Laytona Campbell

You're welcome...I.m sure good news is coming soon!

Hi friend wow that is great news I’m so happy for u we’re still waiting on the NOA2 as well I hope good news come for us thank u for keeping me posted with the great news 😊

Hi Latonya....so I got our NOA2  approval letter on February 11th and now are awaiting  the NVC process. Also, I mailed my RFE  on February 5th back to the California center and it didn't take them long at all to give their decision. So we are moving right along and praying for the best. I'm so ready to be joined with my fiance so we can finally spend our lives together. 

I would throw in a letter from your company that you are expected to be "on vacation" between these date and you will return back to your position. Do you own any property there? If so that would be reason to return combined with your other evidence.

Hi! Is it allowed to visit to the US on a tourist visa even if we have already filed the K1 visa?

You're welcome....Oh wow I was just in the Gambia in July of last year visiting. It was my second time there. I was there for a mission trip in 2016 with my church and I fell in love with Mother Africa and I really want to see more of the continent. It's such a lovely place beautiful people and so much love. This time when I went back I was able to experience more of the culture  because we were busy working in 2016.  But yes we should definitely keep in touch! 

Hi Latonya, I know how you feel. My baby is in Gambia also but he is Igbo he's teaching me his language also and I miss him so much. I filed in September and unfortunately got an RFE on Monday for my proof of divorce. I sent every page of my final divorce decree with the packet, yet they say that they did not receive all of the pages but just some of them. So I took off of work tomorrow so that I can travel to my hometown to get those darn papers and go straight to the post office to send them back to them, lol the suspense is killing me.  Have you tried calling the USCIS they will tell you where you are in the filing process if that would ease your mind a bit. I called after I noticed it had been almost 5 months since filing the lady was very friendly and even looked into her system at the packet and she said that everything looked fine and nothing derogatory was there. But then a couple of days later I got the RFE. But I am confident that everything will work out in perfect timing as will yours! 

Oh hey, you want a wolof study buddy? 

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.

We all go through this period of a long distance relationship, in our case it was two years apart.  Daily communication helps so much, we did nightly video calls to ease the pain... and I flew to Brazil to be with him every two months for a week or more each time.  Stay strong and you can do it, soon you will be together.  Collect documents, be ready, read and know everything about the process so that when the petition is approved or you get an RFE you can move to the next step without delays.  Good luck, I wish you the best and hope the process goes smoothly.

Keep busy. Learn new skills that will help you when you get here (language skills, office or computer skills, etc). Take time to say goodbye to everyone back home. It will be a long time before you go back. 
 
Once I got busy and kept busy, I actually enjoyed my time in this process to some degree. I went all over my homeland and took photos, said goodbye to family and friends, had so many goodbye parties with friends, co-workers, etc. My husband suggested that learning Spanish might be useful for me here - I cannot speak a word of it - and I planned to learn some Spanish before I came but I actually ran out of time doing so many other things. 
 
Learn some recipes from your homeland that you can make for your new family when you arrive. That sort of thing. 

Everyone hates the waiting... we’ve been waiting well over a year now.. 
 
i just focus on work work and keeping busy, it’s all we can do

Everyone goes thru the wait.  Just hang in there and hopefully that NOA2 will arrive soon!

You are not restricted to travel at all. It will in fact help your petition

You are not restricted in any way from traveling.

More visits the better I always say!

My fiance is also in Gambia and i still have not received an noa2 yet and i applied in late Aug. so Im keeping  my fingers crossed for January.

There is a time in everyone's long distance journey where someone sacrifices something in order to be together long term.
 
DISCLAIMER: I apologize in advance if I sound whiny or complain too much but I just thought I would express my raw feelings on the first morning of 2020.
 
My fiance and I have came to harsh reality that we might not see each other for another six months. His interview is scheduled on Feb 5th but his sisters wedding is on June 29th (in AUS) leaving us no time to get accepted for a green card or advance parole in time to go back to Australia for the wedding. We both know it is the mature decision for him to stay in Australia even after the interview and wedding. This has been extremely hard because I know this is the right decision in the long run but I am having such a hard time dealing with it in the short run. This decision took me awhile to process last night but hit me so hard this morning and couldn't stop crying if I tried. Anyone in long distance knows how hard it is to be apart for so long, but today it just hit me like a ton of bricks.I know our relationship is very strong and will not break within this waiting period but I cant help but feel depressed at the fact I was counting down until February to possibly see him and now I may have to wait until June. I work and go to school full time so it so hard to drop everything and fly to Australia like I wish I could.
 
We have been doing long distance for almost 2 years now and I dont know how to cope with it anymore (other than staying busy like I am now). I feel so drained and hopeless and cant seem to go on with my day without crying or getting out of bed. If anyone has any advise on this situation it would really benefit because we both feel helpless. 

When you get your NOA2, be sure to join the monthly NOA2 group (depending on your month) in the K1 Progress forum. You can join in with other folks that are similarly situated as yourselves. It helps pass the time, and you realize that you are not alone.

You are welcome ! 
 
If you haven't already, this visa process will help you acquire or hone your skills in patience. Just keep in mind that this whole process is like a marathon, not a sprint. You have to pace yourself, or it can drive you crazy. 

A review of the K1 Visa Progress forum responses seems to indicate that most folks receive their NOA2 after about 3-4 months, it can be quite variable. Additionally, the holidays are coming, and USCIS staff will be taking time off for the holidays.
 
You can check this data for yourself: https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list.php?op1=3&op2=&op3=1&op4=1&op5=&op6=All
 
YMMV.
 
Good luck on your immigration journey.

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Working & Traveling During US Immigration forum.

Your spouse will not be able to leave the US and come back until he has an approved AP, which could take 5-7 months.  This is a drawback to the K-1, and one reason why CR-1 is preferred by many.  He also will not be able to work during that time.

K1 is a single entry visa so once your fiancee is in you cannot travel outside the US until you have an advance parole. 
 
K1 visa -> marriage -> file for AOS and AP&EAD -> Once you get AP (or Green Card whichever happens first) you can travel.

Entry