The Hard Part: What takes place in the beneficiary's home country...

[Rhaegar Targaryen 0]

OK--there is lot of information on here (and other sites). There is so much information about initial filling as well as a lot information concerning the process once a fiance arrives in the U.S.

However, there is not much information about the middle/end steps that take place in the beneficiary's home country! Please help.

I appreciat anyone that can offer commentary or insight in the following areas:

1. Is the information/documentation sent by the embassy to my fiance in English or in the home country language?

2. Does anyone have any experience with how to handle a situation where their fiance is learning English and speaks/understands at a low-intermediate level?

3. Does anyone have any experience with living apart from their fiance and the fiance has gone through most of the process alone? What about language issues involving the information from the Embassy, etc.?

4. I read somewhere that all documents/information sent back to the Embassy must be translated to English? Is this complicated? How do people go about handling this?

5. I also read somewhere about police certificates for all areas my fiance has lived since he was 16. This sounds very complicated. How do people go about handling this?

6. How are particular are the consulates/embassies with the beneficiary home country documentation?

Again...help! Thanks.

[Butterfly307 77]

OK--there is lot of information on here (and other sites). There is so much information about initial filling as well as a lot information concerning the process once a fiance arrives in the U.S.

However, there is not much information about the middle/end steps that take place in the beneficiary's home country! Please help.

I appreciat anyone that can offer commentary or insight in the following areas:

1. Is the information/documentation sent by the embassy to my fiance in English or in the home country language?

2. Does anyone have any experience with how to handle a situation where their fiance is learning English and speaks/understands at a low-intermediate level?

3. Does anyone have any experience with living apart from their fiance and the fiance has gone through most of the process alone? What about language issues involving the information from the Embassy, etc.?

4. I read somewhere that all documents/information sent back to the Embassy must be translated to English? Is this complicated? How do people go about handling this?

5. I also read somewhere about police certificates for all areas my fiance has lived since he was 16. This sounds very complicated. How do people go about handling this?

6. How are particular are the consulates/embassies with the beneficiary home country documentation?

Again...help! Thanks.

What country is the beneficiary from? I'm sure that members from that country can answer your specific questions.

[Darnell 8,478]

Any luck in the guides section? If no, what was missing?

[Rhaegar Targaryen 0]

What country is the beneficiary from? I'm sure that members from that country can answer your specific questions.

Brazil.

Any luck in the guides section? If no, what was missing?

No luck concerning the specifics I am seeking--but maybe I am not looking in the right places.

[Butterfly307 77]

OK--there is lot of information on here (and other sites). There is so much information about initial filling as well as a lot information concerning the process once a fiance arrives in the U.S.

However, there is not much information about the middle/end steps that take place in the beneficiary's home country! Please help.

I appreciat anyone that can offer commentary or insight in the following areas:

1. Is the information/documentation sent by the embassy to my fiance in English or in the home country language?

2. Does anyone have any experience with how to handle a situation where their fiance is learning English and speaks/understands at a low-intermediate level?

3. Does anyone have any experience with living apart from their fiance and the fiance has gone through most of the process alone? What about language issues involving the information from the Embassy, etc.?

4. I read somewhere that all documents/information sent back to the Embassy must be translated to English? Is this complicated? How do people go about handling this?

5. I also read somewhere about police certificates for all areas my fiance has lived since he was 16. This sounds very complicated. How do people go about handling this?

6. How are particular are the consulates/embassies with the beneficiary home country documentation?

Again...help! Thanks.

1. English.

2. Most US embassy websites are bilingual: English and the given country's native language. Your fiance can use an interpreter at the interview. However, it is advisable that the petitioner attends the interview as well, especially if the beneficiary's English is poor.

3. Most couples obviously live apart during the K1 process, the petitioner is in the US and the beneficiary is in his/her home country. It is up to you how you solve the language problems. Do you even speak the beneficiary's native language? If not, then it could be a red flag to the embassy, they might will be wondering how did you two establish a relationship without even speaking a common language fluently?

4. Yes, everything must be translated to English. Most people use certified translations.

5. Just Google it. It is better to start obtaining those papers as soon as you can, if the beneficiary lived in more countries.

6. Once your case arrives to the US embassy of the beneficiary's country, the embassy will mail an instruction package to the beneficiary. The instructions are very specific and clear and obviously vary from country to country

[Butterfly307 77]

Brazil.

.

have you ever had a look at the South America subforum?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/96-mexico-latin-south-america/

Hope it helps.

[Butterfly307 77]

Brazil

Also, here is something else I found.

Brazil specific K1 guide:

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Brazil_K1_Guide

[Rhaegar Targaryen 0]

1. English.

2. Most US embassy websites are bilingual: English and the given country's native language. Your fiance can use an interpreter at the interview. However, it is advisable that the petitioner attends the interview as well, especially if the beneficiary's English is poor.

3. Most couples obviously live apart during the K1 process, the petitioner is in the US and the beneficiary is in his/her home country. It is up to you how you solve the language problems. Do you even speak the beneficiary's native language? If not, then it could be a red flag to the embassy, they might will be wondering how did you two establish a relationship without even speaking a common language fluently?

4. Yes, everything must be translated to English. Most people use certified translations.

5. Just Google it. It is better to start obtaining those papers as soon as you can, if the beneficiary lived in more countries.

6. Once your case arrives to the US embassy of the beneficiary's country, the embassy will mail an instruction package to the beneficiary. The instructions are very specific and clear and obviously vary from country to country

1. Thank you.

2. Is an interpreter provided by the embassy/consulate? I would like to attend the interview--but why is it recommended if it is not necessary (from what I've read)?

3. Yes, I speak Portuguese. How else would we communicate? Our relationship language is Portuguese--and always will be. That's not what I am worried about. My concern is his complete understanding of all the documents if I am not there with him.

4. Certified translations: what do you mean exactly? How does one get this?

5. Just google what...police certificates? My fiancé has just lived in one country. Is one police certificate required per country or is it for different municipalities based on where my fiancé has lived in his country?

And you're right--we will start getting these documents together now, including translations. Thanks!

6. And the instructions are all in English, correct? Do they assume that Americans can only be in relationships with people that already speak English?!?

Thanks again--you've been very helpful. Feel free to offer more if you'd like! (And wrote some more clarifying questions...haha!)

[Rhaegar Targaryen 0]

Also, here is something else I found.

Brazil specific K1 guide:

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/Brazil_K1_Guide

Thanks...I will take a look at both!

[Butterfly307 77]

1. Thank you.

2. Is an interpreter provided by the embassy/consulate? I would like to attend the interview--but why is it recommended if it is not necessary (from what I've read)?

3. Yes, I speak Portuguese. How else would we communicate? Our relationship language is Portuguese--and always will be. That's not what I am worried about. My concern is his complete understanding of all the documents if I am not there with him.

4. Certified translations: what do you mean exactly? How does one get this?

5. Just google what...police certificates? My fiancé has just lived in one country. Is one police certificate required per country or is it for different municipalities based on where my fiancé has lived in his country?

And you're right--we will start getting these documents together now, including translations. Thanks!

6. And the instructions are all in English, correct? Do they assume that Americans can only be in relationships with people that already speak English?!?

Thanks again--you've been very helpful. Feel free to offer more if you'd like! (And wrote some more clarifying questions...haha!)

I would gladly help more, but unfortunately I have no idea at all how to obtain certified translations of the required documents (for example beneficiary's birth certificate) in Brazil, since it is very country specific. Same for the police certificate. By saying just google it, I meant to say that you could google how to get a police certificate in Brazil. As for helping your fiance understanding the embassy instructions, he could scan the papers the embassy sends him and email them to you and you could translate them to Portuguese and explain everything to him.

Good luck!

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Thanks...I will take a look at both!

That guide looks out of date. Those forms are no longer needed and were replaced a couple years ago with the DS160.

Not all consulates have the same procedures and requirements. Why not simply go to the Brazil consulate website and check out the instructions and forms that can be found there?

http://brazil.usembassy.gov/interview/forms-for-fiancee-visas.html

[Cathi 5,771]

A certified translation is just that, a certified translation. It will be easy to find certified translators in her home country, in any country. Google is your friend. Have her Google it in her language from her country. It's recommended to attend the interview for moral support and also to help prove a bonafide relationship to the consulate. Not everyone is able to attend with their significant others, I attended with my husband. For the specific police certificate needed go to the website for the consulate in Brazil and look. Not sure why you ask what you should Google, it's pretty clear what you need to Google and I am not sure why you tell people you communicate in Portuguese and then go on to ask how else you would communicate. The majority of people communicate with their significant others in English and how would anyone here know that you don't communicate that way? We are not mind readers. This is a do it yourself site, there are many knowledgeable people who have gone before you that are willing to help and there are also guides to the process at the top of the page, but we cannot do it for you.

[menina 50]

1. Is the information/documentation sent by the embassy to my fiance in English or in the home country language?

The embassy will send the information in Portuguese.

2. Does anyone have any experience with how to handle a situation where their fiance is learning English and speaks/understands at a low-intermediate level?

Yes, my now husband spoke no English when he arrived in the US. I enrolled him in English classes right away. That was very helpful. Keep in mind that it is a very difficult transition when you don't speak most English. Having school was really helpful while he was waiting for EAD and green card. It also helped him feel more comfortable here being around others that were learning English. If you are concerened about the interview, they will do it in Portuguese.

3. Does anyone have any experience with living apart from their fiance and the fiance has gone through most of the process alone? What about language issues involving the information from the Embassy, etc.?

We spent the majority of our process apart. I only visited once after filing the papers. We communicated on Skype constantly. I researched every part of the process and kept him updated on what he needed to do and what forms to fill out.

4. I read somewhere that all documents/information sent back to the Embassy must be translated to English? Is this complicated? How do people go about handling this?

That is not true. As long as they are in Portuguese or English, there is no problem. The only translations needed are at the Adjustment of Status stage. If you are fluent in both languages, you can do the translation or ask someone else who is fluent in both. They aren't exactly certified. The translator just needs to sign a statement saying they are fluent in both languages and the translation is accurate. There is an example here on VJ.

5. I also read somewhere about police certificates for all areas my fiance has lived since he was 16. This sounds very complicated. How do people go about handling this?

Check out the embassy website for more info on police certificates. I believe many can still be obtained online. If he has only resided in Brasil, it will be much easier.

6. How are particular are the consulates/embassies with the beneficiary home country documentation?

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Are you referring to evidence of relationship?

Please see my answers above in red. The official Brasil consulate website has much more information both in English and in Portuguese. Also, there have been some recent cases at the interview when the beneficiary was required to come back at a later date with the fiance. You might want to read up on some people's experiences who have recently interviewed. It didn't used to be the case but seems to be more common now. Good luck with your process!

[baron555 934]

OK--there is lot of information on here (and other sites). There is so much information about initial filling as well as a lot information concerning the process once a fiance arrives in the U.S.

However, there is not much information about the middle/end steps that take place in the beneficiary's home country! Please help.

I appreciat anyone that can offer commentary or insight in the following areas:

1. Is the information/documentation sent by the embassy to my fiance in English or in the home country language?

Usually both languages.

2. Does anyone have any experience with how to handle a situation where their fiance is learning English and speaks/understands at a low-intermediate level?

Ask to have the interview conducted in the native language.

3. Does anyone have any experience with living apart from their fiance and the fiance has gone through most of the process alone? What about language issues involving the information from the Embassy, etc.?

They will have folks that speak the local language.

4. I read somewhere that all documents/information sent back to the Embassy must be translated to English? Is this complicated? How do people go about handling this?

Most folks translate for themselves.

5. I also read somewhere about police certificates for all areas my fiance has lived since he was 16. This sounds very complicated. How do people go about handling this?

Go to the Embassies for the countries in question.

6. How are particular are the consulates/embassies with the beneficiary home country documentation?

Very

Again...help! Thanks.

Edited March 23, 2015 by baron555

[-Shana- 152]

4. I read somewhere that all documents/information sent back to the Embassy must be translated to English? Is this complicated? How do people go about handling this?

5. I also read somewhere about police certificates for all areas my fiance has lived since he was 16. This sounds very complicated. How do people go about handling this?

Again...help! Thanks.

Are you talking about areas within Brazil or foreign countries? I know in the UK when you fill out a form for a UK police certificate you list your previous addresses within the UK. That would count for "areas" I presume? For foreign police certificates look on the foreign country's embassy/consulate websites to see what they require. I was required to send a letter to the Japanese consulate, then I had an application form + a fingerprinting form sent to me. I was then required to arrange my own fingerprinting then I had to take my forms to the consulate in person. Then began the 3 month wait! The foreign police certificate was the most awkward part of the process for me.

In the UK all foreign police certificates were required to be in English or have an official translation. I found this information on the London US Embassy website so I'm sure that if you do enough searching on the embassy your partner will be attending you can find this out too. Sorry if I'm not much help, good luck!