For those that KNOW and not SPECULATE, how long did it take you to receive your fiance's visa from the date of application to date of issuance? I also hear all these stories about the visas being denied. Assuming you have everything in order and you both meet the requirements why would one ever be denied? Also, from what I have researched once your finace is issued her visa she can at that point leave her country. Yes? Thanks All!
It takes about 6 months from petition receipt at the DHS/ CIS to visa interview at consulate. It costs about $1,000 to apply thru an immigration attorney. I recommend hiring one.
Process seems very structured at the DHS/ CIS's end, which operates domestically, but melts down at consulates' end, which operate overseas. A corrupt system is run on "wonderful words", not rules. I recommend you go with her to her visa interview.
Fiancee visas are issued a day after visa interview, when she can enter the US. I recommend holding off on air ticket until after you've secured your visa.
Since you asked for one who KNOWS how long it takes as apposed to one who speculates, perhaps you want an answer from someone who has done it.
The hardest part is gathering together the required papers - your photographs, copies of letters or emails, her police report, birth certificate, passport and possibly divorce records (which sometimes requires extensive waiting time for the country in question). This is YOUR responibility and a stateside attrney cannot help you much with this - which is one of the primary reasons I DO NOT recommend hiring one.
My fiance and I leisurely gathered these peapers together over six months. We sent our application to the Nebraska Processing center receiving a receipt for the papers on December 23, 2004. Mid March 2005 our petition was (FINALLY!) approved in Nebraska (we had no addtional RFIs - Requests for Information) and sent to Bucharest. The Emassy in Bucharest then sent her a letter requesting her information - as I recal some had be mailed directly to the embassy, and an interview date was then immediately assigned. The interview was in late April (I think). She passed and we received the fiance visa, which had a six month period during which it could be used.
For us it was 101 days from beginning until she put her foot on US soil.
Dr. Koop now I know you absolutely have no clue what your piping your mouth off about. I didn't realize that 101 days was six months. And you don't need to spend a grand on an attorney.
I'm a medical doctor by profession, not an immigration attorney. Think I would learn all that about visas just for fun? But thanks for speculating. Also, think it's time Nafsan stop by my office and get on some PMS medication.
nasfan,
Did you process the Visa on your own, or did you use a lawyer??? I have heard people getting the Visa processed as quickly as 3-4 months, but with a law firm's help. Can you give us a little bit of detail about yours?
Thanks in advance,
Scott
For some reason the Nebraska center seems to process in that 4 month time frame. The first K1 I did a few years ago took about 6 months exactly and I used a lawyer. The K1 Im doing now we started in September and her interview is beginning of next month and I did not use a lawyer this time. Went through the Texas center both times
I'm okay Doc it's the little green men I'm seeing at the consulate that worrys me.
Actually Brandy I processed my own. Maybe it was a slow time. But you can check on the USCIS website for processing times for your local area. Also after doing this I found an attorney in Maryland that will process Visa applications for 325.00 and if Denied will do the apellate process for free if that gives you peace of mind. So that pretty much tells you, unless your full of shit and an idiot you've got a good chance of getting your visa as long as you meet the criteria. Oh and of course according to others here that you are a white american male.
If you are interested in the attorneys name I will gladly give it to you along with a phone number. Then you can talk with him directly. He's a friend of a buddy of mine, who is an attorney.
Most of the problem you will find in processing the K1 will be with her documents. 1500 bucks is way over priced. Unless she is completely lost, she may have difficulty. Just remember anything you put on your application make sure you have proof. I was never asked all along the process to provide further information. It was pretty cut and dried. Here's what I earned, he's my financial portfolio, don't get nervous about that. Here's how many times we met, here's the pictures. I can't stress enough, Document, document,document.
My experiences are about 2 year old, and I have heard that the DHS/ CIS has dramatically improved processing times since. For example, only 4 years ago, it took a returned petition from consulate 3 years to arrive at then INS.
Hiring an attorney won't help with processing time since attorneys have no access to the CIS service centers, where inquiries made (2 years ago) took 90 to 120 days to respond to. The only rationale behind hiring an attorney is the last line on petition -- if petition is prepared by someone other than.. -- seeing an attorney and a law firm name there may compel an out of control high school grad at consulate from playing games with you.
Ooooh the arrogance of an elitist! I met some high school grads that have more on the ball than some degreed people. Plus a pedigree from some long haired college doesn't make one smart or educated. Doc refer to your diagnosis of me, maybe some Xanax or prozac is needed for you.
If we are talking a K1 in the USA, it depends on which service center your state falls under, and the country of your fiancee. Mine was the Texas seervice center, and Ukraine:
Submitted I-129F: Oct 17, 2005
Second Notice of Action: Jan 31, 2006
Interview Date in Kiev: March 29, 2006
Visa received: March 30th, 2006
Entered USA: April 15th, 2006
So, from the day I sent in the docs, to the day she had her visa, it was 164 days. She entered the country 16 days later. Exactly 180 days, from the day I sent it to the day she was in my arms.
I didn't hire an attorney. I followed the directions. My friend did hire an attorney-- and his fiancee got it faster, but that is because his state used the Nebraska servicing center. No choosing your service center, unless you move.
can i ask if until now the process will be 6 months?? coz my fiancee just past the documents last january so can i be sure on july i will entered usa?? can i ask about the interview how it goes?? i dont have any idea about it..thanks
That's hard to say. You didn't give enough information, as to what state he lives in. You can go to www.uscis.gov website find out what service center he has had the I129f processed through and then what where your interview will be at. Which US Embassy. You can follow your application process until interview if you have the LIN #.
Cherry, how long it takes very much depends on your country-- and (like nasfan said, the state your fiancee lives in.)
What country are you in? Is your fiancee from the U.S.? If so, what U.S. State is your Fiancee in? We can give you a reasonable estimate, based on those two things.
I would be happy to tell you about the experience from the embassy interview in Kyiv, if you are in Ukraine.
I don't know what your experience was with the Embassy in Kiev, but it was a breeze for us. Very quick very painless, very professionally done. It sure was a hell of a lot different than some of the stories you can read about in this forum. There was only one other fiancee there with his lady. The others were showing my wife their pictures of their fiance. It was kind of funny, many of them waited outside to congratulate each other. My wife was stressing it way too much, she had heard so many bad stories from other inexperienced and maybe frauds themselves. She also can't beleive how quickly the immigration process is here.
Next morning we went to the Fedex station in Kiev and Picked up her passport with her visa in it.
Quick question for you guys. I am going to have an interview soon. Both of you said you received Visa the day after interview. Is that because your fiancee lives in kiev? Since my financee lives in Kharkov, and I'd rather stay in Kiev one more day to pick up the visa from Fedex station than traveling back to kharkov and wait since US embassy website stated 'Ukraine mail is very slow ... can take up to 10 days'. Is that an option? Did you tell Fedex people after interview you will pick it up at Kiev instead?
How about medical exam, is that just the day before interview?