ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresImmigration specialist to file a K1 petition
If you have the time to look and ask you should find the answers here on VJ.
The problem can sometimes be you don't know what question to ask.
I am using a service to apply for our K1 but it is not over $500 additional.
I still have to use my time to get important documents, (birth certificates, proof of income, ect) but I don’t have to spend my time finding out what is needed. If what I have is ok or how to fill out a form.
They also provide free phone, YM and email support for me in the USA as well as my fiancé in the Philippines. It can be a great comfort to your loved one to know there are people who have done this before looking things over.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-08-31 15:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2 and day of the week

A NOA2 DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT IS APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish people would frickin stop calling a approval notification a NOA2. If you get a RFE, then guess what? The RFE will be your NOA2! and then your ("APPROVAL NOTIFICATION") will be your ("NOA3").



You are technicaly correct. I have seen both and the RFE is a Notice of Action. I only use the tern NOA2 because that is what VJ uses on our timelines. If you have a complaint with the term NOA2 for the approval take it up with The Visa Journey web site.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-23 08:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNOA2 and day of the week
Every time I get an email i have to look to see if it is about our NOA2.

If you signup for email notification does the email come out anntime of the day or only 9a to 5p.

Has any body tracked what days of the week the diffrent locations send out NOA2s. Do they process and issue NOA2 7 days a week. How about Saturday.

I need to relax and take a break from the constant checking and just wondering what days or times I can stop looking and relax.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-08-05 22:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTransferring money...what's the best way visa wise?

Bar B Que smoke is good for you. :thumbs:



She had applied for a job overseas a servral years ago and was rejected do to some lung scaring form Pneumonia she had a year earlyer. They thought it was TB. There was no retest offered, just REJECTED. It has since cleared and she went to her local doctor about 2 months ago and had a xray taken. The results were good but she is still very nervious about that part of the medical exam.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-25 20:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTransferring money...what's the best way visa wise?
When I looked in to using Paypal to send money to the Phillipeans they did not charge a fee is true but there exchange rate was not good. I found it better over all to use use xoom.com. There fee was modest and they are very fast. It was longer to do a bank deposit but to send for personal pickup takes about 4 mins.


As far as paying my fiancee to quit her job. I did eventualy do that. She ran her own business selling barbeque chicken and pork. Her daily net was about $3 usd. I was concerned about the constant smoke affecting her health befor the medical exam. So a few months befor the exam we agree it was best to stop and I sent her funds.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-25 19:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresI 129F approval notice

Both you and your finace(e) will receive Pkg 3 and 4 from the US Consulate. Your fiance(e) will need to fill out forms and send them in to the Consulate along with some other documentation.


to th e best of my understanding every thing he needs to send to the imagaration was sent with the I-129f.
There is not a package from the Phillipean consulate to the patitioner (i see it listed on the profile).
The benificary will get a packet but does not actualy need it either.

The patitioner does need to send a current I-134 to the benificary and the benificary has to fill out DS-156, DS157 and DS 15?k. There are details on the Phil consulate website as to what is needed.
The packet will have details of the I-129f petition,, if the packets dont get there before the interview just bring your own set of everything.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-26 21:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHave a spiritual marry before K-1, will it cause any trouble?
Looks like the original question has been answered but let me put a different twist on it and see what is recommended.

Let’s say couple #1 has a spiritual service or maybe even a "real" service but never files the papers with the government. The papers are later destroyed. There is no paper record of the event only the couple and the witnesses who were present know of it.

Question 1: Should Couple #1 file spouse visa even though they cannot prove they are married. All the government and personal records say they are both single and never married.



Question 2: What if couple #1 separate and the women meets someone new and becomes couple #2. Couple #1 did not get a divorce because as far as the government is concerned they were never married. So now couple #2 file K1, Do they mention the first non registered marriage of couple #1 or just ignore it?




Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-26 16:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHealth insurance when my fiance arrives
I am planning to purchase short term immigrant health insurance. I have also seen health insurance for foreign travelers. Still evaluation what to pick.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-03 12:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHow can I avoid getting a RFE?
look over your printed docs very close. we had entered the info on the pdf form and saved the file. latter open and printed the file on a diffrent pc. one of the check boxes became unchecked and i did not see it before sending it.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-04 23:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresGot my MNL#

Thanks for that!

But my other problem is that I still don't know when can my fiance send the documents to me? Should I schedule my appointment even without his income supporting documents? I believe I need this upon my interview.


You will need his documents for the interview but not for the medical. Unless there will be a big delay getting documents prepared and medical results would expire no need to wait. He needs to get the I-134 sent asap as it needs to be a signed origional. The rest could be faxed or scaned and emailed and you just print there.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-07 11:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresGot my MNL#
Dont wait. As far as the "packet 3", evey thing you may need is online. We did medical, and apointment had interview and approved and have not received any packets from the Manila Embasy. All we had was the manila case number.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-07 08:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedurescan the beneficiary do the medical even without Appointment letter or Packet 3 from NVC/Embassy?
As far as the "packet 3", evey thing you may need is online. We did medical, and apointment had interview and approved and have not received any packets from the Manila Embasy. All we had was the manila case number.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-07 08:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresInconsistent numbers!
playing devil's advocate

A comment back to the group.

Even if only 1 phone number. How do you prove that it is his number. How do you prove that you were not calling some other boy friend. After all there is no signed document with the phone company that he even has a phone.


Do they just assume that any call to his country must have been to him.


My fiancée used my VOIP (INTERNET phone service) to call. If you look in the phone records she never call me. They look like my home US number is calling my US cell number or my US work number.

I would send a YM to her mobile YM (cell phone) and say can we talk and if she could she would get on the computer and call me on VOIP. I never called her. All our call were free in my calling plan that way. There might be hours of call a day but never to or from her country.

It was not even asked for during the interview. Approved Oct 5th
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-09 09:18:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresexspress mail

My fiance will need to mail some things back to me. Could sombody recomend a good exspress service


Are we talking personal items that can't be replaced but have low monitary value?
Expensive gifts (jewelry) that have high change of being "lost" in shipping and need high insurance value?
Signed papers that can easily be re-signed or duplicates acquired?
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-10 08:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresexspress mail
USA to Philippines for papers only i have used US postal Express flat rate envelopes. Under 1 week and cheap enough you can send two sets for the price most others charge.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-10 05:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDiferrence Age
it realy depends on the country of the benificary, your profine does not show what country your are talking about



Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-08 22:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPort of entry Question

Hi VJ,

Just want to ask coz I am not clear about POE's. Our original POE is supposedly LAX,California. However, my fiance is now in Texas for his work. Our plan is to fly me all the way to Texas. Will this be ok?


I think the other reply misunder stood your question,, or I am missunderstanding it.

You absolutely can get a flight all the way to texas reguardless of what you indicated would be your POE city. And you can hop from airpoty to airport all day long getting there,

BUT, you POE will be the first airport you land on USA soil. That is where you will preset papers to Imagration. From that point on you can NOT leave USA soil. From that point on you must be on domestic only flights.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-12 19:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAffidavit of Support I-134 Question #7

If the home value is needed then the value must be documented by a recent valuation done by a licensed appraiser.


I had used the county property tax assessment for the value and was not a problem. You can usually get those for free where an appraisal is likely to cost you.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-12 14:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDS-156 Questions
I have an update.
The CO did not like the 90 day answer.
Apparently they like the cute romantic answers like, “For the rest of my life” or “ Until the moon falls from the sky”.
They asked my fiancée to change it during the interview.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-13 13:54:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDS-156 Questions
for question 26, the visa service I used put 90 days, my understanding is that the K1 visa is only good for 90 days. after that requires a change in status and at that time you go to perminate residance. to say longer then 90 days on the ds-156 and applying for a k1 visa they might reject and direct you to a diffrent visa type


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-20 12:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresENGAGEMENT RING REQUIRED FOR VISA
We were approved in Manila on Friday. They did not ask about a ring. Had no engagement ring. Did have a silver eternity ring that was given as a gift early in our relationship as well as a silver heart necklace. She wares both all the time. Neither one was over $30 usd.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-08 19:04:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 visa to can be use to other states?
the last few post are getting closer to the truth. It is correct you do not have a problem from one of the United States and it protectorates or what ever they are called, Like Guam,
BUT, and this is the key. DO NOT get on a flight that stops in another country after you were in USA ones and used the visa.
Not to have you panicked but consider you are on a direct flight and there is a plane problem or bad weather and it diverts to Japan. Now you are in trouble and cant get back in to the USA.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-13 21:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresJust got the NOA-1. 1 Question.
I am a natural born USC and due to a RFE was able to see a copy of my I-129f after USCIC marked on it. They had added the A# on the I-129f. There was no A number on the NOA2.
Now is that A of for me or my Fiancée?


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-14 15:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresManila case #
Only 1 real problem I know of if you dont do the K1 and K2 at the same time. She may have to travel to USA and use the K1 before it expires and leave the childern behind if they do not have there K2 yet.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-12 13:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresManila case #

Finally!!!! after being on the phone ALL day I got thru to NVC and got my MNL case # and forwarded today. USEM here we come!! :) Some FYI for others the noa2 date was 9/23 so it was 14 business days to NVC. Jim


You journey from here can be quite short. If you have the information for the DS forms you do not need to wait for any mor letters or packets for Philippeans.

Pay the visa fee at BPI and set an online registration for medical (asap) and interview (about 2 weeks). The ds forms are online.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-11 16:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPOSTAL SERVICE UNRELIABLE
You have to break it down to what you are sending.

Is it an item or papers?

Can it be replaced?

Can it be a copy or is it a signed original?



============

Papers:

Can NOT be replaced:

Use FedEx or DHL, It’s not cheap but you only have one chance.



============

Paper

CAN be replaced

Original SIGNED documents.

Urgent (need ASAP),

Sign 3 and Send 2 USPS Express mail it has tracking. They as fast or faster then FedEX and much cheeper. At the price you can send twice and still save money. Send 1 standard USPS First class mail. Its only $0.98 so why not. I have not lost any USPS mail yet and a first class letter can get there in as little as 2 weeks.



============

Paper

CAN be replaced

Original SIGNED documents.

NOT Urgent,,

Sign 3 and Send 1 at a time. First one via USPS First class mail first. Wait 3 weeks, Second one via USPS Express Mail (INSURED), wait 2 weeks, Third one via FedEx or DHL and use the insurance claim to pay for the expensive shipping.



============

Paper

CAN be replaced

NOT original documents (can be coppied)

Send electronic. Of the over 6 pounds of documents ond pics that were taken to the interview there were only a small hand full that were not sent this way.

This can be email attachment but some email services have limits on attachment file size.

There are also free online file sharing services like Google documents. That’s what I used. I can upload here in USA and we both can see them online.. All she needs is internet and browser to view and organize. She can print directly at the internet café or download and save as PDF to flash memory. Any good office print shop and most internet café should be able to print from a USB flash memory.



============

Item:

Can NOT be replaced.

If you must send it use FedEx or DHL, but you really should just fly over and take it with you.



============

Item:

Can be replaced

Use USPS Express Mail, BUT insure it


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-13 13:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDo I need a intent letter for k-1 interview ?
WE did not have an update Letter of Intent and it was not asked for.
But while you are thinking about it why not throw one in with the next letter you send. Its a few cents to print and sign. Cheep insurance.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-17 12:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDid you use a lawyer
Lawyer NO, Visa service YES,

Its true that the process is not that bad and sites like this provide great information, BUT. All that research takes time. I have a full time job and did not want the process to be delayed because I did not have the time to research a form.

But with all that said, I would not have the visa service send anything in directly. Its your application, It has your signature on it, it is your life. If they wont let you review every thing that is submitted go some place else. They should be able to explain to you what every thing is and why it is being filled out they way it is.






Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-16 17:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan status go from approved to unapproved?
Picked up visa from Mall of Asia in Manila. October 21, 2011
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-21 08:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan status go from approved to unapproved?
Fiancée called embassy and the visa is still being processed.
I sent email and got the standard reply "we are busy, we'll let you know in a week, don't ask again"
She should have visa in hand before they send the real email reply.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-18 12:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan status go from approved to unapproved?
She was told congratulations and that her visa was approved. They really were not asked many questions or asked for many documents. Her and her daughters English are both very good so I don't think there was a misunderstanding. I will ask her if she remembers the exact wording. She is going to post her experience here on VJ after getting back home and to her own computer.

I think then she filled out something about how she wanted the visa delivered. She is waiting in Manila for it now and will picked up at one of the 2Go offices.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-17 14:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan status go from approved to unapproved?
My fiancée went to her interview on Oct 7th. She and several other women all had 6:30 am appointments. All seemed to have quick interviews with no problems. One already has her visa and 2 more have verified it is with 2GO document service. No word on ours yet. We are checking the 2GO web site and calling them daily. Next call is to the Embassy when they open.



What do you think?



I know parts of the overall process can take different amounts of time for different people. Each case is judged on its own merit. But I assumed after the interview and told that you are approved the actual issuing of the K1 visa should be straight forward and not vary much.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-17 13:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK-1 timing question?

6-9 months, presently, until the visa is in your hand. DO NOT make any wedding plans around that estimate or buy any plane tickets until the visa is IN YOUR HAND.


It’s way early for your plane tickets but to just say don’t buy till you have visa in hand is not so straight forward.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

I purchased ours 6 weeks ahead. I estimated the time for each step and add time for extra documents. It was a calculated risk with minimal down side.
I got 2 tickets for 70,000 airline miles then that would cost 130,000 airline miles or more now. If the visa was delayed the rebooking fee would be $50 and then have to look 6 weeks out again to find the 70,000 mile tickets.



I could have purchased 2 for $1300 cash then that would cost $2400 now. If I need to rebook it would be $300 in fees and again look 6 weeks out to find the $1300 price tickets.

So basically I could have waited and been guaranteed of high price tickets or risk a few hundred to have my love with me 6 weeks earlier.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-26 12:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDepressed and sick! Fiance Visa denied/ request more info... this is too much on us!!!!
As I read your description of what you planed and provided I am thinking,, that is just what I have submited.

Is Nigeria that hard to please?

Our interview should be in 3 weeks.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-09-22 15:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIntent to deny I-129F letter , please help

no, no , no, don't include pic show you holding a newspaper because some will view it as you try to stage something!!!!

A better alternative is to go to the movie complex and if a block buster is showing take a pic there with the posters that show what's playing in the back ground without it being obvious because anyone that looks at the pic will see the back ground posters and be able to put a year range on it. for example, transformers dark of the moon, even if you did see it you know that it was released in the last 2 years.


This is interesting, A picture like this is exactly what a professional visa service recommended for the Philippines. Now it is not the only pic they wanted but when it comes to PROVING people and date it works very well. And yes it is a staged pic. That's the point of that specific pic. Its kind of like notarizing a signed document. Its the hard proof of the signature.
You still need other pics to show "emotional attachment" if you can show that in a picture.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-02 13:34:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIntent to deny I-129F letter , please help

throw in about 2 pic of you and her together that's all they want.


Pics that have landmarks are good and a photo that can be dated is great. Like holding a local newspaper with date showing.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-10-30 17:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresVisa approved- medical package question
At least in the Philippines the xray is on the disk
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-03 11:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresSingle or double sided
I send some documents early when I did not have to send them express service. Things like full chat logs. If printed single sided it would have been over 400 pages. I printed them 1/2 size and double sided. That put 4 on one sheet of paper. Still over 100 pages. When I compared the cost for me to print and ship -vs- email and have her print at a café. It was cheaper for me to print because I could do the double sided printing.
When it came to the last few items that need quick delivery (and / or) original signed documents I used a shipper. But most things were sent email or as a shared document in gmail then have her print them.
The CO never asked for the chat logs so I do not know what they would have done with them.

But as I said at the top, I did not mean to cover the best way to ship / send. But was there any experience with double sided vs single sided documents.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-04 08:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresSingle or double sided
When you do send documents, has any body else sent double sided pages (printed front and back) to reduce shipping weight?
This is a general type question. And I want to keep it separate form questions about what is the best way to send documents.


Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-03 21:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTraveling from the Philippines to the USA

Seems very complicatedPosted Image.My fiance stationed in Guam for military duty. He asked me to choose which states I would love to go for our wedding and honeymoon. I have checked many beautiful scenery, places, old buildings, etc..etc..etc. For honeymoon we probably go to cruise ship - which I think can do that by apply Advance of Parole (AP)- but I guess we would have hard way if we choose to wed in US mainland based to info you put on this post. Posted Image. My clear explanation, I would use Guam as my POE by K-1 Visa. And the problem comes up because if I wanted to fly to US mainland to wed my fiance, I have to make a stop in Japan. I assumed, I would be out of US at that time.Posted Image


Know you understand, Yes, When you make the stop in Japan you would be out of the US and can't get back in.
Brian121957MalePhilippines2011-11-08 21:09:00