ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-3 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAny tips for maintaing sanity while in the visa journey process?
Great advice so far.

Here have been our fortifying factors:
1) SKYPE! I know not everyone has computers/internet/webcams, but there are internet cafes round the world where these things are available. We would be in AWFUL shape right now if we didn't have the chance to see each other at least by video every day. We're expecting a baby in a few months, and the chance to instantly share news with my husband is something I would pay anything in the world for (And I am! Some of my monthly income is sent to my husband to pay for the internet service alone!).

2) Like others said, staying busy. Working, making plans with friends, reading books, learning new languages or skills (my husband is learning German, I'm trying to learn French!), playing sports.

3) Staying connected to those who are supportive and know what it's like to go through this. I'm lucky because my parents (who I'm currently living with) went through the Fiance visa process in the early 80s to get my dad to the US from Guatemala. They went 6 months without even being able to talk on the phone (apparently they had no money). So I know they have my back and they are with me 100%. But if they weren't, I would make sure to seek out those who DO understand. For example: VJ! Live on here if you have to, you will find that anything you're going through, dozens of others have been there, and it helps so much just knowing you're not alone! Try to find friends who are supportive and willing to hear you vent about slow processing times, false RFEs, messed up automated systems, etc. Again, if not in your daily life, then on here. Between this forum and immigrate2us.net, I have found the support I need to help me stay afloat.

This process is brutal, but you can do it! We're here for ya! smile.gif
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2008-08-18 01:21:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHelp on the i-134 form
I was also teaching English in Mexico while living there with my husband. To make life easier, I ended up asking my parents to joint sponsor. Here are the poverty guidelines. According to that document, you would need prove that you are making $17,500 US to support both of you. Most of this they base on tax info, so if you've filed taxes in previous years and made more than this, it will help your case, but I still had trouble (I got an RFE asking for proof of my current employment despite submitting thorough tax and W2 info) and I had a joint sponsor covering my husband!

I'm not sure how the property comes into play, but I honestly think it's easier having a solid joint sponsor, rather than fighting to prove you can come up with the income yourself.

I wish I could be of more help...
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2008-08-23 14:56:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionWhich US Embassy in Brazil will issue a K-1 Visa?
I believe only the US embassy in Rio issues the visa. Hopefully someone else will clarify...
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2008-08-18 01:43:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI134 Question 9 & 10
Ditto to the previous poster. If it was an affidavit of support that you submitted, regardless of what was the intended visa, you list it.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2009-04-20 11:13:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHas anyone here refused to get vaccinated
Vaccine arguments aside, here are some posts from a person who recently had an I-601 waiver for vaccines approved on another forum:
http://immigrate2us....ead.php?t=50099
http://immigrate2us....ead.php?t=50100

This was in London, I believe.

I also think it's important to note that many consulates don't require vaccines for K1s until after arriving in the US.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2009-11-02 20:33:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionAdministrative Processing

My wife been calling to Congresswoman, she just talk to congresswoman , about the case and she was a black woman, she said to my wife After 9/11 visa is very hard to get visa to usa ... well she just send form to my wife house and she already fell it so she will send it back to her officer ,..what she will do with that form we fell it, and what is next step from her to embassy ? can i know that please, its been over 6 month. i still got no respond from embassy , still in ap... they said ... like when we call they never replay to email or anything else .... US Embassy Already complated the Home Invesgation Still didnt hear a word from them .... I pray to allah to help everyone with this Horrible processs Amen




EAbbas I am really sorry about your dautgher I hope she feel better now I pray for your visa and everything ... Allah will help you and soon u will be with your family Inshallah dont worried Thanks


The form you filled out gives your Congresswoman's constituent services staff the permission to deal with your case on your behalf. Unfortunately, I don't know how useful they can be in cases of AP. Most people I know who were stuck in AP had their congresspeople call and make inquiries with the embassy but they were always told the same as the applicants are: "Case is under processing, you will be notified when it's completed, etc." I do certainly hope this goes by quickly for you!
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-29 01:03:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-130 visa interview (arrested at 15yoa)
Expunged or not, US immigration is going to want to know about it, especially since it's already come up in prior immigration-related interviews. Don't bother trying to get this removed from your record just for immigration purposes. If it wasn't a problem for J visas, it's not going to be a problem for your K1. Juvenile criminal issues as minor as this one are not a problem, aren't CIMTs, and don't require a waiver, just clear documentation on what happened so immigration knows not to make an issue of it. Since you've already dealt with it in the past, it should be fairly easy to deal with again if it comes up, provided you have the relevant records.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-09 20:05:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHow to change Embassy ?
Lawyer's talent has nothing to do with the time it takes for embassies to transfer paperwork. It's outside their normal activities, so it's a matter of just how fast they want to devote resources to moving your documents, which is usually pretty slow.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-26 04:24:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionHow to change Embassy ?
I'm just theorizing, but because your petition is likely already on hold at Naples, it generally can't just be "transferred" to a new embassy by informal request. I believe you need to file I-824 to formally request that it be moved to the new embassy or consulate, but first you need their consent that you're eligible to interview there. In our case, we're re-interviewing 4 years later at a different consulate so we actually filed a new I-130 because it's faster, but that's because it's an IR1 case. I believe if we were in your case, we'd have had to file an I-824. Frankly, because this is a situation that most on this forum aren't familiar with, it might be best to at least consult with an attorney who knows how to do this. Laurel Scott, link in my signature, has been handling our case and she is extremely experienced in complex situations like this, so I would trust any advice she can give you about this. She does a free webchat once a week, there's info about that on her website, and if you can reduce your question to a few sentences, you may be able to get a good starting point from the free chat.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-21 21:42:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionCIUDAD JUAREZ BIRTH CERTIFICATES
They're not supposed to, but things happen. It's never a great idea to submit your only remaining original, and for Mexico, it seems like those birth certificates are always being eaten up by some process. My husband has gone through like 6 of them in the 5 years we've been married, and we have to get a whole new round for our kids' upcoming Mexican citizenship processes. If you have nobody to get them for you, you can use a service like actaexpress to get new copies.
http://actaexpress.com/


Also, at least the Mexican consulate in Chicago claims that in most cases, you can get them directly through contacting the appropriate state's authority in Mexico and have them sent to your home.
http://consulmex.sre...-registro-civil

Edited by GlobeHopperMama, 30 September 2012 - 09:02 AM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-09-30 08:57:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionPayment at Consulate
You'll need to send him with cash if his name is not on the card. They don't let US petitioners in just to do payment, and they require that the card be in the name of the person using it.

Edited by GlobeHopperMama, 01 October 2012 - 11:26 AM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-10-01 11:24:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionSubject Access questions
You must declare everything. Failing to disclose an incident can lead to a charge of misrepresentation. And bring ALL records related to the incidents. Even though immigration law excuses particular infractions and exempts certain things under 18, you still need to mention them. If you are not inadmissible for a visa based on criminal grounds, it doesn't matter how bad the records make you seem, the actual infractions won't cause a problem, unless those infractions in fact do trigger an inadmissibility. Moral character overall is not a factor in immigrant visa issuance unless any infraction committed falls under a section of the law that activates a ban. So it doesn't matter how bad it looks or sounds on paper. They'll want to see all the records to make sure no inadmissibilities apply, but they're not going to use those as a reason to deny a visa unless the law says they must.

Edited by GlobeHopperMama, 05 October 2012 - 02:05 AM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-10-05 02:04:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionA baby at the interview
In my opinion, unless you're nursing the baby, I wouldn't bring a baby to the long ordeal that is the consular interview. Even then, I think I'd want to pump a lot of milk and leave it with someone taking care of the baby. The waiting involved is so difficult, the stress on the applicant and petitioner is pretty significant, and unless your baby would suffer greatly in your absence for several hours, I would prefer not to expose the baby to all that, plus the potential germs from sitting in enclosed areas for so long with everybody.

We recently had a brief appointment at the embassy at Seoul to submit our petition. We were only inside the embassy for like half an hour, but my husband was busy entertaining our 3 year-old the whole time I was dealing with the petition paperwork. Seoul is a very calm embassy compared to Ciudad Juarez Mexico where we previously experienced the immigration process, but even so, it's not a great place for a kid. Even though the baby is significantly smaller and the challenges are different, babies are very needy and having a child there removes at least one person from concentrating on the process at hand.

The US citizen isn't even required to attend the immigrant visa interview at the consulate unless specifically requested. Many consulates/embassies don't even allow the US petitioner into the interview area, which is kind of interesting. If you need to stay with the baby and not be at the interview, your husband can explain this if asked where you are, and "She's caring for our 4 month-old baby" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

Edited by GlobeHopperMama, 05 October 2012 - 01:59 AM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-10-05 01:55:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionMedical Appt.
I think this is irrelevant now, probably she's already out at this point! :) But 3 hours is pretty normal. 4-5 hours isn't even out of the question. Hopefully everything went well!
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-10-09 21:01:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionInterview yesterday ...
Congratulations! I'm so glad to hear your process went smoothly!
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2008-08-23 15:46:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionQuestion on Citizenship of Child
Ditto to the above, US citizenship is conferred both by birth in the US and by birth to a US citizen parent, so you've got both angles covered, your baby will be a US citizen at birth. :)

To apply for the passport, you have to do the following:
* Get the baby's birth certificate issued from the county or state health department/vital statistics. I was able to get my son's about a week and a half after his birth, just had to wait for the hospital to submit the birth record to the county so they could register it in their records and produce a birth certificate. Make sure it is the full, certified version and contains both parents' names because you need it to prove relationship to the parents as well as citizenship evidence.
* Find out the baby's SSN, so that you can use it on the passport application. This took awhile as I lived in IL and they were taking like 3 months to issue one at the time but I think most states are way faster now, most are like 2 weeks.
* Get passport photos of the baby. This is a challenge with a newborn or little one, but if you have a camera with decent resolution, you can do it at home. Just lay the baby on a solid white blanket or sheet and stand right above him/her. Apparently the baby's eyes don't even have to be open, but my son has been using his newborn passport for 3 years now and we wanted to have a halfway decent picture, so I waited until he was alert. Once you have a decent picture (we usually have to do about 60 takes to get a good one of my son even now that he's 3!), then you can upload it to a site like epassportphoto.com, it will help you size it properly and give you a sheet of passport photos you can print for cheap at any drugstore photo kiosk or whatever.
* Fill out the application DS-11
* Bring the fees

*You and your husband will both need to go to a passport application facility together (or the absent parent can sign/notarize a consent form but it's a hassle) to apply. Most post offices are passport acceptance facilities. You sometimes need to make an appointment or check ahead on the hours for passport applications as it's often like 1-2 hours of the day, highly inconvenient. Both parents need to bring photo ID. We just bring passports for simplicity.

All of the instructions and forms can be found here, along with a locator for your nearest passport facility
http://travel.state....minors_834.html

As far as the UK citizenship, my understanding is that your child is eligible to obtain citizenship through you, but it seems complicated to me. ;) This page may help:
http://www.ukba.home...p/bornoverseas/
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-04 00:57:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionJury Duty for Illegal Alien? Please Help
Respond either by phone (if given that option) or with a mailed letter stating that you are a not a US citizen and therefore not eligible to serve jury duty. Don't go in person, and there's no need to specifically refer to your immigration status. Simply tell them you are not a US citizen.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-08-01 03:05:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionSooo about Dual Citizenship
Wikipedia can actually be a useful starting point when researching nationality issues, and provides links to the official references where you can read the specific laws or policies. For Mexico:
http://en.wikipedia....nationality_law

For India:
http://en.wikipedia....ian_citizenship
(it seems like India automatically ceases to recognize the citizenship of a person who obtains another country's citizenship...)
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-15 20:23:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionSooo about Dual Citizenship
Mexico does not forbid dual citizenship. Your husband just needs to ensure that he always enters Mexico with his Mexican passport to be eligible for the normal treatment of a Mexican citizen while there.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-15 09:29:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionStill Waiting!
Wow, it definitely shouldn't take a week with priority mail! I think this is a case where you need to inquire with USPS! That's not good...
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2008-08-21 00:30:00
Removing Conditions on Residency General DiscussionROC and Divorce
No, divorce does not prevent you from removing conditions.

Per the USCIS website:

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-25 09:21:00
PhilippinesPhilippine passport
Is he a citizen of the Philippines? If so then it shouldn't be too difficult to apply for a passport. If he's not a citizen of the Philippines, then it's all a matter of eligibility for citizenship under Philippine nationality law, which has pretty much nothing to do with his race.

http://en.wikipedia....nationality_law

http://www.immigration.gov.ph/

Edited by GlobeHopperMama, 31 July 2012 - 03:12 AM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-31 03:11:00
PhilippinesAOS in Alaska: First thing to do, get married or get SSN?
A SSN is not a requirement to marry in the US, although those who DO HAVE them are required to supply them by law. Even when some local officials believe it is required, it's not. Example: international tourists get married in the US. They don't have SSNs. Even some rare US citizens make it to adulthood without a SSN. Anyway, those who have none can generally sign an affidavit stating that they do not have a SSN, and can instead present photo ID, birth certificate (bring a translation), and it's best to bring your passport just to be safe.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-11-17 23:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress ReportsDenial Notice Sent (K1)
I'm sorry about the denial. I hope you'll keep everyone posted. I agree that the only way to know what to do is to wait for the denial letter to find out why it was denied, and then proceed from there. Good luck and I hope it doesn't take too long!!
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2009-08-06 14:39:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Case Filing and Progress Reportsanyone got approved with co sponsor?
Anybody who can provide proof of US citizenship or legal residency can be a joint sponsor.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-10-05 02:00:00
Middle East and North Africaimmigration attorney
You can hire a lawyer, especially if you think the process is too confusing to do through your own research and reading.

If you hire a lawyer, they should be licensed to practice law in the US and they should have considerable experience through your consulate. Most of the good immigration lawyers who handle consular processing (like you will be doing) are fine with working long-distance. I've worked with two lawyers who I never met in person and both did a great job of handling my concerns from a distance. They use email, phone, fax, and web communication. I'm in Korea and my current lawyer is in Texas. She has an online system where I submit facts, dates, information, and scans of documents from right there at my home office desk and she handles all the paperwork and processing on her end. It's better to work with someone excellent and skilled who is far away than someone local who doesn't actually know what they're doing.

I personally suggest the lawyers linked in my signature. Laurel Scott is really a specialist in super crazy complicated cases like mine, so you might not need someone exactly like her, but Laura Fernandez and Lizz Cannon are great for standard consular processing cases and I understand that their rates for normal, straightforward cases like yours are usually pretty reasonable!
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-25 02:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVisa Process STUCK
OK, when it comes to the Affidavit of Support, CDJ/MEXICO (and I emphasize that because sometimes the NVC is more lenient) really is looking for two things from whoever is the financial sponsor:
  • The current ability to meet the income guidelines
  • long-term stability at this income level, usually demonstrated over a period of 3 years.
Occasionally they make an exception, especially in the long-term part, mainly for recent college grads who are now making a "satisfactory" salary. However, you need to be prepared that even if the NVC passes your case on to CDJ, the consulate can and often does apply its own standard, since they have total discretion to do so. And this is what causes tons of applicants at CDJ every day to go scrambling to line up new financial sponsors or more evidence. I saw it when we were there and I still see it happen now. :( Or it may not even get that far, you may get an RFE at the NVC stage. Or both the NVC and CDJ will say it's fine and no problem.

No matter what, it's best to have a plan, because CDJ will not approve the visa until they're convinced that someone is capable of preventing your wife from becoming a public charge if it came to that. Yes, it's really hard to get some people on board. I'm glad your father has stepped up again. Hopefully if need be, someone else in your family will be equally gracious.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-27 02:23:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresquestion 21 from the I-130 form
If you're going through Mexico, absolutely do not bother filing I-129f. It is far more of a hassle and time-waster than it's worth. Mexico schedules IR1/CR1 visa interviews very quickly, and the added benefit of that visa is that once you enter the US, you're a permanent resident and can start working and establishing your life in the US almost right away.

If you get the K3 visa, you're stuck in the US with no employment authorization (EAD) and no Social Security Number (which means no ability to get a job or driver's license) until the adjustment of status packet is filed and the documents have been issued, which for some takes several months. K3 visas used to be a faster way to reunite spouses. But now, at least through Mexico, they're obsolete and unnecessary, not to mention more expensive!

Also, the process for IR1/CR1 through Mexico is mostly electronic now, and just zips along quite quickly if you have all your documents in order. However, if you do K3 and it happens to reach the consular level, you're likely to be kicked out of the electronic process and then CDJ gets really confused, they give you misleading or conflicting information, and it's just not a pleasant thing. Do I-130 and just I-130, is my suggestion.

Edited by Carlos and Amy, 27 June 2012 - 01:44 AM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-27 01:42:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures864 to 864A question
Has he ever financially sponsored anyone else? If not, I would just chalk this up to a weird NVC glitch (would certainly not be the first) and just do what they're asking. Have your dad write a letter, referencing the I-864 that he sent, stating that he only wants that one processed, and if you have a copy or know offhand, mention the date on which he signed it. Then hope that they clear things up.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-27 23:23:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Help
After 4 years of this absurdity, I wonder why anything surprises me at all.Posted Image
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-29 04:36:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Help

If you get and send certificate in Bengali. Ensure that you include an English translation of the original Bengali document and also a sworn translator statement attesting to the correctness of the translation. (throwing thIs at you so you don't get another RFE....good luck ).

I was curious if this would be necessary considering you have a full English copy of the same certificate signed and stamped by the same authorities. The whole situation is odd to begin with, but yeah, it's probably best to avoid another RFE and just have someone put a certifying translator's statement on a copy of the first (English-language) certificate you got, haha. Oh the absurdity of these things.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-28 21:59:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Help
That's really interesting that they issue original certificates in English. I'm assuming the NVC expects a marriage certificate in Bengali, as it's the official language of government there. I would first try to get a Bengali copy issued from the authority governing the place where you got married. If they refuse to issue one, then you may have to battle it out with the NVC, but I would think it odd if they refused to issue you a certificate in the official language.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-28 00:35:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC Help
This sounds odd. In what country did the marriage take place?
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-28 00:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHave you lived in the USA? What should she answer??
Again, she has to answer all questions truthfully, and so do her parents. If asked who she lived with, she needs to be honest. I have never seen this resulting in any removal action being taken against the parents, as foreign consulates are not normally interested in contacting ICE about possibly unlawfully-present people and furthermore ICE is not generally interested in spending resources investigating, locating, and detaining people who pose no actual threat.

For any future process for her parents, their fate is already sealed. As long as they remain in the US having been lawfully inspected, they will eventually be able to adjust status through their daughter once she becomes a US citizen. (INA 245© gets into the eligibility for that). It benefits nobody to attempt to hide information during the immigration process.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-28 00:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNVC certified marriage cert/marriage license confusion
When we got our marriage license, we took that to the minister who married us, he then after the ceremony, he signed a section at the bottom that contains all the details of our actual marriage date, along with our two witnesses, and he returned it to the County. When we went for our certified copy of the marriage certificate, what we got was a high-quality copy of that marriage license with all the signatures and marriage date info on it, centered on the top of the page, with all the legal certifications and raised seal on the bottom from the county. That IS our marriage certificate, and I noticed that "Marriage License" actually is the biggest word on the page, even though the document itself is actually our marriage certificate. I've heard that a marriage certificate from the STATE is actually requested in some contexts, and although we had an approved I-130 with no problem using this certificate, I wonder whether in your case, you might have to get a document from the state that has all the info from your current certificate printed up and typed into some standardized fashion...

I still don't understand, though. Have you actually been issued an RFE for this? Until you get one, I wouldn't start trying to decipher what they want.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-06-28 21:32:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresno proof of citizenship for joint sponsor
Sometimes it costs some money (my birth county charges $25 obnoxious dollars!) but it's usually a fast and easy process to get a copy of your birth certificate. Was his brother born with a midwife? Sometimes that complicates things, but the county/state should still have a record of his birth. If, as the previous poster suggests, he's just fishing for excuses not to be a sponsor, that's a different story...
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-04 01:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs are attorney fobbing us off
Having worked with a lot of excellent lawyers who specialize in consular processing, and having gone through consulates on two continents so far, I would say that this looks like completely a standard procedure for a typical immigration law firm. They do try to be extra careful to avoid RFEs and to specifically obtain all the documentation needed for whatever consulate you're processing through, which definitely can vary. They do have to take their time, and yes, they will move a bit slower on this sometimes than you would, only because they need to give equal care to all of their pending cases. Yes, it is standard procedure for attorney's offices to handle the online payment and submission, which means you do submit your NVC-related fees to them. However, I also suspect this firm does not do a lot of consular processing, based on the wording of the message, and also based on the fact that they're having you do a K3, which I thought was no longer the fastest method through London, but I could be wrong...

Anyway, basically if you choose to have a lawyer handle your process, you also are agreeing to do it their way, which might deviate a bit from the fast-track methods people often use on forums like VisaJourney. If you attempt to do things on your own or push for different procedures, it can compromise their process, cause confusion, and in the worst cases, cause the attorney-client relationship to be severed. If you feel unsettled about the way they're handling your case, and your'e confident that you can do this on your own (and honestly, unless your case is involves inadmissibilities or complications, it's pretty likely you can), then you should find out how your lawyer and any contract you signed handles the termination of the relationship, and let them know that you would prefer to proceed on your own. Otherwise, just check to make sure they're not doing things blatantly wrong, and then go along with what they're asking.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-06 07:37:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs there a website where you can pay US$2000 to get CR1 done in a month's time?
I found this disclaimer on the bottom of the RapidVisa website:

Neither RapidVisa, nor its owners and employees, are licensed to engage in the practice of law within any United States jurisdiction. Our services do not include legal services or legal advice: RapidVisa cannot act in a representative capacity on behalf of its customers ? we can only assist in preparing and processing your visa application.


So basically you can pay them $300 (or $400 in the case of a spouse visa) for a service you can get for free on Visa Journey - assistance in preparing the forms and documents and knowing how to submit them. Personally, if I'm going to pay money, I want to pay an attorney who is licensed to practice immigration law. Of course, in neither case can paying money actually move you faster than other applicants, but it can help you avoid making common mistakes and probably avoid RFEs. Paying these services does not move your paperwork faster. But it can make the process a bit easier if you don't have time to research it yourself online.

Edited by Carlos and Amy, 04 July 2012 - 10:52 PM.

GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-04 22:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs there a website where you can pay US$2000 to get CR1 done in a month's time?
Let me just say that if there were a website that would get my husband a visa in a month, you can bet I wouldn't have paid over $10,000 and spent 4 years on all this mess. :)
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-04 20:46:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAttorney advice k3-IR1
In fact, on my way to work just now, I was thinking...if your attorney didn't know about the administrative closure of K3s, he probably doesn't know that waivers are no longer being submitted via the consulate, and now they go through a lockbox procedure in the US. It doesn't necessarily affect the actual preparation of the waiver, but it certainly will affect the way it's processed, and you don't want to pay someone who has no idea how this works. If you go to immigrate2us.net's General Waiver Info section, there is a thread dedicated to details of lockbox filing and a timeline thread which shows that right now, lockbox-filed waivers are being processed substantially faster than waivers filed at the consulate prior to this change. Definitely read that section before you proceed, just so you can be fully informed no matter what you decided to do, with or without the lawyer.
GlobeHopperMamaFemaleMexico2012-07-09 18:37:00