Here's our time-line so far:
6/1/98 ~ Casey's divorce is FINALLY done....we had to wait 11 months for the final decree before being able to file our I-129f.
(I'd been separated for 20 years and it still took that long to get divorced...my lawyer said the system is slow.
Yea. Right. Lawyers can be deceptive too. I'd given her all the info in July/97, turns out she did not get around to filing it until
the end of DECEMBER!)
6/3/98 ~ I (Casey) travel to Toronto to pick up the divorce certificate
and get the LONG FORM of my birth certificate.
Also ordered the renewal of my passport while I was there.
6/8/98 ~ I send Daymond all the papers he needs from me to include in the application.(Via overnight courier.)
6/12/98 ~ Daymond mails our application to the California Service Center (CSC) in Laguna Niguel CA.
Return receipt requested. (Do this...you won't have to worry if they've received it or not)
The envelope contained:
Note: my birth certificate is not requested by the INS to be included with the I-129f.
There's been an increase on that fee. On Oct 13/98 the I-129f went up to $95US ... but double check with the INS on what the current cost is.
Note: We sent originals of our divorce and birth certificates because we had 3 original 'copies' of each of those documents...we had ordered extras to keep in our files in case we should need them in the future. Apparently you may not get your originals back from the INS.
The following we supplied as proof that our relationship is real, and that we met the criteria of having been together in person within the past 2 years. ...Again, not all this is requested in the instructions but include it anyway. They WILL want LOTS of proof before processing your application...
6/15/98 ~ Post office receipt arrives. We know our petition got there.
6/18/98 ~ Daymond phones me...and we've
...the wagon train is rollin'...
It's dated as received June 15th, and that the processing time "is usually 45-60 days". It also has a phone number to call to reach an automated system that will tell us the current status of our application. So of course we phone it! The system says "the processing takes 29-30 days" ...progress already ( :
6/19 - 7/8 ~ We call the automated line often...but only hear the same original message ) :
7/9/98 ~
Daymond called at 6:50am (my time) today to share the news with me. He'd just got in from work and checked the mail and there it was!!! What a wonderful, beautiful, joyous way to start my day!! We're on cloud 9 !!!
...our approval took only 20 days. Our "Notice of Approval" date is July 4th...yes, the holiday AND on SATURDAY too!! Amazing isn't it?!
8/7/98 ~ I haven't received my K-1 pac from Montreal yet. We can't proceed till I get it. We've called the consulate in Montreal trying to find out what the problem is...they just say that it's not arrived and won't supply a reason as to WHY it's not there yet.
8/10/98 ~ It's now been 5 weeks since our I-129f was approved and still no pac. So Daymond called Congressman Jay Kim's office (his area's rep) asking them to make an inquiry on our file. Unfortunately they said they will not become involved until 2-3 weeks before our I-129f is due to expire. That isn't until NOVEMBER! );
8/12/98 ~ Daymond's birthday today.
8/19/98 ~ Still no package from Montreal. Haven't been able to get through to the consulate this week at all ...
9/13/98 ~ Montreal says they still have not received it 10+ weeks later.
Two weeks ago I called Laguna, but because I am 'the alien' I was not given much info. On Tuesday of last week my fiancé was able to get through and was told our approval HAD been cabled to Montreal. The gentleman that Daymond spoke with said the "the problem is on Montreal's end, someone there isn't doing their job". I called Montreal again and was told since our file isn't in their system there's nothing they will do. Laguna blames Montreal, Montreal blames Laguna ...leaving us stuck between a rock and a hard place.
10/02/98 ~ GOOD NEWS!!
After 13 LONNNG frustrating weeks I finally received my K-1 pac from Montreal!
Last week, out of desperation and worry that our I-129f would expire before I got interviewed, Daymond faxed our "Approval Notice" and a cover letter to Montreal.
On Tuesday I'd called them to see if it had arrived and, if so, if it had been acted on. "Ena", a very nice and very helpful INS woman in Montreal, said that yes they'd gotten it and they'd mailed my pac out on Friday. I got it today.
I've already booked my medical exam with the INS doctor in Toronto. It's on Wed the 7th. I will also be getting my RCMP clearance done while I'm in the city.
If you're interested in seeing what the pac consists of then check out Alex Chan's site. He was good enough to scan all the papers that his fiancé received from Montreal and put them up for the rest of us K-1'ers to see.
10/5/98 ~ Mailed my 'OF230 PartI' and my checklist back to Montreal today.
Please note that you are supossed to have ALL your documents in hand before you send in your checklist.
The OF230 PartI is a bio form that you fill out and return IMMEDIATELY to the consulate. They need it before any further processing of your file can take place. The checklist is a list of all the documents you need to have for your interview...basically it's telling them you are ready for that interview. It lists the following:
1) PASSPORT
2) PHOTOGRAPHS 2 identical full face shots, no headcovering, 1 1/2" X 1 1/2", white background, on thin paper.
3) MEDICAL EXAMINATION
4) BIRTH CERTIFICATE
5) EVIDENCE IN LIEU OF UNOBTAINABLE BIRTH CERTIFICATE
6) POLICE CERTIFICATES
7) COURT AND PRISON RECORDS
8) MILITARY RECORD
9) DIVORCE AND DEATH CERTIFICATES
10) EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT they sent me the I-134
11) DOCUMENTS FOR ACCOMPANYING CHILD/CHILDREN
12) TRANSLATIONS applies if docs not in english
There's a notation that states:
"Documents must bear the seal of the issuing office. We will accept a photocopy, but only if the original document with a seal is also presented for inspection."
10/6/98 ~ Went to Toronto today and had my RCMP clearance check done.
I went to the one on Richmond St, which is located at the corner of Richmond/York St's downtown. This is not an actual RCMP detachment, rather they are a firm contracted by the RCMP to conduct the clearance checks. They require 2 pieces of ID, one which must have your picture. I gave them my passport and my birth certificate. When I'd phoned to inquire on the procedure they'd said they would require something from the consulate stating the need for the clearance. They did not ask me to produce anything like that though, perhaps because I had my folder open and they could see at a glance my papers from the Montreal consulate.
I had made sure that they understood that I was there to get a "non-immigrant" clearance check done. (This type requires no fingerprints and only take a few days. The fingerprint variety takes weeks to get back. If you can get to an actual RCMP detachment office you can get your non-immigrant clearance check results back while you wait.) I was told mine will be ready for pick-up on Friday the 9th. I was in and out in 40 minutes.
10/7/98 ~ Had my medical done today.
I'd called a week ahead to get my appointment with Dr. Seiden, at Front and Frederick St's in Toronto. They will only book the day for you to show up, not an actual time. They do the US visa exams from 7am to 8:30am on Mon/Tues/Wed only. The early hours are to allow time for the blood test results to be completed the same day. I'd stayed over Tuesday night in a hotel in Toronto so I'd at least be reasonably awake for my medical. Got up at 4 am to get ready for it!! (To be truthful staying over didn't help me one bit to be more awake...I'm a night person!)
I got to the office at 6:50 and there were 5 others waiting outside as well as me. Had to wait 10 minutes to be allowed inside and found 8 or 10 people already there! The woman at the front desk was very nice (her name's Kay) and quite chipper for that hour of the morning! She requested our appointment letters that were sent by the consulate. I explained I did not yet have an appointment date and gave her a copy of our I-129f approval notice and some other papers they'd sent me. She accepted it in my case. (When I'd phoned to book my medical I was told to bring my appointment letter but was told since I didn't yet have it and knew my date was coming up soon that they would take my other papers. I think, but am only guessing, that applicants for other types of visas do get 'appointment letters' which they show to the doctors office. We K-1'ers don't get our appointment letter until after we send in our checklist, which includes having completed the medical exam.) I was also told to bring my vaccination records and my passport, which I also handed over to Kay.
They began calling people right away. At about 7:30 I was called and led to a back room where my file was opened and my $180 fee paid. You must pay by cash or money order.The fee varies by doctor. I understand it's $210 in Ottawa. After that it was onto the assembly line!
As I left the back room I was directed to stand along the wall to await my turn for the bloodtest. I was number 5 along the wall...as number 1 went in for his test we all shuffled down a foot, doing our best to hang onto our coats, umbrellas, purses, and all our paper work (they return the papers etc you turn in at the beginning, along with some more papers of theirs that you tote around with you). Waited and shuffled along in that hall about 20 minutes for my turn, by which time there was about 20 people shuffling along with me. The woman doing the bloodtests kept sighing as she was preparing the needle, so I asked her if she was okay. She told me she had a headache so bad she could hardly see...ACK! That wasn't too comforting to hear when she was about to stick a 6 inch needle into my hard-to-find-vein!!
I then went and waited along the other wall for an examining room to come available. This time we were each parked in front of room to wait. No shuffling involved.
When 'my' room came open Kay came and went over my vaccination record with me. Be sure your records show the day, month, and year you got the shot. (See a pfd of the required vaccinations. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it though...get it Here. ) She then told me to take off all my clothes except panties and pantyhose and sit in the chair. For some reason she repeated a number of times NOT to get onto the examining table.
The Dr came along shortly and started talking right away...asking what my medical history was, any surgeries, mental illness, tendencies to be violent, or any sexually transmitted diseases. THEN I was allowed on the table! He looked in my mouth, listened to my heart and breathing for a few minutes with his stethoscope, then had me lie down . He felt at my abdomen, like he was feeling my inner organs. That was about it with him. He told me to get dressed and go down the long hall to the x-ray waiting area...and to take my paper gown with me. (Oh good...more stuff to carry! *S*)
When I got to the x-ray area it was really crowded! There were more people then what I'd waited with before...to speed things up they'd had the 'new' people who'd arrived after me go to x-ray first. The waiting area is a hallway lined with chairs, quite narrow too, with the x-ray room at the far end. As people had their x-rays completed we all had to squish in our knees to let them by (and remember we've all got our laps full of all our 'stuff'!). Then we'd all shuffle down a seat as the next person went in for the x-ray. I was sitting beside this BIG HUGE biker type guy, and we got chatting. He told me he'd fainted and fell off the chair during his blood test!! That was the only time I heard anybody else say a word...everybody burst out laughing.
So finally I had my x-ray done. It was very quick, with just one exposure taken. I headed back to the front desk and Kay told me I could pick up my results after 3:30 that afternoon. It was 9:30 when I left, so about 2 1/2 hours total for my medical. I'd decided to stay in the city for the day and pick up my results later. Apparently you can have them sent to you by courier (for a nominal charge) if you don't want to wait for them.
Note that you can not open the sealed medical results envelope. You take it with you, along with the x-ray, to your interview at the consulate.
So there I was with at least 6 hours to kill in the city...so I went SHOPPING!! *!yehaw!* Had a great day! It was one of those shopping days when I was lucky enough to find just the perfect things I was looking for.
*I bought Daymond's wedding band!!*
*I got my wedding dress!!*
Both of which I'd been searching for for awhile, so I was really happy to find just what I had in mind. Had both of those items by 1:30 so I even did a little Christmas shopping too!
10/22/98 ~ Called Montreal today and was told my interview has been scheduled for November 18th at 10am! She said they'd mailed out the letter to me today, so should have that next week.
As for the interview being after the I-129f expiry...Montreal previously has said that that's ok. That they will just extend that deadline. One of the NG regulars posted that her fiancé was interviewed after their I-129f expired (in Paris)and experienced no problems. I will be calling Montreal to confirm again though. It's hard not to worry!
10/27/98 ~ I received the appointment letter today. I also called Montreal to reconfirm that my I-129f expiry would create no problems. She reassured me it would not.
I believe the extension was given only because we had sent our checklist and OF-230 back to them before the expiry date and the scheduling "problem" was on their end. Please don't think you can wait and send back your OF230 & checklist after your I-129f expiry!
11/16/98 ~ In 48 hours I'll have had my interview and know if I have my visa. I'm so happy that the end is finally here (at least the end of this part!). It's hard not to be nervous, but it's mixed with excitement and happiness too. It's been 11 months that Daymond and I have been apart, other then his short weekend visits every couple of months. With God and the INS willing, we'll be back to facing the challenges and highlights of life together....and that is a happy thought indeed.
I fly out to Montreal tomorrow and have a room booked at the "Travelodge" for Tuesday night. It's only a 5-10 minute walk from the US Consulate, and inexpensive for downtown.
I'm meeting up with "M-C" and her son there... met her on-line (she's one of the newsgroup participants) who's also having her K-1 interview on Wednesday morning. Since Daymond can't be there I'm happy to have M-C the share the nervousness with! (Her fiancé can't be there either ...unfortunately.)
11/19/98 ~
Daymond and I are finally going to be together again after a year apart!!
I had my interview yesterday morning. Here's how it went to the best of my recollection:
M-C, her son, and I walked to the consulate shortly after 9am. M-C's appointment was for 9:30, mine for 10. There were a number of people waiting outside ahead of us. Once inside security first wanted to see our appointment letters then did a physical security check. We had to empty our pockets, have our bags and coats searched, and walk through a metal detector. They took my camera and a small tube of Vaseline I had and gave me a ticket to reclaim them on my way out. (Thought it odd they'd take the Vaseline but didn't question it) We were told to go downstairs and take the elevator to the 19th floor and go to the 'cashier window' to pay our fee. We were given a receipt and directed to the waiting area on the far side of the room.
After about 10 minutes our names were called and we went to separate windows to turn in our documents. The woman had Daymond and my I-129f file and returned some of the 'proof of relationship' things to me (not any of the pictures though). I handed in: my passport, the 2 small pictures of me, medical envelope (but not the x-ray), the 156k and OF156, the affidavit of support and it's notarised copy, and the RCMP clearance. She double-checked everything as I handed them over...looking for the proper seals, signatures, etc. She then placed a stamp on the small 156 and passed it back to me asking me to answer the question it contained..."Are you a terrorist?". She took it back then reorganised the pile of papers. She was very pleasant to deal with, even chatting about our 2 golden retrievers in one of our pictures. She told me to go back and sit in the waiting area until my name was called.
It took M-C and her son a bit longer then me, I guess because they had twice the papers to turn in. Then we waited nervously.
After about 40 minutes my name was called and told to go to 'room C'. I knocked and entered into a small room divided by glass, with a chair for me to sit. I was pretty nervous so chose to stand. My interviewer wasn't there yet. I paced and took a few deep breaths to try and calm myself. Also said a quick prayer that all would go well. I don't know if they have cameras monitoring the rooms when you're alone in there but as my interviewer entered his side of the room he smiled and said "The first thing I want you to do is take a deep breath. You look nervous." He told me everyone was nervous and it was ok, that it wasn't going to be that bad. He was very nice and did help me to relax.
He then went through all the papers, returning all our original birth certificates and divorce decrees and only kept the copies we'd supplied. He found one paper to be missing, which freaked me out a bit, but he explained it was something the first lady I saw had done and not that I was missing anything in what we'd submitted. He left for a few minutes to go get it.
When he came back he explained that he would tell me at the end of the interview if I got the visa, and if he would not issue one he would tell me why he would not. He also said that should he not be able to issue it that I would not need to return for another interview, that anything else would be done by mail. He asked me to raise my right hand and swear that anything I said during the interview or had written on my forms was the truth. Adding that if I was found to be lying that I could be barred from entering the US for life. Then he held up the small 156 and asked if I had been the one who filled it out or if someone had done it for me. (I believe that was when I was asked to sign it too)
He then asked me a few questions:
"When did you meet?" (fall of 1995 when Daymond came to Canada for a work contract)
"Where did you meet?" (where I worked in Toronto)
"When did it become a romantic relationship?" (early '96)
"So this is a romantic relationship then??" (very much so!)
*I can't remember exactly what he asked or said next , but I remember telling him about Daymond and I living together in Toronto.*
Then he asked
"When do you intend to enter the US?" (December 5th)
"When do you and your fiancé plan to get married?" (we're eloping before the end of the year)
He then said the words I'd been dying to hear!
"I am more then happy to issue this visa to you...Congratulations!"
All my pent up emotions were released with those words and I let out a loud whoop of joy and started clapping!! (I must have looked like a real idiot ( : but one HAPPY idiot!) He laughed along with me too. I composed myself and said I'd like to shake his hand but the glass prevented it. So he stuck his fingers through the little slot and we did a mini 'finger shake'. I also invited him to our wedding, told him if it wasn't for him there wouldn't BE a wedding! He laughed but said he'd have to decline.
Andy...if you're reading this...THANK YOU!
Andy explained to me that my visa was for a single entry, that we had to marry within 90 days of my entry, and apply for my adjustment of status. He also told me about applying for the 'Advance Parole' document (I-512) which will allow me to travel outside the US. He warned me NOT to leave the US without it as I may be denied re-entry. He handed the small receipt for my fee payment back (which he'd initialled) and told me to come back at 3 to pick up my passport and that my visa would be inside it. Note that he called the Advanced Parole I-512. The I-512 is some other kind of travel document. I was issued an Advanced Parole I-131 in Sept of 1999 that allows me to travel and reenter the US.
I went and rejoined M-C and her son, who were still waiting to be called. They'd timed me and apparently I was only in there 11 minutes. (Sure felt longer though!) BTW, we assumed I'd been called first because I'd finished turning in my paperwork first. They were called shortly after I came out and were in there about the same amount of time. I'm very happy to say they got their visas too!! (They're terrific people and I'm so glad to have met them and gone through the nervous waiting with them. Hopefully someday we'll meet again...with our husbands!)
We were out of the consulate by 11:30. so we had a quick lunch then did some site seeing. M-C and her son knew Montreal quite well so they showed me around. We walked through 'Old Montreal' which is beautiful. The highlight for me was Notre-Dame Basilica....awe-inspiring. Don't miss it! (The basilica and Old Montreal are only a short walk from the US consulate)
We arrived back at the consulate at 2:20 (M-C had been told to pick up her visas at 2:30 so I went back with her then too). There were quite a number of people outside again. The security guard told all the K-1 people to stand to the side, that we could not get in until 2:30. At that point about 10 of us moved off to the side. Once we were allowed back in we went through the same security procedures (this time they kept my hairspray too), then went up to the 19th floor again.
There was no one working up there, (still out for lunch?). After awhile there were about 20 of us waiting to pick up our visas. Lots of talk amongst us...M-C and I were the only 2 aware of the newsgroup. M-C was definitely the most aware about the EAD (employment authorisation document) and gave alot of information out. I guess it was about 3pm when a woman showed up at one of the windows with a pile of large brown envelopes. She began calling out names...and mine was first. (I Don't remember if I had to sign anything when she handed over my envelope and my passport.) She found the correct page in my passport and showed me my brand new visa. A short while later M-C's name was called and she got theirs too.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Check that your visa has the correct info on it!
M-C's son's middle name had been spelled incorrectly and they'd double checked about it. Sure enough they were told it was an important error and had to be corrected before they left. (The correction only took a short while)
M-C has a K-1 page where I'm sure she'll post her interview experience on too...once she has time. She and her son left to drive into the US shortly after collecting our visas, and has her wedding on November 28th. So she may not have the chance to update her page for awhile.
I know my account of my medical and interview may seem rather too detailed, but when I was coming up for those things I wanted detail. Thought maybe others might too.
I will be adding more pages in the future regarding my entry into the US on December 5th and about my adjustment of status after our wedding.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to send me e-mail.
Casey and Daymond