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Oh this begs another question then, would the reason for the expedite be loss of profit for the company?

Oh that's right, we were thinking of doing a driver's license for him before the EAD so that would make sense, why a SSN would make that part easier. Thanks for the clarification. I think we've got the timing right, and it's so much easier when we don't have to worry about a name change for him. For me to do it, will be so much easier. Appreciate the speedy reply!

This could probably go into the SSN subforum but just in case, I'll post here. We are preparing for my fiance to arrive in September, and will be marrying the second week of October. His employer wants to retain him but it's been made clear to them that his position/pay needs to be suspended until he is authorized to work again. Here's the thing.. People have been very clear about K1 visas allowing individuals to apply for an EAD but that it's essentially useless to do so since it's only valid for 90 days. I.. think it's attached to the validity of the i-94 travel record, if I recall correctly, and not to the marriage date. Feel free to correct me if I'm getting this wrong. We're going in to the SSA office to get his SSN shortly after he arrives in September. We're prepared to supply evidence that he is an alien allowed to work. Allowed.. not the same as authorized, if the above is correct. So what is the point of getting the SSN early, if nobody uses it for an EAD? Why is it so essential? Even the SSA's non-citizen cheat sheet says it's not actually needed for bank accounts, etc. I assumed it would be needed with proof of a K-1 so that taxes can be filed for any work done prior to marriage but.. that does not seem to actually apply. And JUST to be clear.. if he gets his SSN, he still needs to wait until we file an I-765 and get his EAD until he can give the go ahead to his employer, yes?

Thank you so much for the update! Can you provide how long you waited after he entered the US before going in to the SSA office, in order to see him in the SAVE-ASVI database? What was that process like, even?

It sounds like you are concerned that the paperwork won't get to her on time prior to the interview. Please know that all of these documents (even the declaration of intent, which does not require a wet signature), can be sent electronically. I.E. you can just email them, or share them via a Google Drive/Dropbox. My fiance just printed them off on his side and put them in his case file for the interview.

I can't speak to the process in Manila but remember that the visa validity date aligns with the date of the medical. As far as I understand it, this is why so many medical appointments require that you have your interview booked, so that it won't expire. Your fiance will have six months to enter the US from the date of the medical.

My fiance and I went 50/50 on the petition fee. He wired it and I handled the payment. It's not something they would track or care about.

Thanks for coming back! Could you perhaps fill out your timeline so all users can learn from your experience?

Super glad to help! We almost went mad during the NVC phase which was just the weirdest part so far (we were even sent a second NOA2 which was like, what), so I just want to provide people with realistic expectations because there seems to be a lot of Murphy's Law that happens at this stage. That does sound long at 102 days! I can't recall where those stats get generated from --either internally from user reporting or from the NVC site itself-- but the regional forums are great for confirming up to date information direct from the users. If you scroll down on the Forums page, you'll find the Regional Discussions in the General section. Looks like there's one for Latin/Central America/Mexico, I'm just terrible at linking things sorry 🤣 But yes, if the wait is expected to be 3+ months it would make sense to wait on the DS-160 until your case moves to Honduras, just in case. But it's alright if you do want to submit it early, it won't harm anything. You will just have to renew it if the wait is over a year. Any changes during the time from submitting the DS-160 to your interview (such as change in address or employment), can be clarified in person. By all means you can try for the case number at two weeks, see what happens! It can't hurt at all. There were periods of time where I got concerned I was sending in too many inquiries, but again, if you just check in every week and make sure you're not overlapping (as in, sending another inquiry without waiting for a response), I don't think they'll care.

By the way OP, I followed you from the previous thread and am so glad you took the members' advice to focus on a spousal visa. As my fiance and I have done the K1 and are just about finished, we are nevertheless not looking forward to the additional costs/wait times of the AOS/green card. It is what it is. I hope the process goes smoothly for you and that you have an amazing celebration stateside! Remember, it's not the paperwork that makes the marriage, it's the love for one another. You get that paperwork done as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, and you'll be able to truly enjoy bringing your family to the US. Good luck to you! And back to your regular programming... 😅

Wonderful questions, and I have to say, the NVC stage can be one of the most opaque ones in our timeline. Here's a few things I would advise: You're going to have to wait on booking appointments until your case is sent to your embassy. This includes your medical, since the visa validity date is from the date of the medical and is good for six months. Most panel physicians for this reason will not entertain appointments before your case is sent to the embassy (oftentimes not before you have your visa appointment booked) to ensure your medical packet won't expire. They are usually pretty costly appointments, trust me, you don't want to do it twice. You are correct in noticing that the DS-160 can't be completed until you have your case number from NVC. I'm not sure where you saw inquiries seeing case numbers returned in two weeks: at the time we requested back in March, it was around four weeks and my understanding it's about that, maybe a bit longer now. Four weeks is probably the safe window of time. Use the inquiry form and be patient, NVC can take a few business days to reply. If the case number isn't ready, they'll let you know and you'll have to keep trying. Weekly is usually a good frequency. As to filling out the DS-160, embassies can sometimes request you wait but technically a completed one is good for twelve months. Be sure to check your regional forum to see what the average time is for cases to be sent to Tegucigalpa from NVC, so you're not jumping the gun. Above all else, try to be patient. There's a lot of ways to track USCIS cases but NVC is a bit harder. Upon getting your case number, be sure to run a CEAC immigrant visa check (yes, K1 is technically nonimmigrant but there's no invoice number so CEAC uses immigrant for us). The cases are sent every other week to embassies that request a caseload so tracking those shipments for checking CEAC makes sense. Once you see the status change to in transit, keep your eyes peeled for the packets that inform you it is time to book appointments. Again, every embassy is different so check on Honduras' operations for that one. Best of luck to you! Deep breaths, trust the process, stay strong as a couple, and start organizing your documentation for your interview. You got this! Oh, and one last thing: do not book any flights or make any concrete wedding plans yet. You could still be thrown curveballs and see delays beyond what the average K1 wait times are for your embassy. I know we were thrown some, the average time to Johannesburg from NVC is/was about 5 weeks. We waited four months.

See update.

...do you think they threw it out? I was going to have him call the doctor's office tomorrow just to check! It would probably take a handful of weeks to get another, and set us back 10,000ZAR to do so. UPDATE: it was seated in his scanner. Crisis averted.

Hey all, quick question. My fiance and I are working on assembly of docs for the interview on Thursday and he noticed his police clearance isn't with him. He said he took it to the medical and is concerned that they might've thrown it away or "stolen" it, and I'm trying to provide some reassurance here. What is the likelihood that it's just in the sealed packet?

I think it fluctuates, but is also very case dependent. For us, NVC was skipping us over and it took several months to advance. The whole process is very opaque and I think the OP's suggestion to focus on preparations to keep busy is the best way to get through the long periods of uncertainty. Additionally, focus on your future spouse, never forget about them and look at this whole process as a test of resolve and coalition. We're a team and we've faced some serious stress, and will continue to do so. Couples who navigate immigration can grow stronger for it.

For country of origin, as well as anything stateside later. Will help particularly with K1 to track any embassy delays in processing incoming medical packets and help to predict how far out to book visa appointments.

Thanks for the information guys. I will have him inquire of the PP, and I also sent an email to Johannesburg just asking them to supply the PP with copies, since that seems to be where they originate. You say "for the I-693 medical later on". This is where I get stumped. If his medical is completed in Cape Town, along with a DS-3025 which is marked completed, what other medical is needed stateside for the AOS? Isn't the packet valid for a year so it can be used for the AOS?

This is a great question for the regional forum. Every embassy is different but most will not permit scheduling an interview until your case is received at the embassy in question and a letter sent out. Perhaps in the meantime you can complete your VJ timeline so people know what stage you're at.

Hey all, This is a very short notice question but I'm hoping to get an answer in the next few hours before my fiance heads to his medical review. We're looking ahead at him being stateside and filing the AOS paperwork, and I'm getting confused about if the DS-3025 is actually required with the applications for 485/765/131 or not. Reading over the pinned topic, I'm still at a loss. Based on conversations I've had with other K1 applicants from South Africa, specifically the Cape Town panel physician appointments, no DS-3025 is being provided. It just seems to be an office letterhead shortform record, notarized by the office with a stamp. I'm wondering what the purpose of this record is, if the DS-3025 according to the CDC website is meant to be his permanent vaccination record. It's not official, or doesn't appear to be. So what happens if he gets this document instead? Will we have trouble filing the AOS, or receive an RFE? The pinned topic from what I gather says the paperwork sent in the sealed packet from the POE includes the 693, which is preferable when filing because it's unlikely to be tampered with. So, if that's the case, do we just let the packet ride and trust the 693 to cover all bases? Or do we ask the office for a 3025/contact the consulate on Johannesburg to provide a copy to them? Thanks in advance.

Can you provide an update? Was your DS 3025 satisfactory or trigger an RFE?

Say what you will about the process, particularly the costs and requirements, but the duration in my opinion is an important component in keeping immigration to the US discerning and subjective to the variety of cases. I would not want to see it streamlined in a way that would expedite particularly the K1, even though my fiance and I are taking that route. Spouse visas and other family based visas, sure, but in terms of family-based immigration I personally think K1 should be the slowest. Not only is it a test of resolve and unity between two people before facing the stress of marriage, but also gives extra time for relationships that won't stand to dissolve. How many times does a person come to the US to marry, adjust status, then divorce? There's a process for a reason, and patience is a virtue.

Plain and simple, that's what I needed. Thank you!

Hi everyone: My fiancé and I are trying to get information to my future mother-in-law, a former South African now living in Australia with a valid Australian passport, on how she can attend our wedding in Vegas this fall. I keep trying to research what she needs in preparation for the trip, and am absolutely stumped. One source says she needs to apply for an interview for a B2 visa. Another says she lives in a country covered by the VWP, so an ESTA needs to be completed. And yet another source says she doesn't need to file anything at all, and just have her valid passport, enough money on-hand for the trip, proof of return flight and other confirmations such as her hotel stay. I am concerned that if I don't understand what is needed in advance and give her the info she needs, that she's going to have issues at customs and not know what to say or do. She's in her 70s and this will be her first time visiting the US. How can I assist her in navigating this process?

Are you talking about your I-129F petition? You'll want to sign/date any official forms, as well as your declarations of intent. When you get to the embassy stage, updated declarations of intent should be included, which also should be signed/dated. Everything outside of those pieces of evidence, there is no requirement date them, or really any benefit to it, unless it somehow helps you keep things in order. Items such as I-94 travel records and tickets have the dates of validity on them already. Photos, it doesn't really matter if they're dated. They're considered the weaker pieces of evidence because they would have to take your word for it that the dates are accurate, unless they include elements in the photo that align with travel plans: such as a trip to Paris together corroborated with a picture of you two in front of the Eiffel tower.

I would appreciate it if someone could verify that this is correct. The RM 10211.530 is very hard to decipher and one of the requirements on the VJ SSN guide is "another valid form of ID". Is the above method acceptable?