About to start K-1 application - questions about joint sponsor and vaccinations

[Nina&DougB 0]

Hello all,

My name is Nina and after five years of dating, my boyfriend Doug and I are finally ready to apply for a fiance(e) visa. At least we think we are.

We are very glad to have found this forum!

So by now, I've spent several years digging through the bureaucratic craziness that is the paperwork associated with this visa so we can get through it okay and without an immigration attorney.

But as I expected, there are still a few questions left unanswered. And there will probably be a lot more as we go along due to our unique situation.

We met as college students in 2007 when I was here on an F-1 student visa. I would have loved to stay and continue studying, but my parents (who had to finance this whole thing because I was a full-time student and couldn't find an on-campus job) ran out of money in 2009 due to the steep international fees - and at the time, the US was giving hardly any loans to international students.

So, heartbroken, I had to leave the States and my boyfriend behind. For years afterwards, we would Skype every day for several hours and visit each other as often as humanly possible.

We would have filed for a K-1 much sooner, but there were two major problems:

Problem number one: Doug was unemployed until recently. Now he is working in a job that he loves, but only part time and ever so slightly above minimum wage. He might be moving on to full-time within the next few months but we don't know when that will happen. And even if he moved on to full time, he would only be making around $14.000 a year if he worked all the time without breaks or vacations. But as far as this year would be concerned, I don't think that he would qualify as being above the national poverty average - especially since he lives with his dad and his grandmother and to the best of my understanding, the number of people in the household has an influence on the poverty guidelines of the individual.

Problem number two: While Doug was struggling to find a job, I had moved to England to continue my studies (I'm originally from Germany). My new university and being away from Doug for so long stressed me out to a point of burn-out, but it got worse than that: I was hit with a condition known as Systemic Candida Albicans. This is not a disease, but rather a physical reaction of the body to a weakened immune system. It can occur for a number of reasons. Usually several factors come together: In my case it was stress, lack of sleep, the wrong foods, but also - as I have found out through careful research - a reaction to mercury. I do not have mercury fillings, but mercury (in the form of a substance called Thiomersal) is a common ingredient in many vaccinations, particularly those for Tetanus and Hepatitis B - and I received a Tetanus vaccination just before things went downhill.

I have, however, no proven sensitivity or allergy to mercury in the traditional sense. And since - after dealing with the worst symptoms imaginable for a year - I am finally on my way to recovery and would not want to upset this state of better health for anything in the world, I don't think that I can go through with the mandatory vaccinations for this visa.

Unfortunately, Candida is not really considered an illness by most doctors. It is treated as a condition similar to fibromyalgia, which makes it really difficult to use as an excuse to waive the vaccination requirement.

So, in short, here are my questions to anyone who might be able to help:

1) I think we might need a co-sponsor for both the I-134 and the I-864. We have a close friend who would meet the requirements and would like to help out. I know that we will somehow have to prove a close relationship with her. How do we do that? She was one of our college professors and has worked with Doug professionally in the past. We have several photos of me and her, Doug and her, and the three of us together. She has even written me a letter of recommendation for university in the past. Would any of that work?

2) As mentioned before, Doug still lives with his Dad and his grandmother. He is planning on moving out within the next five months, money permitting. First of all, would USCIS have a problem with the fact that he is still living with a parent - even though he is financially independent? And second, Form I-129F asks for the address of the place in the US where I intend to stay. If that address is subject to change, what would be the best way to go about filling that out?

3) There is a possibility that I might have found a doctor in Germany who has some experience with Candida and can sign a statement saying that I have a sensitivity to mercury (though I haven't been tested for it).

Does anyone here know whether a letter like that, if given to the doctor designated by my closest American consulate to carry out the medical exam, could get me out of the vaccination requirement? Does anyone here have experience in that department?

Thank you very much in advance!

Nina

[Nina&DougB 0]

Anyone?

[HK12 273]

Hi Nina, I cannot help you with all of your questions, but here goes:

1) Where did you hear that you need to prove a close relationship to your co-sponsor? That is the first time I am hearing of a requirement like that.

2) My husband (then fiancé) was still living with his parents when we applied (in fact, we still are). USCIS really does not care about where you live. At the interview in Frankfurt, the CO just asked me where we will be living together, and I replied "I will move into his parents' house for the first few months, and after I have got a job and we have saved up more money, we want to start building our own house". No big deal, really. As for address changes, there is a tool on the USCIS website: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa

Unfortunately, I cannot help you with your question about vaccinations, but I would recomment giving the doctor's office that you will have your medical at a call. I cannot speak for all offices, but the one in Frankfurt is great. The staff are really helpful and very professional.

Viel Erfolg, and I hope you and your fiancé will be together soon!

[Jaz&Bry 9]

Hello all,

My name is Nina and after five years of dating, my boyfriend Doug and I are finally ready to apply for a fiance(e) visa. At least we think we are.

We are very glad to have found this forum!

So by now, I've spent several years digging through the bureaucratic craziness that is the paperwork associated with this visa so we can get through it okay and without an immigration attorney.

But as I expected, there are still a few questions left unanswered. And there will probably be a lot more as we go along due to our unique situation.

We met as college students in 2007 when I was here on an F-1 student visa. I would have loved to stay and continue studying, but my parents (who had to finance this whole thing because I was a full-time student and couldn't find an on-campus job) ran out of money in 2009 due to the steep international fees - and at the time, the US was giving hardly any loans to international students.

So, heartbroken, I had to leave the States and my boyfriend behind. For years afterwards, we would Skype every day for several hours and visit each other as often as humanly possible.

We would have filed for a K-1 much sooner, but there were two major problems:

Problem number one: Doug was unemployed until recently. Now he is working in a job that he loves, but only part time and ever so slightly above minimum wage. He might be moving on to full-time within the next few months but we don't know when that will happen. And even if he moved on to full time, he would only be making around $14.000 a year if he worked all the time without breaks or vacations. But as far as this year would be concerned, I don't think that he would qualify as being above the national poverty average - especially since he lives with his dad and his grandmother and to the best of my understanding, the number of people in the household has an influence on the poverty guidelines of the individual.

Problem number two: While Doug was struggling to find a job, I had moved to England to continue my studies (I'm originally from Germany). My new university and being away from Doug for so long stressed me out to a point of burn-out, but it got worse than that: I was hit with a condition known as Systemic Candida Albicans. This is not a disease, but rather a physical reaction of the body to a weakened immune system. It can occur for a number of reasons. Usually several factors come together: In my case it was stress, lack of sleep, the wrong foods, but also - as I have found out through careful research - a reaction to mercury. I do not have mercury fillings, but mercury (in the form of a substance called Thiomersal) is a common ingredient in many vaccinations, particularly those for Tetanus and Hepatitis B - and I received a Tetanus vaccination just before things went downhill.

I have, however, no proven sensitivity or allergy to mercury in the traditional sense. And since - after dealing with the worst symptoms imaginable for a year - I am finally on my way to recovery and would not want to upset this state of better health for anything in the world, I don't think that I can go through with the mandatory vaccinations for this visa.

Unfortunately, Candida is not really considered an illness by most doctors. It is treated as a condition similar to fibromyalgia, which makes it really difficult to use as an excuse to waive the vaccination requirement.

So, in short, here are my questions to anyone who might be able to help:

1) I think we might need a co-sponsor for both the I-134 and the I-864. We have a close friend who would meet the requirements and would like to help out. I know that we will somehow have to prove a close relationship with her. How do we do that? She was one of our college professors and has worked with Doug professionally in the past. We have several photos of me and her, Doug and her, and the three of us together. She has even written me a letter of recommendation for university in the past. Would any of that work?

2) As mentioned before, Doug still lives with his Dad and his grandmother. He is planning on moving out within the next five months, money permitting. First of all, would USCIS have a problem with the fact that he is still living with a parent - even though he is financially independent? And second, Form I-129F asks for the address of the place in the US where I intend to stay. If that address is subject to change, what would be the best way to go about filling that out?

3) There is a possibility that I might have found a doctor in Germany who has some experience with Candida and can sign a statement saying that I have a sensitivity to mercury (though I haven't been tested for it).

Does anyone here know whether a letter like that, if given to the doctor designated by my closest American consulate to carry out the medical exam, could get me out of the vaccination requirement? Does anyone here have experience in that department?

Thank you very much in advance!

Nina

Hi Nina,

so far I haven´t heard or read anything about some kind of vaccination waiver.

Do you still need all the basic vaccinations like measles, polio etc. or is it just a couple?

There are certain requirements that ALL visa applicants have to meet, and then a few individual ones that the doctor may see fit after examining you, depending on your medical history, for example pneumococcal, chickenpox, HPV.... Maybe you can at least get out of those when the doctor learns about your condition.

For the vaccination requirements see the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Panel Physician Technical Instructions for vaccinations. If I am correct, those are the guidelines that the doctors that conduct medicals have to go by.

You should definitely call the doctor´s office where your medical will take place before the exam, like HK12 suggested!

Viel Erfolg!

Jasmin

PS: Ich habe Verwandte in Orlando, es ist schön da

Please fill in your timeline!

Edited April 25, 2013 by Jaz&Bry

[His karma 20]

Hi Nina,

I suggest you go to your family doctor, ask for a teter test for the required vacinations. It is a blood test that checks your immunity levels and determines if you need a booster or not. The only one that might come up is Tetanus unless you never had the others nor had chickenpox as a child. They will give you a print out of what your imunities are and you can be waved from the vaccinations. I know in Alberta, here, that anyone born after 1947 is concidered immuned to Mumps and measles. My Mom was tested for her work and this is what the public health department told her when she was told to get a booster because her levels were at the low end of normal. I also know that it is goodt og et this done on occasion because I found out my body burns the tetnus vaccine faster than every 10 years. I had one 5 years ago and needed a booster this month because I was no longer concidered immune.

Good luck.

[Nina&DougB 0]

Hey guys, Thank you SO much for all of the quick and helpful replies! This community is really a godsend. I was vaccinated for a bunch of stuff when I was a kid (Polio, Rubella, Measles, Mumps, DT...). Tuberculin test results were negative and I believe I had chickenpox as there are no vaccinations for it mentioned in my little vaccination certificates booklet. Then in 2002 and 2003 I was vaccinated for Hepatitis B three times. In late 2011, I got a Tetanus shot while in London - which is when all of my health problems really kicked into gear. I assume this is recent enough so I won't need a booster shot in that department. So maybe I'm good? I hope so. I'll be sure to ask my family doctor for a teter test as well as a letter that might help me get out of any remaining vaccination requirements if necessary (as she is well aware of my condition and the difficulties associated with it). A big thanks too to HK12. It's really a relief to hear that they don't have a problem with changes of address or a US fiance who is living with his parents. As far as the joint sponsor is concerned: I believe I read somewhere on this forum that one would have to prove a relationship to the joint sponsor. I could be wrong, though. It's so hard to figure out what all is needed. There are just some things that aren't sufficiently explained. What is the deal with USCIS having to be so damn cryptic about everything?

Hi Nina, I suggest you go to your family doctor, ask for a teter test for the required vacinations. It is a blood test that checks your immunity levels and determines if you need a booster or not. The only one that might come up is Tetanus unless you never had the others nor had chickenpox as a child. They will give you a print out of what your imunities are and you can be waved from the vaccinations. I know in Alberta, here, that anyone born after 1947 is concidered immuned to Mumps and measles. My Mom was tested for her work and this is what the public health department told her when she was told to get a booster because her levels were at the low end of normal. I also know that it is goodt og et this done on occasion because I found out my body burns the tetnus vaccine faster than every 10 years. I had one 5 years ago and needed a booster this month because I was no longer concidered immune.Good luck.

[anna316 0]

Hey Nina!

I am from Germany and in the same process as you are. i am going to move to Orlando as well! I dont know how to get in touch with you, would be great to write personal messages if possible? i am new at this forum so i still need to find out how everything is working..

i would love to get in touch!

Anna