Getting started/ Filing with or without a laywer

[be.with.you 0]

Hey there,

I ve red through the page for a while now and as my fiance and me have decided to file a K1 visa I have a few questions, I am sure most of them have been asked a billion times before and I apologize for that already I m trying to keep it short!

My fiance would like to hire an attorney as we ve had a rejected B2 visa already in June (Yeah I know no visa with a bf in the states we should ve known it), I m searching for an attorney right now and I m starting to get a bad feeling that either it ll cost a few thousand dollars on top of all the costs already or be a scam/ wasted money. I ve been looking through so many and none of them really seemed to be convincing to me or cost ~4500$ just for the filing stuff. Does anyone here know an affordable and competent lawyer?

So I thought about doing it on our own, do you think it will be too complicated with the already rejected B2?

We ve been living together here in Europe for a while now because my fiance was stationed here. So we have plenty of pictures etc.!

Next thing is my fiance managed to get his divorce done only now that he s back to the states (they ve been seperated for about 2 years now though) will that cause any issue because we ve been together although he was still officially married?

Is it true my fiance can come to the visa interview to the embassy with me if he happens to be here at that time?

I am very very scared of this process because I still feel like I messed up with the B2 visa, I am so scared of this process!

Thank you already for reading through all this,

I am pretty sure I forgot some questions but I ll ask them whenever i remember them!

Edited August 16, 2013 by be.with.you

[southernman 29]

Don't hire a lawyer, you can do everything yourself and it really is very simple. This site has all the information that you will need and pleanty of good people to help you along the way. A denied B-2 visa will have no bearing on a k-1 visa petition.

As for your fiances divorce, it will not be a problem as long as he is legally divorced and able to marry BEFORE he submits the petition. My previous divorce was finalized one week before I met my wife and proposed. It will not be a problem.

Each embassy is different and has different rules about the interview process. He may or may not be allowed to be with you during the "interview" process but he can go to the embassy with you. Fill in your timeline and whatever country you are from visit that section of VJ to ask specific questions. Don't be afraid and good luck.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

If you were denied a tourist visa based on not showing enough ties to your home country, it will have no impact on your K-1 application at all. No need to get lawyer for that. My husband had 3 tourist visa denials over the years before he applied for a K-1 visa, and it was never even mentioned. It is not a reason for a K-1 denial.

For the I-129F petition, you just both need to be free and legally able to marry when you file. Make sure there is no wait time for his state after a divorce. If there is, you need to wait out that time before filing the I-129F petition. He will send a copy of his divorce decree and also supply proof that you have met face-to-face within the 2 years prior to filing the petition with passport stamps, boarding passes, baggage claim tickets, receipts/bank statements, etc.

It is best for the USC petitioner to be there at the K-1 interview if at all possible, even if they are not allowed in with the foreign fiance(e). For some consulates, it is a must that they be there. Letting others know what consulate you will interview at will help get you more detailed, accurate answers.

Be sure to research what evidence your fiance(e) needs to prove your relationship later at the K-1 visa interview though. You may also want to research if it is a good idea to 'front-load' the I-129F petition with relationship evidence when going through your certain consulate. For some it is best to do so.

[LmmL 46]

SAY NO TO LAWYER.

You and your fiance can do it yourself.

I had interview on Thursday and a girl who also had a K1 interview was denied for B2 twice, she got approved the K1 without a lawyer.

This journey can increase your communication level and the love you two have

But, make sure that his divorce is finalized before he file the petition. Cuz he needs to send the divorce decree when he file the petition.

Good luck!

Edited August 17, 2013 by ButterflyAngelo

[be.with.you 0]

Thank you sooo much for helpful replies already! We have decided to do it without a lawyer now and I am currently going through all the forms and fill them out. I know the divorce has to be finalized before we file to attach the divorce papers to it, we just want to have everything ready so we dont waste more time before filing

Some more questions did come up to me, so here they are if you dont mind:

1. The most stupid question I know but if f.e. there is no child of the fiance do I fill in NONE or do I just leave everything empty thats not applying to me?

2.

Be sure to research what evidence your fiance(e) needs to prove your relationship later at the K-1 visa interview though. You may also want to research if it is a good idea to 'front-load' the I-129F petition with relationship evidence when going through your certain consulate. For some it is best to do so.

a. We are filing for Frankfurt/ Germany - front load or not?

b. What exactly is front load? To put in all the proof about our relationship? Everything you are gonna show them in the whole process or just more than proving you ve met in person?

3. Proof of relationship: How much? Rather more than less or overload the whole thing? Sorry for my expression We have registration papers that shows we were registered we were living at the same adress together at the same time for a year. We have pictures, family occassions and trips, hotel bills, should our parents write letters? I dont know And pictures, what is better, just us two or with our families together?

I am so sorry, its so much at once but this forum and all the warm words I read to others really encourages me to do it and it feels a lot better than hiring a laywer!

Thank you already

[LmmL 46]

1. Put "None"

2. Hope someone can help you with this

3. Photos of two of you, photos with family, photos with friends (different background, night & day, different clothes), boarding pass, tickets, letters, cards, emails, chat logs (YM/FB/skype), phone records, engagement ring (if applicable), hotel bills, etc.

No need parents letter if your age is enough to get married.

Good luck

Edited August 18, 2013 by ButterflyAngelo

[jenni17 36]

Hey there,

I ve red through the page for a while now and as my fiance and me have decided to file a K1 visa I have a few questions, I am sure most of them have been asked a billion times before and I apologize for that already I m trying to keep it short!

My fiance would like to hire an attorney as we ve had a rejected B2 visa already in June (Yeah I know no visa with a bf in the states we should ve known it), I m searching for an attorney right now and I m starting to get a bad feeling that either it ll cost a few thousand dollars on top of all the costs already or be a scam/ wasted money. I ve been looking through so many and none of them really seemed to be convincing to me or cost ~4500$ just for the filing stuff. Does anyone here know an affordable and competent lawyer?

So I thought about doing it on our own, do you think it will be too complicated with the already rejected B2?

We ve been living together here in Europe for a while now because my fiance was stationed here. So we have plenty of pictures etc.!

Next thing is my fiance managed to get his divorce done only now that he s back to the states (they ve been seperated for about 2 years now though) will that cause any issue because we ve been together although he was still officially married?

Is it true my fiance can come to the visa interview to the embassy with me if he happens to be here at that time?

I am very very scared of this process because I still feel like I messed up with the B2 visa, I am so scared of this process!

Thank you already for reading through all this,

I am pretty sure I forgot some questions but I ll ask them whenever i remember them!

If you have the time and patience to dedicate towards preparing your petition yourself there is no need for a lawyer, do your research well (which this site will help you do) and you'll be fine. As for the B2 visa, it won't cause any issues. My fiance was denied the tourist visa twice and it caused no problems at his interview, and he's from a much higher fraud country than germany. My advice would be to take your time send in a well prepared package on your own. There's no need to spend the extra money on a lawyer when it can be done DIY.

Good Luck!

[agnesb 47]

Hey there,

I ve red through the page for a while now and as my fiance and me have decided to file a K1 visa I have a few questions, I am sure most of them have been asked a billion times before and I apologize for that already I m trying to keep it short!

My fiance would like to hire an attorney as we ve had a rejected B2 visa already in June (Yeah I know no visa with a bf in the states we should ve known it), I m searching for an attorney right now and I m starting to get a bad feeling that either it ll cost a few thousand dollars on top of all the costs already or be a scam/ wasted money. I ve been looking through so many and none of them really seemed to be convincing to me or cost ~4500$ just for the filing stuff. Does anyone here know an affordable and competent lawyer?

So I thought about doing it on our own, do you think it will be too complicated with the already rejected B2?

We ve been living together here in Europe for a while now because my fiance was stationed here. So we have plenty of pictures etc.!

Next thing is my fiance managed to get his divorce done only now that he s back to the states (they ve been seperated for about 2 years now though) will that cause any issue because we ve been together although he was still officially married?

Is it true my fiance can come to the visa interview to the embassy with me if he happens to be here at that time?

I am very very scared of this process because I still feel like I messed up with the B2 visa, I am so scared of this process!

Thank you already for reading through all this,

I am pretty sure I forgot some questions but I ll ask them whenever i remember them!

Hi, you will be ok filling without lawyer if your case is straight forward.

Just wanted to check, as Germany is part of ESTA so obviously you had a reason why you were applying for b-2 at the embassy or were you denied at entry?

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Thank you sooo much for helpful replies already! We have decided to do it without a lawyer now and I am currently going through all the forms and fill them out. I know the divorce has to be finalized before we file to attach the divorce papers to it, we just want to have everything ready so we dont waste more time before filing

Some more questions did come up to me, so here they are if you dont mind:

1. The most stupid question I know but if f.e. there is no child of the fiance do I fill in NONE or do I just leave everything empty thats not applying to me?

2.

a. We are filing for Frankfurt/ Germany - front load or not?

b. What exactly is front load? To put in all the proof about our relationship? Everything you are gonna show them in the whole process or just more than proving you ve met in person?

3. Proof of relationship: How much? Rather more than less or overload the whole thing? Sorry for my expression We have registration papers that shows we were registered we were living at the same adress together at the same time for a year. We have pictures, family occassions and trips, hotel bills, should our parents write letters? I dont know And pictures, what is better, just us two or with our families together?

I am so sorry, its so much at once but this forum and all the warm words I read to others really encourages me to do it and it feels a lot better than hiring a laywer!

Thank you already

1.) The I-129F form states (if any) about children, and the I-129F form instructions state if something is N/A or None to leave it blank. So, if they have no children, then leave those blank.

2.) I do not think you would need to front-load really for your consulate. However, if you want to front-load a little, it will not hurt. Front-loading is adding in some evidence of your relationship that will be in your file already so the CO at your K-1 interview later will be able to have seen that evidence. If you want to, just add in a small amount of relationship proof that spans the entire length of your relationship so far.It is not a requirement for the I-129F though, and you can save all of that type of documentation for the visa interview.

3.) For the I-129F petition, you need to prove you have met face-to-face withing the 2 years prior to filing. You do that with passport stamps, boarding passes, hotel receipts, ATM receipts/bank or credit statements showing use in the other country during your visits, and a few photos as secondary evidence to back up the passport stamps and such. You also have proof of residing together, and if that was from within the last 2 years, then it is outstanding evidence of having been together in person

Bring more photos, chat/call logs, proof of more trips together since filing the I-129F petition, letters to each other and things of that nature to your K-1 interview as proof of ongoing, bona fide relationship.