Lena&Islam

Good luck to you guys!

Do ya'll think it's a good idea to also include on the letter our case # or not?

Maybe we should include our case numbers to show that we really are who we say we are? That we have real cases with USCIS, cause how will they know if all of the people sending them the emails are really effected by the delays?

I haven't seen a lot of CSC people on this board, can we ask for more support from those people too? I mean I know everyone is busy with planning and all, the thing is, it could be at CSC too that can get back logged...who's to say that it couldn't happen there? Something is broken in the system if its that unbalanced. So why not make it known now that we want someone to look at it and fix the problems now!

I think its powerful too if we had some CSC petitioner on here(letter) to show them the difference of the timeline is for both of the processing centers. Maybe find a way to work it in there to show the inconsistency of the processing centers? Would do you guys think?

I like the draft letter, we still need to decide who to send it too and when?

The sooner we have a final draft of this letter, the better. We should send this letter via email or mail (your preference) to as many people as possible. Hopefully this can get before the end of the week.

Yes, I think we need a due date. To discuss, research and then decide to where and whom we need to send it too, otherwise it just becomes discussion on another forum. I will do a little more research too.

Great idea! I am up for anything as my fiance and I's petition just hit the 5 month date. We are february filers. I have contacted the Senator, congressman, but nothing really helps so I don't think this would hurt. I am continuously saying why can't they transfer the backlog to California. When I have called the USCIS they deny that california processes any faster. They told me it takes just as long there which I know is not true.

Totally not true at all! I was expecting a longer wait and we got approved faster than I thought. I'm not here to gloat or make anyone feel bad, being apart is hard, having to wait unknowingly if you are going to even get approved is stressful. I'm on here to support and also write letters on everyone's behalf who is still waiting. It makes me sad to see that not every center process the cases in a timely manner. What about shifting workloads to the rest of the other processing center? Hiring more part time employees to help with the processing to get out of it being back logged?

Are we just numbers to them? Just more paperwork, denied or approved doesn't really effect how they're doing their job or how long it'll take? Why? cause they can't see how its effecting our lives on the other end. I've been more sleep deprived, time zoned out, financially stretched,stress induced, more sicker than I've ever been,blood pressure going up, checking up all the time on my case status, checking on VJ for all the possible pitfalls, obsessed about making sure every single form is signed and sent they way that they want so we can get approved(Honey use BLACK INK!). Even after all of that we got an RFE! I was stressed to the max and didn't sleep for two days because of the RFE, so how can this process not stress me out! This is my life. So I want to help and do something about it too for I feel the pain of couples who's waited a lot longer than I have. I want to reclaim my life and my sanity! I want to be able to sleep peacefully at night (I don't know what that is like anymore for the past 2 years). I want to turn off the web cam! I'm becoming more blind from staring at my computer screen. I hate and love the webcam...I feel like I'm living in the "Truman" movie! I want to do normal couple things like going out on real dates instead of having dates on webcam, eating a beautiful meal with him but I'm alone by myself. Taking him all over my city but he's in my phone, dancing with him but he's in the computer...holding my phone at night just to be with him. Waking up and going to bed with him through the camera. It brings me to tears as I'm writing this to you all how hard and stressful it has been for the both of us so I can't even imagine how much harder it is for you all...

So yes, I'm in, whatever, whomever we decide to write to...let's just do it!

Not true, technically. You have 6 months from the date of your medical, as they are only good for 6 months. So if you had done your medical a month prior then when you had your interview, then you have 5 months to arrive in the US

I was not aware of that. I was following this information from Department of State :http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/types/family/fiance-k-1.html#11 and didn't see anything about medical examination being the determination start date of the validation of the visa to enter the US.

How can having your medical examination be the start date of the visa when you haven't even been approved? You don't know if you're approved yet so I find it hard to see why that would be the start date and then what about those who's cases have gone to AP? So if they had their medical examination done prior while in AP then their visa could be invalid once its approved since it may have passed the medical examination date? Or have less then 6 months to use it for entering the US?

Just need clarification now, since I didn't know anything about the medical being the start date of the visa usage once its been issued. And why doesn't DHS say that on their website?

You have 6months to use your K1 Visa once it's granted so why come now and have it be complicated? Come to the US when your family members are able to come and you can have the wedding that you want while staying within the 90days K1 laws. Just imagine if everyone started making up their own rules as to when they want to marry once they get here?

We write our intent to marry letter stating that we promise to marry each other within 90 days...not if we feel like it we will and if we don't we won't follow the laws but do things our own way....just doesn't make sense to me.

If I can get the marriage license ahead of time I will marry him at the airport once his plane lands on US soil, in a summer dress, smiling so hard that my face hurt, eyes crying from such happiness because I can't believe he is really here with me...All that matters is HE IS FINALLY HERE!!!...the rest will come.

In reality we are going to do the civil marriage to have it be legal then have the wedding ceremony(vows) later with friends and family. We want to plan our wedding together without all of the stress of trying to be within the 90days time frame. It could be fall, winter or even Spring! We're going to take our own sweet time in planning the rest of our lives together! Don't make it harder than the whole K1 process is...just be glad it'll be over!

I would support this also. Just let me know when everyone wants to start writing and to whom? We are in this together.

My fiancé put YES. He is bringing his medical records with him when he goes in to see doctors for his medical examination. He already has all of his vaccination records but will get the rest of what immigration wants before getting here. I search here with that same question before my fiancé filled out his DS-160, you will find that others will have said the same thing or answered YES also, He filled out the whole form and searched all of the answers if he didn't know how to answer them. I am so proud of him!

A lot of answers can be found on this site so just search for the answers that you need, if you need more help, private messaging others going through the same country's Embassy is extremely helpful since very embassy's requirements is a little different. I hope this helps you!

Congratulations! I hope you will be with your fiancé very soon! Best of wishes!

I am getting the album ready to send my fiance for his interview in August. They said to make sure he brings all original paperwork. The only original paperwork of mine that I am sending is my birth certificate and certified divorce paperwork. Everything else can stay copies correct? Such as boarding passes and copies of Visas of when I met him in Turkey and went to see him in Egypt.

I filled out a new G325A and printed a new copy of the intent to marry with the date of the interview and signed.

Thank you

I didn't know we had to do another G325A? I'm not doing that but I did print out and signed another Intent to Marry Letter. My certified divorce decree, the long version with the raised seal. My certified Naturalization document because I don't have a birth certificate along with copies of both of my parent's Naturalization certificated to show that they are my parents and signed for my naturalization when I became a citizen through them. I hope this is sufficient enough to prove my birth. The I-134 affidavit of support form signed by me, that has to be original. My employment letter from my company(doesn't have to be original either just have to have letterhead from them)The rest of the paperwork can be copies I have heard.

More pictures of us together, most recent chats to show on going relationships...that's about it. I hope so. Good luck to you guys! Our interview is the first week of August too!

Congrats! I hope all of the cases will move faster too.

Great. Its pathetic that they can't simply update the email with the correct amount to avoid confusion!!!

And yet, they scrutinize every single details about our filing.

I'm glad you got that settled.

What I found the most amazing about this mistake was that I know of another couple receiving the same email too. It was the same email that I received so I went to look why it was so much more and found out the discrepancies and kindly pointed it out to them.

I totally agree with you on being scared and scrutinized for not missing anything on our paperwork so that we won't get RFE's or be delayed. Yet its okay if they make major mistakes like this and we are to pay for it. I mean the changes has been in effect since 2012! Like, I'm just so thankful that I got some kind of communication from them that I'm willing to pay for anything if they just let me have my fiancé so we can be together!

Sometimes we get so swept up in the emotional roller coaster ride of this journey, that we forgot to stop and think, wait a minute. Why would I normally pay for that, if its not the right fees? I think it's good to question the powers that be and let them know that we do know and everyday we are becoming more and more educated in the visa process and becoming good advocates for ourselves. I knew nothing when I first started and yet throughout my journey I'm able to reach out,inform, and lend a hand to the ones who are just starting out like I was too. But I've had those wonderful people who had gone before me reach back to pull me up when I didn't know where to climb, who to talk to either.

I do believe I live in a country that I'm proud to be a part of and I'm glad that there is a due process. It may be frustrating at times. I may feel lost and don't know who I can talk to but if I look hard enough, there are people and information that I can find to help me through the process. There are still good people who will lend me a hand to help me get there! Over all, I'm just grateful that I do live in my adopted country who has open her arms for me so I can be free and where I can flourish. Now I just want my love to be with me so we can have that American Dream!

So the fee is 240$ i paid it today even if they told me 230$ at the email first.

Maybe a mistake in the first email too? I think it maybe more or less depending on the currency exchange rates between the countries or the exchange rates at the embassy but whatever the amount of currency is it should be equivalent to 240USD. I've heard depending on where you get your currency exchanged at you get can get more or less for it.

I'm hoping that at the embassy its a good rate...so they we can just pay close to the K1 visa processing fee of $240 USD.

Feels like the wait takes forever but now that we just found out TODAY that his interview is August 11th I am freaking out. He still has to get his medical exam and I still have to finish up our album and put proof of ongoing relationship in it and send it to him ahhhhhhh!

Yey! so happy for you both! We finally got our interview too so I know how you feel! Good luck to you!

We just paid $240 recently. I'm sure you can get it corrected.

Updates: I sent the Embassy in Tunisia an email tonight inquiring about the K1 visa processing fee not being correct and their reply was that they haven't updated the email letter they send out to the beneficiaries. I am correct,as you all are too that the fee is 240USD for the K1 Visa fee and whatever the country the beneficiary lives the exchange rates should be equivalent to 240USD also.

So I hope that the couples coming after us will know not to pay more than they should. Thank goodness I caught that! Good luck to all of the other couples going through this exhausting journey. I'm looking forward to the end of it!

Glad you got your answer. Maybe the consulate will fix their email if you point out the mistake. Good luck at the interview!

Thank you! We're super excited and nervous! I had to stop and think about the amount and did the currency exchange rates between the two countries and it just didn't make sense. I wondered if couples just paid that amount when they got the email from the embassy and didn't see the discrepancy? I know in the excitement of it all what's another 100 dollars, right? IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE! and I don't want to pay another 100 dollars more if I can help it!

Now, onwards to getting him here so we can actually have a life together! Thanks for the great vibes!

Thank you everyone for taking the time to discuss the question that I had. I had a good idea that it was $240USD($410TND) but then got confused because of the consulate sent me the incorrect amount to pay at my fiancé's interview(when it was exchanged into Dinars). I will inform them of the correct amount and will pay accordingly to what the current fee is. It was just to clarify the K1 Visa fee paid at the embassy which I got the info very early on when I posted my question to you all.

Thank you again for helping each other and myself out when I needed the correct info or where to find it! That is why we are on here...to get the support from each other going through our journeys. Best wishes to everyone!

It has been $240 for over 2 years now. On April 13, 2012 the K-1 visa processing fee went from $350 to $240. Sounds like they perhaps have a typo in their email info.

Yes, that is what I thought too since seeing how it changed to lower fees in 2012. But maybe the embassy hasn't changed their letter to us how much it cost no matter how the currency of that country is. The currency exchange rates should equal the 240USD no matter what.

Yes, he will bring more money with him on that day but I didn't want us to overpay...I still have to plan a wedding!

Congratulations! I'm so excited that you've been approved! Have a wonderful life together!

Did anyone pay more for their K1 visa fees at the embassy in Tunisia? I heard to bring a little more than the 240USD fees because of the exchange rates but not over that amount. Just a thought...I know I have heard, I'll pay for whatever the embassy wants, just give my fiancé the visa!

Interesting. Fee for K-1 visa is USD 240. Take a look for this.

http://tunisia.usembassy.gov/fees.html

Yes, right? that's what I thought too! It said to bring 565TND to the interview but when I went to do the exchange rate on 240USD to TND it didn't add up! It came up to be 340USD instead. 240USD = 410TND...

I knew that I saw the price dropped in K1 visa fee somewhere! Thanks for the link and I will send them an email and also have my fiancé bring this fee list to show them too.

It didn't add up even if I added the medical examination cost to the visa fee. I heard that you pay the doctor when you go there to get your medical exam done so they wouldn't have added the medical exam fees to the visa fees. Those are two separate fees.

Thanks so much!

Good morning Everyone!

I'm not sure if this is the place to post this question but didn't know where else to post it to. My question is I received an email from the Embassy and the visa fee for a K1 visa should be 240USD but what I got was an email saying it was 340USD instead. My fiancé is to pay that fee at the embassy before his interview.

I think there was a drop in the K1 visa fee from 340USD to 240USD this year. I don't know where I saw that but if anyone knows where that link is for the current list of fees I'd appreciated it. I'm not sure if the embassy is still collecting fees from last year before the new fees started but I'd rather pay for the new fees instead! Thanks!

Oh my gosh! I'm super excited, finally! I got a response from the embassy this morning after making a phone call to the embassy yesterday morning. My fiancé can go ahead and get his medical examination done and to bring the rest of his documents to his interview. Interview date will still need to happen but at least now we've gotten packet 3!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will be together at the end of August!

I got our interview date! August 7th in the morning! Wish us lots of luck!

Oh my gosh! I'm super excited, finally! I got a response from the embassy this morning after making a phone call to the embassy yesterday morning. My fiancé can go ahead and get his medical examination done and to bring the rest of his documents to his interview. Interview date will still need to happen but at least now we've gotten packet 3!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will be together at the end of August!

Lena&Islam,

I wouldn't wait for them to email your fiancé to schedule an interview. Go ahead and email them yourself requesting an interview appointment - consulartunis@state.gov. They will ask you whether you've paid for the DS-160 and had the medical exam, but you will need an email from them to do the medical exam. You will also need to have all your documents prepared (passport renewed, birth certificate + translation, police certificate + translation, financial affidavit, etc.) before scheduling the interview because you are essentially telling them you have everything ready. Being proactive really speeds up the process!

-Colleen

Thanks Colleen! It has been so frustrating trying to call them to get an interview date. The switchboard operator is just so rude and curt! I sent them 3 emails already, heard nothing. I called 3 times and finally got a live person who said that our case file had arrived two weeks ago! He said we should be getting a email soon about it. I'll be sending my fiancé the rest of my documents and paperwork and then will call to schedule an appointment as now I know of a name to ask for. Thanks for replying and letting me know.