Marina + Dave

Hey everyone,

Long time so see! I actually tried to make a new account as it's totally awkward using this one since Dave and I did not and will not get married, but when I tried to post using my new account it wouldn't let me! So, I just logged back on this one!

Dave and I applied for our K-1 beginning last December, were approved by USCIS in Feb, had our interview in London in March (approved) -and promptly broke up the next day. ---hehe...not joking, we broke up the day AFTER we got the visa. Needless to say, that kinda sucked! I spoke to the consulate in London and they said that we did not need to cancel the visa and that it would just expire on its own.

However, while I was living in London -AFTER Dave and I broke up for anyone who is wondering- I started seeing another guy who is Brazilian. We've been dating for about 5 months now and are thinking about applying for the K-1. ---And from my experience on VJ I feel as if I should ask that people please do not judge me on this (1) getting the visa and then breaking off my wedding (better that we made that decision before he even came to the US, right?? (2) that I potentially found the man I want to spend the rest of my life with so soon and that we've decided to file so fast (because really no one knows the situation). Sorry, if I seem a bit defensive and no one has even said anything! But I assure you it's from past experiences on VJ!

Anyway, to the point! What are the implications of me filing another K-1 so soon after my old one. Would it be really bad for me to file the 1-129F BEFORE Dave's K-1 visa expires? Could someone briefly explain IMBRA to me?

Thanks so much!!!

Marina

Hey Everyone...

Long time no see.

I think this post will be a huge surprise to everyone, as it is still a huge surprise to Dave and me.

I just wanted to let everyone know so that you don't think we completely dropped off the face of the earth!

Dave and I have decided to call off the wedding and the relationship. It happened for reasons I do not wish to discuss here though. Dave and I are still on really good terms and are just taking every day as they come.

We just want to say thank you to everyone for the support you have given us through this silly process that we got all the way through! Arg!

Hope everyone is well and good luck on being with your loved ones!

Thanks so much again,

Marina and Dave

I can't see our name on the form thing anymore, although it was there the other day, but Dave and I were APPROVED yesterday with no problems at all!!!

Karoline,

did Paul get his SSN already?

Could you maybe short tell me, how you applied for it and how long it will take to get it?!

We wanted to get married in June, but of what I just read it will take 4 weeks total for me to have the SSN and then it will take the time for the marriage license.... seems longer than expected, I would love to hear from you, that it doesn't take THAT long

Thanks,

Diana

You don't need to have a SSN to get married -or to get a marriage license. I have been doing some research on the AOS forum and it seems to be it is best to wait at least 2 weeks after entry to apply for the SSN. But, assuming you wait the two weeks, it doesn't seem like it takes that long to get it. But yeah, you don't have to wait to get the SSN to get married!!!

No worries!

APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll give details a bit later...I'm just super tired right now! The whole process from arriving at the embassy to being told we were approved took less than 2 hours though! And they didn't even question him supporting himself (and we couldn't get the offer of employment letter in time either!). All we had was a letter from our bank saying we had X amount of money in our account.

Anyway, YAY! I can't believe it's all over for now! I started crying when I found out we were approved cause I am so relieved that we don't have to do anything else for the time being! I hate visas!

Anyway TIRED!

Talk to you guys later!!!

:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to give a shout out to everyone for the last time before Dave and my interview --or, well, his interview! I feel like it's mine too!!!!

I am working all day tomorrow (after the interview) so I wont have a chance to post until tomorrow night about the results, but maybe I can convince Dave to log on and give a quick Approved!

Seems that everyone is going great and that we're all getting closer!

I cannot believe that this is possibly going to be over tomorrow!!!!!!!! (at least for now!)

Love to all!

Marina

Hey guys! Thanks for the concern, but London is one of the only places that DOES allow self-sponsoring!

I have no idea why London does and other places don't (maybe it has something to do with the value of the pound?) but they definitely definitely do allow self-sponsorship! So no worries in that department!

Even on the Packet 3 there is information about how to self-sponsor, so I have no concerns about the validity of the information I have. We do have an I-134 filled out for my mom just in case they for some reason do not accept Dave as his own sponsor. But my question is: do I have to fill out an I-134 even if my mom is the sponsor? I thought I read somewhere that no matter who the sponsor is, the fiancee has to fill one out as well.

As far as Dave sponsoring himself, if they don't approve him I'll be really surprised! We have way way over the poverty amount in cash alone (even if you consider the 3:1 ratio that they use to count cash over income) AND he has a letter for an offer of employment for 40K a year. On the London packet 3 it says that you can use an offer of employment as proof enough that you wont become a public charge, even if you have nothing else. So, I'm sure we'll be okay!

We are kinda cheating when it comes to the offer of employment though, shhhhhhhh! My dad owes a company that just happens to be in the same line of business that Dave is in. In the offer of employment they state that you have to prove that that person is actually qualified for the job, and Dave is, so it works out. Dave is not actually going to work at my Dad's company...but you know! Every little bit helps! And who knows, maybe in the end Dave will end up working for my Dad, but I doubt it!

Thanks again everyone for everything! And no surprise that we haven't heard from Karoline!!

Hope everyone is going great and we're almost at the end now!!!

Marina

Thanks guys, that's good to know! But why do they even bother with expirations dates if they aren't really expiration dates!?

I've been searching online for about 10 minutes now trying to find a non expired I-134! Anyone know where I can get one?

All of the ones I can find expired on April 30, 2007. Do you think I can just use this one???

Yay! Paul is coming home today!! That's so exciting!

Dave and I are still working on all of our documents. One question though, Dave is self-sponsoring himself in London. We do have the I-134 from my mom in case he does get denied with his own funds though. However, if he does get denied with his own funds do I have to fill out an I-134 as well as my mom? Even though in that case my mom would then be the sponsor...not me???

Just curious!

Hope everyone is well! I'm sure that Karoline and Paul are!

Marina

Thanks! That's really good news! I just knew it was going to be 20 bucks for mom to express some tiny bit of paper to us!

Thank you again!

Marina

Hey guys!

I'm having one of those last minute freak-out things!

Dave's interview is one week from today and I just remembered reading something about him needing a copy of the NOA2 at the interview! Is this true???

He and I both live in the UK so the NOA2 went to my parents house. I asked them ages ago to mail it to us and then forgot and now his interview is next week! Do we need to get them to express it to London for his interview???

They have emailed me a scanned copy of the NOA2 just so we could see what it looked like. Do you think that will be enough?

Thanks everyone!

All that should be needed is your interview letter. I did send my husband exact packets of everything I submitted and received stateside for him to take with his proof of relationship for his interview. They never asked for anything concerning the NOA's and he had to show his interview letter to gain entrance inside the embassy/consulate. Good luck on your upcoming interview!

Hope to hear from you soon so that I can call my mom and get her to mail it today!

Our interview is May 17th at 8:30am!

One week from today!

Hey Everyone!

Long time no see!!! I know I have been gone for about 3 weeks now, but I'm back and our interview is one week from today!

First off,

CONGRATULATIONS KAROLINE AND PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's so great guys and I'm so happy for you! Only 4 more days and you'll be together!! yay!!!!!

Anyway, I suppose that's about all for now.

Dave and I are scrambling to get all of our documents together for the interview. I know, I know, we shouldn't have waited this long! But, we both work so much and then my mom was here and we got distracted!

Oh well, I'm sure we'll have everything ready in time! Just think, this time next week the interview will be over! That's really exciting, but at this point really scary too since we don't have all of the docs ready!

Dave is going to the bank today to get all of the letters we need from them and I'm sitting at home writing all sorts of statements and such.

Oh well, this part is almost over!!

Good luck to everyone! and Happy Packing to Paul!

Hey guys!

I'm having one of those last minute freak-out things!

Dave's interview is one week from today and I just remembered reading something about him needing a copy of the NOA2 at the interview! Is this true???

He and I both live in the UK so the NOA2 went to my parents house. I asked them ages ago to mail it to us and then forgot and now his interview is next week! Do we need to get them to express it to London for his interview???

They have emailed me a scanned copy of the NOA2 just so we could see what it looked like. Do you think that will be enough?

Thanks everyone!

Hope to hear from you soon so that I can call my mom and get her to mail it today!

Thanks again!

Marina

@Karoline

How did Paul receive his package 3?

Did they put it in the mailbox, or did he has to sign for it??

I was just curious, if I have to sit at home all day or if I still will get it, even though I wouldn't be home?!

lol I hope you know what I mean

Diana

Diana,

He received it on a Saturday and I'm pretty sure they put it in his mailbox without him having to sign for it, but I'll verify that with him when I talk to him later. And I definitely know what you mean, if it were me I'd probably camp out by my mailbox I think Paul was already checking his mail for Packet 3 as soon as we got the NOA2, even though I told him it had to go to NVC first.

Good luck & as soon as I talk to him I'll let you know if he had to sign for it.

Karoline

I know that we're in different countries, but we did not have to sign for our packet 3. We got ours on a Saturday as well ironically...but they just put it in the mail box. It's probably the same, but you never know I suppose.

The room is cleaner...but not quite clean enough. Oh well, bed time now. I'll have to finish cleaning in the morning! Less than 12 hours until I see my mom!!!!!!!

Have a great day everyone! I might not be around for the next 2 weeks much cause I'll be busy but hopefully everything goes great while I am occupied!!!

Uh...which one of you is wanting to acquire dual citizenship?

You taking UK citizenship should not affect your US citizenship, though I can't think of a single good reason to do it. I've lived in the UK for six years and I've never given any thought to becoming a UK citizen. I don't even want to vote here; I don't care.

If your husband wants to vote, that's a good reason to take US citizenship...his UK citizenship would not be in jeopardy but if he was in a third country and got into trouble, the UK government would be less willing to help him; they're a bit childish that way. If he doesn't, then there's really no good reason to. He can live in the US as a PR quite happily for the rest of his life with no problems whatsoever; other people have done it.

Sigh, here we go again. As Boiler pointed out, being able to come and go as you please is a benefit for either a UKC or a USC to take citizenship with the other country. Also voting in a country where you have made your life is important to some people, even if it's not to you. And actually, I don't know where you get your information about the UK government being 'childish' about representation of one of their own, it's actually only within the country with which the dual citizen has citizenship (in this case, the US) where the UK government is unable to assist you, and it is thus noted within a UK passport.

Yeah, what Candace said is true. I have duel citizenship (US and Italy). The only time the US government would not help me out in a foreign country is in Italy. When I am in Italy and enter on my Italian passport the US government wouldn't help me out if I got in trouble. But really, that's only fair I think!!!

Hey everyone! I can't really say that I miss London at the moment because I'm still here. But, in about 2 months we're moving back to the US and I'm soo sad!! I've been living in London for just over a year and I don't want to leave!! I walk around the city all of the time just looking and absorbing everything around me and it makes me so sad that I have to leave soon!!

I'll be able to join the 'I miss London' group soon I fear!

From what I understand the K3 -marriage visa- takes a bit longer than the K1 -fiancee visa. However, you'd have to do some research and look at timelines to back that up.

Anyway, like someone else mentioned, if you are getting married in London then the K1 is totally irrelevant to you anyway. HOWEVER, if you wanted you could just have a ceremony in London and not actually get married. Like you could do the ceremony in the same way, but just make sure it is not legally binding -like do not apply for a marriage license. If you did this then you could apply for the K1. There is no set time on how long a K1 visa takes. It very greatly depends on what service centre you are using in the US. If you are going through Vermont then you can get it in as little as 3-4 months (OR LONGER) but if you are applying through California, Texas, Nebraska it will take about 5-6 months (OR LONGER). We had to apply through Texas-California and you can see our timeline below in my signature.

I'd suggest if you really want her to be living with you in the US as soon as possible, that you file for the K1 RIGHT NOW. By the time of your NON LEGALLY BINDING wedding ceremony in August you'll be pretty close to finishing with the process. You as a USC can stay in the UK on a tourist visa for 6 months, so you could even wait in the UK for her to finish up the process and have her interview. Then once she has her interview (which if you applied at the end of this month would probably be sometime in September-October) she could come to the US for good. She could move to the US and then you two could get married for real!

Otherwise you have to wait for the wedding in London -in August- and THEN start applying for a K3, which takes at least the same amount of time if not longer then the K1.

Hope that made sense and good luck!

Marina

So, Paul sent me a package last week and included in it were some pics of us from 10 years ago. The first one is just he and I and the second is us with his best friend Benjamin. I had to post them because they are just too funny. I was only 16. Ah, but I was already crazy about him. Little did we know that we'd be getting married 10 years later.

Karoline

Awww!! You guys are so cute! It is really funny how things turn out isn't it! Dave and I met in Vienna, Austria while both staying in a hostel room and he, my boyfriend at the time, and me all went out for pizza! Little did we know we were having pizza with the person we would someday marry!!

In other news, my hen party was last night here in London and it was LOADS of fun! AND, my mom is coming to visit tomorrow. I haven't seen her in like 13 months and she's coming tomorrow for 2 weeks! yay!!! I couldn't be more excited...seriously!

Now Dave and I just have to clean our room...........

yay!! I am sooo happy to hear that John and Diana's case is finally moving somewhere!!!!!

Congrats on the good news!

Thank God, I finally got my medical and interview schedules. Now I'm panicking because I feel like there still so much to do and yet so little time. But I am so happy that the wait is over... I'll be with my baby very, very soon!!! Wooohooooooooooo!

@ Diana,

Any luck with your case sis??? *hug*

Mae

Yay! Congrats on getting the interview!!!! NOT LONG YET!

No probs! Hopefully you'll have more luck talking to the NVC than I did! I never ever received a letter from them even saying they had received our case!! I emailed them over and over and finally weeks later they sent me an email saying they did have my case and gave me our new case number. But I never received a hard copy of a letter from the NVC -which I think most people do at some point. Anyway, about the same time I was going to call to see if our case had been forwarded, we received the Packet 3 from London!

Give them a call and hopefully they can tell you exactly where your case is now! As I'm sure you have been told...once the embassy gets your case, things start moving A LOT quicker!

Hi

Did you get your police cert before receiving your NOA 2 etc?Or is it better to wait until all the forms arrive?

Thanks

JD

Since the police check is good for 12 months after you get it, you might as well get it now. I'm not sure where in the process you are -I guess I should have checked your timeline before I hit reply!!- but if you are close to getting your NOA2 you might as well go ahead and apply. If you aren't close to getting the NOA2 it might be better to just wait a while. In the UK the police check is 'guaranteed' in 40 days...so it's no harm in waiting.

We applied for his the day after we got our NOA2 and we got in about 22 days... Our interview is May 17 so we had PLENTY of time!

Otto or anyone who knows the answer:

quick question. My NOA2 is approved on 3/9 and we have not receive any inforamtion regarding Package 3 yet. Is there anything I should do before receiving package 3?

Thanks,

Jack

Sorry my mistake. Our NOA2 is approved on 4/9. As I heard, it takes about 2, 3 month before we will hear anything regarding package 3 from China. It sucks.

Sorry, I'm a bit confused by your question! It appears you originally ask Otto if they know if you should be doing anything in between getting NOA2 and Package 3...is that right? Or are you wondering if you should have received Packet 3 by now? Sorry for the confusion...I'm probably just thinking too much!

There is nothing that we had to do between getting NOA2 and Packet 3, but that was in the UK so maybe it's different in China. I would recommend that you start getting documents ready for packet 3 and for the interview. Like police checks and things like that as they can take a while to come. You can see what your embassy requires in the embassies section here on VJ. There should be a list there that explains all of the forms that are in Packet 3 and what you need to have. If you go ahead and fill these out -MAKE SURE THEY ARE UP TO DATE COPIES- then you should have everything ready to pop in the mail when you finally receive packet 3!

Good luck!