Before Filing The I-129F
You shouldn’t rush filing your fiance visa I-129F petition package. The package is more complex than simply filing out a couple of forms. You should first make sure that both you and your fiance meet all of the requirements for a fiance visa. In addition, you need to make sure that you take the time to collect the best evidence possible to support your petition. Your fiance visa lawyer will be able to assist you with confirming that you meet the requirements and have collected the best evidence to support your package.
Approval of the I-129F
After you submit your I-129F package, you will first receive a receipt notice. If you do not receive your receipt notice within a month of submitting your package and your check is not cashed by USCIS, you should follow up on your petition to confirm whether USCIS received your package or if it has been rejected by USCIS. Your fiance visa lawyer will be able to assist you with tracking down your package. Once you receive the receipt notice, you should keep it in a safe place. The receipt number on it can be used to track the status of your fiance visa petition online. The expected waiting time for approval of and I-129F petition is between four and six months. After your petition is approved, the package will be forwarded on to the embassy or consulate near your fiance.
Fiance Visa Consular Processing
It is not unusual for it to take about a month for the embassy to receive your fiance visa package. Once your fiance visa package is received by the embassy, you will be contacted with instructions and information on how to schedule your interview. Depending on the embassy and the availability of appointments, you may be able to get an appointment in as little as a couple of weeks or it could take up to a couple of months to schedule your interview. Assuming that all goes well at the interview, you will likely receive you visa a couple of days after your interview.
Overall, you should expect that it will take at least six to eight months before your fiance receives a fiance visa, and it would not be unusual for it to take close to one year. The wait could be considerably longer if you receive a request for evidence or you have difficulty in obtaining the required documents.
About Kimberley Schaefer
how long is he going to take my consulate in ghana to process my i129f which have been aproved on 31 may, 2013..it would expire on september,2013..what should i do…
My petition number is WAC131385****
My company had filed a H1b petition which was picked up in the lottery and my I129 was showing as approved in the USCIS website a month back ( in status Post Decision Activity ).
But today when i looked at the USCIS website again i do see a new status as “Initial Review” with the below mentioned message
“On August 8, 2013, your Alien Registration Number was changed relating to your I129, PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER.”
Also I haven’t travelled to US til date. This is the first time i have applied for H1B.
Now what does this status mean? Is my case being reviewed again? This is quite confusing. Can anybody please clarify the same.
Dear Madam,
On 9th september I checked my case on the uscis and I found in the initial review of my case this : your Alien Registration Number was changed relating to your I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E).
What does that means? Is it a good news that they are working on our case ?
Hi any update on ur H1b status…Mine also in the same status ..I am confused. Mine on oct 29 2013..Kindly confirm…
Hi Kimberly,
I got in the mail last week that the petition has been approved.
I have a lawyer working on the case with us.
My question to you is now we are waiting for a packet to come in the mail to my fiance which will set up the interview? I am just a little worried about that… How long does it take for the packet to get to him? he lives in costa rica… the mailing there is not very good. When I ship things to him it takes up to 2 weeks.
my next question to you is how much longer on a time line do you think till he is here with me??
We started this fiance visa in Jan and we are just getting very excited and want to be together badly.
Any helpful tips ?
thanks!!
Hello I received this on the status. Can you please tell me what this means and what to expect? On October 21, 2013, your Alien Registration Number was changed relating to your I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please check our website at http://www.uscis.gov for further updates on your case. Please wait until the end of normal processing time before calling customer service at 1-800-375-5283 for live assistance.
The best way to view this message is that it shows that action is being taken on your I129F petition. This is essentially an administrative notice that indicates that USCIS is preparing your file for review. It does not indicate when a decision will be made on the petition or whether your petition will be approved or denied. You should continue to keep an eye on the status of the petition. Most likely the next update will either be a decision notice or a notice that a request for evidence has been sent to you.
Hello I received this on the status. Can you please tell me what this means and what to expect? On march 3, 2014, your Alien Registration Number was changed relating to your I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please check our website at http://www.uscis.gov for further updates on your case. Please wait until the end of normal processing time before calling customer service at 1-800-375-5283 for live assistance.
The best way to view this message is that it shows that action is being taken on your I129F petition. This is essentially an administrative notice that indicates that USCIS is preparing your file for review. It does not indicate when a decision will be made on the petition or whether your petition will be approved or denied. You should continue to keep an eye on the status of the petition. Most likely the next update will either be a decision notice or a notice that a request for evidence has been sent to you.