My fiancee is pregnant and I'm about to submit the I-129F

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

First off congrats on the baby.

Secondly, I wish I had something better to tell you. But I see that you list the Vermont Service Center on your filing location. Because the VSC is so painfully slow, it is almost guaranteed that your baby will be born in the Ukraine. Most people at the VSC are waiting in the 6 to 7 months range (including us) right now for approval and it is getting slower by the day. When you actually do get approved, there is still a 2 to 3 month wait until the embassy interview for most countries.

So sit back and prepare yourself for a long and frustrating process. You will need every ounce of patience you have.

When the baby is born you should report it to the US Embassy. Since you are the father and a US Citizen, the baby will automatically qualify for US Citizenship and a US Passport. So only your fiancee will have to apply for the visa and AOS.Just make sure that you are listed on the birth certificate as the father.

Hang in there.

Ukraine. Not "the Ukraine"

The situation at VSC could change. but maybe not. we don't know.

Kiev is one of the fastest consulates at processing visa applications once they have the petition.

[C_María 6]

We are in the same situation and unfortunately it did not speed up our process though I did not try for an expedite because I was told it wasn't worth it to try and thought we'd be together for the birth of our baby for sure. Now if I were to do it again I would have tried just to know for sure, no harm in trying. We didn't have to justify my pregnancy at any point in this process nor did my fiance have to declare his knowledge of it. We submitted a lot of doctor's records in our evidence since it proved our living together at that time.

It has been really hard being apart these last few months and not being able to share the birth with him is a really painful thing but we keep telling ourselves that sacrificing our own happiness for a few months is worth it for our daughter to grow up with both her parents legally able to cross into and live in one another's country. But wow, they do not make it an easy process, be prepared for some heartache. But now my fiance will finally be able to meet his 6 week old daughter in a few days and we will be able to put this horrible experience behind us!

Best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and a quick immigration journey! Your family will be stronger for it.

[PinayArmyWife 2]

Congrats onyour wife the baby....good luck on your journey, hopefully it will be done before your wife gives birth.

[james&olya 1,121]

I agree about it not helping speed up your petition approval. But there is a chance the consulate in Kyiv might be willing to get you in for the interview sooner if you explain your situation to them. They have latitude to consider other factors and maybe they would agree with you that she should give birth in the US. It is worth a try at least. Congratulations and good luck!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I agree about it not helping speed up your petition approval. But there is a chance the consulate in Kyiv might be willing to get you in for the interview sooner if you explain your situation to them. They have latitude to consider other factors and maybe they would agree with you that she should give birth in the US. It is worth a try at least. Congratulations and good luck!

At some consulates this may be true. Kiev is very fast. Summer 2009, when our son had a K-2 to follow interview they had 3 day lead times on interviews. Not sure how you can get faster than that. The last I looked, but it has been a while, they were running around two weeks. It varies. Kiev schedules dates as they come open and they usually fill fast. They typically "open" dates 2-3 weeks in advance. In 2008 I called the consulate on June 3 and was given an interview date of June 23. That date did not work for us and I had to wait to call back as they were only booking out to June 30. We finally had the interview August 8 but I think I made the appointment around mid July. If you plan a head just a bit it is possible to choose your own appointment date within reason.

Edited March 26, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

FWIW the USA allows dual citizenship. Ukraine does not. IF the child is born iun Ukraine, you can register the birth tere and the child becomes a Ukrainian citizen. Then you can register the birth at the consulate and the child will also be a US citizen. The US does not "tell Ukraine" and no one is the wiser. The child then has the future benefit of being a dual citizen.

Under Ukraine law, the child will always be eligible for a Ukrainian citizenship but in the future would have to renounce their US citizenship.

At any rate, the K-1 visa is valid for 6 months after issuance and there is no need your fiancee has to jump on the first flight out of Ukraine. Your concern needs to be what is best for all the family, not how fast you can get her here. We delayed Alla's arrival for a month because of business and family concerns and one of our sons came 10 months later because of school. You have a family now, be smart. Speed needs to be pretty far down the list of priorities.