US embassy Athens Greece K1 visa papers required and timeframe

[giorgis 1]

Hello to everybody! I am new to this site and the thing is i can find many useful info, everybody is doing a very helpful job. I am Greek and my fiance filed the i 129 f petition in Orlando FL on 4/3/2017. On the 15/3/2017 there was i text that they  start processing our case which i guess is NOA1. I found online some info about the paperwork required when our case reaches the US Embassy in Athens. My question is how should i now move. Should i wait for the embassy to send me the package with the paperwork needed or i should start gathering some of them because in Greece usually the processes are very slow? Will i have enough time to gather the paperwork till my interview? Because i also found out that for example the penal record goes straight to the embassy, so could i do it now since they dont have our case?? Its quite confusing. Any help would be very appreciated!!

[Nin&Way 69]

Welcome to VJ! So every embassy has its way of processing but in general, once the embassy has your file, they contact you and send you a list of things they will need from you, for the interview. Or, you can go to their website and look up for some info. But its always good to start gathering documents once your fiancée receive the NOA2 which is the approval of your case by the ceac. Follow the guides here on VJ and look in the regional forum too. you'll find useful infos concerning your embassy.

 

[giorgis 1]

Thank you so much for your response! Would you be kind enough to guide me where i can find some links or topics regarding the embassy in Greece?

[Nin&Way 69]

http://www.visajourney.com/sitesearch/?cx=partner-pub-3407508467788263%3A9725800110&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=greece+embassy&sa=Search&siteurl=www.visajourney.com%2Fforums%2Fforum%2F95-europe-amp-eurasia-except-the-uk-and-russia%2F&ref=www.visajourney.com%2Fforums%2F&ss=5440j3891842j14

 

i think you can look up from here

[giorgis 1]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your help!!

[Athens 101]

Hello I am yet to thank Vj members and inform them I have my visa by Monday or Tuesday cos it's with the DHL right now and will be available for pick-up by Monday. 

 

First you have to relax and wait for the NOA 2. Once its approved by USCIS, it will be sent to NVC. Your fiance in the states can call NVC after two weeks of approval to get your case no. When NVC is done giving you a case no. your papers will be sent to the embassy. You have to wait for the embassy to contact you with the packet 3. Start gathering documents when your case is with the embassy because it can take up to 2 weeks to 1 month before they contact you with the packet 3 because some papers you will gather need to have current date. Papers like: Letter of Intent, (for you and your fiance), screen shorts of whatever means you communicate with your fiance expecially skype need to have current date. Do not complete the courier registration and appointment for interview on usavisa-info.com before sending back your packet 3. You have to ignore this instruction and send back your packet 3 via DHL at your own cost (about 11 euros for 1kg) and address it to Immigrant Visa section USA Embassy Athens. DHL has the correct address once you tell them it's for IV section. The embassy need to go through your documents first and find you documentaryly qualified and your ds160 ready before you can either contact their help line to complete the online registration; register the dhl courier close to you, pay the fee and book appointment. That will be your packet 4 which will be sent via email with payment and medical instructions.

At this point you can go for your police report for judiciary use which will be sent directly to the embassy within 1 week. Go their with copy of your interview and make sure you tell them its for judicial use. Do your medical at least two weeks before your interview.

 

Good luck. 

[giorgis 1]

Thank you so much for your info! So i should just wait for now till the embassy contacts me first right? I am just worried because they told me that the penal record for judicial use with the apostille stamp can take up to one and a half month and the same for the birth certificate (lixiarchiki praksi gennisis). And i dont know if they have to be translated from greek to english. On top of that theres is the i134 form my fiance needs to prepare along with the updated letter of intent. Its just confusing to me the timeframe between booking your interview and gathering all the necessary papers.

[Athens 101]

My interview was within 1 month from when I scheduled it. You can decide to choose a closer date or have more time. I did my police report the second day after I scheduled my interview. I was constantly checking on when my case will be updated. I had an update after 1 week. There are two instructions on packet 3. The first one is for people born in Greece (Ministry of Justice in Athens / Piraeus district) and the second for people born outside Greece, panel service for foreigners (located at mesogion 96 in Athens). I did mine in mesogion. They will send the address where you have to do yours and I think it's the first option. You can go there now to ask how long it takes and if you can do it any time but I will advise you to do it as soon as the embassy contacts you with your packet 3 meaning they are ready for you, that is if they can do it without asking for your interview date. You dont need to translate the police report, it will be sent direct to the embassy.    Mesogion panel service ask for interview date in order to have the police report for judicial use.   Translate every other paper not in English language.

If you don't have your birth certificate, apply now. As for the I-134, you don't need to fill another one except if you have any one traveling with you or if your fiance cant sponsor you alone and need a co-sponsor which was not mentioned in your petition. The embassy will have copy of the one your fiance sent with the i-129f; they didn't ask me for a new one. 

You can gather papers like birth certificate, divorce certificate if divorced, court record if you have any court record and have these papers translated to English now. You can also gather boarding passes if your fiance has made any recent visit, include copy of your fiance passport stamps, the page and print more pictures from more visits. 

[giorgis 1]

In the i 129 there was no i-134 required so we didnt send any. I thought that this is required in the embassy interview stage. Can i ask you something for the police certificate for judicial use. I live in an island therefore i am not in Athens to go directly. Is there a way i can do it form distance or should i go there in person? I guess what i can prepare is the birth certificate so i can have it from now and translate it even though they say documents in Greek dont have to be translated. The other issue is will they accept the birth certificate if i ve obtained it months before my interview? Here where i live there is also no DHL. And the medical exams come after the package 3? they will send new directions for that?

 

Thank you so much for spending your time helping me out. I really appreciate it!!!

[Athens 101]

Affidavit of support form I-134 is one of the required form to be completed by your fiance and send in with the I-129f petition. I am not sure if USCIS will send an RFE requesting your fiance to send it but if they do, your fiance willl have to send it. Your fiance can also complete a copy and send to you later when you are ready for your interview should in case they ask on your interview day and you didn't receive RFE from USCIS. 

You will have to go for the police report in person except if you want to get an information  now,  then send someone in Athens to do that for you but when you are ready to request a copy sent to the embassy, you.will do it in person. 

You can get your birth certificate now. Mine was months before my interview. Translate it in English to avoid delay in processing your visa once approved.

When you are ready to schedule your interview you will find available Dhl, then you will choose one from the list of available Dhl office. If you choose to call the call center inorder to assist, they will inform you of available dhl offices depending on where you are living. You may find a dhl close to village not far from the island where you are. And if it's only in Athens and I think thessaloniki, you will choose any of the dhl office. Once your visa is approved and issued, you.will get dhl tracking no for your passport the same day. Once they have it, you can call and tell them you are.coming from the island to pick it up. You have up to 30 days to pick it up if not it will be returned back to the embassy. 

And finally, yes the medical comes after the packet 3 because the doctor will note your interview date. You will receive packet 4 via email with directions for medical and scheduling interview.  

[giorgis 1]

Thank you so much for your help!in the i 129 petition didnt say anything about submiting the i 134 form.anyway!!i am sure i ll get back with more questions and i appreciate your help!!

[Athens 101]

You are welcome.

[giorgis 1]

Good evening from Mykonos Greece! I would like some help from our friends here regarding how i should act from now on. So my NOA2 has arrived in my fiancee in Orlando Florida dated about 2 weeks ago and it is approved! So we ve been over this part successfully! How should i proceed now? I have some papers gathered with the appostile stamps like my birth certificate and my lixiatrhiki praksi genniseos and my penal record (actually i am waiting for this for 2 months now still!!!!). So what should i do now? I know that i need to get my penal record for judicial use and request it when i get my case number. So should i first wait for the US embassy to send me packet 3 first and then start gathering what they need? Are all the papers in Greek required to be translated in English? I know my fiancee needs to send me the affidavit of support, letter of intent, boarding passes from our last visit updated photos and messenger screenshots right? So should i wait for them to contact me or do something on my own first? Thanks everybody in advance!!!

[Athens 101]

Hello Giorgis, yes you can start gathering your proof of relationship. 

Translate all document in Greek to English.  You can do that in Helenic Ministry of Foreign affairs. 

You will need to request for your penal record for judicial use as soon as you have an interview date. If you do it earlier, the embassy may tell you they didn't receive it. Moreover,  you will be asked the date of interview. Go with a copy of your interview appointment and make sure you have enough time between requesting penal record,  medical and interview. 

Good luck. 

[giorgis 1]

Thank you Athens so much for your response! So right now i need to get my case number and then wait for the embassy to send me the packet 3 for instructions? And my fiancee is preparing the i-134 form. Can she scan it for me or does she need to send it by mail so i can have the original copy?