5 technical errors with the I-129F fiance visa form
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The I-129F form has unclear instructions and confusing questions. I’ve documented over 20 of these instances that can get you in trouble. Here are a few samples.
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At most, it may happen once or twice with you. Where you’re really into “research mode” looking up answers on how to fill out the I-129F. You get up to a question and something stops you dead in your tracks.
Then you stop and slowly squint your eyes, move your head forward and ask yourself, “wait a minute… this doesn’t make sense. How do I answer this?”
Surprisingly, most applicants don’t notice confusing or ambiguous instructions. They just slip by. And if they do notice, it’s usually just ignored.
That’s not a good thing. Answering incorrectly leads to a RFE, delay or even denial. That’s why you must read the I-129F form and instructions slowly and carefully. And be sure you know what you’re writing.
But, at the same time, you’re stuck because you don’t know who to ask for trustworthy answers. And it gets worse as the USCIS isn’t “there” to help clarify anything.
We’ll talk about that. But, first, let’s back up. What exactly do I mean by “confusing instructions” or “technical errors” with the I-129F?
Are there examples? Yes, plenty. But, I’ll give you just 5 for now. Let’s take a look.
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Example Problem # 1 (I-129F question 16.b)
We’ll start easy. Here’s example problem # 1 in the I-129F form. Look at the I-129F form Page 2, question 16.b. It asks you to provide your work history in the last 5 years. Seems simple enough.
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The last part asks you to input the “employment end date”. Meaning, when did you leave this employer?
However, there’s no way to say that you currently work with this employer — which is the situation for MOST of us. We all currently work for an employer. You can try to type in the word “present”. But, you’ll get an error message because the PDF only accepts a date.
Now, you may ask “what if we just write today’s date?” Well, you don’t want to do that because they’ll misinterpret that today was your final day with your employer.
How about leaving this field blank? It makes me a bit uncomfortable to do that. It feels like you’re avoiding answering. There may be a chance you’ll get delayed by an RFE asking you to fill this form out again. We don’t want to risk that. So, what do we do? How do you tell them you currently work for this employer?
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Example Problem # 2 (I-129F questions 27.a to 36.b)
Here’s example problem # 2 with the I-129F form and it’s that it doesn’t tell you what to do if some details are unknown for a particular question. And you probably didn’t even notice this unless it applies to you.
For example, take a glance at Page 3, questions 27.a to 36.b. It asks about your parent’s information. Things like name, birth dates, country of birth, etc.
But, what if your parent’s information is unknown? Like town of birth? Or even if your parent has passed away, how do you fill out the questions about residences?
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Nothing in the instructions tell you what to do if information is unavailable.
What about leaving it blank? Well, it’s the same uncomfortable feeling like the question before. I don’t want to avoid answering questions, but I also don’t want to give them the wrong information. Who knows…maybe you’ll get delayed with an RFE because you didn’t answer the questions fully.
And remember, this question is asked twice. Once for the US petitioner’s parents and then later for the beneficiary’s parents. The same uncertainty lingers for both of you. So, how do you respond when information is unknown?
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Example Problem # 3
Let’s stick with this same question for a moment. Here’s the problem # 3. Do these questions refer to your biological parents or adoptive? Let’s say you are adopted. Whose information do you put here? Does this apply to step-parents or a legal guardian?
Again, the instructions don’t say anything. And unless you are in this situation, you probably didn’t notice, right?
Let’s say your parents are divorced and you have step-parents. Do you put your biological parent’s information? Or your step-parent’s?
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As funny as it sounds, we actually need them to define what “parent” means…
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Example Problem # 4 (I-129F question 37 to 39)
Here’s another one. See page 3 question 37 to 39 of the I-129F form. It asks about your past marriages. You’re asked to write your ex-spouse’s name. You’re thinking, “they’re just asking for my ex-spouse’s name. How much simpler can this question be?”
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Well, it’s not so clear. It doesn’t say whether this is his/her maiden name or after-marriage name. I-129F Instructions don’t indicate, either.
In addition, what if your ex has reverted to her/his original (maiden) name after divorcing you? What do you put here now?
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Example Problem # 5 (I-129F questions 1-6)
Here’s another example of the problems with this form. Fortunately, for this one, I’ll show you how to figure out the answer. Look at page 9 (Part 4) of the I-129F, questions 1-6. It asks about “biographic information”.
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It asks about ethnicity, race, height, weight, etc. But did you stop and ask…to whom does this entire section refer? The US petitioner or Beneficiary? The question or instructions don’t clearly say who’s information they’re asking for.
We can actually figure this out.
Look back at the I-129F instructions. It doesn’t indicate who this question is talking about. But, it does say that by filling out part 4, it may “reduce the time you spend at your USCIS ASC appointment…”.
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Only the US Petitioner may be called in for an ASC appointment while the I-129F is being adjudicated. Never the beneficiary. Therefore, this section can only apply to the US petitioner.
But, of course, how would YOU possibly know that? Especially if this is the first time you’re filing the I-129F. Why didn’t they just clearly say it in the instructions or question?
The truth is that YOU won’t notice these problems unless you’re an expert OR very familiar with the K-1 fiance visa process. Like it’s mentioned earlier, I’ve documented over 20 of these instances where problems in the forms can get you in trouble.
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How bad is it? Are these really a problem for my I-129F?
Alright, so now that you know there are plenty of technical errors and ambiguities with the I-129F. Aren’t you wondering if they’re going to be a real problem? I mean, these are just small questions. It doesn’t feel like they’ll cause any issues, right?
Take for example, the question about “employment end date” (problem # 1). Wouldn’t it be okay just to leave it blank? And if the USCIS does issue an RFE, then what’s the big deal? You’ll just respond to it. No harm done, right?
Actually, there’s plenty of harm that can be done. Getting an RFE is just one small obstacles. There are other huge reasons for concern.
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Reasons for concern
Missing information
If the USCIS thinks you’re missing information, they’ll stop processing your I-129F petition and send you an RFE. This typically causes delays because they’re waiting for you to respond. Secondly, there’s a risk that they’ll reject (deny) your case if the I-129f is poorly constructed or too many unanswered questions.
For example, imagine if one of your parents is deceased. And you decide to leave the field blank which asks for your parent’s residency. What would the USCIS do? Would they send you an RFE asking for it? And, how can they know your parent is deceased?
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Misinterpretation
What if you “meant” something, but it’s misinterpreted by the USCIS or the US Embassy. They may be unsure whether or not to approve your case.
Here’s a scary example in the I-129F: page 6, questions 37 – 38.h. The question asks you to fill out the answers if your fiance is “currently” in the US. But when you look at the instructions for the same question it says something very different. It says fill out the section for your fiance’s “most recent entry” in the US.
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So, what do you put? only if they’re currently in the US or their most-recent entry?
And the big problem with this whole situation is this: if you put anything here, will the USCIS could think that your fiance is here on an expired visa or entry? (meaning illegally).
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Inconsistency
Last problem. What if they “think” something based on your application, but you answer something different in the K-1 interview? will they think you’re lying?
Take a simple example. Question 48 – 49.b on page 4 of the I-129F form asks about the petitioner’s children under the age of 18.
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Well, humor me; what’s the USCIS’s definition of “children”? Does it include biological, foster, adoptive?
Importantly, what about child custody situations (after divorce) you don’t have custody of them? Do children even have to reside in the US?
Now, imagine you didn’t put any information here thinking your children don’t “count” since you’re divorced and don’t have custody of them.
Then, let’s say your fiance is asked about your children in the K-1 interview and says “yes, he/she has children”. Will the officers suspect your fiance is lying? Will this result in a denial?
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How do we know if we filled out the I-129F correctly?
We can debate about these technical errors all day long. But, it’ll probably do little to help.
You see, the USCIS doesn’t publish what mistakes people make in their petitions. Imagine you mess up your forms. They send you an RFE and it gets fixed. Great… but how do the rest of us know not to make the same mistake? We keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
And, they don’t have an open forum to answer your questions either. So, how do we know whether or not we filled out our papers correctly?
There’s no feedback system or “best practices” from the USCIS. No “hotline” to answer your questions. And, the USCIS customer service doesn’t provide technical help. We’re left on our own to figure out a lot of stuff.
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Even more confusing questions in the I-129F
Funny enough, this current I-129F (in year 2021) is leagues better than the ones from previous years. Although the instructions are getting better, they still have a long way to go.
The point here is to make you aware of the issues in the I-129F form. Then, once you realize that all is not as it seems, you take your time and complete forms carefully.
If there’s one thing you take away from me is this– be careful and take this I-129F very seriously. Recent statistics show that denials are creeping up to 24% (near-record highs).
That’s why I’ve gone through the entire I-129F and picked up close to 20 mistakes like the ones we talked about that can get you in trouble. Then I researched and figured out their “fixes”. Like the example about the “biographic information” and whether it applies to the US petitioner or beneficiary. We figured out that it can only apply to the US petitioner.
Just like that, if you want to see the full list of the 20+ problems and their “solutions”, check out my I-129F guide. It’s a full step-by-step course to making your perfect I-129F fiance visa packet so a solid approval.
But, first tell me…
What others mistakes did you notice?
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August 12, 2021 at 11:43 am on I-129F Petition Package ChecklistHi, thank you for your website!!! I have two little questions. 1) I am not...[click to read more]- August 12, 2021 at 6:21 am on Do I need a job to file for a K-1 visa?You wrote: you're not required to have a job / income during the k-1 visa...[click to read more]
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Hi Prem,
My nephew is about to file his I-129F to petition his fiance who is currently in the Phillippines. His fiance/beneficiary went to the US in 2016 as an exchange student with a J1 D/S (student) visa and stayed in the US for a period of 3 months only upon completion of her program.
1. Does he have to include in the form under the Beneficiary’s Physical address the place where she stayed if it’s only for 3 months?
2. Being an exchange student, can she be considered “employed” and does it have to be included in the form under the Beneficiary’s Employment information?
Thank you and best regards,
Alma
Hi Prem,
I have a question about Part 2, item number 37, and 38a – 38h.
I clicked YES to Q37, as I have visited the US many times in the last 5 years usually by car as I am in Canada and use Nexus a lot of the times.
I am outside of the US now, and at time of filing. I read that there is no need to complete 38a-38h if I am not there. But you mentioned to provide passport stamps or I-94 documents but I don’t have access to either of these. I searched on their website for I-94 and there are no records of this. What do you advise?
Regards,
Niki
Hello Niki,
thanks for writing in. Yes, if you’re a Canadian citizen, many times the Customs / Border Officers may “wave you in”… and not provide / check passport stamps, entry or I-94 records. This happens often. You will simply have to write on a separate sheet of paper the details of the visits you’ve had (to the best of your ability). You will leave 38a – 38h blank since you’re currently not in the US.
-Prem
Hi Prem,
Thank you so much for this site!
We have a question on 45.a. – Address in the United States where your beneficiary intends to live. – My fiancee is a US citizen but we live in Canada and plan to move back to the US when I am approved.
What do we put here?
Thank you!
Hello Kri and thanks for getting in touch.
If your fiancé wants to file the form while being abroad, there must be an address in the US that he can use because notices will be sent and it has to be forwarded to a US address.
The only way here is to try to find some family members or friends who would be willing to help on that one.
You could also use this same address as intended address to live in the US.
I hope this may have helped.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
Hey Prem,
My fiancee submitted already our NOA1 and we are on our 104 days waiting on NOA2.
Just curious when we filed our I129 form, we leave it blank for those questions not applicable to us.
Is that okay or should we rather put N/A or None? Hopefully we don’t get RFE sigh..
Thank you in advance for your response!
Minette, thanks for writing to us.
From what we’ve seen, either “N/A” or “None” and also leaving items blank, don’t really make any difference.
The USCIS hasn’t seemed to object to leaving blanks for questions that don’t apply to you.
We wouldn’t expect an RFE solely for this reason.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
Hello,
Your site has been a tremendous help in this convoluted process. I wanted to ask a question related to my own situation, because it seems like a rather rare one to be in.
My fiancee has been filling the I-129F form and we stumbled across a small problem- I am freshly out of university and have only done small freelancing in the meantime. Should I include words such “freelancer” and “self-employed” in the part “Your Beneficiary’s Employment History” or should I leave it blank (since there are no more technical details I could state anyways)?
Thank you so much for your time.
Hello Anner,
Thank you so much for writing us.
Not having any formal connection to an employer will place you in that “self-employed” group.
Thus, that means entering details about work is necessary.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
Where it asks for Alien Registration Number do I have to put that information, I use to be a permanent resident and I derived US Citizenship from my father, I use to have the Alien registration number in my resident but now I have my US passport do I have to put the Alien Registration Number or can I leave it blank?
Hello Aly,
Even tough you are a US citizen now, there used to be an A# that was assigned to you in the past.
So, regardless of your present US citizenship, you must mention this A number in the I-129F form.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
One question I derived US citizenship through my father we both lived in the US and were permanent residents since I was small when I turned 12 he because a US citizen and so did I, however my father never paid for my naturalization certificate I only have a US passport as proof of US citizenship. in the I-129f form it asks for Alien Registration Number do I have to put that #, that # use to be in my permanent residency card but because now I don’t have a naturalization certificate I’m not sure if I should put that # that I had when I was a resident or should I leave it blank and just put my social security number? or do I require an Alien Registration Number? and where can I get that number
Hello Daggy,
Thanks for getting in touch,
Since you have a US passport, this is good enough to prove your US citizenship.
You may want to visit this link for more detailed information:
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Resources/A4en.pdf
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
This form is just ridiculous. Every few questions,I stop and think, “Wait… what do they want here?”.
The first thing I ran into was the issue with 16b. I immediately tried to type PRESENT since that’s what was already put for the last day at my current address. That of course didn’t work, but the instructions do say to put “N/A” for any questions that don’t apply. I obviously can’t do that before printing it out, but I intended to do it afterwards. Although I don’t know if combining typed and hand-written answer would cause an issue.
Then it asks for the beneficiary’s address. And it has a drop down menu for her state. That is US states. She doesn’t live in a US state. Obviously. Or I wouldn’t be filling out this form in the first place. So where do I put the state she does live in? In the field labeled province? I guess, but that wouldn’t be accurate, since she lives in a state.
Also, it appears questions 7a through 7c on page 1 are exactly the same as question 10a through 10c on page 4. On the one hand it seems ridiculous that they list the same question twice, but on the other hand I can’t see any difference between the two so I’m left wondering what I’m missing.
I know most or all the issues can be dealt with by so Googling and looking at example filled out forms. I just don’t understand why it has to be like this. When you’re creating a form that needs to be filled out accurately and the results of its acceptance has a major effect on people’s lives, why would you not take the time to make sure every question clear and unambiguous? This process must’ve been a real nightmare before the the internet.
Thanks for sharing Michael,
I think you’re feeling the frustration I felt (years ago) when I first began the journey and there were hardly any websites to help figure this stuff out. I also pined over the details, no help available, and ambiguous instructions/forms. You can definitely google around, watch my videos, or use my other sources to help get the details precisely right. That’s exactly why I made the website.
Cheers
-Prem
Hello,
Can you please help me. I am still confused on how to answer Question 48 – 49.b on page 4 of the I-129F form asks about the petitioner’s children under the age of 18.
My beneficiary has a daughter under 17 from previous marriage, But we do have daughter too, she was under 17 years of age and lives with me in the US. Should I both declare his daughter from previous marriage and our daughter. Not sure how to fill up the additional information.
Thank you,
Maria
Hello Maria,
If your fiancé is planning to bring his daughter to the US with him, then you do need to mention her on I-129F.
Your child, however, has to be mentioned because first: she’s a minor, 2nd: she’s your dependent.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Visa)
So can we just hand written the word “present” on 16b? Thanks!
Hello fmr,
In fact you can fill out that part by typing too. Try to keep it consistent by choosing either hand writing or typing, ok?
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
What if you filed for 129F 10 years or more ago and you have no idea of the exact filing date or any case #’s or A# ?
In my case, I’m divorced from her (she has since deceased), but it was approved.
Hello Michael,
I’d suggest you contact the USCIS to try to communicate this situation and see if they can retrieve that information for you. Make sure about any detail regarding this previous petition you filed before forwarding your packet. -Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
Hello, again Prem,
I ones more want to ask. for the part about parents’ information how about if the beneficiaries’ parents were already both deceased? how to answer the question?
thank you,
Sheryl
Hello Sheryl,
I do know cases of people who used their deceased parents’ information in the I-129F. However, you can write their names followed by (deceased).
If you may need further help with filling out your I-129F, join our online program so we can show you step by step course:
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
Hi Prem,
We are currently filing our I 129f form but we really get confused with the Beneficiaries address for the last 5 years.
I was in Jakarta Indonesia year 2012 to June 2015, went back home to my country June 2015 to January 2016 and went to Hongkong which I’m currently at now January 2016, should I include Indonesia, Philippines, and Hongkong then for my address for the last 5years? and in Hongkong, I moved to different places several times do I need to write all those addresses as well?
I will appreciate your answer. thank you
Hello Sheryl,
It looks like you were moving around for work. That’s considered living in a particular place.
There are some good rules of thumb you can use to figure out what to write in her I-129f.
I do recommend you join our I-129F program to help fill things out and prepare your paperwork.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
hello Prem ,
what happens if i wrote my biographic info(beneficiary) instead of my fiance ‘s (petitioner) ?
Hello, Remie
It’s really up to the officers to use their discretion in sending an RFE note and give you an opportunity to fix that misunderstanding or deny the case.
I know it may sound disappointing, but it all depends on their decision.
-Cris (Visa Tutor Team)
Hi Prem!
I`m filling out I-129f for K-1 petition,
about the beneficiary`s address history, part2, page5, items12a-13.b, it is asking for the beneficiary`s current address.
I am the beneficiary and I have been volunteering for the past two years in different places. This 2019, I am volunteering in South Korea which is only until this October 2019.
Last year, I spent one year in mountain areas as a volunteer in the philippines.
I`m wondering, if I should consider writing these places under my address history.
Hello Amy,
The USCIS doesn’t clarify in their instructions how to consider “address”. So, the following is my opinion. Since you’ve been living for a long time in various locations, those would probably be considered “living”. Without knowing too much about your details, I would venture to say that your volunteer service would be considered living because your “intent” during the stay was indefinite. Which in my opinion is considered living. So far this logic has worked with the students I’ve helped with their I-129F.
-Prem
Hi Prem-
My finacé is filling the I-129F form for me and we have several questions considering the I-129F form.
1) The birthdate of my fiancés parents are not know. Should we put unknown in that field or will that raise questions?
2) After I graduated highschool I was an “International volunteer” for about 10 months in the States (I am from Germany). Since then I am at university. I have never been employed – so would I answer that I was a student the past 5 years or would I indicate that I did a gap year volunteering? Do I need to give dates for that?
3) As a student I am living in dorms but a lot of times I am at my parents house which is still my official address. Shortly after we will file the form I will move out of the dorms – how do I indicate that best in the form?
4) As mentioned I am from Germany. We have “special letters” such as ö,ä,ß – my last name and street names include those letters. It wouldn’t let me write “Köhler” but instead I put (e.g. as on my B2 visa) “Koehler”. I went ahead and filled the form using this version. In part 2 however it gives me the option to write my name and address in my native alphabet. It says only if it has not Roman letters – German consists of Roman letters but I figured it would help to write down again how it appears in my German passport. Have you had any experiences with that matter?
5) I read through all those comments on this website and saw that you recommended to attach the most recent I-94 as a proof you have been to the States before. So is it correct to attach it even though I am not currently in the States?
6) We got really confused with part 3 question 5. He never filed the K1 for anyone else. We are not married – so no spouse. Should we leave question 5 blank or is the appropriate answer 5d since it’s a two-sided statement saying “Not applicable, beneficiary is my spouse OR I am not a multiple filer” ?
Thanks so much for your help! It’s great to have someone sharing gathered information about this whole process. We really appreciate your help!
Hi,
We’re in the process of filling out the form and I have a couple of question. We need additional space to fill in the information about the petitioner’s address and employment history.
According to the instructions, we know that we have to include the page number, part number and item number.
The item number is where we get confused. For example, for address history, do we use the item number 9, 10, 11 or 12? Same goes for the employment history.
Also, when filling in the additional information, should we also write the headings?
i.e.:
Street Number and Name: _____________
City or Town: _______________
or can we simply write our past addresses?
Do let us know if you’re able to help!! Thanks 🙂
Regards,
Natasha
Hi Prem, I submitted my I-129 F form about 1 month ago and I received the receipt notice in the mail which stated the application is in process but I had a question about the employment portion. I may have to quit my job due to my mother’s health possibly for a few months. Would you have an idea as to when the employment is verified for the petitioner? Thank you!
Hello Schweta,
If you’re wondering how having a job, quitting a job, getting hired, getting fired affects your K visa during the process I suggest you read this detailed explanation https://www.visatutor.com/do-i-need-a-job-to-file-for-a-k-1-visa/
-Prem
Question please,
My sons US fiancé filled in the form, and has received an I797 NOA. I have just noticed that his name is incorrect. Instead of John Michael James Doe, she has filled in John James Michael Doe. Can this be corrected at this stage, and how.
Yes I know she should know his name but it is an internet thing.
Hey Angus,
the I-797c letter usually has some phone # you can call for corrections to the letter they sent you. Give that a try. Otherwise, you may have to wait until the USCIS sends out an RFE when they notice that his names mismatch.
-Prem
Um……. there is a lot ambiguities in your posts. So what’s the outcome? If your disclaimer states that the information listed on your website is for entertainment purposes, then Whats the point?
Hey James,
Mind telling me what ambiguities you found in my posts? if you spot an error, I’d be glad to fix it. Also, regarding the disclaimer about “entertainment and information”, anyone who isn’t a licensed lawyer must declare that publicly with this language as per law.
-Prem
Hi Prem,
Thank you for your site, it has been very helpful so far.
My questions include:
1. For part 8 where you list additional information, I have to list multiple addresses and employers. Which item numbers do I refer to? For example, to list physical addresses 3-5, would I put it under item #11a-12b (the item numbers for physical address 2)?
2. My fiancee’s native alphabet is Arabic. For part 49a-50f, we have written his address in Arabic. It is the same address used directly above, in 47a-48. Do we still need to provide a translation?
3. Once the documents are complete, how do I go about combining them? Should i staple the application? Should I put a paperclip around the photos? etc.
Thanks in advance for any info you may be able to provide!
Hello Jenna,
1. For multiple entries for the same question, you may repeat the same item #, page #, and part # for multiple responses to the same question.
2. No translation required for the Arabic address in your I-129F form.
3. You may combine any way you want. Stapling is not recommended. If you sign up to my I-129F checklist, you will see instructions on how to put it together.
-Prem
My fiance address is in chinese but if we translated it, that will be way too long, so can I just live it in chinese ?
Shawn,
The I-129F form doesn’t accept non-Roman (English) characters, so you cannot submit it that way. You will have to write her translated address in Part 8.
-Prem
Hi Prem, thank you for this site, it has helped me through a lot of doubts and problems.
I had a question about the birth certificate. I am the US petitioner and in my birth certificate I never noticed my mother’s last name is included in my second last name. But I have never used this last name in any other document. I have only ever had one last name everywhere. Will this be a problem? I will be sending a copy of my passport for the proof of meeting since it has a stamp, and the passport doesn’t have that last name. Should I send something else as proof? Thank you!
Hey Isis,
to me that doesn’t sound like a problem. As long as your passport shows the correct last name, it’ll be alright. Especially considering that you’re sending in the passport as proof of US citizenship? do you really have a need to show your birth certificate?
-Prem
This question is in regards to item number 54. My finance and I met in the US while he was a grad student. We lived together and dated for 3 years before his student visa expired. Since his moving back to France we have seen each other three times: both in France and in the US. My understanding is that this question is mostly asking about the history of our relationship, how we met, and when we have been “in-person” together. I have started a “declaration of how we met” letter. Should I include all our “in-person” meetings in this letter? Is this type of descriptive letter appropriate as an answer for #54 and if so how do I answer the question on the I-129F petition? (i.e. “See ‘Declaration of How We Met” ?)
Melissa,
You should read my tutorial on how to construct the circumstances of meeting statement here:
https://www.visatutor.com/i-129f-54-or-34a-circumstances-of-meeting/
-Prem
Question on Residence (51.a & 51.b) what if I live in foreign country where State does not apply from the State drop down select box? For instance, I lived in China, there is no way for me to select State in China. Should I leave it as blank? Thank you
Jeremy,
You will leave that blank.
-Prem
Hi Prem.
Thanks for this excellent site, it is really useful.
I have a question about page 6 item number 37, and 38a – 38h.
I have ticked YES to Q37, as I have visited the US many times, the last five years under the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization).
I am outside of the US now, and at time of filing, so there is no need to complete 38a-38h by my interpretation.
But should I include a copy of my passport stamps in my evidence to show my previous visits?
Many thanks.
Simon
Hi Simon,
That’s right, if you’re currently not in the US, then don’t fill that part out. You will still include your past travel history, like the passports, entry stamps, ESTA records, and I-94 printouts.
-Prem
Hello, I am the petitioner and us citizen, my fiance is beneficiary from morocco he has never ever been in the US. He has a moroccan passaport.but its only for morocco hes never received a usa visa he has never intended to travel to the usa. My question is Do i put his moroccan passaport information for part 2 under information about your beneficiary travel document, country of issuance for passport etc. It seems like this pertains passport for usa
Hello Caro,
I believe the question you’re referring to only asks for information if he’s traveled to the US before. Is that the same question you’re asking about?
-Prem
My A-number is only 8 numbers i verified with my naturalization certificate the application I129F has 9 spaces for this number what can i do? The computer does not enter my 8 numbers because it says its missing one
Hey Caro,
Yes, according to the USCIS the A-number can be either 8 or 9 digits. https://www.uscis.gov/tools/glossary/number
I suggest you precede the # with a “0” if the form forces you to write in 9 digits. Let us know how that works out.
-Prem
Hello,
First, thank you so much Prim for this space, very very helpful.
I have a doubt for the form I-129f. They ask about the addres of the employer for the beneficiary and petitioner employment history. I work for a company by internet, so I work from home but the company has an address in a different country. Should I put the address of the company in other country or in the address space should I put that I work virtually and do my job from home or going to the client’s houses?.
I appreciate any information.
Thanks,
Lina
Hey Lina,
Thanks for reaching out. Hmm, I think it sounds like your best bet is to write your home address as your employment address. Having a foreign address in your “employment” section will probably raise lots of confusion. Have you done research elsewhere to verify this?
-Prem
FOR PAGE 5 PART 2 ITEM 11B IT ASKS FOR STREET NUMBER AND NAME BUT IT DOES NOT FIT WHAT CAN I DO?
Hello Caro,
You will have to write the entry in Part 8 additional information.
-Prem
Question what do I put on the item 16b when it comes to employment, I still work there , Do I leave it blank?
Hey Dave,
You can write “present” either with hand or type it in.
-Prem
HI there,
I’m completing the I-129f petition now and have a question regarding your above thoughts on page 6 item number 38a – 38h. My fiancé was in the USA over the summer but we are now back in Spain. Do you think it makes more sense to complete the form as directed on the instructions or the form itself? Also, she was never given a I-94 from so I won’t be able to attach that from her visit over the summer which makes me just want to include her passport information on the form? thoughts? thank so much!
Hey Andrew,
That’s a tricky question in the I-129F form. If your fiance is currently not in the US, then you won’t fill out the questions. You can attach the I-94 as proof of her visits. You can download the I-94 free from the Customs/Border protection website. If you don’t find anything there, you can try to get entry stamps from your fiance’s passport showing her entry into the US.
-Prem
I can’t remember how I found this site but I owe much to my success from the tips and advice on this site. I submitted my I129f in June 2018. I followed the checklist tips to the letter. USCIS received my petition June 29, 2018. Long story short I received my approval letter January 2, 2019. I received no RFEs whatsoever. Yes I was anxious thinking I had left something out because I hadn’t heard anything but it was all worth it once I received that approval letter. Thanks to Prem for this site and for me stumbling upon it.
If I divorced do I need to include documentation with the I-29F form? and also Im a bit confused with the birth certificates do you have two include the petitioner and beneficiary as well? I appreciate the help.
Hey Dave,
Birth certificates from the petitioner are only required if you’re using that as proof of your US citizenship. The other option is to use your US passport to prove citizenship. So, you see it’s a matter of choice.
Birth certificates for the beneficiary are not required for the most part. Unless you need to show his/her birth certificates to show a legal name change that may have happened in the past. All of this is explained in my course (by the way).
-Prem
First off, thank you for writing this, it’s quite helpful.
I do have a question. There are a bunch of questions that ask for specific dates, down to the day. Many of these questions I have the month and the year, but not the day. They ask for an answer in mm/dd/yyyy format. What is the best course of action to avoid an RFE? I am hand filling the form out, if that helps.
Hey Jessica,
That’s correct, the USCIS asks for various dates about employment, residency history, and dates on other things. Many of these were long ago and we don’t have records anymore of these dates. In this case the best thing to do would be to offer a best guess. Most times the USCIS is content with that. As I’ve yet to see anyone come back and say that the USCIS wanted an exact date. I discuss this in a lot more detail in my I-129f course
-Prem
So, there are a bunch of questions that ask for a specific date (Such as address history date, hire date, etc). I know the month and year for these questions, but I don’t know the exact DAY. What should I do for these dates?
Hey Jessica,
That’s a fairly common concern which I address in my course. Long story short, try your best to get the most accurate date. However, if you cannot locate it or get it, you can write in your best estimate.
-Prem
Hello, i was wondering if you have any insight on countries where there are frequently no physical addresses. My fiance lives in Ghana and most houses do not have numbers nor are street names always assigned. The questions on the app concerning his address are presenting a problem for me. Also, i’ve seen some other blogs say to list zeros in inapplicable fields such as a foreign beneficiary’s SSN. What’s your experience with that kind of practice?
Thank you!
Eugenia
Hello Eugenia,
I know many countries with rural addresses have no reliable (or actual numerical) physical address. For those such cases, you will have list the closest approximate address. For instance, you can ask your beneficiary what is the listed address in his/her official paperwork? You can copy that and place it onto the I-129F form. Many of my readers have other beneficiary where there’s no actual address, or number, or the practice is to reference a landmark. I show you how to fill it out in my I-129F course if you have issues with address.
Also, I would suggest you don’t put any numbers down if something doesn’t apply to you. For example, if your beneficiary doesn’t have a SSN number, then it would be wise to leave it blank rather than confuse the USCIS with a number. Hope this helps
-Prem
Hi Prem,
In the latest version of I-129F, under item no. 1, does my US citizen fiance need to indicate his Alien Registration Number if he became a citizen by naturalization? Then items 38.a to 38.h only need to be filled out if the beneficiary is CURRENTLY in the US, right? You will tick YES in #37, but skip #38 and proceed to #39.
Thank you.
Hello Kaye,
Yes, naturalized citizens had an A# at one point and you must put that in. For question 38 it’s only applicable if you’re currently in the US.
-Prem
Hello Prem , thanks for answering my previous questions I really appreciate you for helping people like me out . I have another question
Me and my fiancée is filling the I-129f form and I’m confused about the part what says the beneficiary address history
The address I’m living now its been only 3 years and I lived also in a different country before for about 5 years so my question is do I just go ahead and used my current address all through or also use the 5 year history from the other country too ? Does this apply to this employment history too ?thanks you in advance for your response
Hi Bright,
Your 5-year address history can come from anywhere whether it was foreign or domestic. This applies to physical address and employment as well.
Hope this helps
-Prem
Hello prem, I have a question do the beneficiary need to submit the G325A Biographic Data form with Two Passport photos when filling for the k1 visa?
Bright,
The G-325A has been removed from the requirements long ago. You don’t submit it with your I-129F packet. The passport size photos, however, are still required.
-Prem
I was wondering if I can get an answer to this issue… on the I-129 form question 48. Do I have children… yes I do whom is with my fiance in another country, then again it ask on beneficiary 39 does y partner have children, and she does yes one with me. so do i initiate yes in both spots or will that count as two in the overall assessment?
Hi Scott,
Great question. And of course, there’s no official clarification or answer to that. But to me, it’s clear that we have to put the same child’s name down for both even if it’s the same individual. In addition, just be aware that your child may not have to apply for a K2 visa (check out fiance visa CRBA)
-Prem
After reading this articles of technical errors, I went back to the copy of my submitted I-129F and found out that the information i wrote to my deceased dad with his residency was his last address instead of DECEASED OR UNKNOWN. This is another additional mental stress. I crossed my fingers that this would not an issue.
Manuel,
You’re right — it’s a huge mental stress and unfortunately mistakes like this happen often. When did you file? I’m not sure if you’ll get an RFE for this, but don’t be surprised if you do. Let’s cross our fingers and hope it doesn’t slow you down.
-Prem
I have filed the i-129f form and where I was asked my parents current resident, I filed the last place of resident for my late dad/ I am worried if I should have typed deceased instead of his last address where he lived before he passed away….will that be a problem for approval.
Thank you.
Hello Edna,
You should’ve wrote “deceased” in all fields where it asks for your father’s current information. The only way it’ll be a problem is if the USCIS is unclear on what you wrote and needs you to clarify. I strongly doubt this will be a reason for denial.
-Prem
Hello Prem,
As I mentioned before in my comments, your articles are pretty useful within this crazy journey.
I came to the US on k1 visa. We applied for AOS, EAD and AP in May, and I separately applied for SSN in April.
Nevertheless, waiting for over 6 weeks for my SSN, today I received a call from Social Security Administration that said that migration cannot verify my application, since they can’t match my data. The things is on my K1 visa my name is incorrectly written, I mean they combined my name with my father’s name (that is how written in my national passport in local language, while in English, it is written Sonya (without the mentioned of my father’s name)). To make it short, after two hours of explanation to USCIS, Customs and Border Protection, I was finally referred to the local USCIS (LA branch), where I should go tomorrow and have it changed. My only concern is that since I have already filed my AOS, EAD and AP, will it lead to RFE? I called to USCIS additionally, and the representative informed me that it will not lead to rejection, but may cause RFE requesting additional evidence of identity documents. The paradox is that everywhere (in my passport/English version, birth certificate, I am Sonya), in case they request additional evidence, I have no other ID to prove. I assume it might be my mistake, cause I had to be more attentive when getting my visa, and had to contact my local consulate. Anyway, no one at the border even mentioned about this. And I had no problem while leaving my country and entering the US
What are your thoughts with this regard? What do you think if it will affect my AOS package? Sorry for this looong message, but I assume you are the only competent person to comment with this regard.
Thank you in advance
Sona
Hello Sonya,
I see you’ve got in the mess of names incorrectly spelled on a passport versus the visa versus documents. My fiance had something similar when she entered the US. We also had to make many phone calls and write a bunch of statements to the USCIS to clarify that in foreign countries a name may be written in different ways and still be legally valid. It was a mess.
I think you’re taking the right steps here by contacting the SSA and the USCIS to get it sorted. I do believe that the USCIS will have the same question for you when they adjudicate your petition. They will most likely issue an RFE about it and ask you to clarify. In which case you must send them documentation and an explanation of the issues. Without knowing too much about it, I feel that’s what’s going to happen. In years past, the USCIS was stricter with their technicalities (name spelling, DOB, etc.) they seem to have relaxed their policies a bit because many foreigners were having trouble. So, I’m hoping it will be a non-issue when they issue the RFE. But we will not know until you get a response.
I hope this has helped. Sorry I couldn’t provide more clarity. Let us know what becomes of the issue so if anyone else in the future runs into it, they will know how to resolve it.
-Prem
my fiancée is in custody of my niece which I wish to include as a child in the 1-129f. will this give us an issue .
Please let us know.
Thanks
Hey there Henry,
Hmm, that’s a very interesting question. I know that stepchildren are allowed to be petitioned and I know that adopted children are allowed to get a K-2, but I’m not sure about your particular situation. Has your fiance adopted your niece? or is this a simple custody situation? I’m afraid I don’t know the exact answer to your question as each country has their own individual civil laws regarding child custody laws. If you let me know what kind of agreement/court order it is, I may be able to research and give an answer.
-Prem
Hello! First I would like to thank you for putting all of this together to guide us!
I am filling out the I-129F Form and I would like to confirm something. If the beneficiary has been to the U.S., but is not currently there, then the 38.a.-h. should not be filled out, but the most recent I-94 should be attached just in case. Is it true? Should the official travel history found on the I-94 website be attached too? I have heard of people doing it both ways. Thank you!
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks for visiting. Yes, if your fiance has been to the US but not currently here, then you need to attach the most-current I-94 for their visits. In most cases, you would leave the 38a-h blank if your fiance isn’t currently here.
-Prem
Dear Prem,
My fiance filed our I-129F October 2017 and we today received a RFE. We are extremely disheartened as we thought we had filed everything correctly and with sufficient evidence. However I have just read your technicalities about the form with regards to employment dates. What is the solution for ‘Employment end date’ if you are still employed? Could it be something that small that they sent a RFE?
We have many photos, hotel receipts, flight receipts/tickets, testimonials, original documents … we are confused! We have been in a relationship for 18 months and neither of us have children or previous marriages …. we have photos with each others families and lots of proof of relationship! We have only received the e-notification so awaiting the list of required evidence to come in paper form.
Thanks
Emma
Hello Emma,
Thanks for stopping by. Hmm. The RFE can be for anything. There’s no telling what it’s about until you receive the RFE mail. It’s possible that you left something out of the i-129F form or possible checked the wrong box.
If you feel you’ve given enough bona fide relationship evidence, then it’s probably not the cause of the RFE. In any case, whenever you get the RFE in the mail, please let us know what’s inside. We will make sure that future k-1 couples don’t repeat it.
To answer your “employment date” question. We have two choices: either hand write the word “present” or simply type it within the PDF using a toolbox. Either way, we can’t leave it blank.
-Prem
Hi!
We (My Fiancee, the Petitioner and mysefl), have a baby together, we filled out his Citizenship before we got engaged and filled out my paperwork to get married and move with him.
Should we put that i’m traveling with my son? he already have his US passport and everything…
We manifested in the I-129 that we have our baby, but what about when i have to cross to US using the K1?.. do i have to say that i’m traveling with a children? (he doesn’t need a K2 visa, he have his US documents)
Thank you!,
Karina
Hi Karina,
I apologize, I don’t quite understand your question.
Are you applying for a K visa? you mention that you’re already married. In this case, the K-1 wouldn’t be applicable to you. You would instead have to file for a spousal visa (I-130).
But in any case, you list all children of the beneficiary in the I-129F regardless of age or their status (whether they’re a US citizen). He will not have to go to the K interview because he doesn’t need a visa. He can travel with you to the US when you’re approved.
-Prem
Hello Prem,
Thank you in advance for answering our questions.
I have a few questions as well.
#1. （K1) I-129F asks for the employment history for the past 5 years. What if I only worked for a year and before then I was a student? How do I indicate that?
#2. My foreign finance’s parent is passed away. How do I indicate that in the beneficiary’s parent section?
#3. In Part 2-49a, it asks for the beneficiary’s name and address in his native alphabet. My fiancé is Chinese, does that mean I need to fill this out in Chinese?
Thank you very much.
Hi Sarah,
1. You will only put the time duration when you were working. It’s not required to disclose a student status. Although, if you want, you can write you were a student.
2. You may write “deceased” or “unknown”.
3. You can copy/paste various characters from somewhere into the I-129F pdf.
-Prem
Thank you for writing this article, I fell into one of those technicalities and was approved. And also reading your articles is therapeutic because you are always encouraging and showing us all the positive in our situations. I’m 9 mos. into the process and your blogs have helped me a lot in taking off a lot of the edge. Thank you
Thanks AD,
glad to hear I could help make the journey easier. It goes back to what I always preach: the more you know, the better decisions you make (and have a better time during it, too).
Back when my fiance was going through the K-1 process, we didn’t have many resources or blogs to help understand the situation. There were a lot of assumptions, guessing and anxiety. And forget relying on legal help.
It’s one of the main reasons for starting this website. So, I’m glad it’s serving the purpose. Cheers
-Prem
Hello! I stumbled across your article without even realizing some mistakes that I’ve had! Thanks so much! I do have another question, my fiancé’s parent’s don’t have an actual recorded date of birth. On their ID it just shows the year…how do I fill that out on the document? TIA!
Hello Ashley,
That’s a tough one. If there’s no recorded date of birth, what do their official paperwork say? It must have some date associated with it. Can they verbally tell you?
-Prem
Hi, Please I need your help! My fiancé filed a petition for me and it was received by USCIS. We add in Consular Processing Information, Quto, Ecuador as city of visa application, however, we just found out the K visa is process in Guayaquil City, only. What can we do in that case? will they send it to Quito? how bad is that mistake in the form. Thank you very much for your response.
Hello maria,
The NVC is in charge of figuring out which US Embassy to send your approved petition. Don’t worry, if they see that you’ve mistakenly put the wrong one, they will correct it and forward your case to the right one. Or they might simply contact you and ask. There are only certain posts/Embassies that process K-1 visas, so the NVC knows which one it needs to go to.
-Prem
Yes, thank you! I was just worried to leave it blank. In some blogs people just put the same home mailbox my address for the “abroad” address and I didn’t understand why!
Great. I’m glad. Read all you can, do your research, but be sure (at the end of the day) that it’s good advice. As I always say “get all the advice you can, but be sure to know which ones to ignore” in your fiance visa process.
-Prem
Hi Prem!
My fiancé doesn’t have an address abroad. Do I just leave that section blank and put N/A or repeat his mailing address there?
Thank you!
Alison
Hello Alison,
I’m not quite sure I understand about nothing having an address abroad? If he’s living in his home, then you would leave it blank or say “n/a”. But if he lives outside him home country you would need to provide some address. Is that your question, Alison?
-Prem
Hola Prem,
I sent a comment earlier today and after I submitted it there is “Your comment is awatting moderation” written above it.
Is there something wrong that I did at my end or is there a waiting period for “moderation”.
Thank you for your time.
God bless you,
Eduardo
Hi Eduardo,
Yes, if it says “your comment is awaiting moderation”, it means it’s in my queue to moderate, approve it, and answer it.
Hola!
I sent you an e-mail a while ago and I never saw a responce. Maybe I don’t know how to look it up!
Gracias for your site
Hola Eduardo,
Please try again. I might have not seen it.
-Prem
Hola Prem,
Thank you so much for replying.
I’m almost done with the i-129f petition but I have some questions and concerns.
I’m a Naturalized Citizen (1977) and just turned 68 on February 23 and my Fiancée is from Ecuador and will be 58 on July 05. We are both in good health. We met in Ecuador in 2011 and have been together ever since.
She has visited me in the USA 7 times with a B1/B2 visa. Has never worked during her visits or stayed over her aloted time. The last time she stayed for 4 months from Sept. 2017 to January 24, 2018 when she returned to Ecuador. We are in Love and want to get married.
1. Is our age a factor?
2. We are engaged since Dec. 2014. Waiting to marry ’till now, is it a factor?
3. Part 2, Page 6, Item 37 “Has your beneficiary ever been in the US? I put YES, then it states ”If your beneficiary is currently in th US, complete Item Numbers 38.a. – 38.h. She is currently NOT in the US, so I don’t have to fill out Item 38a-h? The word IF infurs not to complete! Is this so? How ever Item 38.a. states “He or she last entered…” What should I do?!?!?
4. If I do have to complete I’m not quite sure what to do for line 38.b. ” I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Number”, I tried to get it on the USCIS site but the Most Recent is from Dec. 2012! However the Travel History record does appear from April 2013 to January 2018.
5. Line 38.f. “Travel Document Number” What number is this? Is it the Visa Number?
6. I have a 3 ring binder with all pages in plastic protectors with sticky tabs on the right side of papers. Can I send the Petiton in this manner? It is well organized, easy to turn and not loose any pages.
7. Can I send xerox copies of original photos?
8. Can I neatly hand write names, dates, location of event of each picture? I don’t know how to type around the pictures!
9. Do I have to sign and date every single page at the bottom or just the main documents.
10. Our Passport type photos are now over 1 month old ( About 45 days!) can I still use them? I will be sending the Petition soon, once I have these questions and concerns cleared.
Thank so much for your help.
God bless you,
Eduardo
Hi Eduardo,
1. Age is not a factor. As long as you’re free to marry and above 18 years old, you’re eligible.
2. The length of relationship is not a factor. The only requirement is having met within the last 2 years (which you already did).
3. Yes, you’re right, this is one of the technical errors that I’ve talked about in this article. The best option is to leave it blank and offer them a separate statement to list out the visits. If you join my I-129F course, all of this will be clearly explained.
4. You only get the travel history from the Custom and Border Protection website (CBP). Here’s a link to get your I-94: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home The site may not have the latest admission/departure record. The only option we have is to submit what we get from the CBP website.
5. A Travel Document is anything a foreign country gives for international travel. Most of the time it’s a passport, but if it’s not a passport, then you write down the travel document # as it applies. If your fiance has a passport, then she most likely doesn’t have a travel document. You can leave it blank.
6. Yes, that’s acceptable.
7. Yes, you can send copies of photos.
8. Yes, you can write captions, dates, etc.
9. No, you don’t have to date / sign every single page. Only the pages that require signatures.
10. Yes, you may generally use the passport photos if taken within 6 months unless there’s a significant change in appearance.
Glad to help. I still urge you to join the course, it’ll save you from other common problems that delay/deny cases.
Good luck
-Prem
Hello prem,
Just want to know if i need to attatch my denial form to my new petition for 129f, the denial form requires to submmit evidences within 30days if you want to appeal, and i you exceeded 30days, you’ll file a new petition 129f. My question is, should i include denial form or no? Because in every petition there’s a different A-number.
Thanks a lot!
-jose
Hello Jose,
You don’t have submit your appeal documents within your new I-129F. Consider it like starting fresh. But there’s two things I want to point out to you (1) Your A-number doesn’t change. It’s your own unique alien registration # and it’s not affected by which application you submit (2) be careful about a multiple filer waiver. If your filing for the same fiance, then it’s not a worry. However, if it’s for a different fiance, then you must work on your multiple filer situation.
-Prem
Hey Prem,
so what do you advise putting in the employment part if your still currently employed? I literally just put current but you said the computer doesn’t read that… now im a little concerned 🙁
Hi Karina,
There are several ways to handle this problem. One of which is to simply hand write “present”. It’s not going to look pretty, but it gets the job done. The other way is to write with some PDF writer. And I explain all of this in the I-129F course and walk you through it step by step. Not to mention, 20 other similar problems.
-Prem
My fiancé filed a fiancé petition for me and we received NOA in September 11,however he noticed an error on my names in the forms and he corrected that ,In November 14 we got an update that names have been updated well,since then there has been no another update,what does this mean,will the process take longer or what?
Thanks
Hi Sarah,
It just means your file is waiting to be adjudicated. You will wait until processing is complete before they give you a final decision. In the meantime, you can check the processing times to find out how long they may take. https://www.visatutor.com/i-129f-petition-uscis-case-processing-charts/
-Prem
Hello Prem,
As always, very informative and useful information.
Just one question. My case has reached my local embassy (K1 visa), but I haven’t been contacted by the embassy yet for me to schedule the interview. What is connected with? I have sent an inquiry to the embassy, and haven’t received any reply yet. What do you think?
Thanks
Sonya
Hi Sonya,
I advise you to check the https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx
To check the status of your application. if it says “received” or “ready” then you can go ahead with the Interview preparations.
-Prem
Hello Prem,
Just wanted to let you know that I had my interview today and got approved! Thank you so much!!! It went smooth regardless my stress and over-preparation 🙂
Regards,
Sonya
Hey Sonya,
Congratulations, that’s wonderful. I’m glad it was smooth. And I hope we all draw some hope that our cases will be approved quickly as well.
It’s always better to be over-prepared than under- wouldn’t you agree?
Congrats, again.
-Prem
Thank you so so much!!! Your articles are/were really helpful! And yes, I definitely agree with you!!! Cheers, Sonya
Great. I’m glad you found the articles helpful.