PeruvyandGringa

Hurry, hurry, those docs from Peru! Don't worry about the other now, unless you happen to get those while waiting on your wife's things from Peru.

Good Luck!

It sounds like you are trying to time the visa to coincide with the end of your assignment. Did they tell you how long it would take to re-issue the visa? Is it something she will have to wait to receive? If you must wait until after the original visa expires, and then it takes some time to get a re-issued visa afterwards...

Stop stressing and send your packet in! I can say this because I AGONIZED over every last little thing for a month. Now I wish I would not have as that is another month we will be apart. No matter if she is working or not now, they assume she won't work at all once she arrives and that you must be able to support her without any income on her part (or find a co-sponsor). Trust me, you will feel much better once you have sent it in!

So I am a bit of a numbers geek and granted it may be that people still haven't posted their timeline or they don't know about VJ, but when you look at the total number of applications, the volume starts to go down. I am wondering if many people start off the brand new year, hot off the holidays, to file and then the numbers slow down over the summer. I am looking at Feb/Mar/Apr/May total applications... (knowing that Jun/Jul way too soon). Regardless, I have made this my little mission to keep me sane. I am hoping that there is less volume and therefore the backlog will be gobbled up quicker. ummm, who knows.

Just FYI, I am ignoring the pesky 16 day applicant, strange anomoly, doesn't fit into my analysis. hee hee

Time to go to sleep.

I am too, I watched myself go from 518 to 519, to 520, 521, now 515 today on Igor's list! After reading how the process is handled at the service center, it sounds like someone just grabbed a newer box of applications (I'm surprised that doesn't happen more often from the description from the person who used to work at one, but thankfully, it hasn't been).

I was also wondering how many people don't post their timelines until 1, 2, 3 months later (or even when they are at the point when they will soon be going to the Embassy). I am curious to see how many filers July had in the end, perhaps I will add that to my timeline too, so we can remember...

I tend to tip partly on %, but more on the service. For example, There is a great little breakfast place I like, my bill is always only around $7, but I almost ALWAYS have wonderful, attentive service. I will EASILY tip 50% or more. Likewise, I have had $40 meals where I felt the service was minimal, I have no problem tipping about the same $ amount (which would be only 10% in this case).

With the salon, I think it is the same. A lot of hairdressers pay for the chairs in the salon by the day/week/month. I figure if I like the service, I will pay for time spent there. I have FINALLY found a fabulous person here in Orlando (after 12 years of living here). This is at a somewhat inexpensive salon ($35 haircuts). I have extremely straight, baby fine hair that I have cut into a bob. This lady books multiple time slots for me and literally spends an hour (sometimes more) on just the cut (+ shampoo time). I tip her $25. The $60 total is still less than many local salons charge for just a cut anyway (my justification to myself)! I know the good tips will ensure future fabulous do's!

Any tips of fighting jetlag? I only have one experience with going to Europe and my experience during the first few days was horrible.

I know I don't belong here b/c I am a VSC filer, and will unfortunately be WEEKS behind all of you in the process...but, when I fly, I pop 3 Tylenol PM about 10 - 11 hours before expected landing in the foreign country (not sure if that is considered an overdose or not?). This allows me to sleep soundly through anything, completely unaware of my drooling on my neighbor until landing.

NOA1 received today via snail mail - finally. Dated July 22. Now I finally know my case number. Whoo hoo!

I need to confess something, there's only one thing that I'm scared of. Since I spent most of my life in Paris, well... I've never learnt how to drive. :x And there's no "metro" in Delaware!

We're not many people in this thread. I hope some more will join us soon! There's two days left!

Yoohoo, Vermont July '09 filers, where are you?!

My fiance is worried about driving too! That's funny, it's the least of my worries. I am most worried about him being homesick. I am also worried about the first months, since he won't be able to work, he is always going, going, going, so I don't know how he will handle 3 months of nothingness. (I'm getting him a gym membership, and I can let him into the Disney parks while I am at work, but there is only so much to keep him entertained!)

I am hoping we have nobody on our thread only because there are so few people filing! Here's to wishful thinking!

I used exactly as the guide shows, it mentions the addendum to the question that you can type on a separate sheet of paper to further explain how you met.

Wanted to keep some action on our thread so that we move back to page 1 again.

I do feel very fortunate that I am going to England in 33 days (countdown has begun). Skype has also been a big help. Great to see my honey on a weekly basis.

So, how did everyone meet their fiance's? I noticed some people do have their stories but others do not.

We met around Nov 1st last year at a pub in Dallas. Paul was visiting a friend and we randomly started talking. Then after many months, he came to visit in June and we had a great time. A couple of my friends kind of questioned the whole thing but I shared that I feel like he and I got to know each other considerably more than when you "normal" date someone. From my experience, a lot of dating becomes lets go here or here but not very much real communication. Anyway, one of my friends (questioning one) shared with me the other day she met someone where she lives and within 30 days they are talking about getting married so now she is whistling a different tune. Meaning love comes many different ways and you just need to embrace it.

Have a great day everyone. Looking forward to spending the next 4/5+ months will all of you. Victoria

I love telling my story. It IS romantic (and I typically, am NOT). I met my fiance thanks much in part to my horrendous credit union! I planned a trip to Spain last year for 2 weeks (I had flights into Madrid, out of Barci, and a railpass valid for 6 days, and nothing else, that's how I plan!). When I arrived in Madrid, my bank card and one of only two credit cards I have didn't work. Then I realized that the one I did have was not taken at many places. (that and it had a 3% fee, and my pension had a 5% surcharge for using CCs instead of cash, so using it would quickly cause the trip to become much more expensive than planned if I didn't get it resolved). I was wondering aimlessly and getting very hungry on my 2nd day, credit cards not working. A handsome waiter asked if I would like to eat at this restaurant. I asked if they took my credit card, as I was hungry enough that I didn't care about the surcharges. He told me they did and he sat me at a table in his section of the restaurant. As he served me he asked questions about why I was alone and had only one credit card, where I was from, etcetera. He asked me what I was doing after I ate dinner, and I told him I had no plans, as I had no (little) money. He asked if I would like to go with him to a ‘discoteca’ (at this point I was picturing in my head a 70’s themed club with disco ball and all), but whatever, he was cute, and I had no other plans and I did not want to spend the little money I had. We never made it to the discoteca that night. Instead, we walked the streets of Madrid for hours, and shared our first kisses. He invited me to come meet him at his restaurant the next night and I did. That night, we did go to the discoteca and danced and talked all night (and I found out that it simply means dance club in Spanish). I decided to stay in Madrid one more night, because I wanted to spend more time with him. He took me to the train station the morning I was leaving. I had planned to go to Sevilla, Granada, the south coast, and then head to Barcelona and my return flight to the U.S.. He helped me get in the correct line to purchase my reservation to Sevilla. We spent many of the next minutes, kissing and hugging, not wanting to let go. He needed to get ready for work and left to go home and hurry to work. I broke down as soon as he walked away. I told him later it was then that I realized I had already fallen in love with him. I studied my rail schedule book, and decided that I would go to only Sevilla, then Granada, then catch a train straight from Granada to Madrid. I could stay in Madrid 2 more nights before heading to Barcelona for 2.5 days. I purchased the reservations and decided I was going to surprise him. He surprised me instead when I saw him running through the train station ~90 minutes later looking in every direction. When he saw me he told me he had to see me one more time, one more kiss before I left. He looked and smelled so good at that moment. I decided to tell him then that I was returning 4 days later for 2 more nights, and his face lit up. He met me at the train station when I returned to Madrid, and we had 2 amazing nights (he had to work during those days). When I left on the train the second time, I cried the entire train ride to Barcelona, not knowing when I would see him next. Thankfully I have had 3 other visits in the last 7 months for a total of 5 more weeks together, and we webcam/chat nearly everynight. Tonight I made a chocolate raspberry cake (baking competition tomorrow at work, and I want to win) and he was in the kitchen with me looking on, very disappointed that he wasn't going to get to eat any! I promised to make him one as soon as he arrives.

I know that the forms could have different dates, I was just wondering how old the oldest form could be (I'm sure I couldn't send in something that my fiance had signed a year ago, for example). I didn't know if there were any sort of rules regarding how old the oldest form could be. I am thinking since it was just a little over a month old when they would have received it that it would be OK, but I didn't know how close to the cut-off I am. (45 days? 90 days? there has to be some cut-off).

Something else I have learned, my bank sucks (credit union)! All this talk about seeing checks online. I don't have that option I have found. I COULD if I wanted to, request a COPY to be SNAIL mailed to me, and that will cost $14 and take 10-14 business days. Well, I would hope I would have my NOA1 by then anyway. I guess I just have to wait on the snail mail to see when my NOA1 date, and start looking around for a new bank.

I guess I am just worrying about EVERYTHING now. I sent off my initial submittal. The different forms were signed on different dates, The earliest nearly a month before the last one (I think the dates on the forms went from June 18 - July 16, and in between). I am worried now that the forms dated the earliest will be more than a month old when they arrived in Vermont. Is this going to be a problem? I hope I am worrying about nothing. Those are the forms that my fiance in Spain signed, so those will be more difficult to submit again if it's necessary. Anyone submitted forms more than a month old, or with various dates spanning a month or more, and had no problems? Please put my mind at ease

If they also require your birth certificate, make certain they accept your birth certificates. We were considering getting married in Peru before deciding the K-1 route, but I would have needed to have my BC sealed by the Secretary of State of my state, then by the Peruvian Consulate in Chicago - Process! That in addition to the Certificate of Singleness (can be picked up at the US Embassy in the foreign country). Needless to say, we decided on the K-1 route, and we are going to have a celebration with his family in Peru after he is allowed to travel.

My checked cleared today!

It looks like it's going to be a long wait for us than I expected. When we started collecting paperwork several months ago, I was really believing that we would have our visa in 6 months or a little less if we were lucky. Now I am not counting on it happening for several months more. I was really hoping I would have him here with me by Christmas. It has only been a month since I last saw him, but it seems like so much longer. I am going to go nuts while I wait. My fiance's internet was down yesterday, and I had worked late the night before, so I am really having separation pains this week!

Goodnight, let's hope the VSC speeds things up for us a bit!

-Kristin

Hola Kristin,

I find no reason to believe that the process will take more than 6 months. Do you?

Start looking for your fiance's Christmas gift from now. You won't believe how the time goes by fast, aand I'm sure by then he will be here.

6 months would be mid-January, and it looks as though Spain has a longer gap between when they receive the application until the beneficiaries interview (there are not many people from Spain who have filled out their timeline. My fiance is also originally from Peru, so I don't know if that is going to add complexity or complications. The only thing I know he needs is to get his police record from both countries. I am just hoping there is not anything else that I haven't found on the guides.

Much of his family is still in Peru, and his mother has passed on, so I was really hoping he would be here with me for Christmas, as I live in Florida without any family either.

Kristin

It looks like it's going to be a long wait for us than I expected. When we started collecting paperwork several months ago, I was really believing that we would have our visa in 6 months or a little less if we were lucky. Now I am not counting on it happening for several months more. I was really hoping I would have him here with me by Christmas. It has only been a month since I last saw him, but it seems like so much longer. I am going to go nuts while I wait. My fiance's internet was down yesterday, and I had worked late the night before, so I am really having separation pains this week!

Goodnight, let's hope the VSC speeds things up for us a bit!

-Kristin

I sent our application off (finally!), now I'm officially part of the waiting game too!

"Finally" is the word. I didn't know it would take that much time to put everything together, then when you send it you cross your fingers hoping you didn't forget anything.

Yes! Initially when I started working on this March/April, I would have thought that I would have been waiting around for our visit in June for signatures from him, not the case! I had his papers ready for him to sign, but still had work to do (and additional boarding passes/stamps/photos from this last visit to add). Then I realized multiple small errors of wording and such (thankfully all on my papers). Then there was re-reading them all 1000 times to make certain every box was checked, every N/A or NONE was in place (after reading a post where the RFE for an unmarked checkbox delayed a couple months!). I was starting to lose my mind, I am glad it is out of my hands, yet still worried that I missed something. I guess I will find out months from now...

I sent our application off (finally!), now I'm officially part of the waiting game too!

I thought the same thing. I quickly told in person or phoned all the most important people, then changed my status a week later, after I had told a lot of people (I didn't want my favorite aunt finding out from my cousins who are all on my page!). I know most people will find out via Facebook, but not the people we talk to often!

While me and my sweetie were in Peru (he is Peruvian, living in Spain) in January, we looked into getting married there. They would not accept my birth certificate without it first being sworn/legalized by the state of Ohio, then I was to send to the Peruvian Consulate in Chicago to be sealed by the Consulate, THEN I could bring it to Peru to marry. That is what I was told when I was in Peru. I even went to the US Embassy in Lima while I was there, and they told me the same thing. When I returned to the US, I sent off my BC to the Secretary of State, it took over a week before it was returned with the sworn letter and seal from the Secretary of State. I never sent it to Chicago because I was learning more about the fiance visa, and we began to think that would be a better option. I had no idea how difficult it would be to marry there!

The date is NOT the form's expiration date, the OMB date is the date that USCIS has to complete a survey to determine the length of time it takes to fill the form out for the paper work reduction act, as mandated by the Office of Management and Budget.

Edition Date :

7/14/06. Previous editions accepted.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

When a USCIS form is due to expire, the form and any changes must be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If a form expires while it is being reviewed at OMB, the form may still be used. Once a new edition is available, the USCIS website will be updated to ensure all useable editions are listed.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

Every time a form goes past it's OMB survey date, the forum gets flooded with panic questions about this.

I wish the USCIS and DOS would remove that date or simply remove the "EXP" from the date.

A little reading on the USCIS page where the form is posted answers this nicely.

This is being asked multiple times today, you need to look through the forums abit to get your answers.

Thank you! I have tried to search this site, but I have been unsuccessful. I can only seem to find what is on the home page and then similar topics linked to those topics! I can only find answers to my own submittals via logging into my account and looking under recent topics. I read as much as I can from the topics on the home page each day, but that hasn't always answered my questions. Thanks again for answering, I feel better now. And no, I'm not super-technically savvy!

I recently filled out the g-325a form for me and my fiance. I just realized it had an expiration date of 5/31/09. I went to the website AGAIN to download a new one, seeing as it is June 4, and the form they have to download is the one I used, expired 5-31-09. It was last revised 7/14/06, so I doubt it will have any updates, just eventually a new expiration. I called and they told me to use the expired form, that you can ignore the expiration date as they only go by the revised date. I know if I use this form, it will come back to haunt me. I don't want to just sit around and wait for the government to update the form on the website. I do now have the phone log that I did call, and also the email I sent with only and auto generated out of office response. Anyone else send in expired forms?

My fiance is Peruvian legally living in Spain. We know we need to get his police certs. He attempted to call the Peruvian Consulate, only to be told they will not make appointments. We wanted to find out the process for obtaining police certs, and the length of time it will take. I thought it would be as simple as going to the consulate and giving them a photo, having them take his fingerprints, and he could get the police certs that way. Has anyone else successfully received police certs from Peru by visiting their local Peruvian Consulate? Or is he going to need to fly to Peru to obtain this? I am a little concerned as I thought it would take a little time to receive them, and if he can not even get an interview to find out what is necessary, I do not know what to tell him now. Any experience obtaining Peruvian Police Certs while residing in another country?

I am seeing a lot of old posts (2007,2008) regarding obtaining a stamp at JFK (as POE) for temporary 90 day EAD. "The most regularly reported airport that will issue with a category (a)(6) EAD stamp on your I-94 is JFK airport in New York". Does anyone have recent experience with this? Does this apply to the K-1 visa? Is there something that the beneficiary needs to receive at the Embassy prior to arrival at JFK? The sooner he could begin to work, the happier I think he would be here. It would be great if we could avoid the ~90 day waiting period, as he is a bit of a workaholic!

Thank you so much!