4 months limit btwn I-129F approval and obtaining K-1??

[KnJ 0]

I'm sweating a bit about this.

Submitted I-129F petition in January

Notice that this was approved came in May,

VSC fwded to Montreal consulate and I received packet shortly after.

So I got the packet with the checklist in May

....

I submitted checklist etc. end of July.

I'm reading somewhere on this website that there is a 4 month time limit (ack somewhere? can't find it. my fiance said it was somewhere)

as in, from the time the petition is approved.. to obtaining the K-1 in hand.

4 months??

May.. June.. July.. August....... by mid september, we'll have 'run out' of time to obtain the K-1. Are we misunderstanding here?

I know the K-1 is good for 6 months from issuance, that's different though.

This delay between when I received the package from the consulate to when i submitted it.. is this affecting our application in any way?

I basically want to know if I should start trying to reach the consulate to clarify this.

The other confusing thing is that the stats say they are currently processing K-1s for petitions from January 15, 2009... which is just before our date. But does our delay in submitting the P3 checklist mean that we can't go by any of these stats?

I hope at least some of this made any sense. Your help is appreciated

K

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Don't worry. The I-129f petition when approved has a validity of 4 months. Most consulates are not able to process the K-1 visas within that 4 month period due to a variety of reasons. Montreal will automatically 'revalidate' the petition so that it remains valid through the whole time of the K-1 visa. It happens automatically - you don't need to do anything:-).

In case you haven't found it yet here is the posted information on VJ about getting visas at the Montreal Consulate. http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/inde...mp;cty=Montreal. They won't have been able to do anything with your visa until you submitted the checklist.

You may want to check out the Canada forum as well where you can get anecdotal information from other Canadians currently working on K-1s from Montreal. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showforum=93

Good luck!

Edited August 16, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Myo 0]

I'm sweating a bit about this.

Submitted I-129F petition in January

Notice that this was approved came in May,

VSC fwded to Montreal consulate and I received packet shortly after.

So I got the packet with the checklist in May

....

I submitted checklist etc. end of July.

I'm reading somewhere on this website that there is a 4 month time limit (ack somewhere? can't find it. my fiance said it was somewhere)

as in, from the time the petition is approved.. to obtaining the K-1 in hand.

4 months??

May.. June.. July.. August....... by mid september, we'll have 'run out' of time to obtain the K-1. Are we misunderstanding here?

I know the K-1 is good for 6 months from issuance, that's different though.

This delay between when I received the package from the consulate to when i submitted it.. is this affecting our application in any way?

I basically want to know if I should start trying to reach the consulate to clarify this.

The other confusing thing is that the stats say they are currently processing K-1s for petitions from January 15, 2009... which is just before our date. But does our delay in submitting the P3 checklist mean that we can't go by any of these stats?

I hope at least some of this made any sense. Your help is appreciated

K

Click on My Timeline on your personal page then click on Find Similar Timelines - this will give you an idea of how long interviews have occured and visas obtained within the country where you are seeking a visa. If you are concerned about the I-129f approval date, I don't think you need to be concerned as long as you are moving along through the process. My petition was only valid through May, 2009. My fiance's interview was scheduled for August 3rd with no problem with the petition valid dates.

[zariagirl 0]

I'm reading somewhere on this website that there is a 4 month time limit (ack somewhere? can't find it. my fiance said it was somewhere)

as in, from the time the petition is approved.. to obtaining the K-1 in hand.

It is on the NOA2, right under the section where the beneficiary's name is listed - it tells you the exact approval and expiration dates (i.e., valid from xxx to xxx). But like Kathryn41 says, there is no need to worry.

All the best...

Edited August 16, 2009 by zariagirl

[KnJ 0]

thanks, this helps..

tho i don't see an expiry date.. for that matter, i dont see an NOA2 - as a beneficiary do I receive that or does he? does it look like the first NOA (Receipt Notice) - like, on the same paper?

i believe, looking at timelines similar (same consulate), i will likely find out about an interview date 7 weeks after i returned the checklist (mid Sept); the interview date will be a month from then (mid Oct)... i think this is reasonable. anything earlier would be a miracle.

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

thanks, this helps..

tho i don't see an expiry date.. for that matter, i dont see an NOA2 - as a beneficiary do I receive that or does he? does it look like the first NOA (Receipt Notice) - like, on the same paper?

i believe, looking at timelines similar (same consulate), i will likely find out about an interview date 7 weeks after i returned the checklist (mid Sept); the interview date will be a month from then (mid Oct)... i think this is reasonable. anything earlier would be a miracle.

NOA2 goes to the petitioner, just as NOA1 did. It looks very much like the NOA1, and the validity date is printed in the appropriate box on the form.

Anyway, as earlier posters have written, consulates revalidate the petitions as a matter of course. Some (Seoul, for example) ask for a new letter of intent from the petitioner to revalidate an approved petition that is over 4 months old. But Kathryn's experience is probably the most applicable to your situation, as she would have gone through Montreal as well.

[KnJ 0]

alright. y'all rock.

thanks stephen+elisha

i am relaxing a bit.

K

[baron555 934]

thanks, this helps..

tho i don't see an expiry date.. for that matter, i dont see an NOA2 - as a beneficiary do I receive that or does he? does it look like the first NOA (Receipt Notice) - like, on the same paper?

i believe, looking at timelines similar (same consulate), i will likely find out about an interview date 7 weeks after i returned the checklist (mid Sept); the interview date will be a month from then (mid Oct)... i think this is reasonable. anything earlier would be a miracle.

Only the petitioner is sent the NOA2 hard copy. He should have sent you a copy with the other documents he needs to send you for your interview.

[KnJ 0]

k. he didn't send this with the other stuff. jeez, i felt all on top of things, i was reading incessantly, but i think this is all gonna come rushing up and i shoudl be ready now. my medical is tomorrow morning! woot.

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

k. he didn't send this with the other stuff. jeez, i felt all on top of things, i was reading incessantly, but i think this is all gonna come rushing up and i shoudl be ready now. my medical is tomorrow morning! woot.

You said your interview will most likely be in mid-October, right? Plenty of time. Get your fiance to send you a photocopy of the NOA2—and while he's at it, get him to send you a new signed and dated Letter of Intent to Marry (addressed to the consulate this time, rather than USCIS). This will cover all your bases for the interview.

[KnJ 0]

im *guessing* mid-October based on end of July submission of K-1 app and the 7 weeks average montreal seems to take for notification of interview and then that interview being a month out from that. big "ifs" but yes i have time : )

thanks for the tip!