Address issues / questions

[Nonplussed 0]

I am American. I am in Thailand. I am living with my "beneficiary". We are going through the checklist for the K-1.

 

I have numerous address issues.

 

1. Due to Covid - isn't international mail a bit of a crapshoot? Instinctively... I would send all the digital documents to one of my parents in the US, and have them print it + mail it in. But I see in many discussion threads - some of the pages must have *real* signatures? Ie - they can not be copies? Not entirely sure how this makes sense - ie, if the petitioner and the beneficiary do not even live in the same country - wouldn't the petitioner be sending in just a copy of the beneficiary's signature? If both the petitioner and beneficiary live overseas - it is a red flag if all of our documents (and signatures) are copies? The process is already so long - I am concerned about our packet being stuck on some shipping boat for weeks/months.

 

 

2. I am struggling to identify any permanent address that I can use. For anything.

 

Page 1 #8 / Page 7 #45 - I put my mother's address in New York. As this is the address I would want the USCIS to mail. Problem: My mother is probably moving in about 3 months time. My father has 2 "permanent" (for now) addresses - he spends 6 months a year in Florida, and 6 months a year in the northeast. I don't know where he would be, at any given moment that the USCIS decides to mail something.

Page 2 #9 / Page 5 #11 / Page 7 #47 - I put our current address in Thailand. I sure hope no one is sending mail here. Problem(?): I do not intend to be here, in about 4 months time.

Cover Letter / Letter of Intent - I appreciate the examples provided. At the top - it says to put my address. Which address? I added my Thai address - then realized... why would I do that? I imagine I am supposed to put only an address I might want them to contact me at? Ie - my mother's address? Is this fair? "My address" is not really my physical address - but just a place I might be able to receive mail at?

 

I am told that the estimated processing time is something like 8-10 months. Being that this is so... I do not know where *we*, or *any of my immediate family* will be. If the processing time was 1 month... easy.

 

How much of a problem is any of this? Should I actually expect the USCIS to mail one of these addresses, abruptly? Or do they only mail if there is a problem?

 

[aaron2020 11,651]

Get marry in Thailand (or Utah online marriage) and file the I-130 online for a spousal visa.  

The average time for a K-1 is much longer than 8-10 months due to COVID and lockdown backlogs.

Everything can be done online with the I-130 and processing at the NVC.  

 

 

[Nonplussed 0]

Your link says "roughly 739 days" is the current processing time? That's a no go.

 

I mean, really - we'd just stay in Thailand.

[SalishSea 18,077]

1 hour ago, Nonplussed said:

I am told that the estimated processing time is something like 8-10 months. Being that this is so... I do not know where *we*, or *any of my immediate family* will be. If the processing time was 1 month... easy.

For the petition approval?  Likely more like 12 months now.  From application to visa is closer to two years.

[SalishSea 18,077]

5 minutes ago, Nonplussed said:

Your link says "roughly 739 days" is the current processing time? That's a no go.

 

I mean, really - we'd just stay in Thailand.

LOL, so it's a "no go" if it takes a couple of years?   That time passes whether you're in Thailand or the US.

 

US immigration is not fast, cheap or easy.    If the timeline is a deterrent, maybe it's not the best choice.

[aaron2020 11,651]

9 minutes ago, Nonplussed said:

Your link says "roughly 739 days" is the current processing time? That's a no go.

 

I mean, really - we'd just stay in Thailand.

Sorry that it's a no go.

 

Immigration to the US is not quick or cheap.   That's the way it works.  

[Nonplussed 0]

 

36 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

For the petition approval?  Likely more like 12 months now.  From application to visa is closer to two years.

Two years for a fiance visa? Yes, that's a no go. I thought the interview happens very quickly, after the initial wait? You are saying it is 1 more year of waiting, to get the interview?

 

35 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

LOL, so it's a "no go" if it takes a couple of years?

Yes.

 

Maybe that comes off as weird. But if it is 2 years for any of these visas - we would try for a tourist visa, and hope that an appointment opens up (ie, someone cancels) soon. And just go for a visit. So she can meet my parents.

 

My parents could be dead in 2 years.

 

For more context - I am tech / remote worker. I don't *need* to live in the US. My wallet certainly appreciates that.

[Nonplussed 0]

Further context - I have two separate friends, who have had parents die, while waiting years for the visa to process.

[SalishSea 18,077]

9 hours ago, Nonplussed said:

 

Two years for a fiance visa? Yes, that's a no go. I thought the interview happens very quickly, after the initial wait? You are saying it is 1 more year of waiting, to get the interview?

 

Yes.

 

Maybe that comes off as weird. But if it is 2 years for any of these visas - we would try for a tourist visa, and hope that an appointment opens up (ie, someone cancels) soon. And just go for a visit. So she can meet my parents.

 

My parents could be dead in 2 years.

 

For more context - I am tech / remote worker. I don't *need* to live in the US. My wallet certainly appreciates that.

Well if she doesn’t want to live with you in the US, the K visa is not the appropriate choice.   
 

Have her just apply for a B visa.   Interviews for B visas are being scheduled out into 2023 at some consulates-  not sure about yours.