Laurence+Lauren

We got NOA2 a week or so ago and I want to get all my paperwork in order so there's less faffing around at the last minute. Firstly, what exactly is asked for in Packet 3 for the London Consulate? I've looked at forms to download so I can fill them in ahead of time but there seems to be conflicting info as to which are needed.

Also, a question from my fiancee in the States, is the original NOA2 needed to be presented or will a copy suffice?

Any help would be much appreciated.

We just got our NOA2. About bloody time!!!

anybody still waiting??????????????????????????

i'm a july filer and no touchs or approvoal yet!!!

my timeline:

we received our NOA 1 : JULY 29th and i'm still waiting...

We're still waiting too! Our NOA1 was July 31st. Hang in there. I know it's frustrating to see other people getting approved while you get not even a touch!

Hello all,

It has been a while since I last posted but deployment has not been good as far as time.

After numerous delays Nikka and I were able to submit our packet. We submitted it in late August or Early Sept. However, the address that I sent it to was in Lincoln, Nebraska. That particular address was given to me by the Embassy in Manila. Sure enough, it got kicked back with a note saying it had to go to California. The process of them kicking it back took almost a month. So, we fixed a few things and sent it to California. According to the USCIS website they recieved it on 20 OCT. But here we are almost 2 months later and there is nothing new.

Since Im still deployed and have very limited access to phones, it is hard to call them to find anything out. I had my mom try to call for me but they couldnt give out much specific infomation since she was not me or my fiance. One letter was sent to my dad's house (my home of record), but he and my stepmom read over it. They said as far as they knew it didnt require any action unless I was changing my address.

So now what? For Nikka and I it is just annoying that we have nothing new. I looked up the time table about 2 weeks ago and it looks like I should have recieved some sort of notification that it has been touched at least.

I read on the forums about expediting the process for military, however I'm returning to the states in Jan, not deploying.

So, other than continuing to be patient.....what can I do?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

My guess is that the letter you received at your dad's house is the NOA1. It sucks that you lost a month at the beginning, but it could have been worse. We sent our application on May 5th by regular mail and they didn't accept that they'd received it until July 27th. We effectively waited 3 months for nothing! So I'm feeling your pain!

As of now, we are still waiting and there hasn't been any movement, notifications or touches since we started. But that seems to be the way it goes. You can go through the whole duration without any change and then suddenly you get NOA2. Sadly, you do just have to be patient. Fill out your VJ timeline (if you haven't already) then use the link to watch similar timelines. When others around the same date from the same Service Center are being approved, you shouldn't have long to wait to get NOA2 or a last minute RFE.

If the military expedite is an option, I say go for it. And best of luck!

My fiancée and I just finished a wonderful vacation of 43 days touring China and we’re in the process of preparing the K1 package.

My question is whether I should submit the ticket stubs of the many tourist attractions we visited while in China. The reason I’m asking is because my fiancée is a tour guide in China and being so is granted free entry to almost all the attractions we visited by showing her tour guide badge. I’m concerned if I submit the ticket stubs as evidence it will raise more questions even if I explain why there is only one ticket to most attractions.

I’m thinking that maybe we shouldn’t submit the tickets to avoid a RFE and any delay's since we have several photo’s of my fiancée and myself together while visiting all the attractions plus the usual evidence of meeting in person and showing an ongoing relationship e.g. copies of airline boarding passes, train passes, itineraries, hotel receipts, passport stamps, phone bills, Yahoo voice logs, emails, chat logs, letters, poems to each other, credit card statements of purchases made in China, as well as airline tickets back to China in January 2009 to visit her and vacation in Shanghai.

Any suggestions or comments are welcomed.

Thank you in advanced.

It sounds like you have plenty of other evidence to support your application. If it worries you, leave the ticket stubs out for peace of mind. The USCIS won't exactly say "But wait! Where are the tourist attraction ticket stubs?!" You'll be just fine

Congrats- I bet it is a GREAT feeling!!!!

Joe

Congratulations! There IS light at the end of the tunnel after all!

I’ve just got back from spending a wonderful week and a half with my fiancee, Lauren. I was apprehensive before I flew out to see her, as I knew it could be risky visiting while on the K-1. I’d just like to thank you all for your advice, and let you know how it went.

I met a guy on the plane on the way over who’d married through the K-1 system 10 years ago, and told him about what I was doing. He advised me not to even mention that I had a fiancee in the States. But I was already prepared with letters from my work and landlord, and bills, payslips etc, so I decided to go the honest route all the same.

The customs guy was a little intense, and had me worried at first. But once he saw that I’d proven ties back to the UK, and that I seemed up front and honest, he just said, “Yeah, you’re fine,” and stamped my passport.

I’m glad I didn’t take that man’s advice, even though he was only trying to help. Perhaps other officials might have given me a hard time, I guess it’s just the luck of the draw. If anyone is in a similar situation, take my advice and be honest!

Did you register with the website ? I ask because I see now that you can just plug in your EAC number on the home page.

If you're registered I believe there is a link off that notice page you're seeing... perhaps to the side? You're looking for your portfolio.

Yeah, I just realised the same thing. My fiancee has it in her portfolio, she just hasn't been checking it. She's not too savvy with the website I dont think! Thanks for the help though!

This screen, we don't get to see. Someone said on another thread that you see a checkbox or you right click the case number and select 'open' but there are no options for us. Is there another way to open it?

I'm beginning to see that their online status system is quite flawed!

My fiancee and I have been following the 'progress' of our K-1 application online, via the USCIS website. I understand that they may not always update these things as often as we'd like, but I never see anything happening with ours.

People with applications at dates similar to our own often have had several 'touches' by now. Do these show up online or do you have to hassle the call center/service center to find out if you've had a 'touch'?

So far, on the online page, all it says, and all it has said ever since we got NOA1, is:

On July 24, 2008, 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 VERMONT 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.

Since then we've had no mail, no calls, no emails.

It's not that we're getting impatient, we're well aware that EVERYONE has to wait a LONG time for this. But if we're not getting touches when we should be, then we have a problem that needs to be addressed. Otherwise, we'll continue to wait patiently!

Okay, so I'm really considering just going for it. Thats pretty much how our relationship has been so far... we're in love, and if things look rough, we just go for it anyway.

If I can possibly see her for the holidays, I gotta try.

Thanks for all the kind help and replies =)

Exactly the way my fiancee and I feel. Even though there's a long flight between us, we will still try even knowing there's a chance we could be denied. I'll be flying there in November to see her, taking as much info and 'ties' as I can. As you say, when you love eachother that much, you gotta try. Good luck!

I'm in a situation where my fiance and I have already completed all the documentation neccessary for the K-1 Visa and she has recieved it. However, I want to know if she can enter the U.S. without using the Visa, just to visit for a week or so. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

My fiancee and I are still waiting for our NOA2 but I am visiting her in November. I'm well aware there's a chance I could be turned back but 220 days without seeing eachother is a LONG time. Too long not to try! As Stinky Monkey said, without knowing WHERE in the process you are, it's difficult to say. Once she HAS the visa stamp for the K-1, if she makes a trip into the US you will be expected to marry within 90 days.

My fiance just interviewed at the us embassy in moscow, and her K1 visa got approved! I have been looking up flights for her to fly into JFK. A round trip would be about 700 dollars, while a one way would cost about 1500 dollars. I would love to purchase the round trip tickets, but since she would not be using the second flight, would this be considered fraudulous??

Also, when she is departing Moscow, are the people working at the airport going to regulate what kind of flight she can fly in? Will they know that she has a K1 visa, and is likely not returning, and therefore wont be needing a roundtrip flight??

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

When I make my final flight to the US I'm getting the single fare. I looked up on US Airways site because I REALLY don't wanna pay double for half the flights! It said that purchasing the roundtrip and cancelling the return flight is considered fraudulous. Personally, I don't want my first action on coming to the US to be committing fraud! If you're not sure, check with your airline.

Just my two cents... but yeah, I'm feeling you on the hiked up costs. It really sucks. The advantage with single fares is that it's equally extortionate all year round. There's no 'peak' season (from what I've seen).

My fiancee and I are in the same boat, and we sent the forms beginning of May, still no NOA1. We chased the application and we were told that instead of processing in 30 days they are currently running at 60 - 90.

It is NOT taking that long to get NOA1. Of everyone with a timeline on VJ sending applications for K1 to VSC in the month of May 2008: 63 have sent petitions, 62 have NOA1 (All but you.) The average number of days from mailing to getting NOA1 (receipt) for May '08 VSC is 12 days. The NOA2 (approval) is taking about 90 days now. Call and explain you are not asking about approval, but just want your initial receipt number so you can track online.

We have only JUST received NOA1. We mailed the application about May 5th and got NOA1 yesterday, July 31st. The average is now 13 days =P

Hello VJ's.

My fiance sent the k-1 forms 03/05/2008 and 1 month later he called USCIS and asked about the forms and the only thing they could say they received the forms 03/12/2008.

We don't have the NOA1, NO2...nothing!!!!!!!!

What can we do? Will we send the forms again?

Thanks

DON'T send the forms again. My fiancee and I are in the same boat, and we sent the forms beginning of May, still no NOA1. We chased the application and we were told that instead of processing in 30 days they are currently running at 60 - 90. We asked if we should re-send the forms and they said that'd be the worst possible thing to do, as the two applications would confuse things up there. We were told the best possible way to track the application was by watching to see when the check was presented for payment (at time of writing this still has not been done). If you check with your bank, once the payment has been taken they receive a USCIS case number as a reference and apparently you can use this to track the case online.

I don't know why it's taking them so long. At the time we applied, we thought they were running ahead of schedule but it seems they've got some major setbacks up there which are affecting everyone's applications.

Still, you are 2 months ahead of us even! So that's worrying for me! I'll add you to my friend's list and if we receive our NOA1 any time soon, I'll send you a mail. In theory we shouldn't get ours before you get yours, assuming our applications were all completed correctly.

Hope it comes through for you soon, and good luck!

My fiancé who is Canadian came to visit a couple of weeks ago, and was stopped at the border. He told the border guard that he was going to visit his girlfriend, but when the border guard checked his trunk and found some of our wedding invitations, he was told to go inside. He said it seemed like they knew that he was in the process of a K1 visa, but just wanted to make sure that he had no intentions to immigrate early. The border guards seemed happy that he was doing it the 'legal' way, and sent him on his way.

Basically, I would just assume that they know everything, and have your fiancé bring any and all evidence he can to the border to prove that he has no intention of immigrating.

Once you've received your NOA1 you should be given a case number. If your fiance carries this with him, it'll prove that you are going the legal route and they could check their computers or files or whatever else they have to verify that!

Carlawarla was perfectly right. Be honest at all times. These people can SMELL lies. If your fiance seems honest and legitimate, declares he has no intention of immigrating illegally and isn't carrying stuff with him that indicates otherwise (like all his treasured belongings and all his clothes!) he should be just fine. Just as with all things in this process, the more evidence you have to support you the better.

Thanks for the help, guys!

My fiancee and I are applying this week for the K-1, and I am hoping to be there finally in Feb of 2009. But we are also hoping to see eachother in November too, as it's a long time in between.

I was just wondering two things:

1.) If I travel during the K-1 process, is it likely they'll allow me entry if I can prove I have a job to go back to, have a return ticket, etc.? Are there any other ways I can prove I am not an intending immigrant?

2.) Once the K-1 is approved, I am allowed one flight into the US to immigrate. Does this have to be the FIRST flight I make? For example, IF I am approved in early November and given my visa, do I have to use it if I travel late November, or can I save it for the second flight there in February?

Any help on this will be most appreciated as it will possibly save me hundreds of £ and much disruption to our plans!

I'm in the situation where Lauren and I will soon be applying for our K-1, we are just waiting for one last document to come in. So in theory we will file late this month (February) or early next month. In the meantime, I've been offered the chance to move in with a friend in late April/May which should save me a bit of money and will also be less hassle when the time comes for leaving the country.

But the dilemma I have is this:

If I move house after we've sent off our K-1 application, will it complicate the K-1 process? I know it's already a slow, tedious process as it is, and I just wondered how easy (or not) it is to change my address on the application once it's been sent or whether it delays the application at all. If it's a reliable system that just involves sending a letter and there's no hitches, then fine. But if it's going to be the case that it'll take ages to process too and risks my Pack 3 being sent to an old address, then I may as well stay put.

Has anyone moved house during the process and, if so, has it caused any problems or delays?

Hey, Lovemyaussie, congratulations for you two! I can’t begin to think how hard it must be for you both, from both sides, with a baby in the mix. I have much respect for what you’re doing and I hope they don’t keep you waiting a second more than is absolutely necessary.

I thought I’d give you all a taste of things from the immigrant’s point of view, as there’s many similar feelings and experiences but also some different things too. For instance, I totally get the fact that others have no idea what we’re going through or why we’re doing this. Fortunately for me, these people are in the minority. For the most part, the people who I’ve told have shown a genuine interest in the whole process, and especially my relationship with Lauren, how we met, when we’ll marry etc, etc. Even my customers at work ask me how things are going on that front every time they pop in!

The interesting aspect has been telling my family. There are some who are genuinely pleased for me, after all the bad treatment I received at the hands of my ex, they’re glad that I’ve finally found someone who appreciates me. And, regardless of the fact I’ll have to move away to be with Lauren, they’re still happy for me. But there are some members of my family, particularly those members considerably older than me that I don’t see that often, who treat me as if I’m making some kind of ghastly mistake, and think I’m in danger of being ‘tricked’ by this ‘strange’ internet-love. It shows that not only do they have no grasp of the situation, but also that they are too selfish just to be happy for me. I know ALL my family will miss me when I go. But I was really disappointed when those few people chose to react that way. I wouldn’t mind if they had some genuine reason for concern, but it’s all unfounded. They are just making excuses because they don’t want me to go away. Well, if I lived my life trying to please those negative people, I’d never find my happiness. I just wish they could be big enough to be happy for me.

On a day-to-day basis, I’ve actually stopped talking about Lauren now. I hate the thought of being a jukebox with just the one tune. But if someone asks me, I’ll talk their ears off about her and the whole process! But I’m guessing most people do the same in this situation. It’s not just days we have to wait, it’s MONTHS. So for the good of those around us, we lock up a lot of the anguish of missing our SO’s. I think for that reason, we insulate others as to what we are really going through. So when something truly great happens with our applications they don’t appreciate it for what it is. Perhaps they mistakenly assume that it doesn’t affect us that much. But I guess it’s really that inner circle of people that counts. The people we do tell how much it hurts and how long we have to wait. At the end of the day, as long as my SO and I are happy once we get to the stage to start celebrating stuff, I don’t really care whether other people understand or not. Still, it’d be nice if they did, wouldn’t it?

I've not come across that before. So does that mean they can just pull any application out of the queue for review for an indefinate period? I'm guessing it's for possible matters of security or suspected criminal activity that they might do that?

Don't be rushing.

I heard the certificate is only valid a few months. In my country it's 3 months, some say 6, but no longer!

And here we're taking it at the internal affairs ministry.

You don't wanna do it twice.

good luck!

In the UK the police certificate is valid for 12 months if I'm not mistaken but, yes, it does vary in different countries.

My fiance is only just filing the I-129F, but once it's sent and NOA1 received I would like to get my police certificate done - one less thing to do later!

Do you know where I go to get one, or who I contact? I'm in the UK. Also, do you know how much it costs?

Thanks

I went to my local police station but, as they did with me, they will probably tell you to apply online at your local police force's website. You'll be sent a form of some sort to fill in and send to the regional HQ. The fee is £10.

Damn, that sucks! Sanfranguy, was your fiancee's daughter named on the I-129F? And does anyone know if he can apply for the K-2 for the daughter if the service center has already received his application?

Thanks! You guys have saved my ###!