Got K1 Visa. Will travel!

[BadDogi 0]

Hello,

Just wanted to share our experience for getting the K1/K2 Visa. All went great until after the interview at the embassy in London. Here is our saga:

Nov 27, 2007: I-129F application Submission to USINS Laguna Niguel CA

March 27, 2008: Notice of Approval (120 Days from I-129F Submission)

April 2, 2008: Notice from Embassy-Start of process

April 8, 2008: Documents submitted to Embassy

May 27, 2008: Interview at Embassy of the United States London (182 Days from I-129F Submission, 60 days from I-129F Notice of Approval)

My fiancé had her interview at the Embassy of the United States in London on May 27, 2008 for her K1 Visa, and was told that it takes up to 4 weeks for the actual K1 Visa to be issued. We have heard of many cases were the Visa is issued at the same time during the interview... But for us, it required additional processing

During Interview fiancé went to two different windows, the first window for preliminary items and the second window for the actual interview. She took her 17 year old son with her who is also on I-129f application.

We wondered if more processing time was needed due to the fact that her 17year old son is also on the application. Also, my fiancé is a UK citizen originally from Morocco, so the names are Middle Eastern names, which I am sure, is a factor for the delay of some sort.

They did not ask to keep the passport, nor did they ask her to arrange for the carrier. They did say to wait for their phone call at which point a carrier will be arranged, they also gave her the medical x-rays results and asked her to include them in her luggage upon traveling to the US. Our documents were insanely comprehensive and complete, police checks, medical tests, financial support, all required immigration forms, and every little thing that had asked for, and then some. We had intensive hard copies of evidence of relationship that ironically they chose not to even examine.

The administrative processing caused us a great deal of problems, as we did not anticipate it, she had quit her job, sold her stuff, rented her house…my fiancé had to cancel a previously booked June 19 flight and our wedding of July 5 2008 had to get canceled. A very hard thing to do emotionally and financially.

We tried other options to avoid having to cancel the wedding … but It appeared all options were bad. The only information we are getting is that our K1 is stuck in “Additional administrative processing” and we are unable to get a status on it except “pending”. They did not require any additional documents and we are told they have all what they need and waiting on security checks.

My fiancé did ask someone at the Embassy about possible options, and was told about Waiver Visa with a strong reminder that if denied, and there is a possibility that it might, it would take a “long time” to be able to get into the US. And if approved, it will slow K1 due to extra checks that will then need to take place. B2 Visitor visa is out of question as she can not get an appointment in time anyway.

All seemed too risky we didn’t want to jeopardize K1 approval in any way. So canceling the wedding, which was unthinkable a few days ago, was the only option, se we cancelled the wedding and informed our 100 guests and the the vendors involved.

Then.. a few days ago I called The Department of State Visa unit and instead of the “pending” answer I normally get, they told me that their system is indicating that my fiancé needs to give passport to embassy. And then she got a letter indicating that they are done with AP and passports got picked up Friday for Visa process… and she also got an email indicating to contact courier to have passports picked up, and the following day they got picked up to the embassy, and a week after the passports got picked up, they got delivered back to her with the Visa. Finally.

So it took 8 weeks after the interview to get the Visa.

She will be arriving to Los Angeles this Monday July 28 2008.

I now will start tackling Adjustment Status, I-485, I-765, G-325A, I-864, fun.

Thanks to all for your input and support.

[L & P 0]

sorry it took so long for you ...guess I was lucky I had interview on July 17th and received visa on 18th....all the best in rest of your journey!!!!!

[LuciansGirl 0]

Congratulations!!! YAY!!!

[Mononoke28 135]

Congratulations!!!

Diana