Waiting Time Advice - California Service Centre

[Amos&Radio 2]

Hi All,

Firstly I just wanted to say congratulations on such a great site and community - it proved invaluable when sending off the I-129F

Ok, so here's the situation - Wendy and I met last year online and fell madly in love - I've been to see her in California twice and she has been living with me in England for the past 4 months. She has to leave no later than September 10th due to the immigration laws here.

We got engaged whilst on holiday in Iceland and sent off our I-129F back in May and received the NOA1 on May 27th

What i'm wondering is, if it is worth me going back with her while we await the NOA2? (fingers crossed we get it!) Obviously I will have to be in the UK for my Embassy interview, but if this isn't going to happen until November/December - I would rather wait with her in CA as opposed to England.

I've noticed on people's signatures that the California Service Centre seems to be approving K1's in much less time than the stated 6 months on the USCIS website - what i'm after is some opinions based upon actual waiting times that people have found to be the case.

Wendy's parents have a family reunion planned for August in the U.S, which I would really like to attend - however what I don't want to do is fly out there - only to find that I have to be back in 2 weeks time for a Consulate interview. Do you guys think this could happen?

By the way - I work as a freelance graphic designer so am fortunate in the sense that I am flexible when it comes to taking time off.

Would really appreciate some input here and thanks for taking the time to read this!

[krautlaus 7]

Hi! Congrats on your engagement and welcome.

Now, what you're going to hear is a lot of people giving you the official waiting time which is about 5 months. Prepare for that to be at least the waiting period for the petition to get approved (not for the entire process).

In reality, I saw petitions get approved within only a couple of months, from all kinds of countries, all kinds of service centers. Our petition took over 6 months (and a gentle reminder for uscis) to get approved - without having had any RFE etc.

You really never know. There is no way to foresee how long your specific case will take to process.

Go ahead, create a timeline and try to compare it to others' - there's a tool for that somewhere underneath the actual timeline that says 'find similar timelines' .

It is rather unlikely (but not impossible) that you will get issued an interview date within just two or three weeks of sending in your paperwork. Most consulates schedule their interviews about a month in advance (unless you indicate that you would like to leave at a specific date). Of course, I have no experience with the UK consulates, so you may want to wait for their answers

Either way, all the best!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

If you haven't studied this page, it's a good place to figure out how long the process is taking to get the petition approved.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

Here's a graphic of the London end once your file gets there. See how it varies, so hard to know where that line will be when you get there....75 days? 100 days?

And while making your plans to be absent from the UK, you might want to look over everything you have to do to prepare for the London end of things. There are photos to be made and signed on the back by someone who has known you two years. There's a list of who is "official" enough to sign. It's not just any mate of yours. All that just so you can order your police certificates. You will need to have your hand on your long form birth certificate or order one. Well just read the list (and please click the links to get the details.) http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html

It's also wise to get your immunizations from NHS and documented to take to your visa medical. Just wanted to point out what you need to study before working out a timeline to be away. You don't just go back for an interview. You prepare many things and fill in 4 forms to submit to London before they will grant you an interview. And you attend a medical exam in London before the interview.

[TracyTN 237]

Moving thread from K1 process forum to K1 progress forum.

[Amos&Radio 2]

Thank you both so much for your help - the advice you gave was incredibly useful and I will be using this post as a reference for months to come!

I didn't realise that there was all that to be done before the interview in London. If I do decide to go over to the states whilst I wait, I will make sure that I have all that information ready and prepared before I go over. I was planning on doing that anyway, whilst W is still here as it's a lot easier!

I will also fill in that timeline and use the comparison tools on here

Thanks again!

[clintrice 0]

Hi All,

Firstly I just wanted to say congratulations on such a great site and community - it proved invaluable when sending off the I-129F

Ok, so here's the situation - Wendy and I met last year online and fell madly in love - I've been to see her in California twice and she has been living with me in England for the past 4 months. She has to leave no later than September 10th due to the immigration laws here.

We got engaged whilst on holiday in Iceland and sent off our I-129F back in May and received the NOA1 on May 27th

What i'm wondering is, if it is worth me going back with her while we await the NOA2? (fingers crossed we get it!) Obviously I will have to be in the UK for my Embassy interview, but if this isn't going to happen until November/December - I would rather wait with her in CA as opposed to England.

I've noticed on people's signatures that the California Service Centre seems to be approving K1's in much less time than the stated 6 months on the USCIS website - what i'm after is some opinions based upon actual waiting times that people have found to be the case.

Wendy's parents have a family reunion planned for August in the U.S, which I would really like to attend - however what I don't want to do is fly out there - only to find that I have to be back in 2 weeks time for a Consulate interview. Do you guys think this could happen?

By the way - I work as a freelance graphic designer so am fortunate in the sense that I am flexible when it comes to taking time off.

Would really appreciate some input here and thanks for taking the time to read this!

Well I would first like to say that all the service centers have different work loads and the times are varied depending on what state.My Fiance and I are going through the K-1 visa process.I live in California and she lives in Ontario Canada.The service center in California had our check cashed and the first NOA to us on March 24th.We then received the 2nd NOA,the approval notice on May 14th.So our case moved through the system in 51 days.Our case has since moved through the NVC , I received their letter on June 2nd.Our case has been sent to the Consular in Montreal Canada as the official visa issuing post where My fiance's interview will take place.Its the part of the process that can be very slow because of the volume of visa's being issued at a particular Consular.I have read that alot of VJ members have experienced longer and shorter wait times depending on where they are in the states and how quickly they return the info requested.This site is a fabulous tool,I hope that this was good info and that everyone will have success in this process.If anyone has any info on Montreal, and what the time frame is for receiving from NVC to receiving mail from them I would love to hear from you.I am currently reading that the estimated time for interviews is 117 days after them receiving requested documents.Take care all,sincerely Clint.

[Going Green 5]

Quick question... How are you allowed to just "live" with your fiance in the US while waiting for the process? I was under the impression during this process it isn't easy to even come for a visit you had to have ALOT of documention that you are going back. I have a friend going through this process and she was able to stay with him in the UK but he was unable to visit they turned him around.

Thanks in advance

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Hi

We got our NOA2 in 50 days, that was the California Service Center. However we filed early February and I've only just had my medical in London today. The Embassy received all my paperwork 2 weeks ago and I've heard nothing about anything yet, so I'm expecting it to be another couple of months until I actually have my visa. You are allowed to visit the US using the visa waiver program (VWP) but when you have a fiancée who's a US citizen it can be tricky to convince the immigration officer that you are not going to stay in the country illegally. I visited in April and didn't have a problem at all, but I think it really depends who you get! If you did visit on the VWP, you can only stay for 90 days so you can't just stay there to wait out the whole visa process. If you filed the I129F in May then you probably won't get to the interview stage until at least November, but every case is different so you never know. I know of people who filed at the same time as me and my fiancé who already have their visas, but I'm still waiting for a date for my interview. Then there are others who filed the petition at the same time or earlier than we did, who have only recently got their NOA2. I sometimes think there's no rhyme or reason to any of this!

If you want to be there for August on the VWP then maybe you could go July to October (assuming you're planning to stay the full 90 days) - because you'll need to have your medical in London before you have your interview, and you can't schedule the medical until the London Embassy have received the approved petition from the US so that you have your London case number.

Hope this helps

Edited June 15, 2010 by Shawn & Emi

[Going Green 5]

Ohhh sweet!!! Thanks for the information!!! I wish you all the best and hope the process goes quickly!!!

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Ohhh sweet!!! Thanks for the information!!! I wish you all the best and hope the process goes quickly!!!

You're welcome! Good luck with yours too

[Amos&Radio 2]

Thank you so much Shawn and Emi - your advice is much appreciated and really helpful! That's great you got yours approved so quickly, how strange that others have had to wait longer despite filing it at the same time. Anyone know why this is the case?

I think what I might do, though I still need to give it some thought, is go over there for a couple of months in August and then be back here for any interviews around October time. I'll make sure I have everything prepared though before I go over.

In response to Going Green - I would be travelling on the VWP, which means I would be able to go over there for 90 Days. This is how I travelled the previous two times I've been out to see W in California

[Going Green 5]

Thank you so much Shawn and Emi - your advice is much appreciated and really helpful! That's great you got yours approved so quickly, how strange that others have had to wait longer despite filing it at the same time. Anyone know why this is the case?

I think what I might do, though I still need to give it some thought, is go over there for a couple of months in August and then be back here for any interviews around October time. I'll make sure I have everything prepared though before I go over.

In response to Going Green - I would be travelling on the VWP, which means I would be able to go over there for 90 Days. This is how I travelled the previous two times I've been out to see W in California

Thanks I am sooo looking into that, this has been one of the hardest parts is not seeing each other, before we filed we only went about a month between visits it has already been 6 WEEKS ha ha!!!!

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Thanks I am sooo looking into that, this has been one of the hardest parts is not seeing each other, before we filed we only went about a month between visits it has already been 6 WEEKS ha ha!!!!

Damn, you're lucky only going a month between visits... Our shortest time apart was 2 months and every other time has been 3-4 months - it's really hard being apart! I got back from Phoenix a month ago and it already feels like ages! Plus, we don't know yet when we'll be together again, so that sucks. Hurry up London Embassy with my interview date, pretty please?!

We just can't wait for this whole visa process to be over with! Then of course we'll have the AOS paperwork to do, but at least we'll be together for that. I think we can manage anything together after all this time apart!

[Shawn & Emi 16]

Thank you so much Shawn and Emi - your advice is much appreciated and really helpful! That's great you got yours approved so quickly, how strange that others have had to wait longer despite filing it at the same time. Anyone know why this is the case?

I think what I might do, though I still need to give it some thought, is go over there for a couple of months in August and then be back here for any interviews around October time. I'll make sure I have everything prepared though before I go over.

In response to Going Green - I would be travelling on the VWP, which means I would be able to go over there for 90 Days. This is how I travelled the previous two times I've been out to see W in California

You're welcome, we're happy to help.

No idea why some cases are quick and others take ages - there doesn't seem to be much logic in this whole situation! I know some people probably have complicated cases, but I don't think it's so much that as maybe who gets which cases assigned to them and how much time they have to spend on them? If that makes any sense. Our NOA2 came 50 days after our NOA1, which was fabulous, but then the CSC didn't forward our stuff to the NVC for 3 whole weeks! So someone who had virtually identical dates as us up until that point ended up having their interview at the beginning of June because their stuff went to the NVC straight away (and from there, on to London) and our case ended up being delayed. Who knows why?! They were quick enough to approve it in the first place. I have my suspicions it may have been left on someone's desk or in a drawer or something, until it was discovered and sent on. The problem with the visa process is that there are so many points where there is the potential for delays, and a few "small" delays (like our 3 week one) end up making a difference to your overall progress. It's frustrating, but not much we can do about it!

I would advise you to apply for your police certificate soon, because I applied for mine April 20th, before I went on a 3 week trip to Phoenix, and it's meant to take 10 working days to process (obviously there's posting time on top of that) so it should have been at my house before I got back to the UK. It wasn't - and when I called them on May 21st they said it had been sent out first class on May 7th, a whole 2 weeks earlier... Apparently Royal Mail don't class things as officially lost in the post until it's been 3 weeks, so I had to then ring them again the following week to tell them it still wasn't here (of course!) and then it was another week until I finally received the new one, on June 5th. The other one could be anywhere - worrying when it has all of my details on it! With this silly delay I'm glad I applied for it before I actually needed it. I'm sure this situation doesn't happen very often but it's something to be aware of!

Also, get hold of your vaccination record from your GP and find out if you need any vaccinations prior to your medical. If you do, you can probably get them done at your GP surgery rather than paying for them at the medical (or when you adjust your status in the US). I thought I was all up-to-date with my vaccinations but I hadn't realised I needed to have had a booster for MMR when I was a teenager and I ended up paying £35 for it at my medical yesterday. Oops!

Basically, be as prepared as possible, especially if you're going to be out of the country for a couple of months!

Emi

[Amos&Radio 2]

If you haven't studied this page, it's a good place to figure out how long the process is taking to get the petition approved.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

Here's a graphic of the London end once your file gets there. See how it varies, so hard to know where that line will be when you get there....75 days? 100 days?

And while making your plans to be absent from the UK, you might want to look over everything you have to do to prepare for the London end of things. There are photos to be made and signed on the back by someone who has known you two years. There's a list of who is "official" enough to sign. It's not just any mate of yours. All that just so you can order your police certificates. You will need to have your hand on your long form birth certificate or order one. Well just read the list (and please click the links to get the details.) http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html

It's also wise to get your immunizations from NHS and documented to take to your visa medical. Just wanted to point out what you need to study before working out a timeline to be away. You don't just go back for an interview. You prepare many things and fill in 4 forms to submit to London before they will grant you an interview. And you attend a medical exam in London before the interview.

Does anyone have an updated link for this? http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html

I've decided that I am going to head to California with my fiance at the end of the month and I want to prepare as much as possible before I go away (for 2 months) - unfortunately this link that provides a list of things to do is no longer working, could someone please provide a new one?

Thank you so much