freshka

Just got my packet 3 and I am wondering how much I need to take to the embassy on the day of the interview? I've read 325 and then the 165 after issuance for the green card paid online? Also when I went on the website ustraveldocs to book the appt does it matter if its in her name or my name since we will both be going?

Just submitted my I-130 petition and they took everything requested plus everything I supplied in extra.

Forms submitted:

I-130

G-325a petitioner plus photo

G-325a beneficiary photo

Marriage certificate with English translation

Copy of my ARC

Copy of my birth certificate

Copy of the first page of petitoners US passport

Copy of beneficiary's first page of Korean passport

Copy of joint bank accounts

Copy of marriage pictures

Copy of CRBA

They took everything so come prepared.

Also starting today Seoul US Embassy will not allow you to bring any electronics besides your phone and one headset. I had to give up my portable battery and ecig. Just be aware of the new rule!

I was looking over the I-130 form, I know it may be a stupid question, but do I need to enter my permanent US address or the current address I am living at in Korea? I will be filing DCF May 31.

Thanks in advance!

My wife and I got married in Korea and before we start the process we wanted to see if it was better to change her last name to mine now or after the process. Has anyone had any experience with this? I know if we wait we will need to have to wait for her SSN to be issued so we can go through the name process change but that seems like a lot more work. I also know on my son's birth certificate her maiden name is on there and I'm assuming it will be better to get that corrected when we change her last name but I don't know how much of an issue it will be if we do not.

Any advice is much appreciated thanks in advance!

MY wife and I were married in South Korea and they do not usually change their last name but when we move back to the states we plan to change her last name to mine. Obviously when we fill out the petition and all other supporting documents we will use her maiden name but has anyone changed their last name when they have completed the process in the states? Also our son's Consular Birth certificate has her maiden name on it do we need to notify the change to them? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

Ok what are the benefits of having the 2 year and 10 year card?

Hi we will be celebrating our two years in june 2016 and we plan to return to the states next year. Is it better to wait after our two years to start the process or would there be no benefit? I understand I will have to file an AOS after two years of marriage when we arrive in the US, correct me if I'm wrong, so we wanted to minimize any further wait. Do they consider the date we start the process or the final date that everything has been filed? If the latter, would they just consider the app as if we were already married two years if it passes over June? Sorry if this is confusing because its confusing for me too.

Has anyone been through the process in Seoul and care to share their experience?

Yes DCF is Seoul.

Just curious to know how long the whole process takes? We're planning to move back to the states sometime next year and I am wondering if I should start now or wait till Nov-Dec.

Also my son was born in Korea but received his US citizenship via embassy registration, I'm assuming he will not need to be reported on the paperwork other then claiming him as our son when we file my wifes petition correct?

Just a note specific to Korea. Don't send your I-130 petition to the Chicago lock-box if you're going to do the VISA in Korea. This takes a lot longer to process than directly submitting your documents at the Seoul embassy IN PERSON (which you can do if you're in Korea on a VISA yourself).

We submitted my husbands I-130 peition in October of 2014 and received approval after just 7 days, however there was an issue where my e-mail wasn't accepting the US embassys e-mail and so I didn't know I'd been approved until I called the embassy myself in December. So if you don't receive an email within a few weeks I'd call them).

The embassy then sends you a list of documents you need for your "packet 3" which you bring to the interview (you can usually set up the interview date for a month after approval) and they'll review the documents right there. If you send it to the Chicago lock-box you'll have to send your documents along first and have them approved (I've heard this could take months) and THEN the embassy will give you an interview date for a few months after they review your documents. Which means another step.

My husband and I could have set up our interview back in the fall had we gotten the embassy e-mail, but we didn't want to be in the U.S until this coming summer anyway so we couldn't have set up our interview that early. (You must leave Korea within 6 months of your medical checkup which is required before the interview).

I am a Korean American on a F-4 Visa in Korea and she is a Korean citizen. We are planning to move back June-July of 2016 and from how fast you were approved when would you suggest first applying for the I-130 and starting the process? I don't want to send it in too early and then have to enter the US before our desired time. Also we just had a boy not too long ago and we are going to register him as a US citizen this week at the US Embassy will I need to file any separate petitions for him?

Wow thanks guys for your input! I figured the K-1 wouldn't apply to me since I am married but I just had to make sure anyways. As far as having a ceremony in Hawaii we wouldn't have to apply for any special visas correct? She would just enter on a tourist visa and we would just have our ceremony without registering our wedding in the states?

What is a VWP?

My wife (non-US Citizen) and I (US Citizen) are legally married in Korea but we are planning to have a wedding ceremony in Hawaii we also plan to move back to the U.S. 6-8 months after that. Should I file for a K-1 Visa first to get approval for her to come and get married then pursue the change of status? Or do you think we should try to go ahead and schedule our wedding in accordance with the the I-130 timing? I'm really kind of lost on what approach I should take here any suggestions will be appreciated!