Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Pregnant during K-1	Vanessa: It's funny that the cost of health care here scares you but giving birth in an NHS hospital scares me!! If you have good insurance you needn't be bankrupted by pregnancy. Depends on the insurance cover I guess. I am all new to this insurance malarkey but as I want to start a family at some point I have made sure I have insurance that is good for that in case it happens earlier than planned. (and dental...because I have good old NHS dental problems too) Apologies for taking it off topic. I hope the OP had her questions answered and has some good information!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-11 21:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Pregnant during K-1	Do you mean the K-1? I should have in interview date by Jan...hopefully!! We have our wedding date for February... I hope for you that it all works out. Making plans before you have your visa is risky. Although there are guidelines about processing times...nothing can be guaranteed. I had my K1 visa in hand 5months after applying. That is considered quick. Some people here got theirs more quickly than that and some peoples visa took much longer. USCIS advises 5months from applying to NOA2. After NOA2 there is more stuff to do including getting a medical, scheduling an appointment with your embassy and attending that appointment then waiting for them to send you your visa and passport back. It might be ok. I don't want to scare you! It could be fine...but you should definitely have a back up plan. My fingers are crossed for you! Good call on the pre-existing condition thing...I hadn't thought of that. Definitely check that out! Your fiance's HR department should have all that info.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-10 19:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Pregnant during K-1	Hey Everyone, I am currently 7 weeks pregnant (got pregnant while I was visiting my Fiance to apply for K-1...big woops lol)...I got my NOA1 July 14th. I was wondering if anyone has an idea of how long it takes for AOS because our baby is due end of April next year but I am worried I will not be able to have the baby in Texas because of insurance reasons etc or can I still be covered under my Fiance's insurance as long as we can prove we are married...any thoughts?? I know this isnt DIRECTLY K-1 but I am hoping that all the timelines work out etc.. THANKS!! Congratulations! Have you fiance check with his HR dept. I was on my husbands insurance right away, before we even applied for AOS. I would get yourself really up on what needs to be filed and when so that you can respond to things right away (medical, police certificates etc) to avoid delays in your process after you get your NOA2. If you want to have your child in the US, the clock is ticking! Good luck with everything!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-10 16:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 Interview Documents	Hey guys I have my interview in a nearly weeks time and I really am getting worried now and its stressing me out,which is bugging ny fiance like crazy I think I have everything prepared for my interview paperwork wise. Birth certificate and copy, Passport and copy, police certificate and copy, 2x American sized passport photos, affadavit of support and co-sponsor too. I have read that you may also need to take copies of the forms that have already been submitted with packet 3 like DS-156 DS 230 etc (I don't remember them all off the top of my head.) Is this true because it doesn't say on the list iv-19 ?? I'm finding this all very confusing and overwhelming at the moment and I just want to be prepared. I'd appreciate any help or input please Sincerly Sophie You are almost there! It is stressful but you sound organised! Here's my advice: 1.I took copies of absolutely everything, all the forms, NOA's, medical stuff etc. (of course it wasn't required but I wanted to be prepared) I had them organised in an extendable folder. 2.Read the reviews of London and see what people were asked for, that helps to know what to expect: http://www.visajourn...=United Kingdom 3.Make sure you have the evidence required for your Affidavit of support. 4.Prepay. 5.Take your debit card and some cash. (I can'tremember what you need for DHL but there are snacks and coffee you can buy too. 6.Take a magazine or small book....you might have along wait. (but you might not) My wait was almost 3 hours. Oh and uh...take your passport. Probably obvious...but just in case! Good luck!! It'll be great. Helen Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 04 September 2011 - 03:19 PM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-04 15:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-864, gifting money- is this going to work?!	Thank you everybody- a lot of this has been incredibly helpful and insightful, I appreciate your time and knowledge. On the other hand...I don't think mildly patronising statements concerning the ridiculous correlation between adulthood and marriage should be applauded- I think we all know this is bureaucracy and theory and starting to chastise young people who are trying to build a life for themselves, and above all find legal employment, should be told off because they are naughty children who aren't 'ready' for marriage is sad. I personally see marriage as paperwork, pure and simple, I am not proud to be married- I don't see it as an achievement. My wedding cost me $20. I just want to get a job, that is all- that really is all I want, to live with Kyle and get a job and come home to him every night and share a fridge. Some people can tell me I'm naughty for not doing all my research properly, goodness knows I tried very very hard to cover every base, and I understand there will be monumental sacrifices- I just wanted some literal help concerning the issues raised. I mean- dear lord, none of my other friends who are engaged or living together have ever had to justify themselves financially to the government, they are free to build their life however they see fit. These marriage visas are a ###### situation whichever way you look at it... Yikes! Perhaps you are tired and exhausted. I am sorry this process had exhausted you. We are all in the same position. I am young too. I would never ever have moved here if it were not to marry my husband. We moved here because my husband got a job here and I love him and am committed to him and we would have been married sooner if not for bureaucratic process. (UK and US). Our lives are joined now and as long as we are together we'll be just fine. Wherever that may be in the world and however much we have to sacrifice. People are commenting on adulthood and marriage because marriage is sacrifice, hard work and working together. You are asking questions and talking about how his parents won't support you the way you want them to. I see that people are suggesting you work it out because you can do that. Sorry if you felt attacked or judged. That is certainly not what I meant to do. You should be proud to be married, you have committed your entire life to this thing, you better be proud of it! You clearly want it and you've come this far. Don't let an upset an the process derail you from what is important. Who cares what your friends have to do. This is your situation and it will work out. I know it's tough...we all do. But you can do it. You have got good advice on the financial situation. I hope it all works out. Can you get your parents in law to speak to an immigration attorney? Best of luck with everything! Helen	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-04 19:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-864, gifting money- is this going to work?!	To others in the same situation, I strongly suggest you WAIT to do adult things like get married and bring foreign spouses until you are able to do so on your own like an adult. If you cannot be independent and do things on your own and are not prepared to tell the rest of the world to ####### off, then best to wait until you can. Good advice.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-04 15:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-864, gifting money- is this going to work?!	Hello again, There has been some confusion and heartache over the I-864 within my husbands family, and whilst I am almost wholly sympathetic towards their concerns- I am also terrified by the amount of money they are spending on investigating the whole thing. Probably more now than the entire visa process alone. In my eyes of course, it wouldn't have cost them a penny except the printing costs and it would be filed away and never considered again- I would get my EAD, get a job and work my way towards becoming a US citizen, freeing them as soon as possible from their obligations. It is tricky- I would obviously never in a million years even begin considering suing them- I would never ordinarily consider asking my parents in law to sign anything but that's the way it rolls during the visa process! Awkward questions all round all the time! They have consulted lawyers- who in my opinion have scared them more than necessary. I appreciate that from a lawyers point of view an affidavit would be insane to sign, because I am guilty until proven innocent- and if I was sadistic I could at some point sue them out of house and home. Anyway, they aren't signing the affidavit, instead they have come up with a plan to dump $55,000 into my husbands account. Now, considering my husband earns about $750 a month (he is completing his degree and only works part time) this amount of money is going to look suspicious and merit some investigation. Ultimately, will it work? I know we'll have to get documentation that it's a gift- but how long does this 'gift' have to be in my husbands account for? And won't the government see straight through it? I replied to your other post on this subject too. It seems you are under the impression that the I-864 allows you to sue your parents in law for money??? (or perhaps that is their impression) Anyway, My husband and I moved to the States from Scotland together because he'd been offered a job. He had no earnings for the previous 3 years in the States as we were in Scotland and he was a student, but he had a job at the time of signing the I864 which paid well and was above the poverty line. Can your husband leave school to work for a few months or a year and then go back? Check out the poverty line, it's not very high. You can also check out the financial gift and make sure it's all legal and figure out if that can be part of your equation. Read the instructions for filing the I-864 very carefully and figure out what you can do to meet these requirements. http://www.uscis.gov.../i-864instr.pdf I wish you well. Helen Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 04 September 2011 - 11:52 AM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-09-04 11:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	i-134 question	Hey everyone, I have a question regarding my i-134. Basically, my salary is much higher than the minimum requirements (I make over $50,000 a year) but I will have only had my job for a few months at the time of filling out the i-134. I can get an employer letter confirming my position and salary, but I am worried that the government might not like it that I've only been working for a few months. Do you think I should get a co-sponsor? If so, my father is willing to do it, but he is retired but has over $100,000 in assets (which is more than 5 times the income requirement for supporting 2 people - he has no dependents). Do you think this would be acceptable? Thanks so much! We were in a similar situation and it was fine at the London embassy. You should ask for advice from people who had interviews at the same embassy that your fiancee will go to. Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 16 October 2011 - 03:57 PM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-10-16 15:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	House broken into, documents stolen!	Sorry to hear about your situation! In place of my NOA2 in my AOS packet I included a short letter explaining why it wasn't in there (I misplaced it) and copies of my appointment letter from the embassy, my AOS was approved quickly without problems. Best of luck for Wednesday! Enjoy London! Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 22 October 2011 - 07:11 AM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-10-22 07:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Turning in K-1 application tomorrow; can UK fiance come visit me next month?	I joined my husband 3 days after we filed for K1. I took evidence of 'ties to the UK' but CBP didn't ask for anything other than my return ticket. Don't take anything in your luggage that might suggest you are staying, like documents you don't need or a wedding dress You should be fine. Just be prepared for the worst. Good luck and have fun! Helen	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-03 20:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Oh Boy, I think am going to get an RFE	Wow. I understand why the petition was approved so quick. That's undeniable proofs,. I hope our petition as smooht as yours, Thank you Helen for support. I know can count on him for these things. People have been approved much quicker than me too! When are you guys going to apply? I wish you the best of luck!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-09 19:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Oh Boy, I think am going to get an RFE	Yes, totally agreed. The funny part, I have spent a lot times at work and home stay in tune on VJ for a few months and even subscribed K-1 Visa forum but turned out all I don't use all those things.. I kept telling him about VJ and he was just nodding," okay Ma'am, oh I see Baby, or go ahead my Cupcake". He did looked at website that I've sent briefly but did not saying anything further. Now, I know why. BTW, I've seen your timeline and Gosh you waited only about 2 months for your NOA2, that's incredibly lucky for both of you. Yes! Ours went quickly. It was about 6 weeks for approval. We put together our I-129F packet together in Scotland before he left for the US. When he got there he mailed it and then a few days later I joined him for a 3 month visit with his family. When I returned to Scotland my Packet 3 was waiting for me. I worked and saw family until my interview then a week after my interview I flew back. We lived together in Scotland for 2 years so our proof of meeting was easy and it did include evidence of bona fide relationship. We included our joint lease and some pictures. When I was at the embassy they asked me if I had visited since we filed, I told them when and they looked at pictures they had of me clearing immigration in the US. My husband is methodical and very easy going. He knew it'd be fine. If yours is the same,just go with what he says. Even if he's wrong about something, he will forgive you if you supported him...it is harder if he knows that you 'told him so' All the info is on USCIS website...it's just not as user friendly as VJ. I hope your petition is approved quickly! Helen	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-09 06:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Oh Boy, I think am going to get an RFE	My husband was exactly the same! I spent time scrambling for things that VJ said we needed only to find out that he was totally right! If I had listened to VJ I would have paid $400 to get a replacement document that VJ said was absolutely necessary...but it wasn't! Saying that, VJ has been a great resource and it made this whole process easier for me...but my husband has never looked at it and we were approved quickly with no RFE's!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-08 22:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Infamous roundtrip ticket question...	Oh don't get me wrong, I did as well (have a return ticket I didn't use and had no issues). But they had proof of that persons name and passport details on a ticket saying the flight left. That's how they knew they'd left. I for instance have two passports so I could have just shown my other passport to leave so the name on the manifest is what they go by. Here's two threads: - http://www.visajourn...usband-his-aos/ - http://www.visajourn...naccurate-info/ I see. Poor people, I do hope it was cleared up for them. So, yes, just in case an error is made, people should cancel their round trip ticket after using the first part (I still think the comment made by the person I originally responded to was silly: "Also - if you do not intend to use the 2nd trip - cancel it - or suffer the wraith of the AOS judges if they discover "someone" used that seat.") Thanks for the clarification Vanessa! As I said, it caused absolutely no problem for me but I would probably cancel it in the future, just because I do like to make sure everything is in order for my dealings with the folks at immigration.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-11 21:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Infamous roundtrip ticket question...	Because if you don't cancel the return it can appear that you left while AOS was in process and thus abandoned your status. It's happened a couple of times. The airlines don't always update the manifest and can see that their seat was used. . But you'd still have your I-94 and you'd be there without having cleared CBP again, and they have all the info about your entry and exit to and from the US. I had a return ticket which I didn't use and forgot to cancel and my AOS was quick and easy; my flights were not a part of my AOS so that seems weird to me. (But I do know that this immigration process can throw up problems when there aren't any...so it's interesting)	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-11 06:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Infamous roundtrip ticket question...	Also - if you do not intend to use the 2nd trip - cancel it - or suffer the wraith of the AOS judges if they discover "someone" used that seat. Why would your ticket have anything to do with AOS???	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-10 19:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	90 Days questions	Your wife will not be overstaying if you don't file AOS before the end of 90 days. But she will be 'out of status' officially. Her only requirement is to marry you before the end of 90 days. It's fine to leave it that long, but if something goes wrong it's awfully close to the 90 day mark. If you have to leave it that long I would double check the license and marriage requirements for your state and get your license as soon as you can to ensure there is no problem. Good luck and congratulations on the arrival of your fiancee!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-12 07:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Point of Entry U.S.	My God man, put yourself in her shoes. Would you want to travel to a foreign country with NO money? Send her $50 or even a $100 so she can at least have something to eat at the airport or on the plane. This will also give her peace of mind if she has to try to phone you if there is a delay and needs to hear your reassuring voice. I agree. There's no way I would travel without any money! She needs to be able to take care of herself if something unexpected crops up. It's safer for her to take some money with her. No fee is charged for K1 entry. I had to pay some money for baggage allowance excess though.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-11 21:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Living Situation	Hi everyone! This is my first post, so hopefully it's OK I start a new topic. I've been reading all the posts here and it's really helpful as I begin the process of bringing my love here I'm a U.S. citizen (born/raised in Chicago) and my fiance is a British citizen (born/raised in London). Right now, we're getting ready to file the I-129F and start everything. Here is my question: Knowing all of the timeframes involved with this process, here is my issue. My fiance's lease is up on his house as of January 28, so realistically, even if we filed everything today and the fact that expedited processing with USCIS isn't guaranteed, would he be able to come here as a "tourist" after the 28th, and stay the 90 days he's allowed (without working, etc. just as he would while visiting me). Then, after the 90 days, he could return to England for any applicable medical exam, interview, etc.? Basically, will the fact that we're applying for this process impact his travels here in any way? Let me know what you think, thanks! Hello, This is exactly what we did. Filed on 6th May, I entered the US on the 13th May on VWP for 89 days. When I got back my packet 3 was waiting. I stayed in Scotland for 7 weeks while I got my medical and interview etc. Then I flew back to the US in October. I read VJ a lot, so I took a letter from my employer saying 'See you in 3months' and cards from my parents saying the same thing. My fiance and I had just moved out of our flat in Scotland so I didn't have a lease, I was going to stay with my folks when I returned. I was also very careful about what I packed, so that nothing could be misinterpreted!(No documents I didn't need, no wedding dress!) I told CBP that I was visiting my fiance for 3 months. There was no problem, they did not ask for proof of my return, other than my return flight. They asked me about visits at my K1 interview in London and they had images of me when I entered the US at this point in my file too. I think it was seen as a positive thing because the interviewer asked me about my amazing 3month summer trip to Alaska. Be prepared for questions and be careful about what she packs and take proof of her return! You should be fine. Good luck!! ps. If you file asap then she can may be able to take a copy of the NOA1 with her as proof that you are pursuing a legal route for immigration. Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 29 November 2011 - 06:58 AM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-11-29 06:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Denied at POE with valid visa?	You learned a valuable lesson from your first attempt, look at it that way So when you enter with K1, know what they are looking for. If they say "When will you be married', you say something that corresponds to 'within 90 days'. If you say "Oh I don't know...I'm not really sure' then it may raise suspicion. K1 is not a guarantee for entry at POE. But make sure you know what to have with you and what to expect and you'll be fine. They just want to make sure you are not going to circumvent the law. Good luck!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-12-05 21:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Legitimate Relationship = $$$	As I sit and wait for my NOA2, I can't help but think about the K-1 process. I've been on VJ for several months now and I've read numerous success stories but also numerous horror stories. I know I need to be informed of the worst case scenarios to be prepared but I can't help in worrying that for some reason my legitimate relationship may not be approved because the country my fiance is from is high-fraud and the CO did not like the way he said "the". As I've read different journeys I've realized the proof of the relationship is not necessarily in the "pudding". I feel the CO wants to see how much money are you willing to spend to validate and prove you have a legitimate relationship. Have you gone to see each other several times spending thousands of dollars in airfare, hotels, etc? Have you spent hundreds of dollars sending letters or packages to your fiance across international waters (are we not in the 21st century?!?) when you could just send an e-mail or wait to deliver the package and gift when you actually visit them? Does quality not mean more than quantity? Why would $$$ be an indicator of authenticity? If someone was trying to "buy" their way into the US, don't you think it would be via $$$ (bribes)? Why is religion such a red flag when one of my freedoms as a USC is freedom of religion? Can I not love someone from another religion? Even two USCs from different states could have such different beliefs and different cultures it would be comparable to being from a different country. Why don't they read some of the e-mails or text messages that go back and forth between the couple? You can't make up that type of conversation between 2 people in love. Why don't they care about the details? As I digress, I am at the discretion of the US government and will follow this process if I want to have a future with my fiance in the US. I will provide as much evidence as possible that they deem valid, but I can only hope and pray that my fiance and I have a smooth journey and that we can get married in August 2012. I can only dream that this will be my last holiday season alone and that next year, we will be able to celebrate our first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's together as husband and wife. As another poster said...they are not malicious, they are just a bureaucracy. Each case is different. The only time money was part of our visa process was paying for visa and medical costs and the I-134. They had no interest in anything like packages or gifts. You just have to be organized and ready for any questions they may have.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-12-07 21:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Fiance name change help	Hi All.. I did some searching but could not find the answer on the forum and timeline guides. My Fiance arrived as K1 Fiance Visa. After arrival nov 21st..we got married on Dec 13th Today Dec 19th we went to the SSA office with our marriage certificate and requested a SSN and for them to make it in her new last name (she is taking my last name). However the SSA admin told us we should NOT do that because there would be no SSN record because her I94 is in her maiden name. I went along with her suggestion and am now unsure how to make sure I get her green card in her married name. I don't know how to make sure her green card will be in her new married last name when filling out the i485. TLDR: How do i get my fiance now wife a green card in her new last name..ssn is in her maiden name. Fill in all further paperwork to USCIS in married name, include anew G-325 (biographical information) with the AOS packet to reflect the name change. On all forms where it says previous names used, you write her maiden name. When she gets her greencard you can change it with SSA. I had the same issue Congratulations on your marriage!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-12-19 23:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I'm freaking out!!!!	Check on your regional forum for in for specific to your embassy. I was only required to bring the appropriate forms and evidence for specific forms, not anything for proof of relationship.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-12-24 20:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-134 affidavit of support	The consulate will tell you in the package they will send you once your case has arrived there. But you will need to send the W2, paystubs taxes transcript ( how many years, the consulate will tell you) and it wont hurt to also send the bank statement ah! and letter of employer ) It really is dependent on the individuals financial situation and the embassy. For example, for our situation, in London. Only a letter from my husbands employer was needed, as stated in the I-134 instructions. Nothing else. The OP should check the reviews from his/her embassy to determine what exactly is requested and what will be accepted. Southcalhog, you shouldn't tell anyone anything 'as fact' because you really don't know the ins and out of their situation or the embassy they are going through. You might be right, but you also might be wrong. For example, as per the I-134 instructions, tax information is only required if the person is self employed, however I have seen here that some embassy's ask do for them. Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 25 December 2011 - 11:26 PM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-12-25 23:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-134 affidavit of support	It depends on your situation. Read the instructions first: http://www.uscis.gov.../i-134instr.pdf And check in your regional forum to see if the embassy requires you to bring anything in addition. You take the I-134 to your interview with you. Good luck!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2011-12-25 17:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Passport photos???	Please read the instructions here: http://www.uscis.gov.../i-485instr.pdf Section titled "Initial evidence" page 3, section 4. You may not use the same photographs becasue the passport sized photographs you must submit must have been taken within 30 days of filing the form. I'm not sure where people got the 6 month information from. I hope this helps! Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 07 January 2012 - 12:43 PM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-07 12:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Visa denied	I think she not marring USA, she will marry you. So question is does she really care where she gonna live? or it more important with who she gonna live? I know that my fiancee does not mind live anywhere as long we together that what counts. I believe in that. My fiancee never been in US. I couldn't agree with you more! My husband (then fiance) and I were living in Scotland and he was tired of his job so he started looking for a new one...I told him to look anywhere in the world. I'd move to deepest darkest Siberia as long as we were together. We ended up in Vermont for now	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-08 17:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Visa denied	Where do you plan to live once you are married? A fiance visa is for a USC to bring over their fiance in order to marry them in the US. You would have to sign letters stating that you will indeed do this if you get the visa. So that option doesn't seem smart unless you do decide that getting married in the US better fits your plans. If you plan to live in the US you can file for a spousal visa after the wedding. Why can't she get a tourist visa? Perhaps it was something in her circumstance that might change in the future? Best of luck!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-07 22:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Medical: What constitutes a fail?	I contracted Malaria 3 years ago while I was in Uganda. although I was treated and I am sure it is out of my system but in Denmark, if you ever had malaria then you cannot donate blood a certain number of years. I wonder if I should disclose this information when I go to medical exam or just keep quiet unless being asked? At my medical I filled out a medical history form and had to sign it...I think choosing not to disclose that might be seen as lying. I would certainly be truthful. If I were you, I'd make an appointment with my doctor and find out if they can test for that prior to your official medical.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-07 22:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	A courthouse marriage followed by 'wedding' 8 months later?	In regards with volunteering, do you need a social security number to do so? That's my plan to, I am going to be volunteering in the same hospital my fiance is, hoping to make some friends and get an experience Hi! I think it's a great idea. I got my ssn as soon as I got here. I followed the VJ guide and applied for in after about 10 days in the country and I had it in a couple of weeks. I volunteered in schools so I think it was necessary. Some places probably wouldn't require it, but a hospital might. Have your fiance ask someone there. Best of luck with everything!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-15 15:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	A courthouse marriage followed by 'wedding' 8 months later?	Good Afternoon My fiance filed our I-129f just yesterday so we are at the very early stages of applying for a K-1 visa. I'd just like to touch base with some people in a similar situation or those that may be able to answer my questions! My fiance and I are hoping to get married in the US within 3 months of the K-1 visa being issued but, because we do not know how long this process will take, have decided to plan for a courthouse marriage and then have a 'proper' wedding later. Logistically this works better for us as he is hoping to return to school in August and won't finish until May/June of 2013, so our theoretically timeframe looks like a marriage in September/October 2012 (assuming the K-1 has successfully been issued by then) and then to have our wedding in June/July 2013 time. Has anyone done a similar thing? Also, assuming our marriage to be in September/October and us staying on top of all the paperwork, when will it be likely that I can start applying for work in the US? What is your experience with getting AOS and your greencard for work? Thanks for reading! Charlotte (British) Many people do this. We did the small wedding in our house within 90 days but we were happy with that so we don't plan to have another. We thought about it briefly though. We waited for a couple of months after we were married to apply for the AOS. Once we applied for it it was approved in 6 weeks, expect around 3 months. Check how long it takes to get the marriage certificate in your state also, in Vermont you get it right away but I have heard that some states it can take a while. You need your marriage certificate before you can apply for AOS. You can volunteer when you arrive and make connections so you have US references when you do apply for a job. This helped me get my first job in the US and gave me something to do while I waited	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-15 10:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Visiting options	Hi, I am just curious as to whether it would be better for my fiance and I to buy myself a return ticket for 2-3 weeks (Aus- US) and then change the ticket afterwards after I have gained entry to the US to extend my stay? Is that allowed? We just started our K1 journey and I plan to take a 83 day visit in April so I can make my friends wedding, see my fiance and familiarize myself with where we will be living before I move there permanently (to hopefully aliviate culture shock and problems down the road). Thanks! I visited the US 3 days after we filed the I-129F for an 88 day VWP visit. No problems at CBP, no questions about the length of my stay, I did not have to show ties to my home country...but I had all that ready with me. It seems really suspicious to me to book a return for 3 weeks and then change the flight. Why not be honest up front?...what if they ask questions and realize that you are lying about the planned duration of your stay. The lie is not legal and is not necessary, you have up to 90 days on the VWP. Just take lots of evidence with you and prepare for questions. I was nervous before my 88 day, so I understand your concern. Best of luck!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-23 19:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Fiance says she should add My Family name first.	You are right, she should wait for AOS to change her name, it is easy to do that and she will have her married name on her greencard. And, at that time it will actually be her name. Remind her that she only needs the visa in her passport when she enters the country, after that it is irrelevant so she can go ahead and get a new passport in her married name. Perhaps she thinks you need to keep the visa in your current passport or something?? Perhaps she is stressed about her upcoming interview and making sure she does everything right? Good luck with everything Helen	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-23 19:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can this be a red flag?	Lol.we are 30(man) 37(woman).i was just asking to know what's going on. I see you have changed your flag. Your age difference is normal in the UK...I have no idea about Nigeria. I hope you get some good answers!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-21 22:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can this be a red flag?	I am wondering if anyone had a situation similar to mine and going through K-1 visa process (I am not sure it counts but i will like my fellow VJ's on Nigeria portal to comment). My (USC) girlfriend is 7 years older. Our relationship is now 3 years old. I met her England,She has come to UK twice,celebrating the xmas with me last year. We have couple of evidence that our relationship is "real." Because of our age difference I expect the spotlight will be shown on us extra brightly. Anyone have any experiences/advice to relate? How old are you? Maybe if you are 14 and she is 21 it would be a problem. My husband is 8 years older than me. When we applied I was 26, he was 34. It is culturally normal so there's no problem.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-21 13:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Engagement Ring at Interview	I can't imagine that a ring would be required. She can tell them she has one but you are waiting to be reunited to give it to her. They did ask at my interview if I had a ring though and he said something like 'Let's see the ring' But very informally, the whole interview was informal. Talk to your fiancee about what she'll say if she's asked, but I agree, don't mail it! Not everyone choses to have an engagement ring so I can't imagine it'd be a problem. Edited by Helen Louise Pile, 06 February 2012 - 06:20 AM.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-02-06 06:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Evidence for Interview	Nich-Nick is right, you won't need anything like that in London. But if you want to take the original items you submitted then do, in an organised fashion. It is more important for him to have the correct forms, passport pics, his passport and the I-134 all filled out nicely. Read reviews of the London embassy K1 interviews to see what people are being asked for, it's really helpful!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-02-06 22:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	HELP! COMPLETE change of personality.... :(	If it's at the point where you're pretending you've been kidnapped in order to get her attention....time to collect your pride and move on.	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-02-17 06:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Visa K-1 + tourist visa	Ok, that's what I had figured out. So worst case, I am going to the US on a tourist visa (I am part of the Visa Waiver Program), not marry Michelle, come back either when I am called by the US embassy for interview or when my visa expires (90 days) and head back to the US once I have my K-1 finalized. Not worst case Best case! VWP means you can visit easily, not everyone enjoys that privilege. I visited for 88 days during our wait and when I got home my packet 3 was waiting for me. You can easily do this! Check VJ on tips for making sure there are not problems at POE. (even on vwp you can be denied entry if they believe you will stay) You'll have to book a return flight for sometime before your 90 day window closes, you could make sure you can change the date and come home early if you receive packet 3. Your fiancee will get the the NOA2 so you'll know when it's approved. One thing I wished I'd done was get my immunization records and police certificate before it was needed (before I left for the US for my visit), that cost us about 2 weeks. Good luck!!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-02 12:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k-1 visa proof of relationship	Good advice, and go quickly before the "You dont need any of that stuff" crowd shows up! Haha, or the "you need every thing you or he has ever touched and call logs for every single conversation" crowd It really depends on the situation and the country doesn't it!? VJ can steer you the wrong way sometimes. I learned that lesson once. I have also got really great advice here. Mostly from regional forums and from listening to the experience of others and then verifying that information. I suppose its better to have too much than not enough. We had a few pieces of quality, primary evidence and that was enough. Our situation meant we had that. I get that for others in different situations (like LDR) you have to be more creative in building that picture. As I said....the evidence depends on the situation Good luck OP!	Helen Louise Pile	Female	Scotland	2012-01-04 23:05:00