Vitalii&Lana

yesterday Admin Processing.
about 1 hour ago it went to "Issued"

 
Can't believe it.
 
8.5 months since filing.
 
Thanks so much for your support @Mohd Al Said
I wish you well on your journey too.
 
Steven

Just an update.
Visa was issued on 15-June. One of the happiest moments in my life.  Though I should probably stay cautious until it has physically arrived.

You don't have to do medical before you schedule your interview.
You need to complete DS160 online  before you schedule your interview.

Yeah, it was 3:30pm Ukraine time. Happened this morning for us. If your interview got cancelled in March and April, they will prioritize you first, then move down the list to clear the backlog, then move on to cases received from NVC. They are still not operating at 100%, K visa resumption is presumably because of the announcement from DoS yesterday. 

No one is able to visit anyone.  Very few K1 are being processed (although a some are).  This is not USCIS picking on you, everyone is in the same boat. 
 
The majority of people are still working.  I actually have two jobs now because I want MORE money.  Where I work, the company has given out TWO $300 bonuses, all overtime is double time, and an additional 40 hours of holiday was granted.  I am expecting a huge bonus soon because (wait for it) I SHOWED UP FOR WORK.  I'm 50 and my only co-morbidity is weight.  I was in HK and Vn in Feb 2020 and in Shenyang and Yiwu in Sept, 2019 so I most likely have had the virus, although I don't care to be tested.
 
I drive for GrubHub 15 hours a week and the number of shops/businesses with HELP WANTED sign's is ridiculous.  If you are not making money, you are not trying. 
 
So your American boyfriend needs to GO TO WORK, save, and once travel opens (Sept seems like a possibility) get a ticket to see you.  I plan on being on the first scheduled flight from JFK->SGN once the list it.
 
Now is the PERFECT time to not only save, but make crazy money.  Seriously.  Tell your boyfriend to get a 2nd or 3rd job and make some crazy money.

This is a challenge for a real long distance relationship, if you can't be patient, you need to consider your relationship. This is only first start of immigration journey. At this time of pandemic, spousal visa is not guaranteed any faster, if not slower.
 

Hi Hanna, 
If you get married in your country you will not be able to adjust status based on a K1 visa, you will have to start a process for a family based green card and it will take 12-15 months... So short answer, your best option is to wait for your interview. 
 
I understand the frustration I am exactly at the same position. 

Yeah it's like we would have to apply, then I'd have to go back later and then we get married and then we file and it takes another year to get approved, and I can't go to Russia until December when I have enough vacation and hopefully flights will even be running by then. So I figured I'll file now and by December or January it will at least maybe be approved and then we are just waiting on an interview at that point which sounds better to me...

The queue is getting longer every day......but have you considered the CR-1?
 
Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.
K-1
    Slightly faster arrival in the US 
    More expensive than CR-1    
    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)    
    Spouse can not leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (approx 5-6 months)    
    Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (approx 5-6 months)    
    Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period    
    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.
    A denied K-1 is sent back to USCIS to expire
  
CR-1
    Slightly slower arrival in the US 
    Less expensive than K-1    
    No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required.    
    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US    
    Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival.    
    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US    
    Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.
    Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.
    Intent to deny can be rebutted and reviewed.
  �

 
 
 
 
 

I think it is. I believe that more people being active and writing them keeps the pressure ultimately on the Dept of State and the Embassies. They get more and more concerns into their inboxes eating up their attention and capacity until they do something about it. Dept of State has already announced that as of today, Embassies (at their own judgement of local conditions) will begin phasing in more employees to start resuming routine visa services. 
 
Every voice adds to the chorus. Keep spreading the word for people to write in. 

/bump
 
Sent off the forms to both a Senator's office and a Congresswoman's office last night. Let's see what happens. Hope we can keep the pressure up. I'm thinking of signing up for a twitter account too and start bugging some people. Reporters asking questions at the WH briefings (they often solicit for "What questions do you want me to ask?"), the Sec of State, the President, the Embassy leaders, heck, I am even thinking about reaching out to the President's wife and daughter as well to plea for help. All this waiting gives me nothing else to do but get my keyboard warrior on... >.>

Agreed. And thanks for posting and updating us. This does a couple of things, it keeps the thread active and visible to where other K1 situations can see it and take action. I found this thread because of the activism taking place here from the vigilant folks who want to take action and create movement. Much appreciated!
 
I was finally contacted by one of my Senator's office and by my State Representative's office also. The senator's office in my case was more personable, took the time to speak with me on the phone. Oregon seems well aware of the issues facing K1, and are trying to contact Dept of State liaisons and various Embassies. They mostly get generic answers, but I persisted and asked for them to 1) inquire about my case with the Embassy and 2) continue to ask Dept of State about a plan of action.
 
I tried to sum up what I perceive to be our collective stance in my conversation with them. We get it, there is a pandemic. However:
K1's are not affected by the Presidential Proclamations USCIS and NVC have resumed processing petitions, but the embassy related segment of the process is stalled and creating a bottleneck. And yet, Spousal Visas are being interviewed by various embassies We assert that K1's should be mission critical like spousal visas due to similarities It would be easier to bear the various burdens (quarantine, social distancing, safety precautions, job loss, etc.) if we had the support of our loved ones beside us. The only thing keeping a fiance from becoming a spouse is the K1 visa.  The advantage of going the K1 route was supposed to be that it was faster than the spousal visa, albeit being more expensive.  Forms such as the DS-160 consider fiances to be relatives, we ask the consideration to be extended throughout the process. Some countries (such as Ukraine in my case), have opened up travel to Americans. Why is there a blanket approach to K1 issuance? Or rather, why are K1's collectively ignored? Why doesn't each embassy make the decision to resume based on their location/local situation? It would be easier to wait if we had a target date. Or better yet, a published plan to get us all on the same page. If X happens, then we proceed to Phase II. If Y happens, we open up for interview. Etc. The thing that bugs most people is the uncertainty, not knowing, etc. A decent communication plan would alleviate so much frustration.  Anyway, I don't know if that helps you formulate your arguments, but the person I spoke with certainly empathized. They'll send the inquiry after I get them the privacy forms and my case number, etc. Let's keep the movement going. On Twitter, I've seen #LoveIsNotTourism and #ResumeK1 being active. I don't really care for political stances, I just want my loved one here with me. 
 
Thanks for reading my rant. I'll post any updates. Peace! ❤️ 

Кто уже был на интервью в Киеве?

This is very sad that you don’t even think fiancé is consider  as relative.
We all are stock here with uncertainty of embassies being reopen 😕
& would be better  If we support each other here instead of thinking who’s relative has more priorities!! Didn’t you guys were  fiancé/ fiancée in the begging just like us today? Or you became husband/ wife without first step!?? Don’t you think we all missing our “ other half” in this process & long distances:/ 
people upset waiting for their loves ones to be united with them. Some choose CR-1 some K-1 , I’ve personally love my future husband& miss him so badly in this difficult time ( we applied for K-1 to be together sooner, cause I lost my 20 y.o. son , he was killed walking on the road) I cry everyday and need my fiancé here !
 So...... before anyone can say :
 “I don’t even think a fiancé is considered a relative”- think twice!!
its unimaginable for us to wait for our loved ones:( 💔

I see Ukraine First lady tested positive for corona & hospitalized.  the embassy website makes no mention of reopening? I wonder if its expedited case? 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You can file for divorce after 1 day and say it did not work out too. Marriage does not mean life long commitment. 

I don't want to be rude. But its easy for you to say that you are not separated from your loved one. So as much "sense" as it makes dont wag the finger at other people for being frustrated.