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I’m a bit more pessimistic than @OldUser, I’d say 12-15 years if you applied now (and stayed unmarried). That’s because although those that applied nearly a decade ago are now becoming eligible for visas it’s not linear and the backlog is growing all the time. For example, if you go back to the Oct 2020 Visa Bulletin the date was Sept 2014, meaning it’s only moved just over 2 years in the past 5 years.

It depends on the country. Which is it and how long did you live there?

Anybody can work remotely, as long as they’re not ‘entering the Canadian labour market’. So they can keep doing their regular job, but they couldn’t (for example) work as a consultant for Canadian companies. Most countries are the same, the US is unusually strict on remote work.

He won't be interviewed without an appointment. But appointments are scheduled by NVC, it's them you needed to contact to get them scheduled together. The consulate has nothing to do with timings/scheduling.

3.75% of USCIS workers furloughed (https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-09/2025_0930_dhs_procedures_related_to_a_lapse_in_appropriations.pdf). So a limited impact but still could affect processing times to a minor extent.

**Thread Moved To Tourist Visas** Reapplying in just a few weeks isn’t going to help, it makes your wife look desperate. I would leave it much longer personally. Decisions are made on the info submitted on the DS-160, so I don’t think any extra documents will help. And none of the things you mention are compelling reasons to return anyway. Remember that all B visa applicants are presumed to have immigrant intent and it’s up to them to overcome that in order for the visa to be granted - really she can’t do that with an I-130 in the works. If you don’t think you’ll want to move for decades, if at all, then I’d withdraw the I-130. Then give it at least a year and reapply for the B. Good luck.

It does mention a job in the US, so I assume the OP plans to keep working in their current role remotely. But yep, staying in Canada for the entire time isn't going to be possible. A few visits should be ok though.

It shouldn't restart it, I think it was probably just sent in error.

That's really odd, sounds like an error. I'd just re-submit the one you sent previously, and tell them you submitted it when requested back in July.

She needs to get another copy of the welcome letter, she must contact NVC urgently. And for future reference, make sure she downloads and saves any email communications.

Ah, no that's not the Welcome Letter. You'll be sent that once your PD is current on Table B, it doesn't usually take long so you should have it by the end of the year. Good luck.

Ah, I see. Not sure what you mean about waiting to be contacted for document submission and DQ? You won't be contacted again now until you're DQ'ed. If you've had your Welcome Letter then you should be able to start the NVC side of things as soon as your PD becomes current in about 10 days time. So log on then and pay the fees etc. Please do fill your timeline in. It helps you, but it also 'pays it forward' and helps other EB applicants going forward too. Thanks.

Ditto. As I mentioned, MA has the same rule, but only for people who aren’t taking up residency. So somebody on a 6 month visitor visa can drive on an international driving licence for that time no problem. Somebody that has moved to the US can’t. PA seems to be the same.

OP is a K-1 visa I think, all of the above is for spousal or employment based immigrant visas.

K-3 isn't relevant. Meeting for the first time and marrying in just 5 months may raise some red flags. Personally I would go home and apply for a visa via consular processing, building up more evidence before you get to the visa application point. I just wouldn't risk it with the current administration, but it's your call. If you do decide to do AoS then make sure you have plenty of evidence that you were only visiting in the US and you intended to return i.e. you can show you had a leave of absence and a job to go back to, you have a house you were going to return to, etc. And think really carefully about what you said upon entry to the US too. Best of luck.

Not sure what you mean by this - do you mean the Welcome Letter email? Or are you asking how long it's taking to be DQ'ed if you've submitted docs? What stage are you at? Please fill your timeline in and then people can help you properly.

MA has a similar rule, but it wasn't applicable to us, as we were taking up residency there. It seems PA is similar - "All new residents with out-of-state non-commercial driver's licenses must obtain a PA Driver's License within 60 days of establishing Pennsylvania residency. "

Ah, that sounds more like it! Hopefully you'll get the I-130 approved before then, but at least if you don't you know it's not too long to wait until you can start pushing on it. Best of luck.

2038?!?!? Again I think you might be putting the wrong thing in the top of the page. Just to confirm, you're selecting I130, then LPR filing for spouse, then SCOPS?

I don't think you're looking at the right thing. For F2A it won't usually give you a processing time (so if it says 97.5 months, you've put something in wrong). But it's the bottom of the page you need, down there you put your PD in and it tells you when you will be outside of standard processing times, and when you can submit a formal enquiry.

Ah, ok. But I’m guessing your enquiry date isn’t far away, what date does it give you when you put your info in at the bottom of this page? https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ You can push it along after that.

Less interviews in the summer is the usual pattern, that’s always the case - the quota is usually met then, they focus on other types of visas that have hard deadlines in Sept (student/DV), and less staff too. Expedites are rare too, basically life or death stuff or financial loss to a US company. I’ve seen a few expedites granted but at about the same level as previously I’d say. I really don’t see any difference between this Oct and last Oct, or the one before that. Jan to May ish is always the best time to be an EB applicant waiting for an IL in London.

So working it back, even if you do get an interview letter in the next week or two, that would be for an interview in December probably. Possibly even January with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. Assuming you don’t get put into AP, you should therefore have your visa in hand by the end of December, or January. But if you are in the middle of a contract role you could just go to the US, enter on the visa, and then return back to the UK to finish up the contract role before you move permanently. Personally, I would say take another contract role if you can get one, particularly if it is short term. You really can’t underestimate how expensive it is to move here as a new immigrant, and life in America is so much more expensive than the UK. Pretty much everything costs three times as much for me, and of course without a job you’ll be paying for your own medical cover to start with (that was $2500 a month for us when we were self funding it). So the more money you can have behind you the better! Best of luck.

**Thread moved as it’s not a K-1 question** These days you can get most docs online, but definitely get the birth cert. Driving licence is probably no use, but that depends on the state you’re going to - most will require you to take the test as if you’ve never driven before anyway. The only other thing that I’ve since found useful was our medical records. So I’d get those if you can. Good luck.

Has your I-130 been approved? I’d assumed so but sounds like maybe not?