Developments

Well, we're getting closer to choosing a date (Christmas-ish?), and we're in the last stages of the k-1 process. Left to do:

• Emily: finally complete and send I-134, documentary evidence, etc. (by Monday)
• Dan: fill out and send DS-230 I, DS-156, DS-156k, DS-157
• fill out and return Document Checklist - Request Interview
• receive appointment and go to interview, go to medical exam
• quit job, visit mother, come to Amurka already

I'm getting excited to start planning the wedding, but I'm even more excited to just have my Sparky with me in our happy new little home.

News news news...

I-129f packet was received by the Franfurt Consulate on April 17. They're sending Dan Packet 3 (Instructions) tomorrow, if we're able to get the address corrected in time. (eep!)

Other big life decisions are perking along. The apartment hunt is in full swing and we're talking a lot about wedding stuff. I expect this will continue as my parents are in town this week.

My (and my parents') I-134 package will be on their way to Germany by the end of this week at the latest.

It's all coming together!

Things to do - stolen from visajourney.com

Things to send to Dan:

1. A copy of the entire I-129f package (that you made when you sent the petition in) and a copy of information that you sent back due to an RFE (if you received one).
2. Send all originals of the documentary proof that you submitted for the I-129F to your fiance(e) for their interview at the embassy.
3. Send an original letter affirming your desire to marry your fiance(e) and your continued support of the K-1 Visa. Sign and date the form. This will be similar to the letter you provided with the I-129F, but dated much closer to the interview (it will have most likely been several months since you submitted your I-129F).
4. I-134 Affidavit of Support form. Ensure it is notarized (by a US Notary Public), with all required supporting evidence. Begin collecting the required information ahead of time, as it can often take several weeks to collect it all.
5. You will likely need at a minimum (for the above form) two to three of your most recent pay stubs and a signed letter from your employer listing you job title, start date, your salary, and the status (full-time) of your position. Begin collecting these ASAP after your NOA2 arrives. You will also probably want to include other evidence such as your banking information and other assets as required by the I-134. Specifically you will need at least 2 of the 4 options mentioned in Section II-Supporting Evidence of the I-134. See this FAQ for more tips and ueful information on the Affidavit of Support Form.
6. A copy of the NOA2 that you received in the mail.
7. Proof of your ongoing relationship. This needs to be taken to the interview! Include photos, travel documents, emails, etc from between the time you filed and present (NOA1 date-now).
8. Examples: Copies of phone bills, cell phone bills, emails (you can edit personal info with a marker), letters (edit personal info also), stamps on the letters (to document the date they were sent), and other written documentary proof. Provide a reasonable amount; two to four of each type. Pick a range of dates up to and including the present. You can also include a copy of engagement ring receipt (this is something that is a big optional - do not worry if you do not have a ring yet!)

Things for Dan to do:
Packet 3 - sent to Dan from Consulate includes:

• Cover letter with case number
• Form DSL-1076: visa instructions for fiance(e) nonimmigrant visa applicants (checklist)
• Form DS 156 - generic nonimmigrant visa application form
• Form DS 157 - supplemental nonimmigrant visa application form
• Form DS 156k - fiance visa application form
• Form DS 230 part 1 - application for immigrant visa and alien registration
• Information regarding the medical examination: Medical Examination Information with list of panel physicians in Germany and Vaccination Requirements chart
• Form OF 167 (Evidence which may be presented to meet the public charge provisions of the law) -- not sure what this is... have to do more research.

After Packet 3, Dan sends the following back to the consulate:

• a photocopy of each page of your passport
• one passport style picture (attached to Form DS 156)
• Form DSL-1076: visa instructions for fiance(e) nonimmigrant visa applicants (checklist)
• Form DS 230 part 1
• Form DS 156 (needs one passport photo attached)
• Form DS 157
• Form DS 156k (the checklist says to return this one as well – however it needs to be signed in front of a consular officer)
• Form DS 156k (the checklist says to return this one as well – however it needs to be signed in front of a consular officer)
• Your Passport (must have at least 6 months validity beyond the issuance date of the visa) (Pls note: if yours is to expire soon – apply for a new one well ahead. Currently it takes 4 – 6 weeks to obtain a new one. Cost: €26, you’ll need 1 passport picture German style)
• Your birth certificate or a certified copy (maybe also get extra certified copies?)
• Police Certificate (each applicant aged 16 yrs or over is required to submit a police certificate from the police authorities of each locality of the country of the applicant’s nationality or current residence where the applicant has resided for at least twelve months since attaining the age of sixteen) (Pls note: it currently takes 1 - 2 weeks to get this for Germany; it costs € 13)
• Photographs (as described in packet 3)
• Evidence of Support (as per Form OF 167 or I 134)
• Evidence of Relationship (e.g. letters, photographs or other evidence of your engagement)
• € 4,25 in stamps (envelope to be self-addressed will be provided) - you'll want to double check the required postage
• You also need a passport photo for your medical exam
• And you need your vaccination record from your doctor in Guernsey (probably should get a copy of all your records)

Anyway, that's it, I think. Hopefully this will all go quickly. This timeline is very similar to ours.
Just to give you an idea of how the next few weeks might go. We should start moving very quickly on these things! So exciting!

I129F Approval!

Just a few hours ago, Emily received an Approval Notice for our I129F application.

Though it's not the visa in hand, this is most of the waiting done and is thus pretty amazing. It hasn't quite sunk in, so any more precise descriptions of how amazing are difficult to come up with.

This basically means that I have approval to attend an interview at the consulate in Frankfurt, the time of which they will determine after I have 'informed' them that I have all the information required. Though it will mean legal negotiating to get police reports (polizeiliche Führungszeugnisse, anyone?) in Germany, that's pretty small beans all in all; it also seems to take only a few weeks on average between requesting the interview and receiving a date, which means (I really hope) less than a month to attend the interview. If approved, the visa comes back in my passport a few days later.

Now as long as they give me the visa in Frankfurt. If I avoid the phrase "damn Yankees" and keep all my documents I think I'll be fine. Meanwhile, I have to get busy with police reports, changing my address with USCIS and doubtless other things I've forgotten.

Mental air-punch.

Still waiting...

Despite some exciting developments the last couple days (none of which have to do with the visa), I'm still generally discontented. We filed two months ago tomorrow, which feels like a very long time. Of our "cohort":

K-1 Visas, I-129f filed in Vermont, Beneficiary from UK, filed between 01-01-2008 and 02-08-2008:
22 total pending files - 15 with NOA2

K-1 Visas, I-129f filed in Vermont, Beneficiary from anywhere, filed between 01-01-2008 and 02-08-2008:
100 total pending files - 67 with NOA2, 2 with final visa approval

All numbers are according to visajourney.com, which has a tiny sample size, but is relatively helpful nonetheless. It at least has a placebo effect. VJ says our I-129f should be adjudicated by May 14, or we should start bothering them. That's not soooo far off now.

On that lovely website, I found another couple very like us. Filed only a few days before us in Vermont, beneficiary (man) is from the UK, but is living in Germany. Their I-129f has been approved and their case has already arrived in Frankfurt at the consulate. This is a little jealous-making, though I am happy for them. *sigh* I suppose our time will come.

Not that I'm obsessing or anything.

More waiting

Today is day 57 since we got our NOA 1 (notice of receipt by the USCIS). There was (according to visajourney.com) a big burst of approvals about a month after our filing time and out of 21 people with similar profiles to us (filing at Vermont, UK citizens, filing around the same time as us), 15 have been approved. Only one has an interview date.

Nothing has changed in about two weeks, as far as I can tell. This is very disappointing, since it looked like everything was going so quickly, and I'm really REALLY hoping that we'll hear something soon. Meanwhile I'm beginning to be nervous about the other parts of the process, but I guess that's a pointless worry until we hear something either way from the Vermont Service Center.

Our fantastic visit last week, though, did help. I just hope that we have an approval before we have to schedule another visit! I'd rather save up that money and use it for better things, like an apartment or wedding or honeymoon.

On the wedding front: we're discussing possible venues and talking about whether to have the big event in Evansville or Boston. Cost and familiarity would suggest Evansville would be the best choice, but Boston is where we've had a shared life. But vital members of my family may not be able to travel to Boston... so many things to think about.