How Long for K-1 Process?

[moneyskills]

CAN ANYONE SHED LIGHT ON ABOUT HOW LONG THE K-1 PROCESS SHOULD TAKE (from the time the USCIS receives all documents until the Visa is actually granted in Bogota)? I know that each case is different and things are constantly changing. My Colombian friend's brother married a woman from Ibague and the process took @ 6 months for them. I am curious to know if anyone has any recent experience.

Thanks!

[Clay]

6-8 months and you may have to fly down there to prove the relationship(show up in person with her)

[Rick11]

moneyskills,

for the latest in info check out the following web site:

http://www.visajourney.com

Most of the couples posting on this site include there timeline. It could take antwhere from 3 months to a one year. It all depends if you supply sufficient info and fill out the paperwork correctly.

Good Luck

[Bala]

August 2005
I have not posted here in a bit due to time constraints; thus I am due, so I will take a minute. (Our office has been busy upgrading our computer system and I was recently back from a 3 week swing thru Colombia, and the work load piled up high; Also, it seems a lot of couples became engaged from the tour socials I attended in Barranquilla and Cali and want to start the visa process but that is a story for another post.)

People are always concerned about speed and velocity for the K-1 visa, as couples in love want to be together as soon as possible.

Try to keep in mind that the Immigration Service Centers and the Embassy which are responsible for approving fiancee visa petitions and issuing the visa, respectively, have their own unique responsibilites and pressures. They must deal with large volumes of cases, and with what always seems to be too few resources and staff.

(*User fees only pay a portion of their operations, and there are lot of competing demands for U.S. tax-payer money such as the wars in Iraq, anti-terrorism needs, the new $260 billion Highway Bill, the new $12 billion Energy Bill, etc. etc. Immigration petition and visa processing is not high on the list.)

Moreover, Immigration and Embassy must constantly work to prevent approving cases which are NOT meritorious, or which show insufficient evidence of a sincere intention to marry, or which just don't qualify under current regulations.

Having said that also keep in mind that each person's case is different because each of our backgrounds is different. Some people have issues in their backgrounds which slow them down such as: criminal records, past visa and immigration history, income qualification problems, uneven or inconsistent or no employment, tax and IRS issues, legal, financial and bankrupcy issues, etc. etc.

Let's assume that your case is "clean" without issues to slow you down, and your document package and petition work is accurate (By the way, I prefer the word "petition work", not "paperwork". To me "paperwork" is the customer survey form you fill out at the local Acme when you checkout which has no consequences if you lie. The I-129F petition on the other hand imposes penalties for misrepresentaions such as 5 years in federal prison and $250,000 fine.)

"Best available speed" process time as I call it
(petition filing date to visa in lady's hand):
It will depend on the region of the country the U.S. gentlemen lives in.

Vermont Service Center (VSC), then National Visa Center (NVC), then U.S. Consulate in Bogota, Colombia:
Best case about 3 and 1/2 months up to 4 months.
VSC covers Maine to Virginia.

Other places: about 4 to 5 months
California Service Center, Texas Service Center,
Nebraska Service Center.

For the lastest ups and downs in processing time on the U.S. state side, best way IMO is to check the Process time reports on the Immigration Service website.
http://www.uscis.gov

Checking the U.S. Embassy, Bogota website is also helpful to see any latest developments, etc.
http://bogota.usembassy.gov/

Ok, gentlemen, good luck!
GB

BTW, as public service, I have a free Visa Starter Kit website for anyone interested. At least, it can help some people who wish to do it themselves (so-called "self-filers"), get started.

http://www.visa-kit.com

[moneyskills]

Mr. Gary Bala--

I have often heard about you and read some of your posts from the past. THANK YOU for taking the time out to respond. I am in Dallas, TX. We are gathering all needed documentation, etc now. The USCIS service center should have the I-129F petition @ 9/15. I have been planning on @ 6 months (March or so). We are both "clean" -- no prior criminal records, no prior Visa attempts, no prior marriages, stable employment, good income, and I was there for 19 days during June and July and am planning to return 11/26 - 12/12 of this year. I also want to try and be there for her interview, if possible.

Thanks again, Gary