What is, How do, What if...

[az110965 252]

Dear VJ'ers...

I want to start off by saying that it is not my intention to offend anyone or to cause an arguement but IMHO this needs to be said:

Has anyone else noticed lately that many of the questions posed here regarding the K-1 process are rudimentary questions, whose answers can be found simply by bothering to read the guides posted on this very site?

I know we were all new to the immigration process at one time, but I remember a time here on VJ when people actually read the guides, checklists, example forms, etc before posting their questions.

Don't get me wrong. The immigration process can be a daunting thing and of course it's better to be safe then sorry by asking questions of the experienced members -but- if you can't even take the time to read the vast information that is posted here then how invested are you in your own happiness?

We are here to help each other any way we can throughout the process, but your ultimate success (or failure) in your visa approval rests squarely on your (the petitioner's) shoulders. It seems sad to me that folks are not taking the time or making the effort to do their research on the most basic of things ie: how much the filing fees are for the petition are, what address to send the petition, and so fourth.

I'm VERY appreciative of the people who have helped me through the years and I do believe in "paying it forward" by answering what I can and passing along the knowledge that I've gained, but I also knew right from the very beginning that it was MY responsibility to properly complete my documents and throughly check everything before I sent it to USCIS.

Newbies, do yourself a favor and read the guides. Download the example forms, printout the flowcharts and use the search function to see if your question has been posted before. In the majority of the time you'll find exactly what you need simply by doing a little of the "leg work" yourself, plus you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you throughly understand the very process that can affect the outcome of your life (and your fiance(e)'s) for many years.

Sorry if this post offended anyone - just felt like I needed to say it.

[hnubno 9]

Lol I totally agree and I've even seen differ people start new thread asking the same questions but differ wording sometimes within a few hours or days of one another. Although I do have to say that it's these very same people and threads that has helped in my not having to start a new thread to ask the same questions. Yea we need to be patient with newbies and newbies need to do a good search on vj for there amswers before starting a new thread.

[Enigma11561 336]

I agree with you. I have said this before..do your homework and have patience.

[iwuvcheshert 6]

yeah... point very much taken.. but sometimes some forums are not as updated, so the need to ask the question again is evident..

[az110965 252]

Lol I totally agree and I've even seen differ people start new thread asking the same questions but differ wording sometimes within a few hours or days of one another. Although I do have to say that it's these very same people and threads that has helped in my not having to start a new thread to ask the same questions. Yea we need to be patient with newbies and newbies need to do a good search on vj for there amswers before starting a new thread.

And that IS the great thing about our community - you see a question posted, read the responses and LEARN. That is the foundation of VJ - to READ and learn. The difference is - YOU bothered to read the posts and learned from the responses. The problem occurs when a question is posted today, is responded to and the exact same question is posted literally tomorrow. If you can take the time to read the forums, why can't others?

Of course patience is necessary, but if you've filled out all your forms and are ready to mail them to USCIS and you don't know how the amount you need to make the check for, or you don't know the address - there is a problem...

[TBoneTX 48,363]

Agreed with the OP, 100%.

One of VJ's premier members frequently says, "Read accurately, interpret literally, and answer completely & honestly." This is crucial to our success throughout this process.

If you've read the forms, studied the Guides, and searched the forums for the answer, and you're still stumped, then ask your question here.

I'm equally disturbed by respondents who comment on the embassy/consular phase as though "one size fits all." This goes for preparing the petition that goes to USCIS and then to the consulate thereafter. Just because you breezed through your visa interview does NOT mean that everyone else will -- and petition preparation can count. London is not Manila, Manila is not Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo is not Guayaquil, and Guayaquil is not Lagos.

[az110965 252]

yeah... point very much taken.. but sometimes some forums are not as updated, so the need to ask the question again is evident..

Agreed. Especially when it comes to immigration and the rules, fees, address changes associated with immigration. BUT - the guides are updated frequently by the moderators to ensure that the information listed is accurate. Of course it's necessary to ask questions about things you're not sure of - but - after reading the guides and taking the time to read the forum.

[az110965 252]

"If you've read the forms, studied the Guides, and searched the forums for the answer, and you're still stumped, then ask your question here.

I'm equally disturbed by respondents who comment on the embassy/consular phase as though "one size fits all." This goes for preparing the petition that goes to USCIS and then to the consulate thereafter. Just because you breezed through your visa interview does NOT mean that everyone else will -- and petition preparation can count. London is not Manila, Manila is not Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo is not Guayaquil, and Guayaquil is not Lagos".

Couldn't have said it any better TBone, and you bring up valid points that I forgot to mention. Another great attribute of VJ is that we have SENIOR members from virtually EVERY Embassy throughout the world who can answer specific questions because they've "been there, done that". TBoneTX's posts should be required reading for those membere filing through the Equador Embassy, just as there are members with expertise regarding other specific Embassies (ie: Gary and Alla for Ukraine, Pushbrk for China, etc..)

Use these resources, but do your own homework also.

[GringoD 33]

Yep! I totally agree with the original poster.

Some days, it appears there are those here who would rely only on this site to get through the process.

I remember myself, before the first time I did this, IT DID IN FACT SEEM OVERWHELMING.

It's mostly all in our minds.

And yes, if you simply read the instructions, it's not all that difficult.

I think alot of it is, that so many of us fear government forms/instructions.

The first time about four years ago, I paid a gringo in Colombia a couple hundred bucks and he sent me HIS INSTRUCTIONS.

He helped to make it easier. But, still... there is just some BLOCK (maybe my head, lol) that slows me or perhaps most of us, when beginning this undertaking.

Maybe we fear failure.

Maybe we are a lil pissed, .. that we have to do this, while MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS cross the border without all the legal paperwork we have to go through, and then the gov treats them like favored citizens.

But YES! I think people here have been every day asking questions, implying that they are nearly clueless as to the procedures needed to be followed. We'll, I guess that is why they have the procedures,... kinda like Darwin Awards.com... seeing who will excude themselves from the gene pool

[dukeandduchess 141]

I asked my fair share of questions that I now realize are quite obvious and people were gracious enough to answer me. I try to answer others' questions in order to help but yes, some questions seem quite obvious (ex. filing fees, address to send petition to..)

I guess that's why this website is here. We all gain experience and slowly but surely guide others through as we progress on our own Visa journey.

I am very grateful for the help I have been given, and as long as people show the same gratitude and respect, I have no problem with the questions being asked.

[BlueBonnet 84]

I read and read for months, I read before I even became a member. And once I was a member, I kept on reading. But once it came down to the forms, yeah, I got stumped. I would post my question, maybe I tried to find it somewhere, maybe I didnt, but I would post, and I would have my answer within 3-5 minutes. Ive always been very grateful to the members here and thanking them for their quick responses.

Yes, seeing the same questions time after time is annyoing, but if they are new maybe they dont know how to navigate the board yet, or maybe like I was sometimes, they didnt have the patience to go find the answer and it was quicker just to ask.

I personaly find it more annoying when someone asks a question, and people post the links to the guides and tell them to read. I do agree that if you want to DIY instead of lawyering it up, then you need to read, and read, and read, and learn, but some people are still going to ask, and its up to us to answer them, or not.

People are who they are, some are lazy, some are willing to learn, and we are who we are, we can chose to guide them or ignore them.

But I think making up a thread about how the new members are asking such simple questions over and over is insulting. This site was created for people to learn, if it was to be all about the paperwork, we could just use the government website, this site is about the users, the people who have gone through the process and come back to help the new people get through it too. If you, the OP, doesnt want to answer them, dont, but there is no point complaining about them either.

I know that you say you dont mean to offend, or start an arguement, and that you come back pack to pay it forward, im not debating anything you say, Im just trying to get the other peoples side of it out too, because odds are, the new people here, are looking for answers, or reading the guides and will probably never see your post.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Agreed with the OP, 100%.

One of VJ's premier members frequently says, "Read accurately, interpret literally, and answer completely & honestly." This is crucial to our success throughout this process.

If you've read the forms, studied the Guides, and searched the forums for the answer, and you're still stumped, then ask your question here.

I'm equally disturbed by respondents who comment on the embassy/consular phase as though "one size fits all." This goes for preparing the petition that goes to USCIS and then to the consulate thereafter. Just because you breezed through your visa interview does NOT mean that everyone else will -- and petition preparation can count. London is not Manila, Manila is not Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo is not Guayaquil, and Guayaquil is not Lagos.

That is an excellent point. That is why when I give consulate advice I try to be very clear that it is Manila only.

[GringoD 33]

I guess... not so many others felt like a few of us, here.

Maybe it's mostly 'occupy wallstreeters' filing for visa's.

Lord! Help us!

[JimVaPhuong 4,865]

I guess... not so many others felt like a few of us, here.

Maybe it's mostly 'occupy wallstreeters' filing for visa's.

Lord! Help us!

Guess they'll be in for a shock when they find out you can't solicit for joint sponsors on Kickstarter or WePay.