K-1 INITIAL Beginning Stages

[you&meWE 0]

Recently engaged, but together for 3 1/2 years, Scott and I have decided to go ahead and file for the K-1 Visa and I am anxious to get the process going....

I've spent the majority of my afternoon printing off several copies of documents and paperwork we need to fill out.

Currently I'm in Atlanta and he's in London and was hoping/wondering if there would be ANYONE at all who would be willing to help me walk through the process of the paperwork/filing/fees step by step??

I've read the guides over and over but I think I am having a hard time grasping where to begin and how....

We are also going to be going with a co-sponser (my mother) and am wanting to know where we begin with that as well?

How long between sending off the first packet of paperwork/fees to him being able to fly here and us get married does it take? I noticed for some people it has taken what seems like no time at all and others it's been months and months of waiting.

Any help is so tremendously appreciated!!!!

Thank you so much!

[Ryan H 3,790]

Start with form I-129F, you fill that out.

Both of you fill out your own G-325A.

Filing fee for I-129F is $340. Mail the I-129F, both form G-325A's, the fee, and your evidence to the lockbox in Dallas. The address is on the instructions.

The sponsor/co-sponsor forms (I-134) won't be needed until the file reaches the Embassy.

The posted time from NOA1 to NOA2 from USCIS is 5 months. May be longer, may be less. After USCIS approves the petition, they will send it to the NVC where it will be assigned a case number and then shipped to the Embassy in London.

I don't know how the Embassy in London schedules K1 interviews. Others who do can chime in.

I would say a good ballpark figure from filing to arrival is 6-8 months.

Best wishes!

Edited June 15, 2011 by Ryan H

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

filing fee has gone up. It is now $430 for 129 F

you need 129 F, g325 for each of you, letters of intent to marry (there are samples online just google it) and the fee. He is in england so your processing will be a lot faster than some other countries. I am 2 hours north of you near Chattanooga if you ever need to get more help, send private message to me. i can give u my phone number or email address.

Recently engaged, but together for 3 1/2 years, Scott and I have decided to go ahead and file for the K-1 Visa and I am anxious to get the process going....

I've spent the majority of my afternoon printing off several copies of documents and paperwork we need to fill out.

Currently I'm in Atlanta and he's in London and was hoping/wondering if there would be ANYONE at all who would be willing to help me walk through the process of the paperwork/filing/fees step by step??

I've read the guides over and over but I think I am having a hard time grasping where to begin and how....

We are also going to be going with a co-sponser (my mother) and am wanting to know where we begin with that as well?

How long between sending off the first packet of paperwork/fees to him being able to fly here and us get married does it take? I noticed for some people it has taken what seems like no time at all and others it's been months and months of waiting.

Any help is so tremendously appreciated!!!!

Thank you so much!

[paojack 41]

Yeah and dont forget the letter of intent from both of you.

Start with form I-129F, you fill that out.

Both of you fill out your own G-325A.

Filing fee for I-129F is $340. Mail the I-129F, both form G-325A's, the fee, and your evidence to the lockbox in Dallas. The address is on the instructions.

The sponsor/co-sponsor forms (I-134) won't be needed until the file reaches the Embassy.

The posted time from NOA1 to NOA2 from USCIS is 5 months. May be longer, may be less. After USCIS approves the petition, they will send it to the NVC where it will be assigned a case number and then shipped to the Embassy in London.

I don't know how the Embassy in London schedules K1 interviews. Others who do can chime in.

I would say a good ballpark figure from filing to arrival is 6-8 months.

Best wishes!

Edited June 15, 2011 by paojack

[Ryan H 3,790]

filing fee has gone up. It is now $430 for 129 F

Wrong. Filing fee for I-129F is $340. This USCIS website confirms what the filing fee for the I-129F is.

Yeah and dont forget the letter of intent from both of you.

Good catch paojack. The letter of intent you both have to write states that you intend to marry the other within 90 of arrival in the US on a K1 visa and that you are legally able and willing to do so.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Ryan H

[Operator 1,925]

We are also going to be going with a co-sponser (my mother) and am wanting to know where we begin with that as well?

Focus on the I-129F for now. You will have plenty of time to get ready for that step waiting for NOA2.

Take a deep breath and follow the guide step-by-step. If I can do it anyone can.

Good luck and DON'T PANIC

[reymets10 5]

Create a checklist

I 129F filled out completely and honestly

G 325 filled out by each of you

Filing fee of $340

Letter of intent (each of you need to write one and sign it)

Passport size photos of each of you

Evidence of having met in the last 2 years (hotel receipts, passport stamps, pictures, airline tickets, etc)

Birth Certificate or copy's of pages in passport of the US Citizen to prove citizenship

Copies of any divorce papers or changes of legal name

When starting the process it does seem like a monumental task and you can have the feeling of being overwhelmed. The way I was able to get through it was just to start with this checklist and complete 1 thing at a time. Eventually it all gets completed.

[Andie 147]

Use the Downloads for forms (top of this page on blue line) and Example forms (for examples.. haha) for Letters of intent etc. and just keep checking back if you have any questions. As has been said, it all starts to fall into place as you go.

[Edi & Sua 1]

My friend received the RFE cause of the tax transcripts. They asked her to sent taxes for the previous 2 years. So i would put that in also with the packet below. It wont hurt. Good luck.

Create a checklist

I 129F filled out completely and honestly

G 325 filled out by each of you

Filing fee of $340

Letter of intent (each of you need to write one and sign it)

Passport size photos of each of you

Evidence of having met in the last 2 years (hotel receipts, passport stamps, pictures, airline tickets, etc)

Birth Certificate or copy's of pages in passport of the US Citizen to prove citizenship

Copies of any divorce papers or changes of legal name

When starting the process it does seem like a monumental task and you can have the feeling of being overwhelmed. The way I was able to get through it was just to start with this checklist and complete 1 thing at a time. Eventually it all gets completed.

[baron555 934]

Just Read the Guides and Follow the Guides. Start with the first line in those and stop at the last sentence.

[you&meWE 0]

Start with form I-129F, you fill that out.

Both of you fill out your own G-325A.

Filing fee for I-129F is $340. Mail the I-129F, both form G-325A's, the fee, and your evidence to the lockbox in Dallas. The address is on the instructions.

The sponsor/co-sponsor forms (I-134) won't be needed until the file reaches the Embassy.

The posted time from NOA1 to NOA2 from USCIS is 5 months. May be longer, may be less. After USCIS approves the petition, they will send it to the NVC where it will be assigned a case number and then shipped to the Embassy in London.

I don't know how the Embassy in London schedules K1 interviews. Others who do can chime in.

I would say a good ballpark figure from filing to arrival is 6-8 months.

Best wishes!

How long does it typically take before we need to start the co-sponser paperwork process? Or ball park estimate perhaps?

[you&meWE 0]

My friend received the RFE cause of the tax transcripts. They asked her to sent taxes for the previous 2 years. So i would put that in also with the packet below. It wont hurt. Good luck.

I was going to ask about taxes as well, they require how many years? Cos I didn't file for a long time and just filed this year for the first time in....well in a while....

[Operator 1,925]

How long does it typically take before we need to start the co-sponser paperwork process? Or ball park estimate perhaps?

If you live in Atlanta your petition will be adjudicated at VSC so you are looking at 5 month +/- to get NOA2. Co-sponsor paperwork won't be required until the interview at the embassy.

Edited June 15, 2011 by Operator

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Good picture of the whole porcess http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

Guides http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

Tips http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1tips

Some graphs showing averages of processing http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1historical

You can get held up at any step of the way. Theses are averages of VJ people.

UK forum http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/99-united-kingdom/

You can click on timelines of people still not there yet (with the visa) and get a sense of how long they've been at it.

Sample forms filled out http://www.visajourney.com/content/examples

Read, read, read and don't make any plans for a wedding until you have a visa. The (one)tax return is taken to the interview which could be 8 months from now.

[Ximena143 0]

Recently engaged, but together for 3 1/2 years, Scott and I have decided to go ahead and file for the K-1 Visa and I am anxious to get the process going....

I've spent the majority of my afternoon printing off several copies of documents and paperwork we need to fill out.

Currently I'm in Atlanta and he's in London and was hoping/wondering if there would be ANYONE at all who would be willing to help me walk through the process of the paperwork/filing/fees step by step??

I've read the guides over and over but I think I am having a hard time grasping where to begin and how....

We are also going to be going with a co-sponser (my mother) and am wanting to know where we begin with that as well?

How long between sending off the first packet of paperwork/fees to him being able to fly here and us get married does it take? I noticed for some people it has taken what seems like no time at all and others it's been months and months of waiting.

Any help is so tremendously appreciated!!!!

Thank you so much!

I used this youtube video to help me organize my stuff. And the blog as well. Hope this help.

http://fianceek1visa.blogspot.com