Difficult Decision please help .

[mk13 0]

My petition for a K1 visa has been approved while in the US on a visitors visa. I have learnt from this forum and other sites that the processing of the K1 visa in Ghana takes a very long time. In fact it appears to have the longest processing time.

My problem is we have already paid deposits with a hotel for our wedding in June and I am also expected to start a new job here in the US in July. My fear is that my visa may not be ready on time to come back to the US.

I had an appointment with an immigration officer at the USCIS about my perculier situation. She was surprised about how I was issued a visitors visa when I had a petition pending. After a lengthy consultation with her boss she said she could not advice me on what to do but I can either go back to Ghana and come back with a K1 visa or get married now and apply for AOS. She told me to contact the US embassy in Ghana to find out how early they can give me an interview. My emails to the embassy have not been replied and calling the embassy is useless because nobody talks to you.

I am very confused now as to what to do next. How soon am I going to know about my interview date in Ghana ?

[arnie209 5]

easy! get married and apply for aos!

[Hank_ 9,174]

My petition for a K1 visa has been approved while in the US on a visitors visa. I have learnt from this forum and other sites that the processing of the K1 visa in Ghana takes a very long time. In fact it appears to have the longest processing time.

My problem is we have already paid deposits with a hotel for our wedding in June and I am also expected to start a new job here in the US in July. My fear is that my visa may not be ready on time to come back to the US.

I had an appointment with an immigration officer at the USCIS about my perculier situation. She was surprised about how I was issued a visitors visa when I had a petition pending. After a lengthy consultation with her boss she said she could not advice me on what to do but I can either go back to Ghana and come back with a K1 visa or get married now and apply for AOS. She told me to contact the US embassy in Ghana to find out how early they can give me an interview. My emails to the embassy have not been replied and calling the embassy is useless because nobody talks to you.

I am very confused now as to what to do next. How soon am I going to know about my interview date in Ghana ?

Answer seems obvious in the options you were given...

Edited January 17, 2012 by Hank_Amy

[Inky 1,110]

Of course bad choice they already know that you know what the correct path is because you already applied for the K-1. If you try and AOS as a visitor now its more likely they will deny you.

[Darnell 8,478]

I'd dig deep into filing the Adjustment of Status case, this week. Learn all you can about it (this week - make it your personal research project for 8 hours/day), and be certain you've covered 'intent at the border crossing'.

Good Luck to you !

[jarta 24]

its taking me about 5 months from approval of my K1 to getting an interview at the Accra embassy. yeah the last time i emailed the Accra Embassy, it took them 3 weeks to get back to me. and as you rightfully said, when you call, you get a voice mail that tell you to send an email. how long ago did you send them your email.

regarding knowing your interview date - you will have to go and pick up your appointed letter before you will know your interview date. i don't know if you can have someone pick it up for you in your absents. they will send you a letter notifying you of your packet at the embassy and tell you when and how you can come for it. i sent them an email and they replied with the information i needed to come and pick up my stuff (i got their letter all the same). if you are thinking about coming back to peruse the K1 in Ghana, i would say the earlier you come and pick up your appointment letter, the better since i think the longer you wait to pick up your appointment letter, the backwards the interview date is pushed.

Edited January 17, 2012 by jarta

[slider100 8]

I understand your plight but making plans before hand and being in the crunch of time is not the ideal solution to an immigration situation. Since you have already filed for K-1, stick with it as applying for AOS now might complicate your situation.

I don't think Ghana is the busiest US consulate in the world, take a look at Montreal, I believe it is still back-logged. Also, you need to know that if you get your K-1 visa in May and you get married in the US in June, you will not be able to work in July unless you have an EAD i.e. Employment Authorization Document which authorises you to work until your AOS is processed.

Good luck to you guys,

KnR aka slider100

[Darnell 8,478]

Accra was 'shut down' for a bit, almost 18 months, to revamp all and catch up with the fraud investigations.

I'd not compare Accra to Montreal, at all, due to this.

[GandK 168]

I am very surprised you were issued a tourist visa when you had K-1 pending. You definitely had intend to immigrate when you entered the country and deciding to get married on a tourist visa, file for AOS and cancel the K-1 application points directly at visa fraud. You can of course go ahead get married and file for AOS but if you get unlucky and get AOS denied. Looks like the USCIS will have a pretty strong case against your appeal, in that case deportation might be the only outcome.

Looks to me like you were on a safe path to immigrate to the USA using K-1 but now you want to gamble your future just because you made plans before you get a visa when it is always advised against.

Take it as a privilege that you got lucky to be with your fiancé while waiting for the K-1 visa, not many of us are that lucky.

Good luck

Edited January 17, 2012 by GandK

[slider100 8]

@ Darnell:

Hey Darnell, long time haven't heard from you! Honestly, had no idea it was shut down for a long time. My apologies, shouldn't have compared Accra to Montreal, but you know how dreadful Montreal can be!

Keep in touch,

KnR aka slider100

[agynyame 2]

My petition for a K1 visa has been approved while in the US on a visitors visa. I have learnt from this forum and other sites that the processing of the K1 visa in Ghana takes a very long time. In fact it appears to have the longest processing time.

My problem is we have already paid deposits with a hotel for our wedding in June and I am also expected to start a new job here in the US in July. My fear is that my visa may not be ready on time to come back to the US.

I had an appointment with an immigration officer at the USCIS about my perculier situation. She was surprised about how I was issued a visitors visa when I had a petition pending. After a lengthy consultation with her boss she said she could not advice me on what to do but I can either go back to Ghana and come back with a K1 visa or get married now and apply for AOS. She told me to contact the US embassy in Ghana to find out how early they can give me an interview. My emails to the embassy have not been replied and calling the embassy is useless because nobody talks to you.

I am very confused now as to what to do next. How soon am I going to know about my interview date in Ghana ?

If you spoke with folks and they gave you the options, please consult an attorney and then make the decision. I am surprised they granted you a visa while your K-1 was pending. Hell, I tried to get my wife a visa while our IR was pending and they flat out refused her. So just talk to an attorney and then take it from there.

[san diego 407]

If you were here on tourist visa without K1 application and without intent to immigrate, I would say: go ahead, get married, adjust the status. In this case there is 99% chance that you would get approved. However, given that you applied for K1 and shown intent to immigrate BEFORE entering on tourist visa, if you get married and try AOS there is 70% chance that you get denied. If you do, they will also deny your K1 visa. I do not feel it is worth the risk. Just return to your country and wait for K1 approval. You will get one for sure.

[cdneh 3,112]

Where are you getting your percentages? And how do you know the OP will 'get one for sure" ?

[bobnleth 2]

I understand your plight but making plans before hand and being in the crunch of time is not the ideal solution to an immigration situation. Since you have already filed for K-1, stick with it as applying for AOS now might complicate your situation.

I don't think Ghana is the busiest US consulate in the world, take a look at Montreal, I believe it is still back-logged. Also, you need to know that if you get your K-1 visa in May and you get married in the US in June, you will not be able to work in July unless you have an EAD i.e. Employment Authorization Document which authorises you to work until your AOS is processed.

Good luck to you guys,

KnR aka slider100

I agree that they should not have made so many plans while pending K1 approval. I would just go back and go through the process and you will have a much easier time. If you change to AOS now it will surely make a mess of things.

[Enigma11561 336]

I don't know why so many people make wedding plans and such without knowing when anything will happen. You biggest issue is timing. You want to be here so you can have your wedding on such and such a date and start a new job. It seems impossible for you to plan this now. Take the advice of others. You started a K1, so go forward with it. Go back to Ghana, and finish the process. You will find another job, if you lose this one, and once here make new plans for your wedding without any more stress.