Edward and Jaycel

She didn't say the Department of State - She said "The State"

Yes they actually do need to complete the vaccine assessment part of the I-693 because her husband is missing the Polio Vaccine and it is now required. They marked his DS-3025 with a blanket waiver as "Not Age Appropriate" which is no longer accepted for medical exams done after 5/1/2024. They need the vaccine assessment part of the I-693 done to give to USCIS to properly document that they now received the Polio Vaccine.

Anecdotally, a friend that we helped file the I-129F had his received on 7/31/2025 and got his approval on 3/18/2026.

In my humble opinion, if he already got the polio vaccine, already went to the civil surgeon to have the vaccine assessment part of the I-693 done and you are just waiting for the sealed envelope and they said you'll have it in 2 weeks, then I would wait for the report from the civil surgeon and send it with the I-485. USCIS is not giving out RFEs for the missing polio vaccine until you get to the interview stage. If you don't have the vaccine assessment done with it added by that time they give an RFE after the interview. However, waiting the extra two weeks now and sending it with the I-485 will save you from having to deal with it at the interview. So to sum up, if I were in your position I would wait for the sealed envelope before filing and send it in with the I-485. Also, still send a copy of the DS-3025 because that will remind them to look for the full overseas medical report to put with your file.

Any conflicting information you have heard saying the I-693 is required even for K-1 Adjusters that are filing the I-485 within 1 year of their overseas medical exam is flat out wrong The polio vaccine is now required and "Not Age Appropriate" blanket waivers are no longer accepted for medical exams done after 5/1/2024. Your husband will have to get the Polio vaccine done here. This is not a reason to delay your filing of the AOS as the polio vaccine question does not come up until the interview

If your Overseas Medical in preparation for the K-1 interview at the embassy was less than 1 year prior to you filing the I-485, then you don't need to do an I-693. I would just include a copy of your DS-3025 with the I-485 to remind them you are a K-1 applicant and you are exempt from the I-693 requirement. Just make sure you select the correct filing category on the I-485 for a K-1 applicant who got married to their petitioner within the 90 days which is: Person admitted to the United States as a fiancé(e) or child of a fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen (K-1/K-2 Nonimmigrant)

These "Ghost Updates" now appear to be associated with the new policy for "Enhanced Screening" and re-running of background checks that was implemented by USCIS on 4/27/2026 for all applications that are pending final action.

Great news!

Please let us know when you receive the official receipt/extension notice in the mail. (The one that's printed on the security paper with the watermark) That's the one she will need to have with her when she travels internationally.

Fantastic news!! 🎉🎉

HAHAHAHAHA neither do we.... but "Estate Planning" just means setting up your wills, Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney, Advance Directive, HIPPA release forms so that if anything should happen, your spouse isn't stuck fighting some God-awful probate process, can access what they need to access, make decisions, etc. A time of crisis or tragedy is not the time to be trying to figure this stuff out A lot of employers offer a "Legal Assistance" benefit as part of your benefits package. Mine does and I'm glad I signed up for it. They just covered the entire cost of this and the legal assistance plan was honored by one of the best estate attorneys in Denver who bills at like $400/hr.

Jaycel and I just got his done.... So happy to have this for our impending I-751 but I can't tell you the weight off of our shoulders knowing that we are legally covered should anything happen, God forbid. Literally we walked out of the signing meeting and got in our Jeep and we both just sighed. LOL

Ok... don't believe what I told you

Expedite requests for the K-1 visa are only considered for circumstances affecting the U.S. Citizen. If the severe financial hardship is going to be impacting you, the foreign beneficiary, USCIS will not consider it.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services <uscis@messages.dhs.gov> The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing an interim final rule to implement immigration fees and requirements from the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Act of 2025 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). H.R. 1 created new fees to increase funding for immigration enforcement operations and ensure aliens pay for immigration services. On July 22, 2025, USCIS published a Federal Register notice implementing a filing fee for Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, and an Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) to be paid each calendar year an asylum application remains pending. Annual Asylum Fee In an effort to satisfy the statutory mandate that DHS require payment of the AAF, the interim final rule establishes that if an alien does not pay the AAF within 30 days of notification, USCIS will reject their pending asylum application. If an alien does not have legal status in the U.S., USCIS will also initiate the alien’s removal. If USCIS rejects an alien’s asylum application, the following additional consequences apply: USCIS will deny any pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, based on the asylum application; and Aliens who were approved to work based on the pending application will lose work authorization immediately. Additional Updates This rule also implements additional requirements outlined in H.R. 1: Form I-589 filing fee: USCIS will now keep the filing fee for Form I-589 if the agency rejects the form as improperly filed. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) employment authorization: USCIS is updating regulations limiting the employment authorization period for those under TPS to one year or the remaining TPS designation period, whichever is shorter. Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document, filing fee: The rule establishes a minimum $24 fee to file Form I-102, in addition to other required fees. The interim final rule is effective May 29, 2026. USCIS will reject any Form I-102 without the proper filing fee if it is postmarked on or after May 29, 2026. Additionally, USCIS will reject pending Form I-589 asylum applications for aliens who fail to pay the AAF effective May 29, 2026. DHS will receive public comments submitted on or before June 29, 2026. Please do not reply to this message. See our Contact Us page for phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

Best of luck! We will be 1 year behind you

Just the NBI Clearance, CENOMAR, PSA Birth Certificate, Medical exam report in the sealed brown envelope from SLEC, Passport, I-134 & Supporting Docs, Proof of relationship since (Consular Officer probably won't look at this if you filed strong evidence with the I-129F though they could ask for it but she will definitely need it for the CFO seminar so it's good to have something prepared)

HAHAHAHA Yeah it was the same here while we were waiting for the process to be done. We alternated shifts so when it was daytime here, I was checking the site and when it was daytime in the Philippines, Jaycel was checking the site. I think we got lucky and got an appointment from someone who cancelled because when it showed up, it was the only appointment available for that whole month.

Happy to help! Be prepared to be frustrated trying to find an open interview slot in the portal... It took Jaycel and I logging on every hour for two weeks straight before we found a slot. It's the worst part of this stage of the process.

You don't have to wait for Manila... you can start filling out the DS-160, registering for the portal to schedule the VAC & Interview appointments, etc., start gathering the civil docs you'll need (NBI Clearance, CENOMAR, PSA Birth Certificate, etc.)

I believe that the passport control at NAIA is in the secure area so there is no way for your wife to meet you there coming from the non-secure side.

You got a 221g which is technically a refusal and the CEAC status will often change to "Refused" while they process the receipt of the documents they asked for. The case type changing to "Nonimmigrant" happens to every K-1 Visa case before the visa is issued because it is a Nonimmigrant visa and has to be issued by the NIV section at the embassy. It says the case was updated on the 21st which is good - It means someone is touching the file. Stay strong and watch your emails - The embassy will notify you if anything else is needed

Congrats fellow Citizen!! 🎉🎉

Awesome... Keep us posted!

That's exactly the way to do it