Timelines for finishing up a K-1 after approval?

by Mark Butcher
(Winston Salem, N.C.)

I have two questions, if you know.

1. Once an I-129F is approved, how long until your Russian woman goes to the Doctor?

Then she has interview, so again how long for this to happen?

Then how long till she receives her visa?

2. Any tips on this? I plan to meet Natasha in New York. I've read she goes to a special area since she's entering via K-1 Visa. I've heard every pilot on Aeroflot announce that if you have a connecting flight go to the express lane and skip this. Most of the people on my return flights are immigrants. And I've had 8-10 flights at this point. We will have a flight waiting on us that flies from N.Y. to N.C.

When I visit her over the Russian holidays I will give her a U.S. phone so she can call me at JFK. I'm a bit concerned about finding her easily. It's a huge airport, and she's never been to the U.S. Maybe we should just meet at the area for luggage and w/phone we're all good. But if you have any ideas about keeping this point simple and smooth please share. I want to find her quickly.

Also perhaps a room in N.Y. for one night is more intelligent than a flight from N.Y. to N.C. within a few hours of her landing. When I buy my tickets that's the only schedule I've ever found. My gut says we may miss that type of flight per the schedule be a bit tight if she's asked questions. I don't know what happens when she enters JFK for 1st time? TY

P.S. She's planning to bring a cat. Russian cats have passports, lol. But; would you know if this is a problem for her/us?

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RE: Timelines for finishing up a K-1 after approval?
by: Bob (Site Owner)

You'll definitely look for some of this info on Visa Journey. But as I recall after this I-129F is approved, you or USCIS (forgot which) sends information to your fiancee. She then must complete a visa application. Part of this application will be vaccination and medical records and a criminal background statement of some kind.

I think after this form is submitted it is much quicker than the I-129F. Once it is approved she can make an appointment for the interview.

As I recall, my fiancee did the medical exam and the interview in one visit to Moscow. The medical exam must be done at a clinic approved by the embassy.

So the medical exam is only after her fiancee visa application (not the same as your I-129F) is accepted. As I recall your girl does not live in Moscow, so she'll probably end up doing something similar. She'll travel to Moscow for all this.

As I recall after the interview the decision is less than a week or two.

My fiancee also brought a cat :) It wasn't a "problem" in that it was possible, but I think I remember there being some kind of paperwork about the cat's health that was required. The airlines also charge for bringing an animal.

As I understand pets are sometimes transported in a "pet section" that isn't the main cabin. My fiancee brought her cat with her, in the main cabin. This is only allowed if the cat is smaller than some certain size. Her cat was too big, but they let it on anyway.

Again digging into my fading memory (all this was six years ago for me) I believe my fiancee/ex entered at JFK also. There I'm pretty sure there was a check-in, but I don't believe she was questioned or interviewed or anything else that took a lot of time.

I didn't meet her at JFK. She got through it all on time and made it to a connecting flight to Dallas/Fort Worth airport where I found her. I just met her at her luggage claim.

But I'm not sure how that will work in JFK. It seems like baggage claim for her flight would be the best place to find her, but almost for sure that will be AFTER she has gone through her entry check in at passport control.

If I were you I would go to Visa Journey and post a question about this. The advantage to that forum is that you can hear from people who have recently been through the process and consequently have fresher, more accurate information.

BUT, I'm pretty sure when I brought my fiancee over the check in was a snap, and getting to the connecting flight was easy. I don't even think I booked the last leg from JFK to DFW separately. It was just like a normal connecting flight.

BUT, if you do it that way, I would make sure that there is a nice long connection - at least three hours - just to accommodate for the unexpected. If you can't find that, then book the JFK-NC flight separately, OR just do as you plan and meet her in NY and stay the night.

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