Please Help! Packet 3!

[jacooper 0]

Hey guys! I have a few questions. Please help me out as we are trying to push this through as fast as possible. We are a bit confused about packet 3.

1. Could you please give me a detailed list of everything that needs to go into Packet 3 when we mail it off to the embassy? I am aware of the link but we are still unsure and confused by what gets sent and what gets taken to the interview. If you could please take the time to just type out what you have sent them that would be great!

2. A complete list of the things that need to be taken to the Interview.

3. What fees do we have to pay? Is the MRV/Visa/Interview fee all the same? When do we pay these? After packet 3 and before medical? Do we do it by phone or online? Number or link?

Thank you so much!!!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

It tells you in the link/webpage. What part is confusing?

Mail to embassy--

The 4 DS-xxxx forms. Some are in duplicate, meaning print it twice or photocopy. Step One tells which are duplicated. Write it down.

DS-2001 readiness form

Cover letter with DS2001. The webpage tells what goes in the cover letter. Its in Step Two, but they can all go in the same envelope mailed to the embassy.

Take to interview--

Appointment letter

Receipt emailed to you showing you paid for the visa by phone

All the documents shown in bold type on the web page that apply to you. Meaning..if you're not married then marriage certificate doesn't apply. Never arrested-no court records for you. Get out a piece of paper and scroll down the page and make your list. It's a long webpage. http://london.usembassy.gov/interview_documents.html

Visa fees - http://london.usembassy.gov/immigrant-visas/iv_fees.html

Find K visa on the page in two locations. Write it on your paper. Pay anytime before going to the interview. You don't have to pay before the medical or before you will be assigned an appointment.

Edited April 30, 2011 by Nich-Nick

[rallybug 17]

There are some inconsistencies (to my mind, anyway) between the instructions.

The letter from the embassy states to return forms DS-230 Part I, 2 x DS-156, DS-156K, 2 x DS-157 and checklist DS-2001 before an appointment will be scheduled.

Form DS-2001 only says that it must be returned with from DS-230 Part I (none of the other forms are mentioned).

The receipt for the visa fee says that you must sign the receipt and submit it with your completed visa application package - no signed receipt in the package = application returned unprocessed.

So, adding the three together, I must send in a package of:

Covering letter quoting name, e-mail address, case number, date of wedding, date of medical.

Form DS-2001 signed, dated and completed

Signed MRV Application Fee receipt

Form DS-230 Part I signed & dated (part II doesn't need to be in the package?)

Form DS-156 signed & dated (two copies of)

Form DS-156K

Form DS-157 (two copies of)

Is that right?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

There are some inconsistencies (to my mind, anyway) between the instructions.

The letter from the embassy states to return forms DS-230 Part I, 2 x DS-156, DS-156K, 2 x DS-157 and checklist DS-2001 before an appointment will be scheduled.

Form DS-2001 only says that it must be returned with from DS-230 Part I (none of the other forms are mentioned).

The receipt for the visa fee says that you must sign the receipt and submit it with your completed visa application package - no signed receipt in the package = application returned unprocessed.

Thanks for pointing out what is confusing you. It's hard to help when you don't know what the real question is. Follow London instructions specific to K1 is the best advice I can offer. Start on this page-- http://london.usembassy.gov/iv_15.html

I think the DS-2001, being a generic DOS document for many visas, says things that don't apply to how London prefers to process K1s. For example, the DS-156 says to submit documents with the form. London says to bring them to the interiew.

So, adding the three together, I must send in a package of:

Covering letter quoting name, e-mail address, case number, date of wedding, date of medical.

Form DS-2001 signed, dated and completed

Signed MRV Application Fee receipt

Form DS-230 Part I signed & dated (part II doesn't need to be in the package?)

Form DS-156 signed & dated (two copies of)

Form DS-156K

Form DS-157 (two copies of)

Is that right?

You can mail these together first-

• Form DS-230 Part I signed & dated (part II doesn't need to be in the package?) done ever by K1s
  
• Form DS-156 signed & dated (two copies of)
  
• Form DS-156K
  
• Form DS-157 (two copies of)
  

These can go later when you have all the interview document in hand--OR all six in the same envelope if you have your interview documents already

• Covering letter quoting name, e-mail address, case number, date of wedding, date of medical.
  
• Form DS-2001 signed, dated and completed
  

Signed MRV Application Fee receipt Nothing to do with mailing K1 visa application forms. Pay before you attend the interview and take the email receipt to the interview to show you've paid. It just streamlines the interview day process. They will assign you an interview paid or not, but would like you to pay prior to your interview day so it's sorted.

[rallybug 17]

Signed MRV Application Fee receipt Nothing to do with mailing K1 visa application forms. Pay before you attend the interview and take the email receipt to the interview to show you've paid. It just streamlines the interview day process. They will assign you an interview paid or not, but would like you to pay prior to your interview day so it's sorted.

Thanks, Nick - here's where my confusion is with the MRV:

Notice in the area I've highlighted with a red box, it talks about submitting it with the completed visa application package.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I see the confusion. Nobody has scanned their receipt before. I know people very recently have been assigned interviews before paying. I know a K1 applicant who didn't pay until interview day in March and another who was told they would still take payment on the day of the interview, but it made it quicker if it was already paid. Maybe somebody else can say if their receipt was like this.

I wonder if this is another case of one-size fits all form letters for non-immigrant visas. There are a lot of non-immigrant visas and their process/payment/forms/appointments are totally different from K1. While K1 is called a non-immigrnat visa, it is process by the Immigrant Visa Unit because of the intent to remain in the US permanently. The true immigrant visas like CR1 for spouses are paid at the NVC stage. So I wonder if they just use the NIV form letter to acknowlege you K1 payment.

The non-immigrant visas are

A-1/A-2 Visa Diplomats & Foreign Government Officials

A-3 Visa Domestic Employee of a A-1/A-2 Visa holder

B-1 Visa Business visitors, Domestic Employees, Academics, Researchers and Students

B-2 Visa Holiday, tourism, medical treatment

C-1 Visa Transiting the United States

C-1/D Visa Crewmembers working on air or sea carriers

E-1/E-2 Visa Treaty Trader/Investor

E-3 Visa Australian professional speciality

F-1/M-1 Visa Students: academic & vocational

G-1/G-4 Visa Employees of an International Organization

G-5 Visa Domestic Employee of a G-1/G-4 visa

H-1/H-3 Visa Employment based visas including the H-3 trainee visa

L-1 Visa Intra-company transferees

I Visa Journalists & Members of the Media

J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor, Academics, Au-pairs, Interns

NATO -1/6 Visa Foreign Military Personnel stationed in the U.S.

NATO-7 Visa Domestic Employee of NATO-1/6 visa holder

O-1/2 or P-1/3 Visa Persons with extraordinary ability in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business or Athletics

Q-1 Visa International Cultural Exchange

R-1 Visa Religious Worker

London doesn't include K1 on thie NIV list.

[rallybug 17]

And yet the State Department does - Nonimmigrant Visa for a Fiance(e) (K-1)

I have more than one copy of the receipt, so I'm going to put one signed copy in the application package, and take another one with me to the interview, I think - belts and braces, maybe.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

And yet the State Department does - Nonimmigrant Visa for a Fiance(e) (K-1)

I have more than one copy of the receipt, so I'm going to put one signed copy in the application package, and take another one with me to the interview, I think - belts and braces, maybe.

It won't hurt a thing to send it, and bring a copy too. I know each consulate does things differently. State department says to bring the medical to the interview. We know Knightsbridge sends it by courier. It says bring relationship evidence, but we know London doesn't look at it. I like that you are digging for information and that's always a good thing. Some people don't even read the basic London instructions. I don't think London will throw out applications not accompanied by a payment receipt since they don't say that in their Step One, Two, Three Packet 3 instructions to K1son how to proceed. I'm not saying either of us is right or wrong, just speculating and offering discussion.

[rallybug 17]

I agree, and anyway, you can never prepare for what government departments and employees will do - their whims can change with the direction of the wind

[Chris921 13]

the London embassy doesn't require it sent it when i completed it it is not asked for by them but you are required to have the original when it comes to the interview date, i had it in hand and handed it in during the interview which was then put in the big folder they have for you