MalloryCat

when the petition leaves the NVC and it arrives at the embassy, the embassy will send a a packet of information (or just a single letter, it depends on the embassy) to the beneficiary. This is typically called packet 3. packet 3 contains information on the next steps of the visa process. usually including what needs to be brought to the interview, how and when to schedule the medical exam, and how and when to schedule the visa interview. and it will sometimes include things that you need to send to the embassy. for us once we got packet 3, we had to fill out his DS-160 and email the confirmation to the embassy. once we did that they emailed him the link to schedule his visa interview. the medical exam should be done at least 2 weeks before the interview, this gives the civil surgeon enough time to send the results of the exam to the embassy. and the soonest my husband (then fiance) was able to get a medical exam wasn't until middle of June. so we scheduled his interview for july, to give the doctor enough time.

USCIS jumps around a lot when processing cases, theres no real way of knowing why they do it they way they do. according to the USCIS processing times I-129f processing is around 8.5 months for 80% of cases to be processed. you are still within that range if your NOA1 was received in september. with the recent major government changes, everything with immigration is slowing down significantly. you could try contacting USCIS, but they will probably tell you that you are still within the normal processing time. https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

i was able to get it from just a bank teller. they printed it on the bank stationary and signed it. the officer at the embassy in Germany didn't even ask for that letter, all they wanted was the tax return transcripts. plus the I-134 obviously lol

these 2 forms are required I-485 (adjustment of status) I-864 (affidavit of support) these 2 forms are optional, but it is recommended to do them. especially the work authorization if your fiance wants to be able to work while waiting for the greencard I-765 (work authorization) I-131 (advanced parole) if you do submit the I-765 and I-131, these can be in the same packet as the I-485 make sure you read the instructions on the USCIS website for each, as well as the current fees

also if you can, the foreign fiance should apply for a social security number before getting married but after they have arrived in the US (within 75 days of arriving), otherwise you have to wait for AOS/EAD approval which can take a long time

Adjustment of Status (aka applying for a green card/work authorization/advanced parole) are the next step after marrying on a K-1 visa. *work authorization and advanced parole are optional

some embassies just don't ask for it proof of finances is more important during the AOS phase yes you fill out the paper form, along with copies of the required evidence, and your fiance will bring that to the interview. its up to the officer at the embassy whether they ask for it or not in germany they asked my fiance for the I-134 and copies of my tax return transcripts

your partner could still file as married filing separately, and mark you as a nonresident alien but thats all i know about that lol and no it is not, the A number is completely separate

you can either use adobe acrobat, and it should let you fill in that box once you click the check mark or if youre using Firefox, it has an option to edit PDFs in the browser itself. You just click on the "T" in the upper right corner and it gives you the option to put down a textbox.

thats correct once your I-94 expires you will have to wait until your AOS is approved to get a SSN

it depends on the embassy how long it takes for them to send the instructions according to that link in my original comment it says packet 3 comes in an email to the petitioner, but it doesn't specify a time frame. I would say wait 1-2 weeks before contacting them but you can use their visa navigator to find the correct email/way to type up the email so it goes to the right place Visa Services Navigator https://eg.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulate/cairo/contact-us/ also according to that original link, everything is just a copy of the document. not the original. as the embassy will keep the documents you give them.

yea thats true since theres no upcoming federal holidays, maybe it'll go a little quicker lol

well made the mistake of not using the newest forms... got our packet back in the mail yesterday. even though the uscis website said they'd accept the old forms if it was post marked before february 10th... now gotta send everything back today

you only need the ds-160 confirmation page printed. not the entire form itself. once the DS-160 is submitted, you will be able to print the confirmation page. those documents will need to be printed regardless. but yes they should be fine. they want to see your current income.

awesome news!

ours went to the Elgin lockbox i guess illinois is just slow in general 😂

that makes me feel a little better 😂

ahh ok thank you! we filed at the illinois lockbox, it was delivered on the 20th and haven't gotten anything yet making me anxious lol

which lockbox did you file with? and when did you get your NOA1? can you fill out your timeline please?

i am not sure the only thing I can find is that they have the dedicated staff and the infrastructure to handle the family based petitions.

the DOS is different from the embassy the DOS may process the petition within 30 days, but all they do is send it to the embassy. embassies do not have the same policy.

you should have them include the salary as well. if you look at the instructions for the I-134 "Statement(s) from your employer on business stationery showing: A. Date and nature of employment; B. Salary paid; and C. Whether the position is temporary or permanent" https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-134instr.pdf

after the visa interview your case goes through more administrative processing that is most likely what is happening it will eventually update to "approved" or "issued" it can take days to weeks, depending on the embassy and how simple your case is it's completely normal

the tracker is very glitchy, and not very reliable most of the time. it'll probably change back, especially if they are expecting a response to a RFE