Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Signed Documents	Definately by the most reliable and trused service you have (not familiar with regular mail in Italy and its relaibility) I prefer to use Fed-Ex but I am dealing with Vietnam where regular mail goes missing far to often.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-24 09:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Tracking 129-F Petition Status	VSC = EAC followed by 10 numbers. Its the USCIS website. However its hardly worth tracking unless you want to drive yourself crazy. Typically you'll see an update for the NOA1 and not another till NOA2. Sometimes you may see a touch in between which is pretty meaningless. Your NOA2 will have the EAC number on it when you receive it. We received our NOA2 in the mail 5 days after it was hard dated so "tracking" it on the website was of little value - especially since you never know when they will update. Heck, you might receive the NOA2 in the mail before you see the update on USCIS I went to the website twice while my petition was in process then just decided it was better to expect a 5 month wait rather than go bonkers checking every day. When I got NOA2 in 90 days I was very pleasantly suprised!!!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-25 09:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	VWP and K1 Visa?	Yes, the USC can file the I129f petition while the foreign fiance is visiting in the US. Subsequent visits during processing are possible but no gaurantee. It depends on the country of origin as to how much scrutiny is placed on visiting and in alot of cases the foreign finace would need to provide significant ties to the home country. Many have been fine visiting and many have run into road blocks. All we can say is that it is possible but there are no gaurantees. If your foreign fiance is visiting it would be a good time to complete the G325A and Letter of Intent and get them signed. Will save mailing them later. I129F is $455 - other fees vary at different consulates. You'll have to check on your spefic consulate to obtain that information. (For us - it was $131 for the visa fee, $100 fror the medical exam and a few bucks for a vaccination. Then remember - the next big cost is after visa approval and when the fiancee turned wife files for AOS. That is $1010.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-25 09:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is it too early to contact my congress	Your response was much appreciated. I probably did a bad job by not putting my statement in past tense. I have sent the release form to my congressman. I have received an email from USPS confirming their delivery. I was just concerned if my action was way too early which I believe you answered. How will this play out down the raod when the package is sent to the embassy? Again thanks for your input NSH I wouldn't be too concerned about it.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-25 15:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is it too early to contact my congress	Yes its too early, put the brakes on and try and be patient. You should not take that action unless you are outside the posted processing times. Last time I checked VSC had 5 months posted for I129f applicants and you are well within that time. Some petitions go through quicker than others, I know its hard but try and have some patience. Checking your staus every day wil drive you bonkers. I always recommend to plan for the worse and if you hear sooner then its a great suprise.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-25 15:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	AOS	Nothing to do with money or anything,and I will file once i get there,just curiosity,thanks for your answers.. Hmmmm, ever hear the old saying "curiosity killed the cat" Usually curious questions have some underlying motive You'll be doing the right thing if you file as soon as possible.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-25 13:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Needing Canadian fiance to move to US	I disagree. While clearly there is intent to live together, you can say that about every engaged couple and every married couple - but that's not the point. It is clearly stated that it is all about intent to immigrate, without first obtaining the correct visa - not about intent to live together. They could just have easily chosen for her to immigrate to Canada. Anyway, that's the way I see it. My point was if he came here and they got married and tried to AOS there is a high degree of risk if they try to AOS without going through the CR-1 process. They already have many visits - this would go along way towards intent. Same applies for living together. If CBP suspected they were "living together" they would deny entry and be forced to apply for a visa. Of course the intent it to live together! How you go about "living together" is what makes the difference. Hmmm - I'm not even sure what the diagreement was. Maybe my wording was wrong to begin with and I didnt come accross with my words as to what my mind was trying to say	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-26 13:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Needing Canadian fiance to move to US	Before you go any further at all - this is the most important question: When your fiance entered the U.S. this last time - did he have any intent to remain in the U.S. this time. Why I ask is this. There is a thing called Adjustment of Status. This is when a person is already in the U.S. - did not enter the U.S. with immigrant intent (without the proper visa) but then got there and decided they would like to immigrate (ie: in your case, have you sponsor him and him become a PR). IF he had no immigrant intent when he crossed the border this last time - you may well be able to simply file for an adjustment of status for him. That means he could stay there until the adjustment of status is complete and he is a PR. However, keep in mind that he cannot leave the U.S. for any reason until he gets his greencard or advance parole - whichever comes first. Biggest problem with this scenario is that they have a child together. While that is a wonderful thing, if they married and try to AOS in the states the fact that they already had a child together would go along way towards looking like there was intent to immigrate. I would caution against this. It would be much safer to go K-1 or CR-1 simply to avoid a potential "intent" issue.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-21 15:42:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Needing Canadian fiance to move to US	There is no problem with you fiance visiting while your are processing the application. He will need to be interviewed in Canada and would need to follow the application process as directed by the consulate when its time for him to complete his forms. Things to be careful of are overstays. Make sure he enters and leaves when he is supposed to. As long as he follows the rules you should be fine with visiting. If the CBP suspsects intent to immigrate they may require he provide significant ties to the home country to allow entry for visiting. I don't really see anything weird with your situation, its not like either of you has two heads or three feet I don't know anything about the disability part of the situation and how that works. Your divorce needs to be final before you can start the application process as you must show you are free and legal to marry (but it sounds like that is done). You say that he watches the baby while he is visiting - what do you do when he returns home? I mention this because I hope he is not overstaying or you might be in for a tough time.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-21 11:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Next step after marriage (Green Card Process) K1 Visa.	Hi Talie, It is recommended that you file AOS as soon as possible. You can file for EAD and Advance Parole at the same time you submit the I-485. Unless you have some specific reason for waiting it is best to push forward and apply for AOS. All the info is in the guide section - read up on AOS from K-1. There is a list of the forms and things you should do. You should be able to do this all without an attorney	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-26 12:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	About to Send K-1 Packet Please Review My Content	and dont forget to make two complete copies of everything before you send it. One for you and one to send to your sweety.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-26 13:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	red flages	Red Flags are things in an immigration case that may lead a CO to suspecting that the relationship is a sham or fradulent. Go the the MENA subforum and do a search for Red Flags. You will get a lot of examples of things. This is typical of all forums but since you are Egypt you should focus on the topic in that forum. Certain consulates look for certain aspects. There is not a simple way to list them all so your best avenue is to do some searching and reading in the sub forums. Here is a link to one particular Red Flag Topic Red Flag List You can also search for the topic 221g and see what other people received rfe's for.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-27 11:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Is K1 visa not applicable if person was here with J1 before?	Below is a link to the DoS J Visa Waivers page. J Visa Waivers ou may want to read up on this info.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-27 07:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 visa medical	Below is a link to the CDC Vaccination Technical Instructions There is a chart that shows the age appropriate vaccinations and also additional info. Vaccination Technical Instructions	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-27 08:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 visa medical	In most cases you do not have to complete the vaccination series at the time of application. For example - my finacee (at the time) had never had any vaccinations. She got the td vaccination in Vietnam, that was all that was required for the medical exam in HCMC for visa approval. We are now applying for AOS. She has had the next series of vaccinations completed. There are a few remaining that require months between - no problem. You just need to get them when they are due and provide the update at the next phase of processing. We will be sending our AOS application soon so if the next vaccination becomes due prior to the interview - we will get it and provide the info at the interview. You may want to check with you specific consulate to verify what vaccination requirements they require for visa approval. I recently read an example (I think it was from Australia) that the consulate there required more than just the td. Hope I'm making a little bit of sense	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-27 08:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Do we both need G-325A form	Yes you need to submit a G325A for each of you. In addition, they both should have original signatures so thet will require it to be completed and mailed to you from your honey. While that is being done, don't forget to have the letter of intent made up and sent too. No sense in sending two separate mailings.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-21 14:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA1??????	Maybe a bad time of the month, there have been a rash of posts lately for petitions that were sent in the last 10-15 days that have not received NOA1 yet.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-28 12:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k1 help	If your using the most recent G325a from the USCIS website (recommended), then only one is needed. That is ONE for the USC Petitioner AND ONE for the Beneficiary. One passport style photo of the petitioner with their G325a and one with the beneficiaries. See I129f instructions Item 6(a)(b). Always check the USCIS website for the most recent versions of documents (although other versions may still be accepted - it will inform you of this there).	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-28 12:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Touched!! Where??	NOA1 April 22nd - so you might expect to see something by end of July - and should contact someone about your case if you don't hear anything by late October. Thats about the reality if it. Our case never showed a single touch - it was received then approved (3 months from NOA1 to NOA2...as an example)	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-28 13:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Question in form DS-230- Part 1	Tell her to chill out a little - she is way overthinking this. Unless she put something in there that would indicate she is planning on working in a field requiring high level security clearance which could throw up a flag. If she wanted to write in medical field or pharma industry I would see no issues. I would advise against writing something like biological germ warfare technician though Remember, before she can work she needs to come here, get married, file for AOS and EAD which should be her (and your) primary focus. A high majority of people just write in unknown, remember too that these forms are used for a varity of immigration visas and in some cases the answer to the question is much more pertinent than for K-1 visa. Good Luck!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-05-24 11:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can you get married while waiting for the K-1 Visa to be approved?	You can do anything you want BUT: If you get legally married it would invalidate the K-1. You would then have to re-apply for K-3 or CR-1. or - you could have a wedding ceremony and not really get married. Does that sound crazy? That is what we did. My family could not travel to Vietnam, her family could not travel here. We had a full blown traditional wedding ceremony in VN so her family and friends (over 350 guests) could be a part of it and now we are planning our "real" wedding here in the US. Not that the one in VN wasnt "real", it was amazing and very real with the exception that we didn't apply for a marriage certificate or liscence in VN. Some people wonder why we didnt just get legally married in VN since we went through all that and I dont think its necessary to go into all the details as to why. I guess the point is that there are lots of options on how to do things. If its important (as it was for us) to have a wedding for family to observe traditions and assure everyones happiness there are more than one way to "skin the cat". I even submitted pictures as proof of relationship at her interview but I provided a very clear explanation and statement with my initial petition and with our pictures to explain why we did what we did. Maybe we were lucky, but we had no problems. Hope I'm not making things confusing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-13 12:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How do you know when the Visa is approved at USCIS Service Center	How do you recieve your first notification that your case has been moved to the NVC? Will I see an update on the USCIS status page (from Intial Processing to Testing/Interview)? I see that others can post dates but I do not know where they are found. After that, how do you track the progress through the rest of the system (like when it arrives at the consulate) Thank you for any help you can provide. Keith We received our NOA2 in the mail on 9/21 (the hard copy was dated 9/16). I called the NVC on 9/23 and was told it was sent to the Consulate on 9/22. So in our case it was forwarded from USCIS and passed through NVC in just one week after being dated. My fiancee received Packet 3 from the (HCMC Vietnam) consulate in just under a month from the date the NVC said it was sent. Timing can vary so this is just an example.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-11 12:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	usc visiting foreign fiance	By all means it is highly recommended for the USC to visit his/her SO as much as possible!!! All goes to proof of relationship at interview time. The other way is not a problem either, hinges on the ability of the foreign fiancee to obtain a visitor visa. The key there is to follow the rules. We'd all love for our foreign fiance/fiancee's to have the ability to spend time here and visit the US with us but in many cases it is next to impossible or simply not possible for them to obtain a visitor visa. The 'fear" is that the SO may attempt to come to the US and not return to their home country. Its all about following the rules. Follow them and dont bend or break them and its not a problem.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-17 07:52:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Engagment ring and bringing across the border...	Hmmm Interesting question! I gave my fiancee a diamond ring, necklace and earrings, as well as other jewelry. Never claimed any of it through customs as I also considered it personal items. Although I was never asked or questioned. I always kept them in a pouch safely secured on my person - never in a bag or luggage. I never even gave it a thought to claim them Maybe a good thing it never came up because with all them carats I might have been out a bunch of carrots!!!!!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-19 14:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Relationship 'start date'	Hi everyone, I've gotten to the 'proof of relationship' part of putting together the I-129F package and I have to now go through the somewhat daunting task of going through the e-mails between my fiancee and I. My fiancee and I initially met while I was living in Japan, and we didn't actually start a relationship (i.e. boyfriend/girlfriend) with each other until roughly about 1 year and 9 months after we had initially met. Four months into our friendship, I had to move back to the States, but we kept in touch via. e-mail and snail mail (no phone calls or online chatting). During that period of not being in a relationship, there are quite a number of e-mails between each other ... which eventually lead to the realization that there was mutual interest and attraction to each other. We've already seen each other in person in a few months ago and will be seeing each other again in the near future. Given our situation, I'm not sure when to document the 'official' beginning of the relationship in regards to the K-1 process. I feel that the e-mails prior to us starting a relationship show evidence of something legitimate forming between us ... but there wasn't too many affectionate type words or dialogue in them, but we were fairly open with each other about our lives. Of course now that we agreed to be in a relationship eventually got engaged, things are different. Should I include the e-mails prior to us dating and becoming engaged? Or should I leave those out? Thanks as always for the generous advice and wisdom. For the I129F petition you only need to prove that you have met once within the past two years. However if you are filing a for a finacee visa it is the assumption that you have a "relationship" but it will not be scrutinized until the interview stage. So for the I129F you only need to provide proof that you have met and meet the petition requirements (this is the easy part of the process). Remember that the I129F is proof of meeting - not proof of relationship. For the long haul - preparing for the interview - the two of you should decide on a date when you "officially" started your relationship. That will be the start date for your "Timeline of Relationship". From that point forward you will want to gather bonifide relationship proof for the interview stage. Thats a very basic "nutshell" of information. Hope I'm making sense!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-23 07:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	two questions about K-1	As you have read above, this is a case where everyone has there own opinions and there is not a true and correct answer. My finacee and I had a full blown Vietnamese Tradtional wedding with over 350 guests. We did not register the marriage in VN and applied for K-1. I even submitted photo's from the picture day in her wedding gown and from the day of the ceremony and reception as proof of relationship in both my I129F packet and at the interview. I did however explain all this very clearly in our I129F petition. The events were also included in our timeline. She has called me husband since that very day. HOWEVER, we did practice for the interview and were prepared for being drawn in during questioning. The CO even asked her about her HUSBAND, but her reply to the CO was, he is my fiance - not my husband. How it is perceived at the consulate is purely in the eyes of the CO. This is one of the problems. Maybe we were lucky or maybe my explanations and truthfulness got us through. No way to know without knowing what goes on in the mind of the CO. They are all different and all have their own agendas. Bottom Line - There is no right or wrong answer here. If you are not married you are not married, however its what the CO thinks that matters and no one knows that but them. Best to be as safe as possible and refrian from using certain words and terms at interview and on paper but it is what it is. Now that is my opinion - unfortunaltely I dont think it answers your question or provides much more info than you already had! You have my Best Wishes and Good Luck to you both!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-19 14:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Intent To Marry? For K1 Peition?	Hi Dot - here is another option of your photos are digital: Since all our photos were taken in digital format (most are nowadays!), I used power point. I copy and pasted photos into power point slides, you can resize them and fit as many as you like onto a page. I then added captions, dates and places. This could also be done using some other photo software package. For the interview package I did the same. I sent about 15 pages with about 150 pictures with my I129F (some would consider this a bit of frontloading - we were going through a particularly difficult consulate (Vietnam). For the interview stage we had about double that - all the copies I sent with the I129F and an additional 15 pages or so with another few hundred photos. I included photos of the two of us together, with family, with friends, at her company parties for Tet, pics of the two of us together at places we visited etc... There were no problems or questions using this method for supplying photos. Whatever you send will end up at the consulate but you wont get them back. They will remain with your package that ends up back with the CBP at POE in the brown pacakge. Good Luck and Best Wishes	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-23 06:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Intent To Marry? For K1 Peition?	Below is a list of what you need for the I129f packet (this was from my cover letter) I-129F - I-129F Supplement: Part B, Question 18, explanation of meeting in person - G-325A and passport style photo (Petitioner) - G-325A and passport style photo (Beneficiary) - Birth certificate/US Passport (Petitioner) - Letter certifying intent to marry (Petitioner and Beneficiary) - Proof of having met in person in the past two years - Proof of ongoing relationship Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date. You dont need notarized letters from anyone yet - those would be consular level for interview to help establish bonifide relationship. Letters of intent - should be one from each of you, signed and dated Birth Certificate - Most US birth certificates have form type info in the back - may not be any information in the form - you should still copy both sides. I134 affidavit of support is a consular level document - not needed yet (need for interview) At this point for the petition you have to prove that you have met personally within the past two years. Your letters of intent should state that you are legally free and willing to marry (each other). Sit back with a good cup of tea and read all the guides completely and slowly. The petition is the EASY part. You'll want to have a complete and good understanding of the ENTIRE process. Best Wishes!!!!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-22 08:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	New At This	You wont need that info until the interview. At that time you will file the I134. Your current income is the most relavant, the more past history you have is a bonus. Some have made it with minimal and others have required more - its pretty much up to the CO what they want to see. The I864 is for AOS time. We are almost there so I'll be working on that one soon. I dont think anything would make Jim look fat haha. I had the pleasure of meeting him in person as our fiancees interviewed the same day in Ho Chi Minh City. It was awesome (aside from all the consular stuff - that is always nerve wracking). Also, Jim does his homework and I respect his opinions tremendously!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-24 13:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	1st step for k1 visa process & procedure...Help!	Hi Roselle Welcome to VJ! A good place to start is by reading the Guides here on VJ - http://www.visajourn...page=newmembers There is a lot to read and take in, so try not to be overwhelmed by it all. Hi Roselle - I am in complete agreement with this post. Take some time and read through the K-1 guide. Review the forms and information a number of times. Browse around this site and get familiar with things here. It is a great place to learn and find help when you need it. There are two "phases", 1) the I129F petition and then the interview. They are very different and have different criteria to meet. Try to read a bit and get an understanding of this and how it works. For sure you will have questions and that is not a problem but we all appreciate those who do their homework and put forth their best efforts too. Good Luck on your "Visa Journey" and welcome aboard!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-23 07:30:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Immunization Confusion	The only vaccination REQUIRED for my finacee to get through the consular level interview was td. That is the only one she got and had never had any before. We didnt have any problems. (Well until now - we have to get all the rest completed for AOS)! Not sure if the requirements vary from consulate to consulate. I guess that is one of the problems with the "system", to much inconsistency.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-24 13:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	travel to mexico prior to marriage	You cannot enter the US then fly to Mexico. When an international flight arrives to the US all passengers must pass through CBP. At that point you would use your single entry for the K1. Now it might be an option to fly first to Mexico and then to the US afterwards. You'd both have to make sure you had all your documents required to enter Mexico as visitors and then make sure you also divulge that information on your papers when you enter the US. Not sure how a "pit stop" in the middle works - never gave it a thought. We transferred in Tokyo from Ho Chi Minh City and entered POE Detroit. Never gave it a thought to spend a weekend in Tokyo really we just wanted to get here and get some rest. Hope eveything works out for whatever plans you decide on - Good Luck!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-24 13:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K 1 Visa	congrats!!! you'll receive an email and a hardcopy of them. NVC will send you a letter with your case number. You can call 603-334-0700, follow the prompts, you'll know if have been assigned the case now you fiance can start to prepare the package 3 That is not necessarily true. This is a very common topic and the other answer is - its likely you will receive NOTHING from the NVC. They will forward your pacakge to the consulate or embassy after they receive it from the service center. We never received anything from the NVC which is also the case with countless others here, I called then and they informed me that they had sent or package to the consulate and shortly after that my fiancee received packet 3. Just dont want you to be expecting to receive something that may never come. Best bet is to wait a few weeks after the NOA2 and then call them.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-27 11:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How Reliable VJ Timeline Is?	Your better off spending the time to look at individuals timelines. The statistical timelines can be way off becuase they are based soley on the members of VJ and who and how many people complete them. To many dont bother, its really annoying. Then they ask questions and you dont even know what visa they are applying or petitioning for or when. Just FYI - in our case Mailed NOA1 to Received NOA2 (06/15/2009 - 09/21/2009) NOA2 to Packet 3 was 1 month (9/21/2009 - 10/19/2009) Sent Packet 3 info (10/27/2009) Received packet 4 (11/18/2009) Interview (12/15/2009) So for us it was 6 months to the day from the time I mailed out I129F petition till interview.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-27 11:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Has anyone here been approved for K1 at Guanzhou	Hey Craig, sorry to hear the news. Unfortunatley some consulates/embassies require quite a bit of proof to be convinced of bonafide relationship. As Darnell mentioned, best to know exactly what was asked and said at the interview and exactly what the paper she received says. There are two significant and different steps to the process. The petition for K-1 (I129F) is relatively easy to get past. The problem after that is convincing the embassy. That is where the difficulty is. I know Vietnam is a difficult consulate and the more visits the better your chances. From what I understand Guangzhou is every bit if not more difficult. We were very lucky, I visited four times in 09 and was there at the time of the interview. Even though we were confident we were still worried to death. Seen two many similar cases go either way without much reason. Not sure how many times you have met in the past but either way you go, if you did the K-1 again or do the K-3 or CR-1 route, you will still need to convince the embassy. Best way is to have actual verifiable time together. The more the better. Our hearts go out to you. But its not the end, there is no strength like the strength of two hearts beating together. Let us know what you find out and stay strong!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-02-01 16:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Has anyone here been approved for K1 at Guanzhou	Hello everyone. Again After reading some denial storys here. Im terrified. Has anyone here been approved for the K1 at guanzhou? I also met my fiancee on the net. Does that hurt the chances? We met in person before.on march 31st 2009. We have many phone records 60 days worth.and about 50 letters from the website we met on. We comunicated for about 17 months since we known each other. and has about 20 pictures. Each picture has a date. I Got her ring but she refused me to mail it to her becuse fear of it getting lost. Should I email her a copy of the recipt? and a picture? I hope our Visa doesnt end like this.. Maybe I should get started on the K3. Thanks again . Craig!! Hi Craig, first I'd like to wish you the best of luck!!! How many times have you met in person? The more times and more proofs you have increase your chances. I didnt see a timeline or story on your profile page so its hard to know what you've got up front. If you dont get the K-1 you will need to make more visits and gather more proof of bonifide relationship. You always have the option of marrying and doing K-3 or CR-1, but in any matter, the number of visits, length of stays are all contributing factors as well as means of communication etc... Be strong - true love will prevail one way or another Best of Luck to You.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-01-29 13:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	terminology question about "packages"	This might be a really stupid question, but I have read the guides and all and am still unclear what people are referring to when they talk about packages 1, 2, 3, and 4. i assume package 1 is the initial i-129f package i send, and that package 2 is the stuff i send my fiance when i get NOA2 (i-134, etc)? what are packages 3 and 4? thanks. What I believe you are referring to are the NOA1, NOA2, Packet 3 and packet 4. For K-type visa see the following steps. 1 - you (the petitioner) send the I129F petition and you receive NOA1 (Notice of Action) from USCIS. NOA1 ia bascally just an acknowledgemnt that your I129F was received. 2 - you (the petitioner) will receive NOA2 when the petition is approved. 3 - The USCIS forwards the approved petition to the NVC (National Visa Center) and they issue a case number and forward it to the US Consulate in the country for which you are petitioning your finacee 4 - The consulate sends the Beneficiary PACKET 3 - which directs them to some forms to be completed and includes a checklist of items to start preparing for PACKET 4 and the interview 5 - After the consulate received the PACKET 3 info and reviews it they will send PACKET 4 with the INTERVIEW APPOINTMENT LETTER. This will advise of the date for which the interview is scheduled and contain instructions for all the forms, papers, evidence, medical exam requirments, etc.. that are to be brought to the interview. Typically Packet 3 will include instructions to start gathering all the required documents specified in Packet 4. If you wait till you receive packet 4 you will likely not have time to gather everything so you need to start EARLY. The final packet or package is the one issued by the consulate after visa approval. This "brown packet" is sealed and is never to be opened or tampered with. It will be given to the CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) at the POE (Point of Entry) and will be opened and reviewed by the officer there. Thats it in a nutshell. Its all here - take your time and do lots of reading and research. As you come accross questions dont be afraid to ask - but please do your research. There may be consulate specific variances to the list I posted above but as far as I know for K visa it is pretty consistent up through the packet 3 stage.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-03-04 08:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	duplicate of I-129f package	Its a very good idea to prepare 3 complete copies. 1 goes to USCIS as the petition 2 is kept with you 3 goes to your honey Its not unheard of for things to get lost in this process. The USCIS, NVC and consulates process mounds and mounds of petitions and visas. It would be much better to have copies of things than to have to go back and recreate them in the event of an "oops". It is a good resource for the both of you also to reference later when filling out other documents. Heck - we just went to the courthouse yesterday to apply for our marriage liscence here in the US and I printed a copy I had saved of our G325A's to give to the clerk. It has places of birth, names, dates - lots of useful info that is hard to remember (for me anyway haha) Also, the Original Birth Certificates are requrested to be provided at the interview and things like original certified copies of divorce decrees if you have any. We also made a complete duplicate package of everything for packet 3 and 4 and proofs of relationship, pictures, emails, etc... Its a lot of paper you just never know what can happen so its best to have it. Good Luck on your journey!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-03-11 07:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Am I being paranoid?	Hehe - you shouldnt feel stupid or anything of the sort! During this process there is often a fine line between paranoia, sanity and confusion! Sounds like you've got everything in order so relax a bit, there will me more days ahead that you will have the opportunity to feel this way all over again. More detail is typically a good thing down the road and not a bad thing up front. I had a bit of "paranioa" myself, in our case I sent wedding photos with my I129F package (K-1 application). I also sent a page long explanation to explain that while we had a traditional wedding, we did it out of respect and honor for her family and so they could all attend but we didnt register the marriage and would be married in the US. So imagine the thoughts that went through my mind while windering if they would accept our petition and explanation!!!!!!!!!!!! In the end it all worked out fine, so the only result of my worrying was that I lost a bit more hair haha! Good Luck and Best Wishes along your journey!!!	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-03-10 07:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Will we be able to use the I-864 form for the K-1 Visa?	I'm not sure of the approval of the I-134F for the K-1 Visa. Can we use the I-864F instead of or with the I-134F? The I-134 was specifically required when we completed packet 4. Do as specified or you will get an RFE - 221g from the consulate to provide the correct documentation. Just recently another poster used the I-864 in error and got RFE'd. Not worth the risk. Send what your instructions say to send.	Bernie C	Male	Vietnam	2010-03-11 12:41:00