Urgent help needed: after NOA2

[conny 0]

Could someone please let me know what exactly I need to provide to my foreign fiance after NOA2 letter was received by me? I've read the procedures but following is still unclear :

1. If I can't possibly get information about deposits over last 12 months as they ask in I-134 from my banks (they simply decline to give it even for additional money), is it enough to provide statements without calculating the sum of all deposits?

2. Not clear why K1 guide on this site states that I have to give all these financial documents to my fiance? I understand we should trust each other and all, but couldn't I just send them to USCIS instead?

3. My fiance has to go to the embassy only when embassy in his country receives the package and schedules the interview, right? So, the fact that I received NOA2 notice will not change anything from overall wait time perspective?

4. IS THERE ANY WAY AT ALL TO FIND OUT WHERE MY APPLICATION STANDS? Their website bluntly states 6 months for all service centers but people here report NOA2 receipt in 3 months or so. What does it depend on?

Thanks a lot for all your help and support!

[Hell0W0rld 10]

Could someone please let me know what exactly I need to provide to my foreign fiance after NOA2 letter was received by me? I've read the procedures but following is still unclear :

1. If I can't possibly get information about deposits over last 12 months as they ask in I-134 from my banks (they simply decline to give it even for additional money), is it enough to provide statements without calculating the sum of all deposits?if your income meets the 125% Poverty level then you don't have to provide any other information.

2. Not clear why K1 guide on this site states that I have to give all these financial documents to my fiance? I understand we should trust each other and all, but couldn't I just send them to USCIS instead? The Normal procedure is that your fiance should bring your financial documents and present it to the VISA officer when requested.

3. My fiance has to go to the embassy only when embassy in his country receives the package and schedules the interview, right? So, the fact that I received NOA2 notice will not change anything from overall wait time perspective?After NOA2 USCIS will send your file to the NVC, NVC will then send your file to the Embassy and the Embassy will send your fiance some forms to fill out. After returing the forms back to the Embassy, a interview date will be scheudled.

4. IS THERE ANY WAY AT ALL TO FIND OUT WHERE MY APPLICATION STANDS? Their website bluntly states 6 months for all service centers but people here report NOA2 receipt in 3 months or so. What does it depend on? I thought you have your NOA2 already? if not then you can call USCIS to check the status. if you do have your NOA2 then you can call the NVC to check the status...Thanks a lot for all your help and support!

[msu17 0]

1 and 2 are kinda country specific, so I don't want to try and answer. The NOA2 is basically a marker for being 1/2 way there. For most of us, the big steps are getting through Cali or Vermont, then getting through NVC, then getting through the embassy. Getting your NOA2 means that the first part is over and you aren't held in USCIS limbo anymore. There are lots of people who get held up for 6 months or more, so it does shorten the potential time you could have waited.

If you have received your NOA2, you can call the NVC (speak with a person) and find out if they have received it. Once they process it, it goes to the embassy who will then contact you (usually, again country specific). If you haven't gotten your NOA2, you just have to wait, there is no way of really knowing where you are at. THe reason for the time line differences in the 6 months put out by USCIS is sort of a CYA so tons of people don't call 2 months after sending their petition.

[Anh map 2,098]

The I-134/affidavit of support is submitted at the interview by your fiance. This requires some financial information from the sponsor. If your income is sufficient you do not need the bank statements.

Yes, you can send information that you do not want to share with your spouse to the consulate. You may want to attend the interview so he doesn't accidently peek at anything.

Processing time varies for any number of reasons: workload, background checks, RFE, etc. This is not a predictable adventure. Be patient, be thorough, and it will be worth it.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Could someone please let me know what exactly I need to provide to my foreign fiance after NOA2 letter was received by me? I've read the procedures but following is still unclear :

1. If I can't possibly get information about deposits over last 12 months as they ask in I-134 from my banks (they simply decline to give it even for additional money), is it enough to provide statements without calculating the sum of all deposits?

2. Not clear why K1 guide on this site states that I have to give all these financial documents to my fiance? I understand we should trust each other and all, but couldn't I just send them to USCIS instead?

3. My fiance has to go to the embassy only when embassy in his country receives the package and schedules the interview, right? So, the fact that I received NOA2 notice will not change anything from overall wait time perspective?

4. IS THERE ANY WAY AT ALL TO FIND OUT WHERE MY APPLICATION STANDS? Their website bluntly states 6 months for all service centers but people here report NOA2 receipt in 3 months or so. What does it depend on?

Thanks a lot for all your help and support!

OK, let me say this first about the I-134. If you make enough money at a job and can document that, you do not need to give any bank or asset information. Leave it all blank if you choose. That said...

1. YES. Print the first page of your bank statement for 12 months (it should have all the deposit information on the first page) add up the deposits for the 12 months, it should list total deposits for the month on the first page.

2. NO. These need to be presented at the interview in Kiev. DO NOT send them to USCIS or to the consulate. Kiev does not want you to send documents there, bring all of them to the interview

3. NO. For Kiev, YOU (or your fiance) schedule the interview. Go to their website and download instructions and forms for the interview (it is called "K1 P3") and prepare them now. Read the instructions on the consulate webpage and there is a link to "download Packet 3 here" . Kiev will also send these when they receive his file, but you do not have to wait for that, download and prepare now. Three weeks after your NOA2 send an email to Kiev at kyiviv@state.gov. Ask if they have your file, refer to the KEV number you will get from the NVC. If they have your file, you can schedule the interview. Currently, as of Tuesday, you can get an interview on 5 days notice in Kiev. When you have the KEV# your fiance can schedule a medical exam. If he is near Kiev he can go whenever he wants. If not, schedule the medical exam for the day before your interview. He will get the results that afternoon and be ready for the interview the next day. You can prepare all the interview documents now. Police certificates are good for 12 months and will take 3 weeks to get in Ukraine. Save the final touches on the I-134 until the last minute so it is the most current information. All his documents need to be translated. He can do that there, or here. My wife does Ukrainian and Russian translations if she can help. If you do it here, you will need to send them back to him with your other documents

4. There is no GOOD way. Use the online status check if you want. Our status is "received and pending" though my wife has been here for 9 months. Sorry, no good way. I found out when I opened my mailbox and found the approval letter. 6 months is a rough estimate, it should not be longer than that. Some people's do take longer for whatever reason or no reason

PLAN TO GO TO THE INTERVIEW, if you possibly can. In Kiev, they do allow you into the consulate and usually allow you to attend the interview also.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Could someone please let me know what exactly I need to provide to my foreign fiance after NOA2 letter was received by me? I've read the procedures but following is still unclear :

1. If I can't possibly get information about deposits over last 12 months as they ask in I-134 from my banks (they simply decline to give it even for additional money), is it enough to provide statements without calculating the sum of all deposits?if your income meets the 125% Poverty level then you don't have to provide any other information.

2. Not clear why K1 guide on this site states that I have to give all these financial documents to my fiance? I understand we should trust each other and all, but couldn't I just send them to USCIS instead? The Normal procedure is that your fiance should bring your financial documents and present it to the VISA officer when requested.

3. My fiance has to go to the embassy only when embassy in his country receives the package and schedules the interview, right? So, the fact that I received NOA2 notice will not change anything from overall wait time perspective?After NOA2 USCIS will send your file to the NVC, NVC will then send your file to the Embassy and the Embassy will send your fiance some forms to fill out. After returing the forms back to the Embassy, a interview date will be scheudled.

4. IS THERE ANY WAY AT ALL TO FIND OUT WHERE MY APPLICATION STANDS? Their website bluntly states 6 months for all service centers but people here report NOA2 receipt in 3 months or so. What does it depend on? I thought you have your NOA2 already? if not then you can call USCIS to check the status. if you do have your NOA2 then you can call the NVC to check the status...Thanks a lot for all your help and support!

Small clarification for Kiev. You do not send them anything. Yes, they will send forms to your fiance, (maybe, we never received them) but you can get and prepare those now. When they are prepared and when they have your file, you just call and say you are ready for the interview, they will schedule one. This is a Kiev specific rule and is not the same as other consulates. If you send anything to Kiev, it is gauranteed they will lose it, if it ever arrives. Are you familiar with the Ukrainian mail "system"? I advise never to send anything TO, or within, Ukraine by the mail. Use a service like DHL (currently best to Ukraine) to send anything IN, or within, Ukraine. I have had pretty good luck sending things OUT of Ukraine by mail, but would never trust it with anything valuable.

If there is something you need to keep secret, go to the interview and present it yourself. I did that, not to be secret about something, I went over everything with Alla, but it would be possible to do this. They take the financial documents from you into the "back room" and they are never seen again.

[conny 0]

Thanks a lot to all, especially Gary.

No, I haven't received NOA2 yet but since it's been 5 months already I think it might come any day, so I'd like to be prepared. What else do I need to send him before interview in addition to all package 1 copies and I-134 with all its attachments?

[daboyz 36]

Gary is a good guy. Should be a moderator.

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Thanks a lot to all, especially Gary.

No, I haven't received NOA2 yet but since it's been 5 months already I think it might come any day, so I'd like to be prepared. What else do I need to send him before interview in addition to all package 1 copies and I-134 with all its attachments?

You also need to send him pictures of both of you, e-mails, chat logs perhaps, nothing overwhelming, but just enough to show the C.O. (during his interview) that you still have an ongoing relationship, ticket stubs, passport entries in Ukraine (All originals). I took about 15 pictures and 10 e-mails to our interview as well as all ticket stubs and my passport and it was enough (it was through a 3 year span). Recent pay stubs, as well as last year's income tax (you can also request a transcript from the IRS if you filed online). Also an updated Statement of Intent to Marry within 90 days of his arrival in the US and last but not least the updated I-134. The rest of the documents only your fiance can get in Ukraine (Police records, divorce certificate if applicable, medical exam, etc, etc,etc). Good luck.

PLEASE FILL IN YOUR TIMELINE.

P.s.: I took a copy of the entire I-129F package with me and they didn't even want to see it (they had a copy there which was sent to the Embassy by the NVC/USCIS).

[conny 0]

Entire tax return? It's like 100 pages long including CA. Do they really need that? Do they need my divorce certificate from US? Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)?

P.S. There's nothing in my timeline other than NOA1 in January yet... I wish I had all the steps completed like you guys but it's a dream at this point...

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Entire tax return? It's like 100 pages long including CA. Do they really need that? Do they need my divorce certificate from US? Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)?

P.S. There's nothing in my timeline other than NOA1 in January yet... I wish I had all the steps completed like you guys but it's a dream at this point...

Entire tax return? No, just the IRS transcript will do it.

Do they need my divorce certificate from US? No, you already included that in the I-129F package to USCIS. The Embassy will have a copy of it.

Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)? All of the documents which the originals are written in Ukranian (I.e.: His birth certificate, police record, etc) MUST be translated into english and put into an Apostile.

Follow this link (U.S. Embassy in Kiev) and it wil tell you in details all the documents he will need for his interview.

http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/visa_K1K2_eng.html - Visa Process

http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/visa_iv_forms_eng.html and click on the link to Information Package (download it).

Hope it helps ;-)

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Entire tax return? It's like 100 pages long including CA. Do they really need that? Do they need my divorce certificate from US? Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)?

P.S. There's nothing in my timeline other than NOA1 in January yet... I wish I had all the steps completed like you guys but it's a dream at this point...

They do not need your CA return. YES, they need the entire Federal tax return. You do not normally need your divorce certificate for the interview, you sent it with the I-129f, BUT I took a copy of every piece of paper I ever sent to the USCIS to the interview, the entire I-129f package and suggest you do the same. If he needs it and doesn't have it, what then? You saved a little time and a few bucks? I doubt it would console you when you have to send copies to Kiev while they hold his visa.

Nothing needs to be translated to Ukrainian, in fact the opposite is true. Any official document presented at the consulate needs to be English or with an English translation. Yes his police certificate needs to translated. The medical is in English already. His birth certificate, police certificate and divorce certificate (if any) will need to be translated to English. Any other documents he needs to present, military records, etc. need to be translated. Ukraine has compulsory military service for all males, so I would presumehe was in the military, he will need those records (discharge record) translated. If his military service was deferred, he will need that also. He will also need form DS-157, though they may not tell you this in the packet 3 information. It is a simple form required of ALL male visa applicants over 16 years old. For whatever reason it is not mentioned in the Kiev packet 3 checklist.

This is why it is good to get all these documents prepared now, it is not uncommon, if he doesn't have one of these, for it to take many weeks to get them in Ukraine. He should go about getting these in his hands NOW. As a rule, Ukrainians are pretty good about hanging onto these things as they KNOW how difficult it can be just to find the right office that has them. I think if our house was on fire, my wife would abandon me, the children and animals to save her original documents! The easiest is the police certificate, and it takes three weeks, not counting the full day he will be around and stand in line, to apply for it. The police certificate is valid for one year.

If he takes his vaccination records to the medical, they will translate them for him onto the DS-3025 form which you will need for the AOS. They do this free of charge if you bring them at the time of the exam.

Alla does translations from Ukrainian and Russian if it is any help to you, let us know.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Entire tax return? It's like 100 pages long including CA. Do they really need that? Do they need my divorce certificate from US? Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)?

P.S. There's nothing in my timeline other than NOA1 in January yet... I wish I had all the steps completed like you guys but it's a dream at this point...

Entire tax return? No, just the IRS transcript will do it.

Do they need my divorce certificate from US? No, you already included that in the I-129F package to USCIS. The Embassy will have a copy of it.

Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)? All of the documents which the originals are written in Ukranian (I.e.: His birth certificate, police record, etc) MUST be translated into english and put into an Apostile.

Follow this link (U.S. Embassy in Kiev) and it wil tell you in details all the documents he will need for his interview.

http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/visa_K1K2_eng.html - Visa Process

http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/visa_iv_forms_eng.html and click on the link to Information Package (download it).

Hope it helps ;-)

Joe, if I may. It is true an IRS transcript is acceptable, but the transcript will be of the entire return. Yes, she can order the transcript if it is more convenient. An apostile is not needed in Kiev. I didn't even know what an "apostile" was when we did our interview.

For each document requested, you will need the original, a legible photocopy and an original translation, signed and certified by the translator. They will keep the copy and the translation and return the original at the end of the interview process.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thanks a lot to all, especially Gary.

No, I haven't received NOA2 yet but since it's been 5 months already I think it might come any day, so I'd like to be prepared. What else do I need to send him before interview in addition to all package 1 copies and I-134 with all its attachments?

Oh, also tell him to get lots of passport photos. It is cheaper just to get them all at once. I think we got 12 or 15 and there was exactly ONE left when we were all done. He will need two for the interview, three for the medical exam, I think we needed one or two for the police certificate (God only knows why, there is no photo on the certificate) plus more for the AOS when he arrives, and after all that they will take a photo for the biometrics and it is the one they will use for the green card. Go figure. I think USCIS is full of grandmothers that like to collect photos or something.

[Joe_&_Nadiya 1]

Entire tax return? It's like 100 pages long including CA. Do they really need that? Do they need my divorce certificate from US? Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)?

P.S. There's nothing in my timeline other than NOA1 in January yet... I wish I had all the steps completed like you guys but it's a dream at this point...

Entire tax return? No, just the IRS transcript will do it.

Do they need my divorce certificate from US? No, you already included that in the I-129F package to USCIS. The Embassy will have a copy of it.

Do they need any documents translated to Ukrainian from me or any documents translated to English from him (like police and medical)? All of the documents which the originals are written in Ukranian (I.e.: His birth certificate, police record, etc) MUST be translated into english and put into an Apostile.

Follow this link (U.S. Embassy in Kiev) and it wil tell you in details all the documents he will need for his interview.

http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/visa_K1K2_eng.html - Visa Process

http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/visa_iv_forms_eng.html and click on the link to Information Package (download it).

Hope it helps ;-)

Joe, if I may. It is true an IRS transcript is acceptable, but the transcript will be of the entire return. Yes, she can order the transcript if it is more convenient. An apostile is not needed in Kiev. I didn't even know what an "apostile" was when we did our interview.

For each document requested, you will need the original, a legible photocopy and an original translation, signed and certified by the translator. They will keep the copy and the translation and return the original at the end of the interview process.

We decided to put all Nadiya's documents into an apostile because I over reacted. I just wanted to have all my basis covered. I didn't want to give them any room for them to delay our visa. I took about 10 Lbs of supporting documentation to the interview (I told you I over react), and at the end they didn't want to see anything (except the documents listed on the Information Package).

My IRS transcripts were only 1 page per year showing only the Gross, Net, Income Paid, Deduction totals, and Total amount of money I made on the Market (1099-B). Even though my tax returns are very long, many different forms (not a full rim of paper, but a substantial amount of pages) my transcripts still had 1 page per each year.

I hope Alla is doing fine here in Ukraine, we are heading back to the US this coming Thrusday, right now we are spending some time with Nadiya's family, saying good-byes and etc...you know how it goes.

Have a good one Gary.

Joe