K1 Action Plan - Getting Consulates to Process Our Visas

[SETETA 204]

1 hour ago, tris&kris said:

@MaxKM No harm in contacting your representative early about your concerns that K1s are not currently mission critical.

 

@SETETA I will post a template you can send your rep by the end of the day. Currently at work. If you’re wanting to do it sooner, you could modify the friends/family template I posted above.

It's ok. I am CR1 but also have an issue re clarity from embassies. So I submitted a petition.

[Jody and Misho 99]

1 hour ago, SETETA said:

It's ok. I am CR1 but also have an issue re clarity from embassies. So I submitted a petition.

@MaxKM  I look forward to seeing and using the template you post!  Thanks!

[My Mzuri 20]

On 6/22/2020 at 9:07 PM, tris&kris said:

Hi Fellow K1s,

 

The number one thing we can do right now to ensure that we get reunited with our loved ones, is to contact your US elected officials. Let them know that you are a constituent of their district or state, that you are in the K1 process, and that you are concerned that K1s are not being addressed adequately during the pandemic. Include a few sentences of your personal story so they remember you. Urge them to speak to their contacts at the State Department and ask the State Department to:
 

1) Clarify the position of K1s in regards to the EOs on immigration (we believe they should not be affected as they are non-immigrant visas which are not specifically denied) 

 

2) Deem K1 visas mission critical visas during the pandemic and provide travel exemptions as such

 

3) Make a public statement regarding their intended plans for K1 processing so that we all can be informed 

 

I contacted my representative last week and was surprised with how quickly they responded and how seriously they took my concerns. The more noise we make the better! The squeaky wheel always gets the grease!
 

Contact your representatives and post below with confirmation so we can shower you with applause and likes! I’m going to contact my senators (North Carolina) tonight.
 

Find your House Representative here:

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

 

Find your Senator here:

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

 

I reached out to my congresswoman last night in the 7th Congressional district of Virginia about our pending k1 visa. I explained that my fiance had an interview on April 14th which was cancelled due to COVID. I am happy to report that a staffer called me today and was very pleasant. She sent me the form giving them permission to enquire on my behalf at the embassy in Nairobi. I will keep you all posted on what I hear. 

[tris&kris 132]

Template for American Citizens to Send to Their Senators and House Representatives

(Use Links on Page 1 of this thread to find your Senators/Reps)

 

 

Dear {INSERT REPRESENTATIVE NAME},

 

I am writing to you today about an issue personal to me that I would like forwarded to the State Department Congressional Liaison.  

 

I am one of your constituents living in {CITY/STATE}. I have been separated from my fiancé {FIANCE NAME} of {FIANCE COUNTRY} due to delays at the Department of State in processing K1 visas.  {INSERT TWO-THREE SENTENCES ABOUT HOW YOU MET YOUR FIANCE, OCCUPATIONS, MEMORABLE DETAILS}.

 

My fiancé is awaiting a K1 visa, which is a non-immigrant visa awarded to fiancés of US Citizens and is not affected by the recent Presidential Proclamation 10014.  It is, however, affected by the various coronavirus travel bans to the United States and by the suspension of routine visas services by the State Department.  Recently, the State Department has deemed spousal visas “mission critical” for processing and spouses are exempt from the coronavirus travel bans to the United States.  However, K1 visas have been overlooked and have not been given the same treatment even though they serve a similar purpose to spousal IR1/CR1 visas.

 

I strongly believe the State Department should designate fiancé visas “mission critical” as they have for IR1/CR1 spousal visas.  I also believe a valid K1 holder should be considered an immediate family member for the purposes of the various travel restrictions related to coronavirus.  These K1 visas are often forgotten due to the small program size; however, these visas are critically important to Americans and their future partners. The United States has a national interest in reuniting American citizens with their loved ones who serve as their support systems, especially during a pandemic.  

 

I would greatly appreciate a letter of confirmation.

 

Sincerely,

 

{INSERT NAME}

 

 

 

 

[tris&kris 132]

Attention Non-US Citizen Fiances 

 

You can email your elected officials too!  Encourage them to contact the diplomatic leadership in your home country who negotiates with the State Department. 

 

For example, several UK Citizens have recently contacted their MPs and asked them to write to Dominic Raab (Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) about their concerns regarding K1 visas and the US-UK travel restrictions.  They have received prompt and personalized responses from their MPs. If Mr. Raab is aware of the issue, he is more likely to bring it up during his negotiations with the US State Department when negotiating future travel between our countries. 

 

 

[Gii 48]

14 minutes ago, tris&kris said:

Template for American Citizens to Send to Their Senators and House Representatives

(Use Links on Page 1 of this thread to find your Senators/Reps)

 

 

Dear {INSERT REPRESENTATIVE NAME},

 

I am writing to you today about an issue personal to me that I would like forwarded to the State Department Congressional Liaison.  

 

I am one of your constituents living in {CITY/STATE}. I have been separated from my fiancé {FIANCE NAME} of {FIANCE COUNTRY} due to delays at the Department of State in processing K1 visas.  {INSERT TWO-THREE SENTENCES ABOUT HOW YOU MET YOUR FIANCE, OCCUPATIONS, MEMORABLE DETAILS}.

 

My fiancé is awaiting a K1 visa, which is a non-immigrant visa awarded to fiancés of US Citizens and is not affected by the recent Presidential Proclamation 10014.  It is, however, affected by the various coronavirus travel bans to the United States and by the suspension of routine visas services by the State Department.  Recently, the State Department has deemed spousal visas “mission critical” for processing and spouses are exempt from the coronavirus travel bans to the United States.  However, K1 visas have been overlooked and have not been given the same treatment even though they serve a similar purpose to spousal IR1/CR1 visas.

 

I strongly believe the State Department should designate fiancé visas “mission critical” as they have for IR1/CR1 spousal visas.  I also believe a valid K1 holder should be considered an immediate family member for the purposes of the various travel restrictions related to coronavirus.  These K1 visas are often forgotten due to the small program size; however, these visas are critically important to Americans and their future partners. The United States has a national interest in reuniting American citizens with their loved ones who serve as their support systems, especially during a pandemic.  

 

I would greatly appreciate a letter of confirmation.

 

Sincerely,

 

{INSERT NAME}

 

 

 

 

Awesome! Thanks for this

[Joy18 7]

Thank you so much for posting this. I will send my letter soon and give an update if I hear anything back. 

[ashley_ann 179]

@tris&kris Thanks for putting the template up! This actually summarized it way better than what we were attempting. Made a few changes for Canadas situation but adding another country to the list is always good! 

 

Hope to have it off today!

[pooj97 89]

Just wanted to say I contacted my state (NC) and someone from one of the senator's office replied back giving me a form to fill out for them to make an inquiry at my fiance's embassy (Canada) for my case. Pretty cool! Hopefully it helps somewhat in this whole situation. I miss my fiance terribly and we are so close in ending the distance - hopefully the embassy reopens and we get an interview soon!

[ashley_ann 179]

1 hour ago, pooj97 said:

Just wanted to say I contacted my state (NC) and someone from one of the senator's office replied back giving me a form to fill out for them to make an inquiry at my fiance's embassy (Canada) for my case. Pretty cool! Hopefully it helps somewhat in this whole situation. I miss my fiance terribly and we are so close in ending the distance - hopefully the embassy reopens and we get an interview soon!

 

At the same stage as you by the sounds of it hoping that we get some contact back as well

[AJC12B 15]

This is great initiative. Thanks so much 

 

Do you guys have any contact with the Media? Journalist? newspaper?  press? etc ( News Agency etc?) Generally if some sort of story or update comes up it could make some noise out there 

 

I'm not a big fan of the news but It could help?  Suggestion welcomed.    

 

Cheers 

 

 

[Joy18 7]

@pooj97 who did you contact?

[Gii 48]

40 minutes ago, AJC12B said:

This is great initiative. Thanks so much 

 

Do you guys have any contact with the Media? Journalist? newspaper?  press? etc ( News Agency etc?) Generally if some sort of story or update comes up it could make some noise out there 

 

I'm not a big fan of the news but It could help?  Suggestion welcomed.    

 

Cheers 

 

 

I am friends with two news reporters in Australia. I might mention it to them, not sure if it would make any difference but may as well try! 

[Jody and Misho 99]

I sent letters today to my US Senator and US House of Representatives.  Awaiting replies.

[sscanus 15]

We contacted the local representative and senators last week. The rep’s office reached out to the Montreal consulate with the request to move forward with our K1 Visa application. 
 

MTL consulate noted that k1 visas are not mission-critical at the moment and therefore they’re unable to grant us an interview at this time, which is not surprising obviously. 

Rep.’s office did mention that they’ll continue to reach out to the consulate if there’s no progress.