-
America's Largest Immigration Community!
Free US immigration self-help guides, example forms, community discussion, case tracking & estimated approval dates!
Community Discussion
Country Specific Help
Immigration Guides
Immigration Timelines
Approval Estimates
Professional Help
AS SEEN:
- How to Use VisaJourney ❯ Join Today for Free!
Who are we? For over 20 years, VisaJourney has been your one-stop immigration community for Work, Student and Family Visas (K1 & IR1 Visas), Green Cards, US Citizenship, DACA, the Diversity Lottery and all other topics. Share your experiences and relax -- you are not alone!
Trending Immigration DiscussionsTopic Popularity Poster #1 Questions about family tree and DNA testing
IR1/CR1 Visa Discussion- 
Bluetuna#2 Family tree for USCIS â guidance needed
IR1/CR1 Visa Discussion- 
SandyLinhHoang123#3 221(g) Medical Expired
IR1/CR1 Visa Progress Reports- 
xoxowyg
Community Spotlight
PSA: If entering the USA 2 years after marriage, kindly remind the immigration officer of this
spicynujac posted a topic in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures,
When we last entered the US, our immigration officer said "Oh, hmm I wonder if I could go ahead and change you an IR-1." The agent right next to him said "Yes, you can do that" and he acted surprised. His comments made it pretty clear he was going to erroneously issue us a CR-1 and he seemed to not even know he could change the visa status until his coworker advised him (THANK GOODNESS she overheard!). I don't know how onerous the process is to correct such an oversight but I'm glad we didn't have to find out!
Just wanted to pass this along in the hopes it saves someone from any problems with the wrong stamp being placed in the passport, as I've read about here before.... I would kindly remind the officer "We married >2 years ago. We can enter with an IR-1 visa now right?"- 20 replies
Traveled to Canada for 20 days after entering the U.S. on a K-1 visa (June 1–22). Seeking reentry under Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR).
Dovahkiinali0605 posted a topic in K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures,
I entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa on June 1st and left for Canada on June 2nd, remaining here for 20 days. I am now attempting to return to the U.S. through Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) using Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR). My K-1 visa is expired, but my I-94 is still valid. Am I ok?-
- 31 replies
Wrong USCIS application form filed by my lawyer!
narayan333 posted a topic in K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports,
Hello, so my wife came in k-1 visa to USA and we got married and all. We filled for work permit and green card together but while doing that my lawyer filed for I-130 no idea why. Will that application make my process for work permit and green card slow? If so how do I withdrawal that application? My lawyer isn’t helpful at all. I need some help…-
- 22 replies
Seeking advice for Thai/US couple - What US visa path to take?
PeachyTocker posted a topic in K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures,
My gf and I live in Thailand but spend 2-4months in the US per year. Once/if we have children age 5+, the time split would become vice versa. We have no plans to live full-time in the United States in the next 5 years, but I visit my family and friends 2-3x per year for 2-3 weeks at a time. I would love it if she can join me for those trips and experience that part of my life. What options do we have -- US visa wise, maybe a tourist or fiance visa later? Other?
-
- 77 replies
Abandoned AOS and now regret it
Mariammaria posted a topic in Adjustment of Status Case Filing and Progress Reports,
Please be nice, I know I made a mistake... But got my K1 approved and arrived in the US June 25, 2024 and applied for AOS February 25, 2025 -- then left the US (abandoned my AOS). Will I be banned for re-entry to the US -- even under a spouse visa?-
- 32 replies
US Citizen with Foreign Fiancé: When and How to Get Married?
gandalf1989 posted a topic in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures,
I'm currently living and working in the United States. My fiancé currently lives in Japan. We have been dating for about 6 months, and we have met in person several times, but we are not yet married.
My fiancé will be visiting me in the United States on a tourist visa some time in March or April and staying for about 3 months. I want to file for a fiance/spouse visa asap -- what's next?-
- 18 replies
Recent Immigration Discussions221(g) Medical Expired
9:47 am today
xoxowyg
Read 63 Times
3 RepliesHi everyone, I d really appreciate your advice
I was given a 221(g) after my interview, and I m now ready to submit all my missing requirements. However, my problem is that my medical exam has already expired.
For those who experienced the same situation:
-
Did you wait for an email or instruction from the embassy before submitting your 221(g) documents?
-
Or did you contact the embassy first to ask what to do?
-
Did anyone here submit their 221(g) requirements with an expired medical, or were you required to redo the medical first?
I m also confused if I should:
-
Proactively schedule a new medical exam on my own, or
-
Wait for the embassy s confirmation/instruction before doing a new medical
Basically:
-
Should I submit my 221(g) documents now even if my medical is expired?
-
Or should I redo my medical first and then submit everything together?
-
If you contacted the embassy, how did you contact them (email or phone)?
Any shared experience would really help. Thank you so much in advance
EB-2 NIW – London – Medical, Document Check, and Interview Experience
7:35 am today
LMax
Read 40 Times
1 RepliesSharing my full experience for anyone going through EB-2 NIW consular processing in London. Iv rushed home to write it all down so i dont forget!
Medical Examination (Two Weeks Before Interview)
Exactly two weeks before my interview, I attended my medical in London.
As soon as you know your interview date, call and book your medical appointment. Mine was fairly early in the morning, around 9:00am.
When I arrived, I gave the receptionist my interview confirmation page, GP Medical Summary Report and my passport.
Before the appointment, you need to go to your GP and get a medical summary checklist. I had done this and provided it to the receptionist as well.
The first person you see is a nurse. She reviews your medical information, checks your vaccination history, and confirms whether you are missing any vaccinations or if there is anything in your medical history that needs discussion.
If you are from overseas or did not grow up in the UK, I strongly recommend bringing all your medical records as a backup. I was asked for vaccination history from when I lived in New Zealand because not all of my records had been added correctly to my NHS file (they were there but the format was incorrect so they wouldn't accept them as they had been entered into the NHS system). Having my overseas records saved me a lot of time.
Next, you see the doctor, who reviews your medical history again. This is where they take blood, do a quick eye check, and check your stomach, feet, and lymph nodes. You are wearing the gown at this point. Everything is private and very professional.
After this, you return to the waiting room, put your clothes back on, but keep the gown.
The third part is the chest X-ray. They ask you to put the gown back on and take the X-ray.
Once everything is done, you go back to the waiting room. They then call you up and give you a piece of paper, which you need for the next step, the document check.
They told me that if there were any issues with the medical, they would call me within about a week. Otherwise, no news is good news.
Document Check (At the U.S. Embassy)
After the medical, you go to the document check at the U.S. Embassy.
When you arrive, you will see a person sitting behind a glass barrier beside security. Go straight up and give them your pink slip from the medical and your passport. Just tell them you are there for a document check.
They give you your passport and slip back and send you through security.
After security, you go into a small reception area. Give the receptionist your passport again, and they give you a small slip (it looks like a bookmark) with instructions on where to go.
It will tell you to go to level one. When you get out of the elevator, turn left and then left again. There are signs as well.
You then go to booth 24, which is where they do the document checks - there are seats around it so sit and wait for your number to be called.
Once your number is called, you go to the window and provide your original documents. For me, they only required:
Passport
Police certificates
Birth certificateIf you have a spouse or children, you may also need marriage certificates or additional documents.
They bind everything together in a clear sleeve and tape it shut so you cannot open it.
If anything is missing, they will tell you what you need to bring to your interview. You are then done and come back later for the interview.
Consular Interview Day
I arrived at the embassy at 8:00am for an 8:30am appointment. It was pretty chaotic outside because there were a lot of people there.
All you need to do is take your DS-260 confirmation page and your passport and go to the front of the line. There is a man standing at a table at the front who is doing pre checks before you go to security. Just tell him you are here for an immigrant visa, specifically a green card. They will then move you to the front of the queue (feels weird pushing ahead of all the people the but as somebody going through an immigration process you are treated slightly differently to those who aren't).
They check your documents briefly and send you straight through to security.
After security, you walk into a reception area where they check your documents again. There are two lines here. You want to take the one on the left, which is for immigrant visas and citizenship. Do not take the one on the right, which is much bigger and for everyone else.
Then you go up to level one, turn left, left again, and you end up back in the same waiting area where you went for your document check after your medical.
You sit down and wait to be called.
When I was called to the first window, they only wanted to see the clear sleeve with my original documents, confirmation page with my instructions i wanted to pick up my passport from Holborn and my passport. They did not want anything else. They took these and told me to go sit back down.
I waited about half an hour and then was called back to another window. This is the actual interview. You raise your right hand and take an oath. They also take your fingerprints again.
They had clearly already reviewed my file, because they went straight into questions.
For me, the questions were very straightforward. They asked:
What visa are you applying for
What university did you attend
What is your highest level of educationThat was it.
I had practiced a lot of other questions, but I was only asked those three things. The whole interview part lasted less than three minutes.
The officer then told me my visa was approved and that my passport would be available for collection (which I had nominated, make sure you register your interview and request either collection or pickup - they want to see this as a print out at the interview) in about five days.
Then I left.
Final Thoughts and Tips
- Overall, everything was very procedural and anticlimactic.
- They did not re-adjudicate my petition.
- They did not ask detailed questions about my proposed endeavor.- For the Document Check i did bring everything i would need for the interview - they did only ask for Birth Cert and Police Check documents in the end but it was nice to have everything so i knew in 2 weeks time i was good to go and there was no last minute panic
Hope this helps anyone waiting for their interview.
Family tree for USCIS – guidance needed
1:16 am today
SandyLinhHoang123
Read 134 Times
5 RepliesI have a question about submitting a family tree for USCIS.
How do you usually present the family tree?
- My case was previously rejected due to the family tree. I submitted a tree showing only the petitioner, beneficiary, parents, and siblings, but the case was rejected and USCIS did not explain what was wrong. I want to make sure I prepare it correctly this time.
Should I also include grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins, or only the petitioner, beneficiary, parents, and siblings?
- Do I need to prove the relationships of the people shown in the family tree? If so, what types of documents are typically required?
- Is there any recommended software (better than Word/PDF or PowerPoint)? Does anyone have an example of a finished family tree they re willing to describe or share?
- Regarding dates of birth: I don t know the DOBs of some cousins. Is it acceptable to include only the DOBs I know and leave the others blank?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Questions about family tree and DNA testing
1:59 pm yesterday
Bluetuna
Read 223 Times
8 RepliesHi there, I m required to provide a family tree to prove that I m not related to my husband. Please share with me what I need to focus on and examples. Also, If I do DNA test between me and my husband voluntarily, can it prove that we are not related or will USCIS accept the results? Thank you very much and greatly appreciated
B2 or ESTA
6:18 am yesterday
JohnxLuci
Read 157 Times
2 RepliesMy girlfriend lives in Kuwait but is not a national of Kuwait. She is a national of Australia and holds an Australian passport.
Does she need a B2 visa or can she use the ESTA program?


