four month extension question- please help :-(

[kashi1019 0]

So my UK fiance and I received our I-129F approval in August. The NOA2 says it is valid from August 24-December 23rd. I have heard on this board and in various other places that you can get a 4 month extension on this. My fiance called the US Embassy in London on Monday and the person he spoke with told him that that 4 month validity period is irrelevent and we actually have 12 months to complete the rest of the forms, checklist, interview, and medical for the k1. I was not confident with this response because I feel like the NOA2 has a validity stated for a reason. I do not want to just not do anything and have our case considered abandoned, so I had him call back on Tuesday. He spoke with a different person who first told him that you have to do it within the time frame stated on the NOA2 then she put him on hold, went and talked with someone, and came back and told him the same thing about the 12 months. I dont know what to think?

Does anyone know anything about this? How to get the 4 month extension? If you have to fill something out, call someone specifically, or can indeed wait 12 months?

I'm stressing out. Please help!

[belinda63 3,038]

The embassy will automatically extend the petition. It is almost impossible for anyone to obtain a visa within the initial time frame. I would just provide a courtesy email prior to the four months date with a copy to yourself. So far I have not heard of a problem free petition being allowed to die due to the 4 month validity.

[kashi1019 0]

why does the NOA2 have an expiration date then? I'm just SO paranoid.

[kashi1019 0]

Belinda63, have you heard of anyone sending a cover letter with their packet 3 DS forms/Checklist requesting an interview for a certain month in the future?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The embassy will automatically extend the petition. It is almost impossible for anyone to obtain a visa within the initial time frame. I would just provide a courtesy email prior to the four months date with a copy to yourself. So far I have not heard of a problem free petition being allowed to die due to the 4 month validity.

I would not assume anything is automatic. People often get the visa within the 4 month time frame, sometimes within one month of petition approval.

Do not make phone calls, get it in writing

Write to the consulate visa section. Specifically and clearly ask for a 4 month extension, pretend the phone conversation never occurred, because guess what? It never did. You can't prove it. Get the official consulate response in writing. If the consulate tells you specifically in wiriting they will consider the petition for 12 months, then you should be fine. Get it in writing.

In this process, if THEY make a mistake, it is YOUR problem.

[Stephen + Elisha 92]

Please note the following from the London K visa instructions and checklist:

Note: If more than 4 months has passed since the petition was approved, you will be required to furnish a notarized statement of your intent to marry within 90 days of your arrival in the U.S.

http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/...ess_K_visas.pdf

[beatlesrebel 0]

Hi Kashi,

Did you ever get your question sorted out? I'm curious because my fiance and I also need to extend our approval and we want to make sure we do everything correctly. He is dealing with the London embassy as well. I know there's an example form here on the website for a letter to send to the embassy requesting an approval. I guess we'll just do that and see what happens. I don't know what else to do and no one else really seems to know either. If you have found out anything will you contact me either here or privately? Would like to know if we're doing the correct thing. Thanks!

So my UK fiance and I received our I-129F approval in August. The NOA2 says it is valid from August 24-December 23rd. I have heard on this board and in various other places that you can get a 4 month extension on this. My fiance called the US Embassy in London on Monday and the person he spoke with told him that that 4 month validity period is irrelevent and we actually have 12 months to complete the rest of the forms, checklist, interview, and medical for the k1. I was not confident with this response because I feel like the NOA2 has a validity stated for a reason. I do not want to just not do anything and have our case considered abandoned, so I had him call back on Tuesday. He spoke with a different person who first told him that you have to do it within the time frame stated on the NOA2 then she put him on hold, went and talked with someone, and came back and told him the same thing about the 12 months. I dont know what to think?

Does anyone know anything about this? How to get the 4 month extension? If you have to fill something out, call someone specifically, or can indeed wait 12 months?

I'm stressing out. Please help!

[belinda63 3,038]

Well all the petitions have a four month expiration and it took ours more than a year to get the visa. I have never heard of a NORMAL case not being automatically renewed. Assuming you file the packet in a timely manner, show up for the interview, etc.

It takes about a month or longer if you have AP for the consulate to even receive the case, then they have to notify you, you have to return the packet, they have to schedule the interview, etc. Some consulates have months waiting just for the interview.

But again send an email (return receipt requested) asking for an extension when the four months nears. Never hurts to CYA

[beatlesrebel 0]

My fiance is working on getting his documents together so that he can send in his packet 3 to London. Unfortunately, London doesn't have an email address setup for visa enquiries, so I'll just have to send a snail mail letter to them. Would rather know that I've personally requested it, so they know we're still serious about the process. Thanks for the help!

Well all the petitions have a four month expiration and it took ours more than a year to get the visa. I have never heard of a NORMAL case not being automatically renewed. Assuming you file the packet in a timely manner, show up for the interview, etc.

It takes about a month or longer if you have AP for the consulate to even receive the case, then they have to notify you, you have to return the packet, they have to schedule the interview, etc. Some consulates have months waiting just for the interview.

But again send an email (return receipt requested) asking for an extension when the four months nears. Never hurts to CYA

[Justine+David 218]

^^ they do, you just have to ask for the code and you have to call the extortion line in order to get it. London generally automatically extends the visa expiration date as long as you're sending in documents to prove that you haven't abandoned the visa. I'd just put that in a cover letter when you send your P3 docs off.

[beatlesrebel 0]

Oh right. Thanks for the help!!

^^ they do, you just have to ask for the code and you have to call the extortion line in order to get it. London generally automatically extends the visa expiration date as long as you're sending in documents to prove that you haven't abandoned the visa. I'd just put that in a cover letter when you send your P3 docs off.

[kashi1019 0]

Oh right. Thanks for the help!!

^^ they do, you just have to ask for the code and you have to call the extortion line in order to get it. London generally automatically extends the visa expiration date as long as you're sending in documents to prove that you haven't abandoned the visa. I'd just put that in a cover letter when you send your P3 docs off.

So I guess what we are going to do is work on getting the forms filled out and turned in (at least some of them) before our I129F expires December 23rd and attach a letter saying we do wish to extend our our approval for another four months. I will email this request to the consulate as well.

Do I have to call the extortion line and get the code in order to email the embassy this? Does anyone know? If so what is the extortion line phone number? I really do not understand what the extortion line is.

Then either send in the checklist sometime in February/March requesting an interview for May or wait and send in the checklist mid April (after my fiance's trip to the US) and hope that we get an interview in time for him to be here for the wedding July 30th.

How does this sound??

[beatlesrebel 0]

^^ they do, you just have to ask for the code and you have to call the extortion line in order to get it. London generally automatically extends the visa expiration date as long as you're sending in documents to prove that you haven't abandoned the visa. I'd just put that in a cover letter when you send your P3 docs off.

So I guess what we are going to do is work on getting the forms filled out and turned in (at least some of them) before our I129F expires December 23rd and attach a letter saying we do wish to extend our our approval for another four months. I will email this request to the consulate as well.

Do I have to call the extortion line and get the code in order to email the embassy this? Does anyone know? If so what is the extortion line phone number? I really do not understand what the extortion line is.

Then either send in the checklist sometime in February/March requesting an interview for May or wait and send in the checklist mid April (after my fiance's trip to the US) and hope that we get an interview in time for him to be here for the wedding July 30th.

How does this sound??

Kashi,

From what I understand, you have to send in ALL the forms (including checklist) at once. But I could be wrong about it. I know my fiance is sending in all the forms plus the checklist and I'm going to type up a cover letter for him to include with the forms to state that we *might* need an extension. Our petition runs out December 26th, but I'm hopeful we can get his interview scheduled before then, if not soon after. The London embassy states on their website (on the "contact us" page) that there is no current email address for visa enquiries. My guess is, you would have to call either the main switchboard or the visa number to get the email address, but be prepared to pay a few bucks for the phone call.

[kashi1019 0]

Does anyone know if you do have to send in all the DS forms together at the same time or can send them in separately?

[Justine+David 218]

So I guess what we are going to do is work on getting the forms filled out and turned in (at least some of them) before our I129F expires December 23rd and attach a letter saying we do wish to extend our our approval for another four months. I will email this request to the consulate as well.

Do I have to call the extortion line and get the code in order to email the embassy this? Does anyone know? If so what is the extortion line phone number? I really do not understand what the extortion line is.

Then either send in the checklist sometime in February/March requesting an interview for May or wait and send in the checklist mid April (after my fiance's trip to the US) and hope that we get an interview in time for him to be here for the wedding July 30th.

How does this sound??

This a UK specific question and isn't really appropriate for the K1 forum since every consulate is different. Try checking out the UK forum. Briefly, yes, you *do* have to call the extortion line (named as such because it's something like $16 for 10 minutes) in order to get a code. The code allows you to e-mail them (code in the subject line) and they will answer questions that way. They do not respond otherwise. I don't know what the extortion number is, try checking out the UK thread people from NOA2 to interview. I think it's in the first page.

Kashi,

From what I understand, you have to send in ALL the forms (including checklist) at once. But I could be wrong about it. I know my fiance is sending in all the forms plus the checklist and I'm going to type up a cover letter for him to include with the forms to state that we *might* need an extension. Our petition runs out December 26th, but I'm hopeful we can get his interview scheduled before then, if not soon after. The London embassy states on their website (on the "contact us" page) that there is no current email address for visa enquiries. My guess is, you would have to call either the main switchboard or the visa number to get the email address, but be prepared to pay a few bucks for the phone call.

No, you don't. KnightandMagpie are an example of this; they sent off DS forms one at a time over a period of several months. I'd suggest PMing them if you have more questions.