Need help???

[TomandCatie 7]

Hi Everyone,

I'm in a huge mess and I need help.

I'm trying to figure out what we do.

I'm american and got a fiancee visa to come to the UK to marry my husband, I then obtained the spousal visa and have a right to remain for 2 years.

We're coming up on our year anniversary and I wish to take him back to America with me. I really miss home and can't do much more time here in the UK. He wishes to go back with me too.

I purchased a visa consultant. The reason I did this was because I tried filing by myself for the UK visas and I got denied because I had NO CLUE all the stuff that had to go into it. After hiring someone, I was told that I had to include papers and documents that were not even listed online. Therefore, I felt it was necessary for me, being the stupid person I am, to hire someone to help me out on my husbands visa. He cannot read due to severe dyslexia, so it's hard for him to do these things by himself. It comes down to me to fill out forms and do everything.

I was told I can file IN the UK with him, and I'm trying to find out if this is true. We are doing a k-3 visa and I'm filing a I-130 form.... does anyone know if I need to do K-3? or if I just submit an I-130... I'm totally foreign to everything going on, and now I'm regretting hiring someone cause I don't think he even knows what he's doing!

I was sent this by someone online, where I asked this question. I guess this is applying for a greencard in the UK with my husband?

http://london.usembassy.gov/kprocessing.html

along with this:

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unitedkingdom/164203/dhs/i130-checklist_for_spouse.pdf

Edited July 11, 2013 by catietom

[lost_at_sea 995]

Yes, you can file IN the UK (assuming you're still living there). This is called Direct Consular Filing (DCF) and there's a few of us on here doing that (including me). The process is quite straightforward and the PDF you've listed is the checklist you need.

Here's two threads with people right at the start of the process like you are. Go have a read of them, then come back and ask any more questions you may be confused about still. OK? It's not too hard to do.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/440216-confused/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/440947-starting-point/

You DON'T need to do the K3. If you file direct with London, you'll get your visa sorted long before the K3 would be approved, so it's a waste of time (I don't think London will even process a K3).

The visa you should be applying for is an IR-1/CR-1 visa via the I-130 petition. Here's London's info on that: http://london.usembassy.gov/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html

Edited July 11, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[TomandCatie 7]

Thank you so much. I'm really regretting hiring anyone, because he just confused me even more. After reading a lot of people's stories on here it doesn't look as daunting as it seemed.

I was sent this as well from someone:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10599479&postcount=1

Basically a story almost exact to mine. Is this what me and my husband would have to do as well? What kind of documents that are NOT on the checklist should I put in there to maybe sweeten the package up? For example, affadavits, cover letters, ect...

Also, my mother is going to be the sponsor, as I have next to no money.... she is much better off and we're going to be living with her when we're out there. So how do I do that??

[lost_at_sea 995]

Thank you so much. I'm really regretting hiring anyone, because he just confused me even more. After reading a lot of people's stories on here it doesn't look as daunting as it seemed.

I was sent this as well from someone:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10599479&postcount=1

Basically a story almost exact to mine. Is this what me and my husband would have to do as well? What kind of documents that are NOT on the checklist should I put in there to maybe sweeten the package up? For example, affadavits, cover letters, ect...

Also, my mother is going to be the sponsor, as I have next to no money.... she is much better off and we're going to be living with her when we're out there. So how do I do that??

Yes, I've seen that exact link. It's what inspired me to keep my own record: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RBZ0TyLNRKmStlOJUpIkStB_qlV7XzGiF0KFO08AyCc/pub

That link you found on the expat forum is pretty accurate to what you need to do. It matches well to my experience.

For London you do not need to "sweeten" the package up for the I-130. They want the facts and the facts only, which is why they provide that checklist. If you give them everything they ask for in the checklist, you'll be fine, so follow that to the letter and no more. You can worry about affidavits from family or relationship evidence for the interview later - they don't want it in the I-130. The checklist explicitly says not to send extra info, so I have no idea why the guy in that link on the expat forum ignored that - it wouldn't have helped his case.

Yep, your mother being joint sponsor is fine - you'll both complete the I-864 for the interview to show her income and support for you and your partner (and her entire household). You don't need to do that for the I-130 package, it's just for the interview. There's guidelines for doing that: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3183.htm and http://london.usembassy.gov/i864.html

Anyway - the process really is quite straight forward. London make it really easy by having that checklist, and for anything that's a bit fuzzy, people here have already gone through it and can help you out.

Edited July 11, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[NikLR 13,227]

*** moved from K3 Process and Procedures to DCF as this is the best option for the OP***

[TomandCatie 7]

Here's another question that's probably really stupid of me to ask.

However, I am filling out the credit card payment form and it says "Credit Card Type" - Our is a visa, but it's a debit card.

We do not have any credit cards or anything like that.

It says below everything "Debit cards and other credit cards cannot be accepted" ??

Also, how big should I make the self addressed stamped envelope?? I know, I'm overobsessing, but I'm so nervous!

[lost_at_sea 995]

Here's another question that's probably really stupid of me to ask.

However, I am filling out the credit card payment form and it says "Credit Card Type" - Our is a visa, but it's a debit card.

We do not have any credit cards or anything like that.

It says below everything "Debit cards and other credit cards cannot be accepted" ??

Also, how big should I make the self addressed stamped envelope?? I know, I'm overobsessing, but I'm so nervous!

If you've got no credit card (sounds like you don't) the check-list pdf gives some other payment methods you can use (bankers draft etc.), so pick one of those.

The envelope does not need to be very big. Just a small letter sized one. All they send back in it is a single A4, folded, sheet of paper - nothing bulky, heavy or large. I had put 2 first class stamps on ours which turned out to be overkill, so just use one.

Edited July 12, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[TomandCatie 7]

Ok, and he has a previous marriage as well ( I will include divorce decree in the app) and two children. So, is there anything I need to include for the children, or not until the interview?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Ok, and he has a previous marriage as well ( I will include divorce decree in the app) and two children. So, is there anything I need to include for the children, or not until the interview?

Are his kids immigrating with him?

[TomandCatie 7]

No they are not.

[TomandCatie 7]

Lastly, I am filling out the G325A and at the bottom it says

"This form is submitted in connection with an application for:

Naturalization, Status as Permanent Resident, or other:

Should I put other and then write IR1/CR1?

[lost_at_sea 995]

No they are not.

Then you don't need anything for them.

Lastly, I am filling out the G325A and at the bottom it says

"This form is submitted in connection with an application for:

Naturalization, Status as Permanent Resident, or other:

Should I put other and then write IR1/CR1?

I ticked "Other" and put "I-130 petition" in the text box on both copies of that form, and it was accepted.

[TomandCatie 7]

It's OK to type it in, correct? Cause the bottom black outline says to print... so I've typed in everything above, but the black box I've printed my name and signed.

[lost_at_sea 995]

It's OK to type it in, correct? Cause the bottom black outline says to print... so I've typed in everything above, but the black box I've printed my name and signed.

Yep. That form doesn't do anything clever (some forms do and produce barcodes, so you *have* to type in them) so typing is fine, as is filling in by hand (which you can do if anything doesn't fit well or you need to add a missing bit of a letter if it doesn't print nicely etc. which I had to do in a couple of spots).

Sounds like you're good to go.

[TomandCatie 7]

Thank you! On the I-130 it says "Has your relative ever been in the US?" Do they mean my husband ever being IN the country? Like Visiting...? If so then yes... or do they mean something else?