Legal Pain or Valid Counsel?

[R&RM 11]

We hired a lawyer to help us out with our K1 visa application because my fiance is not in the US at the moment. He was supposed to help us with paperwork and stuff so we wouldn't lose time on RFEs and what not but so far I am not finding him too useful. His primary contribution at this point has been to find that we had omitted my mother's maiden name on our G-325A form. However, we do not seem to agree on something that is important to everyone with regards to the timeline of things. He insists that it will take 9 to 12 months to process the visa yet everything I have seen on this site and on the USCIS site doesn't correspond with that at all. The majority of people seem to be at the interview stage in 6 to 7 months given that USCIS mostly takes 5 months. I'm I the one who is missing out on something? I have written to the lawyer to have him explain further but just don't get where someone would pull a figure like 9 to 12 months for a K1 visa.

Guess I could just do with some reassurance or worst case scenario, to begin to accept this lawyer's very pessimistic prediction. Thanks.

[Penguin_ie 5,995]

Well, having a lawyer tends to delay things as the paperwork has an extra step to go, so your lawyer may not be far off, but 12 months seems a bit much unless he suspects AP after the interview.

[Kevin_USA 9]

We are at 8 1/2 months now and do not have an interview date yet. It took 7 1/2 months to get the NOA2 from Vermont.

My girlfriend was watching 12 applicants that applied for a K-1 at the same time we did (early June 2011). As of last week, 5 had NOA2s, 2 had REFs, and 5 were still waiting on NOA2s.

I am hoping for final approval in April, or about 10 months.

[Ben and Jill 37]

We hired a lawyer to help us out with our K1 visa application because my fiance is not in the US at the moment. He was supposed to help us with paperwork and stuff so we wouldn't lose time on RFEs and what not but so far I am not finding him too useful. His primary contribution at this point has been to find that we had omitted my mother's maiden name on our G-325A form. However, we do not seem to agree on something that is important to everyone with regards to the timeline of things. He insists that it will take 9 to 12 months to process the visa yet everything I have seen on this site and on the USCIS site doesn't correspond with that at all. The majority of people seem to be at the interview stage in 6 to 7 months given that USCIS mostly takes 5 months. I'm I the one who is missing out on something? I have written to the lawyer to have him explain further but just don't get where someone would pull a figure like 9 to 12 months for a K1 visa.

Guess I could just do with some reassurance or worst case scenario, to begin to accept this lawyer's very pessimistic prediction. Thanks.

Greetings and welcome to VJ. From the time we filed our I-129F until Ben's foot hit american soil was about 8 months from start to finish. It took almost 6 months for the petition to be approved and then two months later, he was here. It shouldn't take 9-12 months...he's a little off there.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

We hired a lawyer to help us out with our K1 visa application because my fiance is not in the US at the moment. He was supposed to help us with paperwork and stuff so we wouldn't lose time on RFEs and what not but so far I am not finding him too useful. His primary contribution at this point has been to find that we had omitted my mother's maiden name on our G-325A form. However, we do not seem to agree on something that is important to everyone with regards to the timeline of things. He insists that it will take 9 to 12 months to process the visa yet everything I have seen on this site and on the USCIS site doesn't correspond with that at all. The majority of people seem to be at the interview stage in 6 to 7 months given that USCIS mostly takes 5 months. I'm I the one who is missing out on something? I have written to the lawyer to have him explain further but just don't get where someone would pull a figure like 9 to 12 months for a K1 visa.

Guess I could just do with some reassurance or worst case scenario, to begin to accept this lawyer's very pessimistic prediction. Thanks.

Arguing the expected date of visa issuance is kind of silly since neither of you has anything to do with that and each case in individual. You can check a bunch of recent timelines from members using the same consulate to get an idea. Given current processing trimes I would say 6-7 months is optimistic. 12 months is pessimistic.

The attorney will slow down the process of filing as you have seen.

[R&RM 11]

We are at 8 1/2 months now and do not have an interview date yet. It took 7 1/2 months to get the NOA2 from Vermont.

My girlfriend was watching 12 applicants that applied for a K-1 at the same time we did (early June 2011). As of last week, 5 had NOA2s, 2 had REFs, and 5 were still waiting on NOA2s.

I am hoping for final approval in April, or about 10 months.

Wow, that doesn't sound promising but thank you for sharing and wish you the very best.

[R&RM 11]

Greetings and welcome to VJ. From the time we filed our I-129F until Ben's foot hit american soil was about 8 months from start to finish. It took almost 6 months for the petition to be approved and then two months later, he was here. It shouldn't take 9-12 months...he's a little off there.

Thanks for sharing, that is really encouraging especially to hear about someone who has gone through it with the Kenyan embassy. Your timeline seems about right to me. Guess I will just have to watch and wait. Did the embassy contact Ben when they were ready to process his visa or did he have to follow up on his own? Just not sure what happens in Kenya once the case is transferred to the embassy, if they contact you or you have to be aggressive about things and follow up. Would love to hear more about your experience with the embassy for future reference.

[Ben and Jill 37]

Thanks for sharing, that is really encouraging especially to hear about someone who has gone through it with the Kenyan embassy. Your timeline seems about right to me. Guess I will just have to watch and wait. Did the embassy contact Ben when they were ready to process his visa or did he have to follow up on his own? Just not sure what happens in Kenya once the case is transferred to the embassy, if they contact you or you have to be aggressive about things and follow up. Would love to hear more about your experience with the embassy for future reference.

Hello again Once your petition leaves the National Visa Center (you will call the center to see when they sent it to the Embassy) you should email the Embassy inquiring about whether or not they have received your package. The Embassy will eventually email you, but you will wait longer. Don't wait for them, just email them as soon as you know your package has left the National Visa Center. If we had waited for them, we would have waited almost three weeks longer...no sense in that. They are very good at responding to emails. I encourage you to read through the entire 'Nairobi Embassy Thread' from beginning to end...it's chock full of advice and tips to surviving this Embassy, lol. Looking back, our experience was good "overall"...considering it's a very tough consulate. I'm not going to sugar coat it and say it's easy, because it's not; however, if you front loaded your petition with supporting evidence, if your pre-interview paperwork is organized, thorough, and efficient, and if you are properly prepared for the interview, you'll be just fine. People don't realize a lot of things when they go through this process and think it's really easy and it's just not so, then they get blind sided during interview time. You cannot submit an unorganized petition, fill out your pre-interview papers half-@ssed, then show up for the interview unprepared for the questions, etc., and expect to be granted a visa. The Nairobi Embassy will look for "anything" and I mean "anything" to deny you a visa and people need to realize this. The smallest mistake could cost you dearly.

Ben was interviewed by the infamous "blond woman" lolol. She is very well known here on this website and yes...she is very tough. She was not nice to Ben AT ALL. When Ben walked up to the interview window, he noticed his paperwork was stamped "approved" before she asked him one question. I firmly believe the interview is a formality, and that your visa is granted or denied before you even step foot into the door. Our petition was very organized, thorough, and had enough supporting evidence of our relationship...our pre-interview paperwork was the same way. I feel this is the reason it was approved before Ben even had his interview. Like I said previously, doing your research on the Embassy, reading through the Embassy website visa section, etc., will prepare you for what's ahead of you. Ben and I read, and read, and read, and sat and did all the paperwork together so he knew it front and back and upside down, and I am not kidding. We brought further supporting evidence to the interview just in case (and I encourage everyone to do this), but he was asked for nothing.

You will be fine as long as you are completely prepared. I also want to mention that plenty of people have gone through Nairobi without a hitch saying the interview went lovely and smooth and the Officer was very nice, so please keep that in your thoughts. "Jay and Maureen" had a lovely time surviving the Nairobi Embassy. I suggest you read his review as well. He stated that this Embassy is one of the toughest in the world, however, if you are prepared, if you have a legitimate relationship, and you are organized, you are treated with the utmost respect, and he's right for the most part. However, Ben was not treated with respect, but that all depends on who you get as the Consular Officer.

I hope this helps you, and feel free to ask anything during your journey. Stay blessed.

Edited February 22, 2012 by Ben and Jill

[R&RM 11]

Hello again Once your petition leaves the National Visa Center (you will call the center to see when they sent it to the Embassy) you should email the Embassy inquiring about whether or not they have received your package. The Embassy will eventually email you, but you will wait longer. Don't wait for them, just email them as soon as you know your package has left the National Visa Center. If we had waited for them, we would have waited almost three weeks longer...no sense in that. They are very good at responding to emails. I encourage you to read through the entire 'Nairobi Embassy Thread' from beginning to end...it's chock full of advice and tips to surviving this Embassy, lol. Looking back, our experience was good "overall"...considering it's a very tough consulate. I'm not going to sugar coat it and say it's easy, because it's not; however, if you front loaded your petition with supporting evidence, if your pre-interview paperwork is organized, thorough, and efficient, and if you are properly prepared for the interview, you'll be just fine. People don't realize a lot of things when they go through this process and think it's really easy and it's just not so, then they get blind sided during interview time. You cannot submit an unorganized petition, fill out your pre-interview papers half-@ssed, then show up for the interview unprepared for the questions, etc., and expect to be granted a visa. The Nairobi Embassy will look for "anything" and I mean "anything" to deny you a visa and people need to realize this. The smallest mistake could cost you dearly.

Ben was interviewed by the infamous "blond woman" lolol. She is very well known here on this website and yes...she is very tough. She was not nice to Ben AT ALL. When Ben walked up to the interview window, he noticed his paperwork was stamped "approved" before she asked him one question. I firmly believe the interview is a formality, and that your visa is granted or denied before you even step foot into the door. Our petition was very organized, thorough, and had enough supporting evidence of our relationship...our pre-interview paperwork was the same way. I feel this is the reason it was approved before Ben even had his interview. Like I said previously, doing your research on the Embassy, reading through the Embassy website visa section, etc., will prepare you for what's ahead of you. Ben and I read, and read, and read, and sat and did all the paperwork together so he knew it front and back and upside down, and I am not kidding. We brought further supporting evidence to the interview just in case (and I encourage everyone to do this), but he was asked for nothing.

You will be fine as long as you are completely prepared. I also want to mention that plenty of people have gone through Nairobi without a hitch saying the interview went lovely and smooth and the Officer was very nice, so please keep that in your thoughts. "Jay and Maureen" had a lovely time surviving the Nairobi Embassy. I suggest you read his review as well. He stated that this Embassy is one of the toughest in the world, however, if you are prepared, if you have a legitimate relationship, and you are organized, you are treated with the utmost respect, and he's right for the most part. However, Ben was not treated with respect, but that all depends on who you get as the Consular Officer.

I hope this helps you, and feel free to ask anything during your journey. Stay blessed.

Thank you so much :-) I take all of your input very seriously and will do my very best to be over-prepared for the interview. If you don't mind my asking, what proof did you provide for an ongoing relationship and financial support? I guess I think these might be some of the key things that can stumble someone. I hope you don't mind if I PM you further along the road for further insight.