biggish data

K-1 fees and cost

You mean your petition was approved. The K1 is still in limbo until after the consulate interview.

First, you should download the forms and instruction packets from the consulate's website here:

http://hochiminh.usc...ms/package.html

The one they call "Instruction package for K1" is the packet 3 notice they'll send. The one they call "Appointment package for K1" is the packet 4 notice they send with the interview appointment letter.

You'll have to pay the visa fee. It's $350, and has to be paid in US currency at Citibank in district 1, Ho Chi Minh City. They'll give you a receipt for this fee. You have to bring the receipt to the interview at the consulate.

You also have to pay for a medical exam. Your fiancee can go either to Cho Ray hospital or the IOM clinic. The medical fee is $110, though it may cost more if your fiancee needs vaccinations. Cho Ray accepts US or VN currency. IOM accepts only US currency. Make an appointment well in advance, if possible. It takes a couple of days to get the results, so make sure you get an appointment at least a few days before the interview. Butt dragging at Cho Ray is common, but can sometimes be overcome with "coffee money". I don't know if the same is true at IOM.

If she's approved for the K1 at the interview it will still take a week or two before they issue the visa. They keep her passport, and when the visa is read they affix it to a page in her passport. I don't know if there's a fee for delivering her passport containing the visa. My wife went to the consulate and picked up the passports when they were ready.

Don't forget the biggie - plane ticket to the US!

After she arrives and you get married then you can start working on the adjustment of status package so she can get a green card. That's going to set you back $1070. Add a little more if you need to go to a civil surgeon to have her vaccinations transcribed to an I-693. Read the guides about this step, and visit the AOS forum when you're at that stage.

Thank you for taking the time to post this information. I spoke with my lawyer today and he said that the Visa fee is about $150 and medical a little over $120. Either way the total is going to be around $300. uff.

The Rice King

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-22 01:19:00

K-1 fees and cost

Edited by Jacob and Ngan, 22 March 2012 - 01:15 AM.

The Rice King

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-22 01:13:00

K-1 fees and cost

My K-1 was approved and received by the consulate yesterday. I am trying to find out if the Government is going to ask me to pay more money in addition to what I have already paid for the initial I-129F application fee. Are there any more fees to pay ahead before she gets her visa approval?

Please advice

The Rice King

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-20 21:28:00

Attorney Representation - What Good Is Having One?

I am not rich but I love my fiance so much that I prefer to play it safe and pay to get all the legal advice and experience possible from someone who has helped hundreds if not thousands of others. So far my lawyer has been very helpful. Remember that even if you pay for a lawyer you must get your self involved in the case as much as your lawyer. Is great that some have the time and feel confident enough to go for it on their own but I would never advice against hiring a lawyer to others. Paying for guidance, legal advice and the assistance to help me bring the love of my life to my country is not a waste of money as apparently it is so to others.

Edited by Jacob and Ngan, 26 March 2012 - 06:53 PM.

The Rice King

Male

Vietnam

2012-03-26 18:51:00

Getting nervous

Getting a lil nervous for the interview. I cant wait to be with my hunni. Any words of advice?

Relax and be confident thats is going to go smooth, i have been reading some of the interviews post and it looks like they're not asking too much.. have faith that everything is going to go great..

idalmi & luis

Female

Dominican Republic

2012-05-15 17:26:00

Second K1/ Advice/ideas/thoughts...

Dear VJer,
As few of you guys are aware about our path of first K1,It was denied at New Delhi Embassy without giving any legitimate reason and We met twice after that; had an engagement ceremony, lots of pic. with family.. lots of more evidence. We are going to send a second K1 petition very soon and your thoughtful ideas will be a great help for us this time.
You can see our time line here.

http://www.visajourn...ip/page__st__15
CSC I-129F
May 03,2010 --- Received I-129F at USCIS
May 04,2010 --- Sent NOA1
May 05,2010 --- Touched
May 10,2010 --- Received Hard copy of NOA 1
July 12,2010 --- NOA2(Approved) AND sent to NVC
July 17,2010 --- NOA2(Hard copy)
July 16,2010 --- NVC Received
July 19,2010 --- NVC Left
July 21,2010 --- Embassy Received
July 27,2010 --- Embassy Sent packet 3 by normal post(Never Received)
July 29,2010 --- Packet-3 E-mailed to Embassy
Aug 02,2010 --- Embassy Acknowledged receiving of P3
Aug 26,2010 --- Packet 4
Oct 12,2010 --- Interview (221g)
Oct 25,2010 --- Submitted additional Proof of Relationship
Jan 11,2011 --- Petition expired and being sent back to NVC ,No Visa(As per US Embassy email)
Feb 1, 2011 --- Petition returned to NVC
March 8,2011 --- NVC returned to USCIS
March 22,2011 --- USCIS sent a notice saying petition expired/ Can apply fresh one
April 12-26,2011-- Her Second Visit (Had a nice Engagement Ceremony)
Nov 14-22,2011 --Her Third Visit( It was wonderful time together but very sad when we said goodbye)
Dec ??,2011 -- Second K1 Petition sent to USCIS

Good luck to you R&S this time!!!

Provide ALL the documents that show the true relationship between you and your fiancee, and try the luck again! New Delhi is worst to deal with this type of situation in India, I know.

Loto

LotofPatience

Male

India

2011-11-27 09:47:00

Thanks for the info Gary. My lawyer originally estimated that she might have her visa in hand within 5 months (so around mid June). Although I realize nothing is a guarantee, I would definitely be thrilled if we are lucky enough to get it in 3.

Good luck with the naturalization.

Take Care.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-19 22:05:00

Wow. That's great news about VSC. I was hoping that they had picked up the pace on approving petitions. Thanks for the info Gary. Hopefully, my attorney will be consistent in keeping me informed. It was awesome seeing your timeline. That must have been a near record for VSC. This is a great community. You are all really helpful.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-19 07:33:00

That's really awesome. Congratulations. I'm hoping I get as lucky as you with NOA2. It would be great if my fiance could get here around the start of summer. I've heard filing in January, February, and March is sometimes a little quicker because the number of petitions slows down. But I'll just hope and pray that this goes smoothly.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-19 02:10:00

Thanks for the info. I'll be waiting for the mail at this point. ha. I should have consulted with this forum sooner.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-19 01:48:00

Would anyone be able to tell me if I should expect an email verification regarding NOA1? I used a lawyer when I filed, and they advised me that I should expect to wait approximately 20-30 days to receive NOA1 in the mail. I noticed that some people on the website have referenced emails and text messages that indicated their status regarding NOA1. I do remember that my petition included my email on the I-129F, but I wasn't sure if that is how they would initiate contact.

Thanks for any help.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-19 01:28:00

Cashing of Check by USCIS

Yes I agree with you there. they don't play with money. yes. Dallas than before Vermont. I just know that the petition's destination will be Vermont since I'm from NJ. So it really should be cashed by next week at the latest I hope.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-21 15:33:00

Cashing of Check by USCIS

Thanks guys. I think I will email my lawyer to make sure he knows I'm watching my online checking and haven't noticed the check cashed yet. My petition did have to go from San Diego (where my attorney is based while I'm from NJ) to Vermont Service Center though, and with the holiday last week, I'm not surprised that it might not have been processed yet. But at least I know it's something to stay on top of.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-21 14:17:00

Cashing of Check by USCIS

Does anyone know the typical amount of time for USCIS to cash the check sent with the petition. I know my lawyer mailed the petition last Thursday (1/12), so although he will receive the notifications, I figured I could also watch my bank account too for any signs of the check being cashed. No sign that they have cashed it yet, but I figured someone here might remember the timeframe between sending the petition and noticing the check was cashed.

Thanks.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-01-21 12:33:00

That is awesome to hear titantom. And I agree. Anything is better than silence. At least we know that our petitions aren't idling at the bottom of some pile or in a random box somewhere. I actually talked to my attorney today about preparing my financial documents, and he did say something very interesting. He has been in this business for a while (over 20 years), and he thinks that the current processing times for petitions at VSC are aligning with what he saw in 2008. There were some pretty fast approvals back in 08. He actually remembered a couple cases he handled in 08 that were filed at a time similar to ours and came through between early and mid March with NOA2. I actually found a couple of timelines on this website with similar results. Even in terms of the touches. Although there is a bit of randomness with it all when it comes to approval, I'm happy to know that it's at least in the realm of possibility.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-10 22:06:00

thanks JKelly. It feels good to know something is being done with it right now. I'll keep my fingers crossed for some luck with the processing time.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-09 23:00:00

ha nevermind. Got my answer. I hope these "touches" continue. Even if it doesn't amount to much, it makes me feel that at least something is happening.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-09 22:38:00

I noticed on My Case Status that the Last Updated section changed to 2/09/12 today. Is this what you guys refer to as a "touched?" What exactly does that mean? Is it something they would update just upon moving the file around?

Edited by Paul86, 09 February 2012 - 10:23 PM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-09 22:23:00

Peace of Mind for K1 vs J1 adjustment of status

You should have your girlfriend contact a U.S. Senator or Congressman. You're beyond the estimated time frame for approval now. Some petitions from November 2011 have been approved according to timelines on this website. It would be good to find out what's going on, or at the very least get something moving at this point.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-19 13:25:00

Thanks for all the info Gary. It's really helping us to get a better perspective on just how this process unfolds. And yes, I will definitely remind her to acquire those translations. Do you know of any reputable services that can evaluate the transcripts when she arrives?

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-22 23:07:00

Yes. I think the trends are definitely important to look at. And we'll be able to see how many more timelines are created over the next month or two. If it continues to hover around where it's at now then there must have been a decrease in petitions submitted.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-22 15:50:00

That is really interesting VosnMars. I think it's very possible. Although the popular opinion is that the touches don't mean much, it still makes me feel like my petition is not sitting somewhere idling in a box or something. (Some petitions have been approved without any touches at all). But obviously they were doing something with our petitions those days. My timeline right now is predicting a May approval. I would be happy with that. The attorney I used still thinks it will be sooner. (the earliest possible month being March). I was thinking somewhere in the middle, and maybe if I'm lucky, it would happen in April. But the whole process is very strange to me. At times it seems very arbitrary, so I'm not getting my hopes too high. The fact that some petitions from mid November have been approved at VSC is a good sign though. When I looked through all the timelines from 08, the same thing seemed to be happening. Many of the fall petitions were coming through in 80-95 days and then when winter hit (months of December, January, and February), there were many petitions that were processed in 50-65 days during those months. I would certainly think there are fewer petitions submitted during the holidays (people are just busy and it does take some time to put all this together). So I guess all we can do now is wait and see what happens.

Edited by Paul86, 22 February 2012 - 01:22 PM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-22 13:20:00

Yes. After you input your receipt number, you can sign into your account and view the last updated section which indicates your most recent "touches." And I agree. It may be a little early to pass judgement on just how many petitions were filed in the past couple of months. 38 timelines seemed very low though for VSC in January 2012. Maybe people are slow with joining this wesbite after submission or creating a timeline. But even looking back to the months of October, November, and December in 2011, it still seemed that there were fewer petitions than previous years. The numbers seemed more along the lines of 08. But I guess we just have to wait and see what happens. The numbers may be unreliable right now. I guess if we start seeing more frequent 50-70 day approvals of petitions then will know something is up. It's interesting that some mid November petitions have processed through already.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-22 11:31:00

These were all for K1s submitted to VSC (just pulled them right off the search function)

January 2008 K1 Timelines Created - 88
January 2009 K1 Timelines Created - 122
January 2010 K1 Timelines Created - 142
January 2011 K1 Timelines Created - 145
January 2012 K1 Timelines Created - 38

Edited by Paul86, 22 February 2012 - 01:15 AM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-22 01:11:00

I was playing around with the timeline search feature and saw some interesting trends. The number of K1 petitions submitted to VSC for the months of November 2011, December 2011, and January 2012 seemed to be the lowest in years (at least according to the number of timelines created for those months on this website). I think January 2012 has only 38 timelines created thus far for K1 petitions submitted to VSC. I noticed that during 2008 (another year with far fewer petitions submitted), many K1s were pushing through VSC with times ranging from 45 - 60 days... It was interesting to look at the trends, and I'm curious to see what happens to some of the more recently filed petitions this year.

Edited by Paul86, 22 February 2012 - 01:00 AM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-22 00:59:00

Have long das it take to gat K-1 Visa ???

It's a request for evidence. But hopefully, since you had an attorney prepare the petition, they will have spotted any errors and checked that the application had enough evidence to support that a meeting took place within the past 2 years. That's all the Service Centers look for (and a background check on the petitioner).

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-27 08:59:00

Have long das it take to gat K-1 Visa ???

It's almost impossible to know. Some people breeze through in 60-90 days (there was an even a K1 that went through in 23 days recently) Others wait substantially more time. The process is very random, and the best thing to do is avoid an RFE. If your petition is at Vermont Service Center, you may receive adjudication more quickly based on current timelines.

Feli, Have you contacted a Congressman at all about your petition? It's terrible that you've been waiting so long.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-27 08:55:00

Just hope you interview with a reasonable consular officer and be certain to clearly explain how it was only expressed as a reference of endearment. It's really impossible to predict what will happen. Some people have not had a problem. Some people have had a problem. This whole process has more variables than any of us can really process. You can't go back and change it now. So just work with what you have and maybe give your fiance some emails that talk about where you want to have your wedding or something like that. Information about actively planning this ceremony for the US. Because obviously you are! So start the emails now. Keep them going for a few weeks or months until the interview. I really think email exchanges like that would be your best defense. Then if it's a problem she can pull them out and at least have some sort of information that will contradict any accusations. I think that would be your best solution. And it might not even come to that. But just prepare this and I think it will give you some peace of mind. I think any reasonable consular officer seeing such emails would have to at least reconsider any accusations like that. You wouldn't be engaged in such conversations if you were married. Problem semi-solved. So just hope for a reasonable consular officer and I would think this gives you a good chance of eliminating any problems.

Edited by Paul86, 01 March 2012 - 05:04 PM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-03-01 16:59:00

Well maybe it's not a problem in Ukraine (they may be more focused on there at least being a genuine relationship). I decided to ask my attorney about this since he's been in the business a while (over 25 years) and he's seen just about everything (handled thousands upon thousands of cases). Again, his response was that it's consulate specific. What may be okay in one consulate might have some serious consquences in another. But I still wouldn't do it!! I look at it this way. There are many many factors out of our control in this whole process. This is one that we can control. It would not be wise to take the risk. But if the OP submitted emails that could complicate the interview, he should have his fiance prepare herself to give a pretty good response. The results may all just come down to consular officer he gets.

Edited by Paul86, 28 February 2012 - 02:18 PM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-28 14:10:00

Gary is absolutely right! Avoid including any of these emails as evidence. There's no reason at all to create this complication for yourself. If you already submitted them with your petition, then you probably should prepare your fiance to explain this.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-27 19:45:00

Did you actually send emails with the petition where you were doing this? If you included these messages, then I would make sure your fiance is prepared to respond accordingly because I can't see how they wouldn't address it in some way at the interview. It doesn't mean your denied, but you better be ready for it.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-27 18:45:00

It is dependent on the beneficiary's country but in particular how strict the consulate is. Some consulates wouldn't even care if you had a religious ceremony, and then did the civil ceremony here. Best to familiarize yourself with the laws and customs of your beneficiary's country. If you have a more difficult consulate, it is a cause for concern. I would make sure your fiance is prepared to address the question with a well formulated response. I think some of the bigger issues that occurred were due to consulate officers seeing pictures that looked like a wedding ceremony. I'm sure they would check some registries to see if there was a marriage license or some civil record. If nothing turned up, I don't think those mere words will do you in unless you have a very difficult consulate. If your beneficiary's country requires a marriage license for a legal marriage than I highly doubt this would cause an issue. It's really going to depend on the consulate. Some are bastards. Some are not. I don't know much about Ghana.

Edited by Paul86, 27 February 2012 - 06:09 PM.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-02-27 18:03:00

CHANGE OF JOB

It will have no effect at this stage. Just be certain that he includes a letter from his new employer and paystubs at the interview.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-03-02 10:53:00

RFE .. freaking out

You shouldn't need emails at this stage. They are only attempting to a verify that a meeting actually took place within the previous 2 years. That is all the service center does. If you don't have any emails that reference specific details from your meeting (particularly after the meeting has occurred) then don't waste time sending them. It has no effect on your petition at this time.

P+J

Male

Ukraine

2012-03-03 21:28:00

AP After K-1 Interview

THANK YOU for the prayers! And yes - that's what the responses have been. Here's the last one I got a week ago:
"This case is still undergoing administrative processing. We will contact the applicant to continue with this application as soon as processing is completed."

Congratulations and I wish you guys all the best!!

OK, so it specifically states "administrative"...I was wondering because we had to wait for Ben's visa because he had to go back and get his fingerprints redone for whatever reason...Me, not knowing what the "hold up" was (because Ben was approved at the interview and told he'd have his visa through DHL within a week) emailed the embassy asking about our case. We received an email that said "this case is undergoing ADDITIONAL processing" and to contact them again in two more weeks. I'm not too sure what was wrong with his fingerprints...perhaps they just weren't processed right, but he was called back shortly after that email to come retake them and received his visa two days later (he went to the embassy to pick it up). Hang in there...and just keep in constant touch with them....I'm sure by now they know how much you care and how concerned you are

God bless. xo

Ben and Jill

Female

Kenya

2011-10-27 14:53:00

AP After K-1 Interview

Hi. Thanks for your reply. They kept her passport. I have been calling and sending emails and everytime I get this answer that seems to be from a script book. My congressman AND Senator have both written to the embassy and all they got was a lenghty version of the same script. The congressman wrote in July and my guess is, that may have caused the 'touch' that resulted in an RFE. The Senator's letter got there at the beginning of this month and he got a reply on 10-05-2011. I hope not many people have to go through this.

Thanks again.

OK, the fact that they kept her passport is a good sign...but, I am surprised it's been this long :unsure:

Is the answer like, "this case is undergoing additional processing" or something like it? At the very least, they are answering you; some people don't even get a response at all, it's crazy. You've made it clear that you are very concerned as you have been contacting them and getting others involved and that's a good thing. Stay in touch with the embassy...it's about all you can do at this point and pray for the patience to deal with it, and I will pray that it comes through for you very soon. All my best, and God Bless.

Ben and Jill

Female

Kenya

2011-10-26 11:42:00

AP After K-1 Interview

Hi all;

My fiancee had her interview on April 18, 2011 and was put in AP. On July 12, 2011 we received an RFE from the embassy and she submitted additional evidence of relationship on July 13, 2011. Has anyone else been in Ap like this and how long did it take?

Thanks.

Hello, I am sorry you are going through this. AP can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 9 months and I've seen it go longer than a year in some cases, sadly enough. Did the Embassy keep her passport? I would email the Embassy and ask them for an update. Have you emailed them at all?

Ben and Jill

Female

Kenya

2011-10-25 11:20:00

To be or NOT be at the K-1 Visa Interview

(It was in the subheading of her thread's title.) Apology accepted, but this shines a light on one of the most overlooked points in the immigration process: So much of everything is consulate-specific. London is not Manila, Manila is not Santo Domingo, Santa Domingo is not Guayaquil, and Guayaquil is not Lagos.

The patterns of treatment of USCs at the Guayaquil consulate have continued rather consistently for years. "Ed Hall" above has nailed it, and Jim just above is correct that consular employees should not be believed when it comes to official or unspoken policy.

If I remember, I had a lengthy PM session with the OP some time ago on exactly what to expect and do.

Anyone who wants to shudder at the practices at Guayaquil need to visit the Embassy/Consulate forum and read the thread "US Consulate in Guayaquil, Ecuador" in full, paying attention to the worst of the stories.

The name of the Consulate was also in the first paragraph...it just didn't "hit me" that it was Guayaquil...so I understand fully. My answer was "generalizing" and I wasn't focusing on Ecuador, my bad. :blush:

I realize how awful that consulate is, so I'm glad you accept my apology

Have a great day.

Ben and Jill

Female

Kenya

2011-10-27 14:45:00

To be or NOT be at the K-1 Visa Interview

_______

I never heard that the american citizen was NOT ALLOWED TO BE THERE, EVER in my years of being involved with this process.
HOWEVER,.. I have been told AGAIN AND AGAIN,... that it really has no affect on the outcome, whether you are there or not. I was told by an experienced counselor who claimed 100 % success with the visas being granted, that YOU SHOULD NOT FEEL PRESSURED TO BE THERE.

and further, HE STATED THAT... those he had helped had NEVER BEEN TURNED DOWN FOR la visa.

That was .. in Colombia. A little closer to Equador, than Kenya... if that also might factor in, I don't know.

Just trying to help answer the bottom line for you.

no... you don't need to be there.
It's not 'your' interview. It's hers (or,.. his).

I was there, the first time I went through this process, in Colombia, and no one seemed to care.
But, I think she would have been granted the visa without me there (For a 2-minute interview)

BUT,.. IF YOU CAN BE THERE,... WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO?!

OK, let me rephrase my comment..."the USC petitioner is NOT allowed at the "NAIROBI CONSULATE IN KENYA" as of May 26, 2011. Now that, I know for a fact because I was there, and the papers specifically states that the USC is NOT allowed. I did, however, try to get in as far as I could. So....things do change over the years as just last November 2010, USC's WERE allowed to enter the consulate area in Nairobi. Thank you

And I agree with the rest of your post.

Ben and Jill

Female

Kenya

2011-10-27 09:43:00