ATTENTION JULY FILERS!

[Arrta 1]

wow, that totally sucks.

they rejected it on the fact they list the receive date as July 30th. and thats the first day of the new fee increase. The 27th was a friday and if they signed for it in the mail in the afternoon, they wouldnt process it in to their system until the following monday morning july 30th. They arent using postmarks but their own receive date which is posted on your NOA1. so to them the fee is incorrect. What a hassle to resend it and lose the time also. i feel for you but i dont think they will allow you to use the old fee or received date. They dont recognize the postmark or delivery signature. they only recognize when they process it in which was that monday July 30th.

tough break, maybe they will speed yours up alittle since its already packaged in their format and ready to go.

Chris

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds its customers that the agency’s new fee schedule is effective on Monday, July 30, 2007. Applications or petitions postmarked or otherwise filed on or after that date must include the new fee.

I know it sucks.. But you should have used priority mail.. BUT since you got delivery notification from before the 30th I would fight it.You will lose as you are fighting the government But I would fight it.

[Arrta 1]

GET A LAWYER!!!! re-submit with new fee to prevent delays but keep reciepts of delivery and get a lawyer...USCIS clearly said that they would accept old fees as long as postmark was before 30th july. May not make a difference but then again it may....anything is worth a try to be with our loved ones.

I wouldn't say they CLEARLY stated it.. as I see "otherwise filed" as being the terminology they use to say, "We told you"

Find me the "CLEARLY stated" phrase and I will change my view on this.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

I was wondering when we'd begin seeing cases that were given a bit of trouble because of the fee change. I'm sorry this has happened. Best of luck to you.

[deleting profile 0]

wow, that totally sucks.

they rejected it on the fact they list the receive date as July 30th. and thats the first day of the new fee increase. The 27th was a friday and if they signed for it in the mail in the afternoon, they wouldnt process it in to their system until the following monday morning july 30th. They arent using postmarks but their own receive date which is posted on your NOA1. so to them the fee is incorrect. What a hassle to resend it and lose the time also. i feel for you but i dont think they will allow you to use the old fee or received date. They dont recognize the postmark or delivery signature. they only recognize when they process it in which was that monday July 30th.

tough break, maybe they will speed yours up alittle since its already packaged in their format and ready to go.

Chris

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds its customers that the agency’s new fee schedule is effective on Monday, July 30, 2007.

I know it sucks.. But you should have used priority mail.. BUT since you got delivery notification from before the 30th I would fight it.You will lose as you are fighting the government But I would fight it.

Thanks for the comments,

We don't have much hope in winning this battle...the war is what really counts.

Fact is, that we did send the petition priority mail and we have all the proof of delivery that meets the criteria set out on the USCIS website (Applications or petitions postmarked or otherwise filed on or after that date must include the new fee.) Our application was POSTMARKED and filed before the new fee came into effect.

We will do what we can do. We've had our cry and "######" session over this, now it's time to move on. I guess we will have to see what the outcome of all this is to determine if we will still be July filers, or will now be September filers

Edited September 8, 2007 by deleting profile

[Jeraly 4]

Opinion post....

Do you think it would be crazy of me to book February 23,2008 for our wedding day?? Approvals seems to be taking right around 90-120 days - and on the forms that go to the embassy in the SO's country it says have you made travel arrangements, set wedding dates etc. Also, the lady i am in contact with at the Embassy in Syria told me to let her know as soon as i've gotten approval and she'll keep an eye out for his file. Should I trust all of this?

My mom and I went to look at a few places today and they all say hurry and book before there is nothing left. I am afraid that if i don't book we'll get approved and i'll be having my wedding at some VFW (no offense to those who are going that route, its just not our style). But i'm afraid if i do book it'll be february before we even get our NOA2.

Also - i guess this question is for Zee - your the only one who is semi local i've noticed - Have you begun looking around for reception sites - just wondered what the per head cost has been for you if you have. We saw two places today both seemed to be comparable in price - not in atmosphere tho - around 70-75 dollars per head - including open bar and one of them even a chocolate fondue fountain with every fruit imaginable, drink fountain, and cake from a well known well respected baker in the area.

I think i'm going to take a break and send some pics to print - Snapfish has a sale today and tomrorow yet on digital picture developing for just 9 cents a pic - enter the coupon code Cloud9 when ordering!!

Have a great nite everyone! If we can't look forward to approvals - we can certainly look forward to the weekend!

As I have mentioned many times - I am having a February wedding. We set the date in our minds ages ago when we didn't realise how long the visa process took. By the time we realised how long it could take we had already booked the wedding. We are having the wedding no matter what - we have our perfect location, I have my dress everything is booked now pretty much. BUT we have also acknowledged that to avoid cancelling the wedding, we may have to cancel our K-1 visa then go through the (longer) K-3 process if the K-1 doesn't arrive in time. It's a crappy situation but unfortunately due to our rather poor initial research(!) it is our only option short of cancelling the wedding altogether

You just have to decide what is important to you and realise that even if you do book the February wedding it isn't going to allow you to be with your OH quicker if you don't have the K-1 in hand. In fact it could take even longer as you would have to do what I may have to: cancel the K-1, get married then be apart while you apply for the K-3. If you only want a Feb wedding to try and be with your OH quicker it won't happen and could work against you. If you want a Feb wedding because you really have a date set in mind that you want (my date is exactly between mine and Jeremy's birthdays) then by all means go for it but be prepared for the consequences!

I think we all need a break from this site (including myself) stress levels are waaaaaaaaay too high in this forum. My prescription to all of you guys is to take at least a one day break from VJ, do something distracting like go out with friends or exercise or something, and come back refreshed.

I know that's what I'm doing! Have a nice weekend everybody, Peace & Love.

Yeah! This was always a nice thread!!! What's going on?! It's easy to lose sight of the big picture and we're all in this together so let's just chill!!

*hug*

[Rob & Jin 0]

Opinion post....

Do you think it would be crazy of me to book February 23,2008 for our wedding day?? Approvals seems to be taking right around 90-120 days - and on the forms that go to the embassy in the SO's country it says have you made travel arrangements, set wedding dates etc. Also, the lady i am in contact with at the Embassy in Syria told me to let her know as soon as i've gotten approval and she'll keep an eye out for his file. Should I trust all of this?

My mom and I went to look at a few places today and they all say hurry and book before there is nothing left. I am afraid that if i don't book we'll get approved and i'll be having my wedding at some VFW (no offense to those who are going that route, its just not our style). But i'm afraid if i do book it'll be february before we even get our NOA2.

Also - i guess this question is for Zee - your the only one who is semi local i've noticed - Have you begun looking around for reception sites - just wondered what the per head cost has been for you if you have. We saw two places today both seemed to be comparable in price - not in atmosphere tho - around 70-75 dollars per head - including open bar and one of them even a chocolate fondue fountain with every fruit imaginable, drink fountain, and cake from a well known well respected baker in the area.

I think i'm going to take a break and send some pics to print - Snapfish has a sale today and tomrorow yet on digital picture developing for just 9 cents a pic - enter the coupon code Cloud9 when ordering!!

Have a great nite everyone! If we can't look forward to approvals - we can certainly look forward to the weekend!

As I have mentioned many times - I am having a February wedding. We set the date in our minds ages ago when we didn't realise how long the visa process took. By the time we realised how long it could take we had already booked the wedding. We are having the wedding no matter what - we have our perfect location, I have my dress everything is booked now pretty much. BUT we have also acknowledged that to avoid cancelling the wedding, we may have to cancel our K-1 visa then go through the (longer) K-3 process if the K-1 doesn't arrive in time. It's a crappy situation but unfortunately due to our rather poor initial research(!) it is our only option short of cancelling the wedding altogether

You just have to decide what is important to you and realise that even if you do book the February wedding it isn't going to allow you to be with your OH quicker if you don't have the K-1 in hand. In fact it could take even longer as you would have to do what I may have to: cancel the K-1, get married then be apart while you apply for the K-3. If you only want a Feb wedding to try and be with your OH quicker it won't happen and could work against you. If you want a Feb wedding because you really have a date set in mind that you want (my date is exactly between mine and Jeremy's birthdays) then by all means go for it but be prepared for the consequences!

I think we all need a break from this site (including myself) stress levels are waaaaaaaaay too high in this forum. My prescription to all of you guys is to take at least a one day break from VJ, do something distracting like go out with friends or exercise or something, and come back refreshed.

I know that's what I'm doing! Have a nice weekend everybody, Peace & Love.

Yeah! This was always a nice thread!!! What's going on?! It's easy to lose sight of the big picture and we're all in this together so let's just chill!!

*hug*

Hi everyone my names Rob, fiancee is Jin, hope everyone is doing well. It looks like it is avaraging around 110 days for Noa2 at the moment, but its creeping up more towards 120 for the may folks. i predict most people will be looking at 120 + days soon.

Sucks but nothing we can do about that, hang in there it will pass and we will all soon be with our loves.

Edited September 8, 2007 by Rob & Jin

[chris4gretchen 1]

Opinion post....

Do you think it would be crazy of me to book February 23,2008 for our wedding day??

As I have mentioned many times - I am having a February wedding. We set the date in our minds ages ago when we didn't realise how long the visa process took. By the time we realised how long it could take we had already booked the wedding. We are having the wedding no matter what - we have our perfect location, I have my dress everything is booked now pretty much. BUT we have also acknowledged that to avoid cancelling the wedding, we may have to cancel our K-1 visa then go through the (longer) K-3 process if the K-1 doesn't arrive in time. It's a crappy situation but unfortunately due to our rather poor initial research(!) it is our only option short of cancelling the wedding altogether

You just have to decide what is important to you and realise that even if you do book the February wedding it isn't going to allow you to be with your OH quicker if you don't have the K-1 in hand. In fact it could take even longer as you would have to do what I may have to: cancel the K-1, get married then be apart while you apply for the K-3. If you only want a Feb wedding to try and be with your OH quicker it won't happen and could work against you. If you want a Feb wedding because you really have a date set in mind that you want (my date is exactly between mine and Jeremy's birthdays) then by all means go for it but be prepared for the consequences!

Which is exactly what i posted to her earlier. either you decide you are doing the K1 and you put all other plans on hold ( including wedding plans) and the visa "process" is the most important, OR you have the wedding you want on the exact day and place and everything and you THEN do the visa process making the "wedding" the most important part. but she didnt care too much for my opinion. maybe she will appreciate yours alittle better.....

Chris

[Bill y Bella 0]

My apologies for multiple posts of the same thing, but I think that it is important that everyone is aware of this.

As some of you may remember, I raised the question a while back as to what dates should be entered as the NOA1 & NOA2 dates on a VJ timeline. There were a lot of opinions expressed, but personally I was still not comfortable that I knew the correct answer.

I was beginning to write a letter today to the moderators asking them to provide a clear answer to this question. As I was looking at the timeline edit page to double check my terminology I noticed a link entitled How to find your NOA date.

Is this new or was it there all the time? I do not remember seeing it before. In any case, this link makes it clear that the date that should be entered as the NOA date on a VJ timeline is the Notice Date on the hard copy of the I-797 Notice of Action. This has nothing to do with how USCIS handles petitions. It is simply a VJ procedural guideline that is provided so that everyone is entering data on a consistent basis.

This guideline applies to both the NOA1 and the NOA2 date.

If we all update our timelines to reflect this, then the VJ statistics and projections will be as accurate and consistent as possible.

[Rob & Jin 0]

My apologies for multiple posts of the same thing, but I think that it is important that everyone is aware of this.

As some of you may remember, I raised the question a while back as to what dates should be entered as the NOA1 & NOA2 dates on a VJ timeline. There were a lot of opinions expressed, but personally I was still not comfortable that I knew the correct answer.

I was beginning to write a letter today to the moderators asking them to provide a clear answer to this question. As I was looking at the timeline edit page to double check my terminology I noticed a link entitled How to find your NOA date.

Is this new or was it there all the time? I do not remember seeing it before. In any case, this link makes it clear that the date that should be entered as the NOA date on a VJ timeline is the Notice Date on the hard copy of the I-797 Notice of Action. This has nothing to do with how USCIS handles petitions. It is simply a VJ procedural guideline that is provided so that everyone is entering data on a consistent basis.

This guideline applies to both the NOA1 and the NOA2 date.

If we all update our timelines to reflect this, then the VJ statistics and projections will be as accurate and consistent as possible.

I agree it matters nothing the date you submitted it, it is their receipt date that counts

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Makes sense to me.

[sunsi 0]

Rob & Jin:

Hi everyone my names Rob, fiancee is Jin, hope everyone is doing well. It looks like it is avaraging around 110 days for Noa2 at the moment, but its creeping up more towards 120 for the may folks. i predict most people will be looking at 120 + days soon.

Sucks but nothing we can do about that, hang in there it will pass and we will all soon be with our loves.

Thanks Rob & Jin we know that only patience will do here. I think me and my fiance are probably the oldest here so I just wanna still have my teeth and walk without a cane before we start slipping downhill at the speed of light. I want to fully enjoy my sweet man you know like take quiet walks together, dinners out and then turn in each night at a respectable hour.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Rob & Jin:

Hi everyone my names Rob, fiancee is Jin, hope everyone is doing well. It looks like it is avaraging around 110 days for Noa2 at the moment, but its creeping up more towards 120 for the may folks. i predict most people will be looking at 120 + days soon.

Sucks but nothing we can do about that, hang in there it will pass and we will all soon be with our loves.

Thanks Rob & Jin we know that only patience will do here. I think me and my fiance are probably the oldest here so I just wanna still have my teeth and walk without a cane before we start slipping downhill at the speed of light. I want to fully enjoy my sweet man you know like take quiet walks together, dinners out and then turn in each night at a respectable hour.

Who said you even have to get out of bed to begin with??

[sunsi 0]

Jason-Sasha:

Who said you even have to get out of bed to begin with??

*slaps forehead* I can see I'm going to have to start thinking a bit more naughty.

[Jeraly 4]

Hehe I can't wait until the rollercoaster ride is over with tbh - I just want to move on with my life now instead of feeling like I am stuck in this limbo - knowing that sometime in the near future I will be with my OH but in the meantime anything I do - well it's like it's wasted. I've slipped into a kind of habit of being miserable and tired and unmotivated in life - does anyone feel the same? How do you deal with it?

Have decided that I want to be happy and enjoy my life here before I move but it's really hard when I think that I am going to be leaving so many people behind - I have a tendency to distance myself emotionally from people if I know they aren't going to be close to me which can be lonely :/ Just want to get back to my old self again and while I accept that might not happen until I settle into my new life in the States I want to be as normal as I can in the lead-up to it!!

[StillThePrettiest 3]

Chris - for what it's worth, I thought your little sum-up of the various priorities involved when choosing a K1 or a K3 was spot-on

and as for having a weekend off - just had TWO (and the week in between), in the Czech Republic with my lovely man

only reason I'm back in here at all is because he went home today

oh well, it's all happening! we're all two months (approx) closer than we were when we filed! so bottoms up!