Establishing Evidence/Credibility For the K-1 Visa

[Centaurus 10]

Hello Folks:

 

I recently have met a fine woman overseas, and I want to establish evidence of the relationship over time.  What is the best way to do this?  If the evidence of a relationship is strong how long does it take to bring them to the USA on a K-1 Visa. One year? 8 months?  etc.. 

 

Thanks!

 

Chris

[powerpuff 6,715]

1 minute ago, Centaurus said:

What is the best way to do this? 

Passport stamps, boarding passes

 

1 minute ago, Centaurus said:

If the evidence of a relationship is strong how long does it take to bring them to the USA on a K-1 Visa. One year? 8 months?  etc..

1.5-2 years. Might as well do spousal visa, takes the same amount of time and avoids adjustment of status process in the US.

 

FYI evidence of a bona fide relationship is not a requirement to file I-129f — one meeting face to face in the past 2 years is what is required for USCIS.

[Centaurus 10]

I've heard it takes less time than 1.5-2 years, and that you need a mountain of evidence other than simply visa stamps and boarding passes.  However, I guess you mean for a marriage visa, that's all you need in terms of evidence.

[EatBulaga 316]

8 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

Hello Folks:

 

I recently have met a fine woman overseas, and I want to establish evidence of the relationship over time.  What is the best way to do this?  If the evidence of a relationship is strong how long does it take to bring them to the USA on a K-1 Visa. One year? 8 months?  etc.. 

 

Thanks!

 

Chris

Pics and lots of pics. Put in chronological order to show growth in the bona fide relationship 

Pics with family are most convincing.

Group chat photos with family and friends are convincing as well.

 

Pics evidence are useful for K1 or spouse visa applications.

Edited September 19, 2022 by EatBulaga

[Centaurus 10]

Hello Eat Bulaga:

 

Ok, my idea is to be on Viber with her every day or at least 3x per week and document the conversations, send tons of selfies, visit her family and take maybe 30 photos or more with family, etc.  With it done that way can it be done in 1 year?

[Crazy Cat 41,923]

39 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

I've heard it takes less time than 1.5-2 years, and that you need a mountain of evidence other than simply visa stamps and boarding passes.  However, I guess you mean for a marriage visa, that's all you need in terms of evidence.

Welcome to Visa Journey.  People "hear" a lot of inaccurate information before coming here to VJ.  I suggest you trust the advice given by knowledgeable members like @powerpuff.  I also suggest you read the guide section here on VJ.

Edited September 19, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[powerpuff 6,715]

16 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

I've heard it takes less time than 1.5-2 years, and that you need a mountain of evidence other than simply visa stamps and boarding passes.  However, I guess you mean for a marriage visa, that's all you need in terms of evidence.

I suggest you start reading monthly K1 threads here on Vj in K1 progress report section and you’ll easily see how it definitely takes 1.5 to 2 years.

 

and no, I wasn’t talking about spousal visa. I’m talking about K1. I have gone through that myself. We had boarding passes, passport stamps, 8-10 pictures of the two of us, one page bank statements for petitioner and beneficiary showing we were at the same place at the same time. Zero chats or video calls and zero affidavits (I truly do find that evidence very weak). As you can see from my timeline that process was completed last year.
 

12 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

With it done that way can it be done in 1 year?

No. What does providing more evidence have to do with less processing time? 

Edited September 19, 2022 by powerpuff

[Mike E 11,739]

7 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

 .  With it done that way can it be done in 1 year?

No, sorry.  

[Crazy Cat 41,923]

7 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

Hello Eat Bulaga:

 

Ok, my idea is to be on Viber with her every day or at least 3x per week and document the conversations, send tons of selfies, visit her family and take maybe 30 photos or more with family, etc.  With it done that way can it be done in 1 year?

No. 

[slavaskii 886]

There is no correlation between the amount of evidence you submit and the I-129F's processing speed. Arguably, a mountain of evidence could even slow the adjudicator down - especially if lots appear redundant/frivolous. 

 

Quality evidence is what prevents a Request for Evidence (RFE) that tacks an extra two months onto the process. But there is no way to speed up adjudication from the baseline 13.5 months without an expedite.

 

Edit: And I also agree with @powerpuff (who helped me with my first K1 questions way-back-when) that call/text logs are among the weakest evidence.

Edited September 19, 2022 by slavaskii

[Adventine 3,196]

A select number of photos are fine, but quality over quantity should be the rule.

 

I'll give a concrete example. A single photo showing the couple physically present at a major family event is superior to dozens of video chat screenshots. 

 

The only time I support sending a huge stack of evidence is when the beneficiary comes from a high fraud country. But for OP's fiancee, who apparently comes from Hungary, this isn't the case.

 

And even for beneficiaries from high fraud countries, I don't consider photos very strong evidence. Better evidence would be passport stamps, hotel bookings and other documentation easily verifiable through third parties that prove the couple is spending a significant amount of time together.

 

 

[Centaurus 10]

41 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Welcome to Visa Journey.  People "hear" a lot of inaccurate information before coming here to VJ.  I suggest you trust the advice given by knowledgeable members like @powerpuff.  I also suggest you read the guide section here on VJ.

 

39 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

No. 

 

21 minutes ago, slavaskii said:

There is no correlation between the amount of evidence you submit and the I-129F's processing speed. Arguably, a mountain of evidence could even slow the adjudicator down - especially if lots appear redundant/frivolous. 

 

Quality evidence is what prevents a Request for Evidence (RFE) that tacks an extra two months onto the process. But there is no way to speed up adjudication from the baseline 13.5 months without an expedite.

 

Edit: And I also agree with @powerpuff (who helped me with my first K1 questions way-back-when) that call/text logs are among the weakest evidence.

 

Crazy cat is  in contradiction with Slavaskii, who says the "baseline" is 13.5 months.  If this is true the "baseline" is indeed close to 1 year.  There could also be < 13.5 months if you get ahead of the "baseline".  Also crazy cat says you hear all sorts of things, exactly, so how do I know crazy cat is just another member I am hearing?  

[TBoneTX 45,394]

Only basic evidence is necessary for I-129F petition approval (see the Guides and innumerable threads).

After USCIS approves the petition, it ends up with the appropriate consulate.

A clear bona fide relationship is necessary for the consular officer to grant a K-1 visa.

Time together in person (with documentation thereof) is the chief factor for approval.

 

For tough consulates, "front-loading" the I-129F petition with evidence of a bona fide relationship can help.  However, as Adventine says above, Budapest is not a consulate in a desperately poor country or one known for attempted visa-fraud.

 

Add a couple of photos, from your physical visit(s), to your I-129F petition package.

Be very certain NOT to include ANY correspondence in which you teasingly refer to yourselves as "husband" or "wife."

[TBoneTX 45,394]

2 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

how do I know crazy cat is just another member I am hearing? 

Crazy Cat is an exceptionally knowledgeable and supportive senior member of this site.  Few rival him.  Take heed.

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

8 minutes ago, Centaurus said:

Crazy cat is  in contradiction with Slavaskii, who says the "baseline" is 13.5 months.  If this is true the "baseline" is indeed close to 1 year.  There could also be < 13.5 months if you get ahead of the "baseline".  Also crazy cat says you hear all sorts of things, exactly, so how do I know crazy cat is just another member I am hearing?  

If you read through the different threads in the K1 section you'll find out that the process has different steps. First the I-129f petition needs to get approved by USCIS, then a case number has to get assigned by NVC and the case needs to get send to the embassy, and only after that the beneficiary will apply for the actual visa and wait for an interview. All of this together right now takes about 1.5 to 2 years. Cases get handled in order as they are received at every step on the way. No way to get ahead of anything.