Putali

My husband has been here 5 months and has adjusted extremely well for a farm boy from Nepal. Let me give you an example... we were eating at my favorite Spanish restaurant here in San Diego and I ordered a nice rioja to start off with the tapas. My husband reminded me to order the cheese plate saying that he loved how cheese and olives go so well with wine. And on another occasion, I came home from work to find my husband watching a movie on the computer next to the bed with a glass of white wine in hand. He's still my farm boy, but his tastes have gone from yak cheese to manchego and from raksi to rioja. Now if we can only improve on his written english and have him stop talking "like, you know" a southern California, we'd be in perfect shape.

After a 10-day long, grueling wait, Rajan finally got the go-ahead to pick up his visa and purchased his previously booked ticket today. In one week I'll be crying and screaming for joy at the LAX international arrivals terminal. Pinch me... I still can't believe he's almost here!!!

CandP, just for the record, I (USC) was living in India for 21 years, mostly only for room and board but for the last few years, for $125 a month (full time). I was earning double what the Indians were. I could save like $10 a month but of course could never save up enough to return to US (I got back to see my ill father through a donated ticket). My husband was working 15-hour days as an accountant and auditor and earned $75 a month, hardly enough even for his own rent and food, let alone to cover visa fees and a plane ticket here once he got his visa. He now is working hard here and, though earning minimum wage, is helping me equally with all the household expenses.

Sometimes hard working guys in poor countries simply can't afford some things. But they prove their loyalty and love (financially) once they have the means to do so.

Exactly !

Pattu, you will both be fine Best wishes.

Ditto that, and to be even more specific, in Nepal, the average annual income is around $300.00 (and no, that is not a typo), and unemployment is around 40%. And if you have any money at all, you can expect a constant flow of requests for help with: your aunt's open heart surgery, a cast for your little cousin who broke her leg, the lawyer to keep your friend's father from losing his property, etc.... it never ends, and at times it is heartbreaking. How anyone in those circumstances could save over $1200 for a plane ticket to the US, never mind all the USCIS/DOS fees is beyond me. I think they probably want to be together before they're eligible for AARP.

PR: I admire you for taking your time to consider things carefully. I think most people have doubts and fears... I know I had a few myself. At some point you just have to do what your signature says and eat the ravioli! We wish you both all the best!

Maya

I agree whole-heartedly with the above statements and have lived through all those examples in the past 9 months alone (nephew's broken arm, mother-in-law's bout with gastroenteritis, brother-in-law in the hospital for tyhpoid, sister-in-law has stillborn twin babies). There is no such thing as upward mobility in impoverished, politically unstable countries.

Wow these stories and timelines are great!

Can anyone help me out, Im from Toronto and my fiance is in Illinois. Can anyone from Canada let me know what the approx. length of time is to obtain the fiance visa(k1)? Were planning an October wedding and im afraid the timing will mess everything up!

Spoke to a few lawyers and they are charging me an arm and a leg...and also telling me the K! process takes well over a year

HELPPPP!!!

MareBear, I know exactly how you feel... but to be honest with you, the hardest part for my situation wasn't the paperwork at all, it was the waiting. Try filling out the paperwork yourself. This site helped tons and I couldn't have done it without the assistance of everyone on this website. I wish you luck and success! Feel free to PM me if you have a question or feel like you're getting overwhelmed. I'm an amazing cheerleader!!!

me: so tell me what happened from beginning to end, tell me what time did you get there and every detail

rajan: ohh yaa i was there about 12.45 and get inside there around 1.30 and time of interview was sharp 2 and end around 2.15

me: oh wow and what did they ask you? how did it go?

rajan: he was just looking at all the evidence and mostly looking upon the musical card that you sent to me and said about 3 times this is the most organized document he ever seen in his counsel time (Hallmark sells these cards that play music when you open them... awesome. And I bought a 13 tab expandable file folder to organize the documents for easy access)

me: hahahahahahahah really?

rajan: first he started with the album and ask who took our picture for the cover and he looked inside and said you guys are crazy, it's so cool. yap the best org. and and and

me: crazy? why crazy? why did he say we're crazy?

rajan: because its so cool. the album is soo soooo cool that he found (made a professional photobook of all our pictures including narrative)

me: hahahahahahaha

rajan: :D

me: hehehehehehe I'm so happy

rajan: yap its so easy going to talk with him

me: so he liked the card the best?

rajan: yap yap

me: oh I sent you two musical cards

rajan: he even gave it to the other counselor ladies asking to wait a few minutes to show them

me: what did he ask you? heheheheheheh so he was showing the card to other people in the consulate?

rajan: really it was fun

me: hehehehehe tell me more tell me more

rajan: yap

me: what did he ask you?

rajan: when did you meet, what i work for living? what you do there? and and and and reminded me you should get married within 90 days. thats it thats it

me: really? that's it?

rajan: we have a lot evidence, so he himself was convinced looking upon them. thats what i found

me: hehehehehehe amazing I'm so happy

rajan: really i was so excited just after the interview being so easy amazing were gonna meet soon very soon

me: the waiting the worry everything it's done!

rajan: its really happy day

Hi All! My fiance just contacted me to let me know he had a very short, successful interview and that his visa was approved!!! He picks up his visa in 2 days. It's all very unreal... 9 months without seeing my fiance. I can't believe he'll be here before Christmas. Good luck to everyone who is still patiently waiting for their approval.

My fiance submitted packet 3 in-person yesterday (Monday) and he was told to come back this Wednesday for his interview at 1:30 PM. I almost fainted from sheer joy! The woman at the counter took the hardcover photobook I made of our story (using mypublisher) and even my baby pictures that I sent citing that these were all strong evidence of our relationship. Imagine that! Baby pictures of me!!! I wanted Rajan to see what his future children would look like. Following the advice of a fellow VJer I e-mailed the consulate letting them know that I would be available to call-in to the interview if need be. They wrote back within hours saying that they would call me if needed. On the home stretch ya'll and I'm feelin' finer than frogs hair

Hi All,

Just to keep interested people posted, I had to e-mail the U.S. embassy in Kathmandu and let them know that my fiance's address and phone numbers have changed, so I prefer that he pick up Packet 3 from the embassy directly once they receive it. My e-mail looked like this, which I sent at a time I knew the embassy would be open:

ATTENTION: Consular Section, Immigrant Visas to the U.S. -- NVC Case# ______________

Dear Sir or Madam:

Namaskar. I am writing regarding my approved I-129F petition for a K-1 visa for my fiancé ____________. I have just received a letter (dated 11/13/2007, NVC Case# __________) from the U.S. State Department's National Visa Center indicating that the petition is being forwarded to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu within the next week. I understand that you will be contacting my fiancé once you have received the petition documents, however, his address and phone number have since changed. His new cell phone number is _______________. He is currently at home with his family in Chitwan for the Nepali holidays, but will be returning to Kathmandu sometime next week. If I may, I would like to please ask that you first try to contact him via his new cell phone so that he can pick up the packet directly from the embassy. I am afraid that if the packet is mailed it will be lost or may be delayed.

I hope that his visa can be processed as quickly as possible because my entire family is expecting him to be in the United States by Christmas or December 25th. My family members and close friends are traveling long distances to meet him at Christmas time. Also, since most of my family members will be present, we would like to try and have a marriage ceremony at the same time. All are excited to meet him and it will be a great time of celebration, but it will not be as joyous if he is not with me.

Please feel free to contact me with a reply to this e-mail. I will also try to call the embassy within the next few days to check for the petition packet arrival. Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Best wishes,

I then proceed to call my fiancé to let him know that I sent an e-mail to them and he tells me, "Yah! They just called me and told me your fianceé has e-mailed us and that I should come to the embassy on Monday". Less than one hour later I get this e-mail reply:

Dear Ms. ________,

__________’s case has been electronically transferred to us by NVC but his paper file is not yet with us. When he gets to Kathmandu, please ask him to visit us at the Consular Section any M/W/F at 2 pm. We have also called him and told him the same thing.

Regards,

Consular Section

U.S. Embassy

Kathmandu, Nepal

We are ecstatic! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

Just wanted to share the good news. Almost a month after getting my petition approved, I've received the letter from the NVC saying the petition will be on its way to the U.S. embassy in Kathmandu within the week! I can't believe it! Rajan may actually be able to spend Christmas in the United States!!! Hope you all get similar amazing news... sending out the good vibes!

Hi Rami,

I don't know what you're able to afford but you might try finding a birth center and have your baby delivered by a midwife if your pregnancy is going well and you're expecting a healthy baby. They won't take high-risk births. They are a low-cost alternative for many people, often reducing costs by 70%. Here's a link to start you out: http://www.birthcenters.org/find-a-birth-center/

Good luck!

Canon 7.1 MP Camera, 1G SD card, and case for $129.99 (plus $7.14 shippping):

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You're too nice to your husband didi! For X-mas Rajan is getting a one-way ticket from KTM to me!

TOP FIVE visited:

1) Spain

2) Nepal

3) Bali

4) Thailand

5) Philippines

TOP FIVE want to visit (this is part of my next RTW itinerary):

1) India (especially west coast)

2) Argentina

3) Egypt

4) Croatia

5) Vietnam

I found this for you at this URL http://www.inteconlaw.com/k-1_visa.htm:

Question 8. My fiancée has a valid B-1/B-2 visitor visa for the US. Is she allowed to come to

America while my K-1 visa petition for her is pending with the U.S. immigration authorities?

Answer 8. Yes. She is allowed to enter, but she may face difficulty because she has to convince the immigration officials in the airport that she has no intentions to stay in the

U.S. permanently. She has a “dual intent” problem - that is to stay for a short period on

the current B-1/B-2 visa even though she intends to eventually stay permanently in the

US on the K-1 visa. It’s a trick situation – especially since many immigration officers

erroneously assume that the pending K-1 visa prevents B-1/B-2 entry.

As far as whether K-1 or K-3? The woman wants to marry in the UK... I think you have your answer.

Does anyone know if they are still giving out work permits at New York point-of-entry?

Once my fiance arrives in the U.S. on the K-1 visa, is he free to travel around the U.S. within the 90-day validity period as long as he doesn't leave the U.S.? I'm itchin' to travel and as soon as he gets here I wanna take him to somewhere cool before we get married.

Looks like the CSC is processing the June filers... I'm saying a prayer for everyone that they get a response this month.

APPROVED!!!!!!!! I GOT NOTICE LAST NIGHT VIA E-MAIL THAT I WAS APPROVED!!!!!!!

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On October 19, 2007, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

Ok, so from people's experience, after their case has been marked received and pending, what is the typical turnaround time from that point? When can I TYPICALLY (barring any issues with my petition) expect to receive an NOA2? I know that each case is different, so I'm asking for an "on average" answer. If anyone wants to share their personal experience that would be great. Thanks!

If I were you, I'd be thinking in terms of 150 to 180 days at this time.

APPROVED!!!!!!!! I GOT NOTICE LAST NIGHT THAT I WAS APPROVED!!!!!!!

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On October 19, 2007, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

After reading many posts... I think what I got was my first "touch". MY FIRST TOUCH! So exciting! Must be something good... I'm optimistic.

Ok, so from people's experience, after their case has been marked received and pending, what is the typical turnaround time from that point? When can I TYPICALLY (barring any issues with my petition) expect to receive an NOA2? I know that each case is different, so I'm asking for an "on average" answer. If anyone wants to share their personal experience that would be great. Thanks!

I have been told my case has been assigned to an officer on 10/15. I am at day 148 today.

Hoping to be approved soon. Good luck!

Oh! That's great! Did you call them to find out? It should be any time now!!! Congrats.

Ok, so from people's experience, after their case has been marked received and pending, what is the typical turnaround time from that point? When can I TYPICALLY (barring any issues with my petition) expect to receive an NOA2? I know that each case is different, so I'm asking for an "on average" answer. If anyone wants to share their personal experience that would be great. Thanks!

Hi All,

Someone's probably answered this in the forum somewhere already, but I just want to make sure... does the following mean that an NOA2 is on its way to me soon? I have been waiting 4 months for something and this is my first touch/status change. I was getting a little worried:

Application Type: I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Case received and pending.

On June 14, 2007, we received this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E), and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. We will notify you by mail when we make a decision or if we need something from you. If you move while this case is pending, call customer service. We process cases in the order we receive them. You can use our processing dates to estimate when yours will be done. This case is at our CALIFORNIA SERVICE CENTER location. Follow the link below to check processing dates. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

Because I don't live in a time without fast planes, cheap int'l phone cards, and the internet... I'm grateful.

Because I've been given the opportuntity to work on patience as a virtue... I'm grateful.

Because this price for true love is a bargain... I'm grateful.

Because I know that my life looking forward will be an amazing example of what love can do to bridge cultural gaps... I'm grateful.

Because someone half-way around the world loves me as much as I love them... I'm grateful.

Because I'm not alone in the visa journey... I'm grateful.

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