Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	new to the k1 visa	Don't stress - Bogota is pretty easy. Check out Club Colombia posts on this site. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-15 13:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Name check during K1 process	There are people who have been stuck in name-check hell for months and some for a year or more - it can happen at any stage but mostly at AOS. There are also AP at the interview (or pre-interview) stage and he could be stuck there also. Do a search on VJ and you will find posts. Not sure, if India has a no-fly list but since he would be flying to USA then he would probably be subjected to that. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-15 13:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Travelling During K-1 Process	QUOTE (sib @ Apr 15 2008, 10:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Queck with your embassy. It might be possible to get the visa issued later, even you are approved. So you can go for your visit in November and when you come back you go get your visa. Sib Generally they put the visa in your passport - you have to submit your passport at the interview time - so there is no picking it up later, all you can do is delay the interview (or reschedule) it - then you have to ask yourself if its worth that or not. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-16 11:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	employment/income question once noa2 received	QUOTE (ikarus @ Apr 15 2008, 07:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> However, since is a temporary job, I wonder if it matters when submitting proof of income for the visa. All jobs are temporary unless you work for yourself and even then it might be temporary - one can be fired in a minute, a business can go belly up, there are no guarantees - Income from any source is Income and it will not matter two hoots to the Consulate if your jobs are temporary or permanent. Do not worry about that - your ability to get a job that pays - is what proves that you can support people. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-16 11:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	passport photo	Passport photos are rarely not accepted; I had my fiancee's done in Colombia and they were 2.25" by 2.25" and I didn't even notice it till I read about others wondering about these dimensions (about 6 months later) - All passport pictures here (including my US passport renewal pictures) - we just went to Walgreens and get them for ten bucks. I have never measured them to see what the exact dimensions are or are supposed to be but they have never been rejected for my wife's AOS, Removal of conditions or my US passport renewal. Don't worry about it, they are always accepted. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-18 11:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What to send?	It's not just the other people's fault. Your putting the trust in them without doing enough research means you made an error - and yes, It's easy to make an error in judging people's competency. I took a look at the site and it seems to be more geared towards divorces, wills and changing names etc. - probably a guy in a garage using computer forms that he fills out. It doesn't look like an Immigration Specialist even from its website. So do not waste your time ranting and raving - fill out the G325a, get your passport pictures and mail them to your fiancee to start the package - use Visa Journey and you don't even have to pay a penny. You have learned a lesson in the results of not doing enough research - you should use this experience the next time you book a flight, a vacation, go to a doctor, a dentist, an accountant, a lawyer, a car repair shop etc. - its one of the life's lessons that will help you all your life - asking people, neighbors, friends and asking the advertisers themselves about what they have done and checking with their refrences. You are very lucky this happened now, before it did any real harm - it will make you a better, stronger person if you choose to be one. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-16 11:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Question Concerning The K - 1 Visa	QUOTE (desert_fox @ Apr 19 2008, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Legalities???? Like some federal law that forms can only be filled out within the borders of the US??? Maybe you can't do it during a full moon either. There is nothing to prevent you from what you are planning to do. I too gathered blanks of the G325a and a letter of intent (on a disc) and then when we were together, (after discussions and agreement and in the final days of my visit), She filled those out with a little help from me and signed them. We took a few pictures together and when I got back I mailed the I129 a few days later. Your plan is perfectly Okay. I have actually told some people that wanted to know what to do - to do something similar if they were sure about their feelings - my fiancee and I had been talking for about 6 months before we met, so I knew we might do this. Had it not been mutual, I would have just not mentioned anything about it to her and started looking again. So, your plan to do it if it seems natural - gets two thumbs up. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-19 11:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Verification of Documents	QUOTE (daytrader @ Apr 19 2008, 11:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If it takes a week I will have to leave without her and pretty much eat her ticket. She was able to get the seminar take care of before the interview. She completed it last week. Don't worry too much about the ticket - most airlines will let you change your day of flight for a fee - my wife did it for about $50 one time and $200 another time. She had bought her tickets online from different places - she had to change the flight with the Airlines. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-20 10:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Where and when to marry?	I would suggest either K1 or K3 or AOS if she wants to go get the US citizenship. K1 allows you to bring her to USA for 90 days in which you marry; a K3 you get married first and then apply for her or you can do an AOS (adjustment of status) since she is already in USA - you get married and then you apply for AOS. One of the thoughts about citizenship - what benefit will she get from it - since you would be happy to settle in Mexico? If she is not keen on US citizenship, then you can just get married and live in Mexico. My wife is here from Colombia and she has a greencard and would probably go for citizenship also - we are exploring where to live at this point and haven't decided on which country - possibilities are Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama etc. etc. She can travel much easier on the US passport than on her Colombian passport - at this point that seems to be the only advantage - she won't work enough to get SS, nor would my pension be payable to her (since I am already retired and collecting on non-survivor basis). Good Luck on whatever you decide.	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-19 16:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Discrepancies In Documents	My wife had a somewhat similar problem - Her baptismal certificate - they need this when applying for the Visa; had her name spelled incorrectly also. She had to go get it corrected and take a corrected baptismal certificate to the embassy - she was able to get it done through the notaries etc. in her home town. This was in Colombia - Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-20 10:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Birth certificate help!!!!!!	I don't think it makes a difference at all. Your name on your birth certificate matches your name on all of your other documents - correct? I think you are okay. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-26 10:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Arriving from a third country	The visa to the US will allow her to enter the USA. The rest is irrelevant - so if she wants to fly to USA from her home country or Timbuktoo it doesn't matter - thats up to the airlines and other countries' requirements. For rules on whether she needs a visa to Timbuktoo check this website http://www.delta.com...ation/index.jsp	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-27 14:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Incorrect amount cashed	This may be a fast-finger problem - many large cash processing centers use a check reader and people who verify amounts and every once in a while either the scanner reads it wrong and no one catches it or a fast-finger-freddy keys the wrong amount. What happens next is up to 1) the bank if they find the error 2) The organization - if they find the discrepancy 3) The customer if they find the error We had a group of people resolving these type of errors and dealing with the banks in my organization, I would assume USCIS or their cash processors do this also. One of the the things that could happen is 1) They find the error and get it corrected with the bank (the bank will charge your account the additional amount in this case - and you do nothing but watch your account and see when it gets charged the remaining amount (they may or may not send you a letter telling you that they found and corrected this error)) 2)The processor (USCIS) contacts you and tells you to deposit an extra check for the remaining amount 3) No one finds the error for a long time and the mistake is ignored or written off Hopefully none of this would affect the processing of your Visa - the cash processing takes on a life of its own, in these organizations. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-27 11:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Form g-325a questions for fiance visa	QUOTE (rkn777 @ Apr 28 2008, 03:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I have 5 of these forms for my fiance, and she completed the first then signed the other four. What is it exactly that I need to submit? Do I only need one 245 Or can I just photocopy the one she completed, so it will be an original and three copies? Or do I need to fill out the blank ones with the same info as the first one? Thank-you for your help in answering this one... She needs to fill out four copies - (yes they are the same) and sign all four of them. You will need to send all four with the original signatures (and your 4 also) with the I129f. Most times when you fill out one it fills the other four also - so maybe she can try again/another website. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-28 17:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Do you realllllllly need it notarized?	You can get it notarized at the US consulate in most if not all countries. Good Luck Edited by motu, 25 April 2008 - 12:18 PM.	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-25 12:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Unemployed, should I wait to file for K1?	You and Dan is right. Don't worry about anything at this point. By the time the petition is approved and the visa process gets to the Philippines consulate - if you do not have a job showing enough support - then you can line up a co-sponsor like a family member or friend. But don't worry at this time - you have 3 or 4 months to go (its a guess). Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-30 11:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Information not filled on right line	If I was doing this - I would just use arrows to connect the questions with the answers and not worry about this misalignment. But if you have lots of time or are paranoid then you can redo it. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-30 17:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K-1/G325A/Visitors Visa	About the missing data - she can do another G325a and take it to the interview and explain the error and give it to them. I do not think they will RFE for this. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-02 10:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Assembling the I-129F package	The packet I sent was a total of 18 pages secured with a paper clip - the cover letter had the details of each document e.g. 1 - I129f 2) G325a - petitioner etc. etc. I believe in minimum paper-work (for me and for the examiners) - I don't want to kill trees if I can avoid it. Do what you feel comfortable with. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-01 10:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Does calling card cause a problem	Don't do an overkill - take a few of these and any other proof like emails and actual letters or cards (e.g. Xmas etc) - My fiance took about 5 emails and 5 letters, nothing more and they looked at one of them for about 3 seconds. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-02 10:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F checklist for my fiance	QUOTE (jook @ May 3 2008, 03:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That was me. It cost about $200 to get all her papers translated and certified, though I'm not sure if the latter was necessary. That also includes divorce papers. She's in Medellin. Did we get ripped off? Btw, what kind of delivery company does everyone use from Colombia? Fedex charges about $100 and DHL about the same. If I recall you do not need to send anything with the I129f for the beneficiary other than her divorce papers - so that is the only thing you need to get translated. Everything else can be in Spanish for her interview. When you do the AOS then you will need the birth certificate translated - so in my calculations you should have only spent $10 or $20 not $200. (Some people even translate these themselves.) So you just need the G325a, letter of intent, passport pictures and divorce decree (translated) - and that could cost a bunch. I brought these with me when I met her (I took blank forms with me on a disk). Good Luck and follow the guides http://www.visajourn...mp;page=k1guide	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-03 10:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F checklist for my fiance	Hey Mando why are you paying a fortune to get translated copies? My fiance got hers done for less than $2 a piece in Barranquilla - you can find a cheaper one. Yes you need her passport size picture to send with the I129f. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-02 19:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k1 just mailed...but boy did I screw up	Don't sweat it - I used an old form for my removal of Conditions - they sent back the entire packet including the check within a week. This was from Nebraska. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-03 10:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	living abroad and g325a and relationship evidence...one last question, promise!	At this stage you just need to show that you met - you can say - we lived together for xx months. You don't need anything more I think. Hopefully you do have some pics (I only sent two pics of us together - thats all we had). The proof of relationship comes in at the interview stage - if you go with her to the interview - then you don't need anything then either. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-03 10:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	G-325a and job history	Go ahead and put your studies and internships if it gives you comfort. They don't really matter at this point. When your fiance goes for the interview is when you will need to show income or have a co-sponsor. Not including the income from the co-op is up to you, even if they don't give you a w-2 or 1099 - it doesn't prevent you from declaring it as your income (yes you would end up paying bunch of social security taxes on it). If you receive less than $600 (I think) then they do not have to give you a 1099 anything over that they are required to. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-02 18:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Extention Letter & AOS local office	Have you received your K1 yet? Are you trying to extend your K1? Why are you asking about AOS if you are not there yet - clarify your current status and what exactly you are trying to do. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-04 11:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K-1 Old Petition refusal	I have seen some instances where if the other K1 was not too far in the past, they want the petitioner (USC) to attend the interview. My wife's friend got her visa yesterday after being told to bring her current fiance to the consulate - he flew in and they had the interview together (her second interview - 4 weeks apart) - the other K1 was about a year ago. This was in Bogota, Colombia. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-03 14:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Hoping to marry in three weeks	I have a different solution to your problems - do not live in either USA or Canada - get married and relocate to one of the warmer climates e.g. Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama etc. You can obtain residency there as in Rentista or Pensionado and keep visiting Canada and USA periodically as you wish. Some of these places - accept your Canadian and US health Insurance also. It's worth exploring if you are a little adventurous. You may need to pick up a little Spanish but there are sizable expats living in these countries and you can log into their forums and get more info. US can be very tough if you do not want to commit one way or the other (for residency) - for us (we are not too old) we will move after my wife gets her citizenship which will make it easier for both of us to travel to most places easily, including trips to USA; we would live in a warmer climate and our retirement money will go much farther than in USA - by the way, health insurance in most other countries is much much much cheaper (less than 10 or 20% of what we pay here) and many expats claim that the health care is better than USA in Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama etc. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-05 11:47:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Ceremony vs. Legal Marriage	QUOTE (candyace @ Apr 11 2008, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hello Everyone My Fiance and I are religious and to us it doesn't matter when we sign our legal documents to say that we are married, as long as we have been viewed in our religion as being married, with a ceremony, and witnesses, etc. Will the US care if we have had our ceremony already but aren't LEGALLY married, just religiously. Then we'll sign the legal marriage papers when I am allowed into the US? Also, I found a telephone number on this site once (I think it was from this site) of a number that you can call and ask questions, does anyone happen to know what number I can call to speak to a PERSON??? Hope to hear your opinions! If marriage in your country is very important to you - do it - and file for K3. If it is not, then you can try the K1. I think it's one of the choices you have. Many of us wanted to be together as fast as possible and it seemed to us that the K1 route was faster - luckily for us the fiancee and her/his family were agreeable. This is a very basic choice to be made in which route you would like to go. Good Luck And you can have a religious ceremony here in USA too. My nephew had a Hindu marriage in France! If you want a religious marriage its still available here - the basic choice is 'where' you would like to get married and how important is that. Edited by motu, 11 April 2008 - 08:46 PM.	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-11 20:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Letter of Intent	I don't think it makes any difference. The spelling of fiance with one e or two es is irrelevant. The address is also immaterial - you do not need to redo it. But if you have time, you can - most people do not use a title and some (as we did) do not put an address - either ours or theirs - just said 'To Whomsoever' and no addresses. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-06 10:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	So, I'm a complete idiot	Don't worry about it. Many people have made errors like this and worse - no, I am not going to confess! Either way they handle the packet, send it back or forward to the correct center - you are not going to lose more than a week or two. The address on the letter of intent doesn't matter - our letters just said To Whomsoever and no addresses. Relax and Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-12 10:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	My fiancee does not have a birth certificate...	QUOTE (Jomo @ May 8 2008, 09:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I wonder, then, how things will go in the future like applying for SSN, DL, etc. Everything seems to need a birth certificate somewhere. Not correct - they will accept an ID as in Passport, greencard etc. I received my greencard when I entered in LA and since then used that for everything till I got my drivers license and have never been asked for a birth certificate since (I used my Indian passport for ID also some times in banks, DMV etc.) - I have had a US passport for 21 years now (well one after the other after the other). Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-08 17:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	My fiancee does not have a birth certificate...	I had to do the same as lostinblue has recommended. When I applied for my greencard (based on family sponsorship) I was asked to submit a birth certificate - I had none. The US embassy then told me that two relatives who can swear to it in front of a magistrate (on a stamped court paper) can then be used as proof of birth - (my other school and university documents had a date of birth but I had never been asked for it till this.) This was in India.	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-08 10:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Pasport Photo! Please Help!	Its slightly off but many times they don't care. When I sent photos that my fiance sent me - done in Colombia - they were 1.75" by 1.75" but I didn't even know it till I read some posts here. The petition was approved without any issues though. If you have time, get them re-done, if not I think you might be OK. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-10 10:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	What if my fiance doesn't know something?	QUOTE (anka @ May 10 2008, 04:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Will they care if I (the USC) was a student abroad for more than 6 months within the last 5 years? Does being a student even count as "employment" or should I just write in "None" ??? Thank you! P.S. I realize this thread started close to a year ago, but I am trying my luck with an answer to this from anyone! For employment you will list none but for residence you will need to list your residence abroad. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-10 10:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Ideas on Proof of Relationship?	Consider that an interviewer has to go through several people a day - I would guess around 20 or so - they do not have time to go through too much material - so be careful in taking too much and follow the advice of others who went through the same embassy. In the end though, you need to be comfortable with the amount of stuff you are taking for your visa. I am a minimalist and try and send the minimum possible at each stage. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-04-05 11:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F & G-325A Questions	QUOTE (Azul @ May 14 2008, 07:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think that for the sake of the I-129F petition "copies" are ok.....thus making my Fiances scanned signature valid. Right? Then I can always have her sign the papers for real when I see her next month so that we have "originals" for when they are requested. Any thoughts on my other questions before I send my petition in? NO! The G325a must be original - I got an RFE for doing this - I did have the originals which I sent on receiving the RFE. Don't do that. My wife doesn't use two last names rather one middle name and one last name - and she continues to do that even now (replaced her last name with mine). Are you saying she uses one middle name and two last names? My wife was using AAA BBB CCC as her full name and she put down CCC as her last name and BBB as her middle name. Entiende? Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-14 10:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Proof of engagement???	No rings here - hadn't bought one. No pictures either - I had submitted 2 pictures of us together with the I129f, that was all. It's not a visa where you have to prove 'engagement' - that's an overkill in my opinion. (Some people were rejected because the engagement party pictures looked like wedding pictures and that can be a disaster.) You have to prove that you have met and have an on-going relationship. Since we applied for the visa a month or two after meeting in person, I didn't feel any additional proof was needed; she took along a few emails and chat records - they looked at one email for 3 seconds. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-14 10:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Proof Of Entry	Don't worry about it. I sent no copies of passport pages, no boarding passes, no tickets - just a copy of my itinerary and two pictures of us together. That was enough! People do send in a lot more but you can't send what you don't have! Don't worry about it. Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-14 10:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Filed our K-1 today yeehaaa! But just realized.......	It really doesn't matter - I also didn't put any names on our photos - they were able to tell who was the petitioner and the beneficiary without any problems. Don't worry about these things - if you miss something and have an RFE - you correct it then - its part of the process. RFE typically would add another week or 10 days delay - so its not a big deal when you consider the 4 to 6 months process for most. Relax and Good Luck	motu	Not Telling	Colombia	2008-05-15 09:46:00