Megan A

Hello everyone longtime lurker first time poster. We recieved our NOA2 on Feb 12th and I had to call to get our case number and invoice. The women I spoke with said that the London embassy wasnt currently processing K1 visas and that I should just wait to get an email that will say when they send the visa over to the embassy. Do you think I should go ahead and do the DS 160 since I have out case number and invoice even though I haven't been formally contacted. 

We were one of the lucky couples assigned to a proactive employee. I just checked the status, and it stated that it our application was approved yesterday on Feb 11.  For reference, I mailed the form on July 8 and we received our NOA1 on July 16. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer for the rest of July applicants!

We were one of the lucky couples assigned to a proactive employee. I just checked the status, and it stated that it our application was approved yesterday on Feb 11.  For reference, I mailed the form on July 8 and we received our NOA1 on July 16. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer for the rest of July applicants!

This is London specific information and is accurate:
 
Your NOA2 will have a 4 month expiration. That is not a concern because If he is not able to interview before the expiration date, you simply write a new letter of intent for him to bring to his interview in London and your petition approval is extended.  That easy.
 
You may stall the London part of the process for one year. After maybe six months of nothing from him (DS-160 visa application) the embassy may write or email asking if he is still wanting a K1 visa. He can reply "yes, but...." and explain. He can slowly trickle things in. Submit the DS-160 before six months so they know he is still interested, but don't pick an interview date immediately.
 
Do not schedule a medical until closer to interview because it is good for six months. His time to move over starts ticking down from the date of the medical.  If he had a medical and waited five months to interview, his visa would be issued to expire in a month. (Six months from medical). He could return to London to the clinic and get the expired parts of the medical evaluation renewed, but that is extra expense and possibly travel if he can avoid it. 
 
Once the case passes from USCIS to NVC and reaches London, you are in control of the clock. 
 
Cancer is unpredictable and the initial diagnosis makes your thoughts go out of control. With time you will know more about the situation and how best to manage your immigration situation. 
 
 

We were one of the lucky couples assigned to a proactive employee. I just checked the status, and it stated that it our application was approved yesterday on Feb 11.  For reference, I mailed the form on July 8 and we received our NOA1 on July 16. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer for the rest of July applicants!

Just received a text message that my case was received!! I'm so excited 😁

For people still waiting for the NOA1, I sent mine on July 8th (arrived at lockbox noon on July 9th) and I received a text notification on July 17. It seems like the wait time is around a week to eleven days

If you ever need to call in regarding your case, you will need  your Receipt number and to check your status also. 
 
Here's alittle bit of interesting info about the Receipt number:
 
Each of the 13 digits in a USCIS receipt number has a specific purpose. Here’s how to read a USCIS receipt number.
Let’s take an example receipt number to explain it:
WAC 16 012 50960
Service Center (WAC 16 012 50960)
Every receipt number begins with three letters that represent the service center that received the case. There are several codes for USCIS service centers. They include:
CSC – California Service Center
EAC – Eastern Adjudication Center (now known as Vermont Service Center)
IOE – ELIS (efile)
LIN – Lincoln Service Center (now known as Nebraska Service Center)
MSC – Missouri Service Center (now known as National Benefits Center)
NBC – National Benefits Center
NSC – Nebraska Service Center
SRC – Southern Regional Center (now known as Texas Service Center)
TSC – Texas Service Center
VSC – Vermont Service Center
WAC – Western Adjudication Center (now known as California Service Center)
 
Fiscal Year (WAC 16 012 50960)
The second set of digits represent the fiscal year that the case was received. Government agencies use a fiscal year that is different from the calendar year. It begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. So our example case number was opened between October 2016 and September 2016.
 
Computer Workday (WAC 16 012 50960)
The third set of digits indicates the computer workday that the case was opened. The computer workday is basically the same thing as a workday. Therefore it excludes most weekends and holidays. Our example case was opened on the 12th workday of the 2016 fiscal year (October 18, 2016).
 
Case Number (WAC 16 012 50960)
The final set of five digits is the case number.
 
 
 
AND LASTLY, CHECKING YOUR STATUS YOURSELF:
 
 
Go to this site:
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do
 
Enter the entire 13-digit number without spaces and click the "Check Status" button and view the results.

Thank you all! We sent off the petition yesterday, so now we wait! 

In my opinion, all of those photos will be rejected. 
 
I recommend that you both shave your heads so your ears are visible. Also, your fiance should have his facial hair waxed. I would then grease his face so it is shinier. He may also want to think about a tuxedo.
 
The background color should be #16 glossy eggshell white. Anything else, and USCIS will deny the application, keep your fees, and bar you from applying again for 1 year. 

Hello -
 
Ears showing/not showing does not matter. They just want full visibility of your face 😃
 

The ear part is my biggest concern, actually. I've seen it be hit or miss with an ear hidden. All depends on how picky the person wants to be.

Me and my fiancé’s photos were taken with the same color background as your middle photo. You also couldn’t see my ears in my photos. We had no issue.

How to make the I-129 F petition folder to send to Immigration: how I did it:
Ok. This is what I had: the US Citizen will be the one doing all the work at this stage. All the foreigner has to do is sign 4 sheets of paper and submit passport pix to the US Citizen, so that the US citizen can start putting the application together.
First, I bought a manila folder, the kind that opens up, like this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_folder.
On the cover of the folder I glued a sheet of paper that said, " I-129F petition" . And I put our names on it.
Ok, now the inside of the folder:
First I put 2 holes at the top and I two hole punched everything, all the papers.
I fastened everything with the ACCO fasteners—
http://www.instaoffice.com/2-piece-paper-f...992-ctn.0.7.htm
Then I had dividers, the kind you put in a Binder with the colored tabs, they are three hole punched on the sides, but I 2 hole punched the top.. these kind of dividers: http://www.jiffysupply.com/servlet/the-298/Dividers/Detail
With these dividers they come with the sheet of paper that allows me to write in what the topic is on the tab.
Ok, so now for assembling—everything I am saying applies to the US Citizen—
A. The first thing you will put in the folder will be the I 129 Cover letter. This letter will look like the following (look below for example - edit it based on your needs. And make sure you put the right USCIS address on it—vermont, Ca, or somewhere else):
US Citizen name,address, number
United States Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Accurate address
Date
Nature of the submission: I-129F ORIGINAL SUBMISSION
To whom it may concern:
Enclosed please find my form I-129F, Petition for K-1 Fiance(e) Visa for (put your fiance(e) name here), and supporting documents.
Contents Include:
-Payment in the amount of $XX – whatever the current amount is—look here--it was 455, but it always increases:
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD
-I-129F Petition
-I-129F Supplement: Part B, Question 18, Explanation of meeting in person
-G-325A and Passport Style photograph (petitioner)
-G-325A and Passport Style Photograph (Beneficiary)
Letter Certifying intent to marry (Petitioner and Beneficiary)
Petitioners Birth Certificate
Petitioners Passport –(copies of passport and all the entry /leave stamps that sghow you visited your persons country)
-Letter Certifying intent to marry (Petitioner and Beneficiary)
-Proof of having met in person in the past two years (state the proof you are including)
Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an immigration or consular officer at a later date.
Sincerely,
your name, sign it
---------------------
Ok, so lets talk about the contents of the package:
1. The petition –the I-129F petition- you the US Citizen will sign that petition.
2. i-129 F supplement: this is just a brief detail of how you met your honey.thats all—just type it up on a sheet of paper because that box they give you in the petition is too small. Sign it and date it.
3. the G 325 A- the Us Citizen will fill out 4 copies of it and sign each copy. The immigrant also needs to sign four copies of it and sign it. You will see how each copy says something different in the left bottom corner, like consulate, etc. Make sure you, the US Citizen send immigration the copies with the ORIGINAL signatures. So if you need to send the immigrant the forms to sign and then have that person send them back to you in the mail, that is what you will have to do.
Make sure you fill out these forms accurate and accordingly. Look here for
examples of how to fill out the form right.
This website is GOLD!!! Look at it because it gives you EXACT examples of what you will need: Look at how they filled out the I-129F petition and the G-325A.
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;page=examples
4. You and your honeys passport pictures. Write your name in pencil on the back of your passport picture and on the back of the foreigners picture, write their name and " No alien number" on the back of the foreigners pix cuz they probably dot have an alien number... When your foreigner goes to take his/her passport picture , make sure HE/She tells the photographer that it is for a US PASSPORT/Immigration, so that the photographer will give the foreigner the picture in the RIGHT size. It needs to be the right size.
So when you have the picture, and you have written on the back, stick it in a clear Ziploc bag. Zip up the Ziploc bag. Print a sheet of paper that has your name on it. Put the picture in the bag. And staple the bag to the sheet of paper that has your name on it. Do it for both pictures.
Proof of relationship:
You , the US Citizen, can include: used phone cards, copies of envelopes you have been sent through the mail, some emails, some Skype calls, pictures, your plane itinerary when you went to the foreigners country, the boarding pass, the stamps in your passport are proof, receipts of things you may have purchased while in the foreign land, the stickers they stick on your suitcase that show the destination, copies of the money receipts you have sent to the foreigner- like money gram or western union, post office receipts that show you sent something to the foreign country.
On the back of the photos, make sure you write your names, date, and where you were in the photo.
ASSEMBLING
So you will have the manila folder and all your stuff will be 2-hole punched at the top. Don't STAPLE ANYTHING – only staple the Ziploc bag with the picture to a white sheet of paper that has your names on it. So you will only use two-3 staples.
Ok, you have your manila folder:And all your papers, including the dividers that are 2 hole punched at the top
1. get your cover letter , the one that says what is in the folder, example above. Type this letter (US citizen) and date it and sign it. turn it over.
2. get the divider and write i-129F on the white tab that comes with it. Turn it over.
3. get your 1-129F petition form. Make sure it is signed and dated by the US citizen, Hole punch it and turn it over. Take your 1-129F supplement, sign and date it and turn it over
4. get the divider and write G325A. turn it over
5. get the US Citizen G-325 As. There should be 4 with the same exact data,all with the original signatures and all signed. All 2 hole punched at the top . Flip them over
get the US Citizen photo. Write the name in pencil on the back. Stick it in a Ziploc bag. Staple the bag (make sure you don't staple the actual picture) to a sheet of paper that has the US citizens name on it. Flip it over
get the foreigners G-325 As. There should be 4 with the same exact data,all with
the original signatures and all signed. All 2 hole punched at the top . Flip them
over.
Get the foreigners pic. Write the name in pencil on the back and write ,"no alien number". Stick it in a Ziploc bag. Staple the bag (make sure you don't staple the actual picture) to a sheet of paper that simply has the foreigners name on it. Flip it over
6. Get the divider and write : Letter of intent on the tab
7. print out the letter of intent to marry which should have original signatures by both of you. This is simply a three sentence letter stating that you and the other person plan on getting married within 90 days of receiving the K1 visa. The Us citizen can type the letter and email it foreigner. Foreigner prints it, signs it, and sends it through the mail to U S citizen. Then Us citizen gets that letter and signs his/her signature too—this way two signatures will be on the same page. Hole punch this letter and flip it over.
8. Divider – write birth certificate or passport . Flip it over on top of everything else that is flipped over.
9. Us Citizens birth certificate. If you don't have it, you can submit a copy of the pages of your passport (copies- do NOT send the original of these document). On the copies of your passport pages, highlight the stamps which show when you visited the country of your foreign fiancé. Hole punch the copies and flip them over.
10. get divider tab and write : Proof
11. Now, put a sample of your phone cards on a photocopy machine and photocopy the front and back, if you have any. Hole punch, flip over.
B. Print phone records of the times you have called your foreigner or/anf when the foreigner called/texted the US American. Hole punch,flip over
C. Us citizen should photocopy plane itineraries, boarding passes, luggage tags. Hole punch the photocopy and flip over.
D. US Citizen should photocopy envelopes he/she has received from foreigner. Hole punch and flip over.
E. US citizen should photocopy money receipts he/she has sent. Hole punch and flip over.
F. US citizen should photocopy some emails that have been sent to each other. Hole punch and flip over.
G. US Citizen should photocopy receipts from post office showing he/she sent packages/letters to the foreigner.
H. US Citizen should submit pictures of the couple together – at least 2. Make sure you write your names and locations on the back of the pictures..Put these pictures in an envelope or a strong Ziploc bag.Seal the bag and punch two holes in the bag so you can fasten it. Flip it over.
That's it. Now flip everything over and put it on the fasteners – the two pronged fasteners. Get a paperclip and attach your check/money order to the cover sheet in the folder. Everything is in order – make sure your pictures are not backwards. Make sure the check is the right amount.
Now, make two copies of this file—the petitioner and the beneficiary will need EXACT copies of the file. So now you, the US Citizen, will have 3 files which are IDENTICAL. Us citizen keeps one for themselves, foreigner will eventually get the other copy when the US citizen gives it to him/her, and the copy with the live check will go to USCIS.
Send it off in a waterproof enevlope--staples has them. Send it through the post offuice and get some type of signature confirmation so that you know for sure that it was received.
Send it off and wait.

My husband, in the Dominican Republic, went to a place to have his passport photo taken and they sent them to me via email.  When they arrived, they weren't the correct size.  I downloaded a passport photo app to my phone which allowed me to adjust the size and put multiple photos on one page.  then I uploaded the photo to Walgreens online and printed it there for a few cents.
 
The app will also guide you to take your own passport photos based on USA requirements.  

@Megan A  Hi, fellow K-1 from the UK here.  We just made a little powerpoint thing with photos of us visiting each other, just one or two photos in each location to show an enduring relationship.  We added a few to show we have met each other's parents, but I don't think that was needed.  Anyway we got our NOA2 all confirmed with little else, no call logs, emails or anything like that.  We are now waiting for London Embassy to start processing again.  I hope that helps on a personal level.

For most countries and a relationship with no red flags (big age gap, different religions, languages, cultures, suspicious circumstances, many recent K-1 petitions, etc.), you don't need to submit any relationship evidence, only the required forms and documents and proof of meeting at least once in person during the prior two years .  The posts you are referring to are likely for high fraud countries or relationships with many red flags, when sometimes the CO asks for relationship evidence at the interview.  Do any of those high-risk circumstances apply to your case?

You answered your own question when you said "ridiculous"
 
For some reason people think "quantity" will get it done when "quality" is the key 

Use the checklist from https://www.uscis.gov/i-129f. It's listed toward the bottom of the page. 
 
We need a little housekeeping on your end. Many of our answers are predicated on the information you supply in your profile. When we look at the left column and can't determine your timeline OR your Embassy it's hard for us to give you a factual answer. Our answers will sometimes be tailored to a specific Embassy hence the reason for you to complete your profile. If you look at the profile of others here, they have a flag for their country, so it makes it easy for us to reply as we can quickly determine their Embassy. The country that should be used is the country where the interview will take place.
 
So, if you could help yourself out and complete your profile that sure would help us out when we want to reply to your question with factual information.

Country and Visa Type: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RyJiLo_7WTmqvkzXXqLuOlVHm9oyhAES/view?usp=sharing
 
Once you finish that then return and you will see a flag in your profile. Select it and see what wonderful information will open up for you.
 
Thanks and Good luck and stay engaged. 

*~*~*procedural question moved from “progress reports”’ to “process and procedures”*~*~*

And this is where the timeline comes in.......because what one does for Lagos is distinctly different than what one does for London.
 
You see it all over the forums because people get their info from YouTube instead of from the USCIS checklist/instructions that accompany the petition.
 
Think *quality* over *quantity.*  No one at the service center wants to wade through 60 screenshots of chats.  Unlike an AOS interview, or petitioning for a spouse, there is no "ongoing relationship" requirement for a fiance petition.

It's sent to the Dallas lockbox. From there, it will be assigned to the CSC service center for adjudication.

Nothing goes to the Texas Service Center. The I-129F is sent to the Texas lockbox. This is not the service center and it is not associated with the service center.
 
I-129Fs are processed at California Service Center (CSC). Some very limited cases are then transferred to Virginia (VSC).
There is no need for processing at a local service center because no interview is needed.

Your Virginian, your initial service center is California.   The assignment of service centers based on regions where you live ended many years ago.