Wedding date approaching fast! NEED HELP preparing while we wait for NOA2

[KimmySumShuga 0]

Hi everyone,

I know you will scold me for this but............

we already have a wedding date - Sept 21, 2012

I filed for the K-1 in March & got NOA1 March 21 and the NOA2 projection says approval should be between Aug 7 - 11.

I know it may take longer... sooooooooo

Without all the "You shouldn't have made plans before having the visa" comments,

can I get some advice on how to best prepare ourselves for the rest of the process?

Are there background checks or anything that we can process now?

Is there anything we can prepare ahead of time so we are ready when we get NOA2 and the rest of the process can go smooth & quick?

Please be kind... I get it, we might have to cancel our fiance visa and apply for spousal after our wedding

BUT I'm still praying and holding out hope so plz just be proactive & positive in your advice.

Thank you!

Edited July 11, 2012 by KimmySumShuga

[LeftCoastLady 441]

You should plan on withdrawing your K-1 petition and plan on filing for a spousal visa if your wedding date isn't able to be moved. It takes, on average, about 2-3 months from receipt of the NOA2 to interview for the K-1 for UK beneficiaries. Considering it's taking a while for cases to get to and through NVC, that would add on additional time. There really aren't any steps you can do in advance until you have the petition approved and it's on the way to London.

Read up on the spousal petition: http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

Edited July 11, 2012 by LeftCoastLady

[CarolAnn&Eddy 12]

Sorry Hun but I just don't think you will have an approval before the day you want to get married. We are just a month behind you and not even planning on the possibility of being able to get married until the first of 2013. Can take 3mths or more waiting time after your adjudication date when your petition is approved before your interview. Other than preparing evidence of an ongoing relationship, it is my understanding that other things can not be done in advance.

[JnJ13 13]

You could always figure out what you will need to send to the US embassy in the UK once you have your NOA2.

I've got a list (packet 3) printed out of what I will need and started getting some of the things like my long form birth etc. Depending on the rules in the UK you might be able to get your police certificate? vaccines?

Your fiance could also get tax transcripts and such together?

Have you thought about turning your wedding into a party instead?

Hope that helps a little.

Hi everyone,

I know you will scold me for this but............

we already have a wedding date - Sept 21, 2012

I filed for the K-1 in March & got NOA1 March 21 and the NOA2 projection says approval should be between Aug 7 - 11.

I know it may take longer... sooooooooo

Without all the "You shouldn't have made plans before having the visa" comments,

can I get some advice on how to best prepare ourselves for the rest of the process?

Are there background checks or anything that we can process now?

Is there anything we can prepare ahead of time so we are ready when we get NOA2 and the rest of the process can go smooth & quick?

Please be kind... I get it, we might have to cancel our fiance visa and apply for spousal after our wedding

BUT I'm still praying and holding out hope so plz just be proactive & positive in your advice.

Thank you!

[Xanax 349]

In all honesty, you will probably have to withdraw the K-1 petition OR cancel/ change your wedding plans.

It is just not probable that you will make your deadline(s).

You can still go to the US and get married and then file the CR-1 if you want to so you will not miss out on your preplanned wedding day.

--

If you really want to try with your timeline:

- You need your medical done and your police checks done. You can do those now.

- Tax transcripts from your partner and pay stubs.

- You have to organize an interview but you cannot do that without the NOA2 I believe. The interview date can be a day to a month from when you attempt to organize it.

--

I wish you luck, but I am not optimistic.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Xanax

[LeftCoastLady 441]

For London, it's not recommended to schedule the medical exam until the approved petition has arrived at the embassy. They will likely ask for the LND#, which would only happen once the approved petition is forwarded to the NVC. The police certificate, getting any vaccines from the GP to avoid having to get them done at Knightsbridge or in the U.S. can be done in advance.

[Darnell 8,479]

1. learn the legal requirements for getting married in yer state.

2. see #1.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Without all the "You shouldn't have made plans before having the visa" comments,

can I get some advice on how to best prepare ourselves for the rest of the process?

What you can do right now is listed in the first post of this thread in the UK forum http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/350185-london-2012-k1s-from-noa2-to-interview-thread/

It is different than what people from other countries have stated in this thread. The link to the police certificate changed but there is a correction somewhere on the second page of the thread.

I too think it will be unlikely to have a visa in time, but if you want to go for it, there's many tips in that thread.

[Moomin 292]

So basically you're getting married in September no matter what? I'd hold yer horses on withdrawing the i-129f petition. Wait and see how much you can "speed it up" after getting NOA2 (calling NVC, doing medical, polie report etc), and if it gets too close to the wedding day, then withdraw the petition, go ahead and get married and file the cr-1. Since your wedding day is already planned, you won't be loosing time having it at USCIS. Pay close attention to anything that's country specific.

[GandK 168]

Just FYI, for CSC it is currently taking approx. 6-8 weeks from your NOA2 date until your case is received at the embassy.

So it's good that you have plan B.

[bt1 42]

Hi everyone,

I know you will scold me for this but............

we already have a wedding date - Sept 21, 2012

I filed for the K-1 in March & got NOA1 March 21 and the NOA2 projection says approval should be between Aug 7 - 11.

I know it may take longer... sooooooooo

Without all the "You shouldn't have made plans before having the visa" comments,

can I get some advice on how to best prepare ourselves for the rest of the process?

Are there background checks or anything that we can process now?

Is there anything we can prepare ahead of time so we are ready when we get NOA2 and the rest of the process can go smooth & quick?

Please be kind... I get it, we might have to cancel our fiance visa and apply for spousal after our wedding

BUT I'm still praying and holding out hope so plz just be proactive & positive in your advice.

Thank you!

You could just have a party on the already booked wedding date and do the marriage ceremony at a later date, after you received your visa?

[Justine+David 218]

Can you ask your vendors to move the date? On all my contracts with my vendors, I specifically had it in that they would push the date forward (that wasn't taken by another client) if need be due to immigration. I also planned my wedding one year in advance from my initial filing.

[kzielu 1,153]

So basically you're getting married in September no matter what?

Well, what if she is denied entry (which is not so unlikely having petition in the system) while entering for wedding on either VWP or B-2 ?

Much safer thing to do would be to move wedding - no guarantee bride is going to show up unless she already is in US.

[tazzie 6]

I hate to be negative but you are leaving yourself open to disappointment. We applied for our K1 Visa in June 2011 did not receive my visa until February 2012. We made the mistake of planning a January 2012 wedding but had to postpone the date which caused us grief. Give yourself more time, we were advised it takes approximately 5 months before you receive the NOA2 and then another 4-8 weeks until the visa is finalised but then you could be lucky and your application could be processed sooner but that is the exception. We used a lawyer had no RFE and it still took us 8 months to gain K1 Approval, although we did have a 6 week delay due our lawyer (by the ay we are not using a lawyer for the AOS process). Anyways good luck

[HelenBradley 28]

I hate to be negative but you are leaving yourself open to disappointment. We applied for our K1 Visa in June 2011 did not receive my visa until February 2012. We made the mistake of planning a January 2012 wedding but had to postpone the date which caused us grief. Give yourself more time, we were advised it takes approximately 5 months before you receive the NOA2 and then another 4-8 weeks until the visa is finalised but then you could be lucky and your application could be processed sooner but that is the exception. We used a lawyer had no RFE and it still took us 8 months to gain K1 Approval, although we did have a 6 week delay due our lawyer (by the ay we are not using a lawyer for the AOS process). Anyways good luck

If I were you, I'd go to my GP and make sure my vaccines are up to date asap. I'd get my police certificate and all the forms for packet 3 filled out and ready to go. Have your fiance send you the I-134 all filled out and then get ready to schedule your interview and medical as soon as you can.

Read the thread Nick-Nich posted and see if you can speed it up once it hits the embassy. It might be possible to ask for an early/short notice appointment date. (but also maybe not)

Best of luck. I am sorry you are in this situation.