K1 Visa for Ukraine Fiancee

[VegasHeat 0]

Hi everyone.

Im new to this board, and was reading over some of the posts, and found them interesting. I have a woman in the Ukraine Ive know for a while now, and am going to visit her in about a month. I reside, and am a U.S citizen. I am planning on marrying this woman, and of course am trying to get the most information of success as possible for her K1 visa. Ive done a little research already, and am wondering if anyone can chime in. I was married once, but since have been divorced legally ect.. She has never been married. I have a good job that I have been with for 8 years now. Shes hasnt been working, due to the loss of a very close family member. I will be the sole provider and care giver finacially for her until she feels able to go to work, if she wants to. I would rather take care of her myself, so she doesnt have to work:) we plan on having a child in the very close future if all works out. I was going to get a consultation with a lawyer next week that specializes in this type of issue. Anyone that has some very useful suggestions, please feel free to fill in.

Thank You Very Much

[Dan J 277]

Read the guides on this site.

[mike & elena 0]

Hey Vegas,

I am not sure what the lawyer is for. You can certainly find the support you need here to get you through the K1 process. And there are many of us with wives or fiancee's in the Ukraine. First thing I would recommend is reading all the guides at this site which apply to you or what you would like to accomplish. Then get to know some of the members her from the Ukraine and other countries which have the needed experience to help you. Although the process is long and often frustrating it is really not complicated. Just a lot of waiting.

Mike (Bakersfield)

[Bill y Bella 0]

Anyone that has some very useful suggestions, please feel free to fill in.

Thank You Very Much

I am not sure what you will consider to be a "very useful suggestion", but here is my two cents.

From what you have said so far it does not sound like you have any major problems to overcome. So I think you can skip the lawyer and learn what you need to do here. I lot of people hired lawyers and then still wound up coming here for information and advice because their lawyer was not as much help as they expected.

Your previous marriage will not be a problem as long as you can document that your divorce is final. There is no requirement that a beneficiary is employed, although if it looks like she is scamming you they might give her a hard time during the interview portion of the process.

Look closely at the I-129F application and instructions on this site. Begin gathering up the documentation you will need when you go to visit her. Save your boarding passes and take a dozen or so photos of the two of you together. Make sure the photos are taken in different places and you are not wearing the same clothes in all the photos. Try to get both names on as many receipts as possible such as the bill for a hotel. Save your ATM and credit card receipts. Make sure they stamp your passport when you go through customs. Believe it or not I am missing a stamp, but I have multiple trips to see her so it won't be a problem. It could be a real killer though if you only make one trip and a stamp is missing. If she will travel to meet you somewhere, make sure she saves her boarding passes also.

If this will be the only time you visit her prior to the embassy interview, then you also need to study the interview portion of the process. For the I-129F petition to be approved you will simply need to prove that you have met. For the embassy interview you will need to prove that you have an ongoing relationship so the evidence you will need is a little different.

Try to find a forum that deals specifically with the embassy that will ultimatley grant or deny the visa. Each embassy operates a little differently and the sooner you know what they are looking for the better you can prepare.

I wish you well.

[VegasHeat 0]

This was probably some of the most helpful information I was looking for. Ive done alot of reading on the K1 and have a copy of the I-129 on my pc that I am looking over also. I was looking for some of the finer details, such as marriage before hand in her country, her getting pregnant before hand ect...Didn't know if any have encountered this scenario on this board or not..Although there is a soo much reading material and opinions on this matter, it always seems that someone has gone thru a unique situation at one point in time. I know alot of the questions they will ask her in the embassy will determine the decisions of the issuing K1 visa. She knows quiet a bit about me, as I do her. I do know about 40% of K1's are denied for several reasons including and not ending, with filling out the paperwork correctly. Anyway I will keep reading the board for helful information, and very much appreciate all the input and real time experience all of you have gone thru, and are still going thru. Thx Bill and Mike

Thank You

Anyone that has some very useful suggestions, please feel free to fill in.

Thank You Very Much

I am not sure what you will consider to be a "very useful suggestion", but here is my two cents.

From what you have said so far it does not sound like you have any major problems to overcome. So I think you can skip the lawyer and learn what you need to do here. I lot of people hired lawyers and then still wound up coming here for information and advice because their lawyer was not as much help as they expected.

Your previous marriage will not be a problem as long as you can document that your divorce is final. There is no requirement that a beneficiary is employed, although if it looks like she is scamming you they might give her a hard time during the interview portion of the process.

Look closely at the I-129F application and instructions on this site. Begin gathering up the documentation you will need when you go to visit her. Save your boarding passes and take a dozen or so photos of the two of you together. Make sure the photos are taken in different places and you are not wearing the same clothes in all the photos. Try to get both names on as many receipts as possible such as the bill for a hotel. Save your ATM and credit card receipts. Make sure they stamp your passport when you go through customs. Believe it or not I am missing a stamp, but I have multiple trips to see her so it won't be a problem. It could be a real killer though if you only make one trip and a stamp is missing. If she will travel to meet you somewhere, make sure she saves her boarding passes also.

If this will be the only time you visit her prior to the embassy interview, then you also need to study the interview portion of the process. For the I-129F petition to be approved you will simply need to prove that you have met. For the embassy interview you will need to prove that you have an ongoing relationship so the evidence you will need is a little different.

Try to find a forum that deals specifically with the embassy that will ultimatley grant or deny the visa. Each embassy operates a little differently and the sooner you know what they are looking for the better you can prepare.

I wish you well.

[*julez* 124]

This was probably some of the most helpful information I was looking for. Ive done alot of reading on the K1 and have a copy of the I-129 on my pc that I am looking over also. I was looking for some of the finer details, such as marriage before hand in her country, her getting pregnant before hand ect...Didn't know if any have encountered this scenario on this board or not..Although there is a soo much reading material and opinions on this matter, it always seems that someone has gone thru a unique situation at one point in time. I know alot of the questions they will ask her in the embassy will determine the decisions of the issuing K1 visa. She knows quiet a bit about me, as I do her. I do know about 40% of K1's are denied for several reasons including and not ending, with filling out the paperwork correctly. Anyway I will keep reading the board for helful information, and very much appreciate all the input and real time experience all of you have gone thru, and are still going thru. Thx Bill and Mike

Thank You

If you get married in her country you are inelligble for petitioning the I129f to get a K1 visa for your fiancee. Lots of people on this forum have had pregnant fiancees and it hasn't been an issue, that I have ever heard of. Good luck!

[payxibka 10,048]

This was probably some of the most helpful information I was looking for. 1) Ive done alot of reading on the K1 and have a copy of the I-129 on my pc that I am looking over also. I was looking for some of the finer details, 2) such as marriage before hand in her country, her getting pregnant before hand ect...Didn't know if any have encountered this scenario on this board or not..Although there is a soo much reading material and opinions on this matter, it always seems that someone has gone thru a unique situation at one point in time. 3) I know alot of the questions they will ask her in the embassy will determine the decisions of the issuing K1 visa. She knows quiet a bit about me, as I do her.4) I do know about 40% of K1's are denied for several reasons including and not ending, with filling out the paperwork correctly. Anyway I will keep reading the board for helful information, and very much appreciate all the input and real time experience all of you have gone thru, and are still going thru. Thx Bill and Mike

Thank You

1) If you plan to transit this journey without a qualified immigration assistance then plan on doing a whole lot more reading.

2) Marriage before hand in her country then eliminates the K-1 visa and will require you to pursue CR(IR)-1 / K-3

3) That assumes the embassy will ask any questions... Most recent reports out of Kyiv is that the questions are minimal to none in many cases.

4) Where is this statistic from? I would think based on experiences here that that number is way too high...

[pushbrk 13,729]

This was probably some of the most helpful information I was looking for. 1) Ive done alot of reading on the K1 and have a copy of the I-129 on my pc that I am looking over also. I was looking for some of the finer details, 2) such as marriage before hand in her country, her getting pregnant before hand ect...Didn't know if any have encountered this scenario on this board or not..Although there is a soo much reading material and opinions on this matter, it always seems that someone has gone thru a unique situation at one point in time. 3) I know alot of the questions they will ask her in the embassy will determine the decisions of the issuing K1 visa. She knows quiet a bit about me, as I do her.4) I do know about 40% of K1's are denied for several reasons including and not ending, with filling out the paperwork correctly. Anyway I will keep reading the board for helful information, and very much appreciate all the input and real time experience all of you have gone thru, and are still going thru. Thx Bill and Mike

Thank You

1) If you plan to transit this journey without a qualified immigration assistance then plan on doing a whole lot more reading.

2) Marriage before hand in her country then eliminates the K-1 visa and will require you to pursue CR(IR)-1 / K-3

3) That assumes the embassy will ask any questions... Most recent reports out of Kyiv is that the questions are minimal to none in many cases.

4) Where is this statistic from? I would think based on experiences here that that number is way too high...

I don't know where the statistic would come from either. It isn't clear whether it refers to petitions or visa applications but it wouldn't surprise me if it were correct for either or both, overall.

The most common reason petitions for fiance's are denied or returned without adjudication is for failure to meet the two year in person requirement or submissions too incomplete to process.

For the approved petitions at least initially denied at interview, the reasons are similar. Missing documentation, insufficient affidavits of support or lack of bona fides. Some of the very high volume Consulates are also high fraud and/or have a high instance of poorly prepared appicants. Many initial denials are eventually reversed.

Statistics for VJ members are much better than the overall averages.

That said, I don't think overall statistics are very helpful in predicting the result in any individual case.

Edited September 17, 2007 by pushbrk

[VegasHeat 0]

I read that statistic somewhere in my google journeys...hehe. Soo much interesting information on this topic. My congrats to all of you that have been approved for the visa, or are waiting for it:) I was unaware of the two year comment made, but is not real concrete im sure. Most of what Ive read seems to be alot of mishaps on completing or incorrectly filling out forms ect...Hence creating a backlog of the visa once again. This could be a tedious process and wating period from what ive mostly read, just due to a typo or some other unfortunate overlooked additions to the various sections on the paperwork. Thx for the input once again....Please keep it coming:)

Thx

[payxibka 10,048]

I read that statistic somewhere in my google journeys...hehe. Soo much interesting information on this topic. My congrats to all of you that have been approved for the visa, or are waiting for it:) I was unaware of the two year comment made, but is not real concrete im sure. Most of what Ive read seems to be alot of mishaps on completing or incorrectly filling out forms ect...Hence creating a backlog of the visa once again. This could be a tedious process and wating period from what ive mostly read, just due to a typo or some other unfortunate overlooked additions to the various sections on the paperwork. Thx for the input once again....Please keep it coming:)

Thx

Incomplete or missing information does not mean an automatic denial... In the petition process, this type of situation will result in the petitioner receiveing a Request for Evidence (RFE) in order to cure the situation. At the consulate stage, the visa applicant will most likely receive a Form 221g with opportunity to cure.... If the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue.

[pushbrk 13,729]

I read that statistic somewhere in my google journeys...hehe. Soo much interesting information on this topic. My congrats to all of you that have been approved for the visa, or are waiting for it:) I was unaware of the two year comment made, but is not real concrete im sure. Most of what Ive read seems to be alot of mishaps on completing or incorrectly filling out forms ect...Hence creating a backlog of the visa once again. This could be a tedious process and wating period from what ive mostly read, just due to a typo or some other unfortunate overlooked additions to the various sections on the paperwork. Thx for the input once again....Please keep it coming:)

Thx

Incomplete or missing information does not mean an automatic denial... In the petition process, this type of situation will result in the petitioner receiveing a Request for Evidence (RFE) in order to cure the situation. At the consulate stage, the visa applicant will most likely receive a Form 221g with opportunity to cure.... If the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue.

It depends on what is missing. Missing proof of meeting and missing or incorrect fees are the big ones.

[payxibka 10,048]

I read that statistic somewhere in my google journeys...hehe. Soo much interesting information on this topic. My congrats to all of you that have been approved for the visa, or are waiting for it:) I was unaware of the two year comment made, but is not real concrete im sure. Most of what Ive read seems to be alot of mishaps on completing or incorrectly filling out forms ect...Hence creating a backlog of the visa once again. This could be a tedious process and wating period from what ive mostly read, just due to a typo or some other unfortunate overlooked additions to the various sections on the paperwork. Thx for the input once again....Please keep it coming:)

Thx

Incomplete or missing information does not mean an automatic denial... In the petition process, this type of situation will result in the petitioner receiveing a Request for Evidence (RFE) in order to cure the situation. At the consulate stage, the visa applicant will most likely receive a Form 221g with opportunity to cure.... If the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue.

It depends on what is missing. Missing proof of meeting and missing or incorrect fees are the big ones.

What part of "IF the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue" did you not understand?

[pushbrk 13,729]

I read that statistic somewhere in my google journeys...hehe. Soo much interesting information on this topic. My congrats to all of you that have been approved for the visa, or are waiting for it:) I was unaware of the two year comment made, but is not real concrete im sure. Most of what Ive read seems to be alot of mishaps on completing or incorrectly filling out forms ect...Hence creating a backlog of the visa once again. This could be a tedious process and wating period from what ive mostly read, just due to a typo or some other unfortunate overlooked additions to the various sections on the paperwork. Thx for the input once again....Please keep it coming:)

Thx

Incomplete or missing information does not mean an automatic denial... In the petition process, this type of situation will result in the petitioner receiveing a Request for Evidence (RFE) in order to cure the situation. At the consulate stage, the visa applicant will most likely receive a Form 221g with opportunity to cure.... If the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue.

It depends on what is missing. Missing proof of meeting and missing or incorrect fees are the big ones.

What part of "IF the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue" did you not understand?

None of it. But I also understood this....

"Incomplete or missing information does not mean an automatic denial... In the petition process, this type of situation will result in the petitioner receiveing a Request for Evidence (RFE) in order to cure the situation."

No worries.

[VegasHeat 0]

Obviously you are from the Ukraine, and are going thru the same process. I appreciate all the input fwaguy. I will be making a trip there in about 4 weeks, with my copies of phone records, and messenger copies....although im still a little skeptical on those, but will have copies of the ongoing coversations as well for good measures:) I will also be taking lots of pics and saving reciepts...ect....I was wondering about the messneger conversations also, if this is a big factor or not, but I would imagine any information of an on going relationship, and/or coversations couldnt hurt:)

Thx

I read that statistic somewhere in my google journeys...hehe. Soo much interesting information on this topic. My congrats to all of you that have been approved for the visa, or are waiting for it:) I was unaware of the two year comment made, but is not real concrete im sure. Most of what Ive read seems to be alot of mishaps on completing or incorrectly filling out forms ect...Hence creating a backlog of the visa once again. This could be a tedious process and wating period from what ive mostly read, just due to a typo or some other unfortunate overlooked additions to the various sections on the paperwork. Thx for the input once again....Please keep it coming:)

Thx

Incomplete or missing information does not mean an automatic denial... In the petition process, this type of situation will result in the petitioner receiveing a Request for Evidence (RFE) in order to cure the situation. At the consulate stage, the visa applicant will most likely receive a Form 221g with opportunity to cure.... If the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue.

It depends on what is missing. Missing proof of meeting and missing or incorrect fees are the big ones.

What part of "IF the situation is cured/curable then the process will continue" did you not understand?

[payxibka 10,048]

I am not from Ukraine but my wife is....

I take it from your first post that no petition is currently filed with the USCIS. Will you file the petition before your next trip in 4 weeks time? If not, then why are you going with copies of phone records and messenger conversations? Taking pics and saving receipts (itinerary, boarding passes, etc..) is a very good idea. The ongoing relationship memorabilia is most important between the petition filing and the interview.....

Obviously you are from the Ukraine, and are going thru the same process. I appreciate all the input fwaguy. I will be making a trip there in about 4 weeks, with my copies of phone records, and messenger copies....although im still a little skeptical on those, but will have copies of the ongoing coversations as well for good measures:) I will also be taking lots of pics and saving reciepts...ect....I was wondering about the messneger conversations also, if this is a big factor or not, but I would imagine any information of an on going relationship, and/or coversations couldnt hurt:)

Thx