How did everyone get on trying to plan a wedding when they have no idea when they'll be approved?

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Myself and my fiancee are trying to plan our wedding. He is american and I am from the UK. We havent yet sent off the I-129F Petition yet (we were hoping to do it this July whilst Im out there with him) because he has been self employed for years and in order to meet the poverty line requirements, he has obtained a new job. So we're waiting for him to rack up a few check stubs before we go further. However, we're looking at wedding venues and are told that so many get booked up so far in advance. Can anyone give any help/advice about how they went about booking wedding venues and vendors? Alot of places dont refund deposits and we dont know what to do. We are willing to take this risk if we have no other choice and we dont anticipate any problems with the K1 application.

So if we mail off the I-129F in July - does anyone out there think it'd be ok to book somewhere for a spring wedding 2010, say June?

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Myself and my fiancee are trying to plan our wedding. He is american and I am from the UK. We havent yet sent off the I-129F Petition yet (we were hoping to do it this July whilst Im out there with him) because he has been self employed for years and in order to meet the poverty line requirements, he has obtained a new job. So we're waiting for him to rack up a few check stubs before we go further. However, we're looking at wedding venues and are told that so many get booked up so far in advance. Can anyone give any help/advice about how they went about booking wedding venues and vendors? Alot of places dont refund deposits and we dont know what to do. We are willing to take this risk if we have no other choice and we dont anticipate any problems with the K1 application.

So if we mail off the I-129F in July - does anyone out there think it'd be ok to book somewhere for a spring wedding 2010, say June?

We sent our petition off in May '08 & then made the mistake of booking our Wedding for Feb '09, thinking that we'd have plenty of time. We then got stuck at USCIS for just over 9 months & didn't get our NA02 until Feb '09. Result was we had to cancel & lost money!

I would get the paperwork sent off now & not wait until July! My fiance is self employed. You don't need pay stubs, just 3 years tax returns for proof of income.

Good Luck

[Philosykos 0]

People here will advise against it, but we are planning the wedding for October. That is we booked a venue, and my family is planning a US vacation around it. We figured nine months should work out for the visa, although we know there is no guarantee. If it doesn't work out, we'll lose maybe $1,000, and my family will be vacationing without me... Hopefully that won't happen! I guess it all depends what financial risk you are wiling or able to take. If I don't have my visa by October, the lost money will be the least of my worries (although that would suck, too)...

Since the financial requirements only come into play at the consular stage, couldn't you file earlier, given that the petition approval time is the most unpredictable part?

Myself and my fiancee are trying to plan our wedding. He is american and I am from the UK. We havent yet sent off the I-129F Petition yet (we were hoping to do it this July whilst Im out there with him) because he has been self employed for years and in order to meet the poverty line requirements, he has obtained a new job. So we're waiting for him to rack up a few check stubs before we go further. However, we're looking at wedding venues and are told that so many get booked up so far in advance. Can anyone give any help/advice about how they went about booking wedding venues and vendors? Alot of places dont refund deposits and we dont know what to do. We are willing to take this risk if we have no other choice and we dont anticipate any problems with the K1 application.

So if we mail off the I-129F in July - does anyone out there think it'd be ok to book somewhere for a spring wedding 2010, say June?

Edited April 25, 2009 by Philosykos

[MonkeyJuice 3]

oops forgot to mention...you need W2's & 1099's to go with each of the tax returns.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

oops forgot to mention...you need W2's & 1099's to go with each of the tax returns.

Thank you for everyones advice. I see everyone has to kinda go through the same thing with deposits etc. No one ever really talks about that side of things.

Unfortunately the self employed option is a no go area. My fiancee barely has any earning to show for and definitely not for the last 3 years. He has just had a really good permanent job offer, way above the poverty equirements and were thinking it would be SO much easier showing a few stubs then raking up the past with his self employed earnings. Does anyone think it would be ok to mail it off now and still have enough pay stubs to show by my visa interview? He starts his new job in June and will prob be paid, the first time at the end of the month.

[MonkeyJuice 3]

oops forgot to mention...you need W2's & 1099's to go with each of the tax returns.

Thank you for everyones advice. I see everyone has to kinda go through the same thing with deposits etc. No one ever really talks about that side of things.

Unfortunately the self employed option is a no go area. My fiancee barely has any earning to show for and definitely not for the last 3 years. He has just had a really good permanent job offer, way above the poverty equirements and were thinking it would be SO much easier showing a few stubs then raking up the past with his self employed earnings. Does anyone think it would be ok to mail it off now and still have enough pay stubs to show by my visa interview? He starts his new job in June and will prob be paid, the first time at the end of the month.

As far as I'm aware, if your fiance has a job, you'll still need to provide at least one tax return (2008) & pay stubs at the interview. If the 2008 tax return doesn't meet the minimum requirement, you may need a co-sponsor.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Why would he have to present a tax return for 2008? Because thats for last year. By the time the interview comes around we may well be into 2010. So wouldnt he have to present 2009's tax return instead of 2008?

Also, I was told, its not his past earnings that need to meet the poverty requirement, its his current and thats all their interested in. Is this right? So again, by the time of interview he will have had a job (and met the requirement) for 5 months+.

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Why would he have to present a tax return for 2008? Because thats for last year. By the time the interview comes around we may well be into 2010. So wouldnt he have to present 2009's tax return instead of 2008?

Also, I was told, its not his past earnings that need to meet the poverty requirement, its his current and thats all their interested in. Is this right? So again, by the time of interview he will have had a job (and met the requirement) for 5 months+.

Apologies..yes you'll need the most recent tax return. It's most likely that you'll be asked for this plus the pay stubbs.

Check out this link in the UK forum, it's really helpful in providing all the info you need to take to the interview.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186081

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Thank you so much for that. Very informative, if a little overwhelming.

Ok so if he had his 2009 tax return available plus his pay stubs, which would they take into account as to whether he meets the poverty line requirements? His past earnings or his current situation?

Also another proof of income would be his employers letter? Yes?

I didnt know that you had to present tax returns as well as pay stubs...

[minnew 4]

Myself and my fiancee are trying to plan our wedding. He is american and I am from the UK. We havent yet sent off the I-129F Petition yet (we were hoping to do it this July whilst Im out there with him) because he has been self employed for years and in order to meet the poverty line requirements, he has obtained a new job. So we're waiting for him to rack up a few check stubs before we go further. However, we're looking at wedding venues and are told that so many get booked up so far in advance. Can anyone give any help/advice about how they went about booking wedding venues and vendors? Alot of places dont refund deposits and we dont know what to do. We are willing to take this risk if we have no other choice and we dont anticipate any problems with the K1 application.

So if we mail off the I-129F in July - does anyone out there think it'd be ok to book somewhere for a spring wedding 2010, say June?

It is advisable not to have wedding plans because you never know how long your NOA2 might take. But also your case could get held up in Additional Processing at NVC or at the consulate. We would take our chances with getting AP at the consulate after the interview. ( I just realized its 4 weeks away! Eeeek!)

We decided that we could not wait any longer to make plans as there would be nothing available so short notice in our price range. We just booked our church and our venue at the beginning of April. We waited to find out that NVC had sent our case to Vancouver. I made sure to ask though if in case the date that we booked needs to be changed, would we lose our deposit? They both said no. As long as you reschedule with the same venues. I am also in the process of looking for a photographer, and I did find one that we like and has our date and as is rescheduable as long as the date rescheduled is available.

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Thank you so much for that. Very informative, if a little overwhelming.

Ok so if he had his 2009 tax return available plus his pay stubs, which would they take into account as to whether he meets the poverty line requirements? His past earnings or his current situation?

Also another proof of income would be his employers letter? Yes?

I didnt know that you had to present tax returns as well as pay stubs...

Yes it is overwhelming to say the least. It took me ages to get my head around everything!

When you go for you interview you need to take a form called I-134 which is an affidavit of support. With this you need to provide 2 proofs of support.

From all the information I've read from the UK interview thread, it seems most people have been asked for the most recent tax return & either a letter from the employer or pay stubbs.

I would say you will need the tax return for the London Embassy. You could risk not taking it but then if you get the dreaded 'blue slip' (request for additional docs) then you'll need to provide the taxes or get a co sponsor.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Yes it is overwhelming to say the least. It took me ages to get my head around everything!

When you go for you interview you need to take a form called I-134 which is an affidavit of support. With this you need to provide 2 proofs of support.

From all the information I've read from the UK interview thread, it seems most people have been asked for the most recent tax return & either a letter from the employer or pay stubbs.

I would say you will need the tax return for the London Embassy. You could risk not taking it but then if you get the dreaded 'blue slip' (request for additional docs) then you'll need to provide the taxes or get a co sponsor.

Ok, so which do they take into account for whether he meets the requirements? His past situation or current? I would have thought current (ie his new job)

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Both!!..... They will certainly want to see his pay stubbs to show that he's earning now, but they'll also need to know that his income is reliable which is why they will most likely ask for the most recent tax return.

[panterchen 1]

We planned our wedding for 9 months after sending in the I129f. We filed June and wanted to marry beginning March 2009. At the end we barely made our date because NOA2 took forever for no reason (no RFE, no difficult case, just two young people with no criminal past wanting to get married). I entered the US Feb 22 2009 after I received my visa one day earlier and the wedding took place 2 weeks later. We stressed out a lot during this time (after all my parents had already booked their vacation around our wedding date) and I would not advise anyone to do the same!! Or at least wait until you have NOA2. Even thereafter anything could happen but depending on where you are from it is less likely to take several more months than would be usual.

[Ontarkie 14,506]

Some ppl who want the bigger wedding church and reception will plan that after they get to the US for the following year or so and just get married at the court house real fast to do AOS.

If you just want something small its alot easier to do with a short amount of time, we figured out what we wanted well before me moving down, such as getting my dress, the guest list our colours and little things that could be done withought any worries. Then while he was at worked I called around getting a JP who would marry us outside at this spot I really wanted. We had a small wedding so after we had everyone come to our house for the reception we placed an order for the food earlier and just had it picked up, we had all the pop, beer, wine other goodies bought/made a bit earlier. I had the wedding I had always dreamed of it was perfect and it only took 3 weeks to get it done.

Danielle

Edited April 25, 2009 by Ontarkie