Lu&Nate

Hi everybody, finally after searching so much on the internet i found this place, i really think this is helping everybody with the "torture" of waiting for paperwork...

My fiance from Denver sent the K1 paperwork on March 6th, 2004 through Nebraska, and we received a letter on March 14 saying "We mailed you a receipt with information about processing. It is taking between 150 and 180 days for us to process this kind of case" .. so is this what you call NOA1? i`m not sure about all the terms yet... so is this going to take 5 to 6 months until we find out their desition wheather i`m accepted or not? or is this the total time until i move to the US... this is a little confusing for me.. i really hope you guys can give me a hint of what`s going on...

Thanks a lot !

Lu

Randie

Hi Lu
I'm from Peru and I'm bringing my husband in the next couple of months from Peru on a K-3 visa.
In reply to your question, the number of days they gave you in the 1st NOA you received is the approximate time the entire process will take before you get your K-1 in Lima and join your honey bunny in the US.
Randie

Bluegrass Lass

Not quite correct Randie. The "150-180" mentioned on the NOA1 is how long it will take the Service Center to approve/deny the I-129f petition. So, it could take 6 months to get approved. Then you have to add in the time it takes for the Service Center to forward your file to the National Visa Center (NVC), how long it will take the NVC to forward the petition to the appropriate overseas Consulate, and then you have to add in how long it might take for the overseas Consulate to process your petition, send you the necessary documents, for you to complete those documents, and then how long it will take for the Consulate to schedule your appointment.

We filed our I-129f through Texas last August. It took 143 days to get our I-129f approved, and then it took about another 7 weeks before my then fiance could get his interview. But we went through London, which is pretty fast in processing documents and scheduling interviews. From the time we filed the I-129f to the time that my honey received his visa was 190 days. See our timeline below.

Our K1 timeline:
08/06/2003 - Posted I-129f to TSC
08/08/2003 - I129f arrived at TSC
08/11/2003 - NOA1 date (found out from email response)
01/02/2004 - NOA2 online (day 143)
01/07/2004 - NVC received file
01/12/2004 - Case forwarded to London Consulate
01/16/2004 - London receives Petition
01/16/2004 - London posts Packet 3 (but we think it was more like the 17th or 20th)
01/24/2004 - Rec'd Packet 3 in our grubby paws
02/04/2004 - Returned Pkt 3 Forms
02/05/2004 - London Rec'd Forms
02/07/2004 - Rec'd Interview letter from Embassy
02/17/2004 - K1 Visa issued!! 190 days from start of process
04/16/2004 - Scott arrives at JFK in NYC

Once in the USA:
04/17/2004 - Scott arrives in Louisville, KY !!!
04/19/2004 - Applied for SSN
04/27/2004 - Rec'd letter from SSA informing Scott that he had a number
05/04/2004 - Scott received his SS card in the mail
May 8, 2004 - We got married in Gatlinburg, TN!!!

06/01/2004 - Filed I-485 at Louisville, KY office
06/01/2004 - Filed I-765 at Louisville, KY office

SecretGarden

Actually, the 150-180 days is a work of complete fiction. The only way to tell if they are working on your petition is to monitor the dates on the individual service center reports. Look for posts by Matt Udall in which he explains estimated processing times and how to go about telling if your receipt date is overdue.

Otherwise, Jamie, I agree with the rest of your post. The initial approval of the petition is only the first step in the lengthy process.

~SecretGarden
(181 days at NSC, 222 total days from 1st NOA to issuance of visa)

Lu&Nate

thank you all for your comments... now i have the sensation this is going to take forever ... not fair !

Randie

Lu
I still think you should count on approximately 6 months from the date of your first NOA1 assuming all the paperwork submitted was correct. Just look at the timelines on various websites and yes, as some of the people in this forum have expressed, k-1 process could take longer than 6 months total but in average, that's what I'd estimate. My K-3 was also supposed to take 6 months and so far it looks like it'll be more like 7 months. I sent paperwork requested and I think that's the key factor in avoiding RFI's [additional paperwork] and letting the system handle your petition accordingly. Use these next few months to prepare for your honey and always, stay in touch with him. I have; daily, for the last 26 months we've been apart [when romance started]. I've also gone to see my loved one every 3 months in Peru since March 2002.
Take care and good luck
Randie

Hypertweeky

Don't you lose hope!!
Wish you a speedy process!!

usmprez

Hi Lu:

It may have changed in Lima since my now wife received her K-1, but her time line was really good. As far as I can remember it was:

Aug 28, 2002 - Filed 129-F

Nov 28 2002 - Interview in Lima (I attended, which I think helps)
Visa Granted.

December 2002 - married in US

October 2003 - AOS interview - succesful

April 2004 - conditional green card received

Good luck and I hope yours is just as fast

Mike

Hypertweeky

Hey Mike.

When was your NOA2?
The OP is going thru Texas, I have the feeling you went thru Vermont.. because if you filed the I-129 in August and your fiancee had the interview in Lima in November.. that is way too quick for TSC, CSC or NSC!

usmprez

Hypertweeky:

sorry, can't remember all the exact dates but you are correct we did go through Vermont

regards

Mike

lpdiver

Actually it takes forever plus a day. The other sad news is it costs an arm and a leg. However; in my case anyway, the wait was well worth it!!!!

Life generally isn't fair is it?

Good Luck,

Anthony & Angela

utopiacowboy

He! He! That's because you got a Colombiana, Tony! Yo tambien!

Randie

Hypertweeky

I love your timeline!!
wish mine turned out like yours. I have an approval date for my I-129F dated May 21 but as of today, NVC doesn't have it yet.
I'm happy you finally joined with your loved one
Randie

Lu&Nate

Mike! your timing was great... i wish mine would take the same.... but i`m going through Nebraska and from i`ve read it is pretty slow... i checked on the processing dates and they are reviewing cases from Feb 09, 2004... so i just need some patience through this long process... thanks to all of you for your comments...

Lu

Hypertweeky

I knew it!!