K1 Visa Guide/Description for Fiance - What am I missing

[Dan & Jenni 457]

I have been putting together a simple document to desribe the process to my fiance. She works and goes to school so doesn't have enough time currently to do the research I can.

Let me know if theres anything wrong with this, or I should add anything. Greatly appreciated.

K1 Visa

Timeframe – 8 months

Cost - $1,805

What is K1?

A K-1 Visa allows a Non-US Citizen fiancé (Me) engaged to a US Citizen (You) to legally enter the US, Marry and then Adjust Status to become a Legal Permanent Resident.

What is the process?

The process of obtaining a K-1 Visa starts with you filing an "I-129F: Petition for Alien Fiancé" packet with the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). Within a few weeks of sending the documents to The USCIS Dallas Lockbox you will receive notice that that your letter has been opened and is under review. The cost is $455. Around 4-5 months later you will receive a notification that your application has been approved. You will then need to send me the original copies of everything you filled out. The USCIS who are responsible for processing this petition will forward the petition to the National Visa Centre who then forwards it to the US London consulate. All in all this process takes about 5-6 months, and from there it all moves fairly quickly.

Upon receiving the approved I-129F petition, the US London Consulate will contact me by mail and request certain information be gathered and provided to the US London Consulate. This will include general info such as passport, birth certificate as well as a medical history and criminal record. I will then be given a date for an actual visa interview in person at the US London consulate for the K-1 Visa. Here I will provide them with the original copies of the I-129F. I will also need to provide the I-134 "Adviant for Support" document which will be filed by me, but filled out by our sponsor. A sponsor does not need to be decided until this point. When the embassy approves the K-1, they will issue the visa typically within a week after the interview and return my passport.

Once I receive the K-1 Visa I will enter the US at any time within six months of the visa being issued.

What happens when I arrive in the US?

After arriving in the US I will apply for a Social Security number and then a marriage certificate. We must then get married within 90 days. Next we apply for I-485 "Adjustment of Status" (AOS) to become a Legal Permanent Resident. The cost is $1,040.

Along with the AOS we will send a I-864 which is a more detailed "Advant for Support" document filled out by our sponsor along with a G-325A (Biographical information) for both is us and an I-131 "Application for Travel" which will allow me to leave the US for short periods throughout the next year while the process takes place.

I will also apply for an I-765 "Employment Authorization Document" (EAD). The EAD card, known popularly as Work Permit, is a document issued by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that provides its holder a legal right to work in the United States of America. A holder can work as long as they carry an unexpired valid EAD and maintain their Legal Status in the US. The cost is $340.

1 month after the application is made a Biometrics examination is arranged for you both to attend. This will takes place at the nearest USCIS biometrics office (California) where you will have you fingerprints and photos taken for an FBI check up.

An EAD shouldn't be confused with a green card (which indicates that its holder is a Legal Permanent Resident of the US. The EAD must be updated annually until a Greencard is issued.

At some point within the next you we will receive a letter informing us of an interview date. It will include instructions on what to bring to the interview and any required items you may need to complete beforehand. This will include copies of most the documents we have put together along with evidence of our relationship. This should include photos, joint account, joint lease etc. The interview lasts between 15-30 minutes. Once approved I will be mailed A "green-card" within weeks of the interview date.

What we need to do next??

What you need in the I-129F package. Make 2 spare copies of everything. Should be placed in the order listed.

1. $455 Payment required by the USCIS. Use a personal check so you can track the payment.

2. Cover letter which states everything in the package. Clip a completed G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance. By completing this form and attaching it, USCIS will send you an email and/or text message to alert you when your application was received.

3. I-29F Form

4. Delectation of how we met and how many times we have seen one another in person in the last 2 years.

5. Written statement which declares our intent to marry signed by both of us.

6. Proof of having met in the last 2 years and proof of an ongoing relationship – Dated photos, plane tickets, hotel bills, phone bills, emails, letters, stamps etc

7. G-325A form signed by you. The G-325A is biographical information about me.

8. One passport photo of yourself with full name on the back.

9. G-325A form signed by me.

10. One passport photo of me with full name on the back.

11. Copy of your birth certificate.

check all your costs because some if not all seem wrong. for the I-129F you have an initial filing fee of $340, an interview fee also $340 i think, £210 for a medical, £35 for a police certificate and then things like passport photos (US size of 2x2 inch for the I-129F, medical, and interview & UK size for the police certificate), any vaccinations that cant be done on the NHS.

proof of having met in the last 2 years - passport stamps, boarding passes are your main evidence.

you will have a medical in london and for that you need to go to your doctor and get a print out of your vaccination history which you present at the medical. any vaccinations your not up to date on you can get your doctor to do first.

your USC fiance will be your sponsor for the I-134 and will fill out the form and provide supporting evidence. if she does not meet the poverty level then you can use a co-sponsor who will also fill out the I-134 and provide supporting evidence.

when you apply for AOS you can also apply for EAD and AP (advance parole to allow you to travel outside the US until your greencard arrives). EAD and AP are free when applied for at the same time as AOS and usually arrive after a couple of month. AOS takes a lot longer.

besides reading the guides on here i would advise reading through the posts in the K-1 forum for help in getting you to the embassy stage and then reading through the UK forum for information regarding the medical and interview as once it reaches the embassy things get embassy specific.

good luck

[robp135 1]

thanks for the help guys. I will be beginning the process in the New Year.