JamalNTam

Just a quick question - If the alien fiance gets married (after being on a K1 visa) and adjusts their status for the greencard, which is approved, will this have any implications on them declaring bankruptsy back in their home country? I'm asking this as I have quite alot of debt in the UK and I dont think i'll be able to keep up the monthly payments when i'm in the states as the $ is almost half the value of the £! Thanks

For our K1 application we will be sending photocopy of all pages of Jamals US passport as proof of citizenship. The reason for this is his birth certificate has the wrong last name on it - it took him years of problems to get his passport to the correct name and we are worried that it will delay the application. Also his passport shows millions of stamps to the UK from when we've been on trips to Europe. Do we need to get this notorized? We have more proof that he is a US citizen as he is in the US Airforce - would it be worth it to send a photocopy of his military ID? We've also got copies of his orders to the UK and to his next base.

We need to translate a divorce certificate from Swahili into English and need to know which translators will be recognised by the US for the K1 application! Thanks

Ok - so i had my photo taken at Mildenhall base - people in the military go there for passport photos, spouses go there for visa photos and I assumed that as it's the us govenment that have these people on the base (an american company) that they would do it right. Everything looked good - got my 2 passport pictures taken for $5.75 and now I've checked the photo spec and it says about having to have 1/2 inch between the top of the photo and the top of my head - but there is just over 1/4 inch space! Does this mean they wont accept this photo? My fiance got his passport picture taken there and his was accepted and when i was there i asked if anyone had been turned away with the photos they take and they said no. What u guys think?

Ok - so i had my photo taken at Mildenhall base - people in the military go there for passport photos, spouses go there for visa photos and I assumed that as it's the us govenment that have these people on the base (an american company) that they would do it right. Everything looked good - got my 2 passport pictures taken for $5.75 and now I've checked the photo spec and it says about having to have 1/2 inch between the top of the photo and the top of my head - but there is just over 1/4 inch space! Does this mean they wont accept this photo? My fiance got his passport picture taken there and his was accepted and when i was there i asked if anyone had been turned away with the photos they take and they said no. What u guys think?

Oh you've got boatloads of evidence!

Probably don't need to send it all with the visa app....they want proof you've met in the last 2 years. Send a small sampling and save the rest for the interview in London.

What would be the best things to send from the evidence that I have?

Thanks for all the advise guys - I was about to pop into Snappy Snaps but then I realised that I would be able to get them done on the airforce base so it would be ALOT cheaper and I guess they are used to taking passport photos the way that the us want them!!

I'm going to get my passport photo taken very soon (want to do it tommorrow) and was going to do it in a photo booth (I used that for my passport). I've been told that they wont accept a photobooth passport shot - where did you get your passport photo taken? Thanks

OK - So we've finally put together the application for the K1 visa (we'll be submitting it in November but will be travelling before hand so want it all ready for Nov) and I just want to check that we have everything that we need in regards to evidence.

Jamal will date everything on the day that we send the packt.

(i) We have 7 photos ranging from Nov 05 - Sept 06 - all dated with location and persons in the photos - they are in different locations - in the USA, Italy, Salzburg, Cyprus, his airforce graduation to sergent in uk, one at christmas time with my parents and one at home.

(ii) We have a copy of Jamals military orders - 1 to his base in the UK stating that he will be there for 24 months and the other to his new base in AZ stating the date he will be returining from the UK.

(iii) We have several bank statements and home phone and utility bills for both of us each showing our names at the same address for the same period in time

(iv) We have copies of 2 official passes into the us airforce base in the UK with my photograph, my full name, Jamals full name and his signature - as jamal had to present with me during the trip this will show proof that we've met also. The dates for these are May 06 and Aug 06.

(v) We have several confirmed itenaries for trips that we have taken together - one for Cyprus in June 06 and one for Salzburg in Sept 06 - these show the date and both our names - unfortunatly we dont have the plane passes as we kinda threw them away!

I do have plenty of emals that we sent each other wile he was deployed to Qatar for 4 months last year - do you think I should include that?

Also - I'm going to get my passport photo taken tommorrow. Will just a standard photo taken in a photo booth be ok? and do people smile in them or not???!!!!!

Thanks

Not to beat a dead horse, but just to make one point more clear...

You can come to the US and marry on a tourist visa. HOWEVER, if you later try to file for a green card/residency you will be found guilty of visa fraud and your green card/residency will be denied. Unless you can provide mountains of evidence that you had no intention to marry when you came to the US as a tourist, you are asking for trouble.

Read the K-1 guides and follow them. Doing the process the right way will keep you out of trouble in the future.

I actually called the guys at USCIS (I think) and asked them if it was possible to come to the US on a Visa waiver and apply whilst in the country - they said yes. As long as you dont overstay your allocated time (90 days) then you will have no problems with obtaining the visa . Going to the states on a VWP and then gettin married and applying for a green card is a completely different thing all together.

This is what I'll be doing! I'll be entering the US on the 90 day visa on the 19th Nov - the next day we'll be sending the K1 application off (which we've already put together) and then I'll be staying there for 87 days before I leave back to the UK. At least then we would have waited 3 months together during the long process! We also arranging a trip for Jamal to come to the UK when I get back too! We've been living together for a year and been in the same country for 2 so we are trying to keep the time apart as little as possible!!!

Man I feel dumb! lol

The trouble is that I'm not even sure it does state the grounds for divorce in Tanzania on the certificate. Will this make a huge difference?

I don't believe mine stated a reason either. Really, I would not worry.

However that being said - I will point your attention to my disclaimer.

Thanks - it seems that you got approved lightning fast!!! Can you advise me exactly what you did for the disclaimer? Was i under a sub heading? How did you fit it in to the whole letter? Many thanks!

The trouble is that I'm not even sure it does state the grounds for divorce in Tanzania on the certificate. Will this make a huge difference? It was all very rushed, and I dont know the ins and outs of Tanzanian law but I knwo that my ex 'husband' had to bride a few people to get it done because as soon as they found out I was from the UK even the local magistrate saw a chance for a few quick $'s!!!

Ok - so now I'm waiting for my divorce certificate in the post. As I've said before, when I was 18 (I am the fiancee alien) I stupidly got married to my 1st love in Tanzania. Basically only 5 months later I discovered that he was using me to try and get into the UK and I broke it off with him and have not seen him since. As I was young, I just ignored the fact that I had got married in Tanzania - always used my maiden name (I never really considered myself married as it was such a short time) and did not let anyone know about my marriage. Since I've been with Jamal and having to concider apply for the K1 visa so I can be with him foreva (currently in the UK on Active Duty but moving back to the states next month) I started to investigate the marriage that I had and obviously, not wanting to be rejected or have anything in my way, contacted my "husband". He has been dealing with the courts in Tanzania and filled for divorce under the grounds of not seeing each other for 5 years. This was approved on the 4th Sept and I have to wait for the 23rd Oct for the court to officially produce the English version of the divorce certificate. We will be applying for the K1 Visa about 1 month later. I have 2 questions - 1st is that I will have to types of divorce certificate - one in Swahili and one in English - should I submit both or just the English one? 2nd is that I'm worried that the immigration officers will look at this application and think that I'm just trying to get to the states as it's been such a short time since my divorce date (it would be officially 4th Sept) and the fact that I got married in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We have sufficient evidence to prove that the relationship is legit (lived together for a year and been together since her arrived in England - have photos, documents to show this etc) but I'm so scared that the whole marriage thing will bring suspision and that it will make the processing time longer. Sorry if I went on a bit in this post but it's really palying on my mind!

Will a photocopy, front and back be sufficient for the 1st packet? I can then bring them to the interview as proof too - do i need to get them notorized?

Tamzyn,

The information that you offer now was unknown when I wrote my previous post, so it being suspicious is most certainly not what I wrote. I suggested simply that you be able to explain without potentially shooting yourself in the foot. For example, an answer such as "I'll be living with my fiance for the whole time and he'll be paying all my expenses" could cause a CBP officer to be concerned that once you move in you may not move out.

The information that you give here is less likely to hurt you than my example, be able to document it should the issue arise. It may not, but be prepared for the possibility.

Yodrak

Tamzyn,

....

They can also refuse entry for financial reasons such as you have no means of supporting yourself while in the USA and so may be forced to work, which is illegal. You write that'll be 'on the road' for 4 months on this trip, have traveled extensively, and have no job - how are you paying for it? Think about how you might answer that question without hurting your credibility on the issue of non-immigrant intent.

Yodrak

Ok - so that fact that I have been working at my current job (that I will have to leave so that I can go to central america/USA) for a year and saving nearly £500 a month to live on will seem suspisious? I am just so worried now - I have over $4000 of travellers cheques to take - but I'll be giving them to my fiance before he leaves as I dont want to carry that amount with me as I travel by bus through Central America for a month. So all i wont have much to show the officers in Phoenix. ....

Sorry - didnt mean to sound as though i was saying you were suspisious - I meant the us government! Thanks for the info

Tamzyn,

CBP can refuse entry if you are asking to enter as a non-immigrant and they get the impression that you may not leave, as a non-immigrant should. Other posters have addressed things that go to this issue.

They can also refuse entry for financial reasons such as you have no means of supporting yourself while in the USA and so may be forced to work, which is illegal. You write that'll be 'on the road' for 4 months on this trip, have traveled extensively, and have no job - how are you paying for it? Think about how you might answer that question without hurting your credibility on the issue of non-immigrant intent.

Yodrak

In Novemeber I'm going to the states to visit my fiance for 87 days. I'm a British Citizen and so I'm going on the visa waiver programme. I wouldnt have applyed for my K1 visa then, We'll be applying when I'm in the country. Can they refuse entry into the states if I have not applyed for any visa yet? I have a return flight ticket and would be arriving from Costa Rica (as I will be travelling for a month and doing some spanish lessons previously to arriving in the states). I've started to get really worried as I was told by someone that they can refuse you just by saying you have a boyfriend in the states! The reason I'm going over there before we apply is to see what it will be like, to spend thanksgiving, christmas and both our birthdays together and because I'll miss him. (He will be leaving the UK on the 16th October after being stationed here for 2 years). The trouble is that because of the long duration I'll be outta the UK I will have no job to return to and I will have no house/lease as I live with him at the moment and when he leaves I plan to live with mum until I get the visa and move to the states for good. Any advice?

Ok - so that fact that I have been working at my current job (that I will have to leave so that I can go to central america/USA) for a year and saving nearly £500 a month to live on will seem suspisious? I am just so worried now - I have over $4000 of travellers cheques to take - but I'll be giving them to my fiance before he leaves as I dont want to carry that amount with me as I travel by bus through Central America for a month. So all i wont have much to show the officers in Phoenix. And out of suriosity what happens if they so no? Do you have to wait in the airport for 87 days until my flight time comes? It makes me kinda mad that I have to go through this worry when I'm gonna do everything by the book!

My advice

Do not lie to the Immigration Officer. Telling them you are visting friends and them finding out you are actually visiting your fiance will create serious implications (immigrant intent etc....).

Be honest, tell them the deal and i'm sure your be fine. Be transparent.

We'll be going to visit many family memebers across the states (Philly and LA) - should i advise the immigration of all the addresses that i'll be staying at?

Visiting my finance

I realize this was a typo, but it struck me as funny.

Visiting my finance = visiting my sugardaddy?

OOPPS -

should i just say that I'm visiting friends or travelling the states - I've been many times before but not for the long period that I'm going in Novemeber and never had an issue with entering - I do travel ALOT and have stamps in my passport for visiting places like Ecuador and India for period of 3 months too - will they take that into concideration?

In Novemeber I'm going to the states to visit my fiance for 87 days. I'm a British Citizen and so I'm going on the visa waiver programme. I wouldnt have applyed for my K1 visa then, We'll be applying when I'm in the country. Can they refuse entry into the states if I have not applyed for any visa yet? I have a return flight ticket and would be arriving from Costa Rica (as I will be travelling for a month and doing some spanish lessons previously to arriving in the states). I've started to get really worried as I was told by someone that they can refuse you just by saying you have a boyfriend in the states! The reason I'm going over there before we apply is to see what it will be like, to spend thanksgiving, christmas and both our birthdays together and because I'll miss him. (He will be leaving the UK on the 16th October after being stationed here for 2 years). The trouble is that because of the long duration I'll be outta the UK I will have no job to return to and I will have no house/lease as I live with him at the moment and when he leaves I plan to live with mum until I get the visa and move to the states for good. Any advice?

Just wondered if US airforce base passes with my photograph on - showing that my fiancee sponsered me on the base (he has to be with me at all times) is a form (just one, not the only) of proof that we met. It has the date, his name, my name, his signature and my photo on it. We have hundreds of these thats we've accumilated over the last couple of years. I was thinking of submitting 2 or 3 with various dates. They are official government base passes.

Just a quick question regarding the proof of relationship when you've lived with your fiance and dont have any telephone bills or emails etc. I'm currectly living with my fiance (usc/airforce) and hav been for 1year now. He's going back to the states and we are applying for K1. We have this as proof of relationship - do you guys think it will be enough?

-A letter from his section chef (master sgt) at his UK base shop saying that he's been stationed here r 2 years

-His airforce orders showing the dates that he's been here

-Utility bills addressed to him and my bank statements addressed to me around the same dates at the same address

-so many photos of us both together, in the uk, in the states and other countries we've visited together

- Airline and vacation itineries showing both our names for various vactions and flights that we've taken together.

Any one have any more suggestions?

Thanks

here is what i plan to do: i still have a travel insurance from my home country, it covers me for up to 6 weeks. I hope to be married and covered by my fiance's insurance within those 6 weeks. this way I think I will not have a gap.

This is just my plan but those suggestions above (getting a short term insurance in the US) sound really good to me as well. I guess you just have to collect a few offers and then just sign up for something.

in general i think it is better to avoid any gaps when it comes to health insurance, although i have heard from people who went without for a while.

hope that helps

Ok sounds good - I'm near when I renew my annual travel insurance and I can get some which cover me for 120 days at a time for my annual insurance at a pretty cheap rate - so i was checking if that would be acceptable

A lot of USC purchase short-term medical insurance for their fiances when they arrive. It seems to me the responsible thing to do.

Will travel insurance (from their original country) cover the k1 visa holder before they get married?