Scheduled Wedding before receiving K1 Visa

[distressedbride 0]

Hello Visa Journey:

I made a huge mistake and scheduled our wedding (read: paid for it), before we were given our NOA2. Filled I-129F in January 18 , NOA1 Feb 8th. Called USCIS to ask about the filing time, because i didn't understand, they told me that after the 5 months he would have a K1 visa in his hand. I have since learned this was not true, but scheduled an entire wedding for mid August.

I have tried to push USCIS to process it faster, and am at my wits end. I now have a wedding, and guests, and everything all set up, but have no idea if the papers will make it in time for me to have a groom.

Do you have any suggestions? I realize a huge mistake has been made, I am now wondering how to fix it.

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Hello Visa Journey:

I made a huge mistake and scheduled our wedding (read: paid for it), before we were given our NOA2. Filled I-129F in January 18 , NOA1 Feb 8th. Called USCIS to ask about the filing time, because i didn't understand, they told me that after the 5 months he would have a K1 visa in his hand. I have since learned this was not true, but scheduled an entire wedding for mid August.

I have tried to push USCIS to process it faster, and am at my wits end. I now have a wedding, and guests, and everything all set up, but have no idea if the papers will make it in time for me to have a groom.

Do you have any suggestions? I realize a huge mistake has been made, I am now wondering how to fix it.

Can you call the vendors, wedding site, etc., and ask if they can move your reservations to another date -- ideally, one far in the future -- rather than canceling altogether? Otherwise, there's not much you can do.

This is why "Make no plans until a visa is in your hand" is a common refrain on VJ's K-1 forum. The USCIS does not care about our wedding plans and the process is what it is.

[photomile 101]

You 'might' make it since they are starting January petitions now but that's not guaranteed and VERY doubtful since they are doing some of Decembers backlog as well. Even IF you were approved tomorrow, then you still have another perhaps two months between the I-129F being approved and you attending the medical and interview and being granted a visa, this is assuming everything goes perfectly

Unless there is military involvement then no, there isn't anything you can do. Even with a military expedite, you're still given a guideline to wait thirty days

Edited May 15, 2012 by photomile

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Can you call the vendors, wedding site, etc., and ask if they can move your reservations to another date -- ideally, one far in the future -- rather than canceling altogether? Otherwise, there's not much you can do.

This is why "Make no plans until a visa is in your hand" is a common refrain on VJ's K-1 forum. The USCIS does not care about our wedding plans and the process is what it is.

Unfortunately, not everyone finds VJ before making mistakes, and USCIS throwing out misinformation doesn't help either.

I agree with calling around and seeing what your vendors/location/etc will do for you. There's really no other options. Good luck to you.

[Therealworld 90]

Y would you have planned this when nothing is set in stone or guaranteed? Unless you were to marry him in his country?

[photomile 101]

Also to save any issues in the future, once you enter the USA you MUST marry within 90 days. A few people do a courthouse wedding and then have a ceremony further down the line. After you marry you'll also need to file for Adjustment of Status...

Here is the link to the flowchart for K1 visa petitioners Click here or click Guides above and select K1 Flowchart if you don't like clicking links.

The good news is that your wait is nearly over. Your petition will be approved soon and you'll still be able to get to the USA and marry, just you have to rejiggle your plans slightly

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Y would you have planned this when nothing is set in stone or guaranteed? Unless you were to marry him in his country?

The OP has already admitted that she has made a mistake, and was going on wrong information that USCIS gave her.

There's no reason to continue to tell her or question the mistake she's made, she's simply asking for advice on whether or not there's anything to do to fix it.

[C-ma'am 684]

Y would you have planned this when nothing is set in stone or guaranteed? Unless you were to marry him in his country?

No need to point this out. She's already admitted to her mistake...

[Hank_ 9,174]

Hello Visa Journey:

I made a huge mistake and scheduled our wedding (read: paid for it), before we were given our NOA2. Filled I-129F in January 18 , NOA1 Feb 8th. Called USCIS to ask about the filing time, because i didn't understand, they told me that after the 5 months he would have a K1 visa in his hand. I have since learned this was not true, but scheduled an entire wedding for mid August.

I have tried to push USCIS to process it faster, and am at my wits end. I now have a wedding, and guests, and everything all set up, but have no idea if the papers will make it in time for me to have a groom.

Do you have any suggestions? I realize a huge mistake has been made, I am now wondering how to fix it.

Suggestion? Contact those that you "paid" and try to get everything put on hold until you have the visa, or accept you may be kissing some $$$s goodbye.

[afoyoswa 178]

From what I have read, there is far more potential for "fixing" this on the wedding/vendor side than on the immigration side. If it were possible to speed things up by making irrevocable wedding plans (or, with regard to another frequent inquiry, by getting pregnant) everyone (including me!) would be doing one or both of those things to cut down the wait.

Good luck sorting this out!

[baron555 934]

Hello Visa Journey:

I made a huge mistake and scheduled our wedding (read: paid for it), before we were given our NOA2. Filled I-129F in January 18 , NOA1 Feb 8th. Called USCIS to ask about the filing time, because i didn't understand, they told me that after the 5 months he would have a K1 visa in his hand. I have since learned this was not true, but scheduled an entire wedding for mid August.

I have tried to push USCIS to process it faster, and am at my wits end. I now have a wedding, and guests, and everything all set up, but have no idea if the papers will make it in time for me to have a groom.

Do you have any suggestions? I realize a huge mistake has been made, I am now wondering how to fix it.

Ask for a refund?

[distressedbride 0]

Weddings are not refundable. They point this out, and unfortunately that was the only thing I did understand. When you are within 90 days of the wedding you have completely paid for it. You will not be getting any of that money back, and in our case, it is a considerable sum.

I guess part of me wanted a normal person wedding, because if you live in a city, and you want a wedding, you cannot plan one in the 90 days they give you. You would have to get married twice.

We are discussing options of changing our wedding into a party, and not making it official. But this involves risking that the border protection people won't believe us, and won't let him come to his now downgraded wedding/party.

We are also looking into pushing the application along after is it through USCIS. Has anyone had any luck with this? Does congressional help work?

-Megan

[LeftCoastLady 441]

Weddings are not refundable. They point this out, and unfortunately that was the only thing I did understand. When you are within 90 days of the wedding you have completely paid for it. You will not be getting any of that money back, and in our case, it is a considerable sum.

I guess part of me wanted a normal person wedding, because if you live in a city, and you want a wedding, you cannot plan one in the 90 days they give you. You would have to get married twice.

We are discussing options of changing our wedding into a party, and not making it official. But this involves risking that the border protection people won't believe us, and won't let him come to his now downgraded wedding/party.

We are also looking into pushing the application along after is it through USCIS. Has anyone had any luck with this? Does congressional help work?

-Megan

Not sure what a "normal person" wedding is, but being in a relationship with someone from another country makes people on VJ anything but normal. Unfortunately, once you mail off the petition, the process is in someone else's hands. I doubt a member of Congress could assist you once it goes to the embassy level, though.

Edited May 15, 2012 by LeftCoastLady

[agrabs 241]

We are also looking into pushing the application along after is it through USCIS. Has anyone had any luck with this? Does congressional help work?

-Megan

I'm not sure there is anything you can do to "push it long". While things do move a lot faster once you have your NOA2, it can still take some time. There is a current thread on the amount of time it is taking for petitions to get sent to and processed through NVC. For me it was longer than I had anticipated.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/367334-people-in-the-nvc-stage-of-their-k-1-visa/

[bvpshenvalley2 1]

My guess is that you can have a wedding without making it official (no license, no official that can pronounce you married). When you get the visa, have a small court house wedding (with witnesses). I don't think UCSIS will question if nothing is official. They will question if you do something official as I have read of a couple that married before their fiance visa came through. The last I read, the wife was not allowed in the US for 10 years.