Khadija

Greetings from snowy Vienna, Austria -

Here for work, can't sleep so I checked the BCIS Online Status for my I-130 and it was approved online January 22, 2004.

Meanwhile, we're still waiting for word on the K3. The Consulate sent our photos, video and personal letters back last week with no note, nothing. The email responses I've received are cryptic, e.g., "the file was with the Consul and then it will undergo some administrative processing after which we will process the case to conclusion". Not quite sure what that means exactly

That's all she wrote at the moment!

Bye for now,
Patty Khadijah

Noorah101

Hi Patty
How does that affect his case....is it easier to go for the I-130? I remember you said you want to AOS in the states. Will you just be ignoring the I-130 approval?

Rene

Hebapotamus42

Congratulations, Patty! Still, though, having the two petitions approved at the same time just makes decisions harder, but I thought you said before that you prefer to AOS. So, what do you intend to do?

Leslie

Hi Patty!!

Congratulations!! This sounds like wonderful news to me. Why couldn't you just abandon the K3 and put him on a plane to the U.S.? Am I missing something here? Can you really pursue the K3 with an approved I-130?

Leslie

tmushen

Congratulations I would proceed with the I130 but I guess that's up to you.

theangells

Hi Patty,

well, at least you got your I-130 approved ... that's the good side... maybe you can proceed with that rather than the troublesome K3...

Ida

Leslie

I think Patty is travelling. So I'll answer my question with another question. Would there still a consulate interview with the approved I-130? Instead of the interview taking place in states, I mean.

utopiacowboy

Am I missing something here? To me, getting the I-130 approved is better than getting the K-3. With the K-3 you still have to apply for an EAD, you still have to AOS, you are still on the USCIS treadmill. With the I-130, you get your green card and you are finished. Why would anyone want to continue with the K-3 when they had an approved I-130? I would wait an extra month or two if my wife could enter with a green card instead of a K-3.

Hebapotamus42

It's more like an extra 3 or 4 months. Some people can take the wait. Others can't.

utopiacowboy

Even the extra 3 months would be worth it to me. You pay now or pay later, both with time and money. I would rather have my dealings with the USCIS over and done with.

Khadija

Hi all - last night in Vienna. My packing is done so I thought I'd check in.

Yes, it is good news that our I-130 was approved. However, as I've learned with the K3, that only says I have the right to petition as a USC for my foreign spouse to obtain a visa. It does not guarantee us anything.

As Heba pointed out, it is a matter of time. Money doesn't enter into it at all. 3-4 months is optimistic. I suspect it would be more like 6 months if the timing of the K3 is any sort of a guide. My husband and I have been together for almost 3 years and married for 2 now. Being apart is getting almost unbearable at this point. You have to remember, this isn't London. It's Cairo and my husband is 31, an Arab, a Muslim and comes from a developing country. We are subject to all kinds of suspicions and delays that many going through this process just don't experience.

Then there's the trouble we've had with his K3 to date. Who's to say he wouldn't get the same ConOff for the I-130 interview? Also, we'd be starting from scratch with the same documentation we just got done collecting and filing for his K3.

My hope is the K3 comes through before I have to make a decision with the NVC. We really just want to be together. Although we'd still have to go through EAD and AOS here, at least we'd be doing it on the same continent in the same city.

Patty Khadijah

utopiacowboy

You're right. It doesn't guarantee you anything. BTW, he is the one who can apply for the visa based on your approved petition. As I understand it, the I-130 will be sent to the NVC and then on to the Embassy - why would this take 3 or 4 months? My I-129F went from Missouri to the NVC to Bogota in a month - why would an I-130 take any longer? And the documentation required for a K-3 at the consulate is almost exactly the same as that required for the immigrant visa. Of course you are probably right about the delays you have experienced and the bird in the hand looks much better than the one in the bush. So I guess in your circumstances I can't question your decision.

Hebapotamus42

Cowboy,

Most of the processing that follows the I-130 is done at the NVC, unlike the K visas where the NVC just serves as a conduit. Processing at the NVC is incredibly slow and there are a lot of extra steps involved than the K visas. If mys husband had submitted P3 for the K3, I probably would have just continued with that for the same reasons Patty mentioned. But since the I-130 got approved before he sent in P3, I've decided to wait out the IV processing. I know it's worth it, but things are just so slow I'm getting really stressed and have gone on a few cookie and popcorn binges (which didn't help at all).

utopiacowboy

Wow, I did not realize that. Thanks for the info about the NVC and the I-130s. Hang in there! At least you won't have AOS and EAD to worry about later.

NKA418

Hey Khadija,

I met another woman online who is in the same boat as you. Her husband is also an Arab Muslim (from Morocco). Perhaps I can get the two of you connected. PM or email me when you get a chance.

I know that's rough, just when you think that you're nearing the end and so close to being together. As far as I understood, once your petition for the I-130 was approved, the K-3 is no longer valid. I could be wrong, so don't quote me. If anyone else has solid proof on this, please post it!! In the meantime, I'll check it out and post it when time permits.

I hope you have a safe flight back!!

NKA