Judy & Eugene

Hey Dodi - Humans are important !!!!
NVC Human will know a bit on an I-129F -
--when it arrived to NVC
--when it left to US Embassy
-- the Embassy Casefile Number.
then Dos Hotline Human knows
--when it arrived at US Embassy (maybe)
--when the casefile was opened
--when the Packet 3 was sent out (if yer country still does this)
--when the appointment date is set
--when the packet 4 was sent out
--interview results
Humans are Important !! Get One, Today !!

Once your NOA2 has been processed at the USCIS level, the NVC and DOS are the only way to really find out when/where your case was accepted until you (maybe) get a letter from the NVC or Packet 3 arrives. As one of my favorite vjer's likes to say "HumansTM" are hard to reach at the NVC and DOS helplines. ESPECIALLY at the DOS. I clocked half an hour of waiting through recorded messages and being disconnected for pressing the wrong option or trying to surf my way through it before I finally wrote down all of the RIGHT options and made myself a road map.

Someone just pm'ed me about calling for a case update at the NVC, so I thought I'd share my "road map" with the rest of you, in case you're tired of getting lost as well.

For the NVC:

K1's are not tracked through the AVR, EVER. They are processed like an immigrant visa, but they are NOT immigrant visas, so they fall into a completely different class of their own. Therefore you need an operator. To get there:

1-603-334-0700

Press 2 for Non-Haiti-Related issue (Please note that this will probably change after some time)
Press 1 for English
Press 5 for an operator

For DOS:

This is where you will be able to find out if your case was received at the Embassy/Consulate. They will not see your case in their system until the NVC has logged it in and applied a case number to it.

202-485-7600
Press 1 then 0 for a live operator.


I hope this helps everyone else who has to wade through the red tape to get to someone (hopefully) with answers. Please be aware that not all of them have the correct information, and you can call back and ask for someone else or request a supervisor if you feel you're being given misinformation (SOMETIMES this helps, sometimes not).

It would depend on a lot of factors like the kind of lifestyle you want to live by there, or what you have been accustomed to vs. what you will get there. I grew up in Manila with a maid and a driver so when I moved to China to work by myself 2 years ago, it took me forever to adjust. It's a good thing I got experience in China or else moving to the US directly might have been bad. Also, it is hard to find a job thats why I'm choosing to go back to school instead. But I guess you have to weigh the pros and the cons. I chose to leave my great job in China, my great family and comfort of living in the Philippines for my fiance. But that was my choice because I love him even if that means having to give up some luxuries that I used to enjoy. We are both young and I am optimistic that we can make it work.
I wish the best for you guys and do not worry so much about it

3 more VJers approved today already. 2 August, 1 July

Palladin - How long is your research stretched over? What is the time frame?
The reason I am asking is because historically the Service Centers have a pattern of fluid processing times. I think you would have to look at case processing over, say, a five year period to get a more accurate picture of things. That does not mean it gives you any sort of mathematical average. Instead it gives you a picture of how things can turn on a dime.
I know it sounds nonsensical, but the mere fact that VSC is processing slowly right now does NOT mean that times will slow in the future. That Service Center in particular has a history of authorizing overtime for adjudicators to get petition backlogs cleared.
Also, you might want to dig around on Vj itself as to the origins of this website about 7 years ago. There were four SC's processing K1's at that time, and all of them except Vermont processed at a crawling pace. Much longer than 5 months. I know it's hard to believe, but things ARE faster than they use to be. The problem at Vermont right now is temporary. I'm sorry you are stuck in it.

Thats enough of that, it wasnt even you someone else made the really dumb comment and you got the punishment instead of them. Its hard on all of us and we should try and help eachother. I can see you did not intend it the way it came out, and I was a bit quick to pounce. Im am very sorry, its been 5 months and im on edge. Hope you undertand

Let's not turn this into a competition. This process is hard on everyone for a variety of reasons. Everyone misses their loved ones, let's support each other instead of comparing the merit of our woes?

Been a lot of bad weather up there in the last week or so. Now in the past week of this weather, U.S. government has had offices closed for a day there. VSC was not closed. Only thing I can realistically think of as to why they would have slowed down. Now,based on the new data USCIS listed recently, VSC has about 33,000 petitions to go through (k-1), which means they are backlogged majorly.
VSC K-1s from August-November 2010: http://dashboard.uscis.gov/index.cfm?formtype=6&office=6&charttype=1
Recieved: 7,116 new K-1 petitions filed (Blue)
Awaiting Customer Action (RFE I guess): 1,506 (grey line)
Awaiting Action (IE: Have a human look at them): 32,248 Petitions (yellow line)
Completions: 5,226 (Green Bar)
Not very good looking statistics if you ask me.
Also just to highlight: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do
"If the office is processing a particular type of application in less time than our processing goal, you will see the processing times expressed in months (for example, if the office is processing naturalization applications in less than our 5 month goal, the processing time will state “Five Months”). However, if that office is taking longer than our processing goal to handle the form type in question, you will see the filing date (e.g., “April 10, 2003”) of the last case we processed on the date the website chart was last updated. The charts are updated on or about the 15th day of each month."
Field Office Processing Dates for Vermont Service Center as of: November 30, 2010
I-129F Petition for Alien Fiance(e) K-1/K-2 - Not yet married - fiance and/or dependent child 5 Months
Based on their wording they are processing I-129Fs under the 5 month goal as of November 30th, 2010. BS.

Why do you think that? The OP made clear about her concerns regarding what happens if her husband dies before she does. The opposite could also be a problem from the sons' point of view. Much better to have a pre-nuptial that spells it all out now! If you don't you are only asking for needless trouble at some point in the future!

Pre-nups are sometimes not worth the paper they're written on, I won't go into detail but I have this on the authority of a highly experience family lawyer.
My father has a family trust that in the event of divorce cannot be broken until certain conditions are met. His previous wife (before my mother) attempted to break up the trust but was unsuccessful.
I personally believe in the Family Trust (of which I and my siblings will take over when dad passes) but mostly I believe in my partner and we are/were equal when we entered the relationship. I know some things just can't be anticipated though so if you would feel better with a pre-nup, do that.
A Will can have a clause put in that gives everything to you (or a portion) and on your passing everything to his kids. If you're worried about being out on the street there can be a trust put in place allowing you to live in the house until you die (or move out ) and then it passes to the kids. Some people put money in a trust that pays the property taxes etc, or sometimes you're the one that needs to pay for the upkeep of the house for the period you live there. There's all sorts of things that a Will can do and the only way to know what will work for you is to sit down and talk to a lawyer. It's also in your interest to see your OWN lawyer who has your interests in mind.
Regarding your property, you could come to an agreement where you each pay 50% of the purchase price of a new home so that you both own it equally and both names go on the Deed (title). There is a way to divide the house by shares but that just seems to difficult and a bit pedantic. The way that you own the house usually the survivor on the property deed gets the house. If you haven't bought the joint house yet his Will will be what leaves you with something/anything.
If you're insistent on the pre-nup I would say something like you need to at least leave the relationship with everything you entered the relationship with (if you don't have the same amount of money you could say something like the same amount percentage wise) and then everything gained after the marriage split 50/50. This way it's fair to both of you. Your (soon) husband could have a Will set up that his estate is sectioned off into trusts.
Anyway it's very involved so I suggest you speak to a lawyer.
On the relationship front, I've seen couples go from madly in love to hating each other so I know how relationships can change. I wish I could say "that will never happen to me & Tony" but i don't KNOW that. I know that I can (and will) most definitely try to not let it happen but if I had money/assets to protect and kids then I would do what I had to. Love is blind sometimes and I wouldn't want my kids to suffer.

I think you got this backwards. I believe she said he originally wanted one, but now knows they're in love enough that he doesn't need one.
-James

Will are drawn to dispose of property at the death of one or both of the parties. Prenups are about division of property if the union falls apart and both parties are still alive. Although similar they aren't the same. If I am dead I am not as concerned where I will be tomorrow night. If I am alive I certainly don't want to loose property ( my home) that I owned prior to being married. Because I have adult children , the will and a prenup look almost the same other than most of the items going to my children are going to me.

Totally disagreed. To tell a stranger how she feels about her own relationship, based on a few sentences, is quite frankly, preposterous.
OP, I agree with the general sentiment that both of you drawing up wills is the right way to go. Good luck!

In my state, Texas is a community property state. If you live in a community property state, A prenup will keep his ex wife taking him to court and trying to include your salary as part of his income and thus making him pay more child support
Also with a prenup, you or he could file bankruptcy and it would not effect the other person in a marriage.
PreNups have their advantage
You can also get a Post Nup after a marriage

Note all states don't honor prenups, but a Will will super succeed a prenup.
Both parties can make their wishes known in a Will.

Personally I have no problem with prenups as they protect both parties to some extent. In the event of his death his children shouldn't be able to remove any property from you that you own under your own name but I would make sure that you both write a will naming each other as beneficiaries in the event of either of your deaths. I'm not sure that a prenup would have any effect on a will if the children contested it but you should be more protected under the law with a will than you would be without one.

Adults that have children from prior relationships should always document their intentions in regards to assets prior to marriage. It isn't a sign of doubt or lack of love. It is just a wise thing to do. You can write it in a way that the terms change ( or vanish) as the marriage ages . My sister did this with her rather well off husband with adult children. For the first 10 years of marriage she would have only gotten 2 properties and a specified amount of money a month. Then it changed to about twice that, now she only leave the business assets to the prior children.

^This
Also to add to that, I went through the K1 visa timelines (note: a lot are not updated etc + VJ represents a small number of filers, but all things considered...). Sorted by NOA2 date.
Between Oct.3-Dec.26 VSC approved 49 Petitions for VJers. Most of those were July with a few May and June in there. Based on USCIS numbers VSC recieved 5,489 new petitions between August-October. If the numbers were the same, the VSC then recieved around 7,000-8,000 new I-129F petitions from August-December.
They literally took almost every staff member off of I-129Fs to do the TPS, Work Visas, all the while loads of K-1s are piling up.
The only 'good' news if you want to call it that is between Dec.26-Jan.6, VSC has approved of 14 VJer NOA2s. That is just in 2 weeks, compared to 49 in 11 weeks (Oct 3. to Dec. 25). So VSC seems to have shifted resources over to I-129F petitions again, though frankly they should have every staff member there focusing on them and getting July, August, and September completed asap.
NOTE: All stats from VJ are based on updated/filled in timelines so there is room for error. Also VJ represents a small, yet good size, portion of all I-129Fs filed.

There is no such thing as a "Shack-Up" visa, in order to get a green-card an immediate relative relationship needs to be established (Spousal relationship)

Canada allows for common-law spouses. That would be the route to take if you're so dead set against marriage. But you may as well marry if the goal is to be together in the US because Canada considers you married after cohabiting for two years, anyway.

well it seem to be the only way, unless you are going to seek asylum, get an employer to file for you or if you are qualified for the visa lottery and won. other than that if you have any family member who is a us citizen, like your mom or dad that can petition for you.those are the only options i see. am not sure if someone else is more advisable. good luck

Congrats on finally getting your NOA2
You should find Nich-Nick's response in this post quite helpful to you.
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/285588-can-we-jump-the-gun-on-receiving-packet-3-and-move-things-along-more-quickly/page__p__4328947__fromsearch__1#entry4328947
I hope that helps

Okay, so once your case goes to NVC they will generate your LDN number, which you should be able to get in a week or so.
After it leaves NVC then DOS is your best friend, and they will track your case from here on out 'Dodi' made a good post about contact numbers for DOS here http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/264972-shortcuts-when-checking-for-updates-from-the-nvc-and-dos/
They will be able to tell you when your case has been logged in at London, when packet 3 has been sent out (as soon as you know it has been then you can send the forms in), when they have logged packet 3 into their system, and when London have scheduled your interview date.
It is much easier, and less exspensive, to get info from DOS than from contacting London Embassy

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ddce0b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=ddce0b89284a3210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD
just sent an email myself...

Hello Carla,
I hear you and agree with you. At 53, I am no spring chicken either and, just like you, I have no time to play the government's idiotic waiting game..
There are some things you can do about it, but unfortunately not much. I already contracted my Senators and Congress Member even though I have not reached the 5 month mark. But it helped, maybe not now but it probably will once 5 months comes. At that point, they will already have files open on me, so I can spring them into action in a day or two instead of in a week or two. They already contacted me and told me about the 5 month deal, which I already knew, and I thanked them for the information even though I knew it already. I just wanted them to open files so they would be ready when I needed them.
The other thing you can do is to be firm, yet polite, when 5 months comes and you need to call them. Most of us reported zero help with this step, but some made progress in doing this, and since the only cost is some of your time, it is worth a shot to see what happens.
The third thing you can do is to fire your lawyer, The one you have seems to do this very badly, but even if you had F. Lee Bailey, the fact remains that you simply do not need a lawyer to do this. If you can read, write, and use a computer, a lawyer is useless.
And now for the most important thing, some advice from one angry petitioner to another: Find a constructive use for your anger. First, make the aforementioned Congressional contact like I did. Then research on the internet as much as possible. I learn new things every day, including knowledge I can use when the embassy interview phase comes rolling around. And then use what you learned to help other petitioners. I am following my own advice right now. You will be surprised how much satisfaction you will get channeling your anger into a productive exercise like this.