March 2009 K1 Filer

[FranziskaS 0]

I feel upset... I feel guilty.

I feel like if I had assembled the package better I would have NOA2 by now.

I really do feel like crying. I researched the visas for 2 years but then when it was time to put together the petition, I did it when i was in the UK visiting my fiance and I wanted to finish it fast so I could spend time with him... I wanted to finish it fast so I could mail it off fast when I got back to the USA... maybe I just made such a weak petition I slowed everything down

Normally I feel pretty positive but today I just feel like crying. I feel like a failure, like according to this USCIS measurement system of "how much you love your fiance and how real it is" I failed and didn't put ENOUGH. It's hard to explain. I see people getting approved and it's like oh THEY did something right that I didn't. But it's not fair, it's not like my love is any less because I messed up a tiny bit of paperwork or didn't put enough pictures...

That was my venting for the day

I think we all have had those days, where we thought we forgot something really important in our petition. I am sure you did good. There are not even a handfull of people who have gotton approved who have a similar timeline to yours. If it helps you, you could let us know what you put in your petiton as proof of relationship and I am sure we will reassure you that you did the right thing.

I put in our petition:

passport stamps of joint visit to croatia, his boarding pass of this trip

invitation to the wedding in Croatia

copy of my visa to the US

(for example I could have copied my ticket to Kansas City from 2007 and for some reason I didn't think of that.... ore maybe I didn't have it anymore....see now I am all confused)

application we both signed for a dog, which he now has

Christmas cards addressed to us

email between me and his cousin before our feb vacation to florida, I mentioned my guy in the email

group pictures of our florida trip 2008,2009 (his whole family has made this trip a tradition and I have been there all three occasions)

three more pics, one of us with a little Jayhawk on my cheek. I am hoping for a KU fan among the USCIS people, the picture was taken during the parade of the Jayhawks after their National Championship in 2008....Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

and I think that was about it. Of the two years they want to see proof for I was mostly in the US. You would think I had a lot of evidence but when you can see each other you don't have to write emails or talk on the phone or travel to see each other.

Also I have been to the US about ten time and every time except twice I landed in Kansas City. Not sure that helps to prove anything. I t really weired though that our whole relationship I had to proof that I will leave the US every time I entered and now I have to sort of prove the opposite. That's life.

when a lot of approvals came, I thought, what if everybody gets approved and mine takes forever. Then I threw this thought away, cause there's no reason to make my life more complicated than it already is.

I hope I could help you emmaline_g.

Btw my soon to be sister in law asked me if I want to run a 1/2 marathon with her. At least I got something I can work on while waiting and a date I can look foreward to. It is October 17th. I better be in KC by then.

Alright my post is getting way too long. Have a great day everyone and lots of approvals....

[Danu 19]

When it rains it pours...

So the night I got laid off Wes had some troubles with his truck overheating, his rad had a leak and all the fluid drained...he took it to the shop today and its toast so he had to get a new car, which blows because its not money we intended to spend for awhile. Each new thing makes me think it will be harder and harder for us to have our wedding next year...not the civil one, the other one, because even though he makes above the line, we will have my car, and now his as well as the apartment to pay for and paying back my schooling to my parents. I've just sat here crying for the last 30 minutes. I dont want to make us go into debt but I have always dreamed of my pretty wedding....and I would like to have it sometime soon, I dont really want to wait 2-5 years to have it. I know that probably makes me sound selfish but in my mind thats so far away that theres no point, which he doesnt agree with because he knows how much I want it. In my mind however we will have been married for so long that everyone will know and its not the same...so much sacrificing already made in this process and this now just adds to it.

It also means that even if my interview isnt till September, I wont be able to go see him in August.

Sorry you are having such bad luck these days. (Besides your approval ) My guy (and 500 other employees) lost his job last december. started a knew one first of May. He and 150 other employees got scammed (?) and never got payed. He even lost $600 do to expenses. He had an interview last Friday, but hadn't heard anything yet. Really sucks. Obviously he hasn't been alwas in the best mood lately, which doesn't make it easier do be away from him. Plus this waiting for our approval doesnt' help.

BTW I was thinking about the Affidavit of Support. Does my guy need to show recent pay stubs? or are the tax returns enough?

Thanks, Fran

They usually ask for a letter from the employer, tax returns and 3 recent pay stubs, unless he is using personal assets, in which case he would need a statement from the bank as well about how long the account has been open, the balance and the deposits for the last year.

[Saska+Tim 7]

It is quiet here today. I hope that is just a calm down before the storm of approvals.

[Danu 19]

me too! I can't wait to see more people get through!

On another note, I called NVC today and I found out they entered my stuff in on Friday, didn't take long to get there at all.

[kayandnigel 0]

Is it just me or did the waiting times on underneath the timeline page get longer. Last week they were working on March 13th and I checked today and its March 2nd. Does anyone know how they come up with these dates? It is so comforting to be on this website and know that everyone is going through the same things that we are

[Rob in Cali 0]

I feel upset... I feel guilty.

I feel like if I had assembled the package better I would have NOA2 by now.

I really do feel like crying. I researched the visas for 2 years but then when it was time to put together the petition, I did it when i was in the UK visiting my fiance and I wanted to finish it fast so I could spend time with him... I wanted to finish it fast so I could mail it off fast when I got back to the USA... maybe I just made such a weak petition I slowed everything down

Normally I feel pretty positive but today I just feel like crying. I feel like a failure, like according to this USCIS measurement system of "how much you love your fiance and how real it is" I failed and didn't put ENOUGH. It's hard to explain. I see people getting approved and it's like oh THEY did something right that I didn't. But it's not fair, it's not like my love is any less because I messed up a tiny bit of paperwork or didn't put enough pictures...

That was my venting for the day

I think we all have had those days, where we thought we forgot something really important in our petition. I am sure you did good. There are not even a handfull of people who have gotton approved who have a similar timeline to yours. If it helps you, you could let us know what you put in your petiton as proof of relationship and I am sure we will reassure you that you did the right thing.

I put in our petition:

passport stamps of joint visit to croatia, his boarding pass of this trip

invitation to the wedding in Croatia

copy of my visa to the US

(for example I could have copied my ticket to Kansas City from 2007 and for some reason I didn't think of that.... ore maybe I didn't have it anymore....see now I am all confused)

application we both signed for a dog, which he now has

Christmas cards addressed to us

email between me and his cousin before our feb vacation to florida, I mentioned my guy in the email

group pictures of our florida trip 2008,2009 (his whole family has made this trip a tradition and I have been there all three occasions)

three more pics, one of us with a little Jayhawk on my cheek. I am hoping for a KU fan among the USCIS people, the picture was taken during the parade of the Jayhawks after their National Championship in 2008....Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

and I think that was about it. Of the two years they want to see proof for I was mostly in the US. You would think I had a lot of evidence but when you can see each other you don't have to write emails or talk on the phone or travel to see each other.

Also I have been to the US about ten time and every time except twice I landed in Kansas City. Not sure that helps to prove anything. I t really weired though that our whole relationship I had to proof that I will leave the US every time I entered and now I have to sort of prove the opposite. That's life.

when a lot of approvals came, I thought, what if everybody gets approved and mine takes forever. Then I threw this thought away, cause there's no reason to make my life more complicated than it already is.

I hope I could help you emmaline_g.

Btw my soon to be sister in law asked me if I want to run a 1/2 marathon with her. At least I got something I can work on while waiting and a date I can look foreward to. It is October 17th. I better be in KC by then.

Alright my post is getting way too long. Have a great day everyone and lots of approvals....

Hello there,

How you put your application together has nothing to do with how fast it's processed don't feel guilty even a bit. If your application is incomplete or missing some proof or evidence you'll get a RFE in it it will ask you to send in any specific proof or document. Until such time you need to wait. We all are in the same situation so there's no need to get upset or start to panic. Please be patient and keep your hopes high as it's matter of days before you'll hear something.

Rob

[menina 50]

Iagree with Rob. If there was a problem with your application, they would let you know. I don´t think they just set it aside if they think it is not put together correctly. Right now it is just a matter of them getting to our applications. Once they start looking at them, things should go quickly...at least I hope so. I too have been obsessively checking the timelines since seeing there are some March approvals. The date is going backwards on the estimated processing list, but I think that is because a lot of late February people are being approved, so the average waiting time is seemingly longer. I still can´t see my case online..sigh...but I am hopeful we will receive our approval soon. Glad to hear that things seem to be moving at NVC. Mondays seem to be a quiet day for people getting approvals. Hopefully the rest of this week will bring lots and lots of letters for us March people. Stay strong everyone....good news is just around the corner!

[emmaline_g 2]

Thanks for the nice words everyone

I know that how I assembled the package really has nothing to do with when they'll look at it. I was just getting upset 'cause I see so many people saying, "Oh the USCIS saw how much we loved each other because of our package, that's why we got approved so fast".

And even though I know that logically that's not true, it still makes me feel bad like maybe I'm a fail girlfriend? I feel very uncomfortable in pictures and what if the CO looks at our pictures and thinks I look "cold" and "fake" blah blah oh well doesn't matter I wasn't panicking, I'm not a nutjob yet!

FranziskaS I included evidence of meeting one time, the last time I saw my fiance in February of this year, I put the boarding passes, passport stamps, pictures, I can't remember what else since I haven't looked at my copy in a while, it just makes me too worked up for nothing. I see now everyone recommending to "front load" the petition and include all evidence of ongoing relationship from the beginning, but when I filed my petition everyone was saying "you really only need to prove you met at least once in the last 2 years".

So I guess I will just wait and see. I don't care if I get the RFE, just bloody give it to me so I can fix it.

[FrostyMist 1]

emmaline_g, I kinda know how you feel, I think.

I like to believe that the USCIS prefer quality over quantity. I read about someone who filed for their I-129F once and sent in a petition with over 150 pages of supporting evidance.

I know we were as thorough as we could be about our petition, but it wasn't that much, certainly.

I worry that some things about our evidance might cause them to think we aren't genuine enough. We don't have THAT many photographs (the batteries always seem to be running out in the camera!) and those we do have aren't really all that exciting. They mean a lot and are very special to me and my guy, but I wonder what the USCIS will think of countless photographs of us sat on the sofa at my home together, or stood in the kitchen making a cake. I worry maybe they want to see countless photographs of us going out and doing things, and we don't have those - mostly because where I live is boring and there's not really much within easy distance that either of us would actually want to go to.

Sometimes I worry that in order to be genuine for the USCIs, we would actually have to fake our relationship - to go places we don't want to go, etc.

With our I-129F, we sent in evidance of all his trips, as well as mine to the US to visit him. I got a letter from a tutor at my college who knows me very well, and she supported that he and I were in a relationshp together and intended to be married. We also sent photographs, a letter of intent from each of us saying we want to marry as soon as possible. Also sent a receipt for a birthday gift I brought him.

We put in everything we could, but I still worried that it wouldn't be enough.

Hope it's going to be fine though. No RFE yet.

[Danu 19]

If it makes you guys feel any better, we didnt send in tons for pictures either, I think only a total of 5, the boarding passes and such are the most important part to prove you have seen each other in the last 2 years. Thats all USCIS is looking for right now, the bonafied relationship comes in at the consulate, but front loading your petition means when the consulate reviews it they will see relationship stuff. I doubt it matters for the pictures if you made a cake or rode on a rollercoaster, its just a picture of the two of you together showing you have indeed seen each other (at least for one picture )

Please don't feel bad you guys. Especially if you see other people saying that USCIS saw how much they loved each other blah blah. I'm fairly positive on my end I just got put into a lucky box to get it when I did, and I provided enough proof to show we have indeed seen each other in the last 2 years, which is all the requirements ask for. You are not a fail girlfriend. You are wonderful and it will come!

[Cutefemcop 0]

If it makes you guys feel any better, we didnt send in tons for pictures either, I think only a total of 5, the boarding passes and such are the most important part to prove you have seen each other in the last 2 years. Thats all USCIS is looking for right now, the bonafied relationship comes in at the consulate, but front loading your petition means when the consulate reviews it they will see relationship stuff. I doubt it matters for the pictures if you made a cake or rode on a rollercoaster, its just a picture of the two of you together showing you have indeed seen each other (at least for one picture )

Please don't feel bad you guys. Especially if you see other people saying that USCIS saw how much they loved each other blah blah. I'm fairly positive on my end I just got put into a lucky box to get it when I did, and I provided enough proof to show we have indeed seen each other in the last 2 years, which is all the requirements ask for. You are not a fail girlfriend. You are wonderful and it will come!

Okay so I sent in like 1 pic if that, the only evidence I sent in was my sons birthcertificate and the paternity affidavit that Simon is the father and a couple of boarding passes and a letter of intent from both of us...thats it!!

[Vegabond 0]

Well..... tomorrow is 3 month since NOA1.. they told me to call after 3 month. SO i will do that. :-)

I doubt taht i will learn something new.. but i will try.

[FrostyMist 1]

I'm sure the waiting is just making us all start to worry and think over our applications and fret that they're "not good enough".

My guy and I are fortunate that we are having a trip in only a few more days. Obviously, we'll be saving boarding passes and the sort as extra evidance. And taking more pictures; hopefully more of us together than the animals this time! I don't know how we managed it, but we have more pictures of my cat and dog than we do of the two of us!

I'm wondering whether, since he's going to be here in England, if it might possibly end up being that he'll be able to accompany me to the interview. And, if that's the case, whether it will work in our favor for him to actually be there. It would certainly prove that we've met each other in person!

Edited June 16, 2009 by FrostyMist

[jomegared 0]

If it makes you guys feel any better, we didnt send in tons for pictures either, I think only a total of 5, the boarding passes and such are the most important part to prove you have seen each other in the last 2 years. Thats all USCIS is looking for right now, the bonafied relationship comes in at the consulate, but front loading your petition means when the consulate reviews it they will see relationship stuff. I doubt it matters for the pictures if you made a cake or rode on a rollercoaster, its just a picture of the two of you together showing you have indeed seen each other (at least for one picture )

Please don't feel bad you guys. Especially if you see other people saying that USCIS saw how much they loved each other blah blah. I'm fairly positive on my end I just got put into a lucky box to get it when I did, and I provided enough proof to show we have indeed seen each other in the last 2 years, which is all the requirements ask for. You are not a fail girlfriend. You are wonderful and it will come!

Okay so I sent in like 1 pic if that, the only evidence I sent in was my sons birthcertificate and the paternity affidavit that Simon is the father and a couple of boarding passes and a letter of intent from both of us...thats it!!

Yeah, that's about what we sent as well. The lawyer told us two pics, no more, a letter of intent and proof of meeting within the last 2 years.

I think what everyone needs to remember here is the USCIS is only looking to see if we meet the minimum requirements. They are not the ones who judge

the validity of our relationships. The proof of a valid relationship is the purpose of the personal interview. It seems to me that the USCIS only looks to see if all the requirements are met.

Nothing more. US citizens have the right to marry who they please. This service is to make sure that the requirements are met, and the fiancee is not a trouble for national security. If you have checked all these requirements and met them. You will be fine, regardless of HOW MUCH you put in your petition. This is just my understanding, not the answer.

Just wanted to give my 2 cents.

From what is sounds like, everyone here meets those requirements. BUT, the main draw back is that it's the government, and yes.....

as we all know, they are slow.

Hang in there everyone!!!

[Lisa and Ian 7]

emmaline_g, I kinda know how you feel, I think.

I like to believe that the USCIS prefer quality over quantity. I read about someone who filed for their I-129F once and sent in a petition with over 150 pages of supporting evidance.

I know we were as thorough as we could be about our petition, but it wasn't that much, certainly.

I worry that some things about our evidance might cause them to think we aren't genuine enough. We don't have THAT many photographs (the batteries always seem to be running out in the camera!) and those we do have aren't really all that exciting. They mean a lot and are very special to me and my guy, but I wonder what the USCIS will think of countless photographs of us sat on the sofa at my home together, or stood in the kitchen making a cake. I worry maybe they want to see countless photographs of us going out and doing things, and we don't have those - mostly because where I live is boring and there's not really much within easy distance that either of us would actually want to go to.

Sometimes I worry that in order to be genuine for the USCIs, we would actually have to fake our relationship - to go places we don't want to go, etc.

With our I-129F, we sent in evidance of all his trips, as well as mine to the US to visit him. I got a letter from a tutor at my college who knows me very well, and she supported that he and I were in a relationshp together and intended to be married. We also sent photographs, a letter of intent from each of us saying we want to marry as soon as possible. Also sent a receipt for a birthday gift I brought him.

We put in everything we could, but I still worried that it wouldn't be enough.

Hope it's going to be fine though. No RFE yet.

I think we just have to be confident in what we've sent and call it good, unless we hear otherwise. My packet was 75 pages, but the bulky stuff included 15 pages of divorce decree. Fortunately the British decree absolute is much shorter. Ours is a novella. I sent maybe 5 or 6 pics (2 from each visit) and some email docs where he asked my dad (and the rest of my family) for my hand in marriage. And all the required docs in quadruplicate, at times. Well... you know the drill!

We'll all be fine. All we can do is relax and know the approval is coming. Easier said than done, I know, but try.