Dear Regis: Fiancee Visa Final Question & Final Answer

[Scaught]

I have seen mixed messages about whether or not we need our fiancee's (or as it is on my INS form "Fiance") birth certificates when we send in the 129-F. Is the official birth certificate and translation needed?

One other thing: those of you who have done this through Laguna Niguel, CA  and then Warsaw-- how much time we talking between sending in the 129-F and approval, assuming regular speed?

As always, hearing from the experienced is g r e a t l y  appreciated...

[JohnG]

... in response to Dear Regis: Fiancee Visa Final Question ..., posted by Scaught on Oct 18, 2001

You need to visit Doc Steen's and other similar websites that give you specific info as to what you need and even how to assemble the package. Yes, you need to send a copy of your fiancee's birth certificate and translation into English. She'ss need the original at the interview.

[Scaught]

... in response to Re: Final Question & Final Answer, posted by JohnG on Oct 19, 2001

n/t

[Rags]

... in response to Dear Regis: Fiancee Visa Final Question ..., posted by Scaught on Oct 18, 2001

My petition took just 13 days to get approved (from the date of the first NOA) in August. We have had to wait another 10 weeks to get an interview date in Warsaw but it could have been shorter. I do not know how much recent events influenced the delay but here is where I made my mistake that cost us 3-5 weeks.

I submitted an I-824 request (wasted $120 to boot) to have my petition "cabled" to Warsaw as was suggested by another poster here. When I got my second NOA that the petition was approved I also received a NOA that it had been "cabled" to Warsaw the same day. Cool. NOT!!! I had my fiancee download the packet 3 and fax (and mail) the signed OF-134 (?).

Thinking all was well and not wanting to piss anybody off I waited patiently for a reply. Three weeks later I get an e-mail from Warsaw saying that they cannot process our request (give me the all important WRW file number) because they have not received my approved petition from the CSC. Dermo! Three weeks wasted right here.

I spend three hours trying to get through to the CSC and another 65 minutes (long distance) waiting for the next available representative to find out that in actuallity my petition did not get cabled to Warsaw until (naturally) the previous day. I e-mail back to Warsaw (the only way to communicate with them) this fact and wait another week for their reply. They give me the all important WRW file number and I e-mail it to my fiancee who faxes and mails another packet 3 form with it on it. Obviously without this number the first ones were sent to the "round" file.

So IMHO, first forget the I-824 and save $120. Second, as soon as you get the second NOA, fax it to Warsaw and e-mail stating this and requesting that they start a provisional file for you. (I trusted the CSC and got burned.) Third, as soon as they give you the Warsaw file number, have your fiancee download Packet 3 and send them a signed copy of the form OF-134 (?) with this number on it. The WRW file number is what puts you "on the clock" for an interview date.

It did not matter that I waited to get everything (translations, police report, etc.) together before I submitted my I-129 and they could see that I had all documents requested in Packet 3. You must play their game to the letter. Good luck and Godspeed. Approved 8/24; interview date 11/14.

Hopefully this may save somebody else from making the same mistakes and get them a few days closer to Heaven on Earth.

[Dan]

... in response to Re: CSC, posted by Rags on Oct 18, 2001

Keep in mind ther are 4 INS regional service centers, and as difficult as it is on all of us, they do, in fact, operate differently. For example, Vermont *always* promptly cables petitions to the beneficiary's Embassy whenever possible. Nebraska does not. If you want Nebraska to send a cable, you simply MUST file the I-824 and pay $120. No if's, and's or but's about it. California and Texas service centers have been somwehat spotty and I don't know of their track record insofar as cabling petitions, but the information can be found in newsgroups and on Doc Steen's message board.

Also, it is, indeed, possible to speak with Warsaw on the telephone. In fact, I had better luck getting through to them than I ever had with Nebraska. The only problem is, you need to wake up in the middle of our night, to call during their stated available hours. You also need to have great patience and a re-dial button on your telephone. I do not believe I ever got through to them any quicker than 45 minutes of constant re-dialing. Once through, they were extraordinarily cooperative and helpful.

Hey, I am glad to hear you have the interview date - and your excitement shines through your posts. Congratulations!

- Dan

[Rags]

... in response to Now Ed, Let's Slow Down A Bit . . ., posted by Dan on Oct 19, 2001

I wasn't knocking the cabling process Dan. My point was not to leave things in the hands of the INS when there was something that I could have done to insure a speedier interview date.

I assumed that since I had a receipt saying that it had been cabled on the same day that my petition was approved that I would only slow the process by bugging Warsaw to start a provisional file. Wrong! Get that Warsaw file number ASAP and get on the clock.

In addition, it added more stress on Violetta (and my pal Rostick, bless him) to resubmit the OF-139 (?) a second time.

My mistake cost us six more weeks apart. I simply wanted help others avoid making it too.

[Stan B]

... in response to Dear Regis: Fiancee Visa Final Question ..., posted by Scaught on Oct 18, 2001

53 days from the time I mailed it to approval. It then took another 2 months until she had her interview in Warsaw. But I didn't email them and ask for them to open a provisional file, as she was spending the summer w/ her grandparents on the Black Sea.
I did send a certified copy w/ translation w/ the application, as I believe its required. GL & aloha...