Wedding Predilection

[charnockp2 0]

My K-1 visa was given NOA2 on September 7th and then forwarded to my local embassy on September 16th. My medical is booked for October 4th.

Being that it’s impossible to predict when a visa will be completed, my fiancée and I have planned to have a informal unofficial ceremony with friends and family in the US on November 12th – I’ll be flying out on November 10th. I have a flight home booked for November 20th, with the intention of completing my application then (not realising the process would be as quick as it has). I now realise there is a minute chance that I could get my visa before I go, assuming everything goes ok.

If that could happen, it would be much more preferable to us; our unofficial ceremony would become official and I would just cancel my flight home. I’ve come to question 18 on the DS-157 form – have I made any specific travel arrangements? Obviously I will tell them about my flights, but is it appropriate to write here that if there’s anything that can be done to get my visa before I go, it’d be greatly appreciated? Should I just say I’ll be coming back on the 20th and not mention at all that I’d like to get the visa beforehand so that I didn’t have to? How do you think I should put it?

[baron555 934]

My K-1 visa was given NOA2 on September 7th and then forwarded to my local embassy on September 16th. My medical is booked for October 4th.

Being that it’s impossible to predict when a visa will be completed, my fiancée and I have planned to have a informal unofficial ceremony with friends and family in the US on November 12th – I’ll be flying out on November 10th. I have a flight home booked for November 20th, with the intention of completing my application then (not realising the process would be as quick as it has). I now realise there is a minute chance that I could get my visa before I go, assuming everything goes ok.

If that could happen, it would be much more preferable to us; our unofficial ceremony would become official and I would just cancel my flight home. I’ve come to question 18 on the DS-157 form – have I made any specific travel arrangements? Obviously I will tell them about my flights, but is it appropriate to write here that if there’s anything that can be done to get my visa before I go, it’d be greatly appreciated? Should I just say I’ll be coming back on the 20th and not mention at all that I’d like to get the visa beforehand so that I didn’t have to? How do you think I should put it?

Be prepared to be turned back at the border....especially when you tell the the truth (which you are going to do) that you are visiting your fiance and to have an unofficial marriage ceremony.

You SHOULD just wait until you have the visa in hand and then fly over and have an official ceremony.

Why would you want to complicate things, risk a turnaround at the border (or totally worse a ban because you lied at the border and were later found out). Your going to get your visa and your then going to come here and have a happy life together.

Internationsl relationships and immigration to the US requries special and abnormal things to occur. If you are doing this only for family and friends and they can't understand the need to follow the normal rules, then that is their problem not yours.

[charnockp2 0]

Well I've had the trip booked for a while now, not realising i'd be at this stage already. So I haven't received my packet 3 yet, and havent sent any forms since the i129f. So how about I go on nov 10th as a tourist under the waiver to see my fiancee, forget the ceremony, and then send in my packet 3 forms and wait for the interview when I get home. Would that be ok?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My K-1 visa was given NOA2 on September 7th and then forwarded to my local embassy on September 16th. My medical is booked for October 4th.

Being that it’s impossible to predict when a visa will be completed, my fiancée and I have planned to have a informal unofficial ceremony with friends and family in the US on November 12th – I’ll be flying out on November 10th. I have a flight home booked for November 20th, with the intention of completing my application then (not realising the process would be as quick as it has). I now realise there is a minute chance that I could get my visa before I go, assuming everything goes ok.

If that could happen, it would be much more preferable to us; our unofficial ceremony would become official and I would just cancel my flight home. I’ve come to question 18 on the DS-157 form – have I made any specific travel arrangements? Obviously I will tell them about my flights, but is it appropriate to write here that if there’s anything that can be done to get my visa before I go, it’d be greatly appreciated? Should I just say I’ll be coming back on the 20th and not mention at all that I’d like to get the visa beforehand so that I didn’t have to? How do you think I should put it?

It's highly unlikely they're going to change the processing time for your case just because you've already made arrangements. In fact, they're pretty adamant throughout the process that you don't make any prior arrangements until you've got the visa in your passport. It looks like the consulate in London is running about 2 1/2 months from the time they receive the petition until the interview. There's a chance your interview will be scheduled in the middle of the time you planned your visit to the US.

If I were you, I'd cancel your plans for November, and tentatively reschedule for January. I would then write on the DS-157 that you hadn't made any travel arrangements yet.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

There's no way to have an interview scheduled until the aplication forms are in, your documents are in hand and you've notified them with the DS-2001, and you medical results are received. You haven't even started the queue yet. Send in the forms and hold off the DS-2001 until you are ready to interview. That's the purpose of the form to notify them you have all your interview documents in hand and are prepared to come to an interview.

Or if you have all your documents already, send the DS2001 readiness for interview form with your application forms. Include in the cover letter "Can you please schedule my interview for before November 1 or after Nov 20 as I will be out of the country." We delayed an interview in that way because a trip was already planned. My fiance didn't want his visa in his passport before the trip because he wasn't prepared to move so soon. So when he sent in the forms he requested an interview after xx-xx-xxxx and they scheduled for the week he returned.

[charnockp2 0]

There's no way to have an interview scheduled until the aplication forms are in, your documents are in hand and you've notified them with the DS-2001, and you medical results are received. You haven't even started the queue yet. Send in the forms and hold off the DS-2001 until you are ready to interview. That's the purpose of the form to notify them you have all your interview documents in hand and are prepared to come to an interview.

Or if you have all your documents already, send the DS2001 readiness for interview form with your application forms. Include in the cover letter "Can you please schedule my interview for before November 1 or after Nov 20 as I will be out of the country." We delayed an interview in that way because a trip was already planned. My fiance didn't want his visa in his passport before the trip because he wasn't prepared to move so soon. So when he sent in the forms he requested an interview after xx-xx-xxxx and they scheduled for the week he returned.

That answers my question fully, thank you :-)

If you're still reading, I notice our applications are very similar. I am currently in Swindon and will be moving to Austin, all going well. How has it been for you so far?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

That answers my question fully, thank you :-)

If you're still reading, I notice our applications are very similar. I am currently in Swindon and will be moving to Austin, all going well. How has it been for you so far?

I'm the USC, but I asked Nick "how has it been for you" and he said "hot". Having a fiance in Austin, I'm sure you know all about the terrible drought, heat, and wildfires we are experiencing in Texas this summer. Nobody can remember worse.

It will be 3 years that he's been here at the end of this month. He went on to say he's not had as hard of a time adjusting as some have. He's not homesick or keen on ever moving back. He has adopted Mexican food and Bar-B-Q with gusto. Kroger stores have a British section for his Colemans and Branston pickle. HEB has a cheddar he likes. That covers everything he wants except tea. We have relatives coming in 3 weeks and he's told them each suitcase must have a 480 count bag of Sainsbury's red label tea.

And he's very excited that Formula 1 is coming to Austin next year.

[charnockp2 0]

I'm the USC, but I asked Nick "how has it been for you" and he said "hot". Having a fiance in Austin, I'm sure you know all about the terrible drought, heat, and wildfires we are experiencing in Texas this summer. Nobody can remember worse.

It will be 3 years that he's been here at the end of this month. He went on to say he's not had as hard of a time adjusting as some have. He's not homesick or keen on ever moving back. He has adopted Mexican food and Bar-B-Q with gusto. Kroger stores have a British section for his Colemans and Branston pickle. HEB has a cheddar he likes. That covers everything he wants except tea. We have relatives coming in 3 weeks and he's told them each suitcase must have a 480 count bag of Sainsbury's red label tea.

And he's very excited that Formula 1 is coming to Austin next year.

Sainsburys is the don of all tea? I had no idea! Nor did I about the formula 1. Austin has a lot of things, it seems.

Yeah, I noticed that the American stores are much better for English imports than ours are for those of America. Getting used to Texas cuisine is the easy part! I return to England and get homesick for the Mexican food, about the time I'm halfway into my first English (bland) meal back.

I did hear how terrible it's been over there - 100+ weather everyday - here's hoping you get some good British-style rain soon