suaverikky

Please I need help on how to get my original birth certificate and marriage certificate back. My parents successful interview was over 1 year ago. The original documents were not returned to them by the Lagos embassy in nigeria. They were told that the documents would be in the brown envelop given to them when they went to collect their passports. The documents were not included in either of my parents packets so I called/emailed the embassy in Nigeria to no avail! They had nothing sensible to say. Please help somebody, I'm so frustrated and don't know how to proceed.

Thank you

I have been in the same boat too. Same situation. I filed for my Dad in 2011 and sent all the originals of my birth certifitcate, mariage certifitcate, and other docs..The US Embassy returned everything except my Original Birth Certifitcate..My Dad didn't know this until he got home.. I later sent the embassy an email asking for my original birth certifitcate, they replied and told me point blank that they don't have it and that "they returned it"...

What can one do in this situation? I guess nothing! since the embassy itself is a big apparatus (just like government itself), thus i am not suprised they could misplace vital documents like birth certifitcates...I moved on and saw the loss of the BC as a tradeoff for my Dad getting his immigrant visa

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I am glad you finally got a date Good luck to you!!!!

Thanks a lot for the wishes and i do appreciate all your help!

Thanks

Oh my goodness we just got scheduled for the first week of december!!!!

This is funny and interesting my packet 3 email came in after i typed my previous epistle!!!

@Junesue, have you received anything? I wish you all the best and i hope they send you your package soon!!!!

We have been waiting for a interview date since Sep 1, 2011. Tired and fustrated waiting. Are you waiting on a interview too? Let me hear from you!

We are both exactly in the same boat!!!!!!

Our K1 arrived Lagos around the 1st week of september last month and we havn't heard a single word!! I have emailed about 10 times but the response i got was the auto-response...Am not really worried because the embassy were SUPER busy cos of the Fed fiscal year ended in September 30 (it ends sept 30 every year), hence all the pending cases that can't rollover for the next fiscal year(e.g DV lottery cases) have to end on Sept 30 otherwise the applicants would be tossed out.

So we need to chill, pray and hope they call us soon. Let me pshyche us up now: Now there is an advantage of being in the 1st set in this new fiscal year, the advantage is that the embassy would be flush with abundant visas cos the fiscal year just started so if our fiance/fiancees play their cards right and with the grace of God they shouldn't face EXCESS scrutiny (keyword is excess here, cos Lagos always scrutinize anyway). They wouldn't be tossed out for the flimpiest reason simply cos the embassy is running out of its quota for the year cos its way too early.

Hope this helps you calm your nerves down. Have resigned to fate cos this kind of situation is the type you have no control over. SO we can as well relax, calm down, PREPARE and hope the much waited interview date comes

Yes they do...Our interview was July 19th and it was the first thing they asked for....

Hello Kunleseun, i just read your review at the "country review" page!

Congratulations!I feel encouraged especially knowing that the "infamous" Asian lady accepted a co-sponsor for your fiancee! i feel emboldened to proceed with our case. Again, thanks a lot!

Hi there,

Yes, all you need to send is a letter from your employer stating job title, employment dates, and wages. You may want to send supporting paystubs. Also, you still need to send your recent tax return for 2010. I sent my last 3 years of tax returns, last 3 bank statements, and last 3 paystubs. I needed a co-sponsor because I did not meet the minimum requirements and had no problems and visa was approved. If you meet the financial requirements then you do not need a co-sponsor.

@Joyjoy.

Thanks so much, i feel a tad better! Real quick question: How recent was your petition and the interview?

Hello VJers

Firstly, i have to say a word of appreciation to every member of this community. Since i joined, everyone has been helpful. Am in a dicey situation here and i'll need some clarifications. I have contacted the consulate in Lagos about this but i couldn't get a reply from them.

Can someone kindly tell me if the US embassy in lagos accepts co-sponsors (1-134) for the K1 visa? I have read almost the entire Sub-saharan forum of VJ voraciously on the k1 sponsorship issue and what i deduced from the posts has been conflicting and mixed. Some posters stated they used a co-sponsor, while some explicitly said Lagos does not accept a co-sponsor for the K1, which is which please?

Secondly, the reason am a bit nervous is that in the last couple of years i was in grad school i earned MOST of my income from untaxable Fellowships as a grad student($ 20,000/yr)and since they were untaxable, i didn't report them on my filings.. Though i filed taxes for the little jobs i did on the side (off campus summer jobs) but am afraid those earnings on my tax sheet doesn't paint an accurate picture of my financial situation....

Right before i filed the k1, i graduated this year and got a job WAY above the federal poverty guidelines...But the problem is since i won't file my next taxes until atleast januanry 2012, how do we show the CO that i meet the financial requirements as required? Would a notarized letter from my new employer be sufficient enough to prove that i meet this requirements?

If i knew about the confusion on K1 sponsorships in Lagos, i would have probably waited till Januanry 2012 when i could file taxes, but from current events my fiance would be having her interview around October this year..

I would really appreciate anyone's advice/responses about my situation.

Thanks

Congratulations!!

can someone clarify something for me please...so based on this OP's first experience, does that mean K1 filers are NOT allowed to do any traditional engagement? Are the consular officers in Lagos equating traditional engagement to wedding or what? Afterall in Nigerian/African culture, engagement is different from wedding!...

Does this mean anyone going for the K1 interview has to categorically deny any form of traditional engagement/parents from both sides meeting each other formally? This is scary!

Now i understand the brideprice aspect and i know that could be a ground for K1 visa refusal, but what about "traditional engagement"? Am confused!

Thanks a lot for the clarification!!

And congrats!!!..I wish u all the best..

Thanks everyone...He just emailed me this

Got to the embassy by 4:35am,realized am the only one there,later people came, at 6:38am they started the queue,we were given instructions,we later went into the waiting pavillion, 'SURPRISE!!! my name is not in the list,later they wrote it,then we went in and was interviewed by the ASIAN LADY.

Questions @ the interview:

-who is petitioning for you?

-how did you meet?

-when?

-where you childhood friends?

-but you attended the same church,how come?

-when did you decide to get married?

-who proposed?

-do you have any pix?

-where was she living when you met?

-what course is she studying?

-which school does she attend?

-what does she do for work?

-where does she stay?

-how did she become a US citizen?

-when did you propose?

-how often do you talk on phone?

-any proof?

-what does she do for leisure?

-what's her favorite music?

-where are your family?

-since you would be getting married in the US,how does your family feel about this?

-how did you continue with the relationship when she travelled?

She then said congratulations, If I give you this visa,how would you pick it?would you send someone or pick it yourself?

She came back to ask;

-did you do a traditional ceremony?

-did you pay a bride price?.

She said congratulations,pick your visa ata this address in one week.Goodluck in the Us.

Quick question for everybody: For the K1 visa, When a CO ask if you've done a traditional ceremony and if you've paid bride price..what are you supposed to answer???

I heard that if you answer a "Yes" to the above questions that you would be rejected and told to go file for a CR-1, because that means "you are married"..Please can somebody help with this question?

And @ kunleseun, can you pls tell us what your fiance answered for the traditional ceremony/bride price question?..

Thanks!!!

Quick question everybody:

Me and my fiancee did a Joint letter of Intent (we used 1 paper and we jointly declared our intent to get married by using the word "we" in every statement we made on the letter. Also, we both signed on it-her signature and my signature).

Do you folks think that's a recipe for an RFE? We are both nervous cos the intent letter were written jointly.

Any thoughts would be duly appreciated.

Thanks