Magnolia31

I know, I know, I have been asking so many questions but since my interview is getting closer and closer, I am just freaking out a bit more by the day.

For those who already have their K1 Visas approved, do any of you have anxiety disorder? I have had anxiety disorder since I was 7 and am on medication for it. I'm not harmful or anything like that .. all that happens is that I get nervous and feel sick to my stomach if I'm in a situation that makes me nervous. Basically, I get a panic attack. However, since I am on medication, I really don't get them anymore. I mentioned my anxiety disorder at my medical exam and it was written down.

What worries me is that on the USCIS website they state that if you have a mental disorder you may be denied a visa. I am worried that they are going to have a problem with the fact that I have anxiety issues.

Thanx,

Sandra

Can someone give me the name of the Hotel that is near the Embassy in Frankfurt? I saw one listed on this site but since the address of the Embassy changed, I don't think this is valid anymore.

Thank You!

Why can't you write German?

So you can only read and speak it?

I can read German better than I can write it or speak it. But it's not my native language. My native language is English. I lived in Berlin for nearly two years, but my husband always spoke English to me. I'm trying to do a little bit better... I'm even learning some Allemannische. (That's my husband's real native language.)

That's how it is for me. I read and speak it better than writing. I moved to Texas when I was 7 and my mom never really even spoke German to me after that. I learned all my German again over the past 3 years. It's funny because when we first came here, my daughter could only speak English - now she speaks German better than me! You gotta love the German kindergarten

What is Allemannische? My mother is from Ostfriesland and speaks plattdeutsch.

Uh, you can read it but not write it. Well, anyway, we all can speak and write in English

LOL, no, it looks like a first grader writing. I left Germany when I was 7 and went to American school ... so I never learned to write it. I always have problems with which words need to be capitalized.

Nice to see some fellow Germans in here! I can't write in German though I can read it!

My fiancee and I were hoping some one here might be able to help us, because we are going through the Frankfurt USA Consulate, and we always get disconnected when they transfer us. If any one could help us, we would be so appreciative.

The directions that came with the packet say that we must send in right away the filled out forms, DS-230, DS-156, DS-156 (K), and DS-157 along witha copy of her passport. Now the DS-156 (K) is what we are very confused about. It states that, first off, we need to attach things such as birth certificate, police certificate, and all the other items it says to bring to the interview. Also, at the bottom it says the consular officer will help us fill out the end. So are we supposed to mail them that form with everything attached like the insturctions say, or do we keep it, and she brings it to the interview along with the items?

The final question that we have, is do we send the checklist back to them with the first set of forms, or do we send in those forms, and then send this in at a later date? Thank you in advance.

That is the very same thing that confused me too when I saw that! My immigration lawyer told me to send the application forms but NOT the documents such as police record, affidavit of support, etc. because you will need them at the interview. I did send them the passport copies of all entry pages along with the applications.

Aren't they confusing? You figure they would revise that form to make things more clear.

Nothing to worry about, just get the letter(s) sent off. Could you fill in a timeline with your dates? It'd be helpful... if you click on 'my assistant' on the top right-ish, then 'edit/add my timeline', you can enter all the relevant info. It'll help other people going through the process. Good luck at the interview!

Thank you! I will try to fill out the timeline as best as possible. I honestly don't remember all the dates too well but I will backtrack and fill it in as I get the info. All I remember is filing in April, getting the approval letter in July, and getting my interview date in December. I kinda stopped keeping track because keeping track reminded me of how long everything was taking. Sadly, there was a time in September last year where I almost gave up on the fiance visa due to the long wait. ~sigh~

Just another quick question. I just want to make sure I have everything right. Do birth certificates also need to be translated? For those on here who are in Germany or are from Germany, did you need this?

Hi All,

I just wanted to share with you that we finally got our interview date at the Sydney Consulate on 2 February. We are both very excited and I feel relieved now that the long waiting is over. Just can't wait to be with my baby again.

Thank you to everyone on VJ for your advice and support along the way. This is a great community to be a part of.

For all those still waiting, hang in there. The feeling of relief when you get to this end of the process is great!

Lyndel

I agree! I also have my interview on Feb. 2nd but mine is in Germany. Good luck!

Somebody help me! I have my interview in Frankfurt on February 2nd. I received a letter form the consulate today which has me afwully confused and nervous! Here is what it says:

Dear Cockrell, Sandra:

Our records show that you are the beneficiary of a K1 fiance(e) petition.

An approval K1 petition is valid for 4 months from the date of approval. Since your petitioned was approved more than 4 months ago it is expired. It may be revalidated for an additional 4 months provided the Consular Officer concludes that the petitioner's and the beneficiary's intentions are still to get married. Please ask your fiance(e) to send us a letter stating that both of you remain legally free to marry and that you continue to intend to marry each other within 90 days after your admission into the United States. If you do not contact us within 6 months your petition will be destroyed.

OK - why are they sending me this? What for? I mean, I just got letter from them in December with my interview date and everything else. I am really confused and don't know if I am now still supposed to go to my interview or not. I swear, these people are more than backward and frustrating! I tried calling them but the darn pone just rings and rings.

Sandra

Do not be nervous, simply do as they ask... They simply want a re-affirmation of your intent. Please remember you are dealing with bureaucrats, it is a procedural thing...

Phoning the consulate is not always the best method of contact... Have you tried e-mail?

It's just as they state, an approved petition is only valid for 4 months, all they want is one of those intent to marry letters sent to them so they can go ahead and continue with your process, knowing that you still want it. It's nothing to worry about and once they have the letter they'll extend your NOA2 validity and you'll go to your interview just fine. Just ask your fiance to send the letter.

OK. Why do they do this though? The reason the petition expired is because they take so long. Is this a normal thing that everyone gets?

Thank you for the fast response.

Is it normal? I would say it is not abnormal or unusual for them to make this request.....

Thank you! I will have my fiance write the letter and mail it off TODAY! I'm so glad I found this forum - you guys are truly helpful.

It's just as they state, an approved petition is only valid for 4 months, all they want is one of those intent to marry letters sent to them so they can go ahead and continue with your process, knowing that you still want it. It's nothing to worry about and once they have the letter they'll extend your NOA2 validity and you'll go to your interview just fine. Just ask your fiance to send the letter.

OK. Why do they do this though? The reason the petition expired is because they take so long. Is this a normal thing that everyone gets?

Thank you for the fast response.

Yes, it's a normal thing, I mean, it's normal for petitions to be extended at their will or at the request of the petitioner and the beneficiary, all they want is confirmation. I'd send two intent to marry letters now, one from you and one from your fiance, with original signatures (no copies).

Ok - good idea. I will write one too! Thanks a lot!

I agree. Get your fiance to send them a letter stating, that you both are still legally free to marry and willing to do so withing 90 days of your entering the United States (as soon as you have the visa of course). No big deal, it just sucks that you have to work extra because they took their sweet time.

I guess that is the part that is so irritating to me - the fact that they took so long and now I need to run around even more. I have anxiety disorder and this kind of stuff upsets my stomach. LOL

The 1st denial, they asked for

1.Proof of my purchase of the tickets to China. (7 of them)

2.My personal statement.

3.Cosponsor's personal statement stating why he is willing to help me.

4.My 2003/2004 tax return.

my girl submitted all those today. Now, they want more!!!

1.Cosponsor's 2003/2004 tax return

--------------

Case info:

Cosponsor is my step-father and he is retired.

He brought me here long time ago.

I am in college but im gonna graduate very soon.

I met my girl in middle school in China and the relation started from there.

Ok, i heard people from Fujian province are been treated very different than the others.

I and my fiancee are both from Fujian.

---------------

what is it they are really looking for? am i screwed? sad.gif

i am planning to seek help from house rep. and senator. Is that gonna do any good? thx guys~

------

Never mind because this post is way old. I just noticed the date AFTER posting.

It's just as they state, an approved petition is only valid for 4 months, all they want is one of those intent to marry letters sent to them so they can go ahead and continue with your process, knowing that you still want it. It's nothing to worry about and once they have the letter they'll extend your NOA2 validity and you'll go to your interview just fine. Just ask your fiance to send the letter.

OK. Why do they do this though? The reason the petition expired is because they take so long. Is this a normal thing that everyone gets?

Thank you for the fast response.

Somebody help me! I have my interview in Frankfurt on February 2nd. I received a letter form the consulate today which has me afwully confused and nervous! Here is what it says:

Dear Cockrell, Sandra:

Our records show that you are the beneficiary of a K1 fiance(e) petition.

An approval K1 petition is valid for 4 months from the date of approval. Since your petitioned was approved more than 4 months ago it is expired. It may be revalidated for an additional 4 months provided the Consular Officer concludes that the petitioner's and the beneficiary's intentions are still to get married. Please ask your fiance(e) to send us a letter stating that both of you remain legally free to marry and that you continue to intend to marry each other within 90 days after your admission into the United States. If you do not contact us within 6 months your petition will be destroyed.

OK - why are they sending me this? What for? I mean, I just got letter from them in December with my interview date and everything else. I am really confused and don't know if I am now still supposed to go to my interview or not. I swear, these people are more than backward and frustrating! I tried calling them but the darn pone just rings and rings.

Sandra

There's nothing to stop you getting married while you're in the US on your visitor visa. But as the visitor visa is quite clearly NOT for immigration purposes, you would then need to return to your own country (without overstaying on your visa) and have your USC husband/wife petition for you as a spouse. Alternatively, the two of you could apply for a fiance(e) visa and then get married (and stay) in the US once you get it. Either way, a long wait will be involved. And being 'very much in love' and not wanting to be apart makes you, oooh, no different whatsoever from any of the other people who are posting on here - funnily enough we're all in love with our fiances/spouses and don't relish the idea of having to spend months apart.

Like midicat says... entering the US with a visitor visa with the intention of using it to marry and immigrate is, well... illegal. And you would run into problems down the line when you tried to adjust status to become a permanent resident. If it was as easy as that, nobody would bother going through the proper process, and would just use tourist visas or the visa waiver program to immigrate to the US - however, they are NOT for immigrant purposes, and USCIS doesn't care that you're in love.

Have a read of the guides at the top of the page here and have a talk with your partner - you can work out which way will be the best way for the two of you. It pretty much comes down to being separated while engaged or separated while a married couple, but if you read the guides & FAQs (and come back here to ask any more questions you might have) you'll be able to get a good idea of which process will be best for you.

Good luck.

Hello!

Just a quick question. I stumbled upon this thread and was wondering about the topic being posted. I now know 4 people who are from Germany, who ended up going to the states with their boyfriends on a tourist visa ... who then all ended up getting married, being able to stay in the states permanently. How on earth did they get away with that if you are not supposed to do that? And just today, a friend of mine told me she is leaving next month and is doing the same exact thing. I recommended that she get the fiance visa and she laughingly asked me "why?"

It frustrates me to no end because I am sitting here waiting out this long process for my fiance visa and find it so unfair that other people are getting away with something that I was told not to do. So, does anyone have any idea why some are still getting away with this?

Everyone keeps saying that an AOS application for your fiance does not require a full medical, just a transfer of data to a new form and a supplemental form. We never received any medical form. What the Doctor did was sealed in an envelope and provided the embassy and then sealed in an envelope and provided to customs when he got here. Can anyone explain what we were suppose to have or what the process ahould be now?

Thanks

The form you are referring to is the DS-3025 vaccination supplement and I-693A.

At the time of your/your fiancees medical examination in his/her home country, you should have asked the physician for a copy of the DS-3025. If you are a K1, the DS-3025 is what you need for AOS. The civil surgeon will transfer the vaccination information from the DS-3025 to the I-693A. Otherwise you will probably need to complete another physical exam and get vaccinations all over again.

No, if you are on a K-1 visa you DO NOT have to redo a complete physical exam if the last one was less than 12 months ago. You can contact the physician who did do the exam to see if they can provide you with a copy of the vaccination supplement retro-actively; you can have a titre test done to determine what antibodies you have in your blood - if you have the antibodies you don't need the vaccinations; you can try and use the information you provided to the panel physician about your vaccination history with the civil surgeon (you may need to translate documents), or you can get the vaccinations redone - but you do NOT have to redo the physical exam. The civil surgeon will have the I-693A form that you require. Please do phone around and find one who is willing to do the form and any vaccinations you may require without redoing the physical. The DS-3025 is actually the vaccination 'worksheet' not the supplement; the I-693 -A is the supplement that you require for the AOS.

Why does one even need that if they have a vaccination record? I mean, isn't the vaccination record there for the purpose of letting physicians know what vaccinations we have had?

I'm scared now. LOL ... I did not receive this form everyone is talking about - I didn't even know about it!

I did my full medical exam in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, as a K1, and Im in the same situation, the doctor never asked me which vaccinations I have, and to be honest I dont have a record of them, at the clinic in Mexico after a few questions they told me I wouldnt require any vaccinations. Im having my appoinment today at a Medical Center in Pittsburgh and trying to get the famous I-693A form. Hope everything goes well today.

Juarez, Mexico? Wow! I grew up in El Paso!!! I used to shop in Juarez every weekend. I miss that place. My daughter was born in El Paso.

Hello arch and cel,

I will have my medical exam next week. I will go on the schedule given by USE. I want to ask if they will postponed/rescheduled the ME if there's a monthly period.

I advice you to go there w/o ur mothly period bec in physical exam u must take off all ur clothes including your underwear and lying on bed open ur 2 legs infront of the doctor. The doctor take a look on your private and ask u to open ur ####### ewwwww!!! can u imagine that?

What the heck?? I had my exam 3 weeks ago and I swear no doctor looked at my private. I had to first of all answer some questions that he asked me, then he asked me to get undressed but ONLY down to my underwear. He then examined my body from back and front. He listened to my chest/lungs, etc. He checked my reflexes - everything that they do for a basic physical. Then I had my blood taken. After that, I went and had a chest x-ray done. That was it!

So I wonder why some people have to show their private and whatever else? that's not right. What goes for one should go for all.

I just had my medical exam yesterday & today January 4-5, 2007... earlier than my schedule, I just want to thanks God! Everything went fine.

Why did it take you 2 days? It took me 2 hours. Where are you located? i wonder if location makes a difference.

That's a good question.

I didn't think that those applying for this visa need the vaccines now to travel - but will for the AOS so they get them now.

My fiance also is supposed to get his last shot in March and we may have our interview then.

Years ago, I had that problem when travelling abroad and they gave me my final shot a few weeks early if I remember correctly.

According to the Embassy website, I don't need these shots. However, the Dr who did my exam in Berlin says I need them now. He wont send off my exam paperwork UNTIL he receives my shot record.So now Im trying to rush to get all these shots so I can mail him my record. Im so overwhelmed and stressed out!

I wish I would have never left the states a few years ago - I wouldn't be going through this now! I actually got my permanent resident card when I was 7. I lived in Texas ALL of my life. I left Texas in 2002 though and had NO clue that I needed a re-entry permit or anything. So now, here I am, having to go through this crazy process all over again.

I was never told I needed Hep B shots. According to the vaccination list (from my Packet 3), if you are 18 and older, you don't need the Hep B shots for immigration purposes.

Oh gosh, according to that list, I got one that I didnt even need. The one I am missing is varicella. I already had chicken pox though so do I need that anyway? Thank you for that list!

OK, I just have one more question because I am rather confused. I had my medical exam 3 weeks ago. At the time, I could not get my vaccinations done because I had pneumonia. The panel physician told me to go ahead and just get the vaccinations form my regular doctor later on once the pneumonia cleared up. So, here I am, January 4th and my interview is February 2nd. The thing that confuses me is this:

I am getting vaccinations done today including the Hep B. My doctor says you need 3 Hep B vaccinations. She says there is not sufficient time to get all 3 shots between now and February 2nd. What do I do now? I am worried I will have problems because of this.

Can someone help me out? Thanks in advance!

If you are over 25 years old that the Hep B vaccination is contra-indicated - at least that's what they told me (I'm 27) and why I did not receive mine. Normally Hep B is given in three doses 1st one, then 2nd after a month and then 3rd one after around 6 months or in some cases after a year (kind of like tetanus shots). If you start the vaccination you just need the proof that you are under regime and that the other shots will be received after your interview. Best of luck!

Mel

Thank you so much! I wonder where on earth they find these panel physicians at because it seems like some of them are even confused. The panel physician told me to get the Hep B, MMR, Varicella, Diptheria, tetanus, and Polio. i think that was it. See, yesterday AFTER I posted this message on here, I happened to find my vaccination checklist ... I also read on there that Hep B was not required. I think it said until age 19. I am 31 lol.

Ok, I guess I will call these people in Berlin back and tell them that they need to get their info right. I dont want to get anything unnecessary. Not to mention, Hep B vaccination will cost me 65 euros. The other vaccinations were covered by my insurance.

Just to make sure I get things correct, what vaccinations did you have to get? I was told I needed all for my age because I lost my original vaccination record. I'm confused!

Thank you so much for your reply!

OK, I just have one more question because I am rather confused. I had my medical exam 3 weeks ago. At the time, I could not get my vaccinations done because I had pneumonia. The panel physician told me to go ahead and just get the vaccinations form my regular doctor later on once the pneumonia cleared up. So, here I am, January 4th and my interview is February 2nd. The thing that confuses me is this:

I am getting vaccinations done today including the Hep B. My doctor says you need 3 Hep B vaccinations. She says there is not sufficient time to get all 3 shots between now and February 2nd. What do I do now? I am worried I will have problems because of this.

Can someone help me out? Thanks in advance!

My fiance and I have been waiting to receive an interview date since sending our packet back on 11-30-06. I called today and although they have our paperwork and confirmed it has been processed, they still have not scheduled us an interview date. I know we will get it soon but I say screw the govenment for making us wait for 7+ months to be together. We could know tomarrow or in a month. But the waiting and not knowing is unbearable. We are thinking about getting a plane ticket and just having him come over until the interview date. There are many obstacles if we do this such as more costs, Jon leaving his job, selling his car, maybe not being able to get into the country, etc. but we just want to be together. In the end that's all that matters. I know everyone else feels the same way. I see it when I read your blogs. I ask my friends what they would do but not being in the same situation they all say do the logical thing and wait it out. If you were us what would you do-Wait or take fate into your own hands??? Are there things to consider that maybe we are not considering? Also, please share your stories with us. It makes me feel not as alone in all this.

Gosh, I am sorry that it is taking so long for you. I am in Germany and I received my interview 2 weeks after sending back my signed checklist. I hope you hear something soon because you are right, waiting is a pain in the butt! Good luck to you!

Can someone please explain to me what this is? I have already had my medical exam 3 weeks ago and all they gave me to take with me is my chest x-ray. What exactly is this other form?