K-1 visa

[chineseguy626]

After reading some of the threads on the forum i'm more confused. I'm applying for K-1 visa for my soon to be wife, we will get married when she comes to the state. I met her online then we kept our contacts and relationship close and I then visit her. We went to lots of places in china, had a wonderful time, met her family and her friends. She is a wonderful person. I just want to know how the process work. After I file or send in the documents for the K-1 then i just wait? Thanks if you guys have the answer please let me know and fill in the blanks for me. There is a long process?

[bamspeedy]

Yep, start in the 'General Visa discussion and first steps' forum, which I see you've found now.

 

Basically, you start by sending the I-129f, G325s and other documents and the fee to the Service Center for your area (in the US, which will be either California or Vermont). They will send you a receipt (NOA1) and then about 5 months or so later after doing background checks on you they will send you an approval notice (NOA2) and inform you that they are forwarding the paperwork to the consulate in the country where your fiancee lives. When it is sent to the consulate is when you can move to checking out the 'Consulate Process: P-3 ~ Interview' forum.

 

Shortly after the consulate receives it (a week to a month?) they will send your fiancee some paperwork (P-3/Packet 3) for her to fill out and send back to the consulate. After that there is a long wait as they do background checks on your fiancee (could be a month, for me it was 7 months) and then send her a notice of when the interview will be (P-4/Packet 4). The notice of when the interview will be is usually received 3-6 weeks before the interview.

 

How long the whole process takes (from I-129 filing to interview) varies. Check here:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36668 (link in first post)

 

to see what kind of wait times other people from this site have experienced. If mine gets added it would be the longest time on the list for K-1 visas (I started the process in July 2008, consulate received it in January 2009, and interview is in October).

[dnoblett]

Moving this.

 

A good guide to start with:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...st&p=233487

 

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1guide

 

Also do some research, some like to "Front Load" the petition with any "Red Flag" evidence.

Edited September 11, 2009 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[James1]

Ying and I where probably one of the quickest times you will see, it only took us six months. Many take longer.

My best advice is paying attention the details. Read everything you can and provide everything that is asked for in the applications. Anything left out or qualification not met is a reason for a red flag, cause a denial or make the process longer.

Ying has a friend that was married in China before we even met, and she is just now getting ready to come to the US in October. They¡¯re first application was denied because of not meeting some conditions and her friends husband thought when he applied that it would not be a big deal. As the saying goes, ¡°Dot your I¡¯s and cross very T¡±

Good Luck

[Jaseball]

Ying and I where probably one of the quickest times you will see, it only took us six months. Many take longer.

My best advice is paying attention the details. Read everything you can and provide everything that is asked for in the applications. Anything left out or qualification not met is a reason for a red flag, cause a denial or make the process longer.

Ying has a friend that was married in China before we even met, and she is just now getting ready to come to the US in October. They¡¯re first application was denied because of not meeting some conditions and her friends husband thought when he applied that it would not be a big deal. As the saying goes, ¡°Dot your I¡¯s and cross very T¡±

Good Luck

 

 

 

Looking at your time line you two met for the first time, got engaged, filed, were in the US and got married about 1 year before my fiancee got the second GUZ interview.

 

We had a blue slip that took 6 extra months, but the entire process was 1.5 years long.

 

It is pretty amazing the difference in speed between our two experiences.

[James1]

Ying and I where probably one of the quickest times you will see, it only took us six months. Many take longer.

My best advice is paying attention the details. Read everything you can and provide everything that is asked for in the applications. Anything left out or qualification not met is a reason for a red flag, cause a denial or make the process longer.

Ying has a friend that was married in China before we even met, and she is just now getting ready to come to the US in October. They¡¯re first application was denied because of not meeting some conditions and her friends husband thought when he applied that it would not be a big deal. As the saying goes, ¡°Dot your I¡¯s and cross very T¡±

Good Luck

 

Yes it is, I have noticed the difference in timelines many times. I think part of it is paying attention to details, part is your individual circumstances, and part is just luck.

Ying and I both were very detailed. Ying had a good job for over 20 years in China, I had a good job here, I have lived in the same place for many years, and we were lucky!

 

 

Looking at your time line you two met for the first time, got engaged, filed, were in the US and got married about 1 year before my fiancee got the second GUZ interview.

 

We had a blue slip that took 6 extra months, but the entire process was 1.5 years long.

 

It is pretty amazing the difference in speed between our two experiences.