My name is Yasmin, but most people call me Yaz.
I’m 25, I’m a Marketing and PR Associate for a performance marketing agency in Manhattan and an expat blogger from Glasgow, Scotland.
I moved to Long Island in New York, as my husband is a US Citizen!
Why did I start this blog?
Seeing as I’ve always loved writing and have kept a diary for the past 7 years, friends and family suggested that I start this blog as a way to keep them up to date with my immigration process and my new life in the US!
Another reason for starting this blog is that I’m hoping I can lend a helping hand to anyone that is also immigrating to the US through marriage. Whether your going through the process currently or at the early stages of reading for more information, hopefully you will find my blog informative and relatable.
I know when I was researching, I couldn’t find a lot of blogs containing detailed personal experiences, even less from someone specifically from Scotland, UK.
What kind of topics do I write about?
Before you start…
Contrary to popular belief, the process of immigrating to the US through marriage is not for the faint hearted and it’s definitely not “easy”. The process also does not stop once you enter the US either, get used to paperwork for the next few years. It requires a lot of research, organisation, money…and it’s bloody stressful!
However as long as you approach it as a team it’s obviously completely worth it in the end as you get to be with your significant other full-time!
Comments, suggestions and questions are always welcomed!
Yaz Talks A Lot 
Hi! I’m in the final stages of my K-1 fiance Visa. I attended the Medical at Bentinck Mansions yesterday and got an interview date for the 27th of this month, nervous! Me and my American Fiance went through Rapid Visa who checked over our 1-129F forms and sent them to the Embassy, who received them in February this year, , second notice and approval confirmation letter came last month, exciting! I’m just panicking a little as I want to make sure I know which exact documents they require you to hand over on the day and it was helpful to find someone with a more recent experience as Rapid Visa to be honest, every time I ask them a query about paperwork it is just ”follow the instructions” Urgh! Not too helpful to be honest so panicking a little!
LikeLike
Hey Sammy, I’ve done a full blog post on my K1 Visa Interview in London. I’ve listed all the documents that were requested. There’s also a link to the embassy website at the start of that blog post which lists the documents they want to see. https://yaztalksalot.wordpress.com/2017/07/01/k1-interview-experience-london/ Don’t panic, the interview is the easiest part in my opinion. Super straight forward!
LikeLike
With the Notification of readiness, is that the same as the DS-160 confirmation page? Confuses me as I’ve read other people’s experiences and like you mentioned it is very hard to find ones from the UK and more recent as paperwork changes over time and depends on which way you do it. Do they take the photocopies or originals of documents? I’ve pretty much got statement of intent for me and Matt, copy of 1-129f form that came with the Embassy letter confirming an approved petition so they are attached together along with the confirmation page that shows I paid the fee and arranged courier for my passport. DS-160 confirmation page and Matt’s Affidavit of Support form along with tax records, evidence to show he meets the income requirements and a passport sized visa requirement photo. Hopefully not missing anything! Have gathered chat logs, photos and some phone records as well 🙂 I saw the Embassy yesterday for the first time, security seems quite intimidating!
LikeLike
The notification of readiness form is just what you fill out on the embassy website to let them know you’ve completed all the steps before booking your interview! So yes , it’s different from your DS-160 – as thats your actual application form for the Visa itself 🙂 They only took the originals, they took their own copies and then gave me them back. They probably wont ask for any relationship evidence, but take it if it makes you feel better. Police certificate as well and it sounds like you’re all organised. It looks scary from the outside, but everyone is really nice – don’t worry and Good Luck! 🙂
LikeLike
Ah ok, I have an account on there but all I printed from there is the confirmation I paid the Embassy fee and the courier service arranged, like the last page to confirm I printed.
LikeLike
You don’t print it , you just submit it and then it tells the embassy you are ready to book your interview etc. Google it or click the link on my blog to see it 🙂
LikeLike
I looked through on your blog, I submitted that about a week or two ago 🙂 I took a print screen of the thank you for submitting page 🙂
LikeLike
Perfect !! You’re all set then! Let me know how you get on ! ❤️
LikeLike
If I print that screenshot off because I didn’t receive anything on email or anything like that then still shows I done it. I completed it on the 3rd of July! Crazy how it is already the end of the process, we started it in February. I definitely will do 😀 just another week and a half of work then I’ll be back in London
LikeLike
You don’t need to print anything. You just need to have completed it :). It wouldn’t of let you book your interview if you hadn’t I believe! ☺️ Yeah I know the feeling – I’m moving in 4 weeks!! Crazy!!
LikeLike
I should be getting my documents organised this week in a folder. Anxious for this week to be over with as it’s all I can think about constantly is how the interview will go! When the consular asked you where Anthony is right now did they mean literally what he was doing or where he was? Quite a random question. I’m hoping if everything goes well I’m looking to move next month 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah I know the feeling, you wont know what to do with yourself when you’ve got nothing to worry about anymore! I’m not sure but I answered ‘At work’ & the town and state his work is in and they were quite happy with that! The questions were very straight forward!
LikeLike
Yeah I was thinking that could mean two things but Matt will be at work around the time my appointment is anyway 🙂 I got Matt’s pay stubs, a letter from his boss to confirm he works with them and the Affidavit of support form and tax returns. My Embassy letter was attached to a copy of the original form sent off to the Embassy from Rapid Visa but I’ve kept it attached and have a photocopy as I’m guessing they would just remove it if they just need that front page wouldn’t they? I’m looking forward for it all to be over but we are so close it’s exciting
LikeLike
Should be fine :), they just want to see the LND case number on your embassy letter! It’s really straight forward, try not to over think it. As long as you have all your paperwork and answer questions honestly and openly – you’ll be fine! Take care and good luck!
LikeLike
Just on my way back from my Embassy appointment, I passed! Was very quick and straightforward and just mainly asked about how we met, who came to see who, how many times I had been there and about him coming here to meet my family. 🙂 I was so relieved and overwhelmed I had been shaking the whole time with anxiety!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Yaz! I just want to say THANK YOU. This blog is the most detailed and helpful source of information I’ve seen yet!! I am and American marrying an Englishman, and we are currently waiting for our NOA2. I’m really struggling, to be honest, and it is quite maddening having no clue when it will get approved. Our case was received May 30th 2017, so it’s been over 3 months now. Did you check your case online when it was in this stage, and did it say “case received” until you got your NOA 2 or did it change at all during? Also, the website says that the California Service center is looking at cases as of February 1, 2017 and thats what it has said for months. Do you think they have even looked at ours since it was in submitted after that date? Its SO frustrating! But you know all about that 😉
My fiance will be super comforted by reading your experiences with the medical examination and the interview, because that’s the part he is most concerned with. Also, I see tomorrow is your wedding day! Congratulations!!! It really does give me hope, again, thank you so much for writing all of this in such a clear helpful way!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Natalie! Thank you so much for your lovely comment, so happy your finding the blog helpful. ♥️ From what I can see NOA2 is taking approximately 4-5 months right now, so hopefully you’ve not got much longer to wait. The case status will not change from “case received” until you get NOA2 , then it will go to “Case Approved”. The reason it will say that date on the USCIS website is because although they are approving cases after February, there are still cases within that month that have yet to be approved! So don’t worry too much about their timelines, it didn’t match up with ours either ♥️
This is the most frustrating time, but you will get through it and when your finally together for good, it will feel like it never happened. If you have any further questions please feel free to message me though the contact me page as that goes directly to my email 😊
Thank you again for your comment and for your well wishes for our special day today! Good luck on your immigration journey ♥️
LikeLike