glasgowm

From what I've seen, it seems to take about 2 months once you get your application gets approved at the NBC. This of course depends on the country since the last stages of this take place at the Embassy/COnsulate in the country of your spouse.

The big question is how long it will take to get your approval. Right now they are running about a 3 month back log. But that varies a lot. In early July they were running a 1 month backlog.

The approval can get slowed down if you get an RFE. This seems to slow the process down by about a month. Since this requires you to send more info to BCIS, the amount of time this takes is somewhat dependent on you.

We've been waiting for over 3 months now. We got an RFE and are working through that now.

If we get approval soon, then we hopefully will have the Visa at the end of the year or early next year. So our total time would be 5 months.

If your spouse has to give 3 months notice at their job. I'd wait until I got approval from NBC then start planning on the move.

The best way to get an idea of how long things take is to look at one of the timelines that are on the net. Here are two:

http://www.mediabrew/k3/list.php
http://www.k1k3.com/

The first one is k3 only, and the second is for both K1 and K3, but you can filter out the K1's.

The key things to look at are how long it is taking for recent approvals, and how long it takes from NOA2 until receipt of Visa for other people from the same country.

Good Luck,

Michael

Kate

Hi Kim
Just thought I would let you know that I am in the visa process for my
finace from Sweden. You're not alone!
Kate

KimJ

Hi Kate - nice to meet you.

How long have you been waiting?

Hypertweeky

Hey there Kim
Welcome to the K3 process!!, All the applications for spouses (I-129) go to Missouri, the fiancee apps (I-129F) go to the regional service centers.
Every case difers so I can't tell you an exact timeline, You can visit this website to see real timelines from k3's..
http://www.mediabrew.com/k3/list.php
Good Luck with your process and if you have any other questions or just need to vent come visit us

Kate

    > How long have you been waiting?

Kim
We started the process Sept. 12, 2001 and now only have the interview
left.
The reason for the loooong wait was due to some complications found
during the medical. So just remember, things could be worse.
Kate

utopiacowboy

Hold on folks! This is her HUSBAND we are talking about not her FIANCE. As an earlier post pointed out, applications for spouses go to Missouri (National Benefits Center) so all this talk about which center is faster and how long Vermont takes is completely irrelevant.

If she files for a K-3 through Missouri will he get here by March? NO. I filed for a K-3 back in October and my wife will be lucky to get here by March.

The way to go in Sweden is DCF. Here is the web page from the US Embassy's site: http://www.usis.usemb.se/Consulate/iv5.html
If you go this route, yes he can be here by March.

KimJ

I don't think we can do DCF since I am in the US and he is in Sweden.

We're just going to have to wait it out. I had hopes we would be together before our 1st anniversary (March), but I guess not...

As I keep telling myself... what's a few months in respect to the rest of our lives?

meauxna

Well, Sweden *does* require a one-day visit by the USC to do DCF. If you really wanted to make March, that is.

utopiacowboy

Good advice. You can do DCF but you are going to pass it up? There are thousands of people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. I will be making my fourth trip to Colombia and if non-resident US citizens could still do DCF in Colombia, I would have done it long ago. Also you would be doing everyone else a favor by going the DCF route - one less I-129F for one of the US service centers! For us poor souls who cannot do DCF.

KimJ

Isn't it too late to do this, since we've already filed everything? Both 'sets' of paperwork are already in process - the I-130 and I-129f.

Hell, if it isn't too late, I'm going to be there in a few weeks for the holidays...