Nix and Poppy

hello i'm from apalit, pampanga! anyone else?

Hello,

My Fiance and I just filed our I 129 last week. I had to put unemployed as my current job status on the G-325. I have a degree in Photography but I'm living with my parents and have no "real" job at the moment (mostly unpaid assisting other photographers in order to prepare for starting my own studio in the future). I don't really have much money of my own at the moment so I don't think I meet the requirements for the I-134 needed but my parents (who I am living with) are fairly well off and willing to fill out a I-864 affidavit of support for my Fiance. Also, my Fiance has a Master's degree and works as an engineer so he has plenty of his own assets and does not actually need my financial support.

My question is, will my unemployed status affect the outcome of our K1 application? Or will they take into account that he can support himself or that my parents can?

Thanks for your help!

Hi - congrats on filing

The short answer is no, it won't affect your K1 visa to have your parents co-sponsor your fiance. As his petitioner you will also have to fill out an I-134 as his primary sponsor, even if you don't meet the 125% poverty line criteria. Only one of your parents (the higher income earner, usually) will also complete an I-134. Income cannot be joined for the purpose of an I-134.

Your fiance's current financial status is not relevant to this process. Assuming he will quit his job to move to the US permanently, he will not be allowed to work until he has entered the country on the K1, you have got married and have filed his AOS. It usually takes 60-90 days for the EAD (Employment Authorisation Document) to arrive, and then he can begin employment. There is nothing stopping him from job hunting or interviewing in the intervening time, but he cannot begin work without the EAD.

London occasionally allows self-sponsoring, although they've been less accepting of this recently. If he is able to self-sponsor, he would need to demonstrate that he has liquid assets worth 5 x the income requirement.

This is correct. This is exactly what my fiance did. His father owns a small computer repair shop and offered to be our co-sponsor because my fiance's income from his part-time job as a waiter didn't reach the 125% line criteria. Both of them filled out and submitted the I-134. We didn't have any issues with that.

During my pre-screening at the embassy i was asked to verify the name, address and job description of the "additional sponsor" and the lady was referring to my fiance's father. It's good that i know his dad very well. And that's it.

Good luck!

Hi guys, i'd like to post my story in this section as requested by an admin. (Also posted in the K1 thread)

I'm a Filipino girl, 21 years old from a political clan in pampanga. My loving fiance is an american, 22 years old, from stockton. We met in the states 3 years ago in a coffee shop in bay area where he worked at as a waiter, became friends and fell in love. I was 18 that time and in spite of his small disability (his left eye is smaller than the right one) and status in life, i knew he was my prince charming and the only guy i'd like to spend my whole life with. I always visit him in the states as i have the means to do so. If it's his birthday, i buy him a ticket so we could celebrate his day here in the philippines. My father didn't like him at first but things get better between them on his second and third visits. We're always happy and in love.

December 2008, i received a call from an unknown number and figured out that it was my fiance asking me to pick him up at the the local airport! I couldn't be happier when i saw him waiting for me and i was so touched when he said he's been saving up for his little surprise. We spent the holiday together and he proposed to me which i gladly accepted. We decided to apply for a k1 visa because we were told that that's the fastest way we can get married and settle down in the states. My fiance went home with all the necessary papers and started processing my visa right away. We're lucky because his parents are very supportive and they helped him since day 1. Everything went well due to my fiance's hardwork. I received the packet in the mail on october 2009 and was schedule for an interview on the 12th of november. Of course my guy wanted to come with me to show his support so i bought him a ticket and came here 1 week before my interview.

Ok. November 12th, 2009. The pre-screening was perfect minus that fat lady. I smiled with all my heart, gave the papers she needed and answered her questions. She then looked at me for few seconds which i found very awkward and i slightly got shy or intimidated or whatever so i asked why she was looking at me that way. She didn't answer, as if she didn't hear what i said but at least she was waken up and asked me to sit down for a moment. Well, i didn't have a clue why she was staring at me that way until a tall guy who looks asian but not filipino approached us and directed me to the CO.

This middle-age american CO, who looks like jack nicholson's skinny version with a half-blonde/half-gray hair, started it by alternately reading the documents n his hand and looking at me. He was in that position for a minute and yes i finally had a clue and felt something is not right. But i stayed cool and smiled at him like we know each other personally. He turned to his computer and started to type something. He's still typing when we proceed to the actual interview. Ok. I'm not exaggerating things here but 90% of his questions are weird, funny and pointless. His first set of questions consisted of my fiance's age, birthday, zodiac sign, school, previous relationship, siblings, pets, house, body tattoo. He stopped typing then proceed to the second set of questions. I noticed he started to speak slowly and changed tone and looked real serious and that made him look like he was confronting me for some kind of crime. Well, we eventually had a small confrontation when he asked (in a very sarcastic tone) if i am aware of my fiance's eye problem, his failure to reach the required salary in his affidavit of support, how low his average salary could be for being a college drop-out, living in stockton all his life which according to him is the worst city in america in terms of government, poverty and crime, and few more stupid questions that made me feel upset and mad i raised my voice to defend my fiance the best way i could. The old skinny man tried to calm me down and called another american grandpa who immediately came inside the room and started to type something in the computer. Well i don't really mind seeing two or twenty american grandpaps in corporate suit around during my interview so i asked the CO if there's anything else he needs to know about me and my fiance. He didn't say a word and requested if i could bring my fiance inside the room so i stood up and went out i'm not sure if the he was still saying something and then i saw my blonde guy at the same spot i was sitting at earlier. I dragged him and while heading back to the room i told him i was sorry it's not our lucky day.

This time it looks like the second grandpap was finished typing because he's already standing at the back of the CO and they were both looking at my fiance. I can't explain that kind of look i can't say if they wanted to cry or laugh or pass out or if they just happened to be gifted that kind of face. I felt my fiance was embarrassed (he's a very very shy guy) so still with a pissed tone i interrupted and introduced him to them. The CO asked him simple questions like some info about his family and their background. Meanwhile i caught the second grandpap looking at me every once in a while like he was checking out my expression and it got me irritated so i returned the favor and stared at him and his bald head until the CO is done with my fiance. He asked my guy to excuse us and when he's out, the CO turned to me compiled some papers and said this.

"Are you sure you're marrying that guy? I'm sorry young lady i'm afraid i can't give you a visa. We'll send you a letter.....".

I got so pissed and told him to stop under estimating my fiance's capacity i know him more than anyone else his eye problem is a result of a bike accident when he was a kid but if it's that big of a deal then i'll bring him to the best eye surgeon then bring him back to that embassy with or without their k1 and that my fiance's not a lazy drop-out he just had to quit college and get a job instead to support himself and if i would have to transfer everything i inherited under his name then i would be willing to do that within 24 hours no questions asked just for that embassy to stop humiliating my guy! Of course they tried to calm me down but i was too carried away to listen i knew it was the end of it and i may be banned from entering the states for the rest of my life and just when i was about to leave the CO suddenly said "Ok young lady i think the US changed his mind and approved your visa. Congratulations." Well, i was still pissed but i felt happy inside when i heard him say that. I thought they were just playing games on us but the CO looks serious. I didn't see them smiling or any sing that they were just joking and pretended that my visa is denied. He attached a form stamped on some papers and place them to my folder before handing it to me. The second grandpap said "You two will be monitored until you get married." I just threw them a look and left.

People, i swear it didn't intend to make a scene but no way i could let anyone humiliate my fiance like that. In the first place, my fiance had no business in that room. Of course we rushed to a legal consultant and he said that it could be a fraud interview. He verified my papers and confirmed that everything looks normal. The visa will be mailed and we can leave after that. We also feel relieved when we were advised by some forum members that the CO was testing and putting us in life-and-death situations like that in hopes that we would admit something.

To my fellow filipino fiancees/wives who are having their interview soon, i am sorry if my experience scares you. I assure you that there's nothing and NO ONE in that embassy to be afraid of. We know ourselves and our partners better than they do. It's funny how fast they speak and act as if they are superior and make us feel we owe something from them. It's normal to get intimidated at first but once we feel that something isn't right then don't hesitate to ask questions and speak up. And most of all, presence of mind, keep it handy. It helps a lot.

thank god u r ok at the end but u need to file a offical complain about her so she will not do to others, good luck, abby n sheryl

Hi it feels good to read your post. Now i realize i am not alone.. Just like you i want to get over what happened to me but the faces of those old COs are stuck in my head.

Hope to meet you in the US soon.

Did the fact that you come from a "political clan" in the Phils have any bearing on this event? For example, did you talk down in any way to the interviewers because of your status in the Phils, or did someone well-connected try to influence the consulate on your behalf? Just a hunch that the chemistry might not have been neutral enough to have a business-like interview.

No, sir, i was very friendly to all the people there i treated them like my real friends. I didn't talk down or show any disrespect i don't do that even to strangers. Nobody influenced the CO or anyone in the embassy and it couldn't be anyone in my family because we worked on the visa procedures by ourselves since day 1 and we didn't seek help from my parents.

The only thing that i can think of is when my father ran for mayor for the first time and he was dragged into a drug scandal by some people but those allegations were never proven it didn't even become a big news on tv i don't know if that has something to do with my interview.

I also want to add that the CO asked my fiance if he's got any other police record filed aside from his shoplifting case and of course my fiance was shocked we didn't know what the CO was talking about so my fiance denied it and clarified that he was not involved to any criminal activity whatsoever. My fiance never had any police record yes he was a college drop-out but he has 2 jobs now and lives on his own from the time he quit college. But as we read the posts above we figured out that the CO was just testing us.

But we're happy that we're leaving soon and getting married.

OMG thank you very much! We feel better now. We just got scared because we thought we will be monitored. I will follow all your advice. We were just scared because we don't know what will happen to us during our arrival. We promise we will be a good couple. Thank you once again!

I don't know if this is the right place to rant and express how upset i am.

I'm a Filipino girl, 21 years old from a political clan in pampanga. My loving fiance is an american, 22 years old, from stockton. We met in the states 3 years ago in a coffee shop in bay area where he worked at as a waiter, became friends and fell in love. I was 18 that time and in spite of his small disability (his left eye is smaller than the right one) and status in life, i knew he was my prince charming and the only guy i'd like to spend my whole life with. I always visit him in the states as i have the means to do so. If it's his birthday, i buy him a ticket so we could celebrate his day here in the philippines. My father didn't like him at first but things get better between them on his second and third visits. We're always happy and in love.

December 2008, i received a call from an unknown number and figured out that it was my fiance asking me to pick him up at the the local airport! I couldn't be happier when i saw him waiting for me and i was so touched when he said he's been saving up for his little surprise. We spent the holiday together and he proposed to me which i gladly accepted. We decided to apply for a k1 visa because we were told that that's the fastest way we can get married and settle down in the states. My fiance went home with all the necessary papers and started processing my visa right away. We're lucky because his parents are very supportive and they helped him since day 1. Everything went well due to my fiance's hardwork. I received the packet in the mail on october 2009 and was schedule for an interview on the 12th of november. Of course my guy wanted to come with me to show his support so i bought him a ticket and came here 1 week before my interview.

Ok. November 12th, 2009. The pre-screening was perfect minus that fat lady. I smiled with all my heart, gave the papers she needed and answered her questions. She then looked at me for few seconds which i found very awkward and i slightly got shy or intimidated or whatever so i asked why she was looking at me that way. She didn't answer, as if she didn't hear what i said but at least she was waken up and asked me to sit down for a moment. Well, i didn't have a clue why she was staring at me that way until a tall guy who looks asian but not filipino approached us and directed me to the CO.

This middle-age american CO, who looks like jack nicholson's skinny version with a half-blonde/half-gray hair, started it by alternately reading the documents n his hand and looking at me. He was in that position for a minute and yes i finally had a clue and felt something is not right. But i stayed cool and smiled at him like we know each other personally. He turned to his computer and started to type something. He's still typing when we proceed to the actual interview. Ok. I'm not exaggerating things here but 90% of his questions are weird, funny and pointless. His first set of questions consisted of my fiance's age, birthday, zodiac sign, school, previous relationship, siblings, pets, house, body tattoo. He stopped typing then proceed to the second set of questions. I noticed he started to speak slowly and changed tone and looked real serious and that made him look like he was confronting me for some kind of crime. Well, we eventually had a small confrontation when he asked (in a very sarcastic tone) if i am aware of my fiance's eye problem, his failure to reach the required salary in his affidavit of support, how low his average salary could be for being a college drop-out, living in stockton all his life which according to him is the worst city in america in terms of government, poverty and crime, and few more stupid questions that made me feel upset and mad i raised my voice to defend my fiance the best way i could. The old skinny man tried to calm me down and called another american grandpa who immediately came inside the room and started to type something in the computer. Well i don't really mind seeing two or twenty american grandpaps in corporate suit around during my interview so i asked the CO if there's anything else he needs to know about me and my fiance. He didn't say a word and requested if i could bring my fiance inside the room so i stood up and went out i'm not sure if the he was still saying something and then i saw my blonde guy at the same spot i was sitting at earlier. I dragged him and while heading back to the room i told him i was sorry it's not our lucky day.

This time it looks like the second grandpap was finished typing because he's already standing at the back of the CO and they were both looking at my fiance. I can't explain that kind of look i can't say if they wanted to cry or laugh or pass out or if they just happened to be gifted that kind of face. I felt my fiance was embarrassed (he's a very very shy guy) so still with a pissed tone i interrupted and introduced him to them. The CO asked him simple questions like some info about his family and their background. Meanwhile i caught the second grandpap looking at me every once in a while like he was checking out my expression and it got me irritated so i returned the favor and stared at him and his bald head until the CO is done with my fiance. He asked my guy to excuse us and when he's out, the CO turned to me compiled some papers and said this.

"Are you sure you're marrying that guy? I'm sorry young lady i'm afraid i can't give you a visa. We'll send you a letter.....".

I got so pissed and told him to stop under estimating my fiance's capacity i know him more than anyone else his eye problem is a result of a bike accident when he was a kid but if it's that big of a deal then i'll bring him to the best eye surgeon then bring him back to that embassy with or without their k1 and that my fiance's not a lazy drop-out he just had to quit college and get a job instead to support himself and if i would have to transfer everything i inherited under his name then i would be willing to do that within 24 hours no questions asked just for that embassy to stop humiliating my guy! Of course they tried to calm me down but i was too carried away to listen i knew it was the end of it and i may be banned from entering the states for the rest of my life and just when i was about to leave the CO suddenly said "Ok young lady i think the US changed his mind and approved your visa. Congratulations." Well, i was still pissed but i felt happy inside when i heard him say that. I thought they were just playing games on us but the CO looks serious. I didn't see them smiling or any sing that they were just joking and pretended that my visa is denied. He attached a form stamped on some papers and place them to my folder before handing it to me. The second grandpap said "You two will be monitored until you get married." I just threw them a look and left.

People, i swear it didn't intend to make a scene but no way i could let anyone humiliate my fiance like that. In the first place, my fiance had no business in that room. Of course we rushed to a legal consultant and he said that it could be a fraud interview. He verified my papers and confirmed that everything looks normal. The visa will be mailed and we can leave after that. Until now we're clueless if the second grandpap was serious when he said our marriage will be "monitored". And that's exactly what I'm worried about. What are they going to do? Why do we appear fraudulent even if our engagement is genuine (God knows it is) genuine and we love each other)? What made them think we're fraudulent? Why did the CO treat my fiance like that they're both american in the first place? Will the state police chase us even if i have a K1? What can we expect upon arrival in the US with a K1? What will the Immigration people do to us? Should I bring a lawyer? Is there anyone we can contact if something goes wrong on our arrival? Like an immigration lawyer a consultant or a specialist i don't mind whoever he is i'm willing to pay for the help..

Right now, my fiance is worried yes we're both worried but pretends he's not and that the wedding will be okay. He doesn't want me to tell my family about it as it could just delay our wedding and i completely understand what he feels. We just want to go and get married and establish a family. I don't mind living in his city even if it's the worst place in the planet. So I decided to do some research on my own before making a decision whether or not it's still okay to go to the states.

Thank you for reading i feel better now.