pgbeau1

As the saying goes, take it from the voice of experience. We filled out the I-129F with whatever was handy, a black or blue pen. Turns out signatures were mixed colors some black some blue.

Upshot was when I sent in the package to USCIS the whole thing came back to me a week later and told me signatures were photocopy not originals (the ones in black) and I had to write a letter saying NO they were originals in black ink. So that cost us about another 12 days in processing and an RFE.

They did accept it when I sent it back with cover letter saying they WERE original black signatures. But it was a 12 day delay in processing our I-129F.

So I learned, use blue ink at least for all signatures, fill out the rest in black is fine, but use BLUE INK for all signatures is my experience.

And for what it's worth we did make it through the interview and approval, and the signatures in black ink on the orginial petition were never questioned again.

Congratulations.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!! My fiancee and her child fly here in 13 days and our amazing future life together will get started!!!

Hi. Just curious about the "expediate request through congressman". How does one go about that? That seemed to really speed things up for you two.

"met in last 2 years" requirement means that the two people intending to apply for a fiance(e) visa have to have been TOGETHER IN PERSON at least ONE TIME in the last 2 years from the date they are petitioning for a visa

Congratulations, we received our approval a week ago.

Saludos a todos from Bogota, Colombia..

Great news, after 4 hours at the Colombian Embassy today, Our K1 Visa was approved..

They asked for no additional evidence and I was never asked any questions.. Maritza was only asked about the dates of my last trip and how we met.. They told her the paper work looked good and they were approving the Visa..

I cannot possibly tell everyone how much the VJ Community has helped, but, there is no doubt in my mind we would not have been able to get through this without all of you..

Thanks to everyone...

To answer your question, I can only give you some general information.

Your individual circumstances affect what kind of permission you might need from the father, and your country might affect what you need as well.

I can address your individual circumstances: were you ever married to the father? if so are you divorced? if so do you have a child custody agreement as part of that divorce?

If not married, is the father listed on the child's birth certificate?

You may not need a permission for the CO if you were never married, but you will possibly need a permission to leave the country with the child if the father is listed on the birth certificate. Some countries require an order from a judge giving you full custody, and you need that for customs for the child to exit your country.

It can take time to track down the father and get papers drawn up by a lawyer and get the father's signature; even MORE time if you have to go to court for judge's order. You must get moving on these well ahead of time because it might take months to get a decree from a judge.

Those are some of the possibilities. If you answer some of those questions more specific advice can be given, I'm sure others will respond once you provide more info.

Maybe someone recently lost their job or other financial crises came up, lots of reasons besides poor planning.

But I will borrow it, from you, thanks.

This is my $.02 on the subject. I'm sure I'll get flamed again for being 'self-righteous and judgemental' but whatthehell.

While life and stuff happens, it should be an absolutely priority to file for AOS and keep that $1010 separately. I also don't understand people who will go through the entire K-1 process, get married, act like it's a great achievement and then realize that they don't have the $ to file for AOS.

If you're going for a K-1, you NEED to factor in the cost of the AOS right at the start. It should be kept away and not touched for any other purpose. It is not optional.

I don't understand how someone could allow their loved ones to fall "out of status" and start accruing potential illegal presence in the U.S. I certainly wouldn't stand for it if my husband ever put my legal status in jeopardy.

Borrow the $ if you need to, file for AOS immediately.

Ok, thank you very much, JimVa. My fiancee's child is 5 years old, so it will be $600 based on your info, and I guess I will do my best to have the money to file mother and child AOS at the same time then. Thanks for the precise and quick response.

Paul (pgbeau1)

No, you don't have to submit the child's AOS at the same time as the parent's. You can submit it after, but you may not submit it before if the child's visa is a derivative of the parent's visa.

Depending on the age of the child, there may be a substantial cost advantage to submitting the child's AOS at the same time as the parent's. AOS for a child under 14 is $600 if filed concurrently with the parent's. It's $930 if filed after. A child 14 or over is $1010 regardless of when the application is submitted.

Ok, along these same lines, my fiancee is bringing one child, so that means I have to file the AOS for the child also at the same cost of $1010?? Is it ok to do the fiancee's first, because she is the one who needs to get green card and EAD to work etc., and then do the child's AOS a few months later, so I don't have to pay $2020 all at once?

Sometimes it is not even possible to apply within the 90 days of the I-94 validity. Consider this situation - you enter on the K-1, plan a big wedding that takes time and get married on the last day or 2nd last day of the I-94's validity - a Saturday. You require the state registered marriage certificate to include in with the AOS application, so even if you had everything else ready to file you would not be able to get a state registered marriage certificate before the 90 days expired. So, as long as you have satisfied the requirements of the K-1 - getting married within 90 days - you do not need to file for the AOS within the same 90 days. It is in your best interest to do so, but is not always feasible.

The fee is a sizable amount and sometimes other immediate expenses make it seem a better plan to apply a few weeks or months later, so if this is your situation, you should be fine. Just realize that when the I-94 expires so does your legal status in the US. It 'shouldn't' cause you problems, (although it might) but you will want to remedy that situation as soon as you can so it is best if you make it a high priority and don't keep shuffling it back as other 'priorities' raise their heads. . As well, if you do have an emergency - a death in the family back in the UK - you will not be able to leave the US until you have either your Advance Parole document or your green card. This can become another unexpected emergency that changes your priorities as well.

Good luck.

We got our cita date, Sept 30th. I called State Dept. this morning and they told me "You have an interview Sept 30." I am so used to hearing nothing that I was speechless.

Everyone at work wanted to know why I am so happy today.

Congrats and best wishes. Get some good sleep now.

Congrats!!!!

Hi Chavonia,

Wow, best of luck with your cita!!!!!!!!!!!! I will say a prayer for you guys.

Yes, I know to keep looking at State Department web site for latest interview dates. I see last case number for July citas is only "201062xxxx" and our number is "201065xxxx" so nothing yet. I have a feeling we will not be on August list, I think it will be September, but of course I will keep checking. And making preparations now.

As per your advice, I will start calling the state department more regularly to ask them if we have a cita date.

Thanks again for sharing your information, it is all very helpful, and I pray tomorrow I am saying congratulations for you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello there!

MrTee12 has advised you very well and told you many of the things I would have told you. I was in the same boat as you waiting on this non-existent packet 3. Your best bet for answers without having to pay the consulate (yet...) is the Dept. of State. When was the last time you called? Did you get an interview date yet? Don't wait around for packet 4 for an interview date. You need to find out when that is so your fiancee has time to get everything done and also, if you plan to be there with her. The Dept. of State can tell you your interview date. I too thought that my fiance wouldn't have enough time to gather the documents and get the medical if we received packet 4 too close to the interview date. As it turns out, he did get everything together. However, I am not sure what your fiancee's schedule is like and being on public transportation here with her child is no walk in the park. About three weeks after the embassy received everything from the NVC, we had an intervew date. We did not receive packet 4 in the mail. My fiance called the mail company and they told him they receive all those things at a certain time. We waited, and nothing came. We called again and waited. They gave us a date of when to expect it. We waited for that date and still nothing. We then had to spend money to call the embassy. They too gave us a date of expected delivery and surprise surprise, we didn't receive anything. Evenutally he had to go and pick it up at a designated time from the embassy. That is very inconvenient but necessary. On the USA embassy website for Santo Domingo, they have a list of scheduled appointments. You can look for yours with your case number on that website. Also, make sure your fiancee has all the necessary money to pay for everything.

I am in the Dominican now! Our interview is tomorrow. I will be sure to write a thorough review. Pray for us, lol! I hope all goes well with you. Keep us posted! Best wishes!

Thank you Mr Tee, thanks for your full and thoughtful and helpful information and advice.

While person from State Dept. may be wrong on what she told me, she did tell me that "a package was sent on June 14th." If indeed she was wrong, and it was not the Package 3/4 sent to my fiancee from the embassy, maybe it was the I-129F package going to Santo Domingo, maybe that was what the date she mentioned was for.

But that was NOT how she worded it, she said "the embassy sent a package 3 out on June 14th."

Thank you for clarifying the timing on the police certificates, that's what I thought but I'd seen conflicting info, and you have provided that answer--get the police certificates no more than 30 days before the interview. And thanks also for the information that the police certificates DO NOT need to be translated.

No, I did not receive NOA2 via email. So she was not referring to that, I did receive all my NOA's in hard copy, and the date she gave me does not correspond with any of the NOA dates, the NOA dates were all earlier than the June 14th date she told me.

Yes, I am working on all those things you mentioned, and also driving my fiancee nuts with reminders and loving, gentle promptings of reminders of all the things she needs to do. Yes, there are more things to do of course with child(ren) involved. She still has to go to a lawyer and get drawn up and get the father of the child to show up and sign the 2 necessary documents for the child, the permission for visa, and the permission to travel/leave the country. And those I DO need to get translated to English. This of course assuming that the father of the child shows up at the lawyer's to provide copies of his passport and cedula and birth certificte, and shows up again to sign these documents once the lawyer has prepared them. He said he would, we'll see if he does, and in a timely fashion.

Plenty of things to do, unfortunately many of them for my fiancee to do, and she has to run all around the country to do them by public transportation and slow tedious agencies or lawyers, and I can't be there to help her with any of it. All I can do is cajole her sweetly from afar to get them all done ASAP so that we are ready and don't have to sweat it at the last minute.

Thanks for your exellent help and feedback and kindly encouragement.

Yes, I noticed that too with mine a few weeks before yours. Also, it went quickly from NVC to consulate in Santo Domingo, and now we can all hope it goes quickly at consulate to an interview date.

Problem is now we are in the hands of bad mail delivery system in the Dominican Republic, and we are now trying to track down or find out how to get another copy of the Packet 3, which Visa Specialist at State Dept. in Washington says was sent on June 14. But can't figure out how to contact someone directly at consulate to get this packet 3 or find the one lost in the mail.

Congrats and good luck to everyone for a speedy and successful processing.

Ok, and further update, I was supspicious of the embassy phone number the NVC gave me, seemed I'd seen that phone number mentioned by others as being useless.

And it was useless, I called and it's just automated information, most of it about getting ready for interview date, getting a PIN from Banco Popular etc.

I must say also, at some point I will need that info and I hope I can get same info elsewhere, preferably in writing, because I could not hear half of the info the message speaks, it is inaudible, maybe it was because I was on my cell phone; so I'd hear half of a web address and not the rest, also spoken pretty quickly and not repeated so you have to be quick to write it down even if you do hear it.

Ok, followup to your advice which I followed, thank you.

I did call state dept. at 202-663-1225, as you suggested, and I got a real live person within a couple minutes, amazing.

But contrary to what you said about packet 3, they did tell me that Packet 3 was sent on June 14. My fiance has not received it in the mail. And I did not receive it in email, the woman on the phone kept saying it was done by email. The only email I had given them on the I-129F petition was mine, and I have NOT gotten anything.

So then she told me to check with Santo Domingo consulate, and I said I'd love to but didn't know a good number to reach them directly.

So then she said I should talk to NVC and she would transfer me. I begged her NO, because I had already talked to them this morning after a long wait and they gave me less information than she did, they didn't tell me anything at all, while she told me date that Packet 3 was sent.

She insisted I should talk to NVC and transferred me. Got through surprisingly quickly, now that person told me she didn't know anything, but then she gave me phone number of SD consulate to call. So now I will try to call them and find out how to get packet 3.

So as soon as I get some free time at work for the umpteenth time I will try calling consulate in Santo Domingo at number she gave me, 809-221-2171.

Paul

Ok, thanks for all the extremely helpful information.

As I mentioned, I did receive the letter from NVC and I called them and they said they sent the petition on to SD on June 4th. So there IS no packet 3. Wow, then my fiancee needs to get moving on getting stuff for interview.

But the two big ones are medical, in this case for her and her daughter; and the police reports.

You mention if we have seen that we got an appointment date posted but NOT received Packet 4 to wait until 2 weeks before the appointment date and "call the embassy and schedule a day to pick it up before your interview." And you mention the need for the Packet 4 letter to get the medical.

This seems extrememly difficult for a time schedule: if we wait until 2 weeks to try to contact the embassy to get Packet 4 it will be impossible to receive the packet by Inposdom and have time to go for medical and get medical results available (all in less than 2 weeks). Plus she has to get medical for her child, also, and that is restricted by certain days AND they have to go back a few days after that for child's TB results--and what if the child has a positive result for some reason??, so more days are needed there. Plus she lives across the country from Santo Domingo. Waiting until last 2 weeks before interview to contact embassy to get packet 4/letter doesn't seem like it will make it possible to be ready for the interview 2 weeks later??

I'm sorry, and two more questions about the police certificate(s): it is unclear to me from everything I have read--is it REQUIRED to also have police certificates translated into English? And I have read different things about the timing of the date of the police certificate(s). Does the police certificate HAVE TO BE dated within 30 days of the interview at the embassy to be valid? Or can the police certificate(s) be gotten right now, maybe 2 or 3 or 4 (?) months ahead of our interview?

Thanks.

Paul

Ok, thanks for all the extremely helpful information.

As I mentioned, I did receive the letter from NVC and I called them and they said they sent the petition on to SD on June 4th. So there IS no packet 3. Wow, then my fiancee needs to get moving on getting stuff for interview.

But the two big ones are medical, in this case for her and her daughter; and the police reports.

You mention if we have seen that we got an appointment date posted but NOT received Packet 4 to wait until 2 weeks before the appointment date and "call the embassy and schedule a day to pick it up before your interview." And you mention the need for the Packet 4 letter to get the medical.

This seems extrememly difficult for a time schedule: if we wait until 2 weeks to try to contact the embassy to get Packet 4 it will be impossible to receive the packet by Inposdom and have time to go for medical and get medical results available (all in less than 2 weeks). Plus she has to get medical for her child, also, and that is restricted by certain days AND they have to go back a few days after that for child's TB results--and what if the child has a positive result for some reason??, so more days are needed there. Plus she lives across the country from Santo Domingo. Waiting until last 2 weeks before interview to contact embassy to get packet 4/letter doesn't seem like it will make it possible to be ready for the interview 2 weeks later??

I'm sorry, and two more questions about the police certificate(s): it is unclear to me from everything I have read--is it REQUIRED to also have police certificates translated into English? And I have read different things about the timing of the date of the police certificate(s). Does the police certificate HAVE TO BE dated within 30 days of the interview at the embassy to be valid? Or can the police certificate(s) be gotten right now, maybe 2 or 3 or 4 (?) months ahead of our interview?

Thanks.

Paul

Congrats on your NOA2. The consulate in Santo Domingo only sends Packet 4 (there is no Packet 3).

They will send the Packet 4 soon (with instructions on what to do before the interview). The instructions will be very similar to the Instructions posted on the site.

http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov/k1-k2_instructions.html

After you receive your NOA2 (approving your I-129f petition), you will receive a letter from the NVC telling you that they are processing your case and it will mailed to the appropriate Embassy. During this time your case is examined then repackaged and mailed to the Embassy handling your case.

To get valid information just wait 1-2 weeks and call (toll-free) the Visa Specialist (Department of State) in Washington D.C. Call 202 663 1225. Press Option 1 then Option 0 to speak to a visa specialist. (Do not waste your money calling the Embassy). They will tell you when your case was mailed and when your interview date is.

Also keep checking the Interview list to see when your interview is. Just type in the Case # that was printed on your NVC Notice (SDO2010...)

http://santodomingo....pointments.html

Your packet will be mailed by the mail service in Dominican Republic (Inposdom). Which may take forever. Just keep calling and checking the interview list. So people never receive it, so be proactive. If you have not received anything around 2 weeks before your interview, call the Embassy and schedule a day to pick it up before your interview. The medical cannot be done if you do not receive your appointment letter that comes inside of Packet 4. Also, there is no way to track your case online at this point. So calling and checking the interview list is your best options.

I hope this helps...feel free to post more questions. I wish you guys the best on your journey.

Hi All,

Thanks for this wonderful site and all the great people.

Ok, NVC sent our I-129F petition to Santo Domingo consulate on June 4th. But my fiancee has not gotten Packet 3 or anything from the consulate.

Is it being sent by Inposdom??? How do we find out if they sent it to her already? Is there a direct consualte phone number (not the Mexico 877-804-5402 number) she or I can call in Santo Domingo to get status update on our case number?? I know there is a link to look up consulate appointments/interview date by case number, but is there a different link that we can use to look at the progress/get info of our case by submitting the case number?? Will she have to go in person to consulate in Santo Domingo to get packet 3???

Thanks.

Paul

at latoslatos

for the question.. we used black ink

Ok, this seems absurd to me that when a form says type or use blank ink that that does not imply to go ahead and use black ink as well when you sign...

BUT I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE: you can avoid a possible RFE is you use blue ink and NOT BLACK for all signatures.

As the petitioner on my initial I-129F petition for alien fiancee submission, only one of the signatures was in blue ink. That caused them to send me an RFE because they said the other signatures in black were photocopies, not originals.

I was able to convince them in a required cover letter of explanation and resubmission that they were indeed original signatures in black ink. And they accepted the submission on the second try without changing any of the signatures, but it did get me an RFE and cause me about a 15 day delay in getting my NOA1.

I will always do signatures in blue ink from now on.

Not our first rodeo here. This is old news. The instruction you quoted was not about signatures.

and here's the rodeo clown making his appearance

Ok, thanks to all.

Be warned people, DON'T follow the form instructions, in fact it's the FIRST INSTRUCTION on the instructions form, I followed it and now they reject me because I did:

General Instructions.

1. Type or print legibly in black ink.

So be warned, use BLUE INK for signatures so they don't accuse you of using photocopies and reject your application and therefore delay it as they have done to my application.

Hopefully someone else will learn from my "mistake" of following the instructions.

Use BLUE INK for signatures, use BLUE INK.

Reprint the signature page of the petition, and anything else signed in black sign them with blue ink and mail it back. No need to complicate things. I saw a petition returned because they said the check wasn't legible. No sense waisting time complaining. Just do what is needed and mail it back.

Yes I will complain, it's now delayed for no valid reason, in case you didn't notice she lives in a different country, so it's not as simple as reprint the signature page. There are multiple pages with signatures, they all need to be redone and then she has to have them in person in her country to sign them. And I have to get them back.

By the way, don't waste my time if you can't spell waste.

Again, I restate: the forms are ALL SIGNED. Most of the signatures were done in black rollerball pen, only one in blue rollerball pen. So they think they are all photocopies and not original because of the black rollerball signatures in contrast to the one that was in blue rollerball?

It is all signed, then they are saying they think the black rollerball pen signatures that I used are not original but photocopies? My fiancee used blue ink one time and black rollerball on her statement page.

Is this the problem, the signatures in black rollerball ink look to their eyes like photocopies? They are not, they are all original signatures. What the hell do I do if they say to use black ink and we did and now they say they are photocopies not originals?

Did you leave all of the boxes in section 10 blank?

Any chance it says "10.5" and not "105"?

No, not blank, it says "NONE" in previous spouse box, as instructions say to use the word "none." And the code is PS 105.

Well, I'm off to a bad start. Was wondering why I hadn't heard anything since I sent in my I-129F petition. I just check my mailbox and here is my petition rejected for PS 105???

It has a red slash mark on the very first page of the application under "Part B. Information about your alien fiancee Seems like the red slash is through item #10 Name of Prior Spouses, Date Marriage Ended, the red slash is diagonal through the Date Marriage Ended box, and written sideways in blue pen is PS 105, which is the same thing on the green cover sheet, just a PS 105.

It doesn't tell you what the heck PS 105 means. Can someone tell me what this code means?

Now I have been married and divorced, but not my alien fiancee, and the question #10 about previous spouses and dates marriage ended is in her column, the right hand side, Part B. Information about your alien fiancee.

Did they get mixed up and reject it incorrectly because they got confused about which one of us was married before???

Please help, what does the rejection code PS 105 mean?

I can't believe I am already rejected and already having to start over, I leave for the DR in 2 days and I want to get this back in the mail on Monday or Tuesday before I leave.