montblanc

I was in a long distance relationship for three years. We were in a relationship for two years when we started LDR (we were college sweethearts but after graduation I left the US for a career opportunity). We both worked hard for our own career during our LDR and made sure to visit each other often whenever we had the chance. On our 4th year anniversary he proposed to me that he cannot deal with separating at airports anymore, so we looked for ways I can start a new life in the US. We did K1 because that was our only possibility then. Me visiting him in the US again for the sake of getting married was just not one of our options. 
 
During that period, I was planning to quit my job and pursue a graduate degree which required some preparation. I thought I would use the time during AOS for my grad school prep. When my NOA 2 came, I quit my job and started getting ready to move. 
If you have a career that you are currently really liking and you do not want a long break in between two jobs or if you are the type that really cannot stay at home, I would recommend doing CR1. You can keep working till you leave your home country and find a job here once you retrieve your Green Card. Everything will be easier. You will not have to deal with a driving license that expires after 90 days of your arrival.  If you want to get together and start a life with your fiance ASAP, K1 will be better. Just because the processing time is shorter I guess. I got my Green Card in 4 months after I arrived and 3 months after I submitted my application. However, I know this might take longer depending on where you apply. It might be hard to plan things out in this case because you just simply don't know when you will become a permanent resident.   

Hello people of VJ. I only found this thread now after having my status change to "new card being produced". I thought it would be helpful if I shared my experience if it is not too late. I entered with a K1 visa, met my husband while I was attending school in the US, and had numerous previous records of visiting my fiance with ESTA (not exceeding the stay limit) and him visiting me, submitted evidence of a long term relationship - so I wished we did not have to go through an interview, but fortunately my interview was scheduled pretty quick and I was thankful enough. 
 
The interview atmosphere was pretty intense, not rude or anything, and I understand it is the immigration officer's job to be scrutinizing and we were quite nervous. It did get a bit more casual and relaxing toward the end. For my original package evidence I submitted - lease contract, auto insurance IDs having both husband and my name on both of our cars, health insurance IDs (me being on husband's health plan), joint bank account, wedding photos. I brought copies and originals of these for my interview as well. Additionally for the interview, I brought documents that indicates me as my husband's beneficiary for life insurance, document that shows I am registered as my husband's authorized user for credit card. Also, I brought evidence photos I submitted for K1 & some more photos that were taken after AOS submission. I would say I prepared everything that was asked to bring on the interview appointment letter. 
 
In the beginning, the IO asked for original documents of my birth certificate, passport, and wedding certificate (although I submitted them originally). She took a look and asked questions about how our relationship started and how it progressed. Our relationship was a span of 5 years, so I think she was focusing on details a lot trying to make sense of what took place first and later, such as asking "so, this was 2015 or 2016?" She asked mostly about families, whether we have met each others' families and how we communicate with them. We brought a lot of photos and she was mostly interested in those that had our family members, asking my husband who they are. Overall, I think me and my husband did not answer questions as it is advised generally, but we were under oath and we only said anything but the truth. I did not change my last name since that is not the culture in my country and my husband respected it, but I did not get any questions regarding that. She said she would review the documents and gave a sheet of paper. After 1.5 hour, I found out that my status has been updated to "new card is being produced". 
 
This was San Jose, CA and I saw a fellow VJer in this thread who literally got the interview scheduled the same day and the interview the same day :).
 
 
Timeline 
August 1st - Package sent
August 2nd - Received by USCIS 
August 29th - Biometrics 
September 9th - Case status changed to "Scheduled for Interview" 
September 27th - Interview scheduled for October 29th 
October 27th - Interview & Case status changed to "New Card being Produced"
(many other dates I do not remember exactly) 
 
 
 

For the certificates, I think you will not have a problem getting them through the Korean consulate or embassy. It took me not even 5 minutes to have it issued in a Korean police station. You can also print them out online, but you need a Korean yessign account. 
 
About which certificate you should obtain - the title of the certificate should be: “Criminal (Investigation) Records Check Reply ‘For confirmation of investigation card materials (including lapsed criminal sentences)’ (범죄·수사경력 회보서: 수사자료표 내용 확인용 (실효된 형 등 포함))”. I found it from the e-packet my current husband received from the Korean Embassy when we were doing K1. 
 
Most likely,  you will have to fill out a form when you are requesting for the certificate at the embassy or consulate. Just mark this part of the form as the attached picture indicates and that will align with at least what the Korean Embassy requires. (source: http://blog.naver.com/yellreenred/220981316316)
 
 
 

Hello people of VJ. I only found this thread now after having my status change to "new card being produced". I thought it would be helpful if I shared my experience if it is not too late. I entered with a K1 visa, met my husband while I was attending school in the US, and had numerous previous records of visiting my fiance with ESTA (not exceeding the stay limit) and him visiting me, submitted evidence of a long term relationship - so I wished we did not have to go through an interview, but fortunately my interview was scheduled pretty quick and I was thankful enough. 
 
The interview atmosphere was pretty intense, not rude or anything, and I understand it is the immigration officer's job to be scrutinizing and we were quite nervous. It did get a bit more casual and relaxing toward the end. For my original package evidence I submitted - lease contract, auto insurance IDs having both husband and my name on both of our cars, health insurance IDs (me being on husband's health plan), joint bank account, wedding photos. I brought copies and originals of these for my interview as well. Additionally for the interview, I brought documents that indicates me as my husband's beneficiary for life insurance, document that shows I am registered as my husband's authorized user for credit card. Also, I brought evidence photos I submitted for K1 & some more photos that were taken after AOS submission. I would say I prepared everything that was asked to bring on the interview appointment letter. 
 
In the beginning, the IO asked for original documents of my birth certificate, passport, and wedding certificate (although I submitted them originally). She took a look and asked questions about how our relationship started and how it progressed. Our relationship was a span of 5 years, so I think she was focusing on details a lot trying to make sense of what took place first and later, such as asking "so, this was 2015 or 2016?" She asked mostly about families, whether we have met each others' families and how we communicate with them. We brought a lot of photos and she was mostly interested in those that had our family members, asking my husband who they are. Overall, I think me and my husband did not answer questions as it is advised generally, but we were under oath and we only said anything but the truth. I did not change my last name since that is not the culture in my country and my husband respected it, but I did not get any questions regarding that. She said she would review the documents and gave a sheet of paper. After 1.5 hour, I found out that my status has been updated to "new card is being produced". 
 
This was San Jose, CA and I saw a fellow VJer in this thread who literally got the interview scheduled the same day and the interview the same day :).
 
 
Timeline 
August 1st - Package sent
August 2nd - Received by USCIS 
August 29th - Biometrics 
September 9th - Case status changed to "Scheduled for Interview" 
September 27th - Interview scheduled for October 29th 
October 27th - Interview & Case status changed to "New Card being Produced"
(many other dates I do not remember exactly) 
 
 
 

Hello people of VJ. I only found this thread now after having my status change to "new card being produced". I thought it would be helpful if I shared my experience if it is not too late. I entered with a K1 visa, met my husband while I was attending school in the US, and had numerous previous records of visiting my fiance with ESTA (not exceeding the stay limit) and him visiting me, submitted evidence of a long term relationship - so I wished we did not have to go through an interview, but fortunately my interview was scheduled pretty quick and I was thankful enough. 
 
The interview atmosphere was pretty intense, not rude or anything, and I understand it is the immigration officer's job to be scrutinizing and we were quite nervous. It did get a bit more casual and relaxing toward the end. For my original package evidence I submitted - lease contract, auto insurance IDs having both husband and my name on both of our cars, health insurance IDs (me being on husband's health plan), joint bank account, wedding photos. I brought copies and originals of these for my interview as well. Additionally for the interview, I brought documents that indicates me as my husband's beneficiary for life insurance, document that shows I am registered as my husband's authorized user for credit card. Also, I brought evidence photos I submitted for K1 & some more photos that were taken after AOS submission. I would say I prepared everything that was asked to bring on the interview appointment letter. 
 
In the beginning, the IO asked for original documents of my birth certificate, passport, and wedding certificate (although I submitted them originally). She took a look and asked questions about how our relationship started and how it progressed. Our relationship was a span of 5 years, so I think she was focusing on details a lot trying to make sense of what took place first and later, such as asking "so, this was 2015 or 2016?" She asked mostly about families, whether we have met each others' families and how we communicate with them. We brought a lot of photos and she was mostly interested in those that had our family members, asking my husband who they are. Overall, I think me and my husband did not answer questions as it is advised generally, but we were under oath and we only said anything but the truth. I did not change my last name since that is not the culture in my country and my husband respected it, but I did not get any questions regarding that. She said she would review the documents and gave a sheet of paper. After 1.5 hour, I found out that my status has been updated to "new card is being produced". 
 
This was San Jose, CA and I saw a fellow VJer in this thread who literally got the interview scheduled the same day and the interview the same day :).
 
 
Timeline 
August 1st - Package sent
August 2nd - Received by USCIS 
August 29th - Biometrics 
September 9th - Case status changed to "Scheduled for Interview" 
September 27th - Interview scheduled for October 29th 
October 27th - Interview & Case status changed to "New Card being Produced"
(many other dates I do not remember exactly) 
 
 
 

Hello people of VJ. I only found this thread now after having my status change to "new card being produced". I thought it would be helpful if I shared my experience if it is not too late. I entered with a K1 visa, met my husband while I was attending school in the US, and had numerous previous records of visiting my fiance with ESTA (not exceeding the stay limit) and him visiting me, submitted evidence of a long term relationship - so I wished we did not have to go through an interview, but fortunately my interview was scheduled pretty quick and I was thankful enough. 
 
The interview atmosphere was pretty intense, not rude or anything, and I understand it is the immigration officer's job to be scrutinizing and we were quite nervous. It did get a bit more casual and relaxing toward the end. For my original package evidence I submitted - lease contract, auto insurance IDs having both husband and my name on both of our cars, health insurance IDs (me being on husband's health plan), joint bank account, wedding photos. I brought copies and originals of these for my interview as well. Additionally for the interview, I brought documents that indicates me as my husband's beneficiary for life insurance, document that shows I am registered as my husband's authorized user for credit card. Also, I brought evidence photos I submitted for K1 & some more photos that were taken after AOS submission. I would say I prepared everything that was asked to bring on the interview appointment letter. 
 
In the beginning, the IO asked for original documents of my birth certificate, passport, and wedding certificate (although I submitted them originally). She took a look and asked questions about how our relationship started and how it progressed. Our relationship was a span of 5 years, so I think she was focusing on details a lot trying to make sense of what took place first and later, such as asking "so, this was 2015 or 2016?" She asked mostly about families, whether we have met each others' families and how we communicate with them. We brought a lot of photos and she was mostly interested in those that had our family members, asking my husband who they are. Overall, I think me and my husband did not answer questions as it is advised generally, but we were under oath and we only said anything but the truth. I did not change my last name since that is not the culture in my country and my husband respected it, but I did not get any questions regarding that. She said she would review the documents and gave a sheet of paper. After 1.5 hour, I found out that my status has been updated to "new card is being produced". 
 
This was San Jose, CA and I saw a fellow VJer in this thread who literally got the interview scheduled the same day and the interview the same day :).
 
 
Timeline 
August 1st - Package sent
August 2nd - Received by USCIS 
August 29th - Biometrics 
September 9th - Case status changed to "Scheduled for Interview" 
September 27th - Interview scheduled for October 29th 
October 27th - Interview & Case status changed to "New Card being Produced"
(many other dates I do not remember exactly)