How likely is this prediction

[Unidentified 2,930]

17 hours ago, Zumbadaddy said:

I keep receiving updates like this.

We sent in our K1 application on

2/28... RECEIVED 3/1

 

Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between September 11, 2018 and September 15, 2018*. 

 

We are hoping to plan our wedding for the 2nd week of January but don't want to reserve anything until the K1 approval... from what I'm told..after that its the medical exam and interview and that should go pretty fast once the K1 is approved.

 

Opinions on this?

Never plan/book anything before you have your visa in hand. Especially do not plan anything by the VJ timelines. Those are incredibly inaccurate.

[JenD 180]

17 hours ago, Zumbadaddy said:

I keep receiving updates like this.

We sent in our K1 application on

2/28... RECEIVED 3/1

 

Based on timeline data, your I129f may be adjudicated between September 11, 2018 and September 15, 2018*. 

 

We are hoping to plan our wedding for the 2nd week of January but don't want to reserve anything until the K1 approval... from what I'm told..after that its the medical exam and interview and that should go pretty fast once the K1 is approved.

 

Opinions on this?

Agree with everyone here. Even after our K1 was approved it took USCIS over 6 weeks to send it to the NVC. There's just no way of knowing. We had a lovely civil ceremony on the beach when my husband got here, and then a bigger wedding ceremony and reception four months later.

[C&AH 104]

14 minutes ago, JenD said:

Agree with everyone here. Even after our K1 was approved it took USCIS over 6 weeks to send it to the NVC. There's just no way of knowing. We had a lovely civil ceremony on the beach when my husband got here, and then a bigger wedding ceremony and reception four months later.

Our VJ timeline still says June 20 to 23. Still waiting. Don't go by VJ, it is based on statistics. It is impossible to predict a timeline with certainty when dealing with the Federal Government. They are completely swamped with cases. My wife says, "venga cuando venga" (it comes when it comes). Just keep yourself busy and reserve your plans until you tangibly have the visa in hand.

Edited July 10, 2018 by C&AH

[Loren Y 2,756]

1 hour ago, Zumbadaddy said:

Thanks Tex... Yes we have put it all on hold... I'm really hoping it does go smoothly but yes I understand...

 

OK so what about once the visa is approved and applying for the marriage license... doesn't that take several weeks?

Marriage license should be a one day affair at the most. Check the regulations where you plan to get married. I am getting married in Las Vegas, NV and If I go to the marriage license bureau with nothing filled out and just ID's in hand and use one of the kiosks I can have the license in about 20 minuets. Now, I need things faster as I don't have time to waste parking meter isn't free downtown.... Oh wait, yes it is, I have an electric vehicle LOL. But I can fill out the whole application online before I go down to the License bureau then you walk up with your conformation page from the online registration they scan the bar code, everything comes up, they verify your ID's, and issue the license. From what I have seen while in there people have got their license in less than 5 minuets registering online beforehand, that's why I know about it.

[Dashinka 24,641]

4 hours ago, geowrian said:

Advance Parole (AP). However, this is taking ~3-6 months from filing, and you must file for it at the same time or after filing for AOS.

Emergency AP is available on an as-needed basis, but to attend a graduation would certainly not fall under that.

Agreed, graduation most likely would not qualify for an emergency AP.

 

To the OP, I would suggest you sit down and discuss the overall process with your fiancé beyond the K1.  The AOS/AP/EAD step after a K1 marriage takes some time and as others have mentioned, the wait times seem to be getting longer at this stage.  Then there is the overall adjustment your fiancé will face with picking up her life from one country/culture and adapting to another.  It is good for both of you to understand the process and what is to come.

 

Good Luck!

[TM92 527]

18 hours ago, Zumbadaddy said:

.. but my fiance's coworkers from Japan will all be here in Florida the 2nd week of January so if we scheduled it for that weekend it would work perfectly... otherwise they won't be coming to the wedding for sure.

4 hours ago, Zumbadaddy said:

... my fiance's son graduates college in April

If the 2 things above are really important you could consider cancelling the K-1, marrying in the US in January, and do the CR-1 route:

 

[Humberto Afonso 2]

Me and my wife start working in the process in December of 2016, K1 was granted in late or early, November or early December that year (I'm not even sure no more), we had the marriage schedule for December 29, I entered US the 18 or 19, if I´m not mistaken, we got married in the day we had planned, 29 December 17. Thank God,  at least the date of the of the marriage we could comply, always on stress, because we sent invitations to my family and friends in Portugal and to her family in friends, in the US and in other parts of the world all without knowing when would the K1 visa be granted so we were all under stress control management. After marriage we went for next steps, Biometrics, EAD application, travel document application, and adjustment of status all this apllications received by USCIS in March 7, 2018, we went to Green Card interview, 2 or 3 weeks ago. Meanwhile still didn't receive Employment Authorization Card that includes Travel document, meaning that I can't get a social security number, meaning I see a lot of work opportunities but I can't get them even if this companies are interested in my work because I cant even tell them when I will be having all the necessary documents. So I'm in USA for 6 months bored without a lot to do waiting for EAD, of course can't travel outside of the country either not even to go and see my 7 years daughter in Portugal (fortunately she came here in April). So all this takes a lotttttt of time, and from what I see and read it's taking a lot more time then in the past. When we started this process we thought it would be a less then a year thing.  Innocents we were. Schedules, and timelines stressed me so much during all this, that I choose to forget all the timelines expectations and just let things flow. Fortunately we have the money to be here without working for years but it's boring not be able to have a normal life and this process is brain consuming.

[Diane and Chris 651]

@Loren Y Do you have a fiancée involved in this process?  Or is the K-1 Visa for you?  

Edited July 11, 2018 by Diane and Chris
Left out name

[Scandi 4,173]

Just because it takes x months on average right now to get NOA2, doesn't mean it will for you.

 

When we filed the average processing time was 2-3 months from NOA1 to NOA2, "everyone" was approved that fast.

For us, however, it took 6 months. Twice as long as "everyone else".

 

We are very glad we didn't plan anything, absolutely nothing (no wedding ceremony, no date, no plane tickets, nothing), because we most likely wouldn't have made it and would've lost the money we had put into the preparations. 

Edited July 11, 2018 by Scandi

[ImagineMe 35]

Had our noa1 Aug 3rd. By the time my fiance gets here, it will almost be a year. That was with an noa2 late April, nvc and consulate received late May, and interview on June 21st. Only a little more time due to my fiance needing to leave s Korea to see family in China, so she waited til she got back to send her passport which was yesterday. They say around 10 business days for her to get her passport back with visa so she can finally schedule a flight.

That's a more realistic timeline I believe these days. Seen its only gotten worse for many.

 

Plus we will do a small ceremony within the 90 days to make it legal, then plan our bigger international wedding next year just to be safe.

Edited July 11, 2018 by ImagineMe

[Zumbadaddy 57]

2 hours ago, TM92 said:

If the 2 things above are really important you could consider cancelling the K-1, marrying in the US in January, and do the CR-1 route:

whats the CR1 Route?

 

[Zumbadaddy 57]

Thank you all so much.  Last year when i was planning everything... the K1 application... I really thought it would take only about 4-6 months and then once we got our application in and USCIS said on March 1st they were working on Application dated September 1st... I was like from 7 months ago?...

 

And I';m thinking my god... how can someone really work so slow and get paid.  I can't imagine it really takes that long to review the applications... I just think these govt workers really drag their feet.  I mean I know they don't get paid a lot (prob minimum wage) but they can't be fired ...they could come to work almost naked and still not be fired.  This entire process could probably be streamlined if it was digital... BAR CODE EVERYTHING AND BOOM DONE.

 

It's just so frustrating... and I can see my fiance getting frustrated with the waiting like I am.... ugggghhhhh

[Unidentified 2,930]

Just now, Zumbadaddy said:

Thank you all so much.  Last year when i was planning everything... the K1 application... I really thought it would take only about 4-6 months and then once we got our application in and USCIS said on March 1st they were working on Application dated September 1st... I was like from 7 months ago?...

 

And I';m thinking my god... how can someone really work so slow and get paid.  I can't imagine it really takes that long to review the applications... I just think these govt workers really drag their feet.  I mean I know they don't get paid a lot (prob minimum wage) but they can't be fired ...they could come to work almost naked and still not be fired.  This entire process could probably be streamlined if it was digital... BAR CODE EVERYTHING AND BOOM DONE.

 

It's just so frustrating... and I can see my fiance getting frustrated with the waiting like I am.... ugggghhhhh

They deal with so many applications every year. They are human beings. Nothing with immigration is fast. Honestly, the part about them being naked is just ridiculous and childish. Immigrating here is a privilege, not a right. 

[Zumbadaddy 57]

2 hours ago, TM92 said:

If the 2 things above are really important you could consider cancelling the K-1, marrying in the US in January, and do the CR-1 route:

 

 

2 minutes ago, Unidentified said:

They deal with so many applications every year. They are human beings. Nothing with immigration is fast. Honestly, the part about them being naked is just ridiculous and childish. Immigrating here is a privilege, not a right. 

 

2 minutes ago, Unidentified said:

They deal with so many applications every year. They are human beings. Nothing with immigration is fast. Honestly, the part about them being naked is just ridiculous and childish. Immigrating here is a privilege, not a right. 

I just know for a fact about government workers... I have a good friend that works for the IRS...they try to work her with an iron fist but she let me know they basically can't be fired for nothing.

 

Sorry you don't like my comment. 

 

When I have traveled to other countries... Japan for example immigration there is so organized compared to here, China, Canada, Mexico...

 

I know then why don't I go live there...lol... because I have 3 kids, family, friends and a business here that provides.

[geowrian 22,337]

11 minutes ago, Zumbadaddy said:

And I';m thinking my god... how can someone really work so slow and get paid.  I can't imagine it really takes that long to review the applications... I just think these govt workers really drag their feet.  I mean I know they don't get paid a lot (prob minimum wage) but they can't be fired ...they could come to work almost naked and still not be fired.  This entire process could probably be streamlined if it was digital... BAR CODE EVERYTHING AND BOOM DONE.

What indication is that they are processing petitions and applications so slowly? It's primarily a workload issue, not a processing time issue. IN 2016, an I-129F was taking as little as 30 days...were they working faster back then or something?

Why can't they be fired? I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding about how these types of employees work. These aren't the "fat cats" that sit in an office all day long waiting for a pension to arrive. Many are contract workers. They are constantly evaluated on KPIs. Think of a call center, except with immigration. It's not a glorious lifestyle.

 

Many forms are being digitized (at least barcodes), with the most common form types coming first. The common end-of-the-line (naturalization, I-90, AR-11/COA) forms are completely digital forms. There's complex issues with doing this for all forms, such as the I-129F since the supporting evidence many times are not items you can just scan and have properly reviewed and verified. Once you throw in handling of information that could come from any source in the world, much of which cannot be verified with just a scan, digitizing this not a simple task and it will take time.

I worked on multiple large scale digitization processes for a number of firms. This isn't limited to government entities, but is complicated even further by both being government and being immigration.

it's no excuse for why they are not there yet, and the process can certainly be improved, but it is NOT like they are just sitting on it either.  There are a number of open and recently closed public RFPs for some of these improvements.