January 2018 Filers

[LuFlolady 881]

45 minutes ago, JDY said:

So happy to hear that maybe we can hear something earlier!!! 

yes yes yes lets pray USCIS keeps up the pace

[Deehotstepper 230]

49 minutes ago, LuFlolady said:

so glad it finally started raining approvals in October I have been waiting for that because the more it rains the closer we get.

Yeah, you and I are both January 31st fliers, we will hope we get ours early with the early January fliers.

[LuFlolady 881]

My timeline moved up a day!

[Deehotstepper 230]

12 hours ago, ChuAni said:

For Lagos, only 2. I will just choose one and no appointment is needed.

 

Visa Fee; Yes...$265

I can pay in dollars or Naira (no mixing of currency) at any GTBank Branch.

 

DS-160; No! It's totally free. An online Application.

the medical exam fee is $180 right?

Can you pay the $180 medical exam fee in dollars or naira too?

[LuFlolady 881]

1 minute ago, Deehotstepper said:

Yeah, you and I are both January 31st fliers, we will hope we get ours early with the early January fliers.

Im actually Jan 29th received date.....but close enough lol Good luck to the both of us

[ChuAni 1,191]

16 minutes ago, Deehotstepper said:

the medical exam fee is $180 right?

Can you pay the $180 medical exam fee in dollars or naira too?

I think Medical Fee is more than that. She has to have a budget of N110,000-N130,000 (to be paid on getting to the Clinic) depending on the number of vaccine shots she has to take (I will be getting some shots in few days, at Federal Ministry of Health. So, I may not take the shots at the Clinic during the Medicals).

 

I asked an Applicant (she just travelled to US with K-1) and she confirmef the vaccines given during the Medical..

*MMR

*TD

*VARICELLA

*POLIO

 

So, she has to pay in Naira.

[Snuffles 394]

10 hours ago, lilit829 said:

I honestly think even sooner. Some people in October started seeing approvals at day 160. 

That would be amazing. Although the pessimist in me looks at those in June, July, August who are well over 200, even nearing 300. Just a reality check I want to prepare for if that's us. I can't imagine waiting that long. Mind you, if it takes us that long, we will organise a visit because I can't go through the rest of the year not seeing him. 

[Snuffles 394]

4 hours ago, LuFlolady said:

My timeline moved up a day!

YAY!

[SMK 89 68]

17 hours ago, Jlomartin said:

@D&B and @SMK 89 I am also from Canada (beneficiary) 😃. I sign onto VJ on my fiancé’s account here and there to see if I have any questions or members I can relate to. I am so glad I have found 2!!!

 

My Fiancé the petitioner is front New Jersey.  I was just there last February 7- March 13. I had no issues at customs. I brought all documents with me like letter of employment, bank statements, etc just in case they asked for them but to my surprise the officer didn’t! 

 

I have requested for my current immunization record so far. I will be requesting for my criminal record check in June and I need to request to have a copy of my original birth certificate. Also, I am making sure my fiancé has everything ready too just to speed up the process.

 

We plan to have the civil ceremony in NJ ASAP because we plan to have our catholic ceremony in Winnipeg next year May 2019 (hoping the AOS process goes smoothly).  If not worst case scenario I can apply for a waiver to exit and enter U.S. while waiting for my AOS. We have the venue and wedding coordinator booked and have inquired about the deposits we made. Thankfully they said as long as we change the date within the year they’re okay with that we don’t lose any of our deposits!

 

My Fiancé will be coming in May for 2 weeks for a visit! So I cannot wait! After May the next visit is hopefully my POE! 

 

Such a breath of fresh air to see my fellow Canadians on here! 

@Jlomartin welcome! It seems we are all trying to get proactive! When did you file your I-129F? January? We were also planning on having a civil ceremony ASAP after the K1 Visa, especially with the timelines being all over the place based on what we've been reading online. It's good we can keep each other posted on our progress/trips/etc! I hope you have a wonderful visit in May! It's so nice to hear from multiple canadians that coming for longer visits isn't that troublesome at the boarder. I was so worried about not being able to come back for long-ish visits throughout this process but it seems that as long as you are verbally very upfront with the CBP officers/agents, you don't need to worry about all the fuss and "proving" your case/ties to Canada. I feel like i was almost imagining a court hearing every time i crossed the boarder with loads of paper work that they would tell me isn't sufficient evidence of my ties, etc. Clearly i am a worrier, over thinker, and at times my own worst enemy haha 

 

@D&B I completely understand your need to keep extending visits in Nashville especially during the summer months! It's why i was also so heartbroken thinking I wouldn't be able to come back again for awhile after May - now i'm getting the feeling like we discussed before that this won't be the case ! I'm hoping that if I come back again early June I can stay through until the end of July (fiancee's bday is the end of July - obvi gotta be here! lol). Unless of course, we get that NOA2, and the NVC process doesn't take a million years and I have to rush home to go get that Medical. In which case, I'd be more than happy to come back for that!! What a gift that would be.

 

You mentioned passport photos - we had to send ones in with our I-129F as well and what I ended up doing was going to Shoppers Drug Mart (they have those all over Canada right?) and telling the lady that I needed a US Visa/Passport photo, and specified that it had to be 2x2. She actually went to the back and i guess looked on a chart they have where she looked up what the "US requirements" were. Of course she had the 2x2 dimensions in cm's in the back due to our metrics systems, but she was great about taking the photo. She made me pull my hair back, took pictures a few times telling me to use a kleenex to take off some shine on my nose and stuff like that depending on how the picture looked on the screen, and other little quarks that she said were things specifically the U.S. is very particular about versus what she'd do for a Canadian passport photo. Of course I looked terrible in the photo - hair slicked back and out of the way, straight face, very little make-up, "no dewy shine look" of youth haha. BUT whatever it takes to make sure we get a green light on all fronts! So long story short (not so short, sorry), you can definitely take your photos in TN to be sure, but I think make sure the photos are also "recent" enough with the date stamped... especially with our uncertain timelines. I'm thinking of getting my pictures done right before the medical exam i eventually end up booking so they can't fuss at how recent (or not) the photos are. 

 

I'm curious to see what booster shots I need to get vaccinated for. I looked up the list of "US immigration" vaccine requirements per the CDC and think i'll bring all that to my family doctor, along with my immunization record (by the way you can request it online if you got your immunizations in Ontario if you go here: https://esthu.icon.ehealthontario.ca/#!/welcome and select view immunizations. If you are from a different province, just google your province's Public Health office(s), pick one close to where you live, and find "immunization record request" or something like that on their site). I may also request the family doctor to do an "Anti-bodies Titer" test for all the vaccines needed to prove in one report that i am immunized currently for all (for example, Varicella is chicken pox so a blood test would prove that having it as a child has you still immune). 

 

I tried posting a new topic in the Canada forum to see what current Canadian NOA2 recipients are experiencing timeline wise to receive their NVC Case number to gain access to interview time slots. Hopefully we get some traction! 

 

 

[Amiina and Kim 21]

On 3/11/2018 at 4:06 PM, nowayout203 said:

Yes and no. Here's what I can offer; others feel free to correct/add:

 

- K-1 visa is valid for a one-time entry, up to 90 days. Within that 90-day period, the petitioner and visa holder must marry to be eligible to retain status, or the visa holder must leave the US.

- After marriage, file for adjustment of status (I-485) to retain legal status while the adjustment is pending approval. You may also concurrently file for advance parole (I-131) to seek permission to leave and re-enter the US while the I-485 is pending; typical processing time is approximately 3 months. Leaving the US while the I-485 is pending without advance parole will be treated as abandonment of the I-485 and any legal status. Note that advance parole itself does not guarantee re-admission, but leaving without advance parole almost certainly guarantees that you won't be able to return without a new immigrant visa.

- Upon approval of the I-485 (which may take one year or more), a green card (permanent resident card) will be issued (possibly for only a 2-year validity, depending on how much time has elapsed since the marriage). The green card can be used to re-enter the US, assuming it has not expired and you are not judged to have abandoned your permanent residence status by remaining outside of the US for too long.

Hi, my fiance and I have planned a Disney Cruise wedding in December.  He needs a visa to Bahamas.  Will this affect his reentry back to the US?  What do we need to know or prepare before we go?

[GP1977 288]

1 minute ago, Amiina and Kim said:

Hi, my fiance and I have planned a Disney Cruise wedding in December.  He needs a visa to Bahamas.  Will this affect his reentry back to the US?  What do we need to know or prepare before we go?

Unless you have adjusted status or you file for advance parole you cannot leave the country and then re-enter on a k1. Postpone the trip till after you have adjusted status. The k1. Visa is a 1 time entry and if your fiancé leaves you will have to restart the process or file for a cr1 if you are already married and that will take upwards of 15 months 

[Amiina and Kim 21]

6 minutes ago, GP1977 said:

Unless you have adjusted status or you file for advance parole you cannot leave the country and then re-enter on a k1. Postpone the trip till after you have adjusted status. The k1. Visa is a 1 time entry and if your fiancé leaves you will have to restart the process or file for a cr1 if you are already married and that will take upwards of 15 months 

We must be married prior to departure of the cruise.  Can marry on port.  It sounds like we must do it prior to sailing.

 

Did I understand the I-131 can take up to 3 months?  Can we file this parole thing? Wow it sounds like prison 😂😂😂

Edited April 12, 2018 by Amiina and Kim

[GP1977 288]

2 minutes ago, Amiina and Kim said:

We must be married prior to departure of the cruise.  Can marry on port.  It sounds like we must do it prior to sailing.

 

Did I understand the I-131 can take up to 3 months?  Can we file this parole thing? Wow it sounds like prison 😂😂😂

Adjustment of status is 3-6 months.

not sure what the qualifications are for advanced parole or AP, I could be wrong but I believe it’s for emergency situations (death in family). It does cost 500. And it’s no guarantee they let you back in. It’s all up to customs and they can still refuse to let you in even with Ap. I would honestly wait till you have adjusted status and then do the cruise. It’s not worth it unless you have to leave 

[GP1977 288]

6 minutes ago, Amiina and Kim said:

We must be married prior to departure of the cruise.  Can marry on port.  It sounds like we must do it prior to sailing.

 

Did I understand the I-131 can take up to 3 months?  Can we file this parole thing? Wow it sounds like prison 😂😂😂

Also, the cruise and marriage thing have no bearing on re-entering the USA. The only thing that is important is you Marry within 90 days, don’t leave the country and expect to come back in unless you have adjusted status or have advance parole. Yes it’s like prison lol. Cr1 avoids all of this as you get a free card upon entry but process takes a lot longer 

[emekus94 1,125]

12 hours ago, ChuAni said:

I think Medical Fee is more than that. She has to have a budget of N110,000-N130,000 (to be paid on getting to the Clinic) depending on the number of vaccine shots she has to take (I will be getting some shots in few days, at Federal Ministry of Health. So, I may not take the shots at the Clinic during the Medicals).

 

I asked an Applicant (she just travelled to US with K-1) and she confirmef the vaccines given during the Medical..

*MMR

*TD

*VARICELLA

*POLIO

 

So, she has to pay in Naira.

Actually, I have had two recent people with no medical records do their medicals And it cost them a little less than N90,000. At the Children's practice in Lagos with Dr. Alexandra Ange

I think the N110,000+ amount was from back when the inflation game was high in Naija 
Of course it's always safe to have the money, but I don't think it will cost more than #100,000.