UK VJers Progress Update Thread

[-Shana- 152]

Hey everyone, it's been great getting to see everyone's progression with this process and getting to know one another. I thought I would create a thread that's just a general "tell us what's going on with your visa" so we can have a general back and forth without cluttering up information/query threads. I thought it could be a good place to tell everyone about yourself too and how you're feeling about the whole moving to a new country!

Let's get chatting!

[Wooderz 314]

I was gonna stay out of this thread bc I'm bitter and have no progress to report.

Daniel and I currently making plans to spend another couple grand on extra trips to see eachother bc TSC.

I have a couple appointments for wedding dress shopping coming up and I'm terrified. I'm not a shopper. I like to be in and out and avoid the dressing room if I can so wedding dress shopping just seems totally horrible.

[-Shana- 152]

I was gonna stay out of this thread bc I'm bitter and have no progress to report.

Daniel and I currently making plans to spend another couple grand on extra trips to see eachother bc TSC.

I have a couple appointments for wedding dress shopping coming up and I'm terrified. I'm not a shopper. I like to be in and out and avoid the dressing room if I can so wedding dress shopping just seems totally horrible.

*hug* I know it's tough when people have heard back and you haven't, I applied for the JET programme a couple of years ago and I was a part of a forum of hopefuls. Loads of people were getting acceptance letters and were so excited to be going to Japan on a sweet deal, while I failed at the last hurdle and missed out. However with this process it is more about a waiting game. I was actually fully expecting to wait 5 months for my NOA2 because that's what the USCIS processing times were stating.

It's a good idea to visit each other in the mean time, my fiance came to England to spend Christmas with me to break up the time we've spent apart. It really helped.

Oh wow, good luck! I think wedding dress shopping is a whole new barrel of fish compared to high street shopping. You'll probably get treated more like a VIP! Do you have anything in mind in terms of style? I'm a bit similar in that I can walk into a shop, know what I like and what I don't and I'm quite happy to walk in and out of a shop when needed. I hate browsing rails upon rails of sale items *shudder*.

[Wooderz 314]

That's how I am shopping. I like it or I don't and I know right away.

Umm I don't know, I was originally planning to wear a knee length dress because we're not doing a traditional wedding, small quick ceremony and then a party. But now I'm starting to think about a more traditional dress. I like lace and I'm planning on having my hair down in loose curls with a floral or lace headband instead of a veil. So I guess kind of an eclectic style?

The only thing that's keeping me sane during this is planning wedding stuff. It's not the wait that bothers me, we've been together for going on 7 years all long distance. The unfairness and mistreatment tsc'ers receive is what makes me angry. A few extra months apart is no biggie for us, but the system is jacked up and that sucks. My life is just as important as someone from the west coast, ya know?

[Tracey&Greg 33]

From previous experience with the K1 visa.. Hang in there guys. I know it feels like a long time but I promise it's worth it in the end. I often tell people if me and my husband (then fiancé) can survive thousands of miles apart we can survive anything life has to throw at us. Biggest hugs

[Pheebs1201 269]

I have just completed my medical for the K1 visa and am now waiting for my interview.

I need to be back in the US for March first as my sister-in-law (to be) will be getting married, but I doubt I will have my visa by then which is a bit of a shame, extra expense to keep flying back and forth etc etc but our wait has been far less than others and so far it's gone relatively smoothly so I am trying to focus on the positives!

I went and tried on wedding dresses for the first time yesterday and found a dress I LOVED which was totally unexpected as it wasn't something I would have chosen. The lady in the shop picked it for me, and is obviously excellent at her job, because I loved it! Trying not to get too ahead of myself though so will continue to shop around for awhile.

We are planning on doing the courthouse thing whilst we save up for a "real" wedding in July 2016. We are on a tight budget hence starting to look for stuff already so I can get a good idea in my head of what I need to be able to pay for

So... that's me!

Edited January 30, 2015 by Pheebs1201

[-Shana- 152]

I realised I didn't put an update for myself! My medical was done 2 days ago, all went well with the check up and my vaccination form. I'm hoping I don't hear anything from them which is the sign that all is well with my blood work. Now I'll be sat twiddling my thumbs waiting for an interview letter. After saying to people in a different thread that I didn't check the CEAC update often I've now started to!

I've been doing some research on what happens when I land in America. I think my plan is to apply for a SSN first, open a joint + solo bank account, apply for an ID card so I don't have to carry around my passport for ID, then apply for a marriage licence. But check this out, in Colorado you can self solemnize your wedding. If I'm understanding it correctly, when we apply for our licence we literally just sign the certificate part ourselves and then that's it! Once someone official has signed off on it too then we're married. It's pretty perfect for us since we don't want to make a big fuss of our on paper wedding, but save that for when we have money for a proper one. I've done a little research and it's caused no problems for people who moved out of state either.

That's how I am shopping. I like it or I don't and I know right away.

Umm I don't know, I was originally planning to wear a knee length dress because we're not doing a traditional wedding, small quick ceremony and then a party. But now I'm starting to think about a more traditional dress. I like lace and I'm planning on having my hair down in loose curls with a floral or lace headband instead of a veil. So I guess kind of an eclectic style?

The only thing that's keeping me sane during this is planning wedding stuff. It's not the wait that bothers me, we've been together for going on 7 years all long distance. The unfairness and mistreatment tsc'ers receive is what makes me angry. A few extra months apart is no biggie for us, but the system is jacked up and that sucks. My life is just as important as someone from the west coast, ya know?

Going on what Pheebs said too, the sales people are excellent at picking things out that you want + a wild card. My friend said she'd never go for a certain style of dress, but tried it on anyway at the request of the sales person and she loved it! That's now her dress. So it's good to have an idea of what you like, perhaps take some reference pics too, but keep an open mind too.

I bet, I say be angry it's ridiculous how backed up TSC is!

I have just completed my medical for the K1 visa and am now waiting for my interview.

I need to be back in the US for March first as my sister-in-law (to be) will be getting married, but I doubt I will have my visa by then which is a bit of a shame, extra expense to keep flying back and forth etc etc but our wait has been far less than others and so far it's gone relatively smoothly so I am trying to focus on the positives!

I went and tried on wedding dresses for the first time yesterday and found a dress I LOVED which was totally unexpected as it wasn't something I would have chosen. The lady in the shop picked it for me, and is obviously excellent at her job, because I loved it! Trying not to get too ahead of myself though so will continue to shop around for awhile.

We are planning on doing the courthouse thing whilst we save up for a "real" wedding in July 2016. We are on a tight budget hence starting to look for stuff already so I can get a good idea in my head of what I need to be able to pay for

So... that's me!

Do you have a flight booked already?

Aww, what does the dress look like? I've yet to try on any wedding dresses, I think I'll wait for our big one in a couple of years or I'll get too impatient to wear it!!

[Pheebs1201 269]

Going on what Pheebs said too, the sales people are excellent at picking things out that you want + a wild card. My friend said she'd never go for a certain style of dress, but tried it on anyway at the request of the sales person and she loved it! That's now her dress. So it's good to have an idea of what you like, perhaps take some reference pics too, but keep an open mind too.

Do you have a flight booked already?

Aww, what does the dress look like? I've yet to try on any wedding dresses, I think I'll wait for our big one in a couple of years or I'll get too impatient to wear it!!

I showed her my pinterest board for wedding dresses and she seemed to appreciate that, it's a quick and easy way to sum up what you like!

No I haven't booked a flight in case I'm able to squeak by last minute. I feel quite stressed!

I will PM you a dress pic

[-Shana- 152]

I showed her my pinterest board for wedding dresses and she seemed to appreciate that, it's a quick and easy way to sum up what you like!

No I haven't booked a flight in case I'm able to squeak by last minute. I feel quite stressed!

I will PM you a dress pic

ooh, is it bad that I've not been properly proposed to yet but I have a wedding board already?? It's kind of like my own little secret! I think for me I can't wait to plan the reception! I want it to be an epic garden party with loads of fairy lights/lanterns. Whether we end up finding somewhere to do it outdoors or bringing it to an indoor space.

I've been looking into flight costs to go over there, ideally I want my POE to be my last stop and at the moment British Airways are looking like my best bet. Manchester - London - Denver. If I did it that way, then if I get caught up in POE processing then I can tell my boyfriend to go pick up my bags for me since in Denver any old person can just walk in and go to a baggage carousel!!

[Pheebs1201 269]

ooh, is it bad that I've not been properly proposed to yet but I have a wedding board already?? It's kind of like my own little secret! I think for me I can't wait to plan the reception! I want it to be an epic garden party with loads of fairy lights/lanterns. Whether we end up finding somewhere to do it outdoors or bringing it to an indoor space.

I've been looking into flight costs to go over there, ideally I want my POE to be my last stop and at the moment British Airways are looking like my best bet. Manchester - London - Denver. If I did it that way, then if I get caught up in POE processing then I can tell my boyfriend to go pick up my bags for me since in Denver any old person can just walk in and go to a baggage carousel!!

You know it's on the cards so a pinterest board is totally allowed

I only got my ring on christmas eve, it wasn't official until then even though we'd submitted the K1 petition.

Ah that's smart, my layover is always at least three hours anyway it seems so I'm not too worried about that.

[-Shana- 152]

Before I go posting up new topics I figured I'd ask here first, which website do you use to pay for the visa? The London embassy website says this one:

https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/niv (blue)

but in the VJ London guide it says this one:

https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/iv (green)

Maybe it's cleared up in the interview letter but figured there's no harm asking.

Edited January 30, 2015 by shana.mike

[-Shana- 152]

You know it's on the cards so a pinterest board is totally allowed

I only got my ring on christmas eve, it wasn't official until then even though we'd submitted the K1 petition.

Ah that's smart, my layover is always at least three hours anyway it seems so I'm not too worried about that.

If I went from Manchester - Philadelphia - Denver then it'd be fine since it's always a 4 hour + layover time. BUT the flight to Denver is 4 hours long and after a 7 hour flight I start to go bananas! I'd rather have 1 short flight then a super long one XD

[Pheebs1201 269]

If I went from Manchester - Philadelphia - Denver then it'd be fine since it's always a 4 hour + layover time. BUT the flight to Denver is 4 hours long and after a 7 hour flight I start to go bananas! I'd rather have 1 short flight then a super long one XD

Oh fair enough, I always go from London to either LAX or Seattle and that's 11 hours I hate it

Before I go posting up new topics I figured I'd ask here first, which website do you use to pay for the visa? The London embassy website says this one:

https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/niv (blue)

but in the VJ London guide it says this one:

https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/iv (green)

Maybe it's cleared up in the interview letter but figured there's no harm asking.

There was a thread on this recently... darn... I'll see if I can find it.

[Pheebs1201 269]

Ah here we go, does this help? Haven't really looked at that stage yet

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/532915-k1-visa-fee-issue/

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The payment link in the guide takes you straight to the UK immigrant visa page. See the gb and iv in the link?

If you wander off course and try non-immigrant visa, you may get stuck in internet hell trying to get out and try over.

Yes, you are a non-immigrant visa, but because the K1 gets processed by the immigrant visa unit, you always pick IV instead of NIV, which is for those getting student, tourist, etc visas.