ECCK

Thanks for reporting back. If I hear anything else I'll let you guys know too. Every step of this process has been so frustrating!! 

Will do, I'm on the phone with them atm. I don't have high hopes.

Thanks, yeah it's been quite a terrible year for everyone I think. 
Their death wasn't even covid related either. It was sudden and aggressive cancer.

Congratulations! Glad to hear that you and your daughter made it safely to the US. 

The staff were really nice and the layover in Doha was really easy to navigate. There’s heaps of staff to help. The flight to Doha was really empty and everyone had their own row but the flight to Chicago from Doha was packed! That was kind of gross... I kinda regret not paying extra to upgrade my seat. I’m not sure if all the flights to the US will be that full though. 

No we haven't applied yet, there have been lots of hold ups for us getting married. (A family member passed away. A different person then the one that allowed us to have an emergency interview). I'm quite done with this year J/s.

Just wanted to touch base and say that I made it into the US yesterday! 29 hours of travel and six airports later. Australian exemption process and the visa process in the US was super easy and I’m glad to be done.
 
Now to relax and adjust (especially my daughter!) for a week or so other than applying for the marriage license and SSN number and then the AOS games begin!

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

It cost around $2000 to send him. I’m so sorry  That must have been hard for him but hopefully she has a loving home in Australia. If only covid didn’t happen 😖 Don’t feel guilty - no one could’ve predicted this! You guys made the best decision you could. ❤️

I'm happy you were able to take your cat with you! How much did it cost?
 
Also yeah he had to leave her behind and say goodbye forever. 😭😭😭
I feel so guilty. 

My approval just came through!! What a relief Definitely put in a date earlier than your true date of travel.
 

Congratulations!!! So glad for you guys! Hope he has a smooth flight and all the best to you both!

ahHH SO exciting!! I'm glad everything worked out well with your flight and port of entry! My fiance finally got his exemption to fly out of Australia tomorrow night! 

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

Congratulations! That’s so exciting! I hope I have just as easy a time as you did next month! One month and two days until my flight and I’m hoping there’s no new bans before then and it’s as easy as yours!
 
I received the email today that Toll has our passports!

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

Soooooooo good!!!  It always makes. Huge difference when the Officer is friendly.  Congrats on this chapter closing...and your next chapter starting!!!
 
Fingers crossed we’ll be following in footsteps behind you!!!  Just gotta get my paperwork OUT of the NVC!!  Do I remember you saying you had to request it to be sent out for an emergency interview or was that someone else?  If it was you, would you mind reminding me who you’re emailed to get it sent? Cheers.

Yay! Congratulations! So happy for you guys

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

I’ve made it to the US! I arrived yesterday into Chicago. When I was checking in at Melbourne airport they airline called me before my flight to ask if I had a waiver and if I didn’t there would be Border Force staff there to help me. I’m not sure if that means that those staff will provide approvals on the spot or what. I showed them my waiver email and they said it all looks good. The check in staff recorded the reference number and checked my visa before they issued my boarding pass. When I had to go through immigration In Melbourne they just let me through with no more questions asked. 
 
Once I got to Chicago I asked staff where I should line up with a K1 visa and they directed me. When I got up to the counter the guy was really friendly and said he hasn’t seen a k1 in ages so he was super excited to process it! On top of that he said all Australians are awesome! He only asked one question about how I met my fiancé and then said welcome to America and let me through  it was really easy! Hope to hear more of you guys reach the US soon!! 

My status changed to issued today! Guess I can start canceling things!

I also applied for a travel exemption nearly two weeks ago and haven't heard back. I think they approval quite close to the travel date.
All the best 😊

I agree with getting the media involved if nothing else works. The whole process is so badly managed by home affairs!! They give us a useless reference number and we can’t even follow up on our applications. So many of us have applied multiple times!!! There’s travel restrictions in every country in the world, who is going to travel of leisure these days?? People who need to leave right now need to do it because it’s urgent. This makes me so mad!!!