smilingstone

We're now at the embassy stage and I am due to travel out next week (on an ESTA) for a 2 week trip - I've submitted my DS-160 and paid the interview fee, so this trip is incredibly close to the final hurdle. Over the past couple of months I've been gradually collating all the docs I intend to take incase I get any hassle at POE (Atlanta). My list is: Flight itinerary (which includes return flight). Full copy of I-129F petition. All subsequent notices (NOA1, NOA2, NVC - I'm unfortunately yet to receive anything from the embassy). Evidence of employment (original contract, letter from my manager detailing the dates I am away and when I am expected to return). Tenancy agreement and email correspondence between myself and agent. Bank statements for Sept + Oct (acting as both proof of address and showing rent payments). Does anyone think I should also include a copy of my DS-160 confirmation and the payment receipt for the fee? Is there anything else recommended to take? My last trip was March (again for 2 weeks), so I'm not too concerned about any red flags around that. My only concern is having enough to show that I will return. I'm hoping that having 2 previous, relatively short trips where I didn't overstay and that were 4 - 6 months apart will say something too... I will post an update after I have flown out!

You're right. Me and my fiancé discussed it and the reasons I was holding off weren't really reasons at all. I've submitted my DS-160 and paid the fee. I'll just have to let them know I travelled since submitting (but isn't an issue from what I read). The date booker is showing slots up to 14th Nov, which is unfortunately a little too soon for me due to work implications. I'll be keeping an eye on it and hoping they start releasing for the back-end of Nov soon. Thank you again!

So be thankful that you got lucky. Just because your experience was (positively) different, that doesn't make all previous stories "untrue".

@ScarletWitch6xthankyou! So does London only release slots during the current month? I did seemingly half register by providing the DS-160 number despite not submitting it. I got to the point it asks for payment but could see the soonest available date, no sort of calendar view. I'm hoping to schedule Nov/Dec so am wondering if it's worth just waiting until I return from my trip on early Nov to do the next steps. Do you think that's sensible?

Yes, it can wait for update until the DS-160. A lot can change between filing the petition and DS submission, such as address, employment, travel, etc. Don't worry about it. 😊

But not everyone shares the same perspectives as you or people you know.

My thoughts are that you were already approved and established as a non-risk, but I can also see people using employment as a tie and then quitting to abscond. Can you get confirmation in writing from your previous employer that you were laid off, and didn't quit?

You detail a lot of unfounded concerns about the legitimacy of your relationship. It's normal to feel anxious going through this process, but you are so focused on this in particular that it reads as rather strange. If your relationship is legitimate, then evidence what you can and take the leap. Plenty of incredibly valid advice here to follow from people who have gone and are going through this process. Boundless' only concern is profit. The difficulty of your situation now is that VJ will tell you ABC is fine, but Boundless will say it isn't and won't proceed your case until they tick all their boxes. I'm guessing you are in too deep to cancel their "services" so your hands are tied.

Yes, get ready to wait! For us, it took 108 days from NOA1 to approval. We did receive an RFE which may have delayed things for us, but also I read that processing times have slowed since May/June. I went into this assuming approx. a 12 month total wait, give or take - 6 months for I-129F, 6 months for K1. I think when all is said and done (married) that will be a pretty close estimate. You can search VJ timelines and filter by country. It will give you a good idea of things.

Photos are great to include, but are ultimately secondary for evidencing meeting. It's very easy to say a photo was taken on X date, when it wasn't. Primary evidence for meeting is flights, accommodation, passport stamps, I-94, etc.

Your ties to each other's family/friends are irrelevant. None of our documents nor evidence mentioned anyone but ourselves. Specific to our relationship evidence, we included a single image together, a selection of text messages and a 2-page statement of how we met/how our relationship developed. Alongside this, we included all other required evidence of meeting. We did get an RFE, but it was because we missed a question on the form, nothing to do with our relationship. All that matters in terms of I-129F is evidencing: You have both met within the past 2 years and; are both legally willing and able to marry. All that matters in terms of K1 is evidencing that: Your USC can support you or that them and co-sponsor(s) can support you and; are both still legally willing and able to marry. I had the same worries as you when we first filed. I was scared that what we had wouldn't be enough, and some faceless entity was deciding if our relationship was real without even knowing us. Ultimately, they know the red flags to look out for and they know what to query. You are from a low-fraud consulate, so although it is not a given, you generally do not need to worry about having a thoroughly documented relationship. Nothing you mentioned (not knowing family, becoming engaged after 18 months) would be much of a concern to USCIS.

I hear processing times have slowed since May/June. Take your friend's advice and relax, give it more time.

I wouldn't recommend this. ^ Better advice here.

I came across a great free app called "Civics Test" which I would recommend looking into. I got it on the Google Play store. I am a long way off that point in my own journey, but from what I've experienced on the app so far, it's worth checking out.

Can anyone suggest a fix for the DS-160 timing out when being filled out? I am trying to fill out my previous work history, but between going back and forth between various docs to get the dates and info I need, the session keeps expiring - and I can't save my progress on a section without completing the full section! I'm stuck in a loop of filling out all the info, having it time out and expire, logging back in to the same page, to just have the same problem again... I saw a previous thread here suggesting to use Firefox, which I am now doing, but this still doesn't resolve it. I've also tried Brave and Edge browsers previously. How do they think 1 - 2 min per page is sufficient time to complete a page that is asking for 5, 6, 7 or 8 lines of information per item?????

Just checked the CEAC tracker and my case number now says "Ready"! From what I understand, I'm now able to complete/submit my DS-160 but I am aware that on this form I will need to provide travel history. My issue here is that I'm due to take a trip to see my fiancé in a little over 2 weeks, and know that I can't provide dates of trips waiting to happen. Would you advise I hang fire on the DS-160 til I return, or complete it now and bring up the more recent trip at interview? Am I correct in thinking that I can't schedule a medical/interview before submitting the DS-160? Or can I now start to explore possible dates in advance of that? Additionally, can anyone tell me how long the DS-160 is valid for after submission? If I submit it in October, will it still be valid til Nov/Dec/beyond? FYI, I am still yet to receive any direct contact from London (in case this factors into things). Wow, it feels like everything I've been reading for 6+ months immediately left my head now that it's crunch time! Thank you!

Do you want us to tell you "yes, he will be denied"? You've been given relevant info here and should take the time to read it.

Yes, you will get an update on the USCIS tracker that states they have received your RFE response.

When did you receive approval? Are you able to share what the RFE requested? It may be that you received an approval in error and your inquiry triggered a revision on your petition. Generally speaking, expecting a response to an RFE within 5 days is way too soon. For us, it was approx. a 2 month wait, but depending on the nature of their request it could be longer.

Hi all, Happy to announce that we received the email from NVC detailing they will now forward our petition on to my embassy (London). Although, I'm a little unsure on whether the letter should be addressed to me (beneficiary) or my fiancé (petitioner): It is addressed to me, but mentions my "fiancé(e)'s approved I-129F petition", which would imply it should be addressed to the USC as it is technically their petition filed on my behalf. But because it's addressed to me (the non-USC), it makes me think "fiancé" refers to the USC. Then the last sentence says the embassy will contact my fiancé (so the petitioner?), but from what I understood, I am to now expect contact from London. Any VJers able to share whether their NVC letter was addressed to petitioner or beneficiary, or is this something I should look at having corrected? Thanks!

OP, you're fundamentally paying a minimum of $60 a month for someone to do something that you and your partner can do together. Once you allow them to submit your application, you will be stuck paying them monthly while your application sits in USCIS limbo. This could take anything from a few months to over a year. That's a lot of money to be throwing at Boundless when at that stage they aren't even doing anything! Additionally, in the case that you do get a RFE, you'll be entirely dependent on Boundless to respond to it and they won't be responding as fast as you would yourself. I would really urge you to explore cancelling your Boundless membership while you can.

It seems to me that you're being given the run-around by the agency, and not USCIS, as you're yet to even submit your petition. Which is to be expected, really, as the longer they can drag out this process for you, the more money they make. I'm sure this won't make you feel any better, but if your case is straight-forward (no glaring red flags, criminal history, other legal issues) then there's really no need to involve any of these agencies. They claim to take the headache out of the process, but all I read is them being the cause of the headaches. Unsure what the payment situation is with them, but if you're in a position to and aren't too financially invested in them, I'd be cancelling the service (before anything is filed). Anyway, you just need to persevere and give them what they ask for. I've felt this way too, at multiple times. Sometimes it feels like you'll never get there, but you will. Every day, despite feeling like a set-back, is a day closer to being with your partner.

You can check the tracking on USCIS, as they will update when they've sent your petition to NVC, but it is currently taking a while. For reference, our NOA2 approval is dated 2nd August, but they didn't dispatch to NVC until 28th August. It's frustrating, because the NOA2 specifically reads "We have sent the original visa petition to the Department of State National Visa Center (NVC)", but in reality they haven't. The wording suggests that by the time you're reading the NOA2, it's already on it's way. They should really re-word the NOA2 to say "We will send the original ..." so you immediately understand to give it some time.

It's generally advisable to do some research on the requirements of very time consuming and expensive processes before you start them. But, as @apnzz also said, I hope that including this unnecessary doc doesn't harm your case.

Unsure why you'd follow guidance of a church in the Philippines when USCIS themselves state on their website what docs are required for filing the I-129F. Hope you didn't pay for it!