I am just getting started

[Jgill 0]

I am just beginning this process and I have a couple of questions. I am engaged to a woman from Thailand and I think we are pretty straight forward on getting this all done smoothly. My big question is I am filling out the I-129F form and I am filling it out where I live now but I am hoping to be moving soon. I am not sure where I will be living when my fiance comes over here. Can I fill it out now or do I have to move first. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Jim

[SteveInBostonI130 3,479]

You can file now and update your address with USCIS when you move.  People have been getting mixed results for the address getting updated for any on-going petitions/applications.  Some have have issues with noticed mailed to their old address while some do not (have issues).

[Timona 4,208]

Use current address, unless you are about to move in like 1 month.

 

I'd also suggest you weigh CR-1 vs K-1.

[Jgill 0]

I very much appreciate your prompt responses. I am not sure about moving. I am currently employed with a large US company but I am hoping to get moved to a different location. I am just not sure yet. You think it will be fine as long as I update if and when I move? That will make this much easier.

 

I am not sure about K-1 or CR-1. I am not married right now. Is there advantages to doing the CR-1? Is it faster? Thanks again for your prompt responses 

 

Jim

[Chancy 6,243]

*** Moved from K1 Progress Reports to K1 Process & Procedures ***

 

[Xaushin 8]

3 hours ago, Jgill said:

I am just beginning this process and I have a couple of questions. I am engaged to a woman from Thailand and I think we are pretty straight forward on getting this all done smoothly. My big question is I am filling out the I-129F form and I am filling it out where I live now but I am hoping to be moving soon. I am not sure where I will be living when my fiance comes over here. Can I fill it out now or do I have to move first. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Jim

You just update your address as you go along. It won't interfere with the process, it'll just change where mail gets delivered from USCIS.

[randy32 165]

Due to the concern of not getting notification when you move, you can do a couple things in addition to change your address.

 

Check the status of your case at least month (stressful) and sign up for an account on the uscis portal and enable text and email notification.

You can't wait for the perfect situation because time keeps moving as you wait.

 

 

 

https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

[charlottewitch 43]

Start sooner than later and figure it out further down the line. As randy32 said, check the website to monitor your approval process regularly. But I wish I filed even just a month sooner- being a March 2021 filer was a nightmare. It was a huge choke point and I'm lucky to have been approved by now, as they're still slowly working through the rest of March 2021. I have a lot of peers in the March 2021 NOA1 thread who are still waiting on updates.

 

Some of my guidelines for your application:

 

1) Have as many pictures of you two together as you can. I was on the lower end of this- I think I had like 6 photos? And before my approval I was nervous I'd get a request for evidence. Thankfully, it was all good, but the more the better.

2) Save receipts of all the places you go to together- movie tickets, food receipts, etc.

3) Copy and paste together images of your developing relationship over instant messenger (this was the case for me at least) over time and print that out as more evidence.

4) For any websites you met on, as you detail in your story of meeting, include their terms of service (for me it was an online art site, and skype's terms of service) and clarify that they are not an overseas dating/marriage site.

 

Good luck!

[GoingEastish 23]

4 hours ago, Jgill said:

I am just beginning this process and I have a couple of questions. I am engaged to a woman from Thailand and I think we are pretty straight forward on getting this all done smoothly. My big question is I am filling out the I-129F form and I am filling it out where I live now but I am hoping to be moving soon. I am not sure where I will be living when my fiance comes over here. Can I fill it out now or do I have to move first. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Jim

I moved about 6 months after I filed. I updated my address with the USCIS and they sent me an email confirming the change a few days later. I just got my NOA2 a few weeks ago to my new address. It didn’t cause any issues at all. 

[iwannaplay54 985]

Current address, notify them of address change, and watch your USCIS account like a hawk

[To_the_moon 94]

2 hours ago, charlottewitch said:

Start sooner than later and figure it out further down the line. As randy32 said, check the website to monitor your approval process regularly. But I wish I filed even just a month sooner- being a March 2021 filer was a nightmare. It was a huge choke point and I'm lucky to have been approved by now, as they're still slowly working through the rest of March 2021. I have a lot of peers in the March 2021 NOA1 thread who are still waiting on updates.

 

Some of my guidelines for your application:

 

1) Have as many pictures of you two together as you can. I was on the lower end of this- I think I had like 6 photos? And before my approval I was nervous I'd get a request for evidence. Thankfully, it was all good, but the more the better.

2) Save receipts of all the places you go to together- movie tickets, food receipts, etc.

3) Copy and paste together images of your developing relationship over instant messenger (this was the case for me at least) over time and print that out as more evidence.

4) For any websites you met on, as you detail in your story of meeting, include their terms of service (for me it was an online art site, and skype's terms of service) and clarify that they are not an overseas dating/marriage site.

 

Good luck!

That's the first time I hear that I needed to include the website's terms of service 😟 Do you think that's a decisive factor when considering an approval/denial/RFE decision? I was aware of the IMBs part on our application but I thought answering these questions on the application is sufficient. I did explain how I met my fiancé through social media, more specifically a streaming platform (Twitch), but I am now not sure if we get approved or get an RFE. We also did have a lot of in-person meeting evidence, living together, travelling together, and meeting with his family.

[Loren Y 2,756]

If you need any help with the Thailand process, let me know.  I brought my thai wife on a K1, and have helped a few other people with K1s from Thailand.  You want to have her start vaccinations now so they are all complete by medical exam.  I can get you some helpful information on the process to save you the hassle.  Send me a message and I'll give you my contact information if you want.

Edited February 18, 2022 by Loren Y

[charlottewitch 43]

44 minutes ago, To_the_moon said:

That's the first time I hear that I needed to include the website's terms of service 😟 Do you think that's a decisive factor when considering an approval/denial/RFE decision? I was aware of the IMBs part on our application but I thought answering these questions on the application is sufficient. I did explain how I met my fiancé through social media, more specifically a streaming platform (Twitch), but I am now not sure if we get approved or get an RFE. We also did have a lot of in-person meeting evidence, living together, travelling together, and meeting with his family.

I'm not sure if you "need to," per se. I went through the rapid visa site you have to pay for and that's one of the things they told me to do, so I was basically just passing along some of the things they nudged me into doing in hopes it might help along anyone else's application.

[rocky95 53]

6 hours ago, Jgill said:

I very much appreciate your prompt responses. I am not sure about moving. I am currently employed with a large US company but I am hoping to get moved to a different location. I am just not sure yet. You think it will be fine as long as I update if and when I move? That will make this much easier.

 

I am not sure about K-1 or CR-1. I am not married right now. Is there advantages to doing the CR-1? Is it faster? Thanks again for your prompt responses 

 

Jim

 

K-1 processing use to be shorter compared to CR-1 but there is a major backlog right now. So I believe the processing times are similar (don't quote me on that though). The only advantage of K-1 is that it suppose to allow you to be reunited with your partner sooner but that currently is not the case. Once approved the K-1 visa only grants a visa. After entering the US and getting married she will need to apply for adjustment of status to get a green card. During that time period she is unable to work or leave the country until she gets approved for her green card. The only way out of this is if she also applies for a work visa/ travel visa but processing times for those are currently taking 6+  months to get. This may not be a concern for you guys, but it's worth discussing about. 

 

The CR-1 visa on the other hand immediately grants a green card upon approval. There is no second step, she would be able to work  if she wanted and travel out of the country whenever she wants. 

 

To be honest the CR-1 visa is just a better deal. The only reason why my fiancé and I did a K-1 visa was because the borders were closed and we couldn't get married. If you have the opportunity to get married, I would do that. Even if its just signing papers and then having the wedding celebration later 

[SalishSea 18,077]

8 hours ago, Jgill said:

Is it faster?

Neither K-1 nor CR-1 is fast.  Both will take a couple of years before she is here.