Foreignmiks

Our I-485 was approved!
 
Thank you all!!!

Our I-485 was approved!
 
Thank you all!!!

Our I-485 was approved!
 
Thank you all!!!

USCIS online updates are notoriously unreliable, I wouldn’t worry yet. 

Thank you so much! 
congratulations for getting done with the process successfully!❤️

Updating everyone that has followed this thread.
 
My fiancée was approved today without having the COVID shots (even with all of the pushing for applicants to have them prior to medical/interview).
 
NOA1 July 6th 2021 - to approved today March 3rd 2023 - 21 months total waiting time for K1.

FYI the embassy my fiancee visited did not even glance at the I-134 or my tax returns... Obviously you should have this completed and ready regardless.

FYI the embassy my fiancee visited did not even glance at the I-134 or my tax returns... Obviously you should have this completed and ready regardless.

We got ours online here:
https://constancias.oadprs.gob.mx/inicio
 
Simply printed it out and it was accepted (K1 visa approved and issued).

Updating everyone that has followed this thread.
 
My fiancée was approved today without having the COVID shots (even with all of the pushing for applicants to have them prior to medical/interview).
 
NOA1 July 6th 2021 - to approved today March 3rd 2023 - 21 months total waiting time for K1.

Got it, best of luck and keep us posted. Another thing to consider: some vaccinations require 2 jabs, and 8 weeks between them.

Well guys, we have tried finding a US accepted vaccine everywhere in the area in MX my fiancee resides and can not find one. I believe we fall under the category of vaccine unavailability. The medical facility in Juarez states they do not administer COVID specific vaccine during the medical exam which is interesting. Looks like if we do get it will need to be stateside! Thank you everyone here for the information and resources.

Well guys, we have tried finding a US accepted vaccine everywhere in the area in MX my fiancee resides and can not find one. I believe we fall under the category of vaccine unavailability. The medical facility in Juarez states they do not administer COVID specific vaccine during the medical exam which is interesting. Looks like if we do get it will need to be stateside! Thank you everyone here for the information and resources.

Thank you.
 
Never got the email. Ended up saving to PDF from site.

Yes we saw this as well.
 
Unfortunately I don't think this will be in place if passed prior to our interview and show of requirements proof. At this point we are trying to find a clinic that offers Johnson and Johnson as we are worried about the completed the "full series" of vaccination prior to interview. This is turning out to be quite a difficult and stressful situation and I have not heard back from the consulate regarding the vaccine being an absolute requirement for providing the visa. We can work out traveling by land at border entry to avoid flight vaccine requirements if we know we can still get the visa without vaccine.
 
None of this is clear and I imagine it's by design...

Good luck to you guys as well!
 
Juarez is processing and conducting K1 interviews again per our experience.

Thank you!  I look forward to hearing what the Juarez consulate tells you regarding whether or not they'll require the vax at medical. I have also sent an inquiry to my Senator.  We really do not care to have the jab given the information regarding terrifying side effects that are beginning to come out in the press. 
 
We're at 16 months+ currently and presently awaiting NVC.  We estimate another 4-5 months, so we'll be lucky to get to interview at 20 months, approximately middle May or early April likely.  Best of luck to you!  
 
We are also going through Mexico as we have been able to obtain residency and have lived here since late 2020. Last I heard, Mexico City was the only place that the embassy was conducting K1 interviews.  Has this changed?  

Thank you for the detailed summary of where things currently stand.
 
It looks like without the experience of someone else attempting to interview at the Juarez consulate without the vaccine we do not know whether it's truly enforced. It would be a dice roll to try without the vax it seems and I'm not sure we are willing to take the chance of our process being delayed any further (will be 20 months already by the time K1 issued should we have no issues). I did write to them through their forms public inquiry and hopefully I'll get clarification on the topic. All the messaging points to it being enforced at this consulate in order to even be issued a K1 visa (which I though shouldn't be the case and why the option to waive at medical exists).
 
My fiance is willing to get the vax if she must to get here but obviously we seek clarification. Hopefully we can get this well in advance to the interview in March.
 
 

Yes, well, there hasn't been a specifically named, "Covid emergency declaration", to my knowledge either. You are correct regarding the complete, (or partial), expiration of Executive Order 10294 in May.  My bad, I had the wrong M-month in my head when I typed the query into my phone earlier this morning.
 
Regarding Federal authority to enforce and require a Covid-19 vaccination among foreign immigrants.
There are several executive orders going back to 2014 that pertain.  Among them are;
13295 - https://www.govinfo.gov/link/cpd/executiveorder/13295
13375 - https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2006-title3-vol1/CFR-2006-title3-vol1-eo13375
13674 - https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2015-title3-vol1/CFR-2015-title3-vol1-eo13674
 
13674 is very large. I am currently reading to find how it pertains to a vaccination requirement.  In or around page 498 of the section titled Subchapter F, Part 70 of the Section titled Title 42-Public Health, the section gives authority to the CDC to determine what constitutes a, "quarantinable communicable disease."
 
Searching the CDC database I found this page;
https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/covid-19-technical-instructions.html
 
Also, this CDC page references these Executive orders and also Congressional Code title 42;
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title42/html/USCODE-2011-title42-chap6A-subchapII-partG.htm
 
The CDC posted above states therein, (I highlighted the important part);
 
"Applicants*, defined in these Technical Instructions as people applying for immigrant or refugee status, as well as non-immigrants (NIVs) who are required to have an overseas medical examination, are medically screened days or weeks prior to travel to the United States (US). Thus, a negative screening for COVID-19 at the time of the medical evaluation does not guarantee the applicant will not have COVID-19 at the time of immigration to the United States.
A combination of vaccination, strategic testing, and routine infection control practices will provide the best protection from COVID-19 for applicants and US communities. These instructions provide requirements for COVID-19 vaccination and testing for applicants. The Instructions in this document are to be followed for COVID-19 when assessing applicants from all countries. These Technical Instructions became effective October 1, 2021, remain in effect, and may be updated periodically.
Visit the Technical Instructions for Panel Physicians webpage for more information about the medical examination for applicants for US immigration.
*Refugees and NIVs, including K-visa applicants are not required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the immigration medical examination; however, the other components of these Technical Instructions do apply to all applicants."
 
It would seem however, that the code allows exception for all K-Visa applicants however I haven't tracked down the specific subsection of code within Title 42 where this is referenced.  (Going by the CDC blurb above.)
 
All said, as we have seen in the news over the past year+, there is a move on to axe Title 42.  The current administration has come very close, albeit presently in court.  
Should Title 42 suddenly disappear, it may also be that Federal authority to enforce any vaccination originating from a CDC declaration of a, "quarantinable communicable disease" will go with it. Although I'd assumed there will be something to replace it.
 
 
Regarding the other piece of the puzzle, travel requirements for Foreigners to enter the US;
 
Executive Proclamation 10294 of October 25, 2021 - Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the Covid-19 Pandemic.  It may be referenced in the Federal registry here;
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/10/28/2021-23645/advancing-the-safe-resumption-of-global-travel-during-the-covid-19-pandemic
 
Some of this has been rescinded by CDC Proclamation, i.e. dumping testing requirement to fly, getting rid of vax requirement entering by land ;
https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/fr-proof-negative-test.html
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-01402
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-01403
 
 
So long story short...
I do not believe foreign applicants are required by US law to be vaccinated against Covid as a requirement, qualification for a K-Visa nor to enter the US via a land border. 
I am continuing to research for more clarification, the specific section within title 42 pertaining to the exemption for "Refugees and NIVs, including K-visa applicants".  It is understandable that personnel at embassy level may not be aware of the exemption for K-Visa applicants.  They are likely certainly aware of asylum seekers, refugees, and NIVs exclusion status.  This jibes with accounts I have read here where some say it's a requirement and others say it isn't.  Understandable as the vast majority will travel by air thus required vaxxed under travel policy above.  
 
Would be great to get more opinions, experiences, etc... and nail it all down.  Anyone who has first hand knowledge please post it up!
 

I hope this works out for you. I think some people for sure should take the vax, but I do not think it should be a requirement.  The vax mandate is being dropped as requirement by many universities and govt institutions in the country. Hopefully this will be the case for applicants. 

Everyone here --
 
We received our K1 interview date for March 23rd

Hello! I was approved 💓💓 we are so happy 😊😊 my medical ended up being on sept 12, I had biometrics and documents on sept 14 and the interview sept 15. It went really well. Would you like me to make a post about everything they asked me??
 
Also, I live in Mexico City so it was very easy for me to move around but I'd recommend to stay in a hotel or airbnb near the embassy so you can just walk to it instead of getting stuck in traffic and stuff. Relax, maybe use the occasion to visit some cool places in the city, because it's a very stressful couple of days 🙈🙈

finally approved!!

finally approved!!

finally approved!!