US Citizen seeking advice on K-1 Visa Process & Procedures

[Carcharodont 2]

Hi Everyone,

First I want to say this website has been an incredible source of information for me, and really helped to make sense of general information regarding the K-1 and K-3 visas. I also would like to apologize in advance if my topic appears to be a run-of-the-mill 'new guy' asking basic information that is readily searchable.

A bit about me: I am a US Citizen and was born and raised in Texas (but got the hell out), and met my girlfriend (Chinese) while I was in graduate school. While we've maintained a relationship even though our careers took us to different states, she ended up being forced to go back to China in August because, for lack of better description, her visa paperwork prepared by her company was not processed by the US Government (it was lost). We would have married much sooner, but due to long-term unemployment coupled with an impending lay off at a company I was contracted to work for (found out the company was relocating in August, and ironically moving to Texas where its other facility was to save on rent), it was simply impossible file any of the necessary paperwork, get engaged, or get married.

Things have rebounded though: managed to get a much better paying position and am in the process of trying to prepare a K-1 Visa packet, applied for a passport, and am getting ready to travel there to visit her. Needless to say it's been harrowing and overwhelming trying to take this all in as the thought of international travel is foreign to me, no pun intended, and I've been doing as much as I can to try and develop/ready a packet to submit. Right now these are the following things I think I need, and we will be in the process of filling them out on the weekend.

1. Cover Letter
2. i-129f
3. i-134 affidavit of support
4. g-325a (me)
5. g-325a (her)
6. evidence of relationship
7. passport photo copies (me/her)
8. evidence of my us citizenship (certificate of vital record)
9. g-1145
10. Check for $340

Besides the obvious question of whether this is a sufficient packet (am I missing anything), we'd been in a disagreement over when to send the packet as Im planning to make a trip to China to visit her. I'm wanting to send it out soon and believe we have sufficient evidence to establish on going relationship and how we met (grad school) and also because I think the process takes months to complete. She wants to wait so we have a little more evidence, and more photos together (sadly we only have a few because most of my photos were lost due to hard drive failure). I guess that leaves me with the following to ask:

1. Is she right in waiting, or am I right in wanting to submit it sooner because of the amount of time involved?

2. Does the USCIS accept video as evidence? I have video from Christmas in 2011, and from her visit in 2015, in addition to a couple photos of us together. Almost all of my photos I have taken have been either strictly of her, or her with my dogs, because I'm the guy behind the camera :/

3. Do shipping packages to her count as any sort of evidence as I have many customs declarations and receipts from the post office where I shipped things to her. As a followup: would bank statements count as evidence as well if I can go by line item and show purchases made in the past?

4. If we have time stamped PM conversations (Facebook, Skype, WeChat), exactly how much is necessary to establish a genuine bona fide relationship?

5. Am I over analyzing the whole visa process and making the evidence requirements to be too big and getting anxiety over nothing? Personal recommendations would be greatly appreciated

6. Prior to travel to China, are there any vaccines that are absolutely required that aren't part of the normal regiment of immunizations here (Dtap, mmr, hep a/b, etc etc etc). I've seen something about polio vaccine, but the CDC's website regarding travel is confusing as the first paragraph mentions all travelers need polio vaccine, but further down it mentions only some travelers if you're going to rural areas. Also, how and where do I apply for an L-Visa to go to China?

7. If she is able to work in biotech/biomedical research, would that help our application?

8. Last but not least: what is the average wait time from application submissal to a beneficiary landing in a port of entry? Is it between 4-6 months? Is it some times shorter, some times longer?

I apologize for the length of this post, and once again if some of these questions seem painfully basic but any and all help, insights, or constructive criticisms would be greatly appreciated.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Carcharodont

[N and J 88]

Hi Everyone,

First I want to say this website has been an incredible source of information for me, and really helped to make sense of general information regarding the K-1 and K-3 visas. I also would like to apologize in advance if my topic appears to be a run-of-the-mill 'new guy' asking basic information that is readily searchable.

A bit about me: I am a US Citizen and was born and raised in Texas (but got the hell out), and met my girlfriend (Chinese) while I was in graduate school. While we've maintained a relationship even though our careers took us to different states, she ended up being forced to go back to China in August because, for lack of better description, her visa paperwork prepared by her company was not processed by the US Government (it was lost). We would have married much sooner, but due to long-term unemployment coupled with an impending lay off at a company I was contracted to work for (found out the company was relocating in August, and ironically moving to Texas where its other facility was to save on rent), it was simply impossible file any of the necessary paperwork, get engaged, or get married.

Things have rebounded though: managed to get a much better paying position and am in the process of trying to prepare a K-1 Visa packet, applied for a passport, and am getting ready to travel there to visit her. Needless to say it's been harrowing and overwhelming trying to take this all in as the thought of international travel is foreign to me, no pun intended, and I've been doing as much as I can to try and develop/ready a packet to submit. Right now these are the following things I think I need, and we will be in the process of filling them out on the weekend.

1. Cover Letter

2. i-129f

3. i-134 affidavit of support

4. g-325a (me)

5. g-325a (her)

6. evidence of relationship

7. passport photo copies (me/her)

8. evidence of my us citizenship (certificate of vital record)

9. g-1145

10. Check for $340

Besides the obvious question of whether this is a sufficient packet (am I missing anything), we'd been in a disagreement over when to send the packet as Im planning to make a trip to China to visit her. I'm wanting to send it out soon and believe we have sufficient evidence to establish on going relationship and how we met (grad school) and also because I think the process takes months to complete. She wants to wait so we have a little more evidence, and more photos together (sadly we only have a few because most of my photos were lost due to hard drive failure). I guess that leaves me with the following to ask:

1. Is she right in waiting, or am I right in wanting to submit it sooner because of the amount of time involved?

2. Does the USCIS accept video as evidence? I have video from Christmas in 2011, and from her visit in 2015, in addition to a couple photos of us together. Almost all of my photos I have taken have been either strictly of her, or her with my dogs, because I'm the guy behind the camera :/

3. Do shipping packages to her count as any sort of evidence as I have many customs declarations and receipts from the post office where I shipped things to her. As a followup: would bank statements count as evidence as well if I can go by line item and show purchases made in the past?

4. If we have time stamped PM conversations (Facebook, Skype, WeChat), exactly how much is necessary to establish a genuine bona fide relationship?

5. Am I over analyzing the whole visa process and making the evidence requirements to be too big and getting anxiety over nothing? Personal recommendations would be greatly appreciated

6. Prior to travel to China, are there any vaccines that are absolutely required that aren't part of the normal regiment of immunizations here (Dtap, mmr, hep a/b, etc etc etc). I've seen something about polio vaccine, but the CDC's website regarding travel is confusing as the first paragraph mentions all travelers need polio vaccine, but further down it mentions only some travelers if you're going to rural areas. Also, how and where do I apply for an L-Visa to go to China?

7. If she is able to work in biotech/biomedical research, would that help our application?

8. Last but not least: what is the average wait time from application submissal to a beneficiary landing in a port of entry? Is it between 4-6 months? Is it some times shorter, some times longer?

I apologize for the length of this post, and once again if some of these questions seem painfully basic but any and all help, insights, or constructive criticisms would be greatly appreciated.

Documents you're missing.

You are missing your letter of intent to marry within 90 days from both of you. It needs to be an original. She can't send you a scanned copy. So you need to get that. She has to sign and date it. You also need to provide proof you met within the last 2 years.

1. You don't really need evidence until the interview. Which is not going to happen right away. Some people like to front load and send extra evidence in when they send their application. Sending it in now once you get the intent to marry from her. The G-325 is an original from her right? It is not a scanned copy? if so you need to get the original from her before you can send it in.

2. No no one accepts any kind of media during this process. Only paper pictures and paper evidence.

3. Yes keep all your receipts. It is proof you have sent gifts. Sometimes they like to see this kind of stuff sometimes they won't even ask for it.

4. send a few conversations from each month. Doesn't have to be that many. As someone else on here told me quality over quantity.

5. Relax and take it step by step. The worst part of this is the waiting part. Just make sure and double and triple check that you have everything they ask for. Send boarding passes and stuff for evidence.

6. Check the CDC website or google vaccines required for China. I did that for my trip to Morocco. It was recommended not required to get typhoid vaccine. I got it anyway.

7. They don't care what job she can do or if she even has a job.

8. it all depends since every case is different. It could be 4 or 5 months. It could be 6 and some people go to Administrative Processing (AP) and are there for years. So it all depends on the case. By the way not saying you will be waiting years just saying it can be any amount of time. Go to the timelines from China and see how long a K1 is taking.

Good Luck!!

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

You need proof of meeting in person within the 2 years prior to submitting the I-129F. That is one of the main requirements for the petition. Use passport stamps, boarding passes, her visa to show when she was in the US, any other documents that show you were in the same place at the same time. You also each need a statement of your intent to marry within 90 days of entry via the K-1 visa. Check the K-1 guide for everything required and the VJ example forms.

1.) Check the China regional forum to find out how much front-loading of relationship evidence is needed for your consulate. You can send it now with what you have, and then take more evidence to the K-1 visa interview later. The process can take months, so she is right about that.

2) Digital media is never accepted.

3) You can both provide receipts of gifts for the interview, to show your ongoing relationship. Photos together with each others friends and family are also good to show.

4) Choose a sampling of chat logs that spans the length of your relationship.

5) The I-129F petition does not require any proof that your relationship is real. It just needs to show you are both free to marry and have met in person at least once in the previous 2 years. The relationship evidence you add to the I-129F submission is front-loading, and that evidence is sent for the consulate to have on hand and see before and at the K-1 visa interview. Some consulates require more front-loading than others. Again, check with your regional forum.

6) No idea about the entry/travel requirements for visiting China. That may be another question for the China regional forum.

7) No.

8) Yes. It varies.

[A'n'L 735]

Some good information in the previous answers. I'll add:

You don't need the I134 until the interview.

Make sure the passport photos are US size and write your names on the back.

Make sure you include evidence of having met in the last 2 years, as that is the requirement.

Make sure your birth certificate is the long version (with parents) and that you copy front and back.

As long as you have everything ready, including original letter of intent and G325 with wet signatures from your fiancé, I don't see any reason for waiting to file the petition.

You are overthinking the need for evidence for the petition, but that will be helpful when the interview comes around.

Good luck

[digiteltim 5]

I would just send a couple pictures, and any receipts that would support you have met int he last two years (matching plane, train, bus tickets, etc). I do not think someone will take the time to play a video of you two, but if you can take some stills from the video and print them that would be great.

In regards to the amount of time it takes, it could a while to hear back. We filed in September 2014, had zero RFE's, and were able to schedule the interview by early May 2015. The interview was in June and we entered July 1st. I did not wait for the embassy to send us Packet 4 (an e-mail that says you can schedule your interview now), I just went ahead and did it after we received Packet 3 in the mail. This saved weeks of time.

Make sure your fiancee has her background check and birth certificate ready. Get extra copies. I believe the background check can be no older than six months old. They need to be translated and notarized.

Once you apply for the K-1, she shouldn't get any other US visa in the interim. Just wait. You may want to plan on going to GUZ with her to help her along with the medical, be there for her, etc.

[Carcharodont 2]

Hi everyone!

I wanted to update everyone and say that I just submitted my K-1 Visa petition (USPS overnight express w/return receipt) this morning and the USCIS center in Lewisville TX should receive it tomorrow.

Package contents, excluding cover pages, totaled 236 pages, with a breakdown below.

o Cover Letter 1 page

o G-1145 1 page

o USCIS Form I-129F and Supplementary Question 34a: explanation of how we met 7 pages

o G-325A and passport-style photo from both the Petitioner and Beneficiary 4 pages

o State of Texas Certificate of Vital Record – Petitioner’s U.S. Birth Certificate 2 pages

o Copies of all pages from Petitioner’s U.S. Passport and Invitation Letter 9 pages

o Letters of Intent to Marry from Petitioner and Beneficiary 2 pages

o Copies of engagement ring receipt, appraisal, and GIA Report/Diamond Dossier 4 pages

o 3^rd Party Affidavit of Personal Relationship 1 page

o Photographs establishing we’ve met within the past two years (and back to 2011) 26 pages

o Supporting documentation establishing an ongoing relationship since 2011 153 pages
(Skype/WeChat/Facebook Chats, call/SMS logs, receipts, itineraries, tickets, shipped items, gifts, etc)

o I-134 Affidavit of Support, supporting statements, and 2015 Tax Return 25 pages

o Thank You Letter 1 page

I'm glad to have finally got the ball rolling on this application and will be counting the days to the interview. Hopefully with that amount of information there will not be any RFEs, especially regarding signatures (I was paranoid about missing information). Don't worry, i even included the check for $340.00 made payable to Department of Homeland Security.

I want to thank everyone on this website who provided answers within the various topics in these forums for helping make my application possible. I'm looking forward to the next steps in the process and ultimately having my fiancee back here in the US.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Carcharodont