MalloryCat

unfortunately with K-1 everything seems to be through physical mail for the most part.

i would say if you don't receive the letter from USCIS within like.. 2-3 weeks, you could try contacting them to get the letter emailed.

I think when people refer to the "documents" tab, they have that tab because whatever form they submitted was one that could be submitted online. and subsequently any supporting documents would also be submitted online under that documents tab

it entirely depends on the embassy/consulate your case is going to.

for some embassies in certain countries, the wait for the case to get sent there is longer.

1 hour ago, User1993 said:

Patient is not a problem, my issue is why other cases that were way behind me getting sent over while mine remains there.

it.

are these people going through the same embassy? if not then whatever embassy they are going through probably processes K-1 visas more quickly.

most embassies/consulates have to send a request to the NVC to have petitions sent to them, and whatever embassy you are going through probably takes longer to send that request to the NVC.

having the case number at the very least is a good thing. it means the NVC has processed your case.

you could try contacting the embassy your petition is going through to find out why it's not there yet. but unfortunately you have to wait for the embassy at this point

8 hours ago, Andy Celestyn said:

Guys I've a question,  my fiancee submitted her ds 160 on March 02, 2024. After nvc informed us our case has been transferred to embassy in Nairobi.  Yesterday I received an email with instruction to proceed with the scheduling of interview appointment , so can she still use the ds 160 she submitted in March? Is over 3 months since the submission .

a submitted DS-160 is good for 1 year

so she doesn't need to do it again. just needs to bring a print out of the confirmation to the interview

3 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

Thank you all so much for your information, I understand a little more about the scenario now. I think its time to have a conversation with my partner.

 

Regarding the CR1 visa , does this mean I wouldn't need an affadavit of support as I would be eligible to work upon arrival?

there is still an affidavit of support form that gets filled out.

but it is the I-864 and not the I-134

https://www.visajourney.com/ir1-spouse-visa-overview/

   What is an affidavit of support...and do I need one??
The affidavit of support is a legally binding contract, that promises the US government that the intending immigrant will not be a financial burden, and will not collect welfare or public benefits until either he/she becomes a US citizen, dies, abandons permanent residency status, or can be contributed with 40 quarters of work. (roughly ten years) All immigrants immigrating via the I-130 petition must have an Affidavit of Support filed on behalf of them from the U.S citizen or permanent resident who filed the I-130 petition for them.

34 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

If she gets a job prior to the interview would this be fine for her to sign the affadavit of support?

She has to fill out an affidavit of support regardless, since you will be living with her. But it will be better for you both if she has a job with stable income well before hand.

36 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

Would my cousin be able to sign the affadavit of support given hes in a different state to where I am looking to relocate?

I am not 100% sure on this. but since the affidavit of support is supposed to show that a person is willing to support you financially (sometimes also including support by offering residence and such), they may not accept it if that person is living in a different state than where you will be. but like I said, i'm not sure. You might be better finding a different co-sponsor. Does your fiance have any family close by that could be a co-sponsor?

38 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

What kind of evidence should we be documenting as I am looking to make a whole powerpoint presentation to explain everything and make it easier to read?

USCIS wants to see evidence of a bona-fide relationship. this means, travel documents (plane tickets, passport stamps, I-94 records, hotel/accommodation bookings, etc), as well as proof that you've met in person at least once within the last 2 years. This can be done with pictures, but also need the travel documents. remember that everything you send in has to be on paper, so you would have to print this out and submit it that way. USCIS does not accept electronic files or USB drives with documents on it.

41 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

can I laminate non government documents for example my boarding pass or a letter she has wrote to me etc?

for things like boarding passes and stuff, you are better off making a copy of the document and keeping the original. They will eventually scan your petition into their system, and you want to make it as easy for them as possible. So anything you provide (plane tickets, pictures, etc) need to be scanned onto a computer and printed just on regular paper.

44 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

My current job will potentially allow me to work 3 months in the US before I need to resign so would this cover the K1 and then I would just need an affadavit of support for the adjustment of status and work permit period?

You cannot legally work in the united states in any capacity while here on a K-1 visa. even if your current job allows you to do so before resigning. you need a work authorization provided by the US in order to work at all (including any remote work). you can attempt to get a work authorization while on a K-1 visa, but this work authorization is only good for 90 days. So you would need to submit the form (and the filing fee) before coming to the US on a K-1.

If you want to work as soon as you come to the US, you would be better off going the CR1 visa route.

So no, you cannot continue to work remotely for your current job while in the US on a K-1 visa.

48 minutes ago, superunluckyme said:

if i was to have savings to support myself during the time waiting in the US how much would I need roughly?

 

there is no amount that someone could recommend. it entirely depends on what city/state your USC fiance lives in, what their financial situation is, their current income. you should think about this in the way that your USC fiance is supporting you 100%, with nothing coming from your side.

You just need the return transcript

Typically for the last 2-3 years

We included all of the dates for our visits.

We also closed I think about 10 pictures across all visits. And just labeled when and where each picture was taken.

It's not gonna hurt to include more evidence that you've met in person. In my opinion more visits just shows the commitment you have to each other.

USCIS wants to see if it's a bona fide relationship, multiple trips is part of what proves that

USCIS recommends waiting at least 30 days before contacting the NVC for the case number if you hadn't received it yet.

I would say give it another week (7 - 10 days) before contacting the NVC again to get your case number.

from my experience getting an actual letter from the NVC with the case number is hit or miss on whether or not it shows up quickly (for example, my fiance did get a letter from the NVC with the case number and saying it was being sent to the embassy, but this was over a month after it had already been at the embassy).

Getting the case number doesn't necessarily mean it has left the NVC, just means that they have processed it. Once you have the case number though, you can track it through the CEAC site. And there it will tell you if it is in transit to the embassy or not.

this part can still take a few weeks.

so you more than likely still have a few months to go, but that varies a lot by embassy.

the US embassy page on this site for Tirana should help some

https://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Albania&cty=Tirana

The next steps depend entirely on the embassy your petition is being sent to.

I suggest reading information about your embassy here

https://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=Costa Rica&cty=San Jose

You will have to wait until the foreign fiance receives packet 3 from the embassy.

I'm not sure if the Costa Rica embassy schedules interview appointments for you, but most embassies you schedule your own interview appointment

But you more than likely need to wait for the foreign fiance to receive packet 3.

At this point any inquires would need to go to the Costa Rica embassy and not the NVC, as the NVC no longer has your petition.

It does not mean you should be moving by that date. The validity date is just how long your petition is approved for.

But most of the time the embassy the petition is going to can extend that date if you can't schedule the interview within that time frame.

The time solely depends on the embassy now. It can take a few weeks for the NVC to transfer your petition to the embassy. And most embassies now you schedule your own interview, they don't do it for you. But that also depends on the embassy.

Receiving the letter from the NVC in a timely matter isn't always guaranteed. If you haven't received the letter from the NVC within a month of USCIS transferring it to them, you should submit an inquiry to them to get your case number.

Once you get that case number from the NVC, you can track your case on the CEAC site. And once the embassy receives your petition from the NVC they will send you a letter (typically called packet 3) on the next steps for how to schedule your medical, get the required documents, and scheduling your interview.

Your time frame for when you have to move to the US starts once you have your medical. From the time of your medical you need to move to the US within 6 months. So when it comes to scheduling that, make sure it is pretty close to your interview date (for example, my finances medical is 2 weeks before his interview)

But you absolutely can still take your trip while waiting for all of this. Cause unfortunately you still have a bit of waiting to do lol

If you do take your trip, I would just have someone check your mail for you while you're gone. In case you get anything from the NVC or embassy in the time you're not there

9 hours ago, DinaBill said:

"check your receipt number for any updates on the USCIS website. "

 

Please more detail

https://egov.uscis.gov/

You can put your receipt number in here (should be located on your NOA1)

To check the status with USCIS

Only the petitioner receives the NOA2 from USCIS in the mail

You can make a copy of it and email it to the beneficiary for them to print and have.

ahh ok
no you shouldn't need to inform USPS of your residency.

it is just simply if you give someone your name and address it will show up.

technically someone could send something to an address without a name on it at all, and it will still show up to that address.

do you mean to have the mail you would be receiving in the UK sent to your new address in the US?

If that is the case you would need to inquire with the UK postal system to set a forwarding address to your new address in the US.

That is how it works here if you are just moving addresses (contacting the US postal system to set up a forwarding address), so i am not sure if that would be the same processes as the UK

you shouldn't have too difficult of a time honestly, especially if you don't have a complicated case.

that does make sense. but not sure if you're aware or not but you do have to be in the US within 6 months of your medical exam. So hopefully you can schedule your interview not too long after you have your medical exam.

youre welcome. good luck!

1 minute ago, Korede Temi said:

Even when my case turn ‘ready’. I have to wait for the packet to be sent my address? Is it possible that the packet will always be sent by email rather than to my address? 

Yes, even when status updates to "ready" you have to wait for the packet.

From my understanding most embassies will always send packet 3 through the mail. Like with the packet 3 my fiance received, it including a copy of our approved I-129f, which would have been a lot to send over email. But some people do receive packet 3 through email. (i.e someone on this forum also going through the Frankfurt embassy got theirs in their email because their packet 3 never made it to them in the mail). Like the USTravelDocs site said, if you haven't received the instruction letter within 2 months of the NVC forwarding your case to the embassy in Helsinki, then you can submit an inquiry to them (the embassy)  and they will more than likely email you the packet 3 instructions/letter.

unfortunately the transferring between the NVC and the embassy is just more waiting lol. But it's a good time to start gathering those documents

2 minutes ago, Korede Temi said:

Thank you so much for this response. I appreciate it. How do I know if my embassy requires me to wait for the packet before we schedule the appointment? 
 

thank you again. I appreciate your response. 

most embassies use ustraveldocs for all of their visa processes

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/fi/fi-iv-typek.asp

here is the site for Finland. this is a direct link for the K-1 visa.

under where it says "Scheduling the interview date"

"Once the U.S. Embassy Helsinki receives the approved petition from NVC, the Immigrant Visa Section will send a letter with the instructions on preparing for the visa interview to the applicant.

Note: Do not schedule your interview date until you receive these instructions. If you do not receive the instructions from the US Embassy within two months after the notification from NVC about the transferring of your case to Helsinki, you have to send an inquiry about the status of your case directly to the Consular Section of the US Embassy Helsinki . Please be advised that you might have submit a new petition if you do not schedule an interview within four months of petition approval."

1. Pay stubs just need to be whatever is the most recent at the time. I believe I sent 3 months worth of pay stubs (when I sent them to my fiance was back in march/april, his interview isn't until july)

2. It depends on the embassy. Some embassy's want you to wait until you receive packet 3 from them before scheduling your interview (i.e. with Frankfurt we had to wait until we received packet 3)

3. This information will be included in packet 3. Which will come from the embassy. But as you said the CEAC site still shows as it is in transit. Once the embassy receives it and the status changes to "Ready" that is when they will more than likely mail you packet 3. But more than likely you will need police certificates (original + 1 copy) from all places lived since 16, birth certificate (original + 1 copy), any divorce papers from previous marriages (if any/original + 1 copy), evidence of relationship (ive heard some officers dont really ask for this, but better to have it and not need it), 2 US standard passport photos, passport, printed out DS-160 confirmation page, I-134 (including supporting evidence for USC financials) and sealed medical examination (most of the time this just gets sent directly to the embassy from the doctor, but depends on the doctor.)

4. Not sure if it will be the same as for us, but we received a copy of our original I-129f in the packet 3 we received from the embassy. But you shouldn't need the NOA1 as that was just a notification that USCIS received the petition in the first place. the NOA2 is the actual approval notification. But you shouldn't really need that either as the embassy already knows that your I-129f was approved because they have it.

5. No you shouldn't need to bring that letter. as that was just a notice that the NVC received the petition from USCIS and will be forwarding it to your selected embassy. That letter is just for your records so you know where your petition was in the process.

6. The evidence (or standard to show income) that the I-134 prefers is, 3 years worth of tax return transcripts (which the USC can get for free from the IRS website https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript)), W-2s from current employer, pay stubs, signed letter from employer (letter should include start date, job title, salary (or hourly wage if paid that way), employment status (temporary or permanent, full time or part time)), and/or a signed letter from the USC's bank for all existing accounts (checking and savings) (letter should include date account opened, total amount deposited for the last year, and current balance) *personally I think the letter from the bank isn't as good of evidence since the amount in a bank account is always changing and theres no guarantee that it will always have that amount. Most people do fine with the letter from the employer and the tax return transcripts. But the tax returns  transcripts are by far the most important evidence.

hopefully that helps and makes sense!

Oh... Sorry I missed that. That is very odd.

It sounds like they want you to complete the DS-160 without the packet 3 letter.

Which you technically can do. Once the DS-160 is submitted it stays valid for a year.

Was the only thing stopping you from doing the DS-160 the fact that you haven't gotten packet 3 yet?

There shouldn't be anything in packet 3 that you need in order to do the DS-160 anyway

The fact that embassies do this process all differently is very confusing lol

44 minutes ago, ToNhi said:

Hi @MalloryCat, K1 is not an option on the Non-Immigrant Visas. Instructions seem to say to go through with the "K1 Visas Scheduling" option but upon trying to do that, it asks for a DS-160 Confirmation Code to be able to register address which I obviously have not applied for the Visa for my Financee  yet since we haven't received Packet 3 (but need to register an address for the embassy to deliver Packet 3). It's been a Catch 22 situation. 

 

 

 

 

Where did you read that you have to register an address to get packet 3?  That's usually something the embassy sends automatically or at the very least the foreign fiance has to contact the embassy to get the packet 3 instructions 

I've never heard of anyone having to register their address on USTravelDocs to get the packet 3 instructions.

23 hours ago, ToNhi said:

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/vn/vn-iv-kvisa.asp 

Does anyone have an answer to this? I followed the instructions, and after selecting "Immigrant Visas - Address Registration Only" the K1 - Fiance Visa is not an option on their list of Immigrant Visas. 

 

I was just told by my fiance (who likes to read what I post here 😂) that he did in fact do this. Which I was not aware.

I know that embassies process K-1 visas through the Immigrant unit, but did you try registering your address by selecting the "Nonimmigrant"  category instead? it might be there cause technically K-1 is a nonimmigrant visa.

It's been awhile since he did it, and you can't go back through the process once the interview has been scheduled so he can't actually go look.

But I would try going through the nonimmigrant category to register your address and see if the K-1 category is there.

1 hour ago, ToNhi said:

Hi @MalloryCat, I saw on your timeline that you received your Packet 3. What was your solution to not having the "K1 Fiance" Visa Option on USATravelDocs to have the Packet 3 be delivered to Fiance/Fiancee? Thank you! 

I'll respond to you here.

You may have to contact the embassy you are going though, but in regards to the Frankfurt embassy that our case is going through, we did not have to register an address for the visa delivery. For us it is something that is done on the day of the interview.

The registering the address on USTravelDocs is for the actual delivery of the passport with the visa in it after the interview is completed.

The embassy should just send you packet 3 once they receive your case from the NVC. But this varies between embassies I'm pretty sure

have you received your case number from NVC?

If not you should submit an inquiry to them and get that case number or find out the status of your case

If your case hasn't been sent to the embassy yet that you are aware of, you would need to contact the NVC to get any updates.

it can 100% be filled out on the computer, printed, and mailed in.

but the actual signature of the person filing the petition has to be hand written. it can't be typed with like a cursive font to pass off as handwritten is what that statement from USCIS is saying

we had good luck with trackmyvisa now.

When we first looked at it (back in march) it told us there was a 50% chance we'd hear something within 2 weeks.

and if i remember correctly we got our approval within a few days after looking (very weird coincidence that we happened to look right at that time, but he had just left from visiting and we were anxious for hear back at that point lol)