K1 Visa Delays: So frustrated and disappointed, I don't know what to do

[Ecofolux2427 11]

8 hours ago, Angied said:

They are just now processing May and June of 2021, sadly the wait is very long I just got my approval recently. The only thing you could do right now is try to meet as much as you can. When the time is getting closer try to get a congressman involved. Best of luck!

Thank you for the suggestion but sadly since she is a Chinese citizen, she can not willy-nilly leave the country just for the fun of it. China still has very strict COVID policies and they basically aren't allowing people to leave the country to travel.

[Ecofolux2427 11]

On 8/22/2022 at 7:16 PM, Mel.King said:

I second this! Not only does it helps having the evidence that you met up during the wait, but it is great for your emotional and mental wellbeing. 

 

My husband is already in the US with our 2 children, and we have been apart 9 months now but met up during the Summer break in a third country. It was refreshing and wonderful to see them again, and gave us all strenght to continue the wait! 

 

Good luck with the wait....the waiting and unknown is for sure the worste part of the process.

China isn't currently letting their citizens travel abroad for trips/vacations. And I'm not allowed to enter China because they do not allow tourism.

[Ecofolux2427 11]

8 hours ago, Angied said:

When the time is getting closer try to get a congressman involved.

What is a congressman going to do to help me?

[Mel.King 23]

3 hours ago, Ecofolux2427 said:

China isn't currently letting their citizens travel abroad for trips/vacations. And I'm not allowed to enter China because they do not allow tourism.

Oh wow, I didn't know, I am so sorry about your situation, this is really horrible and I feel for you 😞 

 

You can contact the senator of your state and reach out for help. This doesn't always work, but just maybe he/she can help speed the process along. Phone their office and ask if it's possible and what the process is. They don't help if your case is within normal processing times, so just make sure of your processing times. 

 

Good luck to you and your fiancé. 

[rich rich 10]

14 hours ago, Angied said:

They are just now processing May and June of 2021, sadly the wait is very long I just got my approval recently. The only thing you could do right now is try to meet as much as you can. When the time is getting closer try to get a congressman involved. Best of luck!

How do you find out what month they are currently processing? The new processing website seems to only list 80 percent processing times

[Angied 7]

9 hours ago, rich rich said:

How do you find out what month they are currently processing? The new processing website seems to only list 80 percent processing times

We  belong to the K1 May 2021 group on fb and here and they run the numbers and keep us updated on what range uscis is working on.

On 8/8/2022 at 3:05 PM, Ecofolux2427 said:

I'm a US citizen and my fiancé is Chinese. We applied for the K-1 Visa back in September 2021 (yes we have confirmation that the California processing center received it in September 2021). It's been 11 months and it's still the same, no updates, no progression. I don't know what to do, I see some people from May 2021 still waiting. It's infuriating! I haven't seen my fiancé in 2.5 years. I almost want to bring her here on her valid 10 year tourist visa and "wait it out" here because who knows how much longer it really will be. The big problem I see with this is if she comes here, she will move out of her apartment. When they send a letter to her Chinese address for her interview, no one will be there to receive it. I don't know what to do and I'm getting to the point where I might snap. Is there anything else I can do besides just "wait"? Thanks for any input

They are just now processing May and June of 2021, sadly the wait is very long I just got my approval recently. The only thing you could do right now is try to meet as much as you can. When the time is getting closer try to get a congressman involved. Best of luck!

[Angied 7]

15 hours ago, Ecofolux2427 said:

What is a congressman going to do to help me?

They get involved when you are past your processing time, they can execute a certain authority to at least make your case noticeable to an officer. It doesn't hurt to try.

[rich rich 10]

1 hour ago, Angied said:

We  belong to the K1 May 2021 group on fb and here and they run the numbers and keep us updated on what range uscis is working on.

They are just now processing May and June of 2021, sadly the wait is very long I just got my approval recently. The only thing you could do right now is try to meet as much as you can. When the time is getting closer try to get a congressman involved. Best of luck!

Could you provide a link to the fb group? Sounds like a great store resource. Thanks

[Angied 7]

9 minutes ago, rich rich said:

Could you provide a link to the fb group? Sounds like a great store resource. Thanks

 

MAY 2021 I-129F K1 FILERS    I copied the name of the group on here they post the same info usually here too, there are also groups I believe for your month. For fb its a group called K1 visa May 2021 filers it doesn't let met post the link.

Edited August 30, 2022 by Angied

[Lucrezia_ITALY 45]

On 8/9/2022 at 1:52 PM, crobot said:

This is not true. While it can be difficult to obtain a tourist visa like a B1/B2 after initiating the K1 visa process, OP's fiancee got her visa beforehand, so it is currently valid and legal to use. There is no rule that would prevent her from visiting the United States on a tourist visa while her K1 is pending. It is not immigration fraud as long as she follows the rules of her existing, current, and valid visa.

 

Like I said before, my own fiancee has visited the United States twice while our K1 was pending. The first visit was for two months and the second for almost three. There is 159 page long thread on this forum titled "Yes, you can visit!" which is full of folks describing how they were able to visit the United States as a tourist while their K1's were processing.

 

If you have a valid tourist visa, you can enter the United States, at the discretion of CBP (as always), regardless of whatever other applications you may have pending.

 

Everyone telling OP that this isn't an option doesn't know what they're talking about, full stop.

Correct, 100%.
I visited twice while waiting for my K-1 visa (I’m Italian) and stayed for about 80days each time. They let me in every time but they wanted to see ties to my home country, which I had with me as I knew I could have been questioned.

[flicks1998 1,044]

14 hours ago, Lucrezia_ITALY said:

Correct, 100%.
I visited twice while waiting for my K-1 visa (I’m Italian) and stayed for about 80days each time. They let me in every time but they wanted to see ties to my home country, which I had with me as I knew I could have been questioned.

The bigger issue that the OP has is that China is not allowing their citizens to leave the country for tourist's visits.  Also, its entirely likely she would never be able to get back to China even if she was allowed to leave.  We currently have employees from our China office stuck in the US since February and have been unable to get them home due to flight cancellations, etc.  We have a few with flights booked for October, but these will most likely be cancelled. 

 

OP cannot apply for a tourist visa as well as China is only doing work/business/student visas at this time.  We are in the process of trying to move C-suites and doctors for a hospital opening next year and its the biggest cluster I have ever experienced.  OP is in a very difficult situation now with no end in sight.  To add to all of that, flights are insanely expensive.  We are sending employees through 3rd countries and a 3 hour business class ticket, one-way can cost $11-$12K.  The expense to try to get home is not feasible for many.

[Irish42 19]

Go visit her in another country is the best advice I can think of. Like others have said you will have plenty of time to prepare for the interview. 

[Lindii 1]

I visited my Fiancé in the USA for just over 2 months in May this year, our application went in around May/ June 2021.

We haven’t heard a word either, other than iour application has been received.

we were I. The same boat as you, hadn’t seen each other for over 2 years….so he came to Australia for a month in April and then I flew back with him.

I was not asked any questions because it’s not even in the system yet. All I was asked is are you here for work or holiday and ai said holiday and the stamped my passport for a 90 day stay!

I have been to the USA 11 times and always leave before the 90 days so I guess they have my record which went in my favour I can only guess.

[TBoneTX 45,244]

A hijack post has been removed.

Edited September 7, 2022 by TBoneTX

[Kai&Mac 11]

It's brutal but, ya if you can't get in the country still, you just have to wait. Technically you could get work in China or something if there are jobs but, of course you want to do enough while together to prove an in-person meeting. Any idea on if China may ever drop this nonsense? It is so cruel and horrible. Japan is only just allowing people in with special permission granted by tourism/travel agencies. It's just crazy. Luckily though with their Yen taking a huge hit, they are only TODAY "talking" about letting people fly in as free tourists with little restrictions. China may be one of the last places to stop the "for science," "zero covid policy" madness but, I am sure that they just can't keep this **** up forever.