ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCR1/IR1 to bring her from India
Hi there, K-1 is essentially a fiancée visa through which you can get her to USA with the condition that you will marry her within the next six months (Hindu/Muslim/Christian doesn't matter) and then apply for CR-1 in USA. If you can get K-1 then it would be the best option since she can come with you to the US immediately. The flip side would be that not a lot of her family or friends would be able to attend the wedding since it would happen in US. If she gets a K-1 visa but you choose to marry her in India, the K-1 visa lapses immediately and you will have to apply for CR-1 from India. Now that can take anywhere between six weeks to a year (in my case it took 8 months).

On the marriage, the fastest (and cheapest) marriage is a court marriage. There are two ways, either you can get married in a traditional Hindu ceremony and register your marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act (but both of you have to be Hindus for this- you will have to sign a declaration). The other way (without a traditional ceremony) is that you get married under the Special Marriages Act, 1954 (http://en.wikipedia....riage_Act,_1954). There are no restrictions but of sex (no same sex marriages) and some prohibited relationships (incestuous in other words). The process is fair and simple, the only issue is that you have to give the notice to marry at least a month in advance in the local marriage registrar's office and both of you have to be present for that. I got married in Delhi and the link to the office is - http://dcsouth.delhi...marriage.htm#SM you can look for the local office wherever your fiancée lives as at least one of the partners need to be a resident (with proof- Driver's License/Bank Pass Book/Voter I-card/Pan Card/MTNL Bill) of that area. You will also need three witnesses from the same area (with at least two of the earlier mentioned documents). The best thing is that once you give the notice you can get married anytime after 30 days. The actual marriage takes less than 5 minutes and you get the certificate (two copies) on the spot within half an hour (of course with some humoring of the staff with sweets and a couple of 100 Rs notes).

The best thing would be to send somebody down to the office and ask for the booklet on Special Marriages Act (only 10 Rs. but hugely helpful) and then just follow it. One thing which threw us off was no-objection certificate from the US embassy (they would happily do it for $50 but would also clearly say on the certificate that they don't take any responsibility).

Once you get the certificates the real battle begins with the filing of I-30 forms.

Feel free to ask for any clarification/additions

Pat2Bos



I need your expert help with my visa questions. been reading the forum for a few days but still really confused.


I keep going back and forth between the two visa options: K1 and CR1/IR1.
I am a US citizen and she is in India.the priest told our families that religious wedding can be done in november and if we go that route and then file papers,it may take two years from now till she comes here and this is killing us both.

i am trying to find if there is a faster way of getting her to usa or if you can provide any other suggestions.



here are some questions that i need help with.

K1:
Can we get married(religious hindu wedding) at any point with this visa?
her family was told that after we get the visa, we can do the religious wedding ceremony before she comes to USA. is this true? is there such an option?
If we get married either before or after she gets a K1, what will happen to the K1 application, does it gets converted to CR1 saving us time or does the process starts all over again?


CR1/IR1:
Can i go over for a week and we do a court marriage in india and file for CR1 based on that? i cant find any info on court marriage in india, from all the info her family gathered, there is no such thing as a court marriage and only a registration of marriage after the religious wedding ceremony.
will doing a court marriage now, and then a religious marriage in november work out well with the whole process? i don't want our case to be denied because of this.


which visa has a better option of getting approved or in other words, which one is more risky of the two visas?

can you please help me?


Pat2BosMaleIndia2012-03-29 19:57:00
United KingdomInterview Date....the waiting game

I know i have had 10 calls 10 diffrent people say they do not take passports to the embassy!!! this is crazy i have been trying for 10 hours for someone to give me some information on how to send my passport to the us embassy. Joke


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-10 04:49:00
United KingdomInterview Date....the waiting game

Hello all, final stage of the long process, and yet more problems.

 

The Embassy requires additional information from me, including my passport. I phoned DX couriers the company the embassy told me to use with no joy there! They sent me to another company in which they told me they don?t take passports to the embassy. I have searched the net for answers with no luck. No one seems to have an answer. Could anyone please help me?

 

Thank you Jamie


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-09 14:15:00
United KingdomInterview Date....the waiting game

Thankyou so much for your help, I just used your link and it brought a window up saying i am ready. I am still slightly confused do i wait for a letter or packet?

 

Or do i book the interview myself?

 

Jamie


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2013-11-14 12:17:00
United KingdomInterview Date....the waiting game

Unless i am completely stupid, what number deals with an ongoing K1 case? because i have tried every number under the sun, and i go around and around with no luck? i cant find a number that deals with my problem.


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2013-11-14 11:52:00
United KingdomInterview Date....the waiting game

Good afternoon, I hope somebody can shed some light on my current problem with my K1 interview. I recently attended my medical last Monday and everything was in order and correct. So reading through FAQ?s they should be in receipt of my exam. The next stage is obviously my interview in London. I haven?t yet received any response regarding this date or that they have received the results. Usually i would panic but there is a slight problem......My priority date is due to run out in 10 days from today. Please could i have some advice from someone..?!?

 

Regards, Jamie


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2013-11-14 10:09:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

I called...... 0871 562 6666, then the woman took down a few details, said someone would call regarding the pick up. They asked for payment and said a time for pick up tomorrow.

 

Jamie


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-14 16:42:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

Thank you everyone for your help! i rang the different number Nich-Nick said to call. And........we have lift off! Dx are coming to my house tomorrow to collect my documents to take to the embassy.

                                                     I am just so confused how different departments and different employees of the same company are giving completely different advice to its customers, with a complete lack of customer service. Until today.

 

Special thanks to Nick, i will keep you posted after collection.

 

Regards, Jamie


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-14 14:57:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

Nick thats great! thankyou so much for your help! i hope that this solves the problem, i will call the depot on monday but i did speak to the depot before and they just gave me the a number for CSC which really was a phone number for the embassy! so do you think i should ring the collection number and see where i go from there? Once again thankyou nick for your help on this matter, you have been great.

 

Regards


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-12 06:20:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

A favour, Why thankyou much appreciated. As you can see by the hot topic


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-10 03:38:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

Hello, thanks again! um my letter just said to ring DX couriers, this is the company that is returning my passport after i find a way of sending it to the embassy. I think i will give a drop off depot a call tomorrow to see what they say. And yes you are differently correct about finger pointing!

 

I'll keep looking......

 

Cheers


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-09 16:30:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

Thankyou for your reply, i spoke to 5 diffrent people at DX and they tell me they do not collect U.K passports. I just dont know where or to whom i turn, i supose this isnt anything new with this entire process but being so close to the finish line makes it just that little bit more annoying!!

 

Cheers anyway, Jamie


Also that link is for US passport holders


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-09 15:10:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

Why have you moved this topic? i have looked on the forum, and every topic you have moved has 0 views and 0 replies?


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-09 14:12:00
United KingdomCourier Problems

Hello all, final stage of the long process, and yet more problems.

 

The Embassy requires additional information from me, including my passport. I phoned DX couriers the company the embassy told me to use with no joy there! They sent me to another company in which they told me they don?t take passports to the embassy. I have searched the net for answers with no luck. No one seems to have an answer. Could anyone please help me?

 

Thank you Jamie


JamieCambsNot TellingUnited Kingdom2014-01-09 13:02:00
United KingdomUS mother, UK father, applying for UK passport for US-born baby, supporting documents
Thanks for checking, guess just needs a little more planning and organisation. Luckily k1 and aos get you ready for that!
gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-12-29 16:33:00
United KingdomUS mother, UK father, applying for UK passport for US-born baby, supporting documents
Thanks v much. Yeah I think a same-day service is the way to go once we go back.
gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-12-29 12:08:00
United KingdomUS mother, UK father, applying for UK passport for US-born baby, supporting documents

I know this has been covered before but I believe guidance has changed as latest form is from July 2013.

 

I'm a British citizen (father), I came to the US on a K-1 in early november, got married, just had a baby.

 

Wanted to see if anyone had any recent (since the new form) experience of applying for their baby's British passport from the US with regard to supporting documents.  In the guidance notes in table B (https://www.gov.uk/g...e_Gp1_11.13.PDF) they ask for my passport on which I entered the US.  I'm a little loath to do that as I don't fancy sending my passport back to the UK, leaving me with no official travel document whilst I'm waiting for my green card.

 

Has anyone been able to apply for a passport for their children in the last 6 months without having to send in their passport (i.e. just send my birth certificate to prove my child is British by descent).

 

 

Thanks very much!

 


gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-12-29 09:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

Look, if you don't believe us, that's cool. But the I-134 is just 2 pages, what harm does it do to prepare it anyway? If she cant provide pay stubs or bank statements or a letter from the employer, then so be it. Just go through with the interview with the tax returns and the I-864 & hope that they find that sufficient. If its not enough, they will just ask you to bring/submit the other evidences anyway. This is a DIY site so we follow instructions as we see it, if your lawyer advices you differently, then its your choice. I'm sure he/she knows what they are doing. That's what they get paid for right? wink.png All we can really do is suggest what has worked for countless people who went through with it, after all, all we want is for you to get approved. Goodluck on your interview, I hope all goes well rose.gif 

 

It did all go well!  got the visa.  brought pay stubs with W2 and I-864, didn't have the I-134.  I'd say def bring the I-134, not worth not bringing it.  but worked for me...


gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-10-03 10:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

Look, if you don't believe us, that's cool. But the I-134 is just 2 pages, what harm does it do to prepare it anyway? If she cant provide pay stubs or bank statements or a letter from the employer, then so be it. Just go through with the interview with the tax returns and the I-864 & hope that they find that sufficient. If its not enough, they will just ask you to bring/submit the other evidences anyway. This is a DIY site so we follow instructions as we see it, if your lawyer advices you differently, then its your choice. I'm sure he/she knows what they are doing. That's what they get paid for right? wink.png All we can really do is suggest what has worked for countless people who went through with it. Goodluck on your interview, I hope all goes well smile.png

 

I do appreciate the feedback - it's all very helpful - as you say, there's little risk in actually bringing the I-134.  cheers good.gif


gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-26 11:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

It would be great if someone answered this who had experience of the London interview..


gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-26 10:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

 

Since you filed a k-1. you are not a family nor employee -based applicant. You belong to "all other applicants". Please see this link:
http://london.usembassy.gov/i864.html, it says what is required from fiancees.

 

Can you please tell us what evidences you collected for the I-864? Since its a more comprehensive version of I-134, I think you can still use a lot of what you already have. You can download the I-134 online and its just 2 pages. I'm sure you can prepare it in time. Dont worry smile.png

 

It's just a tax return - the link you sent doesn't say you can't use the I-864, it just says it isn't necessary.

 

The issue with the I-134 is that it's not me that has to prepare it, I in London and she's in America...


gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-26 10:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

 

I'm in no way claiming I'm smarter than your lawyer, but if the London Embassy required I-134, why would your lawyer advice against that? Sure, it is comprehensive, but that's because its legally binding, whereas, the I-134 is not. The advantage is its extensive, but the disadvantage could be that the process is longer/delayed because it involves more legal matters (that's if the embassy accepts the I-864). I think its better you still prepare the I-134 and just keep the I-864 for when you file of AOS. If you are sure that you meet the poverty guideline, I don't see why the I-134 wont suffice. I believe in not volunteering information, it might work against you :/

 

You probably are a lot smarter than our lawyer, but that's by the by.  The London Embassy site just states this:

 

Evidence of Support (Affidavit of Support): All applicants are requried to establish that s/he will not become a public charge in the United States.  Please note that this evidence must be less than one (1) year old when presented at the visa interview.  Please follow this link for more information. 

 

and then the link says:

 

 

Affidavit of Support:  Form I-864, a contractual affidavit of support, must be submitted for most family-based applicants and employment-based applicants when a relative is the petitioner or has ownership interest in the petitioner's business. 

Employment based visa applicants must show a recent letter from their employer confirming that the job offer upon which their application is based is still available to them. Qualified nurses must also present their Visa Screen Certificate. All other applicants must show evidence that they are not likely to become public charges while in the United States. 

Use of the form I-134is an efficient way to provide this information to the Consular Officer.

So it doesn't actually say, at least anywhere that I've seen, that one must send in an I-134 rather than I-864.
 
I know this is an annoying question, but I just got my interview letter today for an interview on the 3rd October - not giving me much time to get the I-134 if needs be!

gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-26 10:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

@mariepear - no - just a tax return

 

It seems like they just want proof that I won't be a public burden, the london emabssy site is not clear on what constitutes that proof.  does anyone have any insight on that?  thanks very much


Edited by gitsie, 26 September 2013 - 09:50 AM.

gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-26 09:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs an I-864 a suitable replacement for an I-134?

I have my appointment at the London embassy for my K-1 next week.  I only have my fiancee's I-864 and tax return rather than I-134 (on our inept lawyer's advice).  The I-864 is much more comprehensive than the I-134.  Is it a suitable replacement or do I absolutely need the I-134?


gitsieMaleUnited Kingdom2013-09-26 09:29:00
IndiaApril 2011 Interview dates for New Delhi
Same situation here, I have been waiting for the May 2011 interview schedule and they still have the April schedule on their page.
Grateful if somebody can point out a source where this information can be found.

Thanks

http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/visa_interview_dates.html

Ok, I have been waiting for the New Delhi US Embassy to post interview dates for a month. Their website states that the dates for next month is posted by the middle of previous month. Up until April 3, their website was showing March 2011. Now they changed it to April 2011 but when i click on the document, it still shows the march document, How lame is that? Anyone knows how else I can find April 2011 interview dates, is there another link?


Pat2BosMaleIndia2011-04-26 02:33:00
IndiaCR1 Visa interview at New Delhi without medical
Hi Guys,

So I am in a kind of quandary. After frantically refresing New Delhi visa interview page last week, today morning it changed to show the May 2011 interview schedules. Now I have my CR1 visa interview scheduled for 4th May (yes, day after tomorrow). On top of that we have also not recieved any letter so far from the embassy. So I am without an interview letter and so also haven't done my medical tests yet. I have written to the consular section for a letter by email.

Now my questions:

1. Has anyone been in this situation, and if yes, how did you manage?
2. Can you appear for an interview without a medical? the visa being conditional on the outcome?
3. What if you have to reschedule the interview? Does it automatically go to next month or you can be accomodated
within the same month?

Any insights on the issue are welcome.

Thanks in Advance
Pat2BosMaleIndia2011-05-02 07:08:00