How Long Do We Have to Know Each Other Before Applying for K1

[carolynhotstuff 252]

I used an attorney for my I-130 because our relationship was out of the norm. I am way older then him, we got married 4 months after meeting and he's from a Country where many people find it hard to get a Visa. It was a personal decision and I don't regret it but I love VJ and it made me smart enough to get pictures of me with his parents to send and phone bills, things my attorney was surprised that I had.

[thepizzadude 26]

So long as you've got photos and other evidence that you have met, get going with the paperwork and be sure it's all complete before filing. Was this really an attorney?? How did you find him??

Yes, it was a real attorney. I found her on the State Bar of Georgia's website.

I'm wondering, why do people use an attorney for this anyway. What exactly do they do?

Take your money and transcribe all the info you gather to the forms, avoid your calls and tell you it's gonna be a bit longer on occassion.

[jimnlena 8]

Dump the duffus attorney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Read thru this site!! Search for any question!!! The peope here will answer any paperwork question you have!! "Now if there has been problem with law or spousal abuse" I withdraw! Otherwise "trust in those that have gone before you"

[christeen 966]

Although it is a personal decision, I have found that I am better able to control my own situation through my own research versus an attorney. After all, who cares more about getting your fiance over here than you do??? There are very qualified attorneys out there and I admit, in some difficult cases they might be of use. However, I have found that by using this site (the guides, others advice and the many step by step tutorials) that in many cases, it is much more efficient to do it yourself. Many have also found (as you have discovered) that attorneys are not always prepared for such cases and can be a waste of money and precious time....

[Zen Den 18]

So long as you've got photos and other evidence that you have met, get going with the paperwork and be sure it's all complete before filing. Was this really an attorney?? How did you find him??

Yes, it was a real attorney. I found her on the State Bar of Georgia's website.

I'm wondering, why do people use an attorney for this anyway. What exactly do they do?

the ones who do could use attorney services are those who are extremely busy, unable to gather the forms by themselves and take the time to submit, wait, respond to communication.

but if you have the time, it's actually good to do everything yourself so you understand the whole process and in the end appreciate all your hard work.

VJ has enough info for you on what to do, when to do it and how, and for how much.

good luck and god bless!

[josie2008 0]

hello

i m sure ur lawye is wrong , maybe you will not get approval in ur visa not at uscis , you should have so many proofs and u can mail I129f and believe me you will not have any trouble , also u can buy a book of immgration from this cite

www.nolo.com and with this u dont need ask anyone

[Ellie-and-David 38]

hello

i m sure ur lawye is wrong , maybe you will not get approval in ur visa not at uscis , you should have so many proofs and u can mail I129f and believe me you will not have any trouble , also u can buy a book of immgration from this cite

www.nolo.com and with this u dont need ask anyone

OR

You could just use this website and not buy the book or the service of an atty.

The Visa Journey guides are your friend. You've come to the right place. Hundreds of successful petitions have occurred because of this website.

Good luck....glad you found the site before that lawyer could get any more money out of you.

[katej0203 1]

This website has all the information you need.... and K1 applications are very straight forward. You just have to be very organised and good with paperwork, and have a lot of patience!

People get attorneys for various reasons, usually when they feel their application is not going to be as smooth as average. For instance, if your foreign fiance ever overstayed a visa, has a medical condition that could affect approval, has a criminal record, etc etc etc.

They are very expensive, and tend to make things more complicated for you half the time! It seems you have already experienced that, though! I did it all myself, and it was really easy. And, as you can see, people are always ready to help others on this site.

[marklovetina 52]

i met my fiance just this year... and met once in person, then he filed the k1 packet, now were approved.... goodluck....

[D&R 0]

I was all set to start the K1 process. I had done plenty of research and come to the conclusion that this is the best route for me and my fiancee.

So, I met with an attorney yesterday to begin and the attorney says me and my fiancee have to have known each other for two years before sending off the I-129 petition. If not, it will not get approved. I told the attorney that it was my understanding that we only have to have met once within two years of applying. The attorney says those statements are essentially the same, and that we have to have known each other for two years before even applying.

I checked the US Dept of State website (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#Filing) for info on K1 visa, and with regards to a fiance(e) it says:

"In general, the two people must have met in person within the past two years."

Am I wrong or is the attorney incorrect? Do I have to know my fiancee for two years before even applying? I do not interpret this statement to mean we have to know each other for two years before applying. The operative word is "within". "Within two years" could mean I met her anytime between right now and two years ago and still apply for the K1. It could mean if I have known her for 10 years and the last time we met was three years ago we can't apply.

I was blown away by the attorney's statement, as I have known my fiancee for less than two years. I thought I knew what was going on, but now I am a bit confused. If the attorney is indeed wrong, I wasted $100 on a consultation fee for bad advice, from an immigration attorney who should know.

Please let me know what is correct.

Yes, you just wasted your money. Sorry about that. Only requirement as others have said, is that you have had to PHYSICALLY MET in the last two years. You could've met each other for the first time the very same day the I-129 is filed if you wanted. Obviously it's better down the line (say, at the interview stage) if you've met 6 or 7 times (not just for the Visa, but also for your relationship - that's just common sense)

[sara..... 371]

So long as you've got photos and other evidence that you have met, get going with the paperwork and be sure it's all complete before filing. Was this really an attorney?? How did you find him??

Yes, it was a real attorney. I found her on the State Bar of Georgia's website.

I'm wondering, why do people use an attorney for this anyway. What exactly do they do?

We used an attorney because there were a couple of issues that we felt maybe we could not deal with on our own, that was before we found this web site after finding it i found that not only could we have dealt with it it but prolly dealt with it more efficiently than hiring an attorney to deal with it. we were way more proactive than the attorney, u pay for something and if there is anything extra or out of the way u in the end will be the one being proactive for ur own case...........

im not saying that no person should hire and attorney that would be incorrect and only the people involved in the case such as urselfs should make that decision after reading and studying all the facts and information on this web

site.........make a educated decision

good luck on ur journey what ever way u make the choice to go and really there is no wrong choice a lot also depends on how comfortable u feel doing the paper work.

sara

[jwk2003 3]

I was all set to start the K1 process. I had done plenty of research and come to the conclusion that this is the best route for me and my fiancee.

So, I met with an attorney yesterday to begin and the attorney says me and my fiancee have to have known each other for two years before sending off the I-129 petition. If not, it will not get approved. I told the attorney that it was my understanding that we only have to have met once within two years of applying. The attorney says those statements are essentially the same, and that we have to have known each other for two years before even applying.

I checked the US Dept of State website (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#Filing) for info on K1 visa, and with regards to a fiance(e) it says:

"In general, the two people must have met in person within the past two years."

Am I wrong or is the attorney incorrect? Do I have to know my fiancee for two years before even applying? I do not interpret this statement to mean we have to know each other for two years before applying. The operative word is "within". "Within two years" could mean I met her anytime between right now and two years ago and still apply for the K1. It could mean if I have known her for 10 years and the last time we met was three years ago we can't apply.

I was blown away by the attorney's statement, as I have known my fiancee for less than two years. I thought I knew what was going on, but now I am a bit confused. If the attorney is indeed wrong, I wasted $100 on a consultation fee for bad advice, from an immigration attorney who should know.

Please let me know what is correct.

Hello Mr. K, your lawyer doesn't know what he is talking about. I have met my fiancée online and we have been talking close to a year before I actually got a chance to visit her. I was then able to fulfill the K-1 requirement "must have met within two years" and submitted the K-1 even before discovering this website (www.visajourney.com) on my own (without a lawyer). I was just recently approved and now I'm waiting for the NVC to receive our case. I'm not sure where your lawyer stands but he might be new to this process and probably misunderstood. Since you have discovered this website, just follow the K-1 guide in preparing your packet and you will be fine. The money you will invest in a lawyer will be best used toward K-1 fees.

Good luck on your K-1 journey, and keep us updated on your progress!!! Your participation on Visajourney.com will help others on a similar quest as yours. B)

[dutchmatt 1]

I was all set to start the K1 process. I had done plenty of research and come to the conclusion that this is the best route for me and my fiancee.

So, I met with an attorney yesterday to begin and the attorney says me and my fiancee have to have known each other for two years before sending off the I-129 petition. If not, it will not get approved. I told the attorney that it was my understanding that we only have to have met once within two years of applying. The attorney says those statements are essentially the same, and that we have to have known each other for two years before even applying.

I checked the US Dept of State website (http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_2994.html#Filing) for info on K1 visa, and with regards to a fiance(e) it says:

"In general, the two people must have met in person within the past two years."

Am I wrong or is the attorney incorrect? Do I have to know my fiancee for two years before even applying? I do not interpret this statement to mean we have to know each other for two years before applying. The operative word is "within". "Within two years" could mean I met her anytime between right now and two years ago and still apply for the K1.

I was blown away by the attorney's statement, as I have known my fiancee for less than two years. I thought I knew what was going on, but now I am a bit confused. If the attorney is indeed wrong, I wasted $100 on a consultation fee for bad advice, from an immigration attorney who should know.

Please let me know what is correct.

Wow, your attorney is an idiot! I am married via K-1 and haven't even known my wife for 2 years!

Do not continue with this attorney!

And thats something to brag about...

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Please keep judgmental comments out of the Immigration forums - they are inappropriate and offer nothing of value to the discussion.

[Deborah M 0]

It maybe be common sense to met in person after filing the k-1, but it is not always feasable.