Questions about K-1 Visa

[MichelleN 0]

Hello everyone. Glad I found this forum because I'm just starting the Visa process and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. After reading the sticky, I was happy to find all the helpful information on the site. However I still have a few questions...

Someone in another thread mentioned that the processing times are different for some countries. Is this from the point of me (the US Citizen) sending off the application? Or how long it takes once it gets to my fiance's country? Either way, has anyone done the process for someone in Japan? Is it about average in the wait time? I'm really anxious about this because we have a baby daughter together and I want to get him out here as soon as possible.

Also...once the Visa is approved, does he have to get here right away? As in, Visa gets approved in January, he must get here by February? Does the 90 days start from the time of approval? Or from his arrival in the US?

Thanks so much for any help and feedback.

[Eveline 9]

Also...once the Visa is approved, does he have to get here right away? As in, Visa gets approved in January, he must get here by February? Does the 90 days start from the time of approval? Or from his arrival in the US?

Thanks so much for any help and feedback.

I can only help you with this part of your question. Once the K1 Visa is approved, your fiance has six months to leave Japan and once he enters the US the 90 days begin to count down. So all together you will have about nine months from receiving the visa to getting married (if you want to get married so late).

All the best.

Edited July 14, 2008 by Eveline

[ikarus 1]

Someone in another thread mentioned that the processing times are different for some countries. Is this from the point of me (the US Citizen) sending off the application? Or how long it takes once it gets to my fiance's country? Either way, has anyone done the process for someone in Japan? Is it about average in the wait time? I'm really anxious about this because we have a baby daughter together and I want to get him out here as soon as possible.

Once you send in your k1 application, the processing times are different depending if you send it to the california center or the virginia center. For example, I sent mine in February and it went to virginia. It got approved in less than 2 months. A friend of my friend sent his in january of this year, and hmmm....the case hasn't been approved. So that is the first time variance that you might find; and yes, then I believe it also depends on the country the fiance is from. You can go to the timelines and look at couples from fiance's country and kind of estimate how long it took for them to receive the paperwork from the consulate, etc.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list...,28&op6=All

[MichelleN 0]

Eveline, thanks for the info. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Once you send in your k1 application, the processing times are different depending if you send it to the california center or the virginia center. For example, I sent mine in February and it went to virginia. It got approved in less than 2 months. A friend of my friend sent his in january of this year, and hmmm....the case hasn't been approved. So that is the first time variance that you might find; and yes, then I believe it also depends on the country the fiance is from. You can go to the timelines and look at couples from fiance's country and kind of estimate how long it took for them to receive the paperwork from the consulate, etc.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list...,28&op6=All

I just looked and most of them are around 200+ days....that's really disheartening. But I guess the sooner we get the paperwork started, the sooner he can get out here. Thanks for the info.

[KimandRuss 0]

Someone in another thread mentioned that the processing times are different for some countries. Is this from the point of me (the US Citizen) sending off the application? Or how long it takes once it gets to my fiance's country? Either way, has anyone done the process for someone in Japan? Is it about average in the wait time? I'm really anxious about this because we have a baby daughter together and I want to get him out here as soon as possible.

Once you send in your k1 application, the processing times are different depending if you send it to the california center or the virginia center. For example, I sent mine in February and it went to virginia. It got approved in less than 2 months. A friend of my friend sent his in january of this year, and hmmm....the case hasn't been approved. So that is the first time variance that you might find; and yes, then I believe it also depends on the country the fiance is from. You can go to the timelines and look at couples from fiance's country and kind of estimate how long it took for them to receive the paperwork from the consulate, etc.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/k1list...,28&op6=All

I'm pretty sure he/she meant Vermont and not Virginia.

If you check the Embassy Info link you will find reviews on Japan as well as timelines from others. If you fill in your own timeline you can click on the Portals link and be taken to a page listing all other Japan filers. In the regional forums you will find threads dedicated to Japan filers. There are lots here.

Right now Vermont is taking 3+ months to process the petition... California is longer. Historically Vermont has been faster but things change all the time and processing dates vary greatly.

[Badgerella 5]

Once the K1 Visa is approved, your fiance has six months to leave Japan and once he enters the US the 90 days begin to count down. So all together you will have about nine months from receiving the visa to getting married (if you want to get married so late).

I assume this doesn't stand for just Japan, but I'd still like to make sure.

Just to go through it once more - once K-1 is approved, you can wait six months before leaving your homeland (Croatia, in my case) and then there are three more, from the day you enter tha States until you get married?

I wouldn't want to use up all the waiting time, but in case our visa gets approved too soon (as insane as it sounds), we'd be really happy with some wiggle time until some things are all set...

[*JG* 2]

Vermont, yes. Not Virginia.

Good luck to you.

[KimandRuss 0]

Once the K1 Visa is approved, your fiance has six months to leave Japan and once he enters the US the 90 days begin to count down. So all together you will have about nine months from receiving the visa to getting married (if you want to get married so late).

I assume this doesn't stand for just Japan, but I'd still like to make sure.

Just to go through it once more - once K-1 is approved, you can wait six months before leaving your homeland (Croatia, in my case) and then there are three more, from the day you enter tha States until you get married?

I wouldn't want to use up all the waiting time, but in case our visa gets approved too soon (as insane as it sounds), we'd be really happy with some wiggle time until some things are all set...

The K1 will have a validity date of 6 months from the time it is issued. That means you can use it to enter the U.S. (just once) within six months.

After you arrive in the U.S. you have 90 days in which to marry your fiance.

The process at the uscis stage is pretty much the same for everyone. Petitions are approved pretty much the same although some do face extra scrutiny when security/database checks require extra work. Few are denied at this level unless it is proven one of you isn't legal to marry...etc...

At the Consulate stage it varies greatly... Higher fraud Consulates can give you serious ageda..and others have a reputation of waiting months before they schedule interviews. Others will give you an interview within weeks! The Embassy Info link at the top will give you an idea of your own Embassy.

[Badgerella 5]

Once the K1 Visa is approved, your fiance has six months to leave Japan and once he enters the US the 90 days begin to count down. So all together you will have about nine months from receiving the visa to getting married (if you want to get married so late).

I assume this doesn't stand for just Japan, but I'd still like to make sure.

Just to go through it once more - once K-1 is approved, you can wait six months before leaving your homeland (Croatia, in my case) and then there are three more, from the day you enter tha States until you get married?

I wouldn't want to use up all the waiting time, but in case our visa gets approved too soon (as insane as it sounds), we'd be really happy with some wiggle time until some things are all set...

The K1 will have a validity date of 6 months from the time it is issued. That means you can use it to enter the U.S. (just once) within six months.

After you arrive in the U.S. you have 90 days in which to marry your fiance.

The process at the uscis stage is pretty much the same for everyone. Petitions are approved pretty much the same although some do face extra scrutiny when security/database checks require extra work. Few are denied at this level unless it is proven one of you isn't legal to marry...etc...

At the Consulate stage it varies greatly... Higher fraud Consulates can give you serious ageda..and others have a reputation of waiting months before they schedule interviews. Others will give you an interview within weeks! The Embassy Info link at the top will give you an idea of your own Embassy.

Thank you! We've already looked up the time required for an approval and all, I just wanted to make sure we had a bit of a wiggle time after the petition, and then hopefully the visa, too, is approved. We don't plan to wait if the K-1 gets approved, but just in case I don't graduate before then, I'll need a little bit of extra time. =)