SecretGarden

Hi Jess,
You have an exciting time ahead of you! I understand the "not meeting for quite awhile" situation. In our case, it was 4,000 miles, no concurrent time off work, finances (!) and parenting responsibilities on both sides. Every situation is different.

Speaking from experience, if you've been on the phone, keyboard and webcam for two years, when you first meet up at the airport you're going to be wanting your keyboard to communicate----don't let that freak you out. It works out in the end.

~SecretGarden and Mr. Pink
(together for three years, married for 3 months, K1-ers)

Ranjini

Congratulations!! I know the feeling although our wait was like only 10 months, and we lived 8,000 miles apart. I can recall every detail of our first meeting and can still recall the minutest detail of our 10 days together, although it was back in October 1998. Cherish every moment, take lots of photos and above all have lots of fun

JessInUSA

Can anyone give me an approximate processing time for the K1?

SecretGarden

Go here:

www.uscis.gov

On the right you will see a link for "case status" and "processing dates". Hit the processing date link and select Vermont Service Center from the drop down list. That will give you the petition receipt date of the ones they're currently working on.

Hope this helps.
~SecretGarden

Rete

Please please please remember that all timelines issued by the USCIS and members of this newsgroup are projections only and should not be taken as anything but guesswork. And yes, that goes for the government's estimations as well. Those estimates have been equated to works of fiction.

For someone such as yourself and your fiancee, by using the Vermont Service Center and the US Consulate in Montreal, you can estimate a I-129F approval approximately 10 to 30 days from receipt by the VSC and after that it goes to the NVC who forwards it to the Consulate. Your fiancee can jump start his end of the process by going to the RCMP and getting his police clearance and he can go get his physical and vaccination supplement at any one of the USCIS approved physicians, etc. before the Consulate sends him his paperwork.

Overall I would say you are in for a 4 to 6 month approval timeline.

I urge you strongly to read the FAQ under my name in the root post at the start of this forum. It will direct you to the www.visajourney.com forum where the FAQ is currently being housed in its new location.

Rete

JessInUSA

Thanks! Mack will be here in 11 days

nkem4ever

Let's see, our 1st in person meeting was after all of 7months spent online/yahoo chat/phone calls etc. and it was worth the 10 wonderful days we spent together at last. Seeing J for the 1st time was exciting and he was every bit of the gentleman I expected he'd be and then some. That's one trip to be remembered forever, now here we are with only 16dys b4 we become man & wife - oh what a joy beyond words can ever say!!!

Anyway, enuf about me - as someone already said, take photos, enjoy each other, and just have plain ol' fun. Before you know it you'll be saying goodbye so you want to make the very best of every single second you have with one another.
You may also want to download all the forms for K1 that you can do most of it together and begin the file for it so when he leaves you'l have that much already accomplished.
Lucky for you going thru Vermnont

Here's to your success and a speedy process!

MarDae

That's a very good idea about starting the K-1 together. You need to complete a G-325A for both of you and they need to be signed by both of you (you need to sign your, he needs to sign his). That would save you from having to wait on the mail to get the form. Plus you can bring your evidence together make photocopies of all of it and then send the originals back with him so he'll have them for the interview. You might even have enough time to order the forms by mail. If he's coming in about 10 days and he's staying for more than just a couple days you should probably have them in time to fill them out. Then you don't have to worry about how to compile them etc since they are already hole punched and in the format they want them.

Best of luck again!!!

MarDae

JessInUSA

Thanks, we'll probably do that Where would I be able to order them?

SecretGarden

Jess,
The forms are all downloadable from the www.uscis.gov site. Go to the links at the left for "Forms, Fees, and Fingerprinting". You may also find a link at the right helpful: "How Do I?" There is information there regarding what you need to submit for the petition phase of your process.

Hope this helps.
~SecretGarden

MarDae

Go to the website http://uscis.gov/graphics/exec/forms/index.asp the information on ordering forms is there. I ordered about 3 copies of each type of form (more for the G-325A since you need to send copies for both you and your fiance) just in case I messed up. I also down loaded the forms off the net so I could fill them out as practice. Getting your spacing right, especially on the G-325A, can be a little tricky and I'm a little anal about such things so I wanted the forms to be just right.

You'll want to get the:
I-129F & G-325A. You can also request the I-134 but I had a friend who requested that at the same time as the other 2 and she was sent a note stating she wouldn't need it yet. Your fiance will need it for his K-1 visa interview but it doesn't hurt getting prepared early and finding out what documentation you'll need to prepare in advance. Don't forget you'll also need to take your ADIT photos when he's here (you'll need picts of both of you for the I-129F petition). If I've forgotten any of the forms you need to order I hope someone else chimes in. It's been a while since I ordered mine.

Good Luck!

MarDae

nkem4ever

Good Job MarDae

I think you got most of it covered.
Additionally, dont forget the tax transcripts/returns you'll need for the affidavit of support (134). You can get up to three yrs transcripts I believe (although I got about 6 when ordered at different times) from the IRS.
If your'e like I was, when I met J the 1st time - paperwork was the last thing on my mind (heee hee heee) but I knew it would be wise to at least take a gander at the forms he had already printed and made available for us to peruse during our visit.
Eventually we got it done but the getting started part was the kick in the butt for me.
Forms not downloadable but needed on your part are also Employer letter, letters of intent signed by both of you, bank statements (as explained on the 134), don't forget to notirise the 134 when you get to that stage....yadda yadda yadda
As MarDae suggests, do make extra printouts leaving room for error and for your filing copies. When you submit the petition you wan to keep copy of every piece of paper you send them and by all means, do not forget to SIGN the darn thing. One guy (or a few of them) got RFE's for not signing after sending all the right docs - that put them back at least a week or two. Pictures, I belive already mentioned - must be dated and better taken w/various settings and possible with others (friends, relatives) in some of them doesn't hurt any.

I know im forgetting something else so let's see what others come up with.

All the best!

Ray

This is all just madness...form and transcripts etc etc...marriage plans ...wake up people !! they have not even met....a somewhat important part of a relationship..I get the feeling the couple will feel so pressured to "get the forms off" before they even know each other...

AlisonPA

Totally agree, cart before the horse somewhat

nkem4ever

Yepper, good point. We (I) just got a teee bit carried away for a minute.

jess - meet the man first, all other info will come in due time.