June 2008 Filers

[villaspurs 65]

Hey guys, we technically belong here since our NOA 1 date is June 30th

One thing we are kinda frustrated about is trying to plan a date for the wedding. Since the whole process could take as little as 5 or as long as 8 months, how can you plan? Does anyone else have this problem? I mean of course we could wait til like the interview to start planning but its hard to plan a wedding in a short amout of time especially with making reservations, etc. And isn't it true that the visa is only good for 4 months from when the USCIS approves it? We want to get married ASAP but we don't want to set a date and then the visa not be ready by then.

We're facing the same frustrations... I'm a teacher and thus can't take time off during the school year, and tickets for my fiance's family to fly over from June-August are exorbitantly expensive so we don't want to ask them to do that. As such, we're keeping our fingers crossed that this will all be sorted in time for a March 21 wedding, with the recognition that that date might not work out. If it doesn't, we're going to have to wait until late fall/winter for an "official" wedding celebration. Either way, we're planning to be married in a legal ceremony as soon as the visa comes through.

It's amazing how quickly my emotions change with this process; one day, I'll look on Visa Journey and feel like we're in really good shape, but then the next I'll be convinced that we'll never be able to live in the same place for longer than a few months. The latter days are becoming more common as I get closer to being apart again--I have to fly home in a couple of weeks (we've spent the summer together in England, but the new term starts in mid-August), so we're facing separation again after the luxury of 3.5 months together. It's going to be really, really hard.

[Big Papa Zone 93]

villaspurs, going off topic slightly, but how in God's name did you get such an unfortunate user name!!?? I mean Villa OR Spurs would be bad enough, but both!!!!!!!???????????

[villaspurs 65]

villaspurs, going off topic slightly, but how in God's name did you get such an unfortunate user name!!?? I mean Villa OR Spurs would be bad enough, but both!!!!!!!???????????

I'm lucky enough to have developed a love affair with the good guys in Claret and Blue (all hail MON) after the owner of my American football team bought the club, but my fiance unfortunately grew up in North London and thus is a died-in-the-wool Spurs fan. Our friends keep laughing at our "mixed marriage," particularly as we each keep trying to sneak our team colors into the wedding plans. We're debating how to raise the kids--I'm fairly certain Villa will win (what with being European Cup champions and all).

Up the Villa!!!

Edited July 29, 2008 by villaspurs

[Stinky Monkey 1]

I received NOA2 July 28 2008, I thought it was just a touch, but I received the email from USCIS!

Congratulations! That is blazing fast, and I'm sure I speak for many of us here... I'm so jealous!

Cheers to you, and share your good luck with the rest of us.

wow that was so fast I am off to the USCIS site to check on my status now

Oh, yours won't be done Shazza. Yours will be lost somewhere in a dusty filing cabinet.................JOKING!!!

By the way, I'm going to add one of those personal message things that appears when you post. Let's just say it'll piss the God-botherers right off!

well if it is lost in a dusty filing cabinet I hope it is ontop of yours touche !!!!!!!!

Cant wait to see your personal message lets hope it is not the Cradle of filth one or you will be deleted from VJ

[Brad and Vika 129]

[jle930sl 0]

Villaspurs -

It's so hard having been togther, then leaving again! We all know your pain.. but just keep your chin up and look forward. The last time we separated (which was only after 3 weeks together), it was so much easier to deal with emotionally because we knew that it was the last time we'd have to go through that before we were together permenantly.

You've already started your process, and had 3.5 beautiful (i'm assuming) months together. Let yourself be sad a little, but then remind yourself of all the great times you had in the last few months and how many more you'll have next spring when you are together for good.

P.S. March 21st is 1 week before our tentative wedding! Yay for march weddings!

[kenny+Ugochi 1]

i Guess it's really had for me to post on this forum, even though, my petition was received by vermont on the 28th of june, i know i belong to june filers, but every body on this forum are waiting for their NOA2, here we are still waiting for NOA1, this is really faustrating, me and my baby are planning on refiling the 2nd petition, but maybe we are not making any sense doing that, cos' alot of people on the JULY filers forum are also waiting and we are all with vermont, i really wanna

[vickydeutsch 0]

Thank you for your input,

and good luck to all of us!!

Anjelika81,

I think we are twins! I also sent my petition on June 20th and my last touch was July 10th! (I opened my account July 20th, so you opening an account did not influence the touch, IMO)

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Hi Viki,

Did you open an account on July 14th and saw the last update date June 23??

We sent our petition on June 20, but I only opened an account on July 10th (no tracking number till then), and the last update was July 10th - same date as my account was opened. So ever since I have been wondering if I was really touched on the 10th of July, or this date appears just because the account was opened.

Thanks

Awwwwww I am soooo happy!!!! finally my case was "touched".....I didnt know I had to open an account to see the last updated...everytime i checked my case it said: your case was received and pending....but i read here I needed to open an account to see the touches ...so i did it today and I realized my case was "touched" on 06/23!!!! I am sooo happy

Vicky

I received NOA2 July 28 2008, I thought it was just a touch, but I received the email from USCIS!

Oh my God!!!! I think you are the first one to get a NOA2 from this group!!!!! I am so jealous! but congratulations!!!

Vicky

[yvesandching 0]

Hello, everyone...... our case was last touched on the 11th July, and nothing at all ever since, is it weird??? we filed the case on the 6th June and received NOA1 on the 28th June, and only got touched 2 times. Should I call the service center on 11th Aug if I don't have any update by then...

thanks, best of luck to all of us.

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Hello, everyone...... our case was last touched on the 11th July, and nothing at all ever since, is it weird??? we filed the case on the 6th June and received NOA1 on the 28th June, and only got touched 2 times. Should I call the service center on 11th Aug if I don't have any update by then...

thanks, best of luck to all of us.

Yves&Ching, annoying as I know it is, you must try to be patient - I only received my NOA2 5 months after NOA1. And the first I knew of it was when 'er indoors called me yesterday to tell me she'd just got it in the mail. No touches whatsoever.

What I'm saying is, that touches don't mean #### - you with me? You only got NOA1 a month ago - give it at least 4 months before you start calling people.

[jle930sl 0]

Hey, I have a question for everyone -

Did you guys get certified copies of everything? My fiance was saying that he was looking around on VJ recently and read everywhere that you are supposed to get certified copies (like, get it notarized) of everything you send in your K1 application...

We didn't get certified copies. Is that bad?

Another thing we didn't do, was get documents "officially" translated from German to English. Anything that needed translated was translated by me, and on each form I put something to the effect of "I hereby certify that I am fluent in both German and English and translated this document to the best of my ability. Signed _____" and signed it...

Overall, I'm the way more optimistic one out of the two of us for the visa... So often he says, "But the gov website still says they're only processing Jan." to which I reply, "yeah..but that doesn't mean #######..they just say that to cover their own tails." After weeks of this same coversation - he's finally understanding better. Now he'll tell me - "hey did you look at The List [igor's List] - we moved up a few spots!" lol...

So anyways, I guess that's three questions -

1. Did you put in certified copies (or for anyone reading this thread who's gotten their NOA2's did you get an RFE for this?)

2. What did you do about translation of documents (and again, anyone who's past this waiting stage, did you get an RFE?)

3. Which one of you is more optimistic about the waiting game?

Thanks guys! Having this website and forum helps sooooooooo much!!!!

[spatial 0]

OK, über newb here. NOA1 on June 10th, one touch on June 12th, and no touches since. Is this normal?

Going thru the CSC, and by the looks of it, wishing I lived in Vermont. I think its incredibly stupid that the USCIS can't shift resources or manage this any better.

Also, I've heard stories, on two separate occasions now, of K3 couples getting NOA2 approval before me (our packets were sent at the same time), both beneficiaries come from the Philippines and both cases using the CSC.

It was my understanding that K1 visas were "hassle-free" and "faster" in comparison to K3, and yet that doesn't appear to be the case. I'm extremely frustrated and confused...

[Brad and Vika 129]

OK, über newb here. NOA1 on June 10th, one touch on June 12th, and no touches since. Is this normal?

Going thru the CSC, and by the looks of it, wishing I lived in Vermont. I think its incredibly stupid that the USCIS can't shift resources or manage this any better.

Also, I've heard stories, on two separate occasions now, of K3 couples getting NOA2 approval before me (our packets were sent at the same time), both beneficiaries come from the Philippines and both cases using the CSC.

It was my understanding that K1 visas were "hassle-free" and "faster" in comparison to K3, and yet that doesn't appear to be the case. I'm extremely frustrated and confused...

Shifting is in progress...

[jle930sl 0]

Brad & Vika are right... the wait time at CSC is getting less and the wait time at Vermont is getting more... right now, I believe they are relatively close... CSC is processing applications that have NOA1s from March & April, while VSC is processing applications that have NOA1s from April & May. In the month of July the CSC approved more applications by far than VSC...

It is completely normal not to get a touch. A touch doesn't really mean anything much at all, to be honest. After they receive your application and cash the check, your application sits in a box with other apps that came around the same time. When an employee needs more cases to work on, they go and get a box, bring it to their desk, and work those cases. Your app (and other june apps) will sit in their box then, for another couple of months before someone gets to them. I'm guessing that June will start seeing approvals in October or November. Of course, that's just an estimate.

There are a couple other things to remember which will vary your processing time. Sometimes, when a file arrives it gets placed in a box with earlier applications, probably on accident... For instance, your packet arrived there and had a file made June 10th.. and the person who made your file put your application in a box with May files. OR... your application ended up in a box with files from later (end of June/July). The box you got put in could mean a faster approval, or slower one. That's just one variable.

Another variable are the employees themselves. After a box is taken to be worked on, then it is that person's responsibility to approve or deny those files. Some employees (and boxes) go faster than others. Your file could end up with someone who is fast at approvals OR your file could end up with someone who gets sick or takes vacation and has several days where they don't work on cases. That coule slow down or speed up your approval as well.

Of course, there are always other variables. If you get an RFE or have to go through lengthy security checks, that'll change things too..

I hope I don't scare you off with the myriad of information I gave you here. If you go to http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/igor/vjdata/default.aspx, you will find a list of information based on those of us who've filed in your timelines... it's pretty straight forward.

My fiance and I look at that list everyday, and do a little dance everytime we move up a number. In the end it doesn't really mean we'll be approved any faster..but it reminds us that our approval is getting closer, each day!

[vickydeutsch 0]

Hey, I have a question for everyone -

Did you guys get certified copies of everything? My fiance was saying that he was looking around on VJ recently and read everywhere that you are supposed to get certified copies (like, get it notarized) of everything you send in your K1 application...

We didn't get certified copies. Is that bad?

Another thing we didn't do, was get documents "officially" translated from German to English. Anything that needed translated was translated by me, and on each form I put something to the effect of "I hereby certify that I am fluent in both German and English and translated this document to the best of my ability. Signed _____" and signed it...

Overall, I'm the way more optimistic one out of the two of us for the visa... So often he says, "But the gov website still says they're only processing Jan." to which I reply, "yeah..but that doesn't mean #######..they just say that to cover their own tails." After weeks of this same coversation - he's finally understanding better. Now he'll tell me - "hey did you look at The List [igor's List] - we moved up a few spots!" lol...

So anyways, I guess that's three questions -

1. Did you put in certified copies (or for anyone reading this thread who's gotten their NOA2's did you get an RFE for this?)

2. What did you do about translation of documents (and again, anyone who's past this waiting stage, did you get an RFE?)

3. Which one of you is more optimistic about the waiting game?

Thanks guys! Having this website and forum helps sooooooooo much!!!!

I think you certify all the documents when you have your interview. My fiance which is my petitioner didnt ask me for any translation of any of my documents yet. The intention of marriage letter was written by me in English and his documents as such birth certificate is in English so I dont think you should certify or translate any documents.

What I read here is that you start your translating process when the interview is programmed. Is that ok, guys? or am I wrong?, please tell me something. I am getting a little nervous about it

Vicky