Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	how do i Enter the USA under k-1 Visa??	You do not have to cross at Juarez. If you wanted to fly straight to Dallas or any other US City that has direct flights from Mexico, you can. The second part of what I said is important, if your final destination does not have direct flights from Mexico, all immigration procedures will be done at the first US airport you land at.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-23 16:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	what is that DS 160 nonimmigrant visa electronic application?	I looked at the K1 instructions on the Embassy website and from what I can see from those instructions, she would be filling out the DS-156 and DS-157, not the DS-160.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-23 16:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Packet three question! (and some others)	The past student visa refusal will have no bearing on the pending K1 application.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-25 14:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Medical Screening??	You will need the appointment letter from the Embassy. Furthermore, the validity of the medical exam is not indefinite.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-27 23:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA2 Approved but without sending to NVC?	The NVC is only a mail stop for K visas, the NVC will receive the file and only do the following 2 things: Assign a case number Send it to the appropriate Embassy or Consulate The case number you received was likely from the NVC, not USCIS. Despite what your notice says, USCIS never sends anything to a Embassy or Consulate directly.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-27 22:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F *denied* :( What to do next?	Did you send the G-325A Form? I'm not 100% sure if its required with the 129F The G-325A is required with the I-129F.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-09 12:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Once NOA2 is received how much time can go by....	So how long can, if necessary, I hold back the I-134 with the Affidavit of Support before things go boom? Does the I-134 expire at some point? I-134 is sent to the Embassy of with along with all other documents requested with the P3. I believe you have 1 year to respond to Embassy correspondence. A co-sponsor is not an option as the only family I does not have the means to be a co-sponsor. Anyone can be a co-sponsor, it's not limited to family.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-30 19:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How to "package" our K1 petition	(Some people do front load their petitions by having lots of additional evidence, but this seems to be mainly in high risk countries where their proof of relationship may be challenged). OP, if you want to frontload your petition, do it. You have to do what you are the most comfortable with. Anything you include at the begining automatically becomes part of the file that will be seen by a CO. IMO, the interview is not the best time to try to submit evidence for the first time. I'm not suggesting anyone go to an interview empty handed, far from it. However, I have seen people post time and time again that evidence they try to give to a CO is given right back without so much as a glance OR it is never asked for by a CO.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-03 21:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	How to "package" our K1 petition	I'm worried about sending it all with just paper clips or staples. Would I be revealing my inner OCD to put it all in nice plastic binder with clear plastic pockets for the paper? manilla folders perhaps? or better to just make sure its correctly collated and stick to paper clips or staples? and deliver the paper chunk as is. Stick to the paperclips. Everything will be taken apart and scanned. Furthermore, an adjudicator will organize a file according to their own preference.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-03 21:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K-1 Interview Possible in Mexico City	Is it possible to conduct the K-1 visa interview in Mexico City now??? No	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-05 22:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	OK to travel to US on valid tourist visa while K-1 is pending?	Yes he can come, no guarantee CBP will allow him entry. He should carry proof of ties to Mexico should they be asked for by CBP. Shouldn't cause any problems with the K1.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-05-30 12:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	RFE needed/not needed?	S and I provided evidence of a visit using Facebook photos of us together featuring the recent upload date, printed off with the date of printing as well. How likely might it be that we'll receive an RFE with this as our only proof of visitation? If this is all you provided, then I agree with the others, it's insufficient. What else did you provide in terms of evidence along with the forms?	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-03 19:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	personal talk in proof of relationship documents	There is no requirement to edit talk of sexual nature. However, it's usually not included for obvious reasons. While it is embarrasing, I don't see how talk of a personal nature could adversely affect a petition (I could be wrong). I would be willing to bet that people have mistakenly or otherwise included this kind of talk before so it would not be the first time an adjudicator would see these kinds of conversations in a file.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-09 00:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	URGENT who do we make the i-129F check out too?	URGENT who do we make the i-129F check out to?? US Department of Homeland Security	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-13 02:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 Visa Journey is Starting!	1) If I file K1 ASAP can she come here in Jan 2012 on the tourist visa without hampering K1 processing - granted that she will return to Dubai to complete the interview and other particulars? She can come, but here is no guarantee she will be allowed entry by CBP. She should carry proof of times to the UAE should they be asked for. Can she overstay her tourist visa Absolutely not. The rest of that question is moot, she must not overstay her authorized length of time.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-14 12:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA 2 approved, good and bad news	Sent a notice to USCIS that you want withdraw the petition. If the file reaches the Consulate, you may have to notify the Consulate as well that you are withdrawing the petition.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-12 22:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 visa Qs - all other names used, native alphabet?	Could anyone shed some light for my Question 1? Use pinyin.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-15 00:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 visa Qs - all other names used, native alphabet?	2. Q16 of I-129F form about native alphabet - does it mean that it needs my name and address in Chinese characters? If so, for Chinese name, we normally have the surname come first, followed by given name. This is opposite to westerner's which has given name come first, followed by surname. so, should i write my name in Chinese characters as usual, i.e with surname come first and then given name? Your name in Chinese characters would be written in the manner that it is normally written.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-15 00:12:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	k1 visa envelope	What I wasn't expecting was for a corner of the envelope to be cut out so I can see what papers are in it. Is that normal? I That's normal.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-15 16:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 or K3	Are these forms easy to fill or would you recommend a laywer? The forms themselves are straightforward as far as filling them out goes, there are sample forms in the VJ guides that you can look at for assistance in completeing them. Most importantly though, keep doing your homework. The decision on whether or not to retain a lawyer is yours and yours alone, however, I think it's fair to say most people on VJ will say unless your case is complicated, having a lawyer might not help all that much. I say again for emphasis, you have to make that call based on what your are comfortable doing, not on what I or anyone else says.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-17 08:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	K1 or K3	Posted times by USCIS from NOA1 to NOA2 for K1 and CR-1 are the same, 5 months. CR-1 has processing at the NVC but if things are managed properly on the petitioner's end, time at the NVC can be short. You obviously have no control regarding things on the NVC end. If you get married in Goa, K1 is off the table as it is for couples who are not married. Your USC spouse would file a petition on your behalf to apply for a CR-1. CR-1 is better than K3. CR-1 is an immigrant visa, you would receive a green card on arrival at the POE in the form of an I-551 stamp, the actual card would arrive in the mail a short time later. You could also work right away. To even have a K3 enter the picture, the I-130 would have to be filed first, then the I-129F would be filed. USCIS would tie the two petitions together and if the I-129F were to reach the NVC at the same time or after the I-130, the I-129F for K3 would be administratively closed leaving only the I-130 for CR-1 active. K visas (K1 fiancee and K3 spouse) are non-immigrant visas that would require adjustment of status to obtain the green card. Furthermore, in order to work or leave the US while the AOS is pending, you would have to apply for the EAD and AP respectively. Also, the timeframe before receiving an EAD and/or AP is months. In terms of costs, you are looking at the following figures in terms of fees, I rounded up in my estimates: K1: $2000 petition filing fee visa fee adjustment of status CR-1: $1000 petition filing fee affidavit of support fee visa fee If you choose the K1 route, the petition can be filed for anytime, just don't get married until after you enter the US. If you choose the CR-1 route, the petition cannot be filed until after you have married. Once you have married, filing can happen anytime. Edited by Ryan H, 15 July 2011 - 05:11 AM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-15 05:08:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	POE at Newark what must I bring	The "do not open" envelope.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-20 02:43:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Girlfriend is in China, near Beijng	Candle for Love is a China specific forum. The general consensus I have seen from posters there is that it is inadvisable to file after the first visit. No one is outright saying not to file after only one visit, they are saying that filing after only one visit tends to make CO's more skeptical of the relationship.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-06-13 00:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F Costs	Petition: $340 Visa Fee: $350 Adjustment of Status: $1070 There is also the cost of the medical examination before the visa interview.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-24 12:56:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Waiting 10 months for NOA2 - Can a Lawyer Help?	You can file suit with the court asking for a Writ of Mandamus, if granted it would compel the USCIS to make a decision on your file. I don't feel this is DIY territory, speak with an attorney about it.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-24 09:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Las Vegas marriage...Stigma?	You can get married in Vegas; there will be no issue whatsoever for doing so.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-24 15:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Getting K1 ready, G325A form ?	The one you see is acceptable.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-27 22:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	USCIS Centralizes Filing of Form I-130	I-130 is filed for CR-1 and it's filed by couples who are already married. Is your BF now your fiance and are you planning to pursue a K1 visa? If you are planning to file for a K1, those can only be filed at the lockbox in Texas and that would require the form I-129F not the I-130. More importantly, the USC will need a US Domicile. Edited by Ryan H, 28 July 2011 - 11:07 PM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-28 23:06:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Why did our approved petition go straight to consulate	Despite what that operator told you and despite what it is said on the NOA2, no file ever skips the NVC, for it is the NVC that assigns a case number and it is the NVC that forwards files to the appropriate Embassy or Consulate (files are never sent directly to an Embassy or Consulate from USCIS). However, since the NVC is only a mail stop for K1 files, I can only speculate that NVC operators have little to no information about them and just tell people that it has been forwarded on. Edited by Ryan H, 28 July 2011 - 01:51 PM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-28 13:47:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can't believe it! We got our NOA2!!	Not sure what the next step in the process is - it goes to NVC then the embassy, right? Guess it's time to do some research! It will go to the NVC where it will be assigned a case number and then sent on to the Embassy. Congrats on the NOA2!	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-28 13:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	NOA2 fowarded to listed consulate? Consulate not shown	hey Vj's need some help, recently got our noa 2.."The above petition has been approved, and forwarded to the listed consulate, Please contact the consulate with any question about your visa issuance......" What does this mean? Vj's there is no consulate listed in the application, my fiance is from Ecuador, South America. Should i wait for NVC or should i contact the ecuadorian consulate? or where is my packet going? HELP!!! You file will be assigned a case number by the NVC and then send to the US Consulate in Guayaquil. From the posts I've read, this is one of the tougher Consulate's to deal with, if you haven't already done so, read through threads about this Consulate and learn from the experiences of others.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-29 23:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	About to start my journey...	I remember our immigration attorney saying that when the sponsor initiates the process, the beneficiary is not to be in US at that time. The sponsor is ultimately petitioning for the beneficiary to enter the US with intent to stay (i.e. excluding the VWP). I have not researched this aspect of the process too much, but I thought once you initiate the K-1 process, the beneficiary is not supposed to enter the US until the case has reached its conclusion. I am open to correction on this. That attorney is wrong, the beneficiary is allowed to seek entry to the US while the petition is in progress, however, there is no guarantee that the beneficiary will be allowed entry by CBP which is why it is always advisable for the beneficiary to bring evidence of ties to show CPB in case they are asked for. Edited by Ryan H, 31 July 2011 - 03:55 PM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-31 15:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	About to start my journey...	1. I'm British and currently working in Russia. From what I've read, it will be perfectly fine for me to go through the process from here, rather than returning to the UK to complete it? It's just that I want to keep on working whilst I go through the process. Don't really like the idea of going back to the UK just to complete the process, but obviously will if that's what I have to do. You will be able to interview in Moscow since you are in Russia on a long term basis. 2. What do people find to be the most difficult aspect of the process? gathering the paperwork? the waiting? the tricks your mind plays on you when you start breaking stuff down more than you should? All of the above. 3. Whilst going through the K-1 process, I'll still be ok to travel on the VWP from what I can understand? can someone correct me if I'm wrong? It's OK to travel on the VWP during the process. However, there is no guarantee you will be admitted by CBP. 4. My good lady requires a co-sponsor. Her ex-stepdad wants to help us out and act as co-sponsor. The co-sponsor doesn't have to be related to the petitioner do they? No. Her once stepdad can act as co-sponsor. Best wishes!	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-30 12:15:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Canceled passport after k-1 visa	I was thinking to renew it in the US but I don't know how hard can be or if it this service is available in many cities. Your best bet is probably this, locate the closest Mexican Consulate to where you will be living in the US and take care of your passport renewal there.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-31 00:41:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Getting married before K1 visa application is approved	If you get married before the K1 petition is approved, you will have to go back to the start and file an I-130 for CR-1. There is no changing from fiancee to spousal visa midstream. The waiting you have done so far will have been for naught and the fee you paid to USCIS will not be refunded.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-07-31 23:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Will our frequent address changes be a problem?	My first question is what is the relevance of these questions? That is, what exactly is USCIS looking for? Are they simply gathering information or are they checking to see if we show a history of stability? I'm just afraid that to someone who is not aware of the nature of my field and of these tech jobs it may look like I am not a stable person and change jobs frequently by choice. Not an issue in of itself. You will have to meet the income requirement (125% of the poverty line) to qualify as a sponsor, otherwise you will require a co-sponsor. For K1, consular personnel will review and make the decision on whether you qualify on your own or require a co-sponsor. Also, you need an India specific answer as to whether co-sponsors will be accepted. My second question is, would there be any chances that our application will be denied on the grounds of our frequent employment and job changes? No. As I previously stated, you need to meet the income requirement, the latest poverty guidelines can be found here. Edited by Ryan H, 03 August 2011 - 01:07 AM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-08-03 01:05:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Can I expedite my interview date?	Unlikely	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-08-06 16:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Case Sent to Wrong Consulate - Need Advice	You can file your I-129 and/or I-130 at any of the consulates That's not quite correct, I-129F's cannot be filed overseas, they can only be filed stateside (TX lockbox). I-130's can be filed overseas, furthermore, as of next Monday (8/15), overseas filing of the I-130 will only be possible in countries that have a USCIS field office. Edited by Ryan H, 09 August 2011 - 11:17 AM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-08-09 11:17:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	Case Sent to Wrong Consulate - Need Advice	K1 interviews only take place at Immigrant Visa units. For Brazil, the only Consulate that has an IV unit is Rio de Janeiro. Your fiancee will have to interview in Rio, there are no exceptions.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-08-08 21:55:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures	I-129F Package fees	hi me and my fiance are just begining the process for her to be able to come to the united states i have been reading the forms and am starting the I-129F Package i have found all of the information to help but i have no clue how much it costs. on the instructions posted it just says to send a check but for how much i am not sure if i on the uscis website it says that it cost 340 dollars in fees I-129F package process i am just wondering if there are any more fees that i need to send in this or if it is just the 340 dollars. i had a friend that went through this process and he said his was like 500 so i want to make sure. $340 to file the I-129F $350 for visa (paid to Embassy or Consulate, what country are you from) cost of medical, varies by country $1070 - Adjustment of Status Edited by Ryan H, 10 August 2011 - 06:32 PM.	Ryan H	Male	China	2011-08-10 18:31:00