BEFORE I FILE K1 VISA - SOME ADVICE PLEASE

[bratosvan 0]

Hello,

I appreciate all of those who take the time to answer share their experiences with the visa process on this forum. I have researched the process extensively, and have made a good list of what to add to my files. I want to file without a lawyer, but before I send anything, I would like to know your opinions about my case.

Some background info: I've been with my fiance since December 2008. He lives in my native country - Romania. Because my mother is a flight attendant, I have discounted passes, and have been able to visit him 5 times in 2009 and 3 times in 2010. I have plenty of pictures, I even have a picture of us with my father. I have just finished school and started my job as a finance analyst at JPMC. So, I have the ability to support him (even though he's selling his car and most of his assets, and will have plenty of money to support himself).

In the file, I want to include the following:

-description of relationship

-6 photos (one with my father and us together)

-a copy of my phone bills since Jan 2009

-a list of my yahoo conversation log with the dates (we talked almost everyday) QUESTION: how will they know what his ID is? Also, most of our convos are in Romanian (I'm fluent in both languages)

-on my mother's companies' website, I have access to a travel record (the problem is that the travel record shows only the Delta direct flights, only to Frankfurt because there is no direct flight to Romania and my mother would purchase a discounted ticket but I have no record of this...can they use by passport number or something to look for my travels? Is this information stored anywhere? Can I tell them to feel free to check their system to see that I've gone all the way to Romania?)

I have written a pretty good description of our relationship, describing how he wishes to obtain a Master's Degree in Engineering once he arrives (he finished 5 years in Romania), which will help him obtain a good job. In preparation for this, he is studying for the GRE and TOEFL and speaks very good English.

Please let me know if there is any possibility of running into problems. Also, but I'm not sure how relevant this is, he has an Arabic name (but was born and raised in Romania, his father was Arab). Would this pose any problems with the officials?

Thanks so much for your time! I really appreciate it.

-Vanessa

[Anh map 2,098]

They won't do a search for your travel records. You will provide that information to them. Your boarding passes and passport stamps will show that you've traveled there.

What you are doing at this stage is proving that you have met within the last 2 years.

Including additional information that demonstrates that you have a bona fide relationship will be helpful at the embassy stage. His ability to get a job here is not relevant.

Give them a sampling of the chats, not just the logs. You can redact any juicy bits.

The Arabic surname may cause added scrutiny. You never know.

[bratosvan 0]

They won't do a search for your travel records. You will provide that information to them. Your boarding passes and passport stamps will show that you've traveled there.

What you are doing at this stage is proving that you have met within the last 2 years.

Including additional information that demonstrates that you have a bona fide relationship will be helpful at the embassy stage. His ability to get a job here is not relevant.

Give them a sampling of the chats, not just the logs. You can redact any juicy bits.

The Arabic surname may cause added scrutiny. You never know.

Hello,

Since I have flight passes, I don't have any boarding passes (I never had any - I just show up on standby, and if there are seats left on the flight, I can board...and I have no passport stamps for the Romanian border...I go through customs in Frankfurt, because we are in the EU and can fly freely and I use by Romanian passport from there on (but I don't have any stamps in my Romanian passport either...strange).

Would this be a problem? I'm showing them I'm going all the way to Germany...I just don't have the exact itineraries for Romania. I have plenty of pictures, though. And I don't have any hotel receipts (I would always stay with him in his apartment).

Thanks!

[bratosvan 0]

Hello,

Since I have flight passes, I don't have any boarding passes (I never had any - I just show up on standby, and if there are seats left on the flight, I can board...and I have no passport stamps for the Romanian border...I go through customs in Frankfurt, because we are in the EU and can fly freely and I use by Romanian passport from there on (but I don't have any stamps in my Romanian passport either...strange).

Would this be a problem? I'm showing them I'm going all the way to Germany...I just don't have the exact itineraries for Romania. I have plenty of pictures, though. And I don't have any hotel receipts (I would always stay with him in his apartment).

Thanks!

And in regards to the chat logs - it's mostly in Romanian and in "chat language". Do they expect me to translate everything??

[bratosvan 0]

They won't do a search for your travel records. You will provide that information to them. Your boarding passes and passport stamps will show that you've traveled there.

What you are doing at this stage is proving that you have met within the last 2 years.

Including additional information that demonstrates that you have a bona fide relationship will be helpful at the embassy stage. His ability to get a job here is not relevant.

Give them a sampling of the chats, not just the logs. You can redact any juicy bits.

The Arabic surname may cause added scrutiny. You never know.

I'm sorry I'm asking so many questions - it's just that we truly have a real relationship and I would be devastated if we didn't get a visa...do you think I should mention something about his name? What can I say? Any encouragement would def be helpful!

Thanks so much

[JimVaPhuong 4,865]

It's not unusual not to have stamps in a passport from the country that issued it. I have a US passport and there's not a single stamp for entering or exiting the US, but I've used it for international travel many times.

All of the relationship evidence you want to send may or may not be useful when your petition arrives at the consulate in Romania. However, before that happens your petition has to be approved by USCIS. The absolute minimum requirement is that you prove you and your fiance have met face-to-face within the past two years. Photos are good secondary evidence, but you need some primary evidence that you were actually there - something from a reputable unbiased 3rd party. That's why people recommend using boarding passes and passport pages containing visas and entry/exit stamps. Phone records and chat logs will not help you in this regard. In fact, those things prove you were NOT together when each record was created. You need something to prove you were there. Are you planning on making another trip before you file? If so, I can suggest a way to get undisputed proof to meet the requirement.

There is no strict requirement that relationship evidence be translated. USCIS isn't going to read it, anyway. The employees at the consulate in Romania probably speak the language, so they can probably read it, presuming they choose to do so.

Forget about his name. There's nothing you can say that's going to make any difference. They will run his name through their security databases. If it "hits" then you'll have to wait while they do the security checks. There's nothing you can do or say to them that will change this. Trying to explain it will only rouse their suspicion.

[bratosvan 0]

It's not unusual not to have stamps in a passport from the country that issued it. I have a US passport and there's not a single stamp for entering or exiting the US, but I've used it for international travel many times.

All of the relationship evidence you want to send may or may not be useful when your petition arrives at the consulate in Romania. However, before that happens your petition has to be approved by USCIS. The absolute minimum requirement is that you prove you and your fiance have met face-to-face within the past two years. Photos are good secondary evidence, but you need some primary evidence that you were actually there - something from a reputable unbiased 3rd party. That's why people recommend using boarding passes and passport pages containing visas and entry/exit stamps. Phone records and chat logs will not help you in this regard. In fact, those things prove you were NOT together when each record was created. You need something to prove you were there. Are you planning on making another trip before you file? If so, I can suggest a way to get undisputed proof to meet the requirement.

There is no strict requirement that relationship evidence be translated. USCIS isn't going to read it, anyway. The employees at the consulate in Romania probably speak the language, so they can probably read it, presuming they choose to do so.

Forget about his name. There's nothing you can say that's going to make any difference. They will run his name through their security databases. If it "hits" then you'll have to wait while they do the security checks. There's nothing you can do or say to them that will change this. Trying to explain it will only rouse their suspicion.

Thanks so much!

Recently, we went on a trip to Turkey (this July). I don't have the receipt because I don't save things. He's going to the travel agency to see if we can get a record of our trip. Do you think this would suffice? The next time I'll be going to visit him will be in December, and we'd like to start the process ASAP.

Thanks!

[Gingerpants 8]

Has he come to visit you in the States? If so then his passport stamps could be used to prove you've seen each other within the past two years. Or perhaps you could make one more trip over there before you file and when you fly into Romania ask to have your passport stamped. Another thing you could do is visit and treat yourselves to a night in a hotel and use the receipt from that.

I wouldn't worry about trying to explain his surname because no matter what you say they will probably still look into it. My fiance was born in Kuwait and has an Arabic birth certificate but his entire family is 100% Irish, it just so happened that his dad had a job there for a few months when his mom was pregnant with him. I too was worried that this would cause problems but I know there's nothing I can do but wait for them to clear him themselves.

[Anh map 2,098]

Welcome to the world of saving everything. Don't worry, you can purge in about 5 or 6 years.

[bratosvan 0]

Has he come to visit you in the States? If so then his passport stamps could be used to prove you've seen each other within the past two years. Or perhaps you could make one more trip over there before you file and when you fly into Romania ask to have your passport stamped. Another thing you could do is visit and treat yourselves to a night in a hotel and use the receipt from that.

I wouldn't worry about trying to explain his surname because no matter what you say they will probably still look into it. My fiance was born in Kuwait and has an Arabic birth certificate but his entire family is 100% Irish, it just so happened that his dad had a job there for a few months when his mom was pregnant with him. I too was worried that this would cause problems but I know there's nothing I can do but wait for them to clear him themselves.

Thanks for your reply.

No, I'm the only one who's visited him because I have free passes. I won't be able to go until December due to my work schedule. Would the receipt he sends me from the travel agency where we booked our excursion to Turkey this summer be enough? In my letter describing our relationship, I mention that I've visited him 5 times in 2009 and twice on 2009. Do you think that they'd get suspicious since I have no stamps on my passport? Should I just mention our trip to Turkey (for which I have proof of?)

It's ridiculous because we've spent sooo much time together and can't prove it. Wow....

Thanks again!

[Gingerpants 8]

Thanks for your reply.

No, I'm the only one who's visited him because I have free passes. I won't be able to go until December due to my work schedule. Would the receipt he sends me from the travel agency where we booked our excursion to Turkey this summer be enough? In my letter describing our relationship, I mention that I've visited him 5 times in 2009 and twice on 2009. Do you think that they'd get suspicious since I have no stamps on my passport? Should I just mention our trip to Turkey (for which I have proof of?)

It's ridiculous because we've spent sooo much time together and can't prove it. Wow....

Thanks again!

If the receipt from your trip to Turkey has both of your names on it then it should suffice. Did they stamp your passports when you entered Turkey by any chance?

[bratosvan 0]

If the receipt from your trip to Turkey has both of your names on it then it should suffice. Did they stamp your passports when you entered Turkey by any chance?

They did on my Romanian passport, that's what I entered Turkey with....should I make copies of that one too? Am I allowed to have two passports? My mother said I shouldn't send that one because I'm not allowed to have a second passport or something...

[MRStee 19]

Maybe regarding the flights you can have your mom write a brief notorized letter that she is a flight attended and explain how you were able to travel back and forth..... Just a suggestion...

[Gingerpants 8]

They did on my Romanian passport, that's what I entered Turkey with....should I make copies of that one too? Am I allowed to have two passports? My mother said I shouldn't send that one because I'm not allowed to have a second passport or something...

Hm, I'm sot sure if you're allowed to have two passports or not. Do you have dual citizenship? My soon-to-be-brother-inlaw has dual citizenship and he has two passports.

[hamigirl710 112]

when you went to turkey did you have seperate rooms or share a room and have both of your names on the hotel reciepts? Do you both have the boarding passes from Turkey since he took you on that trip? Anything that shows you were there together would work!