overseas K1 filing

[darkhorse 0]

Me and my fiance are trying to file a K1 visa from Germany (I'm in the military stationed in Germany)

Well, we tried to file at the US Service center but they rejected the application because they said I live overseas...file at your local consulate.

I called the local consulate and they said they do not file K1 applications.

I called THE only number for INS customer service and they basically told me (after about an hour of run-around) to wait until I returned to the US to file the application.

I knew they would be of limited assistance so I asked them to connect me with the service center that rejected our application.

They said they didnt know how to contact the CSC where I filed my application. Either they are very bad liars or are very very very incompetent!... Most likely a combination of both

I'm pretty darn sure Im not the first G.I. to file for K1 from Germany.

Does anyone have any advice on where we should go next?

[payxibka 10,044]

Me and my fiance are trying to file a K1 visa from Germany (I'm in the military stationed in Germany)

Well, we tried to file at the US Service center but they rejected the application because they said I live overseas...file at your local consulate.

I called the local consulate and they said they do not file K1 applications.

I called THE only number for INS customer service and they basically told me (after about an hour of run-around) to wait until I returned to the US to file the application.

I knew they would be of limited assistance so I asked them to connect me with the service center that rejected our application.

They said they didnt know how to contact the CSC where I filed my application. Either they are very bad liars or are very very very incompetent!... Most likely a combination of both

I'm pretty darn sure Im not the first G.I. to file for K1 from Germany.

Does anyone have any advice on where we should go next?

Do you have a permanent US physical address? If so, then file at the USCIS service center based on that location. All I-129F petitions for Alien Finace(e)'s are processed in the US at the service centers.

[meauxna 15]

Me and my fiance are trying to file a K1 visa from Germany (I'm in the military stationed in Germany)

Well, we tried to file at the US Service center but they rejected the application because they said I live overseas...file at your local consulate.

I called the local consulate and they said they do not file K1 applications.

I called THE only number for INS customer service and they basically told me (after about an hour of run-around) to wait until I returned to the US to file the application.

I knew they would be of limited assistance so I asked them to connect me with the service center that rejected our application.

They said they didnt know how to contact the CSC where I filed my application. Either they are very bad liars or are very very very incompetent!... Most likely a combination of both

I'm pretty darn sure Im not the first G.I. to file for K1 from Germany.

Does anyone have any advice on where we should go next?

The instructions are fairly clear: I-129fs can't be filed or adjudicated overseas. You're instructed to mail it to the US Service Center covering your last US address. You are to use a US address on that petition. Unfortunately, that's the part you missed, and why your petition was returned to you.

I'd ditch the 'incompetent' attitude until you know more about what you're doing.. they aren't bad liars or incompetent--the people on the phone don't even work for the CIS, and your calls can not be x-ferred between buildings.

BUT, I have an even better idea for you. Why not get married and petition for your sposue overseas? That is the fastest immigration process available, it is the absolute most complete (no more work to do on it once in the US) and best of all, it is custom designed for people living overseas (all those other GIs you're wondering about).

Read this: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=dcf

You will also find a forum here at VJ for Direct Consular Filing/DCF.

Most non-Germans find that it is far faster and easier to get married in a nearby country and then file in Germany.

If there is some other, compelling reason that you want to petition and apply for a K-1, get a valid US address where someone can watch/forward your mail to you.

[darkhorse 0]

The instructions are fairly clear: I-129fs can't be filed or adjudicated overseas. You're instructed to mail it to the US Service Center covering your last US address. You are to use a US address on that petition. Unfortunately, that's the part you missed, and why your petition was returned to you.

I'd ditch the 'incompetent' attitude until you know more about what you're doing.. they aren't bad liars or incompetent--the people on the phone don't even work for the CIS, and your calls can not be x-ferred between buildings.

BUT, I have an even better idea for you. Why not get married and petition for your sposue overseas? That is the fastest immigration process available, it is the absolute most complete (no more work to do on it once in the US) and best of all, it is custom designed for people living overseas (all those other GIs you're wondering about).

Read this: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=dcf

You will also find a forum here at VJ for Direct Consular Filing/DCF.

Most non-Germans find that it is far faster and easier to get married in a nearby country and then file in Germany.

If there is some other, compelling reason that you want to petition and apply for a K-1, get a valid US address where someone can watch/forward your mail to you.

I did use a US address on the petition. And I will use the word incompetent because its painfully obvious this is the case. Believe me, Ive been through a similar process with the same organization before.

And the people on the phone stated they were "case officers" and gave me badge numbers so I have every reason to believe they are employees of the INS.

The instructions arent clear in the sense they say they cant be adjudicated overseas. I'm a US citizen STATIONED overseas and a RESIDENT of the US and my mailing address IS a US address.

ALSO, there is an actual PARAGRAPH (Part C.) on the application asking if you are a US military serving overseas. On top of that, I gave a detailed account of our circumstances which obviously fell on deaf INCOMPETENT ears.

And NO, I will not get married just to make it expeditious for the INCOMPETENT INS. they are there for US and not the other way around.

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

[Yodrak 7]

darkhorse,

Does your base have any legal staff?

Yodrak

The instructions are fairly clear: I-129fs can't be filed or adjudicated overseas. You're instructed to mail it to the US Service Center covering your last US address. You are to use a US address on that petition. Unfortunately, that's the part you missed, and why your petition was returned to you.

I'd ditch the 'incompetent' attitude until you know more about what you're doing.. they aren't bad liars or incompetent--the people on the phone don't even work for the CIS, and your calls can not be x-ferred between buildings.

BUT, I have an even better idea for you. Why not get married and petition for your sposue overseas? That is the fastest immigration process available, it is the absolute most complete (no more work to do on it once in the US) and best of all, it is custom designed for people living overseas (all those other GIs you're wondering about).

Read this: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=dcf

You will also find a forum here at VJ for Direct Consular Filing/DCF.

Most non-Germans find that it is far faster and easier to get married in a nearby country and then file in Germany.

If there is some other, compelling reason that you want to petition and apply for a K-1, get a valid US address where someone can watch/forward your mail to you.

I did use a US address on the petition. And I will use the word incompetent because its painfully obvious this is the case. Believe me, Ive been through a similar process with the same organization before.

And the people on the phone stated they were "case officers" and gave me badge numbers so I have every reason to believe they are employees of the INS.

The instructions arent clear in the sense they say they cant be adjudicated overseas. I'm a US citizen STATIONED overseas and a RESIDENT of the US and my mailing address IS a US address.

ALSO, there is an actual PARAGRAPH (Part C.) on the application asking if you are a US military serving overseas. On top of that, I gave a detailed account of our circumstances which obviously fell on deaf INCOMPETENT ears.

And NO, I will not get married just to make it expeditious for the INCOMPETENT INS. they are there for US and not the other way around.

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

[TimsDaisy 0]

And NO, I will not get married just to make it expeditious for the INCOMPETENT INS. they are there for US and not the other way around.

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

I can absolutely appreciate not wanting to shortchange yourself an important rite of passage/cultural process of being engaged and going through the same sorts of traditions as your friends and family, but, with all due respect, I think you're kinda crazy for dismissing the marriage-DCF route out of hat because you're pissed about a phone call.

There is SO MUCH of this process that involves mental gymnastics and changes of perspective. This is different than what 99% of Americans will ever have to deal with - they won't understand. You COULD, however, get married legally, but still treat a wedding day, with the whole 9-yards of tradtion, as the point at which you are spiritually married (in a church or in front of whomever you want, etc).

You DO know about the timelines for a k1 process, right? You're not a VT filer, you're TX, so you go through Cali and things in Cali aren't. going. very. well. right. now.

No one is trying to lead you astray here. You should get, frankly, BETTER service than the rest of us since you're serving our country. But it doesn't work that way (which does suck).

You should read more of the guides here and ESPECIALLY check out the timelines to see what you're potentially giving up and what you're potentially getting into.

Good luck.

(p.s. as I reread your response to the helpful info meauxna gave you, I can't help but think you don't get it at all. For one thing, there's no INS anymore and there hasn't been for a few years now. It's ICE. And for your purposes, USCIS is the acronym you should be using. But more importantly, no one is telling you to "make it expeditious for the INCOMPETENT INS" - they're telling you to make it expeditious FOR YOU AND YOUR FIANCEE!!!!!)

Edited April 24, 2007 by TimsDaisy

[meauxna 15]

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

OK, sounds like you know how it is supposed to be done.

Good luck with all that!

[athena_ny 1]

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

OK, sounds like you know how it is supposed to be done.

Good luck with all that!

[darkhorse 0]

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

OK, sounds like you know how it is supposed to be done.

Good luck with all that!

Dont need luck...need facts.

but thanks for your input.

[no name 1]

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

OK, sounds like you know how it is supposed to be done.

Good luck with all that!

Dont need luck...need facts.

but thanks for your input.

Meauxna was very helpful & you very rudely dismissed her. Better get yourself an attorney or do a LOT MORE research on your own. Obviously VJ is not useful for you.

[TimsDaisy 0]

Im not trying to turn down any help in this matter but clearly it seems you're trying to give advice which you are not qualified to give....

OK, sounds like you know how it is supposed to be done.

Good luck with all that!

Dont need luck...need facts.

but thanks for your input.

Fact: K1 takes longer than DCF

Fact: You may be eligible for DCF because you are living overseas

Fact: You are able to marry now because you are in the same place as your fiancee

Fact: You need to research the options more closely

Fact: It'd be a shame if you let your bad 'tude cause you to spend money on an attorney who could (fact) not know more and in fact know LESS than the collective brain-bank here and (fact) not understand the options open to you and (fact) charge you $2k for not knowing anything and botching your filing.

What other specific facts would you like? I don't think I've ever seen anyone on these boards get mad because a member told them that their journey might be made FASTER than they originally thought.

(To reinforce my prior point, regardless of which path you take, you aren't going to have a traditional journey to the alter. You can get it close, maybe, but it won't be easy and it won't be timed the way that you might want it. So you better get used to re-jiggering your thinking frequently because this is a long, shitty, non-convenient process.)

[Jasman0717 8]

How about getting married and do a DCF or CR1 filing?

[darkhorse 0]

(p.s. as I reread your response to the helpful info meauxna gave you, I can't help but think you don't get it at all. For one thing, there's no INS anymore and there hasn't been for a few years now. It's ICE. And for your purposes, USCIS is the acronym you should be using. But more importantly, no one is telling you to "make it expeditious for the INCOMPETENT INS" - they're telling you to make it expeditious FOR YOU AND YOUR FIANCEE!!!!!)

I do appreciate your response, advice and acknowledgment of US servicemembers, however, I'm no stranger to verbal sparring so...

meauxna did try to be helpful but not in a helpful manner.

As Shakespere once said... What's in a Name? I, as most people, am aware the INS has morphed into the USCIS.... FYI, the War Department is now called the Department of Defense!

I do "get it" when it comes to governmental functions. I deal with it on a daily basis and have done so for the past 18 years. In fact, I've dealt with INS and USCIS repeatedly for the past 7 years or so.

I do know the timelines for a K1. That is why I'm pissed I got jerked around by the USCIS. I have lost over a month for them to simply tell me to "refile" what I have already filed.

Now I know why we have so many illegal immgrants in the US.... It's EASIER and more efficient than doing it the "LEGAL" way.

The idealistic side of me wants to fight the good fight and make USCIS do what is right... the realistic side of me knows thats a long drawn out process....especially when dealing with the caliber of people I've dealt with.

And I guess I should re-phrase my original request... does anyone have experience with filing an I-129F from overseas? particulary GERMANY.

[darkhorse 0]

darkhorse,

Does your base have any legal staff?

Yodrak

Yes, they do have a legal office and I plan on engaging them this week. Maybe I will get a straight answer (keeping my fingers crossed)

[no name 1]

I do appreciate your response, advice and acknowledgment of US servicemembers, however, I'm no stranger to verbal sparring so...

meauxna did try to be helpful but not in a helpful manner.

As Shakespere once said... What's in a Name? I, as most people, am aware the INS has morphed into the USCIS.... FYI, the War Department is now called the Department of Defense!

I do "get it" when it comes to governmental functions. I deal with it on a daily basis and have done so for the past 18 years. In fact, I've dealt with INS and USCIS repeatedly for the past 7 years or so.

I do know the timelines for a K1. That is why I'm pissed I got jerked around by the USCIS. I have lost over a month for them to simply tell me to "refile" what I have already filed.

Now I know why we have so many illegal immgrants in the US.... It's EASIER and more efficient than doing it the "LEGAL" way.

The idealistic side of me wants to fight the good fight and make USCIS do what is right... the realistic side of me knows thats a long drawn out process....especially when dealing with the caliber of people I've dealt with.

And I guess I should re-phrase my original request... does anyone have experience with filing an I-129F from overseas? particulary GERMANY.

Wow, are you picky. What a lack of respect for the gov't you work for - you can't even call agencies by their correct names. And you threaten doing this all illegally? That is a clear violation of TOS & will not be tolerated here. Might make your govermental job/pension a bit difficult though...

As far as filing from overseas, there's a button called 'search'. Might I suggest using it.

Edited April 24, 2007 by devilette