Eric & Lizeth

I'm not certain how things are done in London but Lizeth had to take my divorce papers with her to her interview in Bolivia even though she's never married before. They wanted my originals but the county clerk, which has my records on file, won't release original documents--they could only give me copies. I wrote an email to the consulate in Bolvia stating this fact and they told me that copies were acceptable.

If in doubt, contact the consulate in London to be sure.

It's probably just a 221 g form which is a request for additional documentation.

I just got finished talking with her and the 221G is exactly what they handed her. It states that she needs to submit her police certificate and she has instruction on where to send it.

This afternoon, Lizeth attended her visa interview in La Paz, Bolivia. From what I've been able to decipher, her visa approval is pending upon the receipt of her national police certificate.

She paid her fee, they took her fingerprints, and took any documents that they needed from her. She did quite well with her interview even though Lizeth thought the woman was rather rude and more focused on my past relationships than anything else. She signed her DS-156K and the woman explained to her that everything was "in order" and that they still needed her national police certificate.

One of the things that bothered me about the Bolivian Consulate was they weren't exactly clear with their Packet 4 instructions. We pretty much had to gather everything and mail it via DHL to the Embassy at least 10 days prior to her interview. She went to her local police station and requested her certificate. They asked her what she needed it for and she explained it was for her visa and they told her she could pick up the following day.

Once the Consulate received our packet in the mail, I received an E-mail stating that they needed to see proof of the relationship, her police certificate, my divorce papers, and her passport. Confused, because we had submitted everything except her passport, I decided to call the Embassy and ask them for more info. They said that it was often "standard procedure" to ask for the same documents again at the time of the interview and that she could bring them with her on the day of her interview.

I asked about the police certificate and they put me on hold for a few minutes and came back to tell me that the certificate she submitted wasn't generated on a "national" level and that she would have to travel from Sucre to La Paz to get it. They also explained to me that it could take as much as 30 days before she can receive it. At the same time, he said that there was no reason for Lizeth to cancel or reschedule her interview and if she didn't have it by this afternoon, they would issue her visa once it was submitted to the Consulate.

Lizeth arrived in La Paz yesterday afternoon and decided to go to the police and inquire about it. She told them that her interview was this afternoon and someone said that if she paid him 500 Bolivianos, she could pick it up this morning. Well, she felt uncomfortable paying because she suspected the guy was simply going to "pocket" the money so she declined and they told her that she could pick it up in about 3 weeks. It wasn't until this afternoon, that she realized they never asked her for her name of identification so she will have to go back and try again.

At the interview, she was never handed a rejection slip or told that her visa was denied. They pretty much told her that they would make a decision when they got her certificate.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds to me like she's pretty much "approved" unless her police certificate shows some form of criminal record (which I know is clean). She remembers signing her DS-156K in front of the interviewer. I'm not sure how this system works, but do applicants sign those things if they're being denied?

Part of me wants to celebrate but Lizeth's not so sure. I tried to remind her of the phone conversation I had with the guy last week and she's perked up a little bit. I understand that the Consulate needs to see the certificate to be certain there's no criminal record that could disqualify her. But we're both thinking that if something with the paperwork was wrong or she failed to respond well to the questions at the interview, they would've given her a flat-out denial on the spot and told her not to worry about the police certificate.

Can anyone help me better analyze this?

Just as everyone has already stated... no problem. Lizeth went to her medical review without any proof of prior vaccinations and they pretty much treated her like she didn't have any.

She was pretty sore for a couple of days later though

I went straight to the UK Embassy webpage and I find it odd that their information concerning K status visas is almost non-existent. With most other Embassy sites you can usually find the checklist on their Nonimmigrant visa page. Your best bet is to either contact the Consular through email or seek out other UK couples for information.

Wish I could've been more help.

Your best bet is to contact the Consular in country with your question. We had a somewhat similar situation in which we had to submit all of our documents at least 10 days prior to our interview date.

Shortly after their arrival, I received a confirmation email of Lizeth's interview date and time with a list of more documentation needed. Everything that they asked for was sent in the mail but after contacting them they explained it was standard procedure. One of the things they asked for was her police certificate. I called them to ask why they needed it and they said that the one we submitted was not generated on a "national" level (although it clearly stated that on her first record). The man on the phone was very polite and said that the certificate we need can take as much as 30 days to process but that Lizeth should still show up to her interview. It was explained to me that if an approval is determined on the day of her interview, they would generate her visa when the new police certificate arrives.

Here's the email information for the Myanmar Consualte: consularrangoo@state.gov

Response times can take up to 24 hours. Try to keep your questions brief since they receive a lot of questions.

I can't speak with experience about the Consular in Ghana. If you haven't noticed, every Embassy likes to do things there own way. Unless someone can come behind me and correct me, I would stick to whatever information is on the website.

In terms of proof of your relationship, it has always been the advice, here on the boards, that it's better to have way too much evidence than not enough. The worst that could happen is that you show up for the interview with 10 pounds of evidence and they tell you it's not necessary. It tends to happen a lot.

Pretty much what Zenaxe stated already. Think of it as your basic wellness exam. They will do blood work and chest X-rays. If he has a vaccination record, he should show up at the appointment with it. If there are any vaccinations that the medical reviewer deems necessary, they'll be given.

Typically, the medical portion is one of the least troublesome steps in the visa process. I'm not saying that denials haven't happened because of the medical results, but if he is healthy he should have nothing to worry about.

If you haven't already done so, check with the Consular section in his country to see how the results are submitted. We recevied instructions in our IV Packet that we were supposed to mail the sealed envelope to the Consular prior to the interview. When she went for her medical exam, however, the doctor said that it was standard procedure to forward them directly from the medical office. They did give Lizeth a copy of the vaccines that she received as well as the chest x-ray.

In the event the medical examiner does provide him with the sealed results, make certain he knows that he's not to open it!

The forms that require downloading and filling in are:

DS-230-I Part I Signed

DS-156 x2 (Fill out online to generate barcode http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/electronic.html - Do not sign) (Not necessary for CR1/IR1)

DS-156K x2(Do not sign)(Not necessary for CR1/IR1)

DS-157 x2 (Not necessary for CR1/IR1

For my particular situation, we just filled out the DS-156 and DS-156K (in duplicate). There should be a signature on the DS-156 but NOT on the DS-156K (where it clearly states "Do not write below this line") Not sure what the 157 is that you are talking about. Perhaps someone might have that information for you.

It's pretty standard for all US Consulates to post information about Visa applications. Sometimes you have to click a few links to find it but the requirements on what needs to be filed should be listed there.

After a very long and stressful process, Lizeth will have her K-1 interview with the Bolivian Consular on Thursday, this week. She's extremely nervous but I don't see the need to be any more stressed than what I have been over the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I'm not able to attend the interview with her so this is basically her time to shine

Still, if anyone has any tips, suggestions, advice, anything to make the stress a little more bearable, I'd be most appreciative.

I picked this information straight from the US Dept of State Website which I found in the FAQ Section for DS-160...

http://travel.state....forms_4401.html

13. When I apply for a nonimmigrant visa using the online DS-160, are additional forms required?

No, with two exceptions. When applying at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate that is using the new DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, you will use only one (1) form. For Embassies and Consulates that have converted to this new process, the DS-160 has replaced all of the following forms: DS-156, DS-157, DS-158, and DS-3032, which are no longer necessary.

NOTE: The exceptions are Fiancé(e) Visas (K-1/2) which still require use of the forms DS-156 and DS-156K, and the Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa application, which is explained in #14 below.

There are other Visa types which fall into the list of exclusions but for K-1 Visa, forget the DS-160 and stick with the DS-156 and DS-156K

I picked this information straight from the US Dept of State Website which I found in the FAQ Section for DS-160...

http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4401.html

13. When I apply for a nonimmigrant visa using the online DS-160, are additional forms required?

No, with two exceptions. When applying at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate that is using the new DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, you will use only one (1) form. For Embassies and Consulates that have converted to this new process, the DS-160 has replaced all of the following forms: DS-156, DS-157, DS-158, and DS-3032, which are no longer necessary.

NOTE: The exceptions are Fiancé(e) Visas (K-1/2) which still require use of the forms DS-156 and DS-156K, and the Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor visa application, which is explained in #14 below.

There are other Visa types which fall into the list of exclusions but for K-1 Visa, forget the DS-160 and stick with the DS-156 and DS-156K.

If you want to get married and dont want to wait for K-1 to marry in america. Do a CR1, you can marry anywhere and then do the CR1 petition for your wife.

K-1 you have to marry in america no choice, its part of the rules for the visa, and you cant get married untill you get the visa and enter america. like the other person said, if you marry before you get the visa then your petition for a fiance(e) is void because you are married.

This pretty much sums up your best choices. Again, do the research on these various visas and figurs out which one best suits your needs. Just remember that you will need to show proof of your divorce when you're starting the process.

Also If I need more rom for teh adresses of the companies I have worked for shoud I just attach antoher sheet of papaer?

You will need to indicate your residency for the last 5 years, starting from the present and working your way back. The same goes for your employment. Remember that you will need to complete a G-325A for each of you. If your residency within Utah falls within the last 5 years, you will need to include that.

You won't need anything from Argentina, right now, to complete the forms. However, your fiancee will need to obtain a police record from any country she's lived in for more than a year since the age of 16. Her police records are due at the time of her interview.

If you need to attach a separate sheet of paper to include additional information, indicate on the G-325A "See attached sheet."

Hello.

I am waiting for my interview. But earlier I found my employment authorization card, which I applied after graduating from school years ago (I was a F-1 student before) and realized I do have an INS A number while I had put "N/A" or "None" on all forms we have submitted without knowing that I did. The papers are at the embassy (Tokyo) now and I would like to correct the information. But, before contacting the embassy for a fee, I would like to know if there is anyone who had similar problems before. Could anyone share their experience with me? Thank you in advance!

This is one of those questions best left to the Tokyo Embassy. Every foreign Embassy has their own way of doing things. I'm certain that if you would send them an email, which details your question, they should reply quickly. Their answer may be as simple as bringing your recently discovered evidence to the interview.

more questions

does the I-134 need to be notarized?

When should I send the completed I-134 to my fiancee?

for the Packet 3 or the interview?

Thanks again.

First off, the I-134 does not need to be notarized. If you are counting on your uncle to act as your co-sponsor, he would need to complete the I-134 just as you would do. Remember that you DO need to complete one as well. So long as his annual gross income can meet or exceed the poverty level guidelines, he should only need to attach a copy of his 2009 tax forms and W2.

It's important to understand that if your uncle has his own family to support, those members in his household will be counted in the overall family size so keep that in mind.

It's not stated on your profile what country you are working with but you should really take a look at their US Embassy wesbite and research their requirements for the K-1 Visa. No two countries are exactly alike so your foreign Embassy might require all of your documents to be sent to the Embassy prior to the interview or they might say to bring them with you. Their website should also list what forms are required as well as information about the Medical Examination.

Congratulations on your NOA2. I don't really know what happens at the NVC when it relates to CR-1 procedures but hopefully you will get an answer soon.

I'm just following the instructions listed here: Fiancé(e) Visas (K-1 Visas) (under Step 3). The US Embassy at Tokyo requires filling out Part I of the form. I should have mentioned that in the message I posted earlier. Sorry for the confusion.

Please accept my apologies! I did review the link that you posted, and sure enough, you were correct! This is the first time where I've read that a Form DS-230 was required for the K-1 Visa process but it's still proof that the Japanese Embassy likes to do things differently.

Because I feel bad for misleading you , I took a peek at the form myself and I see where your original question comes from. It's best to fill in as much information as you can, even if you can't include every minute detail. Where it asks for the "A" Number (if known), simply write in "unknown" since you honestly don't know what it is.

I am starting to wonder if the k1 visa process will be worth going through with this woman or not. I wrote about obtaing police certificates and so forth and I am not getting any easy answers. My possible fiancee has lived and worked in about 6 different countries over a 20 year period and 3 of them have been over 7 years since she has been there. Would these countries even have a record of her being there after all this time? One country was over 10 years ago and she still needs a police certificate? I am wondering if this can even be accomplished or not. I really don't know what to do ans she won't be happy about all this either.

First off, don't give up hope! Most of us can tell you that we've had those bumpy moments in the road where it felt too easy to give up. Sometimes the steps are easy, sometimes they can be nerve-wracking. It's times like this when you need to remain calm with her.

If you haven't already done so, try to get a list from where she's been since the age of 16. If she's only lived in one country or another for less than a year, you can cross that one of your list.

I understand your question about some countries keeping a record on her after all this time. It's possible that they may not have any information on file. But if that is the case, most authorities will at least give you something that states "no record on file." Lizeth picked up her police record last week and sure enough, because she's never been convicted of any crimes in Boliva, they pretty much handed her a report with her name, ID number, and a statement saying "no criminal record."

Hi everyone,

I'm currently filling out the DS-230 form for my fiancee and have a question #35 which says:

List dates of all previous visit to or residence in the United States. (If never, write "never") Give type of visa status, if known.

Give DHS "A" number if any

She had traveled to California when she was younger. Unfortunately, she doesn't remember the name of the city she was at. Will putting California suffice? Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Thank you.

First off, why are you filling out Form DS-230? That is the "Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration." If you are working through the K-1 Fiancee process, Form DS-230 is the wrong form for you.

A K-1 Visa grants the petitioner NON-IMMIGRANT status. You will need to focus your attention on completing Form DS-156 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application) as well as Form DS-156K (Nonimmigrant Fiance(e) Visa Application). You can find samples of these forms at Visa Journey by clicking through the "Example Forms" tab at the top of the page.

Guys and girls

I have no idea what kinda savings I should show to my account. Would a couple thousands dollars, do the job? Can anyone help?

The most important part of the I-134 is in area 7 where you indicate your annual income. That is how the consular is able to compare you against the US poverty guidelines. If you have nothing on deposit in savings banks in the United States, no personal property with any value, no stocks or bonds or life insurance policies, it shouldn't make a difference.

Just be certain that whatever dollar amount you list as your annual income can be verified by your 2009 US Income Tax return and W2.

If you DO have money stashed in bank accounts, stocks or bonds, or own real estate, then by all means feel free to list it but it's not mandatory that you do so.

I don't have any experience with the Canadian Embassy or their procedures but you're best bet is to contact the office of one of the medical examiners and ask them your question.

I might be wrong but I always thought you kept the same passport number even when you have to renew it.

Hello guys i back to this lovely page and i have some questions ..

Do i need the DS230 form ? I need a Cover Letter for send it to the embassy and all the documents they ask me? We get a mail with case number in june 22 but i dont have news from the package of the embassy until now . .

Also in the DS230 form ask me for my jobs and locations , this means address? location like country?..

Its ok if make a attachment like in previous form if i dont have enough space?

Please help me T___T Should i contact the embassy? I try!!! But i cant reach a good number for do it . . its true that the interview its going to take a lot of time for get it?

:crying: thank you T__T

I'm not sure where you found information regarding Form DS-230, but you will NOT need that for a K-1 Visa. Form DS-230 is strictly for Immigrants and Alien visas. K-1 visas offer status as non-immigrants.

YOU WILL, however, need to complete TWO Form DS-156 (Nonimmigrant Visa Application) along with ONE Form DS-156k (Nonimmigrant Fiance(e) Application). You will also need to complete Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support).

It wouldn't hurt to include a cover letter when you are submitting your packet. It doesn't have to be complicated: a simple introduction which includes your case number and a list of all of the documents you're submitting.

Hope this helps!

Let me see if I have your story straight...

You applied for a tourist visa back when you and your fiance were just "boyfriend/girlfriend" but you were denied because they might have had a fear that you'd be a flight risk. Usually, when denials for tourist visas stem from not being able to show more ties to your country, they are concerned that you might not have considerable reasons to return back to your country.

I would have to agree with your fiance at this point and say that you don't have anything to worry about. Just because you were denied tourist visas in the past doesn't mean you'll automatically be denied for your K-1. The consular handles each type of visa differently. The fact that you used him as a sponsor on your I-134 when he was still your boyfriend shouldn't complicate the process by using him now as your fiance. I don't see how the consular could look back on the past and assume that you're up to something shady.

It's my opinion that as long as you meet the requirements of the K-1 and present substantial proof of your relationship as being genuine and honest, I don't see where you will have anything to worry about.

Good luck on your Visa Journey!