cristi1231

- Start gathering everything required for affidavit 130.

- Make sure you meet 125% of the poverty line in what you make yearly. You can google 2013 poverty line, and just do the math. It's about 19,000.

- Figure out how much you have in checking and savings, bonds, life insurance and property you own.

- passport pics of both of you, more evidence (what you sent in the petition and new stuff), letter of intent to marry, letter from the bank with your account info, letter form your employer, tax returns of past two years (i was told Peru specifically asks for this. http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Order-a-Transcript), tax w2s of past two years, birth certificate (I'm bringing both of ours just in case originals and copies), Your NOA2, your NVC letter, last 3 paystubs.

Sorry if I'm forgetting anything. A lot of these are not required, but wouldn't hurt to bring. Check out these links:

Scroll down to the "once approved" area

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

Info on support items for the affidavit:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/support

And then I stalked other VJ-ers to see what they brought just in case

What your fiance can do is make sure he understands everything he will have to do off the checklist they send him (I can get that to you) and make sure he has info of the two doctor's in Peru that are approved by the emassy for physicals (I can get that to you too!).

He can make sure his passport is good and not expiring soon, make sure he has passport photos and his birth certificate, and evidence he has of your relationship on his end.

He can't do as much until the embassy receives it but he can definitely be mentally ready to jump on the process!

Don't risk it. Somehow they can find out and your fiance petition wouldn't be valid anymore.

if you're concerned about family, start talking to them now about possibly getting tourist visas to attend your wedding in the US! I also know a couple who streamed their wedding live so their friends and family could watch from Peru.

It definitely varies like everyone is saying, but I have seen rare occasions of visa processes going more than a year. We applied August 2 of this year, 2013, and in my head I have August 15 of 2014 is a wonderful wedding date.

So I'm planning what I can around that. I havent booked or bought anything excepted my wedding dress.

Back in September after a month of sending our petition I was definitely freaking out wondering if I would be one of those rare cases that would take more than a year. I kept telling myself that I WOULD be the one to get that back luck haha.

But our petition has been being processed unsually fast!

So what I did is I researched. Look into several different locations, ask them what their cancelation policies are or what their policies are on moving the date. Most venues are ok with that with no fee as long as it's a date that they aren't booked. If you ever have to re-book and it's more than the 3 months allowance, you can always get married in court and do the religious when they are available!

I figured, if you're going to spend the money anyways, it's okay to book when you're 90% sure if they'll allow you to move the date with no fee as needed.

For wedding invites, I'm designing them and I just won't send them until my fiance is here with me with two months in advance. We just won't do save the dates to be cautious. probably just tell close friends and family by word of mouth to "save the month".

In the meantime I'm all about do-it-yourself so I can start with decorations and store them at home, especially if I go with fake flowers.

There's so much you can do while you wait without actually committing to a date. Definitely set a goal at least a year from now for you and your fiance and pray the process goes smoothly.

Like I said it's been going so smooth for us, in 3 months, our petition is already at the embassy and all we are waiting for is for my fiance to set up his interview date. Personally I'm going to start making final plans once we have an interview date. I already feel comfortable enough with the venues I have and the people I'm working with to trust them enough to accomodate me.

But like everyone is saying, it will vary and don't do anything if you're not so sure or comfortable. That's just all what's working for me so far. Take it a step at a time and after you send your petition, the best thing you can do is research! Especially before you get your NOA2 and you have to start researching the next step for that, get wedding research out of the way as soon as you can so you won't go insane

Hello!

I was able to track our petition package on the DHL website when the NVC said they sent it out. I think it just arrive at the Embassy in Lima, Peru today!

Our NOA2 was September 30th. I'm wondering if anyone knows where I can see the interview statistics or interviews available of an Embassy so I can guestimate when my fiance will be setting up an interview appointment? Or if anyone knows generally how long the interview is from the NOA2?

I'm hoping it's January so I can have new vacation time from my job and I can go with him, but our approval expires January 29.

Thank you!

I see it arrived and was signed for today I wish you two the very best

Hello Tru love!

If the NVC said they sent it out through DHL on the 22nd then my reference would be EXP 22 OCT 2013A correct? The waybill you gave me is for the reference EXP 23 OCT 2013A.

If I used the 22nd one, then according to DHL there are two packages that have already been signed for in Lima so it's there! Just wanted to pick your brain and see if that makes sense to you.

Thanks for these posts!

I see it arrived and was signed for today I wish you two the very best

WOOO hoo! That Peru one is ours!

Really!? I see that it just left Miami today

Ours was sent to Lima, Peru today! So excited to see what the post will be tomorrow of today's shipments. It's not there now, so I assume it takes a day or two.

I would also like to know what is required to bring in with the affidavit.

So Puerto Rico is ok to go to as a honeymoon place? I know it's part of the US but I always hear of things such as contests and PR always seems to be excluded. I don't know if it's excluded for some reason. I need to look it up but if anyone knows...

Hello everyone! We got our noa2 last Monday and the hard copy in the mail today! I've been doing a lot of reading and gathering info on VJ so could you all help me confirm my thoughts?

My NOA2 didn't say it was being sent to the NVC but that it has been forwarded to the listed consulate (nothing was listed?). My petition was processed in Texas so I called them. The man seemed confused and just regurgitated standard information. Basically said the petition is still there.

After researching on VJ though I've read that it can take a few weeks to be sent to the NVC and to just keep calling. It may even get updated to that status on the USCIS website. So that's cool I can wait!

In the meantime I want to know what I could be doing. For example I'm going to send my fiance our entire package and scans of the NOAs via email.

From what I've read when the NVC does get the packet and I get my case number (will I only find out if I call them?) and they've sent me a letter, they will send it to the US embassy in his country. Once the embassy has it they will send a packet 3 to my fiance with a checklist and forms, correct?

The checklist includes info on how to get the medical exam (in his case, in Lima, Peru) and the 156 and 156d forms. One of which he needs to fill out a duplicate of right?

Will they instruct him how to set up an interview appt or will they assign him one? Do we pay the fee for that online or in person?

In the mean time I need to fill out a 134 showing that I can support him financially with some supporting papers. I'm reading I only need 2 of what they list, is that correct? For example a letter from my bank with my accounts and how much I have, a letter from my employer and how much I make, police certificates (Is it needed if I've never been arrested?), tax info from the past two years, I believe that's it. Is all of that needed?

I'd like to know so I can start contacting my boss and bank and life insurance company now in case they take a long time to respond! Did anyone have problems with gathering this info or how much info did you gather? I don't know how long I should wait to ask for the letters because I wouldn't want the information to be three months old for the interview, but then again I don't want to risk waiting too long to ask and not getting it in time.

Then I must send all of that to him (scanned?) so he can bring that along with him to the interview along with his forms and medical results.

Then more proof of our relationship/engagement. It would be smart to use new material than what we originally sent with the petition correct?

As of right now we only have conversation and FaceTime logs since he proposed and we applied this summer. I am considering flying out a week before his interview to gather all the material together and take more pictures and have more evidence of our relationship/engagement.

Sorry for the ridiculously long post. Thanks for taking time to read it! Just want to make sure I have all the details right. I really appreciate any help from those who have gone through this whole process post NOA2!

Hello my fellow VJ-ers

We recently got approved. I am waiting for the NOA2 hardcopy. Just a quick question, after the NVC receives our case, will there be another notice from them? Like a hard copy letter sent to my home address? or any other packets?

Thanks in advance and best of luck to all on our journey

Best,

AA

I'd also like to know! Just got our hard copy today and I called the USCIS because the letter didn't specifically say it was going to the NVC. They basically said not yet. And I checked on threads here that it may take a few weeks for the NVC to receive like 2 or 3 or if your lucky 10 days.

I know on the USCIS site people say it should update to say that it's been sent to the NVC but I am also curious if we get a letter or email?

Hello All. I just got our NOA2 today in the mail with the same sentence. It says i has been forwarded to the listed consulate. The only consulate I see is the Taxas Service Center which is where our petition was processed anyway so how can it be forwarded to where it already was?

Was this a typo and they forgot to state where it was forwarded? Why didn't it get sent to the NVC?

I called the TSC and the man didn't seem like he understoof my question, why does it say forwarded and where? Basically he said it's still in Texas,it's been approved but needs to be process before they send it to the NVC? I don't get it :\

We just got our NOA2 today a couple of hours ago! Talk about crazy weird but good but normal timing. Praying this shutdown doesn't affect the following steps. I know there has been a lot of back and forth betwen what is open and what is not. Looks like hopefully it won't affect any of us, but here's to no delays whatsoever!

I want to say thanks cristi for posting this question and the picture. My fiancee is also from Peru and we are preparing the I-129F package. I posted another thread asking for example of how to present translations. Well your thread answered my question, I appreciate it.

Aw I am so glad it helped you! I am so sorry for the late response. Let me know if you want any other examples

USCIS will probably not even read it, so not really a reason to translate it all. The relationship proof you add in with your I-129F is so it will be in your file and forwarded to your consulate for the K-1 interview and CO there to see. Things in the native language of the country you interview in do not need to be translated.

The most important things for the I-129F petition are to make sure you provided enough proof of having met face-to-face within the 2 years prior to filing, that you are both free to marry, and that you include all the required supporting documentation that goes along with the I-129F.

Thank you Jay-Kay!

I definitely did provide proof of contact in the past two years as stated in the post right before this one (passport scans, itinaries, screen shots of photos and dates, plus 6 actual printed photos). I am submitting the extra proof since I have read that it helps so that they don't have a reason to give you a RFE. I've also read that it gives them more material to question your fiancé at the interview, but I'd rather get that interview than get delayed for insufficient evidence.

If I have all the proper documents plus the 2 year contact proof, the extra can't hurt right?

If that's what you think though then I am glad to hear the way I provide the translation isn't as crucial as the other required elements. Thanks so much for the info!

Of course you may know this already, but proof of relationship is completely different than proof of meeting within 2 years. So many get RFEs for that.

Yes! The first part of the proof part is proof of contact in the past two years. My passport first page and the pages with the stamps to prove travel, my flight itinaries, photographs I took at an event with him in them (right before I met him) with screen shots of the date when I uploaded to my computer. Then I topped it off with 6 printed photographs of us the second time I went back to see him.

Then what follows is proof of ongoing relationship which has most of the items needed to be translated. After much research on the thread I concluded that it's better to give them more than little now so I have less chances for them to request an RFE. Also the proof of ongoing relationship is also proof of contact in the last 2 years anyways.

Your translations look good. When we did translations we also included clauses that says these translations are accurate and correct and I am competent to translate these documents.

I am not sure about what other people has done.

Ah yes! At the end of my packet is my letter of certified translation where I state that and sign and date it with my address. Thanks!

Hello All!

I'm almost done assembling everything but wanted to double check my proof of relationship.

Being a graphic designer, I am very OCD with how I lay out images and text and hate Word! So I've used InDesign which makes it easier to lay out images with text.

I made it that, if I have a scan of a letter or screen shot of a conversation in Spanish, next to that in a light grey box I have the translation. And I have it laid out in a way that matched the original set up so who ever is reading it understands who is saying what.

Does that seem correct/efficient or should all translations be separate pages even if it's just 3 or 4 lines?

Would love to get input and see how others have done it.

Thanks!

Another question that may be odd:

My fiance tried getting a tourist visa twice, once in January then once in February of this year and got denied because of the lack of evidence that he would return to Peru. I'm not sure if that will hinder us, but it is obvious that the USCIS will see that correct? The reason he tried for it was to visit me and get to know me. That is why I then decided I should go to him and when he proposed. So it plays apart in our relationship but I'm not sure if it would be wise to include his rejections in the proof packet as a sign that he attempted to see me? Plus they are going to see that in his records anyways.

Thanks!

Hello Everyone!

I've been reading several posts for the last 2 weeks and I'm finally getting serious and filling out the application. I just created my account here to seek advice on questions I was not able to get answers to. So the following are questions that I have accumulated so far:

1. I cannot fit my fiance's Peruvian address in the fields they have provided.

- I've read both things, to make it fit in the first space but NOT confuse the USCIS and use the apartment and zip code spaces to make it fit, or to attach it on a separate sheet of paper (signed and dated?) and say "see attached" in the field.

- But I also read not to staple anything because it will get arranged as they please, so should I include it in the table of contents that that paper is inserted in the application?

2. On that note, I read I should keep the story of how we met short enough to fit in the field they provided instead of attached a sheet of our story?

3. Birth certificates. For some reason I can't determine the certificate number for this. I know everyone's birth certificate's are different. I found "Birth Number" on mine. Would that be it?

- Also would I need a scan of my fiance's and translated?

4. For the passport style pictures, will I need originals from my fiance or can he scan them to me and I print and cut them? Wouldn't that change the size they want if it prints wrong? I want to know because my mother will be traveling to Peru soon and I could potentially get the actual photos from him with her return.

5. Proof of seeing him in the past 2 years, should that be separate from proof of ongoing relationship? I read on the site (http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide#proof) That you only need a few things for the proof of visit in the past 2 years, and additional items can be used for the ongoing proof.

- Can I insert additional photos in the ongoing proof section but inserted into a word document, not actual photographs?

6. Translation - If I include our conversations (face time screen shots with date stamps, e-mails, scanned christmas card, etc.) should I get them translated? Would it hurt if I did? If anything is translated, must the person who translated be certified and sign something?

7. Proof of relationship in general

- I've been reading about front loading vs. the minimal items needed for the application. I really want to front load and be as detailed as possible. Is this a bad idea? I even have a screen shot of the conversation of when my fiance sent a picture of the ring he bought for me to my best friend for her to see. Another idea was including my parent's itinary flight to Peru back in March when they met him for the first time (I have pictures of that too). I thought of this because I sent gifts with them and they brought back gifts from him. I read that gift receipts are good to scan, and even thought there was no paper receipt to prove this exchange, my parents are the proof.

This last part has got me so nervous! I don't want to give too little proof but I don't want to give too much if they frown upon that. I'm reading some people have had great experiences with giving just enough, but others say the more the better...

Thank you for taking the time to look at these questions! Any other advice would be so helpful