holdingonforhope

18 hours ago, NB5347 said:

Hello all, we are applying for AOS (hoping to mail off on Monday!) from a K1 visa -- Since we are mailing off the Form I-765 and Form I-131 with I-485 do we need to include duplicate copies of passport biographical information, visa stamp, etc. for all three or will one copy be enough if mailed off together?

I'm a few days after submission, so I'm no expert, but the conclusion I drew a few weeks ago when I was looking into this is that these are all considered separate applications despite being submitted concurrently, so the evidence and documentation for each form application must be fulfilled on its own.

So, my recommendation is to treat each application you're doing as a separate thing (imagine as if they'll be split up upon arrival at the USCIS). Make sure the evidence for each one can stand on its own.

Updating:

AOS from K1 (I'm the USC).
11/15: Package sent via UPS to Chicago, IL (I-485, I-864, I-765, I-131)
11/17: Package delivered

11/19: Text messages informing cases received

11/26 - 11/27 - Received NOA receipt hard copies with case receipt numbers. One included Online Access Code for My USCIS registration.

12/23 - Biometrics Appointment Date (waiting on hard copy, but digital appointment notice PDF was available online at MyUSCIS.

Question -- In the "Documents >>> Your Uploads" section of MyUSCIS, some of the documentation and evidence we submitted with the applications isn't there in the uploaded scans. I'm seeing a few of my Pay Stubs, but not the Affidavit of Support form. Also, with the I-131 Application for Travel Document, there's no uploaded scans at all. Also, some evidence uploaded to under a different form. We didn't submit loose sheets (we used binder clips). Is this normal?

Updating:

AOS from K1 (I'm the USC).
11/15: Package sent via UPS to Chicago, IL (I-485, I-864, I-765, I-131)
11/17: Package delivered

11/19: Text messages informing cases received

So far 2 text messages received with different case numbers. Safe to assume they'll send one for each application form?

2 hours ago, Sarge2155 said:

Welcome to the thread!

Thank you, @Sarge2155!

And thank you for making the checklist and taking the time to help us find our way through the process.

AOS from K1 (I'm the USC).
11/15: Packet sent via UPS (I-485, I-864, I-765, I-131)

17 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

What do you mean?  Were you explicitly requested to bring this?

Yeah. Right in my email inbox:

“Proof of your relationship with your fiancé (letters, telephone bills, photographs, airline tickets, etc.).”

Not sure where I saw the word “ongoing”, but I’m confident I read it somewhere.

I’m thinking better safe to bring all the evidence from the I-129F, right? Along with the more recent stuff?

Hi everyone,

We are applying for K-1 Visa, and my fiancée's interview in Warsaw, Poland is coming up in a few days. I have a question about "Proof of Ongoing Relationship" that is being requested.

Does it make sense to bring anything that was already in the original I-129F packet? Or should it just be evidence from AFTER the petition was submitted?

Don't want to cause unnecessary clutter during the interview, but at the same time the most recent pictures of us together are from the I-129F submission. I haven't been able to travel to her because of the pandemic.

Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated.

7 minutes ago, xxlian said:

Awesome! I'm really hoping that ours will be leaving the NVC soon to go to the embassy. 

I hope so too!

Tip regarding the DS-160 website: It's a bit quirky. I think it won't let you "recover" a saved form unless you've already filled out a few sections. My fiancée and I ended up doing it mostly in one sitting using TeamViewer.

10 minutes ago, xxlian said:

It took us until April 20 to get our NOA2. I'm not sure why (we didn't have any RFEs). Currently we're at NVC. I called and got our NVC case/invoice numbers on May 14th, so now we're just waiting for them to forward it to the embassy. How long were you at NVC before they sent your petition to the embassy?

Gotta work on filling in the blanks in my timeline. I apologize.

I don't have my NVC received date, but my NOA2 was 02/23/2021.

By 03/30/2021 it had left the NVC to go to the embassy in Warsaw.

By 04/26/2021 I received email saying Embassy in Warsaw had received the petition, and the email included instructions asking to do the DS-160, Pay Visa Fee, Schedule Appointment, Medical Tests, etc. (The paper / mail notices were a few weeks behind for me).

42 minutes ago, xxlian said:

Mostly unrelated to this post, I am so glad to see that you're at the interview scheduling stage! We're at the same embassy and also with a June 2020 NOA1, but we're a couple months behind you on the NOA2/NVC received stage.

Hi, xxlian.

I remember you from the Polish couples thread from last year. Hope you and your partner are both well. If you don’t mind me asking, did something happen that you’re still on NOA2/NVC received stage? Or just waiting to put together some stuff for the interview?

1 minute ago, powerpuff said:

Is the beneficiary a citizen or lawful resident of Poland? If so you pick resident. If your case was transferred and the beneficiary is neither a citizen or resident of Poland then you pick non-resident. 

Citizen Resident of Poland.

Thank you so much, powerpuff!

Hello,

We're doing a K-1 Visa, and we're at the stage where we about to setup an Interview appointment at the US Embassy. Before we can view the calendar for available dates, the website asks us for our "Visa Priority", with the options being "Resident" and "Non-Resident."

Anyone know what the proper selection would be?

If it matters, this is for Poland and I'm a U.S. Citizen living and working in the US.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

4 hours ago, xxlian said:

Was it ever delivered? I'm signed up for Informed Delivery as well, and I recall seeing a "I didn't get this mailpiece" checkbox that you can select to report it if you need.

I haven't checked today's mail yet, but hopefully it will arrive soon.

I reported it initially, but their disclosure says to allow a week before reporting a mail piece as missing as it can take days for delivery. So I took it back.

5 hours ago, agataa said:

Also! I know you guys were worried about the furloughs at USCIS so I bring you some good news:)

https://www.afge.org/article/bipartisan-bill-introduced-to-fund-uscis-to-avoid-furloughs/

Yay!

Follow-Up: I read up about the USPS Informed Delivery, and this is part of their disclosure:
 

Quote

Mail may arrive several days after you receive this notification. Please allow up to a week for delivery before reporting missing mail.

I may have jumped the gun, so forgive me for reacting in an overly cynical fashion but it really was the only piece of mail that was missing from this morning's email.

So, I'm setup for the US Postal service to send me a daily report via email ("USPS Informed Delivery") about the pieces of mail that are set to be delivered to my home every day. They take pictures of each mail piece, save for ads / flyers.

I set it a long time ago and don't really pay much attention to it, but it is nice to have. This morning, among other pieces of mail in my report, there was a picture of the USCIS California Service Center envelope. I was excited and looking forward to have this in my possession.

It wasn't delivered.

All other pieces of mail in the report were delivered. I want to believe it's an honest mistake, but there's a part of me that was afraid this might happen. Also had bit of a row with the mail carrier a few years ago -- don't know if he's still on my route and holding grudges.

I already reported it as missing. If you're not signed up for this service, I recommend signing up for it.

13 hours ago, xxlian said:

Don't worry -- your timeline seems right! I got the text at around 6:40 PM that evening, which seems pretty standard as far as when they send them out.

You were right. I got the text at 6:18 PM last night.

3 minutes ago, xxlian said:

Don't worry -- your timeline seems right! I got the text at around 6:40 PM that evening, which seems pretty standard as far as when they send them out. I kind of expected to get it early in the morning, so don't let that worry you. Also, I got the text at least a couple days before the check was debited from my bank account.

 

Also, not sure if you saw this article (https://www.law360.com/aerospace/articles/1289762/congress-plans-new-funding-bill-to-aid-uscis-shortfall), but it is the most hopeful news I have seen so far concerning the possible furloughs. Things are moving slowly, but that does seem to be the nature of immigration services and government in general, so hang in there!

Thank you, @xxlian! I hadn't seen that yet. Thank you for sharing. That's great. I really hope they can make it happen.

On 7/2/2020 at 12:57 PM, agataa said:

Hi everyone, just checking in to see how you’re doing! 
 

I’ve been thinking a lot and my fiancé has to leave Poland this month to go back to the US. I think I’ll try visiting him in September with a 15 day stop in Serbia, if things don’t get better by then

Hi, agataa.

Hope things are better by then, too. I've scheduled 3 weeks vacation from my job for September in the hopes of going to Poland to be with my fiancée.

I sent my I-129f and it was delivered on June 30, but I still haven't gotten my NOA1 nor has the check payment been debited from my bank account, which makes me bit anxious. I checked @xxlian's timeline and they got theirs about 9 days after when they submitted back in June, so I'm hoping I get some kind of action by tomorrow or Monday at the latest. Hope I didn't make a mistake or that they're not just letting them sit unchecked because of the upcoming furloughs.

Working on a back-up plan to move to Poland if things don't work out (it would actually be my Plan A if I spoke Polish and had job skills that are easily transferable to Poland). My main concern about moving to Poland is the income requirements for my fiancée to sponsor me there. I asked her to do the research, but it overwhelms her a bit.

I'm starting to learn to code in the hopes that if I do move to Poland, I don't just become her burden. I'm not even sure if they hire web developers in Poland without programming degrees, but I hope they do.

Sorry for the wall of text / venting. Thank you for checking in with us and I hope you're well.

On 7/4/2020 at 10:30 AM, xxlian said:

I've just been trying to do my best to keep my stress down about how the virus and the possible USCIS furloughs are going to affect our visa process. Currently I'm not doing so well with that.

Same things are on my mind. Hang in there, xxlian. I'm hoping we get some good news in a few weeks.

15 hours ago, xxlian said:

We're a same-sex couple as well (I'm the U.S. petitioner), and that, along with some other factors, is the primary reason that we chose K1 over IR1/CR1. We just received our NOA1 yesterday, so we're hoping that things will be a little better with the virus/travel bans by the time we get to the embassy stage. I'm very anxious about the possible USCIS furloughs, though, and we really want to be able to have another visit...

Those furloughs are making me anxious too. And with with the EU about to ban travel from the USA when they re-open, it's just making me feel powerless and restless almost all the time when I'm not busy.

2 hours ago, HRQX said:

She'll need to go to an unrestricted country for 2 weeks prior to attempting US entry if she's currently in a restricted country. The following thread is a discussion on the different options for unrestricted countries:

 

Thank you! That's very helpful. She gets very anxious at the prospect of flying alone, and I don't think she could handle quarantining in a foreign land by herself for two weeks, so we'll probably just have to wait until the borders restrictions ease-up.

Do you know of any resources going the other way (USA >>> Schengen or Poland)? Can non-Spouse US passport holders get in at all yet?  

36 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

Once she can overcome any Covid related travel restrictions, she faces the scrutiny of CBP when she arrives at the border.  She should be prepared to show evidence of strong ties to her country if asked. If asked, it is her responsibility to convince the CBP officer that she is not going to stay in the US and adjust status.  Her quitting her job is not in her favor........her employment status would not be an issue at her K-1 interview.

Do you have any suggestions?

The property she lives in is in her father's name. What are good / decent alternatives that she could use to help make her case at CBP?

My fiancée is from Poland, which is part of the Visa Waiver Program. We're still at the submitting stage for the I-129f. We're thinking of having her come down here to stay for a few months because we don't know how long this K-1 process could take with everything going on. Would anything in her itinerary of more than a few weeks automatically make CBP turn her around make her fly back?

If she came down for a visit she would need to quit her job because her employer would not let her go for more than a week at a time. Also, would this be an issue when it came time for the Embassy interview?

Just now, payxibka said:

What more news do you want?  Several consulates are finally confirming that k1s are not affected 

Oh, it's great news, don't get me wrong. But it's still a "wait and see" when they can do it (for Warsaw). Better than before, though.

And for me, since I'm at the beginning of the process, I also have to deal with the anticipated USCIS furlough.

3 hours ago, EricLT said:

I received another email today and they said it was a mistake. This is good for us

Thank you for sharing, EricLT. Am I understanding correctly that your fiancé(e) is from Belarus, but you’re applying through the Embassy in Warsaw, Poland?

I’m glad to hear they did these follow-up emails. I hope we get more news soon.

4 hours ago, agataa said:

We’re considering moving somewhere else in the EU too (sadly Poland doesn’t recognize same sex marriage), I think if you and your partner married first it would be much easier for you to move here!

We are hoping for a Catholic wedding. If we can’t do it here in the US, I don’t think I could deny her that wedding back in Poland with her parents there to witness.

I’m new to all this, but I feel Visa Waiver Program countries like Poland really should be on a K-1 Visa fast track since we clearly already trust the Polish people enough to travel to the USA without prior notice.