Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Visa- Argh!

[Oscar]

Any help would be appreciated!

Ok, Alyona and I are going for it..  I must say that I am completely overwhelmed with the task of starting this process..  Listening to all you guys throw the different terms around and the different document numbers etc., is pretty intimidating!

What I need to know is-  What are the VERY FIRST FEW STEPS involved in getting the ball rolling?
From what I can understand, I think I need to send in a I-129F from and that takes about 30 days.  Then (if I understand correctly), we forward all our other papers we will have been working on during that time..

Can someone please answer these questions-

1- Can I download this I-129F from from the internet, is this acceptable for them?

2- Once I have it ready to go, is it best to fed-ex it? (perhaps a stupid question but...)

3- People here talk a lot about "Police Reports".  Is that something we can be doing right now while waiting for our "approval" of the I-129F?

4- Should her 6 year old sone be getting his passport immediately going if he doesn't have one yet? (I don't know if he has one).

5- How does one initiate these "Police Reports"?? Do we BOTH need these??

Alyona said she needed a new passport because hers we quite old.  She went to the passport office and although it only cost her $5 to do this, she says it will take a month to get it back!  Does she need this NEW passport for me to file this I-129F form??

Again, I am just right now looking for answers on how to get the ball rolling!  I have those web links about the K1 stuff but they aren't always terribly specific..  So any input would be greatly appreciated.

Anything you guys can think of to get things going would be great!  
Thanks in advance for any help..

And PLEASE be specific with any answers ok, because I do know that if I screw up anything it could delay things greatly!  
Through all my TRIP REPORTS, I feel like some of you guys kinda know Alyona a little through me and we could sure use this help! ;-)

Thanks,
Oscar

[Oatmeal]

... in response to Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Visa- ..., posted by Oscar on Mar 27, 2002

.

[Mike]

... in response to Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Visa- ..., posted by Oscar on Mar 27, 2002

Everyone has pretty much told you the first things you need to do, but if you want to understand the process or have any questions then click on the left side of this forum page where it says "Immigrations" and then click on the Doc Steen link. In there you'll find links and answers to anything you can think of. I know the person that runs this page and she is a master at immigration matters. ( although you're left with the impression it is a man)
Mike

[Mike]

... in response to Good advice, posted by Mike on Mar 28, 2002

http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/visainfo/visainfo.htm
good luck
Mike

[rojak]

... in response to Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Visa- ..., posted by Oscar on Mar 27, 2002

Oscar, you are just now where I was thirty months ago, knowing what I wanted to do, and looking for some help. I used a book that I found on one of the RW/UW sites and it worked perfectly for me. As I remember, it cost me about $90 and it was written by an immigration lawyer. It had all the forms, instructions, advice, etc. Its premise was that if you followed its instructions to the letter, everything would work just like clockwork. And it did. Anna came to me two years ago, and my life has never been better. I raved about this experience only once, when I naively told this board about my experience and I was immediately shouted at as a possible shill for the book. So I just shut up about it. But it really did make the whole process very easy. E-mail me if you want details. I'm not even sure it the item is still in print. But at least I have my copy.
Good luck!

[Richard]

... in response to Re: Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Vi..., posted by rojak on Mar 27, 2002

It's not in your profile.

[Oscar]

... in response to How does one email you without your emai..., posted by Richard on Mar 27, 2002

Hi Richard-

I put it in a post on this topic, perhaps you didn't see it..

It's sos@aros.net

Thanks,
Oscar

[Rags]

... in response to Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Visa- ..., posted by Oscar on Mar 27, 2002

Whoa Oscar, take a deep breath and relax buddy. I know that it is a bit confusing as some websites seem to contradict others but the guys here will get you through this O.K.

#1 You can download the I-129F petition application from the internet and it is totally acceptable to use all the forms from the internet now contrary to what some of the websites say. In addition to this you need a G-325A (biographical info) for yourself, your fiancee, and your fiancee's son. There are four pages (all the same) that MUST be signed (all four copies). Since this will take the longest (to get mailed back to you) the first step is to have your fiancee download two copies for herself and her son, sign them, and get them in the mail. You can fill them out or have her do it. The main thing is to get them signed and in the mail ASAP. While she is at it, have her photocopy her int'l passport title page (even if it is old) and send that and her adit photos too. All this must be submitted with the I-129F along with a copy of YOUR birth certificate, minimum. If you send other things to add to your file later it will actually slow things down because they will have to find your file to put the things into it and then it may get "misplaced" or put back on the bottom of whatever stack it was in. Better to have everything together before you submit it. Some people disagree with me on this next statement but, IMHO, the more info that you give them at the start the faster you will be approved. However, there are things that you should not wait on before you file like police reports. If you got it, file it. I think that your fiancee should also send a letter stating that she intends to marry you within 90 days of her arrival in the US.

#2 By the time you get all the above together and ready to go, another day or so for it to get to the INS won't really matter. You may want a return receipt for your own piece of mind to know that it arrived.

#3 Police reports, divorce decrees, translations, int'l passport for her son are not needed at this time but she can get started on them after she gets the above in the mail to you.

#4 See above.

#5 Only she needs one (unless her son is over 16 yo) and it is good for 6 months. We hope that she will have her interview before 6 months expires. She will need one from each city that she has lived in (registered in) in the last six years (I think). Check with the Warsaw site info on this one. She must go request these and the longer she has before she needs them the cheaper it will be. (Speed costs $.)

[DE]

... in response to Re:K-1 Visa Info, posted by Rags on Mar 27, 2002

Don't forget to throw in a couple of pictures of you and her together over their, preferbably with some sort of Russian sign or monument in the background.  Also a family portrait of you her and her parents would be good.  Also send copies of your plane tickets, and any train tickets you bought there to prove you actually made the trip.

[Rags]

... in response to Re: Re:K-1 Visa Info, posted by DE on Mar 28, 2002

Does he need these to file his petition or only at the interview? I pretty much had everything I needed together when I filed, but what is the minimum that others have sent and been approved?

[Oscar]

... in response to Re:K-1 Visa Info, posted by Rags on Mar 27, 2002

Hey Rags, thanks so much for the info..  But would it be possible to call you or email privately about some questions?  If you don't want to be bothered, that's ok, not a problem, I will understand.  Just let me know..

My email is sos@aros.net

Later Oscar..

Questions for Example-  How does one initiate a "police report?  Does she just walk into her police sation and say "I want a Police Report"?  Do I also need one?  What do I do to get one??

[Rags]

... in response to RAGS!  Re- K1 Visa-, posted by Oscar on Mar 27, 2002

I'm pretty sure that this is a common practice in the FSU. You just walk in, fill out a request form, and pay a fee. Fees are based on how fast you need the report (just like translation fees, the faster it's done - the more you pay).

No, you do not need a police report (unless you live in Washington state right?). The D.O.J. will do a background check on you.

[Drew]

... in response to Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Visa- ..., posted by Oscar on Mar 27, 2002

1  yes, they will accept the downloaded forms
2 you can fed ex, it would save you a few days.
3 The police report has to be less than 6 months old, so most will wait till they get the NOA from the INS, and then you can fax it to Warsaw, requesting a Provisonal file to be opened, then your Fiancee will get the first packet from Warsaw about a 7 to 12 days later, with directions of all of the forms ( including police reports)
4  Not sure, no expereince with this
5 The directions will be mailed to her.
6.She will need her Valid International Passport, to leave the Country,

you need a copy of her ( and child also)  Birth cert, a copy of her visa, 2 photos of you together, copies of your tickets stubs, a copy of your passport, and stamp , showing you were just there, and have met in person, a copy of your Birth Cert. And  2 3/4 view photo of her, the child, and of you.  this can be taken by her going to a local photo lab shop in her city, and you can go to Kinko's and  get yours,   ( it is a photos that shows the face in a quarter tur position, showing the front and the side)

Ther are 3 ot 4 good websites than can help you with all of info to help you more

http://warsaw-visaguide.hypermart.net/

[Drew]

... in response to Re: Ok, Starting from scratch with K1 Vi..., posted by Drew on Mar 27, 2002

forgt to to add that she will need English Translations and certified copies of her forms and documents