I live in Los Angeles area. Why does this site tell me to send my I-129F to Texas?

[KimmySumShuga 0]

I'm confused!

I live in Orange County, just south of LA in California and the USCIS is Los Angeles takes 5 months to process K-1 visas (so the gov website says) BUT this site is telling me (and everyone) to send their K-1 applications to the TEXAS drop box no matter where they live?

WHY?!

The USCIS office appears to be WAY behind our timline... we only have just a little over 6 months SOOOOOOO timing is everything!

Can't I send my application locally?

I've seen something on here tell me to send things to the Laguna Niguel office too?

PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS!

Thanks guys!

If you can't tell, im kind of freaking out so quick simplified responses would be most helpful!

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Because everyone sends their petitions to Texas. Follow the instructions. Do you the difference between a service center and a local office and a lockbox? If you don't, why would you try to second guess the directions? Good luck.

Oh, you are not going to make it for 6 months. That's the very minimum the whole process takes.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Harpa Timsah

[xjoseyx 19]

Everyone sends to Texas then they send it on to the Service Centre that servies your state. 6 months is cutting it really fine.

[L+T 71]

I'm confused!

I live in Orange County, just south of LA in California and the USCIS is Los Angeles takes 5 months to process K-1 visas (so the gov website says) BUT this site is telling me (and everyone) to send their K-1 applications to the TEXAS drop box no matter where they live?

WHY?!

The USCIS office appears to be WAY behind our timline... we only have just a little over 6 months SOOOOOOO timing is everything!

Can't I send my application locally?

I've seen something on here tell me to send things to the Laguna Niguel office too?

PLEASE SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS!

Thanks guys!

If you can't tell, im kind of freaking out so quick simplified responses would be most helpful!

send to texas, they will forward to California or Virginia, in your case likely Cali. good luck.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

If you send it to the local office, the best thing that can happen is that you will be delayed as they send it to Texas for intake processing, then back. The worst thing would be they just bin it.

6 months is very very tight, I doubt you will make it. Remember after the USCIS process there is more paoerwork, then the medical, then waiting for an interview, then waiting to get the visa...

[LeftCoastLady 441]

send to texas, they will forward to California or Virginia, in your case likely Cali. good luck.

Vermont...not Virginia.

Hopefully this thread is yet another reminder to not make any time-sensitive plans before the visa is in hand!

[KimmySumShuga 0]

Okay I'm just going to pray pray pray & cross my fingers we'll make it... I don't see why the Texas processing center says one timeline and the CA one says 5 months?

So if I DO have to send it to Texas... would it help my chances by sending it express mail instead of through the P.O. Box?

Is this express mail address better?

USCIS

Attn: I-129F

2501 South State Highway 121 Business

Suite 400

Lewisville, TX 75067

Sending tmrw no matter what.

We are having our wedding ceremony/celebration no matter what so if we have to pay for an extra flight & etc that will be really annoying but we can't help it!

Has anyone had good luck with calling their congressman or someone in their state to help the process along?

[LeftCoastLady 441]

The Texas Service Center is not the same thing as the Dallas Lockbox. The Lockbox will process your payment and then forward on your petition and supporting materials to the appropriate Service Center -- as already noted, either California or Vermont. Whether you send it to the PO Box or via FedEx/UPS to the street address, it's going to the same place.

You can visit the Timeline link at the top of the page to see the timeline estimates.

We are having our wedding ceremony/celebration no matter what so if we have to pay for an extra flight & etc that will be really annoying but we can't help it!

If you file a petition for the K-1 Visa and get married before it's in your hand, you will essentially void the visa and will have to start over again with the IR-1/CR-1 visa process. The K-1 is for fiancé(e)s only!

Edited March 14, 2012 by LeftCoastLady

[islandgal 74]

The Texas Service Center is not the same thing as the Dallas Lockbox. The Lockbox will process your payment and then forward on your petition and supporting materials to the appropriate Service Center -- as already noted, either California or Vermont. Whether you send it to the PO Box or via FedEx/UPS to the street address, it's going to the same place.

You can visit the Timeline link at the top of the page to see the timeline estimates.

If you file a petition for the K-1 Visa and get married before it's in your hand, you will essentially void the visa and will have to start over again with the IR-1/CR-1 visa process. The K-1 is for fiancé(e)s only!

Exactly. K1 visa wouldn't be applicable anymore if you get married before. I was told this on a call recently with USCIS.

[KimmySumShuga 0]

We wouldn't actually process any legal paperwork involving our wedding...

It would be for our families & friends that have already booked flights and recognizable to them and under God & NOT legally binding so I'm not sure why such an event would void our whole process?

We could do that on any visit and it is not ILLEGAL... Its a ceremony and party?

I'm not asking the government to recognize it w/ a marriage cert. I'm only asking that we get the "wedding date" we want and not lose all our deposits and such on the vendors.

Maybe I can expedite due to potential financial loss?

Its still 6 months away, not 60 days for goodness sake!

I've also read it could do us some good by noting our Wedding date on our paperwork cover letter & etc? any advice on the effectiveness of that?

Edited March 14, 2012 by KimmySumShuga

[LeftCoastLady 441]

We wouldn't actually process any legal paperwork involving our wedding...

It would be for our families & friends that have already booked flights and recognizable to them and under God & NOT legally binding so I'm not sure why such an event would void our whole process?

We could do that on any visit and it is not ILLEGAL... Its a ceremony and party?

I'm not asking the government to recognize it w/ a marriage cert. I'm only asking that we get the "wedding date" we want and not lose all our deposits and such on the venders.

Maybe I can expedite due to potential financial loss?

Its still 6 months away, not 60 days for goodness sake!

Take some time to search these forums. There have been many others who have done similar ceremonies in their fiancé(e)'s home country and were denied because the officer believed they were already married. Expedited cases are reserved for active military personnel, I seriously doubt they will move up your case because of ill-made plans.

On average, it takes about 6 months to receive approval of the petition for the K-1. Then you have another couple of months for the interview, medical exam, etc, so you're looking at 7-9 months if everything goes smoothly.

Edited March 14, 2012 by LeftCoastLady

[KimmySumShuga 0]

Expedited cases are reserved for active military personnel, I seriously doubt they will move up your case because of ill-made plans.

On average, it takes about 6 months to receive approval of the petition for the K-1. Then you have another couple of months for the interview, medical exam, etc, so you're looking at 7-9 months if everything goes smoothly.

In a MAJORITY of my search of timelines, it takes less than 200 days...

and perhaps you should do some research into the expedition requirements yourself because I have seen there are many grounds to base it on beyond the needs of military personnel - (including "Severe financial loss").

Although you are a bit negative and condescending, I thank you for your insight.

Edited March 14, 2012 by KimmySumShuga

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Example of someone being denied because the consulate office thought they were already married: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/346279-how-can-a-k-1-misrepresentation-denial-be-overturned/

[LeftCoastLady 441]

In a MAJORITY of my search of timelines, it takes less than 200 days...

and perhaps you should do some research into the expedition requirements yourself because I have seen there are many grounds to base it on beyond the needs of military personnel - (including "Severe financial loss").

Although you are a bit negative and condescending, I thank you for your insight.

It takes less than 200 days to receive the NOA2 approval, not the K-1 Visa. Again, I suggest you review the K-1 Flowchart and the timelines from others.

It seems as if you're just looking for someone to justify your plans and to tell you to go ahead with what you have planned in spite of the advice and recommendations of others on this board. If that's what you want, I doubt you'll find it in this forum.

And if I sound condescending, perhaps that's true, but when someone comes on with the expectation that everyone will justify their ignorance, it annoys me. Have a good evening and good luck with your visa journey.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Look over all the steps in the process. The I-129F approval is just the first step. In a lot of states in the US a religious wedding is legally binding, whether or not you get a license and a certificate. They won't approve expedite based on losing deposits, but you can try. Other people have tried in the past and failed. You shouldn't make any plans until the visa is in hand.