ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresI-129F

We're planning on having the non-civil wedding in April 2007. I just wanted to start asking these questions now. Thanks for your help J&JS. I'll have to try contacting the consulate down there.


You'll most likely have the K-1 approved and the visa issued prior to April 2007. Most people around here seem to get the fiance visa in less than a year, although I'm not sure on the time specifics for Mexico. The I-129F petition will almost certainly be approved by that point, and it will be at the US embassy in Mexico being processed.

Would you fiancee even be able to get a tourist visa? A lot of people from non first world countries have hard times getting tourist visas to the US, especially when there is a K-1 visa pending.

Not to burst your bubble, but you might just be better off waiting for your honeymoon until after she's here and you get the AP (advanced parole) after filing for the EAD.

Best of luck on your journey :luv:

Edited by rahma, 18 March 2006 - 05:34 PM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-03-18 17:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresdisappointed
Almost everyone in this country is the descendant of an immigrant or two or 3 or 20 or 50. If it weren't for immigration, those haters wouldn't be sitting at their computers being stupid.

I've stopped posting on other message boards, because obnoquiousness comes out strong online.

I'm sure you'll be happy here, since we're all n the same boat.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-03-12 14:11:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresI-134, Question 11. What do I need to write in?
We used the book Fiance & Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.S. Immigration as a reference, and it recommended that you put "n/a," since specific support was for temporary visas, and with a fiance visa, one will hopefully be staying here permenantly. That was just fine a year ago for my form and the forms of my cosponsers.

The book was ok, although I bought it a few years ago, so some stuff was outdated. The newest edition probably offers better info.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-03-31 09:26:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresreasons for slow processing??!!!
Meh, when we applied last January, we didn't get approved until April from Vermont. It's kind of a toss up :blink:

Edited by rahma, 29 March 2006 - 03:39 PM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-03-29 15:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresHow can I get copies of my tax returns?
The IRS also provides transcripts of your W-2s. We had no problem using those.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-02 15:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresGoodbye and good luck
Wow, you did some increadibly sweet and romantic things. Whatever girl you find to spend the rest of your life with will be increadibly lucky (F)
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-02-18 17:32:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresGF is worried about coming here alone
My husband made it through customs fine at O'Hare, it was finding his way around the airport afterwards to get his connecting flight that got him really lost! If he hadn't found a janitor who spoke arabic, we joke he would still be wandering around the terminals. :lol:

See if she can get a flight through an airport you're familiar with, so you can look at maps together (online I would guess) and explain the layout and how to get about. Also, a phrase book might come in handy, or a list of questions written down that she could take with her, in case she got flustered and confused.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-07 10:21:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresShould we wait to file?
I moved a few days before my husband had his interview. He brought my new address with him to the consulate and they fixed everything up at the interview.

However, I would suggest that he call up the consulate and ask what they would recommend, as it might differ from country to country.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-11 13:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresWhat's the deal with VSC?
There isn't any rhyme or reason to the timing throughout the visa process. Get used to the inconsistances and waiting, cause there's going to be a lot more down the road ;) Just wait til you get to deal with the consulates

When we went through VSC a year ago, it took more than 2 months to get the NOA2. Some people got it quicker, some waited a lot longer.

Edited by rahma, 11 April 2006 - 03:17 PM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-11 15:16:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresIs it ok to get married while filing the I-129F???
I am sure almost every single person here did not get to marry according to their plans or what their dream was. We all have to follow the visa process and change our plans accordingly. We have all had to wait an obscene amount of time before we could be with our loved ones. There are those here who have had to wait for almost 2 years from the start of the visa process, and there are those who are still waiting.

If you want to get married in Cambodia, then a K-1 is not for you. A K-1 is the visa option for those who intend to marry in the United States.

Don't make any wedding plans until after you figure out your visa options, and then make your wedding plans according to the visa options, not the other way around. That's the reality if we want to marry a non-USC.

Edited by rahma, 15 April 2006 - 09:21 AM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-15 09:20:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNeed some loving & support
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UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-15 06:25:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPOE - JFK

Thank you guys...I will keep all the valuable input in mind...I just wonder how much time it would take to get the permanent ...any thoughts


It depends on how quickly you file the AOS paperwork. We filed it a month after getting married, since that's the amount of time it took to collect the appropriate paperwork (vaccination supplement, marriage certificate, etc). DH didn't receive his EAD until the 100+ day from the NOA1, looooooong after any temp EAD would have expired. 99.9999% of the time, the 1 year EAD won't come before the temp one expires.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-19 07:57:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1


What advice can you tell me


Learn patience early


The most valuable advice one can have during the immigration process and the subsequent processes in the United States :yes:
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-19 07:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDS 230, question 9
I think the DS 230 is used for several different kinds of immigrant visas, so another applicant might very well be married at the time of the visa application.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-19 10:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDamn damn damn


If you call the IRS and wait on hold for an hour or so, you should be able to get transcripts of past years tax returns and W-2s sent to you in 1-2 weeks. It's much quicker than requesting over the internet or via mail, which I've heard can take up to 6 weeks.


Go to the IRS website and do a search for "transcripts". There's a form that you can send them, and they are actually pretty good about getting back in a timely manner. $.39 stamp is less valuable to me than sitting on hold with them! Best of luck.



How long does the form take? I seem to remember old posts here that said that it took weeks and weeks to get transcripts via mail.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-21 08:31:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDamn damn damn
If you call the IRS and wait on hold for an hour or so, you should be able to get transcripts of past years tax returns and W-2s sent to you in 1-2 weeks. It's much quicker than requesting over the internet or via mail, which I've heard can take up to 6 weeks.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-20 09:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAnyone with experience with the Nairobi Kenya K1 process?
Haven't seen anyone going through Nairobi, although you may want to check the Africa subforum and browse and see.

How long it takes depends on a large number of factors, including which service center you go through here, how long it takes to schedule an interview in Kenya, how long it takes for your fiance to turn in the paperwork, and the price of milk in Mumbai (j/k on the last one).

The visa process could take 3 1/2 months (very rare though) or more than a year. Our K-1 process was about 8 months, but got an interview very quickly in Cairo.

Welcome and enjoy your journey!

Edited by rahma, 24 April 2006 - 03:38 PM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-24 15:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresNew To This Site
Make sure you check out the Middle East/North Africa forum here. We have lots of people going through Morocco.

In addition to meeting in person being a requirement for getting a visa, it's also just makes good relationship sense. This board is full of tons of people who have met via the internet, and I'm willing to bet a lot of them can testify to how critical meeting in person is to determining how your relationship will work out. Plus, traveling to another country is FUN! I loved the time I spent in Egypt. And, it gave me the chance to meet his family and friends, and get to know him much better before I made the life long commitment to marry him.

Another thing to think about if you're a college student is sponsorship. Part of the visa process is signing a sponsorship form that certifies that you make a certain amount above the poverty line, so that you can support the immigrant and that he won't become a public charge. You can have a cosponsor, but thinking realisitically, how will you both live if he comes here while you're in college? K-1 visa people don't usually work for months after they've gotten here, so you'd have to support yourself and him while he was waiting for employment authorization.

When I met my husband, it was mad crazy love after the first few months. We were determined to be together, come hell or high water. But, reality had other plans. Since I had a few years of college left, I saved my money, visited Egypt 2 times and when I graduated and got a decent job, filed for the K-1 fiance visa. It was a long time to wait (met September 01, he arrived October 05), but it made it much easier when he got here.

Good luck on your visa journey! As the clique goes, it's a loooong strange trip :luv:
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-21 08:29:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion
Welcome and

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on your visa journey.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-25 10:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresGot NOA2 today!!!
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Congratulations! Now the service center will forward the packet on to the embassy (going through cairo i think?) The embassy will then send your fiance a packet to fill out. This could take a few weeks to a month, depending on how quickly the embassy gets the stuff and how long it takes them to send it out.

The packet will contain a list of things your fiance needs to send them, including the I-134 sponsorship form, police records, his birth certificate and a physical.

After he turns all of that in, you wait for an interview.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-25 09:33:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Procedures11 days and no NOA1 and check not cashed yet

Learn patience early or you are in for much frustration.


:yes: The entire visa process is about waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting some more...waiting... :whistle:

Also, pop into the Middle East/North Africa sub forum and say hello. We have a bunch of people going through Morocco who have valuable experiences to share. Plus, we support each other through the difficulties that are arab men :luv:
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-25 09:28:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTranslating documents...
Unless a professional translation is required, you could always have a friend who is fluent in english and italian and/or albanian translate the documents and then include at the bottom something along the lines of:

I, _____, certify that the above translation of ______ is accurate and complete. I am fluent in english and ____ and am competent to translate from _____ to english.

sign ______ date


When the time comes when you need a translation, check with the embassy or with USCIS and see if a professional translation is needed. Otherwise, you can save the $$. A friend did my husband's birth certificate for the AOS and we haven't had any problems with it yet.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-25 14:49:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresTimeline VS Noa1?
I don't think there would be any harm in calling. Worst case, you would wait on hold for awhile and they would tell you that there's no new information.

Last year when we were going through Vermont, we didn't get our NOA2 until roughly day 70, so be prepared for a wait.

Edited by rahma, 26 April 2006 - 10:47 AM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-26 10:44:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1, G-325
Well, the question has already been answered, so I'll just say welcome to VJ!

Make sure you check out the Middle East/North Africa subforum. We have a ton of people going through Morocco, and their experiences are invaluable and will help you guys quite a bit down the road.

:dance:
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-27 11:14:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPacking up your k-1 information to send in the mail...
I stuck all of the pictures and boarding passes to pieces of paper, paper clipped things into bunches and made a cover letter that listed everything I was sending.

I believe I sent it through USPS.

Good luck!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-27 10:38:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresinterview
Yaay! I hope your reunion is sweet and the transition is easy.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-28 12:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK1 interview experience @ Montreal
Congratulations! I hope your transition and AOS process go as smoothly as the interview did!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-28 12:02:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK-1 Application details
My signature consists of a my initials, a J, an L and a C that looks like a big O. The rest of the letters are just a flourish of the pen. I've never had any troubles with USCIS with that, and I've sent them a lot of papers.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-28 15:27:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresProof of Engagement
We had just simple silver bands, nothing fancy. I don't think we turned in any pictures of them, and no receipts.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-29 08:07:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPacket 3 recieved...
As others have said, he has 6 months to enter the US. My husband got his visa mid August and spent the next month and a half finishing up his affairs in Egypt before coming to the US in October.

Congrats on your fast moving visa process!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-04-29 08:09:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion 14 on I-129F
I used the address I lived at at the time (my friends' basement, swanky). I moved to a new apartment that is now our permenant domicile a week before my husband's interview. When he went to his interview, he brought the new address and had everything updated then.

We didn't have any problems.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-05-01 14:58:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresApproved K1 Petitions Being Recalled!
What a bunch of sh*t! Stupid stupid stupid, one would think that perhaps they would have anticipated the IMBRA, because, ya know, we all knew about it beforehand.

Do'h!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-05-11 07:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresStarting Procedure for Meeting and making it go faster
Be sure you stop in and check the Middle East/North Africa subforum here on VJ. We don't have a lot of people going through gulf embassies, but we're pretty good at dealing with ME/NA men :yes:

As others have mentioned, take the time you're there to get to know your fiance. People differ from the internet to real life. This website is full of stories of sucessful online relationships, but there are also a number of people who have passed through who haven't had a happy ending.

My husband and I knew each other online and met three times in person over a 4 year period before he arrived on a K-1 last October. While the seperation was unbarable at the time, looking back at it now, it helped us both know almost everything about each other and prepare for a life together. Most people here have considerably shorter times between meeting their loved ones and being reunited, but it will take some time.

Good luck :luv:
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-05-14 12:50:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresToo much?
I didn't include any actual print outs of chats. I included a few screenshots of our email inboxes that showed that we had been emailing each other consistantly for several years, but I didn't include any content of the messages.

This was sent along with copies of cards sent to each other, boarding passes and pictures of us together, and we go through a-ok.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-05-17 10:10:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresAre Interview Dates Flexible?
First, what country is your fiancee from? Second, what's your timeline? That will effect the answer somewhat.

Third, heck NO don't cancel the interview. There's often months long waits to schedule one, and if you cancel it, it may be bumped waaaaay back, months.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-05-17 16:22:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresQuestion regarding parental consent
Not to be a total wet blanket, but make sure you know the answers to these questions:

Where will you live when you get here?
How will you support yourselves?
How will you support yourselves if you can't find a job for 5 or 6 months after arriving?
Is your fiancee going to finish high school and go to college?

My husband and I weren't quite as young as you and your fiancee when we met (I was 19, he was 24), but we waited 4 years to be together because we asked ourselves questions like this and realized the start of our life together would be even harder if he came while I was still in college, living in the dorms, dependant on my parents and working part time in the cafeteria.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-05-25 11:37:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan you marry abroad during the K-1 Process?

Getting legally married is out of the question if you intend to apply for a K-1 visa. An alternative would be to have a religious ceremony for her family and friends back in Columbia. Many people have a religious ceremony, which does not make them legally married.



But, as Joey mentioned above, make NO mention of said ceremony to anyone remotely related to USCIS or the POE people. Make sure NO pictures of said ceremony accompany your fiancee as she attempts to enter the United states. Make sure she DOES NOT wear a wedding band on the usual wedding band finger. Make sure she DOES NOT refer to you as her husband when entering the US or at the interview.

ack, edited to add looks like Joey got to it a second before me :P

Edited by rahma, 06 June 2006 - 03:25 PM.

UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-06-06 15:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresafter K-1
A number of people on this board have small, legal marriage ceremonies in the US to statisfy the AOS requirements. Then, they plan the huge, blow out, fairy tale wedding for a later date, when they can better afford and plan for it, and/or after they receive advanced parole/green card.

My husband and I are still saving up for that fairy tale wedding. *sigh*

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Good luck on your visa journey!
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-06-05 15:01:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresphone number on I-129F

my man is NEVER home so I gave his cell #



I also didn't have a landline, and my cell has worked just fine throughout the entire visa process. Put down a number that will stay the same throughout the whole thing, so that you don't have to go through the hastle of informing them of a change.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-06-09 13:35:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresK-1 visa questions
Waiting is a part of the visa process, unless you're lucky enough to have entered the US and then on the spur of the moment decide to get married. If you're going to file any marriage visa, be prepared to practice your patience ;) Entering the US with any other type of visa with the intent to marry is a big no no.

Welcome to VJ and hope your journey is a smooth one.
UmmSqueaksterFemaleEgypt2006-06-13 13:08:00