first of all i found this site a few moments ago. wow is it great. lots of info i intend to read and lots of helpful people i see. i really need more time to read but in the meantime i figured some people could guide me around. im from the states. i live in slovakia with my wife of a few months. i have lived here for a few years. we are preping our papers for the move and green card etc... my questions are. is this process faster when the marriage is done. she has been to the states and has a ssn already. we have the i-130. we have the biography form G-??? something. we are gathering financial stuff. i made an affidavit for my friends to sign stating that they know me and my wife and it is a bona fide marriage. is there an official affidavit we must use. i made ours. we have not sent the papers off yet(or emailed them) but any day now. any suggestions or comments about this are appreciated. any helpful hints will be thanked. thanks for now. what about this sponsor form i read alittle about. we need 125% above the poverty line finances. is there another way. that number comes to 17000 dolars if i read correctly. i will begin reading this site but if you can point the way a little it would help. (a lot of info here.) bye and thanks again

Keep reading. Start at the top of any page and click on the word Guides. Then come back with any specific questions. It sounds like you're already on the right track.

Yep, keep reading and come back with specific questions. However, I can say you will likely find that your wife will need a joint sponsor in the US. Any money you're earning in Slovakia can only count if it will continue when you move to America. The other option is to have 3 times the amount needed in assests, such a savings or a home, etc. The assets can be in the US or in Slovakia as long as you can show they can be turned into cash within a year.

Ditto to previous advise - check guides and come back with specific questions so we can be of more help.
And.... Welcome to DCF!!!!
L.

thanks for the replies. we just got back from vacation so im a bit behind. you mention a joint sponsor. a sponsor is someone who says 'yes we have the financial support they may need. here is the proof blah, blah.' is there a difference with a joint sponsor. does that mean this person, for example my parents, have to say yes we have the money to support BOTH of us. how do they they prove it. statements, home ownership? i was thinking of having them deposit cash in my bank account so i could show my statements as proof of finances. does this sound right. deposit 16000$ in my bank. done. i am financially stable????

there was also a mention of 3 times the required amount in assets. if i read correctly i need 125% above the poverty line. my figure comes to 16,000$ +. are you saying i need 16.000 times 3 in assets. such as a house or propeerty. we may buy an apartment which would cover that but im thinking of covering myself with a 'sponsor or joint sponsor'. to all replies.THANKS.

I may be missing something here but I don't understand how you would need 16 thousand. The 2007 poverty level guidelines for a household of 2 people is $13,690 so 125% of that is $17,113. If there are just the two of you, you will need $51,339.00 U.S. in assets (3 x 17,113).

Ok, if I am understanding you, your deficit is $16 thousand - so yes, you would need 16 x 3 to make up for that

hi cakame

it's important that you realize that your income in slovakia WILL NOT count unless it will continue AFTER you move to the USA. If you don't meet the income or assets requirement, than you will need a co-sponsor, like your parents or other relative/friend. Your co-sponsor will also have to fill out a Form I-864.

You don't need any special affidavits from friends or family. there is no special form. You're welcome to submit that information, but not absolutely necessary. all they require is a copy of your marriage certificate, but having more information is never a bad thing! the petition for the I-130 is pretty straightforward, once you get along on the process, ask away with questions. welcome to VJ!!

matt

my gosh this is getting crazy and i havent even started. i have to get that I-130 off and take it one step at a time. this is scary though. i thank you all for your support and advice. this money thing is going to be a big snag. 16000, 17000, 53000???? it doesnt look good.

HEEELLLLP. I JUST SAW THAT THE FEES ARE INCREASING TONS ON JULY 30TH. I-130 goes up to 355$. CRAZY. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE K3 FORM BUT THE WORDS FIANCE MESS WITH ME. SHE IS MY SPOUSE MARRIED AND WE LIVE IN SLOVAKIA. WHAT DO I FILE. I130 OR K3. ALSO I CANT FIND THIS K3 FORM. HOW MUCH IS IT? NEXT THING. ON THE G325A BIO FORM IT ASKS THIS FORM IS SUBMITTED IN CONNECTION WITH AN APPLICATION FOR-NATURILZATION, STATUS OF PERM RES, OTHER. WHAT DO I CHECK OR DO I WRITE GREEN CARD IN THE PROVIDED SPACE? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, NOW I DONT KNOW WHAT IM DOING AGAIN.??????

Hello there! Don't worry - it's not as hard or as crazy as it seems. My understanding is that you are currently resident with your wife in Slovakia and that you have been for six months or more. You will be filing the I-130 directly with the US embassy there. You will not be involved with the I-129f or the K3 visa. The I-130 will result in a CR1 visa for your wife, which will turn into a two-year green card upon her arrival in the US.

If you have a joint sponsor in the US who meets the income requirements, you have nothing to worry about. At this point, what you need to do is file the I-130 package with the embassy. The financial stuff comes later.

The US embassy Slovakia site says that the US embassy in Prague processes immigrant visas for Slovakians. Here's the link on how to file in Prague -

http://www.usembassy.cz/filing_a_petition.html

You will then have an interview to present and pay for the I-130 and give them all other appropriate documents. The financial stuff isn't presented until the visa interview, which comes later.





I just noticed your other question. You check "other" and write "filing I-130 petition for spouse"

thank you MD. i have read the site in prague and it said that they no longer will handle these things. now you give me a link that says it does handle these things. it used to say as of jan 1 they no longer do it. what the heck. it sure looks easier now. i hope the web page is correct. it would be so much easier. today and im kissing my wife for you. wish me luck and i will post results.

The web page is definitely correct. You're right that in January embassiess stopped accepting them. It started again in the spring, March or April I think. It is sooo much easier and faster being able to do it through the embassy. Good luck - hopefully they'll give you an interview for filing the petition before the new fee comes into the picture.

wow, back to the questions. what do you mean about the interview before the new fees come into place. do you think if i email them today they will actually sched an interview within the next day or 2. and then,, when i meet them they will only charge the 200+$. that would be interesting. im not getting my hopes up. do you or anybody have an idea about what they will expect me to have in hand when i go to the interview. specifically, will i still need the i130 form filled out. bio info form filled out. etc, etc???? thanks again and please keep this info coming to me. my day has been made by your great info.

Man, you seem to be right on track . Submit the I-130 as soon as possible to avoid fee increases, to whichever consular post will take it (which is the one closest, etc?). After that, the consulate will send you a "checklist of documents" that you send back when ready, and THEN they put you on waiting list for interview. I don't know what the waiting times are in Slovakia - maybe check with folks in the Europe forum for precise info, but I highly doubt it will be less than one month from receipt of checklist to interview.
And yes, it is always better to go the CR-1 (DCF in your case) route. Saves you the nightmare of Adjustment of Status and a lotttta money!
Good luck, L.

p.s. for more precise information thoroughly

I don't know how long it usually takes, but maybe it will be soon and you could avoid the fee. If it is before the 30th, they should definitely only charge you $190. I guess that would be pretty lucky though.

Yes, you'll need all the same completed forms. It sounds like the embassy will tell you everything to bring when they e-mail you with the date to come in.

In his case, he'll need an interview at the embassy to file the I-130 petition as it's at Prague. They do it in person rather than having them mailed to them. It's not out of the realm of possiblity that it could happen before the 30th - lucky but not crazy lucky I think.

Maaaan... I am so jealous at how quick Europe's consulates work.... makes me want to cry
L.

I thought the real problem in Canada was the time to wait for the visa interview, not the time for NOA2. Or does that take a really long time too?

len and ben. md. you guys are rockin and im feelin it over here. my day was a rollercoaster. from "now the fees went up since you were on vacation" to "prague does it again" woooohooo. im lookin for the cr 1 form and the dcf thing now. PS i tried to get the smilies to work but i have more impotant things now. i may have to kiss my wife from head to toe if i keep gettin such good help. hint, hint.

so i emailed the prague embassy last week but have gotten no respose. im worried they didnt get it. i emailed them again but yet nothing. should i wait weeks???? im nervous i guess. i emailed them through my hotmail address and not the outlook thingy. i hope thats not a prob. i always do that cause the outlook thing never works 100%. any experiences with emailing them your info and response times. thanks.

consulates are not famous for replying immediately to people's emails, so don't worry. Why don't you phone them instead?
L.

Yeah, give them a ring... It probably is just because it takes longer to respond with a date than I was hoping for you, but it shouldn't hurt to call. Let us know how it goes.