howthelightgetsin

Thanks - coincidentally I received mine about an hour after I posted this. Which is around 5 and half weeks before the date. No new appointments available on the system as of yet... 

Hi, 

Does anyone know how much notice the (particularly London) embassy is giving to those who have their visa interviews cancelled? 
For context, I have an appointment in mid-August which was given in anticipation of things opening up again. Obviously since then the travel ban is ongoing, and the Covid picture in the US has deteriorated markedly. 

Thanks, 

S. 
 

Hi there, 

I currently have a k1 interview schedule for mid August in London. However, since the filing of the original petition, my fiance has arranged to move to her from an apartment in NYC to her parents in VT and taken a new job (obviously a lot has changed in the world in October and we've felt the consequences of that!).  

On the original petition and subsequent paperwork, we've stated her apartment as my intended home once I get to the US but this is no longer the case. Does anyone know the best way to alert the relevant authority to this? My hope was that I could (if the interview goes ahead) discuss this in person with the embassy member of staff who interviews me, but I would hope to have something in writing prior to this.

Thanks

S

Hi, 

Me and my fiancee are awaiting my visa interview in London which is currently scheduled for August (though who knows if that'll go ahead). In the meantime, I hastily threw in an application for funding to take up an academic position in Montreal. We won't find out about the position in Montreal until February at the earliest in all likelihood (for all kinds of obscure reasons!) but I think I have a decent chance.  

If successful in getting that job, there's a good chance I'll be in the US by then if the K1 process goes ahead, but it's unlikely the AoS process will have run its course.

Long story short, does anyone have a sense of whether abandoning the K1 process (in order to take up residency in Quebec) would harm future chances at a K1/K3? Like, do you get blacklisted? No abuse of the process would have taken place, just a change of plans! Any advice appreciated. 

Thanks, 
HTLGI 

Hi, 

UK based K1 applicant here. My (US based/US citizen) fiancee received a letter from the US Embassy in London in the last week or so which was dated March 11. It instructed me (the applicant/beneficiary) to complete a D160 and to book a K1 appointment through the online system, which I did. There were 2 dates available (both mid August) of which I booked one. And now I've gotten all of the confirmations via emails and instructions for documents etc. I called the medical centre who said they could fit me in before then... However the embassy website obviously says that all appointments are cancelled until further notice as of Match.

So is the availability of these days just a glitch on the online system? Or does the fact that the letter arrived so recently (despite March date) suggest things are beginning to move again? I felt it best to go ahead and book, and if it needed to be rescheduled so be it, but my assumption is nonetheless that it will be cancelled! Does anyone have any thoughts? 

Thanks!
HTLGI 

I see the US embassy in London have announced: 

UPDATE: As of March 17, 2020, the United States Embassy in London is cancelling routine nonimmigrant visa appointments and reducing immigrant visa appointments, and no visa appointments will take place at the Consulate in Belfast. We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time.

If you have scheduled a visa interview appointment, the Visa Appointment Service will contact you if your appointment is being postponed. The MRV fee is valid and may be used for a visa application in the country where it was purchased within one year of the date of payment.

Obviously K1s are technically 'non immigrant' visas. But does anyone know what 'routine' refers to? I am taking this to mean my unscheduled but once imminent interview is cancelled, but if anyone knows any different, well do let me know

Thanks,  

Hi, 

Me (UK citizen) and my fiance (US citizen) are waiting on the scheduling of our interview in London. Obviously there has been a lot of news regarding coronavirus and Trump has expanded the US travel ban to include people coming in from the UK. 

Does anyone have any information about how, generally, this is going to affect the process? Presumably if the travel ban isn't lifted and rumbles on as this crisis gets worse, it could end up covering the whole 6 month entry period. I have no reason to assume this wouldn't include K1 entrants. This is of course assuming we event get to interview stage, if things like embassies start closing up. 

Any insight appreciated. 

Sean 

16 minutes ago, Pooley said:

I'm from the US. My husband came here from the UK. For tax purposes, you have to report his income for the tax year. Once your k-1 gets approved and the beneficiary moves to the US, the k-1 is at that point done and then you move onto the AOS to adjust to permanent resident after you marry. 

I see! That makes more sense. 

9 minutes ago, Pooley said:

Yes. And the minimum income requirement goes up to 125% above the poverty line instead of 100% above poverty line. 

So, this is news to me. 

To clarify, they wanted proof of earnings for the year before you came to the US from your former UK employer? 

18 hours ago, Pooley said:

The RFE was about income. My tax transcripts only showed my income from July to December since that's when I was hired. I had my employer write up an updated letter of employment with my annual income. 

I see. So they ask for income details from your home country during the AOS process? 

3 hours ago, Pooley said:

I'm waiting for our AOS, EAD/AP right now. Here is my timeline:

• August 27, 2019: Husband arrived in the US from UK 
• October 5, 2019: Married 
• October 8, 2019: Sent AOS in mail 
• November 11, 2019: Biometrics appointment 
• December 5, 2019: Received RFE on AOS 
• December 18, 2019: USCIS received our response to RFE 
• February 11, 2020: AP case was approved

We are still waiting for EAD and AOS. I'm hoping the AP and EAD come in as a combo card and soon. The wait sucks lol. 

That really sucks, I'm sorry. What was the RFE regarding, if you don't mind my asking? 

Hi, 

My fiance received an i219 approval from USCIS on January 23rd, and we've yet to hear from the NVC. Is this normal? According to VJ user date, NOA2s from Feb 22nd are now being processed, yet we haven't heard a peep! We've emailed but I gather they can and do take a while to get back. Should we be worried that we've slipped between the cracks? 

S 

13 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

I think you're a bit confused.  Here is a rundown of what happens:

 

After you marry, you send off the I-485 form (adjustment of status), which is $1225.  At this time it is free to also apply for advance parole and a work permit (AP/EAD).  The EAD allows for you to work legally while the AOS is processing, as that can take up to a year.  AP/EAD is currently taking 4-7 months, and will be processed at the national benefits center.

 

AOS is processed at your local field office. 

 

Being unable to leave the US (and be readmitted) and work for up to six months after arriving is one of the main drawbacks of the K-1 visa.

National benefits center in Missouri.

The source of my confusion was this VJ timelines section, FYI. 

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/eadlist.php?op8=New+York+City+NY&op1=app&op2=&op3=&op4=1&op5=4%2C7%2C11%2C12&cfl= 

1 minute ago, Jorgedig said:

I think you're a bit confused.  Here is a rundown of what happens:

 

After you marry, you send off the I-485 form (adjustment of status), which is $1225.  At this time it is free to also apply for advance parole and a work permit (AP/EAD).  The EAD allows for you to work legally while the AOS is processing, as that can take up to a year.  AP/EAD is currently taking 4-7 months, and will be processed at the national benefits center.

 

AOS is processed at your local field office. 

 

Being unable to leave the US (and be readmitted) and work for up to six months after arriving is one of the main drawbacks of the K-1 visa.

National benefits center in Missouri.

Okay, thanks for the advice. 

1 minute ago, Boiler said:

Assume 6 months from date of filing to adjust, may be quicker, may be slower, but a reasonable time line.

Thanks - but do you know where it gets processed? 

Hi there, 

My fiance and I recently had our initial application approved and we await details of the interview in London. Our minds have thus turned to the logistics of how we're going to manage the process in between my arrival and receiving work authorisation. The waiting times look pretty daunting but they seem to differ from one USCIS center to another. I note that the guidance on the USCIS office stipulates submitting to the Chicago lockbox. Does this mean such applications are processed in Illinois? Or are they then sent to a centre local, appropriate to the residency of the sponsor (in our case New York). In short, we're trying to get a handle on how long our wait might be by means of predicting which center my application will be processed. 

Any help/guidance appreciated. 

Thanks

S 

Hi there, I'm finishing up my i-129F and this question slightly confused me (attached image). 

I (beneficiary) have no criminal record of any kind. Should we tick the not applicable box, or does this whole section not refer to me/us? 

Thanks!
Sean 

20 minutes ago, silvertruck said:

I had the same confusion when I was filling out my I-129F form. I've been to the US before but at the time I'm applying for K-1 I am already living outside the US.

What I did is what @Letspaintcookies suggested - I left it blank as I am not in the US anymore.

But I also added a printed copy of my recent I-94 and US visa stamps in my passport in the list of documents I submitted just to let them know I have previous US travel history - though I don't think this is really needed (just for my peace of mind).

Then my petition got approved, we just received our NOA2.

 

Thanks silvertruck. It's reassuring to hear you got approved. I've included my i-94 in the pack and will add the passport stamps.
And congratulations! 

On 9/17/2019 at 12:43 PM, Letspaintcookies said:

When you're not curently in the US then you leave it blank as the instruction states. 

 

For the I-134, fill it after you receive the NOA2.  

Hi, sorry, I'm just finding this a bit confusing. The form guidance states (my emphasis):

Item Numbers 37. - 38.h. Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record. Select the box to indicate whether your beneficiary has ever been in the United States. Provide the date of your beneficiary’s most recent entry in the United States, his or her I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Number, if available, and his or her immigration status at the time of arrival (for example, student, tourist, temporary worker, without inspection). Provide the expiration date and identification numbers on the I-94 or I-95 Arrival-Departure Records, travel documents, and or passports. See the What Evidence Should You Submit section of these Instructions for additional information.

Obviously the answer to whether I have ever been in the United States, and whether I am currently in the United States have different answers! And I wouldn't want to deprive USCIS of any information they might need (eg passport details) and create delays. Any help gratefully received. 

Thanks, 
Sean 

Thank you Russ&MaryAnn!

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Additional Information sheet?  

Sean 

Hello, 

Putting the finishing touches on our I-129F and I wasn't sure whether the name at the top of Part 8 - Additional Information should be the petitioners, benificiary, or whichever the information below pertains to (eg we're going to need an extra sheet, one which refers to the extra information from the Petitioners questions, and one which refers to mine the benificiary). Any advice much appreciated!

Also, for question 54, how much detail is required here for the details of in person meetings, given the (very comprehensive) information we're attached. Is a list of locations and dates sufficient? 

Thanks!  

Sean 

Thank you - that seems clear. If any disagrees then hmu

Hi all,

I'm filling in the I219 visa form with my Fiance for the K1 Visa. Question 38 asks if your fiance is currently in the US, then if so requests you fill this section. I am not currently in the US. However, the instructions for the same question requests details of the fiance’s (aka my) “most-recent entry” to the US. Which was back in May of this year. Does anyone know whether I should leave it blank or fill it in? 

A second question, if anyone would be so kind to help me out with something else, is whether the I-134 Affidavit of Support needs to be filed with the i219 or if this comes following initial approval. Most of the information I've seen suggests that it should be filed later, but I have seen conflicting information. 

Any advice gratefully received, 
Sean