F-1 fiance questions

[fredtehfrog 0]

Just starting out today.Whew, didn't think this was going to happen.

Questions: We first met when she was living in Mexico (she was there illegally) is this a strike against her in the US immigrations eyes because she was in another country illegally??

She is now back in her mother country.

They will ask us how we met and I think that we need to be truthfull about this.

We have yet to be engaged. What constitutes proof of engagement?

Should I buy her a ring & submit the reciept?

Not clear as to how to best go throught the engagement process for sufficient evidence to INS.

Mailing address.

I am not so sure that she can receive any mail at her current location.

I have enquired as to her obtaining a residence so that she can receive mail.

Not sure that this can be done.

Perhaps a P.O. box in her local town or do they request a physical address to mail the documents to from the U.S embassy in her own country.

Other questions as well but will save them for later.

Thanks for your responses.

[Marina-Del 10]

Just starting out today.Whew, didn't think this was going to happen.

Questions: We first met when she was living in Mexico (she was there illegally) is this a strike against her in the US immigrations eyes because she was in another country illegally??

She is now back in her mother country.

They will ask us how we met and I think that we need to be truthfull about this.

We have yet to be engaged. What constitutes proof of engagement?

Should I buy her a ring & submit the reciept?

Not clear as to how to best go throught the engagement process for sufficient evidence to INS.

Mailing address.

I am not so sure that she can receive any mail at her current location.

I have enquired as to her obtaining a residence so that she can receive mail.

Not sure that this can be done.

Perhaps a P.O. box in her local town or do they request a physical address to mail the documents to from the U.S embassy in her own country.

Other questions as well but will save them for later.

Thanks for your responses.

The US gov't will not care that she was in Mexico illegally. They will only care if she has ever stayed illegally in the US.

You don't really need to submit proof of an engagement. You need to submit proof of a relationship. The fact that you are applying says that you are engaged, in a way. You should submit boarding passes and/or passport stamps showing you were in the same country at the same time, ATM receipts and other things that show that you were in the same place at the same time and other things like that (which you can read plenty about on this website) that cannot be faked. And you can submit pictures of the two of you together, but this type of evidence is not as strong since it can be faked...but there are lots of threads about this, so just search and read up on that type of evidence that you should send. It is by no means necessary to buy a ring and submit a receipt (but it wouldn't hurt you to do this!). If you have other evidence to show the relationship, then there is no need. A receipt for an engagement ring would not be considered primary evidence anyway, but again, it wouldn't hurt.

And the last part, it is vital that you have an address that she can recieve mail in and this address needs to be in the country in which she will have her interview (which is not necessarily the country that she was born in!). I'm not sure if a PO box is exceptable, but I'm sure someone else will comment on that! But it is very very very important that she has an address!

Good luck!

---edited because I read the original post wrong!

Edited March 13, 2009 by Marina-Del

[Otto 83]

just for clarification - how long was she in Mexico (illegally)?

[AnnexoxShay 1]

As Marina-Del said, you do not need an engagement ring .... when you file I-129F you will each do a letter of intent, stating you have every intentions of marrying within 90 days of her entering the US on the K1 visa ... you will find all the forms and Example forms on the following links ...

Forms - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...;page=downloads

Example Forms -- http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;page=examples

As far as evidence goes you will need photos, phone records, emails, messenger chats, letters, cards (birthday, valentines) ... proof of gifts can be used to (eg my fiance sent me flowers and fruit basket) ... we prob went a bit overboard but he submitted things like bus tickets that were purchased in my local area and entry tickets to theme parks were we took photos together ... Pics of you with your fiances friends and family are great to, shows they approve .... We also had several letters from people that spent time with us both and a couple cards given to us both by a third party ... Obviously you dont need every single thing but that is they are the sort of things that are used as evidence ...

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Just starting out today.Whew, didn't think this was going to happen.

Questions: We first met when she was living in Mexico (she was there illegally) is this a strike against her in the US immigrations eyes because she was in another country illegally??

She is now back in her mother country.

They will ask us how we met and I think that we need to be truthfull about this.

We have yet to be engaged. What constitutes proof of engagement?

Should I buy her a ring & submit the reciept?

Not clear as to how to best go throught the engagement process for sufficient evidence to INS.

Mailing address.

I am not so sure that she can receive any mail at her current location.

I have enquired as to her obtaining a residence so that she can receive mail.

Not sure that this can be done.

Perhaps a P.O. box in her local town or do they request a physical address to mail the documents to from the U.S embassy in her own country.

Other questions as well but will save them for later.

Thanks for your responses.

First, no one in the US cares she was in Mexico illegally. We will let Mexicans worry about that, we have enough to do here.

Be truthful in all your answers. You do not even need to mention how or why she was in Mexico. I met my Urakinain wife in Czech Republic and never said why she was there. They do not care where you meet or how, only that it was within two years.

The only "proof of engagement" you need is a signed letter of intent. I used the samples exactly as given at this site. You do not need "proof of ongoing realtionship" for the petition. Save that for the interview. If you send it now it will not hurt anything but you will just have to do it again.

Give her current mailing address, it does not matter if any mail actucally gets through to her. You can download anything they will send to her.

If the question says "residence address" it is where she lives. If it says "mailing address" a PO box is OK. If it just says "address" it is where she lives.

[V-G-1 1]

I'm kind of in the same boat. However, i read up on the Embassy Review for Lebanon, and the poster put as a required item for the interview, "photos of the engagement ceremony". I wonder if they really require that?? Why would they need that if i am even providing her with a "Continued Intent Letter", (continuing my intent)......????

[Otto 83]

First, no one in the US cares she was in Mexico illegally. We will let Mexicans worry about that, we have enough to do here.

Be truthful in all your answers. You do not even need to mention how or why she was in Mexico. I met my Urakinain wife in Czech Republic and never said why she was there. They do not care where you meet or how, only that it was within two years.

The Embassy/Consulate may/will ask for a police certification from Mexico (depending on how long she lived there)... this could prove difficult to obtain if Mexico has no legal record of her (different countries operate differently)..

[Marty J 0]

I'm kind of in the same boat. However, i read up on the Embassy Review for Lebanon, and the poster put as a required item for the interview, "photos of the engagement ceremony". I wonder if they really require that?? Why would they need that if i am even providing her with a "Continued Intent Letter", (continuing my intent)......????

I don't see why they would require that (whatever an "engagement ceremony" is!).

Once the petition has been approved, it's already been accepted that you're engaged.

When it reaches the embassy, you have to show that you have an ongoing relationship, not that you're engaged.

Edited March 14, 2009 by Marty J

[Marina-Del 10]

Sorry I fail at using the quote box thing! hehe...the bolded text is quoted from above!

Give her current mailing address, it does not matter if any mail actucally gets through to her. You can download anything they will send to her.

If the question says "residence address" it is where she lives. If it says "mailing address" a PO box is OK. If it just says "address" it is where she lives.

I beg to differ that it does matter if mail actually gets to her! At least in my case they sent the Interview date in a letter and I'm not sure how we would have found out about the interview if we couldn't receive mail!! I'm sure we could have called the consulate, but that seems like it would have taken more time! Although, I do agree that if it says mailing address a PO box should be fine!

Edited March 14, 2009 by Marina-Del

[Marty J 0]

I beg to differ that it does matter if mail actually gets to her! At least in my case they sent the Interview date in a letter and I'm not sure how we would have found out about the interview if we couldn't receive mail!! I'm sure we could have called the consulate, but that seems like it would have taken more time! Although, I do agree that if it says mailing address a PO box should be fine!

The USC can call the Department of State (202-663-1225) for information about the interview date, and can sometimes find out before the beneficiary.

I do agree that having a correct mailing address is important though.

Edited March 14, 2009 by Marty J