I-129F - what's next?

[sethmichael22 0]

My fiance and I are working on her getting here to the US through the K1 fiance visa. We applied and got our notification of receipt back when we applied in August 2010. FINALLY (woo hoo!) got notice as of February 24, 2011 that they had approved my petition!

Here are where my questions start. We applied out of Vermont service center and the lawyer who has helped us a bit on this whole thing told us that interviews usually happen in Montreal. My fiance is from Toronto though, and this Approval notice has the Toronto consulate listed, which is also awesome. It then tells me that the approval notice is valid from 2/24/2011 - 6/24/2011.

This notice also talks about things like Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition, and in the next paragraph, the I-485.

Anyways, all this being said, what are the best next steps? My fiance has not yet received the notice in Canada that the petition has been approved and/or what next steps she/we need to take.

I always like throwing our questions out there and seeing what people say....so please offer us advice or steps....

Thanks!

[Barbara J 115]

My fiance and I are working on her getting here to the US through the K1 fiance visa. We applied and got our notification of receipt back when we applied in August 2010. FINALLY (woo hoo!) got notice as of February 24, 2011 that they had approved my petition!

Here are where my questions start. We applied out of Vermont service center and the lawyer who has helped us a bit on this whole thing told us that interviews usually happen in Montreal. My fiance is from Toronto though, and this Approval notice has the Toronto consulate listed, which is also awesome. It then tells me that the approval notice is valid from 2/24/2011 - 6/24/2011.

This notice also talks about things like Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition, and in the next paragraph, the I-485.

Anyways, all this being said, what are the best next steps? My fiance has not yet received the notice in Canada that the petition has been approved and/or what next steps she/we need to take.

I always like throwing our questions out there and seeing what people say....so please offer us advice or steps....

Thanks!

Your best bet is to read Canada forum on here . Yes all approvals are valid for 4 months which is the time she has to do interview and paperwork and get here. Your I-485 is for after you marry called AOS adjustment of status residency conditional Green Card.

http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?letter=C

[HappyRs 8]

you really need to check out the K1 guides and flowchart... they are life saving. We applied for K1 and AOS later without the help of a lawyer and thanks to VJ we had no RFE either. Good luck!

[iampatricias 17]

The next step is to start calling the numbers in this here thread: link! - they'll be able to tell you if your paperwork has been logged at the Montreal consulate, which is, unfortunately, where your paperwork is headed, and where the interview will take place.

Paperwork in this link is what is required for the next steps in the process but you probably have about 3 weeks (at the very least) until it is requested from you. The worst part (for me, anyway), is that interviews in Montreal are being booked for the end of June right now. We are dealing with the slowest consulate in the history of consulates. Okay, I'm exaggerating because it makes me sad, but anyway, you'll get lots of help from folks around here, but you've got some time. Have your fiancee fill out the forms in the second link, even just to practice, because sometimes it can take a bit of head scratching to remember all the information they need.

Good luck!

[sethmichael22 0]

I have already found out how long this process is, it's just ridiculous.

So, why would the approval have been sent to the Toronto consulate?

Do we need to request to have it forwarded on to Montreal?

Should my fiance be receiving something in the mail soon about her next steps?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

It is likely because when filling out the I-129F paperwork, Toronto was the consulate that you listed perhaps not knowing that it would be Montreal? It will be forwarded to the correct one.

The next thing your fiance will receive is Packet 3, which is a list of forms and paperwork she will need for her interview. Here is a link that tells you everything that will be required for Packet 3 so that you can be prepared:

http://montreal.usconsulate.gov/content/content.asp?section=visas&document=visa_pkt3

You will notice there is a checklist of documents included in Packet 3. Note that only the forms need to be returned with the checklist. The other paperwork such as the birth certificate and police certificate will be brought to the interview.

Edited March 7, 2011 by Coconuts

[Inky 1,110]

My fiance has not yet received the notice in Canada that the petition has been approved and/or what next steps she/we need to take.

Only the USC gets the NOA2.

The Canadian will not get any mail until Montreal mails the packet 3 info. You or she will need to call NVC or DOS (I had better luck with DOS) in a couple of days and see if the petition has left the NVC and collect your MTL case number from them. Then you just wait a few weeks to get mail from Montreal. They are very slow.

Edit: Others are correct Toronto is not an option for interview, only Montreal or Vancouver.

Edited March 8, 2011 by Inky