Jessica&Carl

Yay lilac!

We're still waiting for our NOA1. It's been a week, and no joy on the texts/emails. I won't start pestering anyone for another week or two.

Figure you'll need at least 2 hours at immigration, plus whatever time it takes to get the baggage, plus time to go through security again, plus time to get to the gate (as there are no trams or automated walkways in O'Hare) -- travel around the holidays is so variable, and (as a frequent Chicago flyer) when Chicago gets busy, it gets *busy*. I would say that 4 hours is a minimum, and 5-6 hours may be better if he's not flying priority class (which gets faster security time). O'Hare is pretty ####### about the TSA list (must be in the ziplock, must be under the size to fit in the ziplock, etc) - Miami's not nearly as #######. It's MUCH better for him to get in late and tired and not having missed a flight than having insufficient time and having to reschedule the flights and possibly stay overnight (flying standby succccccks) and what not.

Ugh. Okay, well thanks for the advice. He already got the flight that only has an hour and 45 minute layover time. I guess we're going to just have to pray...

Thanks tho!

J

Hey guys,

I have a really random question. I'm not finding a whole lot of info in the other boards, so I thought I'd try my trusty October filers. (Gosh that seems like such a long time ago, doesn't it?)

Did anyone have Chicago at the POE? My man is trying to decide between two flight that both have his POE in Chicago. One has a much shorter layover and gets him here to Colorado much sooner. The other is a much longer layover and he gets here very late. I'm just wondering if he needs the extra time to go through the POE process or not. He'll be flying 2 days after christmas, and we're not sure if that will make the immigration line a lot shorter, or a lot longer because it's close to the holidays. Would love any info you all have!

Thanks,

J

Hi everyone!

I've been away for so long. Everything has been pretty awesome since we got approved, although, I'm really tired of waiting. I miss him so so much! But we've set a wedding date: January 23rd and he'll be officially getting his plane ticket to come out here this week! I bought my dress a couple of days ago, and it's beautiful! Almost have a venue picked out, and then we can move on to all the fun stuff! So excited to be married!

So that's my update! Working 2 jobs doesn't give a whole lot of time for anything else!

J

Congratulations on your visa success! I knew you guys would be just fine. It's a long wait to finally have him there, but it seems like you guys are doing the right thing

Thanks! IT is a very long wait, but it is the right thing to do. It's hard, but we both figure since we've made it this long, a few more months is nothing, right? Plus, it's looking like he's going to coming the US on New Year's Eve which will be awesome cause we'll get to ring in the new year together!!!

Carl had his interview this morning and was approved with no problems! His visa should be on its way in a few days!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:

Now we settle in for the loooooooong wait until the last week of December when he'll finally be here! He decided to spend one last christmas with his family and we're getting married here. I think it's a good compromise even if I am crushed that it will be so long before he gets here I'm just happy all my family will be at the wedding which is January 23rd (our 3 year anniversary) so it's all worked out well in the end. I'm so happy that this part is over and we can move forward. Just wanted to thank you for all your help with my persistent questions! I think we'd still be trying to figure out how to file if we hadn't found this website!

Much love!

J

Usually it's 6 months - but it could be less (there's some exceptions, based on RFE dates or medical issues)

Pay attention to the expiration date on the visa, once it's issued.

Thats what I thought. Thank you.

J

Just a quick question. How much time is my fiance allowed to wait before he comes to the US after he gets his Visa? I've heard 4 months and 6 months, would just like some clarification.

Thanks,

J

Hello All!

Congrats to everyone who's recently been hitched! It gets me sooooo excited that it's going to happen for Carl and I in only a few months! yay!

Carl recieved packet 4 today and his interview is on June 30th which is sooner than we thought it would be! I've been absolutely floating on cloud nine all day long. This is such an amazing feeling. Carl's gonna schedule his medical for the 29th so that he doesn't have to fly to London twice. So yay!!!

There's lots of great info about dogs on here. Anyone have any advice on how to get a 5 lb. cat here to the US? Continental was going to charge me $910.00. There's got to be an airline that will charge less than that, right??!?! I don't want to give up my kitten!!!

Hello all. My fiance hasn't had his medical scheduled yet, but I have a question. He's from NI and really doesn't want to fly to London twice if he doesn't have to. Is there a way to schedule his medical on the same day as his interview, or can he do it the day before his interview, something like that? We're all tight on money, and staying in a hotel or pay for 2 plane tickets kind of sucks. We're both really stressed about all of this and would love some advice. I guess what I'm really asking is how long in advance does he have to have his Medical so that everything goes smoothly for his interview??

Thanks

J

My fiance is from Northern Ireland and has to have his Interview in London. Is anyone in the same situation? He doesn't want to fly to London for 2 separate appointments. How does he go about scheduling his Medical on the same day of his interview?

Thanks,

J

You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that list and not be on the 'working on packet 3' section anymore! About how long did it take everyone to find out their interview date??

J

Okay, that's what I thought. I just wanted to see if signing a license there was possible. Thank you very much for your help.

J

Okay, that's what I thought. I just wanted to see if signing a license there was possible. Thank you very much for your help.

J

My fiance's k-1 interview will be soon. We're just waiting for the Embassy to respond and tell us when it is. My question is: if After He has his visa in his hand, but before he enters the U.S. we got married in Northern Ireland would he have a problem getting into the U.S. or signing our official Marriage licenses for our required 90 marriage according tot he k-1 rules. I know this is confusing, and I've read a lot of threads kind of like my question, but not exactly. This would be after we've completed the entire k-1 process and he's got his visa and is ready to go. His family really wants to see us get married, and cannot come to the wedding here in the U.S. so I need to know if we'd be voiding this whole process if we get married before he comes here, but after he gets his visa.

I'm sorry this is so rambling, but I'm very stressed with all of this, and I need a straight answer.

Thank you

J

Congrats to both Jessica&Carl and to Michael&Heidi!

Good luck next week - and happy mother's day for any mothers in here.

L got his visa Friday! We're going to wait til June to buy his tickets, I think. We're using my frequent flier miles for his tickets, so yay on that. He's going to end up going first class, because coach is considered peak and actually costs more miles than first class (which isn't peak)!

Ha! That's awesome! Wish I could fly Carl back first class. What card do you used to collect miles?? We've been thinking about doing the same, and are not sure what is the best way to go about it.

J

Congrats to everyone who's gotten their approvals!!!

Carl just sent his packet 3 out yesterday, so we're hoping to hear an interview date soon! I just spent the day with my cousin and her new husband who came over from England, and it made me so ready for this process to be over with! I can't wait to just be married to my man. Thanks so much for all of your help in all of this. I'm so greatfull to you all and this website. Without it, I would probably still have no idea how to go about getting the love of my life here.

J

Just one quick question. I know he's not supposed to sign the 156-k cause it says right on there, but is he supposed to sign the other forms before he sends them to the embassy?? Sorry for being a pain. Just trying to get everything squared away.

Thanks!

J

This is the last time I am going to suggest the UK specific forum! Seriously! Also, the UK Wiki has a lot of the information you need consolidated into one place: http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/UK_FAQ

I have gone to that link numerous times. Obviously I'm still confused. Thank you for making me feel like a complete idiot. Thank you Jared and May for answering my questions. We're really just trying to get all this squared away and finally be almost done with all this paperwork and I don't want it to be incorrect or leave something out so that we have more delays in our process, you know?

J

I have questions about all this financial stuff too. My parents are going to co sponsor, so that's not problem. Nowhere on the I-134 does it say what documentation I'm supposed to have like bank statements and that sort of thing. So why do I have to send them? Do I have to get noterized copies of my tax information AND my parents'? It's all very confusing...do I have to do all of that stuff for both copies of the I-134 that I send in?

Thanks guys,

Sorry I'm so whiny, but I'm just so confused and overwhelmed by all of this.

Oh, and Does he have to take the copy of the 1-129F with him to the interview??

And what is a "Police Certificate" and does he need one if he has no criminal record? If he does, how does he go about getting one???

J

I do have that version of Adobe. Don't know why it's not working. Ugh.

Hi,

You could try this link https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp on Internet Explorer Version 7 or higher.It worked for most of us.Once you finish filling it up and all,it will generate that barcode for you.

Do let me know if this helps you.All the very best to both of you.

Anwesha

Thank you. I was really confused about the format of the form. I don't have explorer on my computer at all, so that's why I was having such trouble.

Hello all!

Just got back from an amazing 3 week trip to Ireland to see my wonderful Fiance! Hated to say goodbye (again) but it was so wonderful to see him and know this whole process is only 6 months from being over and done with!

Thanks so much for your help with all this paperwork information. It's been such a pain in the you know what. I need just a little more help tho. For some reason, neither my computer or my fiance's computer will let us open up the DS156 (it says my computer does not meet the requirements) or the DS157 (it goes to an official looking embassy page and then says page not found). I've tried the links from both this website and from the london embassy website as well. Is there another way to get them? My fiance is feeling very stressed and overwhelmed.

Thanks again,

Sorry I'm such a pain!

J

Looking at the consulate's website:

You need to download, fill out (as applicable), and print:

• DS-230 - fill out Part I only
• DS-156 (and print a second copy) <-- online form
• DS-156K (and print a second copy)
• DS-157 (and print a second copy)
• IV-15K <--- unique to the UK

Don't sign any of the 156/156K forms, as that's done at the interview. Mail them to the Immigrant Visa Unit at 5 Upper Grosvenor Street, London, W1A 2JB.

They do make reference to a DS-2000, but I don't know anything about it - Brazil requires the I-134 form instead. Some places on the consulate's website references mailing it with the other paperwork, others say they just need the 230/156/156K/157.

You can see examples of the forms here on VJ, if you need more help and how the forms should be filled out

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only 1 of the above links gets us to an actual form, and I cannot find the UK procedures on VJ anywhere! I don't know if I'm looking in the wrong places or what, and I'm getting just a tad stressed out! Ugh!

And, my parents are going to co sponsor or whatever, and I need to know if it's me or them that has to fill out the 134 form? Help! Please~

I don't make the required amount in a year to qualify, but my parents are willing to sponsor the petition, so do I fill out the form with my information and then have my parents sign it, or do my parents fill out and sign the whole thing? Just seems weird to have their information on our paperwork. Confused...

Thanks,

J

Hello everyone! I haven't been on in forever!!!

Carl and I did recieve our packet 3 on Februaru 22nd, but because the address was not changed it went to his old house where no one lives. He e-mailed the embassy in London, and they sent him a very confusing website that kind of says what we're supposed to do next, but not really. I'd really appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction of what we're supposed to do next. I'm very lost and he's very stressed. Please help!!!