Preliminary K1 Visa Help

[Calabama 2]

Hello,

 

My girlfriend is a legal citizen of Venezuela, but currently lives in Peru with her 2 kids. I am about to start the process of moving her to the USA. I have already researched and understand the K-1 visa process, but I am lost on the passport requirements portion...

 

My girlfriend has an expired passport and we need new passports for her children. She spoke with someone in immigration that quoted her $250 for her passport renewal and $350 each for new passports for her children. I thought that sounded really expensive so I thought the guy in immigration might be trying to pocket money.
 

Is there anywhere online where I can apply for passports on my girlfriend's behalf?

 

And do those prices sound correct?

[powerpuff 6,734]

~~ Topic moved from K1 Progress Reports to Process ~~
 

Firstly, beneficiary’s passport is not required at the USCIS petition stage. 

 

Secondly, passport renewal is not really a US immigration issue. She spoke to someone in which immigration? If she is in Peru, she needs to go to the embassy of Venezuela. There appears to be one in Lima. They are  supposed to provide these services for Venezuelan citizens. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by powerpuff

[SalishSea 17,928]

1 hour ago, Calabama said:

Hello,

 

My girlfriend is a legal citizen of Venezuela, but currently lives in Peru with her 2 kids. I am about to start the process of moving her to the USA. I have already researched and understand the K-1 visa process, but I am lost on the passport requirements portion...

 

My girlfriend has an expired passport and we need new passports for her children. She spoke with someone in immigration that quoted her $250 for her passport renewal and $350 each for new passports for her children. I thought that sounded really expensive so I thought the guy in immigration might be trying to pocket money.
 

Is there anywhere online where I can apply for passports on my girlfriend's behalf?

 

And do those prices sound correct?

This doesn’t really make sense.   You do realize that passports are issued to citizens of a country by that government, right?

 

What do you mean apply online on her behalf?   
 

if you think those fees are expensive, you’ll want to thoroughly research the costs of bringing over three immigrants.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Jorgedig

[Calabama 2]

1 hour ago, powerpuff said:

~~ Topic moved from K1 Progress Reports to Process ~~
 

Firstly, beneficiary’s passport is not required at the USCIS petition stage. 

 

Secondly, passport renewal is not really a US immigration issue. She spoke to someone in which immigration? If she is in Peru, she needs to go to the embassy of Venezuela. There appears to be one in Lima. They are  supposed to provide these services for Venezuelan citizens. 

 

9 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

This doesn’t really make sense.   You do realize that passports are issued to citizens of a country by that government, right?

 

What do you mean apply online on her behalf?   
 

if you think those fees are expensive, you’ll want to thoroughly research the costs of bringing over three immigrants.

Okay guys I guess I'm confused...

 

I thought the beneficiary of a K1/K2 Visa had to have a passport in order to travel outside of their country temporarily and permanently?

 

If so, I was going to make sure that was ironed out before I petition her...

Edited June 4, 2022 by Calabama
Grammar error

[powerpuff 6,734]

1 minute ago, Calabama said:

I thought the beneficiary of a K1/K2 Visa had to have a passport in order to travel outside of their country temporarily and permanently?

They do. You’re looking at about 2 years before they have their interview for K1/K2. So I’m not sure why you need their passports now when you haven’t even filed the petition.

Edited June 4, 2022 by powerpuff

[Boiler 45,670]

 So she has a passport and the children do not?

 

Agree the cost should be in the Consulate web site 

[SalishSea 17,928]

29 minutes ago, Calabama said:

 

Okay guys I guess I'm confused...

 

I thought the beneficiary of a K1/K2 Visa had to have a passport in order to travel outside of their country temporarily and permanently?

 

If so, I was going to make sure that was ironed out before I petition her...

Obviously they will all  need passports.   But that isn’t something you can get for them, as it will be applied for by them from their own government.   You are not part of that process.

 

It will be at least two years before they get visas, so there is plenty of time.

[Calabama 2]

41 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

They do. You’re looking at about 2 years before they have their interview for K1/K2. So I’m not sure why you need their passports now when you haven’t even filed the petition.

 

11 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Obviously they will all  need passports.   But that isn’t something you can get for them, as it will be applied for by them from their own government.   You are not part of that process.

 

It will be at least two years before they get visas, so there is plenty of time.

Okay I plan on visiting her and proposing next month so I will file soon after.

 

Thanks for your help.

[SalishSea 17,928]

1 minute ago, Calabama said:

 

Okay I plan on visiting her and proposing next month so I will file soon after.

 

Thanks for your help.

You’ve never met?

[powerpuff 6,734]

1 minute ago, Calabama said:

 

Okay I plan on visiting her and proposing next month so I will file soon after.

 

Thanks for your help.

I strongly advise you to familiarize yourself with the entire K1 process. Here’s a helpful guide:

Also save those boarding passes as one of the evidence pieces that you have met within the last 2 years.

[Calabama 2]

3 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

You’ve never met?

Yes we have. We met in Peru last year.

 

2 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

I strongly advise you to familiarize yourself with the entire K1 process. Here’s a helpful guide:

Also save those boarding passes as one of the evidence pieces that you have met within the last 2 years.

And thank you, I will.

[Family 4,025]

2 hours ago, Calabama said:

My girlfriend is a legal citizen of Venezuela, but currently lives in Peru with her 2 kids. I am about to start the process of moving her to the USA. I have already researched and understand the K-1 visa process, but I am lost on the passport requirements portion...

 

My girlfriend has an expired passport and we need new passports for her children. She spoke with someone in immigration that quoted her $250 for her passport renewal and $350 each for new passports for her children. I thought that sounded really expensive so I thought the guy in immigration might be trying to pocket money.
 

Is there anywhere online where I can apply for passports on my girlfriend's behalf?

 

And do those prices sound correct?

According to this Wiki page that condenses the problem of Venezuelan embassy staff “selling “ passports in Iraq in 2016, followed by “ lack of materials “ passport shortage ..ongoing price gauging by those service providers , I am not surprised.

 

The SAIME website, quoted in the link may be of help, if you speak Spanish and can help your girlfriend navigate the online process ( maybe try screen sharing during application) or if you’re fluent in Spanish do it yourself, during a call.

 

It sounds like the  administrative cost of a Venezuelan passport should be around $5 ..( see article ) but the black market price can go up to $800.

 

You should try calling/ emailing the Venezuelan in the US for info and tell your girlfriend to call the Venezuelan embassy in Peru ( no website listed for them)  …unless of course they are the ones who quoted her those  BLACK MARKET prices. 
 

https://us.embajadavenezuela.org/

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuelan_passport

 

https://tramites.saime.gob.ve/

 

https://theflatbkny.com/central-and-south-america/how-much-does-it-cost-to-get-a-venezuelan-passport/

[Family 4,025]

If you are going there next month and have come to the decision she is The Forever One, consider getting married on the trip and filing I-130 Spousal for her and the kids. There is no current time/ processing advantages to the K-1 …but will save you a great deal of money  ( no need to file I-485 once they enter for all 3) because they come in as LPR . 
 

You can look into Utah online marriage and schedule it for when you two are together in Peru. Also look into if she has sole custody of her children or will need the father of the kids’s written consent for them to move permanently to the US

[powerpuff 6,734]

50 minutes ago, Family said:

It sounds like the  administrative cost of a Venezuelan passport should be around $5 ..( see article ) but the black market price can go up to $800.

Wow.  I wonder if it would be easier and cheaper for the gf to travel to Venezuela and get the passports there… unless they also sell it black market price in the country as well.

[Calabama 2]

21 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

Wow.  I wonder if it would be easier and cheaper for the gf to travel to Venezuela and get the passports there… unless they also sell it black market price in the country as well.

Venezuela has a lot of drama/unrest right now and she's not willing to go back to Venezuela.