FORM DS156K TECHNICAL QUESTION

[WaitingStill 24]

Hi all,

Preparing the interview package, and on form DS156K it clearly states "THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MUST BE ATTACHED IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A FIANCE(E) NONIMMIGRANT VISA," and it then lists "Your Birth Certificate," "Evidence of Engagement to Your Fiance'(e)," "Police Certificates," etc. etc.

So...(1) this is a separate package with the DS156K and listed documents, right? and

(2) what about evidence of engagement? I have the receipts and bank records showing the purchase of the rings...

Yes, two engagement rings. When I went to Ukraine in March to give her the ring, Ukraine Customs took both her birthday present (a ring) and the engagement ring, seized them because they couldn't figure out how much they were worth, and then confiscated them at a "court hearing." I was told that the president of Ukraine had ordered customs to confiscate everything so he could pay for his reelection campaign; if it hadn't been an election year, I'd have gotten the rings back.

Yes, this stuff really happens. Add the travel costs and legal fees to the cost of an engagement ring, and you will be convinced that I really love my fiancee!!!!

So I bought another ring but I'll be darned if I'm bringing it to Ukraine. Do you think a photo of it will do???

thanks

[kennym 275]

Reciepts should be fine... you have the letter of intent? You need 2, one for you and one for your fiancee, signed...

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Hi all,

Preparing the interview package, and on form DS156K it clearly states "THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MUST BE ATTACHED IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A FIANCE(E) NONIMMIGRANT VISA," and it then lists "Your Birth Certificate," "Evidence of Engagement to Your Fiance'(e)," "Police Certificates," etc. etc.

So...(1) this is a separate package with the DS156K and listed documents, right? and

(2) what about evidence of engagement? I have the receipts and bank records showing the purchase of the rings...

Yes, two engagement rings. When I went to Ukraine in March to give her the ring, Ukraine Customs took both her birthday present (a ring) and the engagement ring, seized them because they couldn't figure out how much they were worth, and then confiscated them at a "court hearing." I was told that the president of Ukraine had ordered customs to confiscate everything so he could pay for his reelection campaign; if it hadn't been an election year, I'd have gotten the rings back.

Yes, this stuff really happens. Add the travel costs and legal fees to the cost of an engagement ring, and you will be convinced that I really love my fiancee!!!!

So I bought another ring but I'll be darned if I'm bringing it to Ukraine. Do you think a photo of it will do???

thanks

Evidence of engagement is typically the letters of intent that you two lovebirds wrote to USCIS and/or local Embassy.

Ukrainian President seems like a really fair fellow

[Phil & Alla 26]

Hey Jim,

Glad to see that you read EVERYTHING, to be honest with you I didn't and looked over what you caught . I did not attach anything to the DS-156K. I am not sure if at the time I thought it was in the package I was sending with her so why duplicate it or just simply did not read that it needed to be "attached in order". But I agree the evidence you have of your engagement is your letters of intent, copy them and attach them to the DS-156K with the rest of the documents requested. So yes it will be it's own little packet. Making copies of the engagement receipts also can't hurt, I would just include one receipt as not to go into the whole story of how the rings got confiscated.

Apparently jewelry must be an easy way to make revenue with them. One visit I brought a printer, cell phone and a few watches. After opening up my luggage customs there kept asking if I had jewelry, which I did not and then the question of the printer came up and how much it was worth, so I provided them a copy of the receipt for it ($52.00) and they let me go through.

Did all go well in Argentina??

[Oksana & Max 94]

Very interesting I never had any issues going thru custom in Ukraine, even when I was bringing engagement ring I just kept it in my inner pocket and they didn't knew about that. Last time I went I was bringing 3 iPhones and an iPad and no one even asked me anything and I had everything in my luggage. Do you go thru green line or red line???

[WaitingStill 24]

Very interesting I never had any issues going thru custom in Ukraine, even when I was bringing engagement ring I just kept it in my inner pocket and they didn't knew about that. Last time I went I was bringing 3 iPhones and an iPad and no one even asked me anything and I had everything in my luggage. Do you go thru green line or red line???

Red line. Air France lost my bag. I went to Lost and Found, not realizing that Lost and Found is operated by Customs. So they had me fill out a customs declaration for the lost bag (nothing to declare) then took me in the red line and the rest is history.

[Phil & Alla 26]

Max I do not remember which line I went through, but all three visits there customs opened my luggage and they went through it. The first trip I had my lap top and brought an older one I had in my luggage for for Alla. When the bags went through the x-ray machine , they were on me like flies. Wanting to know why I had 2 lap tops, was it a gift and how much it cost, as they were having me open the bag with her lap top. I told them it was used and once they saw the scratches on it and the hinge damaged, they lost interest. So which line should I go through when we go back???????

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi all,

Preparing the interview package, and on form DS156K it clearly states "THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS MUST BE ATTACHED IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR A FIANCE(E) NONIMMIGRANT VISA," and it then lists "Your Birth Certificate," "Evidence of Engagement to Your Fiance'(e)," "Police Certificates," etc. etc.

So...(1) this is a separate package with the DS156K and listed documents, right? and

(2) what about evidence of engagement? I have the receipts and bank records showing the purchase of the rings...

Yes, two engagement rings. When I went to Ukraine in March to give her the ring, Ukraine Customs took both her birthday present (a ring) and the engagement ring, seized them because they couldn't figure out how much they were worth, and then confiscated them at a "court hearing." I was told that the president of Ukraine had ordered customs to confiscate everything so he could pay for his reelection campaign; if it hadn't been an election year, I'd have gotten the rings back.

Yes, this stuff really happens. Add the travel costs and legal fees to the cost of an engagement ring, and you will be convinced that I really love my fiancee!!!!

So I bought another ring but I'll be darned if I'm bringing it to Ukraine. Do you think a photo of it will do???

thanks

Evidence of engagenet is a new, updated intention letter. Use the one you sent with the I-129f, change the dates and sign it. They could not possibly care less if you have an engagement ring.

It is nt a separate package, it is all brought to the consulate for the interview.

FWIW Alla never had an "engagement ring" until recently, after she became a citizen.

[WaitingStill 24]

Evidence of engagenet is a new, updated intention letter. Use the one you sent with the I-129f, change the dates and sign it. They could not possibly care less if you have an engagement ring.

It is nt a separate package, it is all brought to the consulate for the interview.

FWIW Alla never had an "engagement ring" until recently, after she became a citizen.

Thanks Gary. Will do.

Jim

[Oksana & Max 94]

Max I do not remember which line I went through, but all three visits there customs opened my luggage and they went through it. The first trip I had my lap top and brought an older one I had in my luggage for for Alla. When the bags went through the x-ray machine , they were on me like flies. Wanting to know why I had 2 lap tops, was it a gift and how much it cost, as they were having me open the bag with her lap top. I told them it was used and once they saw the scratches on it and the hinge damaged, they lost interest. So which line should I go through when we go back???????

Phil,

I always go thru the green line. Though what I do the things that might be interesting them, I put in my pockets, I understand that you can't put laptop in your pocket, but only one laptop is usually not an issue. As I said I had 3 iPhones, but they were all in my jacket, so I was never questioned, and I am pretty sure with the right bribe you can get away with anything

Red line. Air France lost my bag. I went to Lost and Found, not realizing that Lost and Found is operated by Customs. So they had me fill out a customs declaration for the lost bag (nothing to declare) then took me in the red line and the rest is history.

You are not the first person complaining about Air France loosing the bags, thankfully I have never used them, and never had issues.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

i made 5 visits and they always check my bags and only complain about amount of food i bring but the super asked if for personal use then no problems even with 2 laptops, 2 ipads and camera but this is kinda shitty about the rings as they are for a special time in ones life

[spectec 12]

We bought her engagement ring and our wedding rings in Ukraine. You can get great deals on jewelry there in some of the smaller towns.

Edited August 28, 2012 by spectec

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

i made 5 visits and they always check my bags and only complain about amount of food i bring but the super asked if for personal use then no problems even with 2 laptops, 2 ipads and camera but this is kinda shitty about the rings as they are for a special time in ones life

FWIW I have never had my bags inspected or a question asked upon entering Ukraine.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Phil,

I always go thru the green line. Though what I do the things that might be interesting them, I put in my pockets, I understand that you can't put laptop in your pocket, but only one laptop is usually not an issue. As I said I had 3 iPhones, but they were all in my jacket, so I was never questioned, and I am pretty sure with the right bribe you can get away with anything

You are not the first person complaining about Air France loosing the bags, thankfully I have never used them, and never had issues.

Air France has a perfect record of losing my bags, including on the trip for the interview and it is agood thing I carried on all the documents. The lost the bag with Alla's wedding dress when I came back and when I got it her shampoo was spilled all over it in the bag. Fortunately it cleaned out OK.

If I ever have to go to Paris again I will fly to Brussels and take a train.

[MarMire 2]

Evidence of engagenet is a new, updated intention letter. Use the one you sent with the I-129f, change the dates and sign it.

Only the peticionary? o both? thanks