Wedding in April 1st NOA recieved yesterday

[gnralph 0]

I'm 31 from Ireland and engaged since last December. My fiancé started the ball rolling about 6 weeks ago on the I-129F form - was returned because it was missing her signature - she sent it back and we received the 1st NOA yesterday So basically We've 163 days until the big day. I've flights booked to land in NYC on the 2nd of November.

From what I have read, we are pushing it very tight to get this through the system, Is that fair comment?

We have done all the paperwork ourselves.

What I do have going for me is

• I have been to the US numerous times before - never overstayed my welcome
  • 4/5 times in the past year to visit my fiancé and she has also traveled to Ireland the same number of times
• I have worked legally under a L1 Visa for 18 months - this was done through the company immigration lawyer.
• I have a social security number, obviously enough
• No trouble with the law here at home or in the US - not even a traffic violation
• Plenty of pictures phonecalls etc
• engagement ring that cost me a nice few quid!

Will the above help in maybe speeding up the process??

----------------------------------------------

Other option is that it doesn't get approved in time. Wedding is booked for the 8th of November, If I go ahead with the ceremony is it legal?

- i don't think it is,- that or it voids my K1 visa

If I go ahead with a ceremony - just a ceremony, nothing legally binding- and wait until the K1 comes through. Is there any repercussions for this?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated

[Pitaya 2,577]

Welcome to the forum.

The general forum recommendation is to NOT make ANY non-refundable/non-changeable reservations/plans/commitments without having your passport in your hand with the visa inside. There are far too many variables in the visa process that may detour or delay the best made plans.

Many people opt for a simple courthouse wedding in the US. Then after starting the AOS process, obtain AP document and go back home for family ceremony.

YMMV.

Good luck on your visa journey.

[nightingalejules 678]

There have been stories on here that suggest that even a "non-legally binding" ceremony can make the Customs officials think you are married, and therefore not eligible for a K1. Much better not to do anything that even has a whiff of "getting married" until you have your K1 and can do it in the US.

With the evidence as you presented in your first post, it seems likely that all will go forward without problems, so it's just a question of how fast the USCIS, NVC and your embassy are processing K1 applications at the moment... and I have no idea what that timeline is, sorry.

I hope your paperwork goes through in time!

[gnralph 0]

Thanks for your advice and best wishes. Really appreciate both :-)

The last thing i want to do is go over there without the K1 in hand and have some sort of ceremony that can be seen as an official wedding. I am only ever doing this once so i want to do it right!

Ive read that there is an expidite process? There are certain circumstances though. Financial loss... I.e. My fiance(the petitioner losing financially). I stand to loose a few thousand(nothing worth crying about) but her father is shelling out 5 figures!! Thats what is really worring me.

we applied in april, wedding in november engaged since december. Theres a fair amount of money being paid out, for the wedding. Has anyone come across this before?

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

In all honesty, this is not grounds for an expedite. Think of it this way: Every person on this board (and we are only a tiny cross section of the people trying to go be with our loved ones) has reasons that they want to go faster through the process.

The fact that you planned your wedding without getting the visa ready on time means that you want to jump to the front of the line for reasons of poor personal planning.

The wedding isn't until November. That's lots of time to talk to vendors and pick a new date. Pick up the phone and don't call USCIS, talk to your vendors and venue about moving the wedding, now, rather than later, when you are less likely to incur penalties. Look at current trends for how long it's going to take, then tack at least four months onto that for delays. Remember: You have six months in which to activate your visa, then 90 days in which to marry. That's essentially 9 months after visa issuance in which to get married. So delay the wedding and announce the delay now, not later, and don't try to jump the line.

[Papetica09 16]

In all honesty, this is not grounds for an expedite. Think of it this way: Every person on this board (and we are only a tiny cross section of the people trying to go be with our loved ones) has reasons that they want to go faster through the process.

The fact that you planned your wedding without getting the visa ready on time means that you want to jump to the front of the line for reasons of poor personal planning.

The wedding isn't until November. That's lots of time to talk to vendors and pick a new date. Pick up the phone and don't call USCIS, talk to your vendors and venue about moving the wedding, now, rather than later, when you are less likely to incur penalties. Look at current trends for how long it's going to take, then tack at least four months onto that for delays. Remember: You have six months in which to activate your visa, then 90 days in which to marry. That's essentially 9 months after visa issuance in which to get married. So delay the wedding and announce the delay now, not later, and don't try to jump the line.

??? I couldn't have said it better ??!!

[gnralph 0]

I see what you mean and i take your point. There are people who are in far greater need than me who are even more important.

Trouble is that we both have family and friends who have made plans already. Flights booked, accomodation booked and paid for etc.

I know my fiance will be gutted if this is postponed and the last thing i want is to see her upset.

We might as well ring up and ask. See how we get on?

If that fails, which it probably will understandably, im thinking of:

travelling on the visa waiver program,

Having a non legal binding ceremony,

Returning home to wait on approval,

Travelling back with K1 approval

Marrying :-)

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

The last thing I want to see is my wife upset, but that's what I'm going to see when I get on the plane at the end of our next visit to fly back to my country. But that's still not grounds for an expedite. You are literally asking to butt in line for your convenience. You are asking that every other person in the world waiting for your visa type to wait a little bit extra just so you can have what you want and that's not fair. You are being very entitled.

Your friends and family may be able to rebook flights and hotels will often rebook accommodations.

You are being unfair.

And if you carry out that plan and get caught? With a marriage ceremony in existence even without a certificate? Your K-1 can be denied. And you won't get to appeal. And then you'll have to start all. over. again. USCIS and NVC and Embassy have all been known to look at social media. All it takes is one picture of you in a church in wedding clothes and your K-1 is denied because you're already married.

[lilsadie 50]

I'm 31 from Ireland and engaged since last December. My fiancé started the ball rolling about 6 weeks ago on the I-129F form - was returned because it was missing her signature - she sent it back and we received the 1st NOA yesterday So basically We've 163 days until the big day. I've flights booked to land in NYC on the 2nd of November.

From what I have read, we are pushing it very tight to get this through the system, Is that fair comment?

We have done all the paperwork ourselves.

What I do have going for me is

• I have been to the US numerous times before - never overstayed my welcome
  • 4/5 times in the past year to visit my fiancé and she has also traveled to Ireland the same number of times
• I have worked legally under a L1 Visa for 18 months - this was done through the company immigration lawyer.
• I have a social security number, obviously enough
• No trouble with the law here at home or in the US - not even a traffic violation
• Plenty of pictures phonecalls etc
• engagement ring that cost me a nice few quid!

Will the above help in maybe speeding up the process??

----------------------------------------------

Other option is that it doesn't get approved in time. Wedding is booked for the 8th of November, If I go ahead with the ceremony is it legal?

- i don't think it is,- that or it voids my K1 visa

If I go ahead with a ceremony - just a ceremony, nothing legally binding- and wait until the K1 comes through. Is there any repercussions for this?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated

Which service center are you at? If its Cali, you might not have an issue, if Texas there is pretty much zero chance forgetting your visa by your wedding.

[gnralph 0]

We have applied in april, 7 months in advance. The average is 5. We are not looking to jump ahead. Im just apprehensive on the timing. Its a little too close for comfort

I dont really think its grounds for an expidite but ive read of other people getting things expidited for less(loss of a weeks wages)so i feel entitled to ask the question about our situation(loss of $30,000) Im not expecting the answer i want but hey thats life and im fine with that. Fair is fair. Theres thousands in this situation i understand.

So No. I do not think im being unfair for simply asking a question.

I said a ceremony, not a marriage ceremony. A celebration of love, an intent to marry ceremony. Call it an engagement ceremony.

Apologies if you think im trying to bump you from the queue

[gnralph 0]

Which service center are you at? If its Cali, you might not have an issue, if Texas there is pretty much zero chance forgetting your visa by your wedding.

Dam! Its texas! :-( thanks for the info though!

[Papetica09 16]

We have applied in april, 7 months in advance. The average is 5. We are not looking to jump ahead. Im just apprehensive on the timing. Its a little too close for comfort

I dont really think its grounds for an expidite but ive read of other people getting things expidited for less(loss of a weeks wages)so i feel entitled to ask the question about our situation(loss of $30,000) Im not expecting the answer i want but hey thats life and im fine with that. Fair is fair. Theres thousands in this situation i understand.

So No. I do not think im being unfair for simply asking a question.

I said a ceremony, not a marriage ceremony. A celebration of love, an intent to marry ceremony. Call it an engagement ceremony.

Apologies if you think im trying to bump you from the queue

I understand where you come from, but let me explain something "loss of wages" and "loss of money spend in wedding preps" is totally 2 different things! One was by choice... Now the 5months is and AVERAGE which mean less or more, which in most cases through the TSC is more. I applied for my K-1 in May2014 but my wedding is in June2015! No worries in my part... I have more than enough time to address any issues that can arise... This is what I'm trying to explain.. This is what u supposed to do, when the decision is in someone else's hands.

[lilsadie 50]

Dam! Its texas! :-( thanks for the info though!

Oh no. To give you an idea, there are still people waiting since November for their NOA2 from Texas. I really hope it all works out. Just be really careful with a non official ceremony. I've seen others on here denied a visa due to these type of ceremonies. Ill try to find the post... In the grand scheme of things, putting off the wedding for a few months is way better than being denied and having to re apply and waiting another year when you will be so close...

[Pitaya 2,577]

You can call your ceremony whatever you like. Do a forum search of threads, there are reports of folks who have had "pre-marital ceremonies" applying for a K-1 visa, making it to the embassy/consulate interview phase of the process. Only to be denied a fiancee K-1 visa due to the CO determining that they were already married and ineligible for a fiancee visa. Their option then is to start all over with the spousal visa process.

You can try to succeed where few have had success with similar expedite scheme. Here are the criteria: http://www.uscis.gov/forms/expedite-criteria

Good luck on your visa journey.

YMMV

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

We have applied in april, 7 months in advance. The average is 5.

You are misinformed if you think the average time for a K-1 is 5 months. That is the average time for the FIRST STEP ONLY.

This comes up every so often, and no, it is not cause for expedite and it is bad planning.

Sorry. Best of luck to you.