Australian! NEEDS SOMETHING...!!! PLZ!

[AussieaAmerican22 0]

Gday everyone!

So glad I found this website, so many useful little tips out there! I have a feeling I will be getting pretty familiar with you all soon!

Firstly, I myself (Australian Citizen) and SO (U.S Citizen) are looking at applying for the K1-Visa. We have spent 6 months living together when I met her when she came to study here in Australia, then she returned and I have visited the U.S 3 times since, all in around a year and a half.

Understanding that a lot of other people have gone through this process I thought no better way to prepare ourselves than discuss this with everyone else! Having both recently graduated from University our savings / assets are somewhat limited. However, I have read that you can have someone else sponsor / support the move? Someone with assets?

As we are about to embark on this adventure can anyone i guess help with any information they think may be useful, not only to help understand the process but prepare us for what is ahead.

Therefore if you don't mind I'll ask a few questions...

1) It is really possible? This part gets me excited!

2) What's the first thing to do? How should we start preparing - there is no rush as yet.

3) What is the overall time frame? I know this varies but from all your experiences?

4) The overall costs involved? I looked at the guides but can anyone give a rough total estimate?

Hope that's not far too many questions to start, but i guess for us this process is in the initial stages and any help would be fantastic!!!

Thanks so much and I was so happy to find VJ, it really helps to see other people doing the same thing and helping each other out in this which I can imagine is a somewhat exciting / stressful time!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Gday everyone!

So glad I found this website, so many useful little tips out there! I have a feeling I will be getting pretty familiar with you all soon!

Firstly, I myself (Australian Citizen) and SO (U.S Citizen) are looking at applying for the K1-Visa. We have spent 6 months living together when I met her when she came to study here in Australia, then she returned and I have visited the U.S 3 times since, all in around a year and a half.

Understanding that a lot of other people have gone through this process I thought no better way to prepare ourselves than discuss this with everyone else! Having both recently graduated from University our savings / assets are somewhat limited. However, I have read that you can have someone else sponsor / support the move? Someone with assets?

As we are about to embark on this adventure can anyone i guess help with any information they think may be useful, not only to help understand the process but prepare us for what is ahead.

Therefore if you don't mind I'll ask a few questions...

1) It is really possible? This part gets me excited!

Everything is possible, calm down and relax, a lot of work ahead.

2) What's the first thing to do? How should we start preparing - there is no rush as yet.

3) What is the overall time frame? I know this varies but from all your experiences?

6-7 months on average, you may vary.

4) The overall costs involved? I looked at the guides but can anyone give a rough total estimate?

2-3k, again varies

Hope that's not far too many questions to start, but i guess for us this process is in the initial stages and any help would be fantastic!!!

Thanks so much and I was so happy to find VJ, it really helps to see other people doing the same thing and helping each other out in this which I can imagine is a somewhat exciting / stressful time!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Fee break down : Fee

[JeremyR 8]

1) It is really possible? This part gets me excited!

Yes

2) What's the first thing to do? How should we start preparing - there is no rush as yet.

Stop. Breathe. Read. Lots.

Especially read the guides here and the instructions for USCIS form I-129F. At first glance, they seem horribly complex, even contradictory but they're not really. Read once, take a break, read them again the next day and repeat until you understand exactly what's being asked of each of you. When the time comes, follow the instructions in the form literally.

It's never too soon to start gathering 'evidence of relationship' so start putting aside everything and anything that shows you are together. Letters, email records, phone bills/Skype records, travel itineraries, photos of the two of you together, etc, etc. If you're likely to have trouble obtaining any documents you might need later on (birth certificate, etc) then start getting them now too. It's better to have them way earlier than necessary than to be running about like a headless chicken with an embassy deadline hanging over you.

Most importantly, immerse yourself in the K-1 (fiancé(e) visa) forum here, learn from other people who are further along the line than you. Read about their successes as well as their troubles and mistakes and how to avoid them yourself. When you file, find the thread with other people who've filed in the same month as you - it's a great source of support to know there are others at exactly the same point as yourselves.

3) What is the overall time frame? I know this varies but from all your experiences?

Depends on infinite variables, really but very broadly speaking, you can expect about 10-12 months from the day the petition is mailed to the day you get off the plane in the USA (including embassy processing time). It may be several months more, it may be several months less. It took us almost exactly 11 months from beginning to end but we had a few little holdups along the way.

4) The overall costs involved? I looked at the guides but can anyone give a rough total estimate?

Well the filing fees are well documented but don't forget to add to your projected total, things like travel to the medical exam/embassy if you live a long way away, the cost of obtaining any documents, fees payable to the embassy when you get there, the cost of your flights, etc, etc, etc. It's a good idea to sit and plan that out... I think all in all, we paid around about USD$1800 when you consider all the little incidental costs that crop up along the way... Remember though, the 'adjustment of status' process (to green-card holding permanent resident) once you're here is the biggest single expense - it currently adds another $1010 to that total and you need to pay it quite soon after entry, so factor it into the equation now.

Thanks so much and I was so happy to find VJ, it really helps to see other people doing the same thing and helping each other out in this which I can imagine is a somewhat exciting / stressful time!

It can be but it's worth it in the end

Edited April 28, 2009 by JeremyR

[payxibka 10,047]

1) It is really possible? This part gets me excited!

If it was not possible then possibly half the people on this website would not be here...

If it was not possible, then my wife would not have arrived here as she did

Edited April 28, 2009 by payxibka

[AussieaAmerican22 0]

Thank you all for your help! We will take all your advice and read as much as possible and start preparing i guess as early as possible! I hope you all don't mind for the many answers I'm sure i'll have! Thanks again!

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Thank you all for your help! We will take all your advice and read as much as possible and start preparing i guess as early as possible! I hope you all don't mind for the many answers I'm sure i'll have! Thanks again!

I think there is a limit of 3 "free" questions per person here... then it starts costing you some

[AussieaAmerican22 0]

Thank you all for your help! We will take all your advice and read as much as possible and start preparing i guess as early as possible! I hope you all don't mind for the many answers I'm sure i'll have! Thanks again!

I think there is a limit of 3 "free" questions per person here... then it starts costing you some

Hahaha looks like I'm almost out of questions then!!!

[Shewack 0]

K-1 Visa Check list

My American fiance & I have just submitted our petition for Alien fiance K-1 visa

here is a check list I found that Helped us fill out the application

Form I-129F (u can get these forms from the previouly mentioned web site)

Check or money order it was $455 when we did it

Form G-325A for u & yr other half

Copys of Both yr birth certs

Copys of Both passports

Pass port photos of alien, 2inches by 2inches (American passport photo size)

A letter from both of you confirming intent to marry with in 90days of visa approval

Letters from u both describing the nature of yr relationship, history, future plans

letter emails u've sent to each other

airline tickets

photos

engagment proof etc.

Then once that is all submitted you will have to get police clearances from every country u lived in for over 6 month & what ever else they ask for in packet 3 when they send it to you

hope this helps, good luck

[msu17 0]

Of course it's possible! We were in the same situation as you guys, got married a year out of college. My husband's graduation actually was the next year, so he couldn't walk We didn't have much money so my mom co-sponsored for both K1 and AOS. No issues. One tip, when calculating total cost, look ahead past the K1. Soon after arriving, you will need to file for AOS, which is another 1010$ (ugh) plus some other fees. Good luck!

[Simon and Janet 6]

K-1 Visa Check list

My American fiance & I have just submitted our petition for Alien fiance K-1 visa

here is a check list I found that Helped us fill out the application

Form I-129F (u can get these forms from the previouly mentioned web site)

Check or money order it was $455 when we did it

Form G-325A for u & yr other half

Copys of Both yr birth certs

Copys of Both passports

Pass port photos of alien, 2inches by 2inches (American passport photo size)

A letter from both of you confirming intent to marry with in 90days of visa approval

Letters from u both describing the nature of yr relationship, history, future plans

letter emails u've sent to each other

airline tickets

photos

engagment proof etc.

Then once that is all submitted you will have to get police clearances from every country u lived in for over 6 month & what ever else they ask for in packet 3 when they send it to you

hope this helps, good luck

Helpful for those starting out. Thank you.

Do we both do letters describing the nature of the relationship, history, plans.... or just the American filing the petition?

If we both need to do it, can we use the same exact letter? (Considering it'll be the same info)

[Shewack 0]

K-1 Visa Check list

My American fiance & I have just submitted our petition for Alien fiance K-1 visa

here is a check list I found that Helped us fill out the application

Form I-129F (u can get these forms from the previouly mentioned web site)

Check or money order it was $455 when we did it

Form G-325A for u & yr other half

Copys of Both yr birth certs

Copys of Both passports

Pass port photos of alien, 2inches by 2inches (American passport photo size)

A letter from both of you confirming intent to marry with in 90days of visa approval

Letters from u both describing the nature of yr relationship, history, future plans

letter emails u've sent to each other

airline tickets

photos

engagment proof etc.

Then once that is all submitted you will have to get police clearances from every country u lived in for over 6 month & what ever else they ask for in packet 3 when they send it to you

hope this helps, good luck

Helpful for those starting out. Thank you.

Do we both do letters describing the nature of the relationship, history, plans.... or just the American filing the petition?

If we both need to do it, can we use the same exact letter? (Considering it'll be the same info)

yeah u only need the one letter from the American, we already had them both so sent them both lol probably whats been holding up the visas at CSC they have too much to read. & just add what ever prof of relationship u can find, & if in doubt weather to send something or not just send it, if they don't need it they'll just throw it out, better they do that than have to get a RFE, good luck

[Shewack 0]

K-1 Visa Check list

My American fiance & I have just submitted our petition for Alien fiance K-1 visa

here is a check list I found that Helped us fill out the application

Form I-129F (u can get these forms from the previouly mentioned web site)

Check or money order it was $455 when we did it

Form G-325A for u & yr other half

Copys of Both yr birth certs

Copys of Both passports

Pass port photos of alien, 2inches by 2inches (American passport photo size)

A letter from both of you confirming intent to marry with in 90days of visa approval

Letters from u both describing the nature of yr relationship, history, future plans

letter emails u've sent to each other

airline tickets

photos

engagment proof etc.

Then once that is all submitted you will have to get police clearances from every country u lived in for over 6 month & what ever else they ask for in packet 3 when they send it to you

hope this helps, good luck

Helpful for those starting out. Thank you.

Do we both do letters describing the nature of the relationship, history, plans.... or just the American filing the petition?

If we both need to do it, can we use the same exact letter? (Considering it'll be the same info)

yeah u only need the one letter from the American, we already had them both so sent them both lol probably whats been holding up the visas at CSC they have too much to read. & just add what ever prof of relationship u can find, & if in doubt weather to send something or not just send it, if they don't need it they'll just throw it out, better they do that than have to get a RFE, good luck