ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAffadavit of support

:help: Hi we are looking at filing a k1 form well my b/f is for me to move to us with the intent of getting married.The 1 thing that is concerning us both is the Affadavit of support as I will be bring my 4 children with em and he has 3 of his own as well, making us a household of 2 adults and 7 kids,,lol

Anyone have any ideas of what level of income there looking for seen on a few sisstes they talk about poverty level how high is this and how far above he going to need o be

Also I will need to work once im out there ,how soon can i actually work



The amounts in the other links are to a .pdf file with the 2006 amounts. Here's a link to the 2007 amounts.
http://travel.state..../info_1327.html
SWA2MaleChina2007-07-03 10:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresproof of relationship photos

i'm sure this question has been asked many times, and i did go back at least 10 pages to see if i could find a topic on it, but i am wondering since all my photos are digital and we need to send in between 2-5 photos, is it ok to just print one or two photos on one regular sheet of paper (not glossy) and just describe the photo on the back side ? and a second question.. should one of the photos include a pic of both us with her mother and father and or family members (which i have a few)
not sure if that will help or if it even matters...



If your filing your I-129F all you need is proof that you met once in the last two years. If it helps, all I sent was a copy of one photo on regular paper, copy of my passport page showing the days I entered and left the country, copies of my boarding passes for the plane, copy of my hotel receipt, and a copy of my flight itinerary from travel agency. I had no problems or RFE's.
SWA2MaleChina2007-07-03 00:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAdvice regarding I-134 Affidavit of Support

I'm getting ready to send my girl all the documents she needs for her interview this week through DHL because of the time it takes for her to receive it (14 days), because of her location.
I recently called the Immigration Unit in Manila concerning the affidavit of support the lady that answered my call explained to me that the USE in Manila does not accept co-sponsors on the K-1 visa but accepts on the K-3 visa. I didn't file my 2004 and 2005 tax returns but I did file my 2006, the reason why I didn't file my 2004 and 2005 because I was still being claimed by my father as a full-time college student. The lady at the embassy informed me that I could go ahead and submit a co-sponsor but its at the discretion of the CO thats doing the interview. Then she also stated that I only needed my most recent tax return which is my 2006 1040EZ. In 2006, I met the criteria exceeding the 125% povert level, and my brother, which is a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy, makes over 75k a year.

Here is a list of everything that I have gathered so far for the I-134:

1. My I-134 Affidavit of Support (Notarized)
2. My brother I-134 Affidavit of Support (Notarized)
3. A signed employment letter with company letterhead from my director
4. My six earning statements for this year
5. My Bank statements starting back from 2005

Is this sufficient enough? :unsure:



Sharon -

Attach a copy of your W-2 along with your tax return. It's always good to go to the embassy's web site because different embassy's have different requirements. I see the Manila Embassy does ask for a copy of your W-2 along with a copy of you tax return. Here's a link to the K-1 package instructions from the Manila Embassy's web site. See the instructions of page 2 under evidence of support.
http://manila.usemba...ov/wwwfivk1.pdf
SWA2MaleChina2007-07-07 19:53:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresI-134 question ?

Do I have to show some evidence of the real estate that I own since I declare a certain value of it in I-134 ? If so what is the best document to attach it ? Can anyone help me please. I'm not sure what to attach ?

Thanks.



My Property Tax Statement has the estimated market value on it. I attached a copy of my Property Tax Statement and a copy of my latest mortgage statement. The estimated market value minus the balance my mortgage was used to come up with my total equity for my I-134.
SWA2MaleChina2007-07-07 22:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresProof of having met in person w/in the last 2 yrs

I know it says include 2 to 5 pictures? How many did you guys include and how about the emails did you also include that? and how many did you include?



I sent one photo and no emails. Along with the one photo I sent a photo copy of the page on my passport showing the entry and exit days from the country, copies of my airline boarding passes, dated hotel receipt, and a copy of the flight itinerary I received from my travel agent. All you need to do is prove you met once in the last 2 years, not show an ongoing relationship. The emails would be more important to show an ongoing relationship and you won't need those until the time of the interview.

Enough? Must be. I received no RFE's and the petition was forwarded to NVC and then on to the embassy. My fiancee passed her visa interview yesterday.
SWA2MaleChina2007-07-10 18:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresneed help for the question 18 part b on the k-1
QUOTE (flavorgreentea @ Aug 26 2007, 03:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
finally im ready to file the k-1 but need a little advice on question 18 part B...

Has your fiancé(e) met and seen you within the two-year period immediately receding the filing of this petition? discribe the circumtances on which you have met.

please need an actual statement so that i can get an idea...

please vj people help!!!



Short and simple works fine. I wrote, "Met in person Sept. 2 through Sept 10, 2006 after months of communication over the internet."
SWA2MaleChina2007-08-26 11:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresI´m a newbie, Is my display img. good to send as my 2x2 passport image?
QUOTE (archie07 @ Sep 2 2007, 10:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It was well worth the big 9 bucks I spent at walgreens for the pics not to have a problem with uscis. Within 10 minutes the photos were done and exactly what was required. Usually they will give you the extra copies for free.



That's what I did too. Had my passport photos within 10 minutes. In fact, my fiancee was having trouble understanding what size the passport photos should be, so she had a digital photo taken with her camera while sitting in front of a white wall and emailed the digital photo to me. I took it down to Walgreens and they adjusted it to the correct size and I had her photos within 10 minutes also. A lot quicker than having her send me actual photos by mail.
SWA2MaleChina2007-09-02 13:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs this right what im seeing
QUOTE (william_wallace @ Nov 14 2007, 09:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My fiance is from South Carolina and will be applying for the K1 soon and and i was told on here and by other people that it gets processed at the Vermont centre, but i seen this. Can anyone tell me if this is right or wrong?

Thanks





TEXAS SERVICE CENTER

The Texas Service Center currently receives all I-129F Petitions filed by U.S. Citizens residing in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

However, the Texas Service Center is currently routing all I-129F Petitions to the California Service Center for processing.

As of April 25, 2007, the current processing time (from receipt to approval) is approximately 90-120 days.



*Please note that the above timeline is based upon actual client approvals from the past 6 months and tend to be more accurate than processing times found on the U.S.C.I.S website



A new I-129F was issued 7/30/2007. You can download the form and instructions at
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
and click on Immigration Forms.

A quote form the instructions . . .
"Vermont Service Center Filings
File form I-129F with the Vermont Service Center if youlive in:
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida,Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey,New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma,Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina,Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands,West Virginia and the District of Columbia."

Note that when you click on form I-129F that the 11/24/06 version of the form is still accepted.
SWA2MaleChina2007-11-15 17:46:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNecessary to go Back a Third time?
QUOTE (Melrose Plant @ Nov 20 2007, 04:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hello, I am new here, though I am not new to the K-1 process. We've been waiting 3 months now since we filed our 129F. Boy, I wish I'd got on the ball and got all this stuff in sooner. Anyway, it sure looks like now it takes much longer than it did a year ago, and since my wife (oops, not supposed to call her that) is in Vietnam, which has one of the LONGEST turnaround times of any country, it's going to be, say, maybe 8-10 months since I last saw her when she goes for her interview.

We've discussed this at length (we talk every day), and we've decided we need to save our money and not have me come until she's able to come to the U.S. with me. However, now I am worried that the people at the Consulate will say that we don't have a strong enough continuing relationship, or something like that, because it's been so long since we met in person.

Is there anything to that? Should I go back a third time, say in March (an expense which would be a real burden)?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

James



No, it's not necessary to go back a third time. I visited my fiancee in September of 2006. I had hoped to visit her again in the spring of 2007, but was unemployed, unable to find a new job as soon as I had hoped, and couldn't afford to go back. I didn't get a good paying job until June and by that time my fiancee was already scheduled for her interview in a couple of weeks. We kept records of all our email. We also used Yahoo messenger almost every night. This way we could also see and talk to each other. You can also text message with Yahoo and save the files. My fiancee printed out all my email and Yahoo messages. My lawyer suggested selecting selecting 10 to 15 email messages and several Yahoo messages where we discussed our future relationship. My fiancee had also been sending email back and forth with my parents and two of my nieces. My lawyer told me to be sure to include these in the evidence of an ongoing relationship as it showed that she had been accepted by my family. We also sent a few cards (Birthdays, Christmas, Valentines Day, etc.) back and forth by snail mail so we would have the postmarks.

For the interview my fiancee selected about 20 emails and printed them out. She attached a list describing what each email contained. We mutually selected email where we wrote about marriage plans, decorating the house, selecting bedding and furniture, my fiancee's plans for a future garden, etc. etc. She also selected a similar number of Yahoo Messenger messages, printed them out, and attached a similar list. The other pieces of evidence we used were cards and letters from me to her and email to her from my family. The interviewer only looked the email messages and approved her visa. He didn't even bother to look at the other evidence. We only selected email that discussed our future plans together, not the routine stuff. Now's the time to plan. Discuss some of these things with you fiancee via email and have her save them for the interview. You can visit my timeline and check my review of the Embassy for more details.
SWA2MaleChina2007-11-20 22:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHow to use Passport as evidence.
QUOTE (Danno @ Nov 28 2007, 09:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thanks for the replies but I am a little confused, of course the I-134 is required to be notarized as proof that you really signed it.

My question has to do with "Evidence of our meeting".
When the first document is filed.. the 1-129, it states "copies" of documents are okay but ACTUAL documents will be needed at the interview. If copies were enough from start to finish you can imagine how easy it would be to claim anything.

I sent a copy of my passport with the visa page with indicates I was in her country at the time we had a meeting.
How will they verify this if I do not furnish the actual document (passport with visa stamp) or notorized copy at the interview (when other *actual*...not copies are presented)?


I think you're confusing "required" documents with "evidence of meeting" material. Your passport is not a required document. It was only something you used to show evidence of meeting. Required documents your fiancee will need are a Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, and Divorce decree if applicable. We sent copies of my wifes Birth Certificate and Divorce Decree with the 129F, but she needed the original documents at the interview. The only original document I gave her for the interview was the notarized I-134. Attached is a link to the U.S. Embassy in Russia. It tells you exactly what documents will be needed at the interview. If an original document is required it specifically states original document. ]

http://moscow.usemba...cord_id=fiancee
SWA2MaleChina2007-11-28 21:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures2008 Poverty Guidelines
QUOTE (beng_and_carl @ Nov 14 2007, 01:05 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
may i know when is the poverty line/threshold for 2008 will be released? i might be interviewed by january 2008, i'm worried if we will meet the requirement then.

thanks a lot!!


The paragraph below was taken for the U.S. Department of States web site.
http://travel.state..../info_1327.html

"On January 24, 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services, published its annual update of the Poverty Guidelines, taking into account increases in prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index. On March 1, posts must begin using these new guidelines in calculating levels of income and assets that immigrant visa petitioners and joint sponsors must demonstrate in their I-864 Affidavits of Support."

Since the guidelines did not take effect until March 1 last year you might be able to assume that the same would be true this year.
SWA2MaleChina2007-11-14 19:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling in the I-129F (Pease Respond)
Don't leave anything blank. Under Part 2 of the general filing instructions it says . . .

Answer all questions fully and accurately. State that an item is not applicable with "N/A." If the answer is"none," write none.
SWA2MaleChina2007-12-02 11:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedurespacket 3 questions
QUOTE (CTrink @ Dec 9 2007, 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
quick question about packet 3, my fiancé recieved 4 forms, 2 ds156, ds156k, ds157 <now what's some info on these... she can't really figure out how to answer some of the questions... i've seen links for an online version of ds156 and told her about that, but what's up with the other two forms? is there a question by question tutorial on these?


Try this U.S. Department of State web site to get a copy of the forms.
http://travel.state....forms_1342.html
SWA2MaleChina2007-12-10 21:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat actually *is* the poverty line?
QUOTE (Jeraly @ Jan 10 2008, 03:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ummm - pretty much what the title says!!

Is there an official source of what the poverty line is? I know my OH has to be earning 125% of it but it would be helpful to know what "it" is!!

Cheers!



Here's the official site.
http://travel.state..../info_1327.html

New Guidelines will be issued before the end of this month and take affect March 1. I've seen other Federal sites (U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services) that issue what they call 2008 Poverty Guidelines, but if you look closely you will see that they are for FFY (Federal Fiscal Year) 2008 and match the numbers in the table at the above site.
SWA2MaleChina2008-01-10 18:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresemails
QUOTE (ky-vag @ Jan 13 2008, 10:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
With regards..."proof of on-going relationship,

I have plenty of emails, that not a problem but, she is from Brazil, so we email each other in portuguese, my question is...do I need to translate all the emails into english for the service center? or at least para-phrase so they get the general meaning of the message? (that will be a lot of writing!!!)



No proof of an on-going relationship is required when filing your I-129F, only proof of having met once in the last two years. All I sent were copies of boarding passes, travel itinerary, passport stamps, hotel receipt, and one photograph of the two of us together in China. That's it. No copies of email or any proof of relationship. No RFE for me either. Proof of relationship is only needed at the interview.
SWA2MaleChina2008-01-14 20:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion-Marriage-SSN timing,etc.
QUOTE (zeroland @ Jan 20 2008, 08:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey Folks-

I'm trying to verify the sequence of events for us to follow once my fiance arrives here in the States. I have seen it listed like this: Once she is issued her K-1, enter the country within 6 months, wait 2 weeks after entering the country to apply for SSN, get married, then apply for a name-change for the SS card. However, Ruth and I have decided that she will be keeping her current last name, and NOT changing it to my last name. So I am assuming that just means our sequence of events would be: enter the country, after 2 weeks apply for SSN, and just marry ASAP. Would we need to wait for the actual card with the number to have the civil-service ceremony performed? Are there any other details or considerations we should make in order to do it this way? Can anyone think of any problems or reasons not to do things this way? I'm just trying to make sure we don't run into any problems or roadblocks by following this sequence BEFORE we go this route. So any thoughts or input would be appreciated. Thanks for your thoughts...


My situation was similar to yours in that my wife did not change her name when she married. She's Chinese and traditionally Chinese women keep their family name when they marry. We wanted to get married as soon as possible after she entered the United States. In Minnesota there is a 5 day waiting period, but only one person has to be present to apply for the marriage license so I was able to apply for two weeks before she entered the country. Minnesota law requires a Social Security Number when applying for a marriage license. I called an Immigration Attorney about this and he hold me the Immigration Attorney's Bar Association would gladly take the county to court if they tried to enforce this law as they consider it unconstitutional, but that in reality every county in Minnesota will waive this requirement for a K1 visa. Missouri law actually allows for situations where one party does not have a Social Security Number in order to apply for a marriage license. Here's a link to the law in Missouri.

http://www.moga.mo.g.../4510000040.HTM

The second paragraph states, "Each application for a license shall contain the Social Security number of the applicant, provided that the applicant in fact has a Social Security number, or the applicant shall sign a statement provided by the recorder that the applicant does not have a Social Security number."

In our situation we married first, applied for an Adjustment of Status, EAD, and Advance Parole as soon as we received the official marriage certificate, and then applied for the SSN. We did all this within the first month.
SWA2MaleChina2008-01-20 11:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAttachment to I-129F, Question 18
QUOTE (Stefan83 @ Jan 21 2008, 03:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That's awesome. I try it here. *grin*

I am from Berlin, Germany. My current fiancée comes from ND, USA. We r actually preparing the package stuff and I have a question about the question 18 of i-129f: she talk about the where, when, (why GRIN) and how. While describing the situations, she also explain (very detailed) how we stay in contact (mail, phone etc.). She refers to the "Letter of Evidence" while describing. Is that possible or would it be better to create a single (extra) letter for that?!

Thanks again good.gif



Keep it short and to the point. They're only asking how you met, not for proof of an on-going relationship. Save that for the interview. Explanations are only needed if you don't meet the requirements for having met in the last two years. All I put was "Met in person from Sept.3, 2006 to Sept.10, 2006 after communicating for months over the internet." The dates matched my hotel receipts, trip itinerary, and passport stamps.
SWA2MaleChina2008-01-21 22:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresaffidavit of support
QUOTE (mirazalea @ Jan 26 2008, 01:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi,

I'd like to know what's the difference between I-134 and I-864. Please help! innocent.gif helpsmilie.gif



The I-134 is intended for non-immigrants (students, temporary workers, etc) while the I-864 is for immigrants. Technically, K1 visa holders enter the United States as non-immigrants. The K1 visa is conditional and only allows them to stay in the United States only 90 days if they do not get married. Of course most K1 visa holders will chose to get married. Once they are married they will need to apply for immigrant status (Adjustment of Status) and the I-864 is used for this.
SWA2MaleChina2008-01-26 13:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPacket 3?
QUOTE (KitEEgirl @ Feb 18 2008, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Is there anything inside packet 3 that requires the NON-US Citizen to actually see it?

In other words... if packet 3 is received at his house in Germany, and he is here in the US...does he have to return to fill that out, or can we just download the forms and mail them in from here? If there is an identification number or something, someone at his house can open and scan or give him the info... we just didn't know if there was something else specifically inside the packet that requires him to have the original in hand..

Any thoughts??



We went through China, but the entire packet 3 was down loadable from the Embassy's web site. Your case number should be provided to you when you receive your notice from the National Visa Center that your case is being forwarded to the Embassy. It looks like the information from the U.S. Embassy is pretty complete. Here's the link for the information you need . . .

http://germany.usemb...isa/k1visa.html
SWA2MaleChina2008-02-18 16:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPoverty Guidlines website link
QUOTE (lilysintrigue @ Feb 28 2008, 04:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey guys!

Can anyone toss me a link to the site that shows the poverty guidelines for this year? I've been scanning through I-134 posts and can't find it...


Thanks a Bunch!!

~Chris & Shawna


USCIS hasn't posted the 2008 guidelines on their site yet. Here is a link to the 2008 guidelines. However, you will have to multiply the amount by 1.25 to come up with the USCIS's 125% requirement.

http://aspe.hhs.gov/...ty/08fedreg.pdf
SWA2MaleChina2008-02-28 19:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresReal Relationship Evidence with I-129f
QUOTE (Randy CA @ Mar 27 2008, 04:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
As I understand it, with the I-129 you must establish that you have meet your fiancée in the last two years, and at the interview, your fiancée must establish that you have a real relationship.

With that in mind, does it make sense to send in with the I-129, the pile of evidence for establishing the real relationship, or is it better to keep your I-129 on message and not burden the processor with lots of items that really do not apply to the purpose of the review, and give your fiancée the evidence of the real relationship to take with her to the interview?

I like the idea of keeping the I-129 simple and easy to understand. But I am not sure I am correct on this point. The official instructions only mention “copies of any evidence you wish to submit to establish your mutual intent.”



No proof of a relationship is needed when you submit your I-129F, only proof of having met once in the last two years. I sent one photograph with my I-129F and that was all. If fact it wasn't even a photograph. My lawyer thought I would want to keep it so he just made a copy on the office copier and sent that in. What I did send in was proof of meeting once in the last 2 years. I sent copies of my passport stamps, trip itinerary, boarding passes, airline tickets, and hotel receipts for evidence. That's all. No RFE's or any problems. It's more important to show proof of an ongoing relationship after you submit the I-129F. Use this time between now and the interview to document your relationship. Sent letters, birthday cards, save emails, receipts, visit again if you can afford it, etc. etc.
SWA2MaleChina2008-03-27 18:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHow to go through customs at JFK if coming from Canada?
QUOTE (Steve and Amara @ Mar 27 2008, 12:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have just read on the UCSIS website that when the K1 fiancee arrives at the major port of entry (ie: JFK) the immigration officer can issue her with a 90day work visa to allow her to work whilst in the country on the K1.

From the *vibe* of the article it didnt seem like this was common practice...more so if the K1 Fiancee requested it.

Does anyone know anymore info on this? Obviously, if the fiancee could legally work whilst as a k1 (before the AOS comes through) it would be a big plus!!

cheers,
thanks in advance kicking.gif



Here's another link that I have saved showing that K1 visa holders are allowed to work..

http://www.socialsec...ration/visa.htm
SWA2MaleChina2008-03-27 19:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresGetting married straight away after the K1 is approved
QUOTE (Steve and Amara @ Apr 5 2008, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
We have heard a few rumours that once the K1 is approved and the foreign fiancee enters America that it is best to wait a month or more before getting married. We were told this from a LA immigration lawyer as he said that Immigration may view a marriage promptly after arrival as not legitimate.

Any views, comments, suggestions about this?

At first when we were told this it seemed understandable, but now the more we think about it the sillier it seems, as it appears that the K1 petition (I-129F) is where all the legitimacy is proved.


cheers
unsure.gif


We were married 4 days after she entered the United States. No problems.
SWA2MaleChina2008-04-05 21:40:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiancee Travel Question
QUOTE (DWOODARD72 @ Apr 5 2008, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi all

I've started to plan for my fiancee's travel to the U.S. from Manila and I needed some help in finding a good deal on a one way ticket to the U.S. Someone mentioned to me that the airline ticketed needed to be purchase by me here in the U.S. in order for her to be able to use it. However, someone on VJ stated that I would be able to find a ticket at a much lower cost if she purchased it there in the Philippines. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations on this? Thanks.

DW


My wife, or fiancee at the time, flew here from China rather than the Philippines. In our case it was much cheaper for her to buy a ticket in China. I wanted her to fly Northwest Airlines as she could make Saint Paul her port of entry. The price quoted by the airline was quite high. A travel agent quoted a price slightly more than half the airline quote. My wife was able to get the same ticket in China for less than one third the airline's quote. She did this through a travel agent in Guangzhou China. Northwest was offering a "Welcome to America" fare through her travel agent. This price was $600 less than the quote from the travel agent I had contacted. She had to show her K1 visa to qualify for the rate. It's possible your fiancee may be able to find a similar deal in Manila.
SWA2MaleChina2008-04-05 21:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPhotos: home print or kodak/walgreens?
QUOTE (Michael&Guli @ Jun 15 2008, 08:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
i know in the K1 guide it suggests going to a place such as kodakgallery/walgreens/cvs to have the evidence of meeting photos printed, but is that necessary?

what has been everyone's experience?

i don't mean to go against the guide, but i have a nice photo printer at home that produces really great photos (albeit with 'canon' stamped on the back instead of kodak/etc) - plus it's so EASY to just do it from home. and i have all the primary evidence (tickets, boarding passes, passport stamps, atm withdrawals in mongolia, statements and proof of payment on everything, etc)...

i understand there is the idea that i could have doctored all the photos, but is the 'credibility' of having them printed at a drug store really necessary?

again, not trying to go against the guide, but wondering what everyone else did for this - and if you self-printed were there any issues?


many thanks,

michael



Don't worry about. You'll be fine. Photos are only secondary evidence as far as proof of having met is concerned. I only sent one photo with my I-129F. I hired a lawyer long before I ever heard of Visajourney.com. I gave him two photos of me and my fiancee and he gave me one back saying only one was necessary. A few days later he sent it back to me thinking it may have sentimental value. He just ran a copy off the office copier and sent the original back to me. I had no problems. However, I think Walgreens or CVS are great for passport photos. They're inexpensive and will be the correct size. My finacee had trouble getting passport photos the correct size in China. She wound up taking a high resolution digital photo of herself in front of a white wall and sent it to me via email. Walgreens was able to take the digital image and scale it perfectly to fit their template for passport photos.

Edited by SWA2, 15 June 2008 - 10:11 PM.

SWA2MaleChina2008-06-15 22:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresLetter of how you met your Fiancee for I-129F
QUOTE (JonasMichaels @ Jun 17 2008, 02:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi, would like to hear from those who have already filed their k1 ...

**did you just fill in the small area on the form where it says explain how you 2 met or did you attach a separate sheet?

**if you attached a separate sheet, how long was your letter?

**from your knowledge of what you have read on VJ or your own experience, is it better to explain too much or is less, more?

**especially would like to hear from those who got pink first time around, I think I have been unnerved by reading VJ horror stories and have over-written my letter. Would really apprieciate your advice before I send this sucker out.

Thanks everybody!
Jonas



Keep it short and sweet. If you needed more room they would give you more room. I wrote, "Met in person from Sept.3, 2006 to Sept.10, 2006 after communicating for months over the internet." The dates not only showed that we had met in person within the last two years but matched the dates on my boarding passes, passport stamps, and hotel receipt. For filing an I-129F you are only asked to show proof of having met in the last two years, not show evidence of a relationship. That comes at the interview.
SWA2MaleChina2008-06-17 20:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion about filling in the I-129F
QUOTE (Ghorabaa @ Jun 23 2008, 08:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (stardusted @ Jun 23 2008, 04:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Different people choose to offer different amounts of information. I did not use a separate page and was able to fill all information, including dates, into the box. Ours mentioned the date and circumstances regarding when we met, and all the times we saw each other after that. Very simple and direct.


Can someone give some examples of what they wrote when the filled in the box and did not use a seperate attachment? I am trying to get a better idea of how much info is sufficient.



All I wrote was "Met in person from Sept.3, 2006 to Sept.10, 2006 after communicating for months over the internet." The dates matched my boarding passes, passport stamps, and hotel receipt. No additional sheet was attached.

Edited by SWA2, 23 June 2008 - 09:08 PM.

SWA2MaleChina2008-06-23 21:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresBirth Certificate
QUOTE (driz8 @ Jun 14 2008, 03:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My Fiance received a copy of her birth certificate about a year ago and is concerned that it is too long ago and i may be "expired".

I am trying to convince her this is not a problem but she wants some assurance. If anyone has any info about this please let us know so she can have a good night sleep!

Thank you



My wife's copy of her birth certificate was made in 2004 and we applied for our K1 2 1/2 years later. No problem. She's from China too, so that should comfort your fiancee.
SWA2MaleChina2008-06-14 17:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestions on I-129f and mail courier's
QUOTE (Ray and Geraldyn @ May 3 2008, 11:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi,just a few questions...1st. I am waiting for my fiance's G-325A forms in the mail whistling.gif She used EMS international world-wide postal courier network...has anyone heard of it? I have the tracking number,but nothing comes up for it...it was mailed 5 days ago express and my fiance e-mailed me a copy of the recipt so I know I have tracking number right. It was mailed from the Philippines. 2nd. I have read in the forms some examples on how to assemble the I-129f package and seen some photos put together on the same page...I like the look..but will they except photos put together like that or will they want them like stated in the guides...I think it said separate photo's with dates and location written on the back? The photo's all on one page was a cleaner look..was it done on MS word? As all my photo's were taken with my digital camera. 3rd. Last but not at all least WE just found out WE are pregnant kicking.gif I am 40yrs old never married and no kids...Geraldyn and I are very,very excited,she just had the first visit with her doctor and all is going well...but the doctor is saying no traveling. I know from reading the forms and looking at time lines that it is a 50/50 chance to get approved before or after the baby is born....God willing biggrin.gif My question is...on the I-129f it asks to name any children she has that will be traveling with her? What do we put? We want to file now to try and lessen the wait...but I have not found any information on petitioning while being pregnant helpsmilie.gif Any information would be greatly appreciated,We thank you All good.gif Attached File  my_trip_to_phillipinnes_197__3_.jpg   705.25KB   20 downloads



This is what I get when I google EMS. It's a Chinese company. Hope it helps.
http://www.ems.com.cn/english-main.jsp
SWA2MaleChina2008-06-29 16:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNot enough pictures?? what to do?
QUOTE (linapolifasetica @ Jul 2 2008, 06:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
OK so me and my fiance have been together for soon to be 4 years but since I was very young when we first met I wasn't able to see him often I had to wait till my parents decided that they wanted to go on vacation so I can tag along... so unfortuantly in the last 2 years I only saw him once and though we had spend every day during the month and a half I was there together and with a digital camara at hand (and had more then 100 pics to show for it) all those pictures got deleted like 3 days before I returned. sad.gif so I only have 3 pictures from that entire stay and it is all I have? Of course I have the flight info so they would have proof that I was there during the said time period. I am also going to be visiting him in December so we will DEFENITLY take pics then ( and make sure they aren't deleted). I don't think that he will be having an interview before then (though I would be super excited if he did) am I going to be ok with the small amount of pictures I have?

Also I have some from longer ago should I give a few of those too to show an on going relationship?



Don't worry about it. By your timeline it looks like you haven't even filed your I-129F yet. There is no requirement of proof of relationship for the I-129F, only proof of having met once in the last 2 years. Proof of an ongoing relationship is only needed at the interview. I only sent one picture with my I-129F and we had no problems. Heck, my lawyer thought the photo might have some sentimental value to me so he just made a copy on the office copier and sent the original photo back to me. My fiancee brought photographs of the two of us together at her interview, but they never even asked to look at them.
SWA2MaleChina2008-07-02 20:23:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresFiling K-1 when to file/send G-325a?
QUOTE (My Mohammed @ Jul 3 2008, 03:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
O.K. I have decided I will file for a K-1 visa and I visited the USCIS homepage. I didn't see the G-325a on their site or mentioning of having to send it in with the I-129f. On VJ I was reading the check list for sending a K-1 and it has the G-325a included as if we should send that with the I-129f.

Which is the correct way to do this.. send ONLY the I-129f and later I will be instructed to send the G-325a or what? I'm sorry if i've misunderstood any of this. I appreciate your answers. smile.gif

Jolie



Go directly to the USCIS web site http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis and click on "Immigration Forms" at the top of the page. The forms you need are here. Open the instructions for the I-129F. If you read the instructions for the I-19F you will find the following . . .

6. What Other Documents Do You Need?

A. Submit a completed and signed Form G-325A (Biographic Information) for you and a completed and signed Form G-325A for your fiancé(e). Except for name and signature, you do not have to repeat on the Biographic Information form the information given on your Form I-129F.
SWA2MaleChina2008-07-03 16:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresaffidavit of support question
QUOTE (narzel @ Jul 22 2008, 09:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (KimandRuss @ Jul 22 2008, 06:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well it used to be 3 years of taxes... now it's usually just one but your best bet is to contact the Embassy you'll be dealing with to find out exactly what they will request of you. Each one is different.

It's ok to put the tax stuff together now but you should wait for the rest of the supporting documents (letter from employer...paystubs..etc) until after you've received your NOA2.

good luck

i guess my question is still do i need to request a copy from the irs or will the copy i filed with turbo tax be sufficient



The copy you filed with turbo tax will be fine (that's what I did), but you will also need to send copies of your W-2's.
SWA2MaleChina2008-07-22 09:48:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 Q18 Question Evidence of meeting
QUOTE (andypandy @ Jul 23 2008, 06:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi all,

Me and my fiancee are preparing our k1 petition and had a question regarding question 18 on evidence of meeting etc..

Roughly how long does this need to be, should we describe details as to when i asked her to marry me etc? stuff along those lines...

Iv'e visited her twice in the u.s ...One thing is i dont have any boarding stubs or an intinenary from the flight for last year, there is however a stamp in my passport and i have bank statements showing purchases in her town etc, will this be fine?

Also have pictures from last year ...

From our recent visit I have, boarding passes, passport stamp, intinerary and bank statements, pictures...

I'm taking it that will be more than enough?

Also...in certain cases, do you put "None" in every single box pertaining to a single question, such as children, previous spouse etc?



Very little information is required for question 18. It only asks if your fiance(e) has met and seen you within the two year period previous to filing the petition and to describe the circumstance under which you met. All it put was . . .

Met in person from Sept.3, 2006 to Sept.10, 2006 after communicating for months over the internet.

The dates in this simple statement showed that we had met within the two year period and matched the dates on my passport stamps, flight itinerary, boarding passes, and hotel receipts. You only need to prove you have met once within the last two years so boarding passes, passport stamps, itinerary, receipts, etc. from your most recent visit will be enough. I only sent one picture. Pictures can be helpful but are only secondary evidence and more useful in establishing an ongoing relationship at the interview stage.
SWA2MaleChina2008-07-24 04:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresLetter of intent
QUOTE (andypandy @ Jul 30 2008, 06:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just curious about the letter of intent that needs to be given at the initial petition stage...

everyone says "original" does that mean, not the example letter given on this site? Iv'e printed that out for us both, changing the wording slightly, signed my one...will that be ok? or does it need to be something else?



"Original" means the document must have your signature in ink on it. Original copy as opposed for photocopy. Don't worry. Just make a simple statement saying you are free and willing to marry. Copy it word for word (with individual names added) if you want. No one is going to get you for plagiarism.
SWA2MaleChina2008-07-30 20:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHow do I find out which Service Center to use?
QUOTE (minibadger @ Aug 3 2008, 06:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hello,

I'm about to file my K-1 petition (I-129F package), and I'm unsure where to send it / which Service Center to use. The DHS websites, even typing in "k-1 service center" into Google and filing their office locator links, have said that for me, who lives in Minnesota, the St. Paul office is the correct one (#######? They don't even process those!), another has said the Nebraska service center is the one to use (I also don't think they process those), and only in one place linked to through a VisaJourney subpage did I find this

http://www.uscis.gov...00045f3d6a1RCRD

Which says to use the California one, at:

California Service Center
24000 Avila Road
2nd Floor, Room 2312
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

Is the California one the correct one to send the entire package to? Also, I've heard the best way to send it is in a USPS package requiring signature. What is the exact best way, Priority Mail envelope with signature confirmation, or some type of Registered Mail?

Thanks!



The answer is right in the instructions for the I-129F. Click on Immigration Forms and download the instructions from the following web site. The answer is on page 5 of the instructions . . .

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
SWA2MaleChina2008-08-03 09:13:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat am i supposed to write for our supplement?
QUOTE (Mocana87 @ Aug 14 2008, 05:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I started to write about how I met my fiance for our declaration of how we met and I started to become worried that I was writing to much information. I am not sure exactly what they are looking for in this part of the form. I just started by explaining why I was in Romania and how I met him. Then I started getting carried away describing in detail about when we started dating and how many times I came back to visit and how hard it was to leave. I just wanted to know if its a good thing that I am going in such detail or am I including the wrong details? Can someone please give a sort of outline of the main topics I should talk about?

I guess it should be
-How and when we met
-When we started dating?
.......

-When we got engaged?

Help please~ smile.gif!



You don't need a lot of detail. They're only asking how you met. I simply put "Met in person from Sept.3, 2006 to Sept.10, 2006 after communicating for months over the internet." The dates not only showed that I met the requirements of having met once within the last two years but also matched the dates of my passport stamps, boarding passes, trip itinerary, and hotel receipts.

Edited by SWA2, 14 August 2008 - 09:16 AM.

SWA2MaleChina2008-08-14 09:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAll Originals to My Fiance??
QUOTE (provec @ Sep 2 2008, 12:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi Everyone;
USCIS processing Center at Laguna Niguel recently approved my application for fiance visa, sent the approval to the National Visa Center who sent it to Bogota, Colombia where her interview will happen
The fiance has received and is completing the packet from our Consulate in Bogota, meanwhile I am preparing to send her the I-134 and a complete copy of my original 129 application as sent to Laguna Niguel.
My question is- The forum guides say to send her all the originals of the forms I originally compiled, such as divorce decrees, boarding passes, photos etc. However I did send some originals to Laguna Niguel, leaving me with only photocopies of one divorce decree and some boarding passes and pics..in short, Laguna Niguel has the originals.
Should I get another certified copy of my divorce decree and have more original photos printed from negatives, or will the Consulate in Bogota be okay with a mixture of copies and originals??
I think I can get more of everything except the boarding passes, I'm just anxious to express mail this entire packet to her in Bogota.
Tx!!



Other than the I-134, the originals needed at the interview are the beneficiary's documents. Your original documents (your birth certificate, etc) are not required. If you sent a copy of the beneficiary's divorce certificate with the I-129F the beneficiary needs to bring the original. The web site for the Bogota Embassy is pretty good. See the attached link and read the information there. The instruction package for K visa will tell you exactly what the beneficiary needs.

http://bogota.usemba...pt-package.html
SWA2MaleChina2008-09-04 21:45:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDS-156.pdf link not working?
QUOTE (tlnt @ Sep 25 2008, 09:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
http://www.state.gov...ation/82068.pdf

Get error? Anyone else?
Thanks
tlnt



I get the same error. It looks like the official site is now . . .

http://travel.state....forms_1342.html
SWA2MaleChina2008-09-27 09:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK-1 Visa application
QUOTE (Ravi_Beth @ Aug 3 2008, 08:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sorry but I looked a ton of places and can not seem to find the answer - Hopefully you all can help.

What is the poverty level of the US for a 2 person household? She has to make 125% over that so they dont deny us right?

Her annual income in $40,000+ so is that enough or do we need to get a co-sponser? Her parents have offered but we dont want to use them if we dont have to.

I just want everything to be perfect the first time around. Thanks for all the help.



Minimum requirement is $17,500 for two people. See attached . . .

http://travel.state..../info_1327.html
SWA2MaleChina2008-08-03 09:03:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresYM conversation
QUOTE (yhen31 @ Jan 7 2009, 08:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
anyone knows how do u print screen YM conversation wen if your talking via web cam?



Click Messenger on the menu. From here click on Preferences. When the Preferences window opens up click on Archive from the list on the left. When this window opens up you have to make sure that the radio button "Yes, save all my messages" is selected or nothing will have been saved. Click on the box that says View Archive. All your saved messages will be displayed. You can select the messages you want to print by holding down the shift key and using the down arrow if you want to print an entire sequence or hold the Ctrl key down and click on individual messages to select more than one. Click on the print icon.
SWA2MaleChina2009-01-07 21:32:00