jordanzs

Thanks to everyone's help, and following the guides on this website, Syelvia's visa got approved with much less hassle & stress than I thought.

She now has the visa in hand, which I guess is a sticker type thing for her passport or something like that. She's probably sleeping with it under her pillow, hahahahaha.

So now we're looking at flights for her to come out here next month (from Indonesia).

1st thought was to book her a 1 way ticket, as I'd expect that to be cheaper.

But then I started wondering if she would run into complications getting out of Indonesia, or worse off, getting into America, if she didn't have a return flight scheduled within 90 days, since the fiance visa is a 90 day visa, and to US immigration, just because she is coming here, in their eyes she doesn't get to stay unless we marry.

Based on that logic, are we supposed to book her a round trip ticket???

I would be stoked to live in Bali, and Syelvia would be stoked to live in America, so either way, all is good.

I live in Hawaii, which is a great place to live, and I have a large network of friends waiting to assimilate her into the crew.

My dream scenario would be for us to live in America during our winter and in Bali during our summer. That's gonna be the goal.

So does this make sense for my situation:

I'm using the 2007 tax returns. Won't be filing 2008 for a little while.

In 2007, I worked for Home123, which was a retail mortgage company. I was a w2 employee. The company went Bankrupt, and shut down in April.

From Home123, I went to a mortgage broker, which means that I became self employed 1099.

From Home123, I show $20,049 worth of income.

From being self employed, I show $22,089 (net profit, after the usual self employment deductions).

Should I just add those together and call that my annual income, $42,138? I'm sure that 2008 (although be a slow crappy year) is inline, and I'll get a letter from my employer, and I can show 6k in commission checks from last month (we get paid per loan on a weekly basis).

So I guess if this is how it works, I can leave the assets blank. I could show my IRA rollover which has 30k or so, if I don't have to, I won't. The path of least resistance is best!

It took 2 months to get the NOA2 from when USCIS received the packet. I was surprised, as I was expecting it to take much longer.

We met another VJ member who coincidentally submitted their packet on the same day that I did, and they also got their NOA2 on basically the same day that I did.

It's been a little while since I posted on here, mainly because we've been just been playing the waiting game.

Well, a few weeks ago, I got the NOA2 in the mail. My petition for Syelvia got approved!

I got the letter from the NVC with the case number on it.

I received an email from the US Embassy in Jakarta letting me know that they received the approved petition, and they sent me a bunch of attachments. It looks like the only one that I fill out is the affidavit of support. The rest is for Syelvia to fill out.

Knock on wood, but so far this process has been painless. Thanks to everyone here for all the advice upfront when I sent in for the petition a few months ago.

Now for some questions:

1) For proving assets on the I-134, can I use my IRA rollover? I have money sitting there in cash. Not sure if there's any stipulations for that, since the money is there and can be withdrawed if needed for hardship.

2) In 2007, I worked as a w2'd loan officer for the 1st half of the year, then as a self employed mortgage broker for the 2nd half of the year. I'm assuming that when I claim my annual salary, I can use both of those, and just add my w2 income to my 1099 schedule C net profit, and call that my annual salary. Does that sound right?

3) I've heard people mention showing proof of ongoing relationship, but I haven't seen any documentation that we're getting popped to provide anything. Is that something I still have to furnish, or would that have come up already, if I didn't make a strong enough case in the initial packet? Not worried about anything, and she'll nail the interview, but I'd definitely like to take the path of least resistance & handle anything before it comes up.

Thanks for all the advice!

There is absolutely no risk in flying to Hawaii for your honeymoon. I live in Hawaii. As long as you're flying a domestic airline, you'll go through the domestic terminal which has no customs or immigration. Your only problem would be if the plane crashed in international waters, but if that happened, the visa would be the least of your worries.

Kauai & Maui are world class honeymoon destinations, check them out!

Wooo Hoooo, I just received the NOA1 this past weekend!!! Now the waiting & anticipation game really begins!

If you go to my facebook page, it links us up as me being "Engaged to Syelvia Wong". Everything she posts there, all over my page, her page, etc, has it under the name "Syelvia Wong", instead of her legal indonesian name of Syelvia Prahbowo. Her passport, plane ticket, etc, all use the legal last name of Prahbowo.

I might've been a bad judgement call on my part to have her include Syelvia Wong in the 'other last names used' section. I guess I was erring on the side of caution, as I'm in the mortgage industry and pull credit reports all day long, and different last names pop up all the time and require explanations. She can be googled under Syelvia Wong, and might have resumes floating out there on the web or examples of her graphic design work under Syelvia Wong. I was just imagining someone doing a background check and seeing on facebook/myspace that I'm engaged to Syelvia Wong! To me if I was an immigration officer, that might raise up some red flags!

Hmmmmm, so I did I screw up my having her put her "Chinese last name" in the other names used on her G325A? Is that fixable with an explanation, or do I have to have her redo the G325A & send it over from Indo (another 1 week delay)??

I also put that in her other names used section on my I-129F, but that is easily fixable as I have my package in-hand, and haven't mailed it yet.

I'm getting ready to send in my K1 package, just had a quick question.

My fiance has her legal Indonesian last name, which is used on her passport, plane tickets, etc.

She also has a Chinese last name, and she uses that on myspace, facebook, etc.

I told her to put the Chinese last name in the "other names used" section. Not sure how much background investigation takes place, but if anyone went onto myspace, facebook, etc, they'd see her with a different last name.

To me, normally you'd fill out "other names used" if you had a nickname or abbreviation, however, the usage of different last names might imply a previous marraige, which isn't the case.

Question is, should I write up a letter of explanation and send it with my package, or is that something that gets handled later on in the process?

Thanks,

Jordan

Well, the gears are rolling. Syelvia just sent off her g325a, letter of intent, and passport style photos!!! It's on!!!

I have nothing documented referring back to my domicile. maybe i can ask if she still has one of the receipts from april or may and have her send them to me. but with the picutes, i will put a discription on the back stating the date (month/year) and where. i only think that they will see a different passport fotocopies and that will throw a red flag as to my citizenship or something, then needing a RFE.....

i think on my american passport it has a stamp of me exiting colombia but not entering. should i just make copies of all the pages from both passports, then state that i have a dual citizenship in my description of how we met? but wouldnt that really get off topic to the question they are asking in question 18 of the I-129F? The format of my cover letter is of Visa Journey, i would like to keep it without writing a paragraph describing my situation. should i just add an additional page for an explanation with regarding both passports?

I always thought that the pictures would be the best and good enough. you can see that i have different length hair in the pictures that shows time interval.....but no boarding pass or anything like that....

i would prefer not to complicate things and just keep it simple, but obviously sufficient....thanks

Hmmm, I included ALL pages of my passport and about 100 color photos, plus receipts, boarding passes, etc ... plus my letter was over 3 pages long and explained all the things I thought needed explaining. Probably overkill but for ANY high fraud consulate, I would suggest this, and I would assume Colombia is not the easiest consulate in the world, but I don't know.

Jonas

Letters and photographs are not primary evidence of meeting in person. Passport stamps, boarding passes, ATM receipts and hotel bills are.

Hey Pushbrk,

I myself am an idiot & had no idea about this whole process when I was in Bali last month. If I did, I would've saved my boarding passes, atm receipts, etc.

I can sort've work around this. I have the passport stamps, itinerary from the travel agent. I can also get an itinerary showing that I flew from Bali to Sumatra (which is where my fiance is from).

About the atm receipts, do you think that my bank statements, which will show withdrawals from atms in Bali, would count as primary evidence?

I am also having some friends over there track down the merchant copies of my hotel bills, and also working on getting the merchant copies of the boat fares for when we travelled between different islands.

And of course I have a million pictures.

My Advice:

Move to Bali.

Sell all your assets in USA and start a new life over there.

Live like a King over there for a fraction of what it cost in the USA.

You know, that's definitely been a consideration of mine. I've gone there 8 out of the last 10 summers & have a blast every time I go. One thing I've noticed though is that it keeps getting progressively more & more crowded. The surf breaks that used to be manageable are now a zoo!! At least if we live in the US, we do plan on going back to Indo for a month or 2 every year. And once we have children, we'll need to go back so we can visit the family & show off the kids. Tough life.

Another question, maybe Tinyrosie or anyone else can answer....

I've heard that in order to buy land in Indo, you have to buy it through an Indonesian citizen. So let's just say that we wanted to buy some land, how far into the marraige process would Syelvia lose that ability? After Marraige? After she gets a US Green Card??? If she loses the ability to buy land there quickly after we marry, then we may want to look into doing it sooner than later.

Cheers and congrats first of all -

Keep in mind that once u file that K1 visa thats what she enters on - so you can NOT marry until she enters or gets the visa. Sorry reading quickly but I think you understand. You can not file the K3 after a K1 (I-129F) unless it lapses or withdrawn.

God Speed

Yeah for sure. Now that brings up a question.....

If let's say May rolls around and the k1 visa is for some reason wrapped up in red tape, if I hit the 'withdrawal' button, is that an instant thing where I can get married in a month or 2 without complicating the k3 process that would start upon marraige??

I'm pretty confident about the k1 getting approved, as long as stuff doesn't get lost in the mail.

A couple of minor questions:

1) I'm in the process of selling my house, and I'm not sure what my next address will be. So on all the forms, my 'current address' will definitely change. Does that complicate anything?

2) I was a loan officer from 2003 to the middle of 2007, at which time I became a mortgage broker. When I made that switch, I went from being w2'd to 1099'd. So for 2007, half of my income shows on a w2, and the other half on a schedule C, with a bunch of deductions. I'm assuming that when I have to prove income, they go with the net profit on the schedule C, which won't be much. If I have to show assets, can I use a IRA rollover to prove them? If not & the income is questionable, who can I use as a co-sponsor? Immediate family or anyone who is willing?

Thanks for the advice.

Wow, the great advice keeps on pouring in!!! Thanks so much & keep it coming! I was considering getting an immigration attorney, but after finding this messageboard, I'm gonna pass on that since it seems like the attorneys just complicate the process.

I'm now waiting for Syelvia to get her passport photos taken, so she can send them along with the G325A & the letter of intent, and then I can submit everything. I'm assuming that DHL is the best way for her to send that stuff?

Thanks himher for that advice on how to handle everything in case we marry in Indo first. If the fiance visa process gets held up, then we may just go that route & marry next summer in Indo. I wouldn't mind having an 'extended surf trip' in Bali while waiting for her to get clearance to come to America.

Also, an extra large apa kabar to Tinyrosie for answering Syelvia's questions!!!

Oooops, I meant an extra large Terima Kasih Banyak to Tinyrosie!! Hahahaha, my Indo phrases get a little mixed up first thing in the morning.

Thanks everyone for being helpful & friendly & providing great advice. Also, an extra large apa kabar to Tinyrosie for answering Syelvia's questions!!!

So with this information, we're going to start rolling forward on the fiance visa process. Green light from both families, with a small wedding in the US, and reception parties in America & Bali (once she can travel back).

I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of research on the site & asking lots of questions, so thanks to all for lending a helping hand!!!

Ahoha,

I'm a newbie to this messageboard, but I'm sure I'll be posting a lot here &

asking lots of questions over the next who-knows-how-long.

I've been travelling to Bali almost every summer since 1999, and this year

(thanks to the wonders & joys of Myspace), I met & bonded with my future wife.

Ethnically she's Chinese, but born & raised in Lampung, Sumatra, so she's an

Indonesian citizen. She is Christian by religion (mom is even a pastor),

Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from a university in Jakarta. Not sure if

all this needed to be mentioned, I was just wondering how much her background

comes in to play during the whole screening process.

My original thoughts & plans were to go back to Bali next year for a wedding. I

would love to marry in Bali, her family could then all join, and lots of my

friends travel to Bali too, so they could attend. Upon further investigation, I

am unclear about the process to bring her to America after we would marry there.

Can she travel back with me? Does it take a couple of months or years to get

clearance? I guess you would need a spouse visa, is that correct? If we marry at the US embassy, or someone from the

embassy performs the wedding, does that help?

The other option seems to be for me to get her a fiance visa & bring her to

America & we can marry here. Is that an easier route to go? Or is it a pain in

the butt to get the K1 to bring an Indonesian citizen to America? I have no

idea!

A 3rd option is for me to move to Bali, marry her, and then live there until she

can come to the US.

Any help, advice, information, resources, etc would be very much appreciated! We

would definitely like to take the path of least resistance, or at least the

lesser of the 3 evils!

Thank you,

Jordan