k-1 visa costs

[nkkst2 0]

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone could give me a quick run down of how much money they have spent in each step of this longgggggggg process??

Medical?

Police Check?

K1 Interview?

AOS?

Just all the expenses until you get your green card, so that I can start building a savings account.

Much appreciated.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Lets see...

Filing I-129F: $455

Medical: $275 + $50 courier fee to get the results

Gardisil vaccinations: $180 x3= $540

Police Check: $40

New birth certificate: $35

Renewed passport: $87

Photos: $50 (approx.)

Interview: $300 (rental car) + $200 (hotel for the night)- you could definitely do it cheaper than that!

AOS: $1010 (haven't done it yet but that's what I've heard)

Edit: $131 for visa processing at the consulate!

I think that's it! So... about $2,600! haha But its worth every penny!

Edited April 6, 2009 by Hugglebuggles

[Tankgurl38 0]

The filing fee ($455), Interview Fee ($131) and AOS ($1010) are all in US funds. The rest is Canadian.

[Sprailenes 47]

Hey this is like a mastercard commercial..

Price of filing... $455.00

Interview... $131.00

AOS fee... $1010.00

Look on your fiances face when you arrive at his home for the long haul... PRICELESS.

[Emancipation 2]

Hey you guys aren't including travel costs in your estimates..

I paid aprox $100.00 to get over to h'fax & back for my medical (which I realize you can't go to Hfax anymore for medical) and then another $400.00 for a flight to Montreal (plus the cost of a hotel etc)... So it added another $600.00 or so to the costs.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Here is my estimate:

Filing I-129F: $455 (US)

Printing pictures for the petition: $20 (if you have to pay for any photocopying, you should factor that in as well)

Medical: $185 - but it's now $275 and if you have to have it couriered to you add another $50 - and if you don't live in Toronto or Montreal, you have to add in some money here for a hotel in either Toronto or Montreal

Gardisil vaccinations: $180 x3= $540

Police Check: $45

New long form birth certificate: $35

Renewed passport: $87 - I didn't have to renew mine

Photos: I spent only about $20 on photos

Xpresspost to send Packet 3 back: $10

Xpresspost for Interview: $11

Interview: $280 (train tickets for my fiance and I), $70 US/hotel and then food was about $100 for the 2 days

Visa Fee at the interview: $131 US

Flight to move: $170 one way + $160 for 2 extra bags

AOS: $1010

Marriage License: $25

Marriage Fee: $35

Man I've never really added it up... I mean I figured we spent over $2,000, but man once this is all said and done that is a lot of money.

[chadlaure 2]

Here is my estimate:

Filing I-129F: $455 (US)

Printing pictures for the petition: $20 (if you have to pay for any photocopying, you should factor that in as well)

Medical: $185 - but it's now $275 and if you have to have it couriered to you add another $50 - and if you don't live in Toronto or Montreal, you have to add in some money here for a hotel in either Toronto or Montreal

Gardisil vaccinations: $180 x3= $540

Police Check: $45

New long form birth certificate: $35

Renewed passport: $87 - I didn't have to renew mine

Photos: I spent only about $20 on photos

Xpresspost to send Packet 3 back: $10

Xpresspost for Interview: $11

Interview: $280 (train tickets for my fiance and I), $70 US/hotel and then food was about $100 for the 2 days

Visa Fee at the interview: $131 US

Flight to move: $170 one way + $160 for 2 extra bags

AOS: $1010

Marriage License: $25

Marriage Fee: $35

Man I've never really added it up... I mean I figured we spent over $2,000, but man once this is all said and done that is a lot of money.

Flight to move: $170 one way + $160 for 2 extra bags <-- that is such a good thought!!!! It is true moving out doesn't fit in one or two bags but more like 4 or 5!!

[SapphireDreams 71]

^^ Yeah, I was originally thinking I would rent a truck and drive, but since I don't have any furniture to bring, I decided just to fly and take only summer clothes and stuff I need right away and pack it in 4 bags. Air Canada has the best deal from what I can see... the first 2 bags are free and then each additional bag (under 70 pounds) is $80 if you pre-pay online or $100 if you pay at the airport. It's not a bad deal I think... ends up being cheaper than renting a truck... and forces me to get rid of a lot of my stuff!

[nkkst2 0]

Wow.... thanks guys for all the costs... and very true that is expensive but well worth it. I live close to Toronto so hopefully that will cut down some costs and will drive my own car to Montreal for interview.

Also, do you have to get the Gardisil shots? When should I go get the first one, I am still waiting for NOA2.

Edited April 6, 2009 by nkkst2

[chadlaure 2]

I live in Toronto so we're still debating about driving my car down to Michigan (where we'll be living) or fly.

Somehow I don't really want to activate the visa at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit or in Port Huron. I know it seems stupid but I'd rather fly.

For the Gardisil shots, I got the first one at the medical. Depending on when I have my interview, I don't know if I'll do the second and third shot.

Does it matter for AOS anyway?

[SapphireDreams 71]

Wow.... thanks guys for all the costs... and very true that is expensive but well worth it. I live close to Toronto so hopefully that will cut down some costs and will drive my own car to Montreal for interview.

Also, do you have to get the Gardisil shots? When should I go get the first one, I am still waiting for NOA2.

The whole series takes 6 months, so I decided to just get it all over with in Canada and got the shots in a timeframe that I knew would work for when I was moving. I had my first shot in November, my second in January and will have my third in May and then I move in June.

I have no idea if I need the shots for AOS or not. Either way I didn't want to waste $180 on one shot that would do nothing for me... I figured I might as well make the investment and protect myself if I had to do it anyways. Anyways, that's totally up to you. You do need at least the 1st shot before your medical to get the visa though.

[chadlaure 2]

Yes that is what the Dr. said at the medical, he just needed the first shot to release my papers. So I did. Since I am 26 he told me I could refuse the shot and that was fine but Montreal might not like it so he told me, do the first one and the 2 other shots are up to you.

This vaccin is more effective and you are in your teen years. I agree that it can only be a good thing to get the 3 shots so I'll keep thinking about it. 2nd shot should be for the end of may

[bauser 0]

I-129F - $455 USD (exchange rate was still ok at that time so lets assume parity)

Police clearance - $27

Passport photos - $55 (2xCDN, 5xUS)

Passport renewal - $90

Medical - $185

Train to Montreal - $150

Hotel in Montreal - $150

Birth Certificate - $40

Photocopies - $10

XpressPost Packet 3 - $10

XpressPost Interview - $10

US Visa fee - $131 USD (160 CDN)

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K-1 Visa subtotal - $1342 CDN

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Moving Estimate - $300

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Marriage fees - $60 USD (75 CDN)

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AOS - $1010 USD (1260 CDN)

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Total estimate - $2975 CDN

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Ouch that's the first time I've tabulated everything together... but it will be alllll worth it.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Good points! I guess there are things I could add to mine like:

Photocopy fees: $5? (I have a photo printer so we don't need to include the cost of those)

Packet 3 sent: $25 (I was in the US at the time and sent it with USPS international priority express)

Xpresspost envelope: $10?

Moving: $500 (estimate)

Marriage license: $10

Certified copy of marriage license for AOS: $50

So that's almost $3,800 for me (included what I listed above)... But I haven't been the most economical in everything i've done, that's for sure. Also add a wedding (about $10,000) and a honeymoon on top of that, which again, is my own personal choice but means I will end up spending over $15,000 just to get married! Wow, weird when you think of it that way.

I included the travel fees to the interview, but not the the medical. Toronto is only like an hour and a half away, so its nothing substantial.

I've heard you need to show completion of the Gardisil vaccination for your AOS, or at least prove you have continued the cycle of shots... Don't quote me on that, but I remember reading some discussions on the K-1 forum a couple months back. But like Sapphire, I didn't want to spend $180 on nothing, I might as well complete the cycle and get something out of it right? I just got the second one this morning... my arm hurts.

[WalkonWildSide 0]

But like Sapphire, I didn't want to spend $180 on nothing, I might as well complete the cycle and get something out of it right? I just got the second one this morning... my arm hurts.

Can you refuse the Gardasil vaccinations? What age do they consider people at risk?

I seriously couldn't recommend ANYONE to get the Gardasil vaccination considering absolutely no long term testing has been done, and it only protects against very, very, few strains of the HPV. I can't believe they would mandate the vaccine.