maliciant

My check was cashed too, so I assume the NOA1 and NOA2 are already in the mail and should be here any second... Small steps...

NOA1 yes, NOA2 not for a while, maybe 4 to 5 months. That is if everything is all good with no RFE's.

But since we are all good and kind hearted people here, it should all be fine!

Goodluck to all of us!

I was joking, I figured throwing in the "any second" would give it away... I've read up on the timelines and know generally what to expect, and I can remember seeing a few cases where the check was cashed a week ahead of the NOA1 even being mailed, it took 6 days for my packet to get there and likely 6 to get back... I'm not expecting anything until a week into september (maybe the NOA1 will show up on september 4th and be a nice birthday surprise for my fiance).

My check was cashed too, so I assume the NOA1 and NOA2 are already in the mail and should be here any second... Small steps...

Read carefully, I used USPS, sent to the post office address.

Oops, I'm dumb, we'll have to wait and see what the problem was when you get it back.

I never got a hard copy letter from USCIS for my NOA1. Does that even matter? only my lawyer got one. But I do have a case number.

I just like to keep it to frame or put in a scrap book.

I also like to keep all these official documents because you never know when someone one day may request an original copy. I dont like depending on others to keep things safe for me.

What if you asked your Lawyer for the original and he/she makes a photo copy to keep with your records there?

Not really sure of any advantages or disadvantages of having the actually hard copy.

I sent it in a brown envelope with bubbles inside, my return address, and wrote I-129F Original Submission on the outside via USPS Certified Mail, no return receipt (as the a$$ at the desk didn't tell me about that).

Sent to

USCIS (but I wrote all this out)

California Service Center

P.O. Box 10130

Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-0130

Of course I haven't gotten the packet back yet so I'll know more when it arrives hopefully. In any case, I'm FedExing that sucker next time!

That's your problem then, the P.O. Box address is for USPS only, for UPS you shoul dhave used the other address...

Note: The following address is used for overnight delivery (Federal Express, UPS, etc.) or bonded courier delivery:

California Service Center

24000 Avila Road, 2nd Floor, Room 2312

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

When I was going to send mine, I filled out the UPS address, when I got to the place they told me I could us USPS to send from there... and I was going to since it seemed to be implied as the preferred way to send things to USCIS... but I had already put the UPS address on the outside so went with that (which was slightly cheaper anyway... though possibly slower). Maybe review the guide one last time for mistakes you may have made in other documents before sending it back out? These little mistakes are torture but a year from now hopefully no one will feel too bad about them.

Edit to add: Our company has a system for sending out mail that automatically addresses things to clients... we switched to a two line address format probably 6 months ago, a bug in the system caused most of those mails to only have one line of our address showing, and of course it wasn't the street address that showed, it was the name of the strip mall the office is located in... it didn't seem to affect our mail and went unnoticed for 4-5 months... we're hardly some major corporation so it's kind of odd we'd get our mail without a problem... but I guess get it to the right zip code and your mailman may recognize your name enough to know where things go).

So it's been 8 days since I sent my packet, and it still hasn't been delivered. I went to the post office today and the guy said he couldn't tell me anything but that it should have arrived last Thursday or Friday. I think I'm going to cry.

I sent mine UPS and it took almost a week to get there... I am having a hard time viewing myself as patient, and I know it's just the beginning. Seriously, how dumb do you have to be to fall for someone living in another country, you have to be a glutton for punishment to get involved in this process. I'm not expecting a NOA1 any time too soon, maybe mid september since I have to wait on the hard copy... I guess the plus side to that, is between the mail and delay from them issuing noa1 and me actually receiving the document a big chunk of the wait for noa2 will be out of the way.

One of our UK experts can tell you if the marriage in the UK can happen in the next six days or not, but I doubt it.

One of us is misreading the date, I believe they have a year before the visa runs out. Also... isn't this a case where DCF may be used and be faster?

I'm an august filer, though late august so I probably won't get the NAO1 until next month (my bank charges extra for check imaging and since I write about 12 checks a year I haven't had a use for it). In some ways time moves fast... and then you see a date and realize something that seems like ancient history... was just a week ago, or a month ago... I'm ridiculously patient, but this is the kind of thing that will definitely test that, but there is some relief in having the package in the mail.

I sent copies of my birth certificate, and a name change thingy too, the passport was more for evidence of meeting purposes.

Well, it's only the beginning of a long process but it already feels like ages... but today it's official, the package is in the mail... the only gotcha... I didn't copy every single page of my passport, I didn't see much point in it... I doubt I'll get an RFE over it... but that's probably the only gotcha I might have to have a sleepless night over. I'll be back to my usual lurking and reading self now, at least until NOA2 time comes around, that's when the action and panicking can begin!

Well... no physical hardships here, the cost is a little prohibative, but I can swing that, it's just bad timing really. On the plus side, the information here is providing me with a much more solid basis for making decisions. It's good to know I don't need a visa to travel there, for a three week stay how much proof of my ability to support myself is necessary, I'm assuming that staying with a friend should prevent me from having to have a large amount of cash in reserve. I am overdue for a vacation as is, three weeks might make the boss a little grumpy but I can work from anywhere so he'll forgive me. This has brought up a few new questions, but they are mostly touristy type questions, I can find those answers on my own

Thanks for the replies, I was pretty sure that an actual meeting would be required. I'm just gathering information now and have not begun the visa process, we've just been talking about it. The expense of the trip is a big part of the problem, but that's not unworkable. I do not have a visa or passport at this time, neither does she, so someone needs a vacation to another country, figuring out the most affordable options to do so is the next step. She lives in bacoor so I assume the most reasonable places to fly to or from is Manila.

I've been looking around and I'm considering going through the whole k-1 process, I've mostly been gathering information. I have never met in person the person I'd be applying for, I realize that the k-1 doesn't absolutely require it but I suspect without it'd be highly suspect, and that's a long process in ideal situations. So the next step is figuring out how to remedy that issue, can anyone recommend where to find cheap flights, from manila, philippines to missouri or the other way around?

I wouldn't mind knowing how big of a flag not having met in person is as well, though that's probably best for a topic specific forum.