BRAZIL K1 Process/Experience, Feedback, Concerns, Advise

[DoneWaiting 15]

A question for those here who have received the visa and entered the US: What will my fiancee receive in the mail from the embassy now that we've interviewed and been approved for the visa (I think her passport and a sealed packet of documents...?)? To enter the US, does she just need to bring the passport and this packet of documents? Do we need to bring any of our other application materials?

Thanks very much!

Ju_Dan, your fiancée will received by delivery mail the famous and mysterious sealed package with the stamped passport. She will noticed, package will have in big letters do not open... she will need to present this package at the Port of Entry [POE]. There and only there, authorized IO will be able to open this envelop that contains your paperwork process. Your fiancée may or may not be requested to enter a different room for additional questions and then, she will be welcome to the USA. No other immigration documents are required..

Hope this can help..

[DoneWaiting 15]

[K and L 27]

With the problems Rodrigo has had (linky), I'm concerned about our interview -- we're in a similar situation with older woman/younger man with the man being the Brazilian beneficiary. L is a fidgety guy and gets more so when he's nervous.

I'm wondering if it'd be beneficial for me to be at the interview - money's not really an issue (and my professors have been good about me rescheduling exams/quizzes due to me traveling). With Rio scheduling about 2-2.5 mo after NOA2 and me being (estimated) a month from NOA2, it'll be riiiiiight around spring break (when I was considering a visit anyway), and in the low season (or at least, what is the low season in Salvador!), so fare/hotel should be almost reasonable.

Thoughts?

(ETA: D: I'm still on US time after a week here! Recife's been fabulous, though, so.. whatever.)

Edited December 29, 2009 by K and L

[DoneWaiting 15]

With the problems Rodrigo has had (linky), I'm concerned about our interview -- we're in a similar situation with older woman/younger man with the man being the Brazilian beneficiary. L is a fidgety guy and gets more so when he's nervous.

I'm wondering if it'd be beneficial for me to be at the interview - money's not really an issue (and my professors have been good about me rescheduling exams/quizzes due to me traveling). With Rio scheduling about 2-2.5 mo after NOA2 and me being (estimated) a month from NOA2, it'll be riiiiiight around spring break (when I was considering a visit anyway), and in the low season (or at least, what is the low season in Salvador!), so fare/hotel should be almost reasonable.

Thoughts?

(ETA: D: I'm still on US time after a week here! Recife's been fabulous, though, so.. whatever.)

K and L, not sure what really happened with Rodrigo as the narrative given is a little vague [no reasons why, no clear details, perhaps I should off finish reading the entire blog].. But, if your concern is Older Female [You?] with a Younger Male [Him?] (just like Rodrigo’s case?) then you may need to strategies and prepare to provide whatever is necessary to the CO. Your fiancé becomes fidgety and get very nervous? Who doesn’t? specially in this type of situations?. Perhaps, practice interviews may help alleviate the anxiety on him during the interview and of course your presence would be a support. But don’t forget, you may not be allow to be with him during the interview, it is up to the officer. Make sure your fiancé continue his life there as usual [Work/School] as is important to show his end of the bargain specially if he is the younger one. Remember, the CO has reviewed your case before your interview date.. They know your story, your history [tourist visa applications or others – if any], they have a good idea of what they will be looking for in the event they see gaps or have “doubts”. Honesty will be your best resource there, is nothing wrong with taking your time to answer the questions. Asking to repeat the questions for better understanding or even ask to repeat the question could help your fiancé to become a little comfortable during the interview.

Now, putting myself in your position.. I would prepare a good case in the event I have doubts with new evidence/proof:

Binders with evidence of relationship [with dates, notes, tel logs, emails, post cards, airfairs, hotels receipts and all kind of evidence you have well organized and classified – perhaps I am a little OCD, lol], photo album specially with the family.. Have in mind your wedding plans with possible dates, don’t make it too soon and to obvious but with a reasonable time to have something nice and organize.

I am not sure if I really hit the topic and your concern, but I hope I was able to assist somehow.. But remember, each case is different no case is treated the same… The best you can do now is enjoy your time there and make the best of your time together..

[Ladylethal 12]

You being there doesn't hurt at all, although sometimes you're not allowed in the interview room, but he can mention you are there and they might even talk to you as well. It depends on the mood of the I.O.

[DoneWaiting 15]

MANY, MANY, MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL, HAPPY 2010..

Edited December 31, 2009 by ImWaiting

[Carolina+James 1]

Thank you! And happy new year to everyone!

[Carolina+James 1]

Anyone here had a tourist visa also? I paid the visa fee at Citibank today... but the receipt looks exactly the same as the tourist one, colored and with the big SAO letters in front. So, this might sound silly, but I thought SAO letters meant something like for "São Paulo", where my tourist interview was done. Am I going paranoic? SAO doesn't mean that and it is right for the K-1? I was so worried to check the back with my name and passport number that I didn't see that at the agency, which is so far away from where I live

[beinha 0]

Don't worry, it's right. All USA Visas are required to pay the US$131.00 tax. You are paying this to require your visa aka to go inside the Embassy and start your Visa Interview and all. It's not a fiancee visa fee, it's USA Visa fee.

Anyone here had a tourist visa also? I paid the visa fee at Citibank today... but the receipt looks exactly the same as the tourist one, colored and with the big SAO letters in front. So, this might sound silly, but I thought SAO letters meant something like for "São Paulo", where my tourist interview was done. Am I going paranoic? SAO doesn't mean that and it is right for the K-1? I was so worried to check the back with my name and passport number that I didn't see that at the agency, which is so far away from where I live

[DoneWaiting 15]

Anyone here had a tourist visa also? I paid the visa fee at Citibank today... but the receipt looks exactly the same as the tourist one, colored and with the big SAO letters in front. So, this might sound silly, but I thought SAO letters meant something like for "São Paulo", where my tourist interview was done. Am I going paranoic? SAO doesn't mean that and it is right for the K-1? I was so worried to check the back with my name and passport number that I didn't see that at the agency, which is so far away from where I live

Dont worry, it is about $$ not the color.. But, for peace of mind, it is the same color..

[Carolina+James 1]

Thank you guys! Sorry I keep "digging" for stuff to get paranoid about!

[Belleci 0]

Any Time, were are here to support and help each other with the little we know. Hope you can get an early date but it was my understanding they are scheduling people in January now. But wishing you the best..

vp

I really liked this topic, you guys are helping us a lot! This process is very confusing as the embassy website does not explain anything and reading this Visa Journey you see that there are much more to fill out and collect than what they say there .........

[K and L 27]

Thanks guys!

L and I talked earlier this week about where our petition is (currently awaiting NOA2, though it should be here in the next week or two if the activity on Igor's list is any indication, though VJ's timeline thinks it could be as late as Valentine's Day), and with Rio typically scheduling about 2.5 mo after NOA2, that would put the interview late April/early May. And for whatever it's worth, we were planning on having him leave mid-July & getting married mid-August, after I go back on educational leave but before my last term of school starts. It's about three months after the interview, which should be plenty of time for "organizing the wedding" (especially as small of one as we are planning).

Soooo, I'll be coming down for a week in May, for the interview (which means we'll have to reschedule, but that's ok).I would much rather take an extra trip to Brazil, see Rio (which I've never been to), and have the visa approved, than not come and regret having to go through the AP process or worse, trying to figure out how to get married in Brazil and then doing the immigration dance *again* because they didn't think we had enough of a bonafide relationship for the K1. Even if I can't go in, I hope that the IO would consider that to be a good sign of a bonafide relationship.

ImWaiting - We'll definitely be doing some preparation for questions before we go. We were going to do that anyway, mostly because I've moved around so much that he'll need the practice.

Our evidence collection to date (which goes through our petition right now) has a handful of emails and screenshots of the sheer amount of chat lots (irc/msn/gtalk/skype) with some samples, and the hotel records, random receipts, my passport stamps, and some photos from my other trips. For the emails/chats, we have excerpts from the beginning of our friendship, the beginning of our actual relationship, through when we decided to get married (including some chat from when we thought my antibiotics killed the morning after pill and I might have been pregnant last June, which was what made us really start thinking about marriage in more than a 'maybe someday' sense). We really don't have much as far as phone calls go because we use VOIP through gtalk, and there's basically no way to access those records.

As far as what we were going to add, beyond some updated logs... our landlord for our (short-term) flat here in Recife is going to write a letter stating that while I am not on the lease, I was residing with L & we'll have that with the lease and more passport stamps/photos/etc and a copy of the money transfer for my share of the rent. I'll add a print off of the wedding plans (things like flower selection, the really short guest list, location, etc) to the folder, along with some of the engagement ring stuff.

As far as photos go... To be honest, proving I met his family wasn't even a thought in our minds the other times I met his family as we weren't (at the time) planning on immigrating, and this time, I was so tired after a long, uncomfortable flight that was complicated by missing baggage that I really don't know if they took any photos (but know I didn't because my camera was in my missing bags). We do have a screenshot of the Christmas Skype video call of us together (in Brazil) with MY family (as well as a few gtalk video calls with me & my sister on one end and him on the other), which is the closest he'll come to meet them before he moves since he can't get a tourist visa. And I suppose if we had a birth control!fail incident, we may have a sonogram to toss in there. But neither of us are really photo-taking people.

[DoneWaiting 15]

K and L, I am sure you guys will prepare and the result will be positive. Best of luck in the process, we are here to help you with the little we know..

Warm Regards,

Thanks guys!

L and I talked earlier this week about where our petition is (currently awaiting NOA2, though it should be here in the next week or two if the activity on Igor's list is any indication, though VJ's timeline thinks it could be as late as Valentine's Day), and with Rio typically scheduling about 2.5 mo after NOA2, that would put the interview late April/early May. And for whatever it's worth, we were planning on having him leave mid-July & getting married mid-August, after I go back on educational leave but before my last term of school starts. It's about three months after the interview, which should be plenty of time for "organizing the wedding" (especially as small of one as we are planning).

Soooo, I'll be coming down for a week in May, for the interview (which means we'll have to reschedule, but that's ok).I would much rather take an extra trip to Brazil, see Rio (which I've never been to), and have the visa approved, than not come and regret having to go through the AP process or worse, trying to figure out how to get married in Brazil and then doing the immigration dance *again* because they didn't think we had enough of a bonafide relationship for the K1. Even if I can't go in, I hope that the IO would consider that to be a good sign of a bonafide relationship.

ImWaiting - We'll definitely be doing some preparation for questions before we go. We were going to do that anyway, mostly because I've moved around so much that he'll need the practice.

Our evidence collection to date (which goes through our petition right now) has a handful of emails and screenshots of the sheer amount of chat lots (irc/msn/gtalk/skype) with some samples, and the hotel records, random receipts, my passport stamps, and some photos from my other trips. For the emails/chats, we have excerpts from the beginning of our friendship, the beginning of our actual relationship, through when we decided to get married (including some chat from when we thought my antibiotics killed the morning after pill and I might have been pregnant last June, which was what made us really start thinking about marriage in more than a 'maybe someday' sense). We really don't have much as far as phone calls go because we use VOIP through gtalk, and there's basically no way to access those records.

As far as what we were going to add, beyond some updated logs... our landlord for our (short-term) flat here in Recife is going to write a letter stating that while I am not on the lease, I was residing with L & we'll have that with the lease and more passport stamps/photos/etc and a copy of the money transfer for my share of the rent. I'll add a print off of the wedding plans (things like flower selection, the really short guest list, location, etc) to the folder, along with some of the engagement ring stuff.

As far as photos go... To be honest, proving I met his family wasn't even a thought in our minds the other times I met his family as we weren't (at the time) planning on immigrating, and this time, I was so tired after a long, uncomfortable flight that was complicated by missing baggage that I really don't know if they took any photos (but know I didn't because my camera was in my missing bags). We do have a screenshot of the Christmas Skype video call of us together (in Brazil) with MY family (as well as a few gtalk video calls with me & my sister on one end and him on the other), which is the closest he'll come to meet them before he moves since he can't get a tourist visa. And I suppose if we had a birth control!fail incident, we may have a sonogram to toss in there. But neither of us are really photo-taking people.

[Carolina+James 1]

Soooo I was checking everything, and I found a little error on the I-134. My fiance wrote "fiance" instead of "fiancee" to refer to me. And now there is no time to send another one signed and all... what should I do?? Is it ok to put a big different attention calling extra "e" there? Or should that grammar error be alright?