Dave

Hello

My girlfriend went home for Christmas and on her interview for her
student Visa, she was denied. Now, she cannot come back.

It seems the only way she can come back now is the K1.

If I go and submit the paperwork on Friday, how long do you think it
could take before I see her again? Best case/Worst case/Most common.

I am scared to death. I love her more than anything in the world and
I have no answers for what to do.

My very best
Dave

cindyabs

Dave,
We need more info in order to give any guesstimates, like your location, where's she's from etc.

Dave

I am sorry, I completely forgot the details...

Here is a brief background.

She is from South Africa. She came her as an Au Pair and her Visa was
up in December. She wanted to stay and knew this for a while so she
contacted the embassy and made an appointment to obtain a student
visa. From what she understood, everything was in order and would all
work smoothly. So, we did not worry whatsoever. Monday she went for
her interview and they denied her, saying she did not have enough
family ties. They then told her that she could try again in a year or
two. Also, she cannot get a travelers visa either.

So, there are only a couple of options left as I see it. One, I have
contacted my congressman to see if he will help her get a student
visa. Two, a K1. But, from reading some of the posts here, it seems
it will take months if not a year or more for us to get that and get
her in the country. When I read the information on
http://www.k1faq.com/ it said that the process that I start with will
take 1-3 months (not the worst thing in the world) and then she would
make an appointment to go to the embassy to apply for the K1. So,
given we also love each other, this seemed to be a good option. But,
just from reading the messages posted here, we won't have much luck
whatsoever.

Any help/advice/comfort would be more than greatly appreciated.

My best
Dave


cindyabs <member3791@british_expats.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Originally posted by Dave
    >
    > > Hello
    >
    > >
    >
    > > My girlfriend went home for Christmas and on her interview for her
    >
    > > student Visa, she was denied. Now, she cannot come back.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > It seems the only way she can come back now is the K1.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > If I go and submit the paperwork on Friday, how long do you think it
    >
    > > could take before I see her again? Best case/Worst case/Most common.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > I am scared to death. I love her more than anything in the world and
    >
    > > I have no answers for what to do.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > My very best
    >
    > > Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > Dave,
    >
    > We need more info in order to give any guesstimates, like your
    > location, where's she's from etc.

Dave

I forgot, I am in New Jersey


cindyabs <member3791@british_expats.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Originally posted by Dave
    >
    > > Hello
    >
    > >
    >
    > > My girlfriend went home for Christmas and on her interview for her
    >
    > > student Visa, she was denied. Now, she cannot come back.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > It seems the only way she can come back now is the K1.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > If I go and submit the paperwork on Friday, how long do you think it
    >
    > > could take before I see her again? Best case/Worst case/Most common.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > I am scared to death. I love her more than anything in the world and
    >
    > > I have no answers for what to do.
    >
    > >
    >
    > > My very best
    >
    > > Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > Dave,
    >
    > We need more info in order to give any guesstimates, like your
    > location, where's she's from etc.

Buendia

If you're from New Jersey, you'd file your I-129f with the Vermont Service Center, which is the speediest.

But as you mentioned, you've noticed from this website that things sometimes take longer than we think they will. There are a lot of variables (the service center, consulate officers, your individual case and other even less defined things like the whim of the postal service).

The service centers post their timetables (updated periodically) here:

https://egov.immigration.gov/graphic...sp?textFlag=N#

But you have to take the posted times with a grain of salt... You just have no control over the process...

utopiacowboy

You're in New Jersey? Dude, you just won the K1 lottery simply by living in the Northeast US - you have the service center all the rest of us would love to have - Vermont. If you apply for the K1 now you will be approved in a matter of months barring any unforseen difficulties. As of December 19 they were working on petitions received November 3. Incredible. You want to trade houses for a while? I love Texas and the Texas Service Center doesn't deserve to have the word Texas in it. It should be called the Terrible Service Center.

Kbito

[email protected] (Dave) wrote in message news:<[email protected]. com>...
    > I forgot, I am in New Jersey
    >
    >
    > cindyabs <member3791@british_expats.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > > Originally posted by Dave
    > >
    > > > Hello
    >
    > > >
    >
    > > > My girlfriend went home for Christmas and on her interview for her
    >
    > > > student Visa, she was denied. Now, she cannot come back.
    >
    > > >
    >
    > > > It seems the only way she can come back now is the K1.
    >
    > > >
    >
    > > > If I go and submit the paperwork on Friday, how long do you think it
    >
    > > > could take before I see her again? Best case/Worst case/Most common.
    >
    > > >
    >
    > > > I am scared to death. I love her more than anything in the world and
    >
    > > > I have no answers for what to do.
    >
    > > >
    >
    > > > My very best
    >
    > > > Dave
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > Dave,
    > >
    > > We need more info in order to give any guesstimates, like your
    > > location, where's she's from etc.

if NJ is your state of residence, then it is possible for you to get
the approval for the I-129f in a month and in some cases with in a
week.

It is therfore possible to get her here in 3-4 months since vermont is
your national service center and it happens to be the fastest one.

You will need to read more though to get some short-cut to shorten the
time(request for opening of provisional file ) once the petition is
approved by the BCIS.

Happy new year buddy and dont you cry!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leslie

HUH?!?!?!?!

Are you going to pay for their missed wedding if this information is inaccurate?

Dave

    > if NJ is your state of residence, then it is possible for you to get
    > the approval for the I-129f in a month and in some cases with in a
    > week.
    >
    > It is therfore possible to get her here in 3-4 months since vermont is
    > your national service center and it happens to be the fastest one.
    >
    > You will need to read more though to get some short-cut to shorten the
    > time(request for opening of provisional file ) once the petition is
    > approved by the BCIS.
    >
    > Happy new year buddy and dont you cry!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for helping... You really think I could get her here
by March or April?

Can you tell me any or all of the following please

Where do I look for the short-cuts? I know nothing about this
whatsoever.
How much money do I have to pay to file this?
How do I start the process for this? Forms/Interviews/etc.?
What do they check by me for approval? Do I get interviewed or fill
out a form and submit it via mail or fax? Can I do it online?

Thank you so very much for being helpful as you are.

As for the crying.. it's funny because she and I both are on the edge
of, we many never see each other again (which is killing me)... so,
some times durning the day I am perfectly fine, and then I will see
her picture, or pick up a piece of her clothing or take of my $1.25
ring she bought me, or whatever it is and I will just lose it
instantly.

My best and I look forward to your reply.. I am not so dismayed
anymore about this idea.

Dave

Tracy and Dave

It is *possible* but not guaranteed. Don't go reserving plane tickets or anything.

People who have links will be posting them for you to get all the information you want but short cuts are not the things to look for. The best short cut you can take is to make sure that all your forms are correct and you have everything ready when you need it.

Marcin

There is one more option for you. Direct Consular Filing - check for
DCF.
Call US embassy in her home country and ask whether the thing is
possible and what the requirements are (USC resident/non-resident) -
DCF is by far the fastest way

MrsLondon

If you ring the Embassy in South Africa, don't say DCF though, that's not the technical term. Say you want to apply for an immigrant visa for your wife (she will be your wife as you'd have to marry her to get the immigrant visa).

Simon&Vik

Just a note to keep in mind that however long it takes the I-129 to be approved in Vermont, you're not finished.

That gets approved.
Then the case gets sent to VSC (Visa Service Center) for background checks on you.
Then VCS sends it to the Embassy near her.
Then the Embassy sends her Packet 3 (P3).
Then she sends pwk to the Embassy.
Then the Embassy gives her an appointment for her interview.
Some Embassies issue the Visa the date of the interview, while others take extra time.

I'm afraid I don't know how long things take btwn the VSC & her Embassy or how long things take in general for her Embassy. But just some things to keep in mind...

SecretGarden

Just to clarify.....(I'll take over for JEff tonight... )

The approved petition goes to *NVC* (National Visa Center) in New Hampshire and is then forwarded to the individual consulate. Vik is right, I wouldn't count on her being here for March. For the OP, go to the USCIS website and look at the current processing dates for Vermont. Things slow down and speed up, but the thing to remember is, there is NO GUARANTEE on time. NONE. It takes a long time, but it's worth it in the end. Keep your chin up, I've been where you are. It will get better, but you need to have a plan and be extremely organized in your approach.

~SecretGarden
~and Mr. Pink
(Interview on Tuesday, and by God, we're ready for it!)

Simon&Vik

Thanks SG... I knew mine didn't sound right... but nothing else came to mind... *blush*