advocator

I agree with everything the others have said. We just received an RFE for more evidence and I was shocked. Our first packet was the size of a book! Do you have wills? Life insurance policies? Be sure to show who the beneficiary is if you do. Ours was missing the beneficiary info. Include stuff from the day you were married til now. I also like the suggestion by a previous poster to "super organize" everything to make it very clear and concise for the reviewer. I couldn't get my husband on the house deed, but I will explain why and also say that our house is now for sale and we BOTH have been pre-approved for a new mortgage (letter from lender). Stuff like that... A pinned topic in this forum included details from a one on one discussion with a IO who looks at this evidence every day. I definitely got the impression that financial evidence is the most important. Everything else is helpful, but won't get approval alone. Organize and send as much as possible.

Ditto to sending "proof" of the baby and congratulations!!!

Good luck!

I'm thinking along the lines of Jim. Your London papers were in the white(?) envelope you turned in at POE. When you file AOS, they are supposed to order your A-file out of storage and match it up with your AOS. That's how they get your medical results. If you made a photocopy of the reports, you could include those with a note saying the originals were not given back to you in London and should be found in your A-file. Even if you don't have a photocopy, put in a page saying to look in your A-file for an original whatever it's called. Meanwhile you could be ordering new originals in case you get an RFE.

After looking at what is involved with getting the original back and how ridiculous the whole idea is to begin with, I think we will do what you and Jim suggested. We've already sent off for a new subject access, so it should be here by the time we get an RFE if that happens. Unfortunately, we don't have copies, but an explanation letter and new original if needed should cover the bases.

Thanks for the idea!

If you want original documents back you must send a form and request them

Form G-884 return of original documents.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=dccb5d4c6608e010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

Thanks for the speedy reply!

Hi Everyone!

Well we've been gathering info for our AOS filing and since my husband had 1 minor crime involving moral turpitude, we have to provide the original (very specific in instructions to not include a copy) subject access report that shows his crime and fines that were paid. We spent much time and some money to get this report when he was in the UK. We presented the original at his interview in London and they kept it with the application. So are we now expected to get another original (takes at least 40 days processing plus international mailing time)? Can I contact someone at USCIS to see if the original that is with his K-1 application can be found and used? Or must we wait nearly 2 more months to apply for AOS? Any advice would be helpful!

Thanks!

I will applying for my Social Security Number (SSN) soon. Can I apply to an office that is not local to my residence "i.e. I'm out of state travelling for the next 3 weeks". Also I am here on a K-1 visa, my wedding is August 28th, and I will be applying for a AOS and EAD shortly after the wedding. How do I answer Q5? I dont currently have work authorisation but I hope to get it in the near future. I am trying to aply for the SSN so that I can get a bank account of my own and a credit card to start establishing credit, any and all advice will be very helpful. Thank You

I will be emmigrating to America on july 18th with a K1 visa. My port of entry is Phillidelphia, appart from looking through my paperwork what else happens, do they ask a lot of questions and what questions, will they go through my lugage, just curious as to the procedure. Thank you

Thank you so much to everyone and their well wishes! This website has been incredible as are the people on it! I don't know what we would have done without you! Thank you!!!!! :star: :star:

My fiance went to his interview today in London and we were convinced he would be denied. We've been preparing for it for 2 months since we learned he had a crime of moral turpitude on his record from 17 years ago. We've almost finished preparing the 601 waiver and I was making plans to visit him in August. So he calls me this morning and says "I'm sorry darling, you won't be spending this winter in Wales. I'l be with you in America!" We were both crying by that time and I still can't believe its true!

Apparently the crime was moral turpitude, but of a minor nature and they allow you one conviction. We knew about this exception, but thought the other three offences (all minor traffic violations) that all happened at the same time 17 years ago would negate the forgiveness clause. Apparently not! The CO said "you're approved" and Graeme was in shock. She had to keep telling him he could come to the US without a problem. The whole thing is so surreal and still hasn't completely sunk in yet.

For all of you who are still waiting, don't give up and good luck!!!

:dance: :dance:

I am worried, i have not received anything since the noa on may 5th? is this normal? what would be wrong? Should I call them and ask what is going on? Are they doing background checks? did I not provide enough information? I am very worried.

You should read the guides and also fill in your timeline. Waiting is the name of the game at this stage. Good luck!

I notice you (or other half?) are from the UK, what made you go for the K1?

We wanted a big wedding in the US. That takes time to plan, plus we would then have to spend more time apart after getting married while we filed the CR1. It was a timing thing for us and we only want to have one ceremony/party. The K1 makes it hard to plan a big ceremony, but my vendors have been fantastic about us having to reschedule as we discussed the whole visa process before we signed contracts. But I think both ways have their merits and disadvantages...

I'd say start calling USCIS at 5 1/2 months or so. We were told we could put in a service request when it reached 6 months due to being a month past normal processing time. We went through a senator, he put in the request and we were approved 7 days later. Can't say it will work like that every time, but it did for us. Although we have hired an attorney to deal with a complicated issue at our interview, I can't say most people on this site like attorneys for simple cases with no problems. Most of the process can be done by you and your fiance and some attorneys don't even know what they're talking about. I'm not passing judgement on yours, just cautioning due to all the horror stories I've read on this site and others. Wishing you the best of luck!

You can get married in either country to apply for the CR1 (be sure to check the rules on getting married in each country beforehand). You just need proof of the marriage to apply. If you're willing to be apart for the first year or so of your marriage, the CR1 is a bit cheaper and you can work immediately after you get in the US with your visa and your green card. Good luck!

Hi VJ's...just want to ask how do we get the NOA2. Are they sending it to our home address( beneficiary ) ? It's been 3 months now and we have not heard anything from USCIS I had seen others who are from the same service center like ours and who got their NOA1 later than ours yet they already have the NOA2. Do we have to still wait or we can call the USCIS to verify the status of our k1? Thanks to you all!

The NOA2 will come to the petitioner's home address that is listed on the 129F. As far as timelines go, the statistics on VJ are just a rough guide. Its common for some people who filed on a certain date to be approved before others that filed before them. You'll need to wait until you reach the 5 month mark before calling USCIS. That's the "posted normal processing time". California moves pretty quick and I imagine you'll get a notice before 5 months. We had to wait 6 1/2 from Vermont and that was with a Senator's help and an expedited service request. Just be patient and see if it even takes 5 months. Good luck!

Friends:

You can actually call the U.S. State Department for an update on your case?? How does one go about doing that? Is there a particular country desk or section you can call?

I received the I-797C NOA dated April 19 so I've just been waiting as patiently as possible for just over 9 weeks now. I am hoping for a miracle processing time obviously but at this point I would just settle with any news, like "hey we're working on it."

If this assists with any responses you may have, my fiancee is a Peruvian national and I think the minimum time from NOA1 to NOA2 is 92 days.

Cheers!

Just an FYI: you can't call the DOS number until you have your NOA2 and your petition has a new case number that has been assigned by the NVC. Once you get that number, DOS can update you as to what's going on with your case. Good luck!

You are correct about the process being flawed.

1. A K1 recipient cannot work after arriving, so for a man, especially, it would encourage a fast wedding, and the timeline is very uncertain for arrival, yet I have heard about Embassies asking about wedding plans. 90 Days is not enough time to plan a decent wedding.

2. The entire process takes 8-12 months, which is a lot to ask for an engaged couple to be apart, not to mention the stress. It is also expensive, so trips for the USC are few, and the non-USC cannot visit after the visa has been applied for, even in VWP countries.

I would guess many couples do not make it through the time, cost and stresses involved in the process. I know I have been at my wit's end a number of times. Thank heavens for my fiancee's patience.

This is not true. There are guidelines for visiting right here on VJ: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1visit

Of course, there is never a guarantee of entrance at POE, but if you follow the guides, most are successful. My fiance had no problems visiting last Christmas!

I read your letter and replied on immigrate2us.com. I agree with the previous posts recommending a lawyer. It will be worth the money just to pick his/her brain on what other hardships you might have.

Okay so here is the general idea of my frustrations;

We are getting a CR1 visa, And I wanted to see if there was any way my interview date could be moved a week earlier, cant hurt to try right? So I called the expensive number, the guy gave me a code, and told me to e-mail LondonIV@state.gov which I did within the allotted time. Waited 4 days... no reply, no automated reply. After hearing other people who have e-mailed they always get n automated reply.

So I called the number again and told the guy this, and he told me Not to expect an automated reply, and to wait 2 more days then call back if I heard nothing. Well no reply... so I recently called back again. The guy I spoke with this time said that he didn't know what had happened, there was no way he could check the status of my email.

Its just really annoying. Im OK with keeping the date if i have to, but i just wanted to check for an earlier one as FIL Is due for surgery. Yet all this money spent on calls is stupid, if nobody is even going to answer my emails or give me an idea of why I haven't got a reply.

I had heard about another email address with consulate in? So asked the guy if I should try that one, to which he told me no, yet ive heard other people e-mailing it. So thats confusing.

Anyway. I dont normally complain but its just annoying. I want to talk to someone just to hear a yes/no but have already probably spent close to 15 pounds on calls, and have achieved nothing

I have had to email the embassy and I sent mine to LondonConsular@state.gov. Be sure to put the email code in the subject box. I've emailed them on two occasions and they immediately sent me an automatic reply that just stated my email was received and would be replied to within 4 days. They replied the same day. Hope this helps. I just sent my second email this morning and the auto reply worked. Good luck.

Really? I'm not disputing what you're saying - but that's totally unexpected. I'm lucky enough to have no record, not even speeding, but I always thought that unless you'd beaten someone up, or robbed a bank, or something then you were OK. I've never seen any reference to old traffic fines causing problems for VWP.

My mum had a speed camera fine from the local authority (37 in a 30, or something) a couple of months ago. Is it likely to cause her some issues when she comes over to the US for our wedding celebrations? I'd hate if she had to go all the way down to London to get a visa instead of just doing ESTA and entering on VWP like me.

Well, its a lot more complex than that, but the UK sent him to traffic court because he used a tax disc from one of his cars on another car that he owned (the first broke down) and the conviction he received is considered fraud, although his intent was not to defraud the government, he was just in a jam and broke. The UK doesn't even recognize the crime anymore (he paid a $50 fine...) and the records had to be dug out of the archives. Its a problem because of the word "fraud" and that same charge covers theft and/or counterfeiting of a tax disc as well. He knows he made a stupid mistake, but he didn't have any devious plans behind the decision. Graeme feels terrible that this mistake from when he was 24 will probably cost him his visa, but we can't find a way around it...

i want to thank everyone for their suggestions though it does seem logical "not to bring any trouble when there isnt any" according to their laws on EWIs. feel free to keep posting. thanks to all of you who have posted and will post =)

I'm thinking "NO" too, but if you want an immigration lawyer, try Steven Heller (www.us-visa.co.uk). He has links for calling depending on where you're calling from. He gave us good advice and talked to us several times before we finally hired him. I've also heard Laurel Scott in Texas is good. She has a weekly free chat on immigrate2us.com.

Good luck!!!

Hey everyone!

Right fiancée and i are in the process of applying for a visa to the US, where I am from.

He was just sent a letter from the US embassy regards forms that he must complete and send back. However we are slightly confused.

The forms we have completed easily but on the DS156K it says to include documents such as birth certificate, police certificate and evidence of engagement. Online it says to complete the forms and send back asap, and then to gather all the documents for the interview and make your medical appointment. Then to send them notification of readiness when we have all of those things gathered to receive an interview date.

Now we are confused in if we need to include the documents listed on the DS156k now, or do they just need them at the interview date??? Or Both??

Please help! massively confused!!

Just send in the forms listed on the embassy website. Keep your original stuff (birth certificate police check, etc) for the interview. be sure to bring your police cert to the medical also. They will want to see it. Good luck!!

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what exactly do you need to do to find out what is logged? I mean, it's just confusing. Some people seem to know everything and have done various things, and it makes me think "Should I have done all this too? Am I missing something? How come nobody told me before?" It's probably all just paranoia..

My question is what is the case number that I need when I (or my fiancée in the USA) call the DOS phone number? I have one beginning with LND and 10 numbers. And is the call an automated recording or do you get straight onto a human?

The LND number is your case number. The DOS phone number can tell you if packet 3 has been logged and if you have a interview scheduled yet or not. When you call, press "0" at the first menu, then "1" at the second. you may be on hold for a while, but you will speak to a real person. Good luck!

When me and my fiance first looked into the K-1 VISA, we were like, YEAH 5-8 months we can do that...it's long a time, but we can do it. I never knew how hard it was going to be, I mean the 1st stage....the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG wait for the NOA2 was ok, I guess because we knew it was going to be long. After receiving that, for some reason I thought the process was going to be EASY.....hahahaha...HOW WRONG I WAS. I guess what I'm trying to say is that through every stage of this process, your heart jumps a beat, you become anxious, nervous, you don't want to miss a beat in the process by not sending in the right forms on time etc etc. I had my medical last week and sent my packet 3 forms in also...now I guess it's a wait...for the elusive appointment date..........

I have used this website since day 1, for information, support and personal experiences .I have immense RESPECT FOR EVERYONE GOING THIS JOURNEY/ADVENTURE.....IT TAKES GUTS, PATIENCE AND FAITH...........

I just wanted to put that out there in the VISA universe.........much love to you all.

MESV......waiting for packet 3 to be logged.

A HIGH FIVE AND A HUG TO ANYONE THAT NEEDS ONE

Ditto to everything you're feeling. We were sooooooo excited to get our NOA2, then a month later we find out that a traffic fine from 17 years ago will most likely be a crime of moral turpitude and get my fiance's visa denied which will put us on the waiver route (another 8-12 months before decision). I can't describe how devastated I was. But now we're making plans for the next year and fortunately I can shift things around at work so that I can be with Graeme for about four months out of the next year. We'll be together for both our birthdays and Christmas. My mom has even offered to come to the UK for Christmas so she can be with me and her future son in law. The wedding will be much later, but it doesn't change our feelings for each other. I'm also convinced that if you can make it through this process, your relationship will be stronger than most and you've got a pretty good chance of a long and loving marriage. I'm sure you feel the same when I say that its worth the wait.

Good luck to you on each stage of this crazy journey.

And thanks for the hug. I needed one!

Of course there are no guarantees, but things might work out. I'd follow some of the previous posters' advice: see if you can move the medical up (especially if your fiance is close to London and can go on short notice if someone cancels), If you didn't already send it, send the DS2001 form and I hope you sent a cover letter with your medical and wedding date. Also check other UK timelines to see about how long things are taking between packet 3 and interview. Don't use ours as an example. Packet 3 got lost!

I know you shouldn't plan anything ahead of time, but I can relate to why you did. Talk with your vendors and tell them the truth. I've had to reschedule everything twice and they've all been fantastic. Good luck!

Waiting on my interview date.

A couple of questions, since this thread is active..

What is the average packet 3 processing time for London (Rough estimate)? I read somewhere it's around 3 weeks.

Can you only find out about what they've "logged" by phoning that expensive number?

The DOS number (not the extortion line) should be able to tell you when packet 3 has been logged and when you will have an interview date. You only need to call the extortion line to pay the $350 visa fee. I'd give them about 2-3 weeks after receiving your packet 3 before checking for an interview date. But check other timelines. Our packet 3 was lost in the mail, yet we got an interview date.. ????

Oh no! That's rubbish news. It must be a very stressful time for you both at the moment. Here's hoping you will be able to find a way around it soon!!

Thanks for the good wishes! There may be an infinitesimal chance of an approval, but we're preparing a waiver now because the waiver processing times are long enough as it is. I would love it if all this work wasn't needed come July 5!

Hopefully you'll have an interview soon!