Support, Employment verification letter, VA eligibility letter, if applicable, to show as part of income and last 3 years of tax records.
Then once NVC processes your package, a medical appointment can be made, you only have 2 options, one in Joburg and one in Cape Town.  My fiancé went to Joburg.   It's a 2 day process, but spread between 3 days.  You go one day for bloodwork and xrays and the next for shots and discussion with the dr., so plan on that.
Your finance, not the petitioner, will need to fill out the Visa app online, DS-160 and pay the fee.
Make sure you set up your online account correctly and schedule the interview, she finished her phyicals (her and her boys) in November, but we missed the interview's for Dec/Jan/Feb, due to holiday schedules.  They only do K1 visa interviews there at the consulate the last 2 weeks of the month and only on Tues and Thursdays.  So our interview is 20 March, we scheduled it 26 Dec, because they kept telling her there were no appointments, then we call and it jumped 3 months!  So plan wisely.
Hope this helps some.  Any questions let me know, i'll try to help.
 
Good luck to you all!!

Hi Guys,
 
I trust everyone is well.  I have been in the US for a few days now and just did our legal wedding for paperwork yesterday. Whooooo!!!  I am sitting in a Starbucks in Seattle trying to figure out all the paperwork for our next step, AOS, EAD & AP.   I just wanted to say to everyone that this is an long and difficult process, but have faith.  It will work out!!!
Good luck to all the saffas out there!!!
Wouter

WE ARE APPROVED!!!! YAY!! I will get more details and pass them to you all, Kerren is still on her way home. More to follow, but wanted to let you all know! Thank you for all your thoughts! I'll be back with info as soon as I can speak to Kerren. Yay!! 🇺🇸🇿🇦🇺🇸🇿🇦🇺🇸🇿🇦

Everyone thank you for your kind words of thoughts and support, really helps!!  We are approved and it feels like a huge weight off our shoulders.  A bit surreal now for Kerren as she begins to say her goodbye's to family and friends, which I know will not be easy for her or the boys. 
Here is how her interview went:
1.  Appointment was at 1pm, but as I requested her get there early in case there are any hiccups in traffic or weather or otherwise.  Thank goodness she did.  Apparently the consulate overbooks the interview times with more than one couple; she said there was like 20 people there for the 1pm interview time slot.  So Kerren suggests to get there early, an hour before your interview time.  Why, so you can at least be standing in the line to go in and be at the head of that line; especially because they book so many people for the same time slot.
2.  She was there for a max 2 hours from being in line to the end of the interview, but plan longer if you arrive closer to your interview time as you will be behind others slotted to be there for the same time slot.  Be prepared with a umbrella or something, she said it rained and hailed over a lot of people :(.
3.  She was complimented on how together her package was, we worked very hard on ensuring she had it all and then some.  And because of that, they limited how in depth her interview was.
4.  When you go in you will go to the 1st counter and hand over all your documents (we had 3 folders; folder one was all documents called out in your Packet 3 from the Consulate, folder two was all our proof of relationship and folder three was just everything we already sent in the first package just in case). You will only give them what they request and most you will get back too.
5.  Once you go to the first counter and give your package(s) then you will wait for your interview
6.  Her interview consisted of 3 questions (we were prepared for more than 25), but they asked:
     a. Where did we meet
     b.  When was her first trip to see me
     c.  When was the last time we saw each other
 
7.  They did not ask the boys any questions, the boys were disappointed, but none the less we were ok with that lol
8. Again the lady complimented Kerren on having a well put together package, most people don't come in that prepared she said; so she was told several times you will have no issues being approved and she wasn't, she and us were approved!!
9.  After that, the way they told her she was approved was they stamped her tourist visa/passport no longer valid.....because she was APPROVED for the K1 Visa!!!  YAY!!
10. They told her it will take 5-10 days to receive the visa's, as we expected. 
11.  In the CEAC website you go to, you need to put there if you want courier service, that is with DHL and that is what Kerren did.  So she will be notified by DHL when the Visa's are ready for her to pick up and she will go pick them up.  I do not believe there is any charge for this since you are picking it up.  But I highly suggest using DHL, they are the most secure for postal items.
Kerren and the boys will now fly here 12 Apr (we believe that is plenty of time to get the visa's) and the we will be married on the 21st of April on Mount Rainier by my best friend to meet the K1 requirements and then have our big wedding next year with family and friends from both sides.
 
Like I said before, i'm not leaving VJ just because we are approved now, most people don't return.  But I want to answer anyone's questions along their journey and still share ours, we are not done.  We are just done with Phase 1.  But I also want to see everyone's journey's to success.  I'm always here for you all, so don't hesitate!  Keep the faith!
 
Julie
 
 
 

We will be in Bremerton, just across the water from Seattle, an hour by ferry or hour and a half from Seattle driving.  We should all meet up sometime, that would give Kerren some comfort of home to know someone from her country so close.  What do you think?  Are you going to stay and live in Seattle area or where?

Kerren and the boys are in the air now, going through Dubai from Joburg, 3 hr layover and then to Seattle!!  Will be here tomorrow, Friday, at noon!!  YAY!!  Thank you all for keeping me afloat in times and I will continue to check in on this to answer any questions and update you all along our journey and to hear about yours progressing.  This is just phase 1, next is green card and employment status.  Good luck to everyone, your time is coming and again I will still be on here, so if anyone has questions don't hesitate!  Talk to you all soon!
 
Julie

My fiancé had to get 2 police certificates, one from the country she lives in (South Africa) and one from the Austrian embassy (she lived there for 10 months when she was 16).  The one from Austria expired before her interview, but we were told by the embassy that as long as she didn't travel back to Austria since she got the police report, it was ok.  She already had the interview and they were right, it was not an issue.  Keep in mind this is from the US embassy in South Africa,not sure how it will be where you are, but good luck!  Ask the embassy, email them.

Just like LuFloLady stated, doesn't matter what POE you use, safe travels!!

I agree. The waiting and uncertainty of the NOA2 is the most torture part of this journey but I will stay positive and focus on the goal. I know that after this I can spend the rest of my life with the one I love and if destiny agree with my wishes then everything will be what is meant to be. I am looking forward to finish this journey with a positive attitude. And maybe we can inspire other couples who is going through the same thing. Lets keep our fingers crossed. Counting the days.

Quick update: my fiancé’s visa was sent to DHL Sandton yesterday afternoon and today we went to DHL to inquire and it was there!!! We’re going home together Saturday

No ma'am not to my knowledge, I will ask my fiancé and get back to you!

thank you for the info FEDEx is an option too this is good to know..... I will be sending the I-134 because I dont have plans to visit anytime soon again unless this process goes past Septemeber then I will make another trip

We used FedEx from Alabama to Port Elizabeth, South Africa and it was $133. Arrived within 4 days 

thank you!

@Vintage girl our timeline from USCIS to NVC to get our NOA2 was 30 days, not sure why, but it was 30 days. Our NVC to Embassy time was approximately 1 week, once NVC sends it, it was fast for us.  As amaraimee stated you can schedule your interview on that website I provided in an earlier post, if you need it, let us know, but in order to change an existing interview date you will have to cancel the existing interview date; which can be a risk.  You will see calendars for the interview and the open dates, remember they only do interviews the last 2 weeks of every month and only on Tues and Thursday's.  

Great details to pass along @amaraimee!!  Congrats again!!

Great details to pass along @amaraimee!!  Congrats again!!

We were approved yesterday! Here's more detail for those that wanted to know
Our experience was similar to @HOORAY7's, it went pretty smooth!
 
We arrived to the Consulate around 12:15, our appointment was at 1:30. The consulate is directly across the street from Sandton City (a big shopping center), he told us we could either go across and hangout and come back right at 1:30 or we could sit on the benches and wait. There were 2 families in front of us. We waited and the time came for us to line up for the specific type of visa. We got into the line for K visas and waited as they came by to check our my fiance's name off of a list. The woman who came by asked me if I was going to go in with him and I said "can I?!?" and she kind of laughed and said "yes, you can!". We waited in line right up until 1:30 or so but once it came time for us to go through the door to security, we were told no laptops were allowed inside, so the security guy let me run across the street to Sandton City where Dopio Zero keeps laptops specifically for people who can't bring them into the consulate. I thought that was pretty cool. By the time I got back to the consulate, my fiance and I were last in line and we went in.
At security, they ask you to turn your phone off. They take your phone and every kind of electronic and keep it in a bin and give you a number. They took our flash drive, headphones, everything. They asked us to sip our water to make sure that's what it was, too. Once we got inside, there was a man checking the beneficiaries passport, he gave them a small paper with instructions to pickup their passport if the visa was approved, along with a number to be called by, ours was 11. 
Once we got past that man, we had to go back outside on the benches to wait, it was a courtyard type of thing. There were many people there for the K-1 that day and there weren't enough seats for everyone. There were 2 other couples outside with us. The same man came out and told us all to come in, there was now room for us. We sat down a hallway away from the interview counters since that's where the extra chairs were. They called us by number, we waited until about 3:00 to be called up. When they called number 11, I went up to the window with my fiance. They asked for our documents and a copy of each, I can't remember exactly since I was shocked I literally got to attend the entire interview with him (I had read you had to wait outside), but I believe it was birth certificate, passport, police certificates, proof of relationship, affadavit of support and supporting evidence, that's all I remember. She looked over our documents, took his fingerprints and had us sit back down. It was about 30-40 minutes later that they called us up for the interview. 
The woman doing the interview was pretty nice, and laid back. She asked if I was in South Africa as a volunteer for the Peace Corps and when I said "no" she said "That's good, because everyone before you was and I didn't approve any of them", and I thought oh great, this should be fun... haha. She looked through the photos we had, and handed all of our proofs and original documents back to us. As she did she smiled and said, "how romantic" I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic but she was smiling so I believe she meant it! She then asked ME if I work in America, I said "yes" she asked what I do, and I told her. She said "that's good work". I take care of disabled adults. She then asked my fiance a few questions. She asked when we first met, how we met, what he was doing living in Ireland for almost 2 years, When the wedding will be, and where he will be living once he comes to the USA. Everything seemed to be fine! She then asked me how old I was, I replied with 20, she asked my fiance and told her 23. She said "you want to get married this young?" She was smiling as she asked this, we both smiled and shook our heads up and down, she smiled more and said "ok". she then told us everything seems good and that the visa is approved! Then she went on to tell us it'll be a max of 2 weeks to get it back, we asked if he could get it quick because we're both stuck here until he gets his passport (he's coming home with me), and she said it's usually before 2 weeks and not usually longer, so we're hoping they'll take it into consideration and hurry it up for us. We asked her "is that it?" and she said "that's it!" 

There were so many things we were both worried about!! His police certificate was dated before our engagement, we were worried that since we planned getting engaged and doing the visa before we were actually engaged that it would cause problems, but it didn't seem to be an issue. I also posted earlier about a concern I had regarding my I-134 but that wasn't an issue either. The officer seemed to be pleased that we had all of our documents because she told us that everyone before us that wasn't approved was because they were missing their Affadavit of support. To be fair, the actual interview letter doesn't state to bring that, but for how prepared we were, I had multiple copies of everything! I'm so so so happy that step is over, I can't wait for all of you to be in the same position! Good luck to everyone, your time is coming!!! Please message me with any questions.

Congratulations!!!  Yes, she kept asking what you all looked like and I said I don't know honey, lol.    Congratulations!!!  Glad it worked out, I saw your I-134 form post, but knew you were already there!  That is awesome news!!

I am so happy for you thank you for the detailed events of kerran's day I cant wait until my fiancé and I are at this point.... again CONGGRATS and im glad u are sticking around to help us out!