Mel & Llew

Had the K1 interview yesterday - it was about 2.5 hours from walking in to walking out (most of it is spent waiting to be called to a counter). 

After submitting all our documents, I waited and was called to a different counter for the interview. It was actually quite short - about 15 minutes.
The interviewer was friendly, and asked: 
 

- When was the last time you saw your fiance?
- How and when did you meet?
- Tell me your story?
- What are your wedding plans and what are your plans once you've entered the US?
- What kind of job/work are you going to do once you're able to work (Green Card issued)?
 

She said well done our application looks really good and we had all the documents they required. Congratulations, and she'd approve it later in the day.

Also cancelled my previous tourism visa as the K1 visa replaces it.

Done! Very happy right now 🙏😃

On 6/12/2019 at 3:21 PM, ZTC said:

@Mel & Llew Great!! Is it Mel or Llew coming ? Thank you, I've added it in! Happy to have someone else going through the same process there! See one of you then! 

 

@ZTC only saw this now - hope your interview went well? We're approved! Very happy right now

14 hours ago, ZTC said:

Hello everyone ! My appointment is on thursday 13 June at 1pm!! So excited ! Anyone else have the same day? 

This is my list, please anyone feel free to comment if I need to add anything  

- two 5 x 5 cm photos

- passport  (all that I've been issued )

- ds 160 confirmation page

- PCC 

- UBC 

- I-134, supporting evidence: letter from the bank, letter from employer, tax transcripts 2016-2018, last 3 paychecks

- proof of payment $265

- photos, screenshots of facebook posts, whatsapp messages, skype calls/messages and facebook messenger from after we sent the I-129f in August 2018 until now. I did two screenshots from each month. 

- copies of letter stamps 

- copies of 4 emails 

- copies of all flights ( I've made two trips to the US)

- copy of complete I-129f 

- LOI from both of us with more current dates 

- copy of the NOA2

- letter with case number from NVC 

 

Thank you!! 

@ZTC cool same here - interview is 13th June 13:00! Your list looks good, I would only add ---> copy of interview confirmation email showing date & time of interview. Best of luck to you guys! 🙏🤙

21 hours ago, KyleB22 said:

Has anyone got any tips or tricks for cheaper flights to the US? one way or return? 

Hey @KyleB22 - your best bet for SA -> USA tickets is check out www.cheapflights.co.za or the Cheapflights app. Then get the best deals, and compare with the prices on the carrier's site directly (such as Emirates) - and be sure to carefully read through the fine print, sometimes the price is lower on Cheapflights via a 3rd party such as eDreams etc, but there's a catch such as a card payment fee or no luggage included in the fee etc. In my experience from SA to USA your best bet is one of the layover carriers such as Emirates / Qatar but from the USA to SA there are more direct flight options. Best of luck 👍

On 5/4/2019 at 5:56 PM, Hunter & Robyn said:

That's awesome that they sent it within 2 days! Best of luck to you too!!  Do you have everything ready to go? Still waiting for my police clearance.  

Thanks! Yeah, police clearance took about 2 weeks (got it 5 weeks later, but it actually took 2 weeks) and birth certificate about 2 1/2 weeks (both Pretoria) - maybe we got lucky. 🙏 I'd advise going in to the police station - my police clearance had been sitting with them for about 3 weeks but they never let me know (you're supposed to receive a text when it's ready). 👍

20 hours ago, Hunter & Robyn said:

Hey there! Jumping on the bandwagon here. Our case was received by the U.S embassy in JHB on the 9th of April (the site said "READY"), this morning after emails not replied to, I found another number for the embassy on this forum (THANK YOU!) and guess what!? They had emailed Packet 3 to the wrong email address on April 17th already. After thinking there was something wrong with our case, I finally received Packet 3 today and have booked my interview for June 20th! HAPPY DAYS!

 

Just wanted to add, this forum has come in super handy, and I'm so happy for all those that have been approved! You guys have given me constant hope that the wait is almost over!  

Also had to call the Jhb consulate to get them to email the instructions etc., took about 2 days (getting through on the phone was very quick though). Best of luck to you guys - my interview is a week before yours, June 13th! Cheers 🙏🤙

On 4/19/2019 at 4:32 AM, KyleB22 said:

 

I got my pc in 4 weeks, waiting for my BC still, how come you waited 3 months for an interview date?... 

Hey @KyleB22 - easiest is to keep an eye on the timelines (see link below) which shows the average time between the different phases as things get updated. Seems like the avg. is +- 10 weeks from package arrival in South Africa until an interview date. Also as they only interview for K1 on Thursdays, you're limited to 4 days a month (Jhb consulate). Hope that helps and best of luck!

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php.....

15 minutes ago, SAlove18 said:

How do you get them to answer 

Just keep calling! Best of luck

Interview booked for 13th June at Jhb consulate!! 🙌🙏😃 Note: we did the DHL-tracking trick to see when it arrived in Jhb, then called the consulate - they pick up pretty quick when you call (even answered when I called after 3pm). Asked me to wait for email with instructions, which I got the next morning. As I had already completed the DS-160 beforehand, all I had to do was make payment, and then booked first available interview date -> 13th June. 

Birth certificate (Pretoria): for those having applied / still needing to apply for a birth certificate - have to say, I am mighty impressed. Just got a notification text that it's ready for collection - the process has taken exactly 2 weeks and 2 days since I applied (Pretoria branch of Home Affairs)! This is extremely fast, as I was told it would take a minimum of 8 weeks+ and we were worried it could affect things. Super grateful 🙏😀

On 2/18/2019 at 4:48 AM, Heidi888 said:

Hi

 

Once Im married, will I lose my SA citizenship, and have to apply for a SA visa to enter SA to visit family?

Same for kids? 

 

 

@Heidi888 I came across 2 interesting articles about retaining SA citizenship once you apply for US citizenship (few years down the line after getting married): 

--> https://www.thesouthafrican.com/south-african-citizenship-dual-nationality/

--> https://www.nwivisas.com/nwi-blog/south-africa/does-south-africa-allow-dual-citizenship/

It seems you have to apply to retain your SA citizenship, you don't automatically just keep it indefinitely. Also important to know later down the road (when you have 2 passports) is that (if you're still also a SA citizen) it is illegal to enter or leave SA with your US passport - you have to use your SA passport on the SA side.

Good luck! 

4 minutes ago, RenC said:

Hi All!

 

Thank you all for welcoming me

 

My fiance received our NOA2 in the mail on Saturday!! Its been only 4 and a half months since we received NOA1 end of September last year. So NOA2 came MUCH sooner than expected! We are so thankful.

 

How long is the wait more or less to get an interview at the US embassy in Joburg these days?

@RenCAwesome news guys - and snap - we received our NOA2 in the mail on Saturday 16th as well! Very similar timeline to you guys too (slightly longer) - our NOA1 was 5 September '18. From other timelines, my best guess is you'd receive the couriered packet at Jhb embassy from NVC around end of March - and only then can an interview & medical be scheduled (as far as I can tell - still researching...). Best of luck and keep in touch!! 🙏

Applying for a birth certificate - useful info:

Fellow Saffa's applying for a birth certificate (Pretoria) - I can highly recommend the Home Affairs office in town (Sophie de Bruyn street), found a very useful Google review that helped me out. The queues are crazy, but once I was directed to skip the queues and head upstairs for birth certificate applications, there were perhaps 10-15 people in line in front of me - and I was in and out in less than 1.5 hours. Told that the certificate should take maximum of 8 weeks. Be prepared for people cutting the queue, a bit of organised chaos and such - but from what I understand still a far smoother process than for example Centurion or other Pretoria area branches. 

Google Maps address: https://goo.gl/maps/zYwHKiahYHK2 (take R15 cash for parking across the street)

Google Maps review with useful info: https://goo.gl/maps/5crRKCBLomA2

12 hours ago, JS5220 said:

5 months is good timing! So happy for you both. It's a huge step in the process. May the NVC move quickly and the consulate even faster 😁

Thank-you! Such a relief, and now we're hopeful for the next steps to be quick! 🙏😃

10 hours ago, LuFlolady said:

Congrats on your NOA2 good luck the rest of the way!

Thank you - much appreciated! 🙏🌍😃

15 hours ago, madameMaison said:

Oh What a JOYY! BIG Congratulations and you are very blessed that holiday season is over so your process might move a lot faster than some of us who got approved just before holiday season. 

 

Congratulations Angel, the worst is now over. ❤️✨✨✨✨✨✨❤️🙏🏽

Many thanks! Yes indeed we're hoping for super-speedy next steps 😃🌍

Just received our NOA2! Super happy, and relieved! 😀🙌🙏

5 hours ago, madameMaison said:

Happy to say we passed the interview, and they said it will be processed for 5 to 7 days. 

 

 

🙏🏽❤️🌸

 

Thank you lawd. 

Congratulations guys. Just got our NOA2!

Hey guys. This might be useful to those who need to apply for a new passport before leaving for the US (has to be valid min. 6 months after arrival in US). I would highly recommend making use of Home Affairs online, and selecting the bank branch closest to you: https://ehome.dha.gov.za/echannel create a profile, login, apply for a new passport, pay via your internet banking site, schedule an appointment time with the closest bank branch, wait and then collect at the same branch. 

The application - from walking into the bank to leaving was 20 minutes. I received an sms notification exactly 1 week later that my passport is ready for collection. Not bad! 

Cheers,

Mel & Llew

On 2/9/2019 at 9:25 PM, madameMaison said:

Omg I am so happy, my fiancé booked an impromptu trip to South Africa so he can attend the interview with me on Thursday.. 😭😭✨❤️🌸... I wasn't expecting that at all. 

 

This has just made the time feel shorter. 

 

Just wanted to share my positive vibes with you all. ❤️✨🙏🏽

Best of luck with your upcoming interview! 
Regards, Mel & Llew

On 2/7/2019 at 3:04 PM, JS5220 said:

We've been approved!!!! I'm so happy right now words cannot express it.

 

My fiance said they only asked her a few super easy questions, and it was at a teller's booth. It took her all of probably 2 minutes.

 

1) Do you promise to tell the truth, and everything in the packet is truthful?

2) Whats the petitioners name?

3) Where will you be living? (Just the state)

4) Have you ever been married?

5) Do you have any kids?

6) Has he ever been married?

 

And that was it!

 

When my fiance comes to America, I'll type a full review of the Joburg Consulate.

Congratulations guys! Glad the interview went quickly and smoothly, from the sound of it.