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TheMilkyWay

Waiting on the Italian post office...

By TheMilkyWay in General Immigration-Related Discussion

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TheMilkyWay Apprentice

TheMilkyWay   4

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Italy
 Timeline
Posted

To start off I will explain my situation:

I am a USC currently studying in the US. My fiancee is a Bolivian citizen, and she has been living in Italy for the past seven years. She has Italian residency, but not citizenship. We have been working on the 129-F packet since January, and currently we are waiting on her signed originals to arrive through the Italian post office so that I can mail it off all together. Everything else is ready, and I can mail our 129F as soon as I get her documents. We were together for a few months last year, we have evidence, etc.

I will be going back to Italy at the end of April (just over a month from now, YES!). We decided on the fiancee visa in January because it would give us the best shot of us being able to be married before I go back to school. The other option is to get married when I arrive in Italy followed by application for a spousal visa (I would wait in Italy for her visa, then we would move to the States for me to finish college).

We thought the fiancee visa would be a faster route to getting her to the US. I do not want to miss the fall semester of college because I am almost done, and I want it to be over with. However, since the post office has been horribly slow for things between the US and Italy, we most likely won't be getting her visa in time (September 2013).

Estimates for the K1 visa are around 9 months right now, which would mean she couldn't come to the US until December (if I came back for school). I really don't want to do this long distance thing ever again.

I'm sitting on my hands waiting for her part of the packet to come in the mail so that I can send it off. Because it's taking so long I'm wondering if I should just wait, get married in Italy in May, and file for a spousal visa instead (marriage would end up being in May at the earliest, but we would prepare most of the K3 in advance). I want to be in school this fall, but I would rather be with her.

To be honest, I feel like if she gets her visa while I'm at school I would be so distracted that I would perform poorly and possibly fail some classes. On the other hand, living is expensive in Italy and the job market is far from great.

What would you do, and why?

Thanks for any help/encouragement.

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Arinlars Rising Star

Arinlars   19

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
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Posted

The spousal visa will take as long as the fiance visa and longer.

I don't understand that part with the post though.

I would want to be this second with my fiance and start my happy new life ,I don't care about everything else.. but then it's just me :(

Our K-1 journey * I am the beneficiary *

08/03/2012 sent I-129F

06/27/2013 Interview at Frankfurt Consulate = Approved.

08/09/2013 Wedding!

AOS

09/03/2013 Sent AOS + EAD + AP

12/30/2013 PR card in hand.

ROC

09/29/2015 Sent I-751

10/30/15 Biometrics

05/19/16 Approved

N-400

10/04/2016 Send Package

10/15/2016 NOA

11/04/2016 Biometrics

02/01/2017 Interview

02/23/2017 Oath!

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Apapaia Enthusiast

Apapaia   25

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Italy
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Posted

Hi, I don't know what's wrong with the post office but I got screwed a bunch of times because of Italian mail service. The only thing I can tell you if your fiance wants to send stuff to you, make sure she insures it. A lot of people in my family work in the post office and they told me all kind of stories. Sometimes they open letters or packages just because they think there might be something valuable and so the letter/package never gets to destination.

Check posteitaliane website, their section in English looks like has all the information you need.

Good luck

Giovanna

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TheMilkyWay Apprentice

TheMilkyWay   4

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Italy
 Timeline
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Posted

Hi, I don't know what's wrong with the post office but I got screwed a bunch of times because of Italian mail service. The only thing I can tell you if your fiance wants to send stuff to you, make sure she insures it. A lot of people in my family work in the post office and they told me all kind of stories. Sometimes they open letters or packages just because they think there might be something valuable and so the letter/package never gets to destination.

Check posteitaliane website, their section in English looks like has all the information you need.

Good luck

Thanks! Hopefully it will be getting here soon.

Is there any chance in the world that we receive the fiance visa in less than 6 months? I was told to expect 9 months or more, but I don't want to believe it! Should I marry abroad and stay with her until she gets a spousal visa? This is a tough decision.

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Arinlars Rising Star

Arinlars   19

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Germany
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Posted

Well... we wait currently as well as many other like 10 months :( + 2 more until the interview so is overall 1 year

Our K-1 journey * I am the beneficiary *

08/03/2012 sent I-129F

06/27/2013 Interview at Frankfurt Consulate = Approved.

08/09/2013 Wedding!

AOS

09/03/2013 Sent AOS + EAD + AP

12/30/2013 PR card in hand.

ROC

09/29/2015 Sent I-751

10/30/15 Biometrics

05/19/16 Approved

N-400

10/04/2016 Send Package

10/15/2016 NOA

11/04/2016 Biometrics

02/01/2017 Interview

02/23/2017 Oath!

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,304

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to General Immigration Discussion -- OP is contemplating a visa path. ***

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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TheMilkyWay Apprentice

TheMilkyWay   4

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Italy
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

Well... we wait currently as well as many other like 10 months :( + 2 more until the interview so is overall 1 year

Oh my...I don't think I can wait that long to marry her. I guess I'll be finding out how to get a job in Italy now...

Also, thanks to the admin who moved this thread!

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TBoneTX Grand Master

TBoneTX   45,304

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
 Timeline
Posted
Also, thanks to the admin who moved this thread!
Just an Organizer, but you're welcome, si man. :)

06-04-2007 = TSC stamps postal return-receipt for I-129f.

06-11-2007 = NOA1 date (unknown to me).

07-20-2007 = Phoned Immigration Officer; got WAC#; where's NOA1?

09-25-2007 = Touch (first-ever).

09-28-2007 = NOA1, 23 days after their 45-day promise to send it (grrrr).

10-20 & 11-14-2007 = Phoned ImmOffs; "still pending."

12-11-2007 = 180 days; file is "between workstations, may be early Jan."; touches 12/11 & 12/12.

12-18-2007 = Call; file is with Division 9 ofcr. (bckgrnd check); e-prompt to shake it; touch.

12-19-2007 = NOA2 by e-mail & web, dated 12-18-07 (187 days; 201 per VJ); in mail 12/24/07.

01-09-2008 = File from USCIS to NVC, 1-4-08; NVC creates file, 1/15/08; to consulate 1/16/08.

01-23-2008 = Consulate gets file; outdated Packet 4 mailed to fiancee 1/27/08; rec'd 3/3/08.

04-29-2008 = Fiancee's 4-min. consular interview, 8:30 a.m.; much evidence brought but not allowed to be presented (consul: "More proof! Second interview! Bring your fiance!").

05-05-2008 = Infuriating $12 call to non-English-speaking consulate appointment-setter.

05-06-2008 = Better $12 call to English-speaker; "joint" interview date 6/30/08 (my selection).

06-30-2008 = Stokes Interrogations w/Ecuadorian (not USC); "wait 2 weeks; we'll mail her."

07-2008 = Daily calls to DOS: "currently processing"; 8/05 = Phoned consulate, got Section Chief; wrote him.

08-07-08 = E-mail from consulate, promising to issue visa "as soon as we get her passport" (on 8/12, per DHL).

08-27-08 = Phoned consulate (they "couldn't find" our file); visa DHL'd 8/28; in hand 9/1; through POE on 10/9 with NO hassles(!).

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TheMilkyWay Apprentice

TheMilkyWay   4

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Italy
 Timeline
  • Author
Posted

From what I've read I have three options right now:

1. Fiance Visa - I will stay in the US (apart from my fiancee). Won't be able to submit until originals get to me (could be another week, two weeks, or they could be lost...)

Then I would be waiting 8-12 months before I could marry my fiance. I would visit, but only 90 days. (We are traditional/religious, which makes the waiting a bit of a challenge, I'll have to rent an apartment)

2. Marry in Italy: This has two suboptions

A. Spousal Visa From Abroad(Could be 8-12 months)?

B. Direct Consular Filing - but there are special requirements, right?

Am I correct in these assumptions? Or would my spousal visa application move more quickly because I am abroad? Or more slowly?

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