K1 Visa received, opened wrong envelope

[minme 0]

My fiance received her K-1 Visa and the envelope for the port authority. Her friend had sent it to her, since we delivered it to his address (he lives in Rio). But he didn't warn her that she shouldn't open the port authority envelope until after she already had, and she was too anxious so she didn't read what was on it. It says there's a $300 fee if opened. Does anyone know more about this? Should she have $300 in hand at her POE? Will this delay her entry, or is there a possibility of being denied?

She's upset that she didn't read it first but I'm trying to calm her down. Any help or insight is appreciated.

[Ladylethal 12]

I dunno about a US$ 300 fee but as far as I know and read from others similar experiences with the envelope being opened she needs to go back to the consulate and have it resealed.

[HeatDeath 430]

She will need to contact the issuing embassy/consulate, and send the whole package back to them to get it inspected and resealed, and it sounds like they will charge her $300 for that privilege.

That envelope HAS to be sealed when she reaches the PoE. If she shows up at a PoE with an unsealed envelope, they will tell her the same thing I just said above, and send her back to Brazil to have it done.

Kinda sucks, but at least it sounds like it happens often enough that the Rio consulate/embassy has a well defined process to handle it. You can tell her not to worry. She shouldn't have to interview again or anything like that. She's still approved. It's just a moderate-sized check and a couple of weeks delay, tops.

Peanuts, in the long run.

Edited June 5, 2010 by HeatDeath

[Corinthians 7]

I dunno about a US$ 300 fee but as far as I know and read from others similar experiences with the envelope being opened she needs to go back to the consulate and have it resealed.

I've seen the same thing here. I'd definitely contact the consulate ASAP to resolve things.

[minme 0]

Does it have to be the same consulate? She lives in Belo Horizonte. Any chance they would seal it?

[Ladylethal 12]

That I'm not sure about, you better have her call the Rio consulate and ask.

[HeatDeath 430]

Does it have to be the same consulate? She lives in Belo Horizonte. Any chance they would seal it?

Afraid so. It will have to be the same visa section, in the same consulate/embassy that approved the visa and put the envelope package together in the first place.

The re-inspection and sealing has to be done by a visa section - that's the only part of the embassy organization that has the employees trained in this process. And there is usually only one visa section in any given country that has employees trained and assigned to do a given class of visa. OK, Canada has two, but that's an exception, I think. And even then, I don't think Montreal would inspect and reseal an envelope issued by Vancouver - they've got no file to validate it against.

I'm virtually certain it will have to be the same visa section in the same consulate.

Edited June 5, 2010 by HeatDeath

[minme 0]

Any idea what the direct number would be? The only number I found was to the automated system...

[HeatDeath 430]

Any idea what the direct number would be? The only number I found was to the automated system...

That I couldn't tell you. Some consulates make it very difficult to reach them directly. There should be an email address somewhere on their website. Try that. They won't be open on the weekend anyways, I don't think.

Also, try asking in the South America regional forum here. There will be people there with direct experience with the Rio consulate. I'm just going on general knowledge here.

Edited June 5, 2010 by HeatDeath

[HeatDeath 430]

Does it have to be the same consulate? She lives in Belo Horizonte. Any chance they would seal it?

<Goes off and google-maps Belo Horizonte...>

Oh, it's only a day's drive? She's lucky! I was over 2300 km from "my" US consulate [Canada is a BEEEEEGGG place, and there's lots of it that is a LOOONGGG way from either Montreal or Vancouver! ]

The way you said it, I thought Belo Horizonte might be way out by Manaus or something!

The distance shouldn't matter. The resealing should be able to be done solely by mail. Just takes time and a little bit of money.

Edited June 5, 2010 by HeatDeath

[minme 0]

I'm telling her to do it personally, because her ticket to leave is Friday the 11th. I already changed it from the 4th because she didn't get it on time.

Does she need all of her documents or just the envelope that isn't sealed?

[HeatDeath 430]

I'm telling her to do it personally, because her ticket to leave is Friday the 11th. I already changed it from the 4th because she didn't get it on time.

Does she need all of her documents or just the envelope that isn't sealed?

The you definitely better contact the consulate first. I don't know if they even can do the resealing on a "while-you-wait" basis. There is the very realistic possibility that you may need to change the ticket again.

I would have her bring all of the paperwork she brought to the interview - anything she has, really - just in case.

[Anh map 2,098]

I would imagine that the $300 fee is for the issuing consulate, not to be paid at the POE. My advice is to contact/visit the issuing consulate ASAP to learn the proper answer rather than risking your loved one being denied entry at the POE.

Best of luck.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

You obviously don't understand the severity involved.

The envelope contains her entire immigration file, in the original, of which no copy exists. Did she remove a document? Did she add one? Did she switch something?

They will have to look at every document and basically start over from the beginning. If they are unsure, you will have to resubmit documents in the original, to be inspected.

The resealing cost $1.00. The $299.00 is for tampering. Add a few hundred dollars for extended waiting and I hope you understand now why resealing is not really what this is all about.

[HeatDeath 430]

You obviously don't understand the severity involved.

The envelope contains her entire immigration file, in the original, of which no copy exists. Did she remove a document? Did she add one? Did she switch something?

They will have to look at every document and basically start over from the beginning. If they are unsure, you will have to resubmit documents in the original, to be inspected.

The resealing cost $1.00. The $299.00 is for tampering. Add a few hundred dollars for extended waiting and I hope you understand now why resealing is not really what this is all about.

Seconded. +1