Canadians that have a fiance in the States, Their fiances filed petition for them K-! visa

[birdnerd 5]

Hello,

I am going through the spousal visa cr-1 and never went through the k-1 however I am from north york.. thought i should say hello hehe

grats on engagement, it will go fast

Same here! Although living in East York now, and filed DCF.

But also, hello and welcome to Sleepy.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

I think it was suggested above, but if not - you can do the rest of this yourself. drop the lawyer and save yourself money. Immigration isn't as complicated as it sounds, lawyers just try and scare you into thinking it is.

Most of us on here have been perfectly capable on our own with each others help and the guides here. Read as much as you can and read up on the next process ahead of time.

+1.

You don't need a lawyer. Unless you like paying more $$.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

+1.

You don't need a lawyer. Unless you like paying more $$.

Yup. You won't find many people on this entire site that would suggest a lawyer except for in unusual / exceptional cases. Most of us are laypeople...but we muddled our way through the process. There's a kind of logic to it all, really. An often frustrating logic...but a logic nonetheless.

[darkchilde794 5]

Hey there! Congratulations on the engagement!

I was from Toronto and recently moved to Maryland last November. My husband filed for a I-129F petition for me so I can receive a K1 visa back in January 2009. Our petition was not approved until July 2009. If your fiance had filed an I-129F for you, then he should have received at least the first NOA. USCIS would have given you guys a tracking number so you can get updates from when your petition has been touched.

The immigration process is very expensive! My husband and I spent close to 2k just to get me in the US (application fees + medical + misc. expenses + travel to Montreal). If you want to know the specifics we paid for, send me a PM. So unless your case is unique, you don't need a lawyer to apply for your visa as they will charge you even more.

I had no problems visiting my husband during our I-129F petition. I actually never even declared I was seeing my fiance -- probably not the best advice! I think before our petition was approved, I didn't think I was "flagged" as applying to immigrate to the US. I was always honest and said I was visiting my boyfriend, and brought along documentation proving I was coming back to Canada (school records from my grad school, phone bills, etc). But I would say not to lie and just say you are visiting your fiance...

However, when our I-129F was approved (July), I decided not to see my fiance anymore until we got our interview date. I couldn't anyway because I was finishing school, but just as I had planned to come and stay with him while waiting for our interview date, we received the date! I have read of several VJ'ers who crossed the border to see their SO while waiting for the interview... and as long as they were honest about having an American fiance and showed proof of ties to Canada, they were fine!

Good luck on your visa journey! I hope you find VJ/VJ Canada as wonderful of a resource as I did when I was starting mine

[Krikit 1,165]

I'm from the Toronto area, also. If you click on the VJ Canaliens link in my signature you will see where everyone is. You'll also want to take a look at the Canada Immigration Guide.

Welcome to VJ, Tracey. You may want to eliminate or reduce some of the images in your signature as it is rather large.

[ladygothic 0]

My fiance and I got engaged on April 24th/09,

We didn't realize that we would have to go through so much paper and just how complicated and time consuming it would be. Is anybody out there from Toronto, that has a fiance in the States, My fiance and I have a lawyer and had the k-1 visa sent out at the end of Nov/09, I am not sure what to expect next, also haven't received a client # yet, does anybody have a clue as to what is going to happen next and how long to some extent this entire process is going to take. Also about visiting the States, I don't want to be turned away and lose my plane fare, just seems all to overwhelming for me and I have been depressed and crying for the most part, I feel like an idiot but I can't stop crying and worrying about everything.

i'm in your suburb of Brampton,going through the visa process without a lawyer and easily though going cross eyed at times. We filed at Vermont got a file number right away, though we had to ###### email follow up after 3 months to paperwork forwarded to Canada and the next week I got info package in the mail, That I'm working on you an still visit amid the visa process, I just got gback froma wonderful 8 days with my love. It's once the finality of visa papers you can't travel without restrictions.

Follow the visa journey info pages, they mega help! Being away is hard and the process is mega hoop jumping but being together forever with our loves are so worth it!

Keep the faith and hang tough!

*hugs*

[Kimbear 53]

Hi Sleepy and welcome!.

I"m from Windsor, and had an immigration lawyer for our k1 which was filed last march 2009. To be honest, based on my personal experience..dont use a lawyer. If you have no issues with arrests or anything requiring a waiver you dont need one. In fact my lawyer made mistakes many times which had to be corrected and resulted in not only a 3-4 month delay, but my noa2 approval was returned and my whole petition had to be reabjudicated. However if you already used a laywer, you can always do the AOS yourself after which is what i am doing.

I'm since past that part, and my interview is march 30th, well over a year since our initial filing date. The process is very simple. If you read the guides ask questions in the k1 forum or the canda forum you will receive much advice, help and lots and lots of support.

Also, fill out your timeline to get an estimate of when you shoould get your approval. More often then not it is quite accurate. As for the interview date and when that will be, it really really is sporatic. It used to be only a couple months max at Montreal, but now its taking a bit longer for some and fast for others. Seems to be done in batches lately when they can get around to it.

Do not let anyone tell you you cannot visit. I thought i could not as well, due to an earlier refusal for insufficient ties. You CAN visit. Just make sure you bring lots fo prooof that you will go back to Canada and are not tryign to get married and adjust status. Bring a lease or copy of your mortgage, a letter from work stating you do have a job and will be going back on X date. Utility bills such as electricity/phone help as well. I had to bring proof that my rent was paid ie: copy of my bank statement, copy of current balance to show i could support myself while in the U.S.A. And i brought copies of my k1 petition and my noa's.

Also, you can register on the uscis site, and possibly (when it works) get automatic emails on the status of your petition. I did this, and it actually worked for me. The status did not change but the date did thus you get what is called a touch. this shows someone at uscis did something to your petition which means they did not lose it and it is being worked on.

If you dont hear anything by 5 months, i would recommend getting in touch with your congressman / senator to find out what the hold up is. They can get you info even your lawyer cannot. In my case i was a week ahead in knowing what was going on while my lawyer was completely clueless.

As others have said Keep the faith and breathe..this process is not make for the weak lol

[Sprailenes 47]

Welcome to the board and the waiting game.

Your signature is... very... sparkly.

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Your signature is... very... sparkly.

I never knew I was epileptic until...*seizure*

[lgg 2]

Lolz!!!!!!

I know! I didn't know I was either 'til... *seizure*

I never knew I was epileptic until...*seizure*

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

Okay, I've recovered! Now what was the initial post abou...*spasm*

[ZansGirl 0]

the swirling table is making me naueaous.............aaaagggghhhhhhhhh

[Sprailenes 47]

There are still 3 pics without sparkle though.

Lightweights!

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

There are still 3 pics without sparkle though.

Lightweights!

Okay. I just went out for an hour and got some fresh air while watching the Olympic Torch go by. My mind is clear, my lungs are clear and I'm feeling much bett...oh god oh god *convulse*

[lgg 2]

Glad to hear it, Wyatt.. I just had some lunch to clear my bra.... *pukes/convulses*

Okay. I just went out for an hour and got some fresh air while watching the Olympic Torch go by. My mind is clear, my lungs are clear and I'm feeling much bett...oh god oh god *convulse*