K-3 129F Approved. What's next?

[Will]

Hi,

 

My wife and I got married in China last year. So far her K-3 Visa 129F has been approved on April 4, 2006. Can any of you tell me the next step I need to take? I'm thinking she needs to wait for her P3 from GUZ. As for me, what documents do I need to prepare for her? What is the difference between I-134 and I-864? Thanks.

[frank1538]

Welcome to Candle and congratulations on your marriage.

 

Since you didn't mention the I-130, I'm going to assume that you only have the receipt notice (NOA1) and that the I-129F is ahead in the race to the consulate. For all intents and purposes, you're finished with USCIS for the K-3. Your files have been or will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC - part of the Department of State) where namechecks will be initiated - FBI actually does the namecheck. Once this is completed, the files will be sent to the consulate and, after an appropriate amount of aging, the file information will be entered into the computers. After a bit of additional aging, you wife will then receive her P3.

 

There is not much you or your wife need to do at this phase of the process. You can do a search here and get the DOS phone number and check in periodically with them to see how the namecheck is going, but don't be disappointed if you hear the same answer for a month or longer. Unfortunately, the namecheck phase is the most uncertain in terms of timing, taking anywhere from less than 30 days to upwards of a year or even longer - keep your fingers crossed.

 

If she hasn't done so, now might be a good time for your wife to make sure she has her notarial birth certificate, marriage certificate and prior divorce certificate (if applicable). She will need certain other documents like her police clearance, but I would recommend waiting until you're closer to the interview to get these since they are valid for only a year.

 

Also, I think it is a bit premature for you to start gathering your documents, primarily the I-134 and financial records. I'd be inclined to wait until I was a little closer to the actual interview.

 

The I-134 is used in conjunction with the K-3 while the I-864 is used in conjunction with the I-130 (CR-1). Both are designed to ensure that your wife will not become a "public charge" when she comes to the US. The I-864 is more formal and seems to have teeth, while the I-134 is less so.

 

All of this is premised on the assumption the the K-3 files will process faster than the I-130, but this is not always the case. If your I-130 catches up, a whole different process is used, and your and her involvement while the files are at NVC will be greater.

 

If you want, go to "My Controls" and then "Edit Signature" and add your timeline. This will often help when you ask a question - it'll let us know which visa you are seeking and where you are in the process. You can also upload a picture in the "Edit Avatar Settings" while you're at it.

 

Again, welcome to CFL and good luck during the process.

[warpedbored]

Welcome to CFL. Here is a link to some links to help you navigate http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16183

Now that the I-129 F is approved you can call the NVC and get your GUZ number. 603 334 0700. Stay on the line and talk to a human. You can call them about about once a week until they tell you when your petition has been sent to GZ. After that you can trace the packages sent to GZ through DHL but all that will tell you is some packages that were shipped from NVC arrived in the DHL warehouse on such and such a date. Not necessarily your petition. I never bothered with it but it does give you something to do to pass the time. Typically a petition takes about 3-5 weeks at NVC and another 5 weeks or more at the DHL warehouse before it is picked up by the consulate.

Edited April 9, 2006 by warpedbored (see edit history)