K1 Visa Help! (South Africa)

[calliejoy 6]

Hi Everyone.

I'm from South Africa and my fiance is from the States. We met online in September, and I came to visit him on a tourist visa in October.

We got engaged in November and are now filling out our K1 visa applications. We should have all our forms together by Friday next week, and will be sending it off with fingers crossed for a short waiting time.

I have to return home to South Africa in April, and we've booked a wedding venue in Oregon for the end of July... How long do you think we're going to be waiting to get our interview?

I know you've probably heard that question a million times, but we're hearing one hundred different things from all over the internet. Anything from 3-9 months, supposedly.

Is there another couple from South Africa that could tell us what to expect?

Thanks so much.

C

[TimeTravel 78]

Take a look at some reviews, and check their timeline - http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=South+Africa&cty=&dfilter=5

Hope it helps.

[GandK 168]

It is because noone can predict with any level of accuracy how long your application process will take.

Every immigration case is unique and different in processing time. But realistically, you can expect 6-9 months from the day you send the application till you have the visa in your passport if everything goes smoothly.

Try to ask people in your region forum for more accurate guess than mine. but I think a wedding plan in July seems a little optimistic to me, any hiccup during the process and you would have to cancel all that plan and waste a lot of money.

If you want to be safe, you might want to reschedule it to the end of the year instead.

Just my 2 cents

[xxxwabbiexxx 70]

Number one rule of visa's is never book anything!! Never book flights till the visa is in your hand, never book venues etc till you at LEAST have an interview.

There are so many things that can cause delays, Request for Evidence because you've not provided the USCIS with enough stuff, being put in AP after the interview because they need more information or to do more back ground checks, there could be delays with medical, you may not get approved, delays getting police reports, delays in your fiance getting paper's to you for your interview, delays getting the visa to you etc etc etc!!! We got a military expedite and it was still 3 months from getting approved at the USCIS stage to getting the visa in my hand.

July is VERY optimistic, I would serious consider going for a October - December wedding.

I know its difficult for you, and family members will get pi$$ed off because they want to know dates to book flight and all that jazz but one thing you will learn by going through this process is what matters and thats a marriage not a wedding.

Edited January 9, 2012 by xxxwabbiexxx

[Pitaya 2,577]

I filed the I-129F petition at the end of October, the NOA1 date is 31 Oct 2011. I "guestimate" that she may have her interview sometime in 3rd quarter of 2012. If it is early...fantastic! We are looking forward to hopefully enjoying the 2012 holiday season together. This whole process is the government's bureaucracy at its "best." It is their ballgame, and their rules. I agree with what others have already stated, refrain from making any concrete plans/appointments/bookings until your have the visa in your possession. The immigration process causes enough stress, there is no need to compound the stress with other scheduling issues.

Good luck.

[GandK 168]

We filed I-129F in late december 2011.

Plan to register marriage as soon as I get to the US ( Hopefully June-August).

Plan the wedding for the family and friends in summer 2013, talking about being safe

Moving to another country + immigration process + looking for jobs is already EXTREMELY stressful. We don't want to add more stress planning the wedding at the same time.

The important thing is I get there and start the immigration/greencard process asap. The wedding can wait, we officially told friends and people that we are getting married in summer 2013.

Only our parents know we are getting married "on the paper" this summer

Edited January 9, 2012 by GandK

[jessgriff86 6]

Hello! No one can warn you enough...the process is long. When you receive your NOA1 it is so exciting, but then the wait starts. My fiancé is South African and we applied in December and we received our NOA2 at the end of April. Now we are waiting on Packet 3 and things should go fairly quick/crossing fingers. I would say the wait is at least six months and definitely don't plan anything. We made that mistake.

[kotze13 0]

Hi Everyone.

I'm from South Africa and my fiance is from the States. We met online in September, and I came to visit him on a tourist visa in October.

We got engaged in November and are now filling out our K1 visa applications. We should have all our forms together by Friday next week, and will be sending it off with fingers crossed for a short waiting time.

I have to return home to South Africa in April, and we've booked a wedding venue in Oregon for the end of July... How long do you think we're going to be waiting to get our interview?

I know you've probably heard that question a million times, but we're hearing one hundred different things from all over the internet. Anything from 3-9 months, supposedly.

Is there another couple from South Africa that could tell us what to expect?

Thanks so much.

C

Hi. Have a loot at my timeline... I can surely say that end if July will most likely be impossible... My visa was approved 5 months and 2 weeks from the day we received our NOA1, and my fiancé and I really put a lot of effort into it, ensuring all the paperwork is done correctly and everything is in order before we sent in the I-129F... I received my visa today in my hand, as I didn't have the right birth certificate at my interview (thru all the stress I overlooked this one detail, make sure you have an unabridged birth certificate) and today has marked almost 6 months to the day we filled the I-129F.. I would also recommend as soon as you arrive in SA, apply for your police clearance if you don't have one yet, it takes a long time. It might seem like a long time, but true love is worth fighting for! If you have any questions you can msg me. Hope this helps a bit. And good luck! Remember, love and hard work will make this easier.

[SammiiDan 0]

Hi. Have a loot at my timeline... I can surely say that end if July will most likely be impossible... My visa was approved 5 months and 2 weeks from the day we received our NOA1, and my fiancé and I really put a lot of effort into it, ensuring all the paperwork is done correctly and everything is in order before we sent in the I-129F... I received my visa today in my hand, as I didn't have the right birth certificate at my interview (thru all the stress I overlooked this one detail, make sure you have an unabridged birth certificate) and today has marked almost 6 months to the day we filled the I-129F.. I would also recommend as soon as you arrive in SA, apply for your police clearance if you don't have one yet, it takes a long time. It might seem like a long time, but true love is worth fighting for! If you have any questions you can msg me. Hope this helps a bit. And good luck! Remember, love and hard work will make this easier.

Did you have to go get an unabridged after the interview or did they accept the abridged. see the problem i have is i cant apply for an unabridged because i don't have a relationship with either of my parents so how would i go about finding out the I.D Numbers or place of birth ??

[KayDeeCee 4,896]

Did you have to go get an unabridged after the interview or did they accept the abridged. see the problem i have is i cant apply for an unabridged because i don't have a relationship with either of my parents so how would i go about finding out the I.D Numbers or place of birth ??

This is an old thread and the person you are questions of has not been logged onto VJ for over 2 years now.

[VAN2015 11]

Congratulations on your engagement!

My fiancé is from Mauritius but the embassy there does not do K1 visa interviews, so he will have to go to South Africa for his.

I just applied for the K-1 and California is processing my case. You can check on my timeline to kinda get an idea of how long things are currently taking but it would just be an estimate on how your case may proceed. It also depends on if you are asked to submitted more paperwork or not.

[TBoneTX 46,295]

People are responding to an ancient thread as though it's active, so this thread is closed to further comment.

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