ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionLondon Embassy Webpage

* Evidence of Support: An applicant for a fiancé(e) visa is not required to file an affidavit of support, form I-864 at the time he or she applies for a fiancé(e) visa. However, the Immigration and Nationality Act does require the applicant to establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer at the time of the application for a visa, and also to the satisfaction of an officer of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration at the time of application for admission to the United States, that he or she is not likely at any time to become a public charge.


Looks to me like nothing has changed! ;) The "public charge" provision is satsfied with your other financial evidence: I-134, bank/employment letters, etc.

The DS-2000 is the checklist.
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-03-15 08:41:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionLondon medical
Hmmmm...would someone who's gotten a packet 3 from London since January 2006 be so kind as to post the letter (with the medical instructions) for us? A scan, a .pdf, a transcription of the text, whatevah.

Thanks! :)
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-03-14 22:59:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionSelf sponsoring through London
You won't find any official information on it, because sponsorship for an I-134 is a fairly subjective question, and even more so when applicants are going through London. As I said in your other thread, there have been a few cases on VJ in which applicants have submitted evidence of a few thousand pounds (a minimum, I would say, of £3000 in cash, sometimes more) and have not needed to show anything else. But that's a few cases we know of out of hundreds or thousands. I don't want to tell you definitively that it can or can't be done, only what we know from a few VJers that tried it. It's a viable option, as far as we know, particularly when the financial situation of the UKC is markedly better than that of the USC. If you want to try it, I would assemble proof of assets for your interview, not income--the CO won't care about UK income. If you can show cash or assets that are easily convertible into cash with financial statements, that will work in your favor.

But remember two things:

1.) This is highly subjective and there is no official guideline on it. The CO will have the final call on whether or not you are likely to become a public charge. I, personally, wouldn't go it alone even if you do have substantial assets in the UK--get the sponsorship information from your fiancee's parents, too, as you mentioned in your other thread.

2.) "Self"-sponsorship won't fly at all when it comes time for you to adjust status stateside. Your fiancee will need to be in a position to sponsor you, or she'll need to have other suitable sponsors (her parents again, or whoever) lined up.

Good luck!
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-04-07 07:33:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI need help about K1 sponsor
Your question is a complicated one, so let's unpack it a bit.

For the K-1 visa, the sponsor or sponsors complete form I-134, Affidavit of Support. The sponsor(s) must demonstrate an income at or above 125% of the poverty level for the appropriate family size, including the sponsor(s) and the immigrant(s) to be sponsored. In your case, your parents would have to demonstrate that their income meets or exceeds the poverty guidelines for at least four people?assuming you have no siblings or other relatives who also live with your parents. If the income doesn't cut it, assets that are convertible to cash within one year may be used to make up the difference, provided that their value is equal to 5 times the difference between the income and the appropriate poverty level.

BUT: You should know that the I-134, while its enforceability is questionable, is not the be-all and end-all of the question. Your fiancee will need real, concrete support when she gets here, not just signatures on a paper. She will not be able to work for at least a few months, and until then she needs a roof over her head, food, etc. If your parents aren't actually, really willing to provide for her very real needs, then they should not sign that paper.

Also: After you marry, you will need to file an I-864, the Affidavit of Support that must accompany the I-485. Your parents can sponsor again, but this affidavit is tougher and is legally enforceable. They are on the hook, so to speak, for ensuring that your fiancee (wife) does not become a public charge—so if your fiancee seeks certain means-tested public benefits, the government can sue her sponsor or sponsors to collect on those benefits.

The I-864 is in effect until the immigrant can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work, becomes a U.S. citizen, departs the country permanently, or dies. So it is no small obligation.

I'll play the part of Yodrak and ask if you've considered how you plan to support your fiancee with no steady job and no apparent plans to seek one.

Edited by pax, 16 May 2006 - 03:11 PM.

paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-16 15:08:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionMedical Argument
True that. Drug convictions stateside will get your man a one-way ticket out of the country and it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get him back.
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-24 13:02:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionMedical Argument
Tell your man that it is.
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-24 10:53:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionMedical Argument
Yes, the medical providers can and do test for drugs. Including marijuana. And, yes, a positive test is good for a 3-year ban on entering the States. And, yes, there are VJers under bans of admissibility for drug use.

So if your sweetie cares a whit about this whole process, he'll stop smoking up.
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-24 10:14:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAsads interview in tbilisi.
Yodrak, I do understand why such questions are asked. That said, I don't think that COs ought to have free rein to ask anything they like in whatever manner they like. I simply don't. Reasonable people can, and do, disagree on the issue. If Ewen had been asked a question about our sex life in his interview, I would have been aghast.

Again, I don't really see what asking about a sex life can glean about a relationship that no other type of question could. I don't see that it will expose very many frauds, if any at all, and it will only serve to make legit applicants uncomfortable, angry, and intimidated.
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-31 13:56:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAsads interview in tbilisi.
Pffft. The last time this was brought up, the expert consensus seemed to be that they can, and should be able to, ask anything they damn well please.

I personally find it to be going a bit too far, particularly when one considers that in many of the countries that are "high fraud," there is also a strong undercurrent of religiosity that makes sex before marriage verboten. So for K-1 visas, it's a non-starter question. Besides that, just because there's a healthy sex life doesn't mean that the USC might be being taken for a ride; quite the contrary. Sexual favors might be used to advance the fraud even further.

Just my 2 cents. I do think that if the question can't be posed respectfully and with consideration of the couple's religious tradition, it ought not be brought up, and doesn't really need to be.
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-05-31 12:42:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionConsulates Returning Petitions to the United States via 221g
I think you may be missing Yodrak's point with that example. U.S. citizens, assuming that they're not criminally barred from leaving the country (and who knows, maybe even then they can still get a passport) are legally entitled to passports. It is my right as a U.S. citizen to apply for and receive a passport.

Meanwhile, it is no one's right to be granted a visa, at least legally speaking. Visas are granted to eligible persons at the discretion of the DoS. If it was a legal right to be allowed entry into the U.S., we wouldn't bother issuing visas at all and everyone from your sweetie and mine to Osama Bin Laden could just wander in at will.

That's Yodrak's point: You're dealing with an adversarial system. You have to make your case. And it's not the right of a foreign national to be granted a visa.

I'm not saying any of this to be mean or cruel. I can't imagine how frustrating, painful, and sad it must be to be facing an even longer separation from your loved one when you and your partner feel strongly about your relationship. But that's all the more reason, I suspect, to look at your situation objectively and understand what you're up against. And I think that's all that Yodrak is trying to say. (If I'm not right, Y, please correct me.)
paxFemaleUnited Kingdom2006-03-01 23:03:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionpolice check...
i agree, he might not need it but you should get it just in case.
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-06-28 08:28:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAlbanians using other consulates? Why?
true...thanks for that, i know a lot of albanians immigrate to other countries, but i couldnt believe that there was NO ONE who went through tirana...someone needs to update that list because i have no ties to armenia lol
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-06-29 23:40:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAlbanians using other consulates? Why?
It seems like everyone on this website with an Albanian fiance uses a consulate other than Tirana. Can I ask why that is? Is there something I am missing?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-06-27 19:21:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionDS 230
on the form 230 it asks about all educational institutions of the beneficiary...my fiance has only attended high school...do i write his high school on there? do i write the equivelant of elementary school as well? how far back should i go on here?

thanks
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-03 22:27:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionCan you apply for a police record too early?
yea i know that the italian one (which youre going to need) is only valid for 6 months
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-04 12:16:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-134
i guess...thanks guys
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-04 17:07:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-134
i will definitely do that...my only concern is that i know the embassy in tirana requires a tax return...so im concerned about the discrepancy...

i guess that i could always explain to them why there is a discrepancy, and they will understand??
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-03 22:20:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-134
i have just graduated college, and was only working a part time job until june when i started working full time...at my new job i will earn an anual income of 30k, but for 2007 that will only amount to 15k (because i only worked for the second half of the year)...

im not concerned about being above the poverty line, because combined with my part time job earnings i will have made over 16500 (125% for 2 people)...but my question is this:

on the I-134, it asks how much of an anual income i earn...do i write the amount that will be my 2007 total aka what will be printed on my 2007 tax returns (just above the minimum), or do i write my current anual salary (30k)?

thanks in advance
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-03 22:02:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionyou guessed it...
awesome...thanks so much for the advice guys!
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-05 13:45:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionyou guessed it...
well i have seen packet 3 from the consulate in tirana, albania and they only request last years tax returns...i was going to be overprepared and send in all 3 years, but i guess that would do more harm than good

packet 3 says 'a copy of only the most recent years tax returns'

this means just the past year, right?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-05 13:34:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionyou guessed it...
last year (2006) i was still in school and only worked part time...my income was below the minimum level required in order to file taxes (i even tried to, but the guy at HR Block told me that there is no reason to file)....now i am out of school and working full time, and make well above the poverty guidelines...

should i send in my 2006 W-2's from last year in order to show them that i was below the minimum and didnt need to file?

does it matter if i was below the poverty guidelines for the past two years (2005 & 2006), even though i am well above them now? am i still eligible to be a sponsor, or do i have to qualify all three years?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-05 13:10:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAffidavit of support
i have a relevant question that i would like to add to this discussion...

last year (2006) i was still in school and made only worked part time...my income was below the minimum level required in order to be required to file taxes (i even tried to, but the guy at HR Block told me that there is no reason to file)....now i am out of school and working full time, and make well above the poverty guidelines...

should i send in my 2006 W-2's from last year in order to show them that i was below the minimum and didnt need to file?

does it matter if i was below the poverty guidelines for the past two years (2005 & 2006), even though i am well above them now? am i still eligible to be a sponsor, or do i have to qualify all three years?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-05 12:37:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionK1 denied?
i highly doubt that will be an issue as long as you sent other proof that you have met in person
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-06 13:38:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionQuestion about expirations
When one recieves their NOA2, there is an expiration date on it, correct?

Is there usually an expiration that goes along with packet 3 as well? In other words, is there a date by which I must send the required documents to the embassy?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-13 12:50:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPacket 3 and Police Certificate for Holland Netherlands
im pretty sure that your fiance will need a police cert from both the uk and the netherlands if he/she lived there over the age of 16...

you can also check the uscis website to see if they have forms that are not expired...

try posting on the regional forum for europe...there are many people there who have gone through the netherlands, they might be able to better help you out
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-17 08:25:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPhone records

I've gone through a particular calling card company and never had any problems getting the calling records from them. I guess it depends on which company you go through.



what company do you use? my company (sprint pcs) doesnt give reciepts AT ALL...very annoying...does joinvip give allow you to print a reciept that states the numbers of all calls made? anyone know of a phone card company (with reasonable rates---right now i pay 5 cents a minute to an Italian cell phone) that provides such itemized lists???
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-17 09:02:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPacket 3 Question

Here's the the Macedonian Consulate sent me, also with answers to a couple other questions. Thought you might want to check it out:

"Your fiancé must bring both a police certificate and a court certificate from Kosovo. (maybe from home country). If he has lived in another foreign country for more than 1 year after his 16th birthday, he must provide us with a police certificate (court cert. not needed unless he was convicted) of respective country. I said I didn't make enough money to be the supporter, but did I need need to bring in the originals, or would copies of my bank account suffice. Apparently not. For the Affidavit of Support, we need both yours with supporting tax documents (even if income is not enough) and an AoS of the joint sponsor with supporting documents (tax statements). If you as the petitioner have not filed taxes, then you must supply us with a written and signed statement explaining why you did not file. When asked about high school transcripts and if they would be required : As for the school information, it is just necessary to know about consecutive attendance. No other documentation is required, unless at the time of application the consular officer would deem it necessary for one reason or the other."

I don't know if this is applicable at all embassys, but I figure it'll give you a good heads up.


that sounds about right...it seems that your embassy and tirana have the same requirements, because the list is the same...thanks SO much, that was really really helpful
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-20 08:44:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPacket 3 Question

Hey I just sent an email to an different embassy, skopje, macedonia, and got this : "Police certificates for residents of Kosovo should be obtained from UNMIK at Alpha Camp in Kosovo Polje. Besides this document, your fiancé will still need to obtain a court certificate from the nearest court. " I wrote a follow up email if this is required from other countries where he resides as well, and I am still waiting to hear back. I'll let you know when I hear anything else.



oh please do, thanks SO much
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-20 08:23:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPacket 3 Question
anyone out there?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-04 12:24:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPacket 3 Question
I am looking over packet 3 for my embassy (tirana, albania) and i am a little bit confused...

one of the required documents is a district court and attorney record issued at the city where you have lived in the past six months

im confused as to what this means...it also mentions that i need the police certificate, so im not sure what the heck they are asking for here....does this only apply to people who have a criminal record, or does it apply to everyone?

anyone else seen this before?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-03 22:18:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-134
I have one last question regarding the I-134...

-My letter from current employer states that I make well over 125% of the poverty limit
-I have pay stubs from the past 6 months that support this
-My tax returns show an income that is below the limit (because I have only been working for 6 months)

**Can I be a sponsor? Do I need a cosponsor?**
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-24 10:07:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionConsulate Interview Help

That is so much better. Now, your friend needs to get as much evidence of bona fide ongoing relationship together as possible and get it turned in. It is unfortunate the fiance was so unprepared to answer questions about his family. Since the petitioner isn't available to answer, we don't know what kind of evidence they might have available to turn in. Unfortunately, the Consular Officer didn't ask for anything specific.

Things like evidence of more than one visit, emails, chat logs, phone bills, letters, and cards spread over the length of the relationship are what most people would have available. I would also advise the USC to write a page or two describing the evolution of the relationship, sign it in front of a Notary and send that too. A fax copy would probably do. They should be certain they take this very seriously and give it their best possible effort because the next step is the white slip of death.

If he is there with her now, then copies of the passport pages that prove that, would help immensely.

Thank you for the responses, pushbrk and sailorinaz!

I will definitely pass along the information. It does seem as though they were just unprepared for the interview.

Right now my friend is in the States and his fiance is in Vietnam. He has only been to visit her once in Vietnam. Do you think it might pose a problem that this is the only time they have seen each other in person?

Thanks again!

--Leanne


i dont think that should matter, as long as they have met in the past 2 years
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-25 08:18:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionCan we interview in Paris if not a French resident?

They have a phome number but you have to pay something like $15 to talk to someone, maybe it's worth the try. You'll find their number on their website.


Thanks very much! I appreciate any information on working with the Paris consulate.


the sooner the better to get the information...my fiance is living in italy without residency, so my situation is very similar...we are going to have the interview in his home country, albania.

i definitely agree though...speak to the consulate before you draw any conclusions...i have heard that the embassy in italy will do the interview even if he is not legally residing there...when i emailed the consulate though, they told me no, that he has to be legal.
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-26 10:46:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionDS-156 and DS-230

i was practicing with the forms for the interview, and i accidentally filled that one out all the way to the finish...i didnt know that it was any different from the other forms that i have practiced on many times before...is there any problem with this? can i just fill out a new one when the time comes and use that code instead?

You can fill out a new one, again the system records nothing about what you entered, it just generates that unique code.


great, thanks.
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-30 12:11:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionDS-156 and DS-230
i was practicing with the forms for the interview, and i accidentally filled that one out all the way to the finish...i didnt know that it was any different from the other forms that i have practiced on many times before...is there any problem with this? can i just fill out a new one when the time comes and use that code instead?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-30 09:41:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionTokyo interview today... The waiting is killing me...
yayyyyyyy congrats
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-30 09:49:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionTokyo interview today... The waiting is killing me...

Thanks.. And I wish you luck with your "hopeful" timeline!

Edit.. Jut edited my sig.. Realized I was a month off!!


thanks, and please post what the verdict is from the interview!
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-29 19:11:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionTokyo interview today... The waiting is killing me...

She has her interview today in Tokyo.. About 8pm EST. So while she is sleeping now I am a wreck.. I was cool until earlier in the day now I have to many "what if's" going around my head..

Do you guys think no emails/phone bills can be offset by hundreds of pictures of her in America and me in Tokyo? (Out of 1.8 years we have spent about 10 months physically together.) Along with travel receipts, ring receipt, wedding plans etc? We text everyday but those are hard to save.

I think my head is going to explode :-)


stop worrying, everything will be fine

if you have spent that much time together, i really dont think you have anything to worry about...just try your best to relax, and think positive! you will be with her soon enough =)
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-29 13:54:00
US Embassy and Consulate Discussionit's over!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thats great, what embassy did you go through?
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-07-31 08:15:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS BEFORE?

I just spoke with the courts here in Florence, Italy over the phone and they said that I have to translate it myself, then bring it to them and have it notarized, that do they not do court certified translations.
Will this be acceptable?


im sorry that i cannot answer that question, but please let me know when you do find out...itd be a great help to me

good luck
BabyBlueSusieFemaleAlbania2007-08-06 08:40:00