CA_BA

Hello kind VJers,

Thought I'd finally share our interview experiences, that happened on Aug 27 2008.

We took our photo albums and all appropriate documentation and reviewed together our answers to common interview questions before we went (there was nothing to hide, but we just wanted to be prepared). The only slight worry we had was that we only had one shared account/document, our apartment rental lease. Our banking accounts were not together, nor were any other accounts. Only our apartment lease, which we had brought a copy of.

The interviewer seemed nice and very professional. He didn't appear to want to intimidate us in any way, but was only interested in getting to the truth. And for my wife and I, we were of course a little nervous, but we had nothing to hide, and so were happy to share the story of our life together. He asked how we met, and my wife told the history and I might have added a few additions. He asked to see our photos, and we happily obliged. He then asked me if I knew the name of her parents, I rattled off my wife's deceased mother's name, but I somehow called her father by another 'O' first name. My wife gave me one of those "what the ?" looks and realizing I had goofed, consulted my memory again and did manage to remember my father in-law's correct first name - whew! The interviewer then asked if I had ever met my in-laws and I said yes, and we pointed out some photos where we were all together during a past Christmas.

He asked us about our shared accounts and I related that we only had the one together, the lease, even though we had been living together since we came to the states together in April '06. As I explained to him, it wasn't done on purpose, there just wasn't a particular reason to change the existing accounts to be put in both our names (I pay most of our bills online anyway). I asked him if this would be a problem. I offered that I could change our bank accounts to be in both our names, for example, if that would help the process. He said no, that wouldn't be necessary, and said it didn't really matter. He then said that all seemed correct and in order but that he had to confirm our case with someone else and so therefore couldn't approve it that day. I believe he said that we would hear from them within a week to ten days.

About five days later we got the approval letter. And a couple weeks after that my wife got her green card.

Good luck to all of you, and remember, with love and a little perseverance your cases will eventually be approved.

And thanks to all that shared their experiences along the way and helped quell our doubts in the process.

Peace, love and happiness to all

Here is the link to the article itself (includes an audio tape recording of the agent and victim):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion/21immigrant.html?ex=1363752000&en=fe830ef20a676eb2&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Has anyone in the New York area had any dealings with the agent that was arrested, Isaac R. Baichu ?

... link needs to be copied and pasted into your browser...

Here is the link to the article itself (includes an audio tape recording of the agent and victim):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/nyregion/21immigrant.html?ex=1363752000&en=fe830ef20a676eb2&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Has anyone in the New York area had any dealings with the agent that was arrested, Isaac R. Baichu ?

Your profile says CR-1/IR-1 yet you are removing conditions on a K-3, you may want to correct that detail, perhaps filed for adjustment of status.

You will need to get a full medical done I-693 before filing.

NO, you wont have a problem filing this long after entry on the K-3, spouse is still in status, many do wait to file AOS from a K-3 so that it is closer to 2nd marriage anniversary, I would have done it last summer (July 07) just before anniversary before the fee went up to $1010.

On a positive note, the green-card that will result will be a 10 year un-conditional card.

Yes, we did get a new medical done here in the states since it had been too long since original medical exam was done for foreign consulate interview. AOS has all the necessary parts per the very nice VJ guide, and wife is still in status. And yes, it would have been better to file the AOS petition just before our second year anniversary and before the fee increase, but it just didn't happen.

Will update our time line...

Thanks very much YuAndDan for your informed and quick reply!

C.

Hello kind VJ-ers,

My wife's K3 visa expires March 28, 2007. For various reasons, we've not submitted our AOS package yet, but will today or tomorrow. We've been living together since April 2006 when she arrived in US (we were married in July 2005).

My question: will we have any problems with our AOS or her status since we are submitting the AOS petition so close to the expiration date of her K3? Researching the VJ messages, I think as long as we get a receipt for the pending AOS before the K3 expires we will be ok. Is that right?

(We don't plan on traveling out of the country until Christmas, so if we don't get AOS resolved before then I guess we'll have to file for an Advance Parole [i-131]).

I believe there is a form to ask for an extension of the K3 visa, but will this be necessary?

Thanks for any and all information!

C.

Thanks to all of you for your replies. We'll enjoy our holidays and file the AOS in January when we're back in the states.

K3 is a multi entry visa good for 2 years. No reentry document required unless you plan on staying out of country for an extended period of time. You do need to have AOS pending though.

Thanks for your replies. YuAndDan, I haven't seen anything that said we need to have an AOS pending as you state. What is your source? We do plan on starting the AOS in January, but haven't filed any of the paperwork yet. Are you sure we need to have a "AOS pending" ?

Hi,

My wife and I (USC) were married in July '05 and in April '06 she was granted a K3 and we've been living together happily, here in the states, ever since.

We will be going to Brazil during the holidays (for about a month); we have not yet applied for AOS nor AP.

It's my understanding that as a holder of K3, she can travel internationally with no other forms needed.

Can anyone confirm please, is this indeed true?

Tickets booked for travel next week, and now I'm starting to worry...

Thanks for any info.

CA BA.

Correct me if I'm wrong but looks like you guys are doing a CR-1 process. If that's the case you DO NOT need to pay the fee. Just K1 and K3 processes need to pay such fee. I made the mistake of paying this fee and wasted $100...

Cheers

I think they are doing both the CR-1 and the K3. They have to pay the fee for the K3.

Hi friends,

Yes, we were indeed doing a K-3 to speed things up (after submitting for CR-1 to start)... and it all worked out as wife's K-3 was approved and we came back to the states together yesterday... full story in a day or so, as soon as we catch up on some sleep...

CA_BA

Does anyone know the address of the citibank close to the consulate in Rio?

Or recognize it from this list?

http://www.citibank.com/locations/la/br/ri..._de_janeiro.htm

(I'm not familiar with Rio's neighborhoods.)

I'm going to arrive Tuesday and wife's interview is Wednesday, which means we'll have to make our payment after I arrive, and I'll be soo tired from the long trip so if we knew where the citibank was it would save time. .. or perhaps it could be any citibank branch? And I just say I want to pay my $100 fee for the US Consulate and they'll know what I mean?

Thanks for any tips.

You can pay it at any citibank branch. And there’s one very near the consulate in Rio. It is the Assembléia Branch: Rua da Assembléia, 100 – Bairro: Centro

CEP 20011-000 Phone: (21) 2276-3636

Simonne

Thanks Simonne! ...just what I was looking for!

you only need one notarized original for you and one notorized original for your co-sponsor.

Thanks germangle!

Finalizing paperwork for wife's upcoming K3 interview Wednesday. My co-sponsor gave me two notorized originals of I-134, but I was thinking we just need one notarized and then a photocopy of original, but now I'm not so sure.

Anyone know, can I submit one notarized I-134 form accompanied by a photocopy of said I-134?

Or do I have to have two I-134s (originals) both signed and stamped by notary?

Thanks for any tips (or calming words )

My husbands father did not have any hard copy records. We put down the date his father thougth was correct since no records kept. His birth mother died and we only put her birthyear down since the dates were unknown and put down the exact date for her death. ex. 1956 and deceased on 07/25/77. This is how we handled our paperwork. Good luck.

Mary

Thanks Mary for your reply. That's the way we'll have info on my wife's mother, as we only have year she passed away, not DOB. I would think (hope) they wouldn't deny visa based on that ...

Thanks aussiewench again for your quick reply... just spoke with my wife and she did manage to reach the family there (cell phone was working) and did locate father's dob and even address... whew, one less thing to worry about...

Will pause and think real hard while counting to 20 slowly before I send out another message

Hi,

Filling out form DS-230 for wife's K-3 interview in Rio on Wednesday and we don't know her father's date of birth, nor that of her deceased mother (questions 16 & 18). Her father lives way out in the country (no phone) so it's impractical for us to go visit him to ask him.

Anyone have any similar experience? Do you think visa would be denied if we say we don't know this?

Thanks for any tips.

Does anyone know the address of the citibank close to the consulate in Rio?

Or recognize it from this list?

http://www.citibank.com/locations/la/br/ri..._de_janeiro.htm

(I'm not familiar with Rio's neighborhoods.)

I'm going to arrive Tuesday and wife's interview is Wednesday, which means we'll have to make our payment after I arrive, and I'll be soo tired from the long trip so if we knew where the citibank was it would save time. .. or perhaps it could be any citibank branch? And I just say I want to pay my $100 fee for the US Consulate and they'll know what I mean?

Thanks for any tips.

Best way to answer you as far as the joint sponsor goes is to ask you a question........

Did they petition anyone, or only yourself?

No, the co-sponsor has never filed a petition for anyone else.

So, with that logic, sounds like it's ok that our two forms on different on this question. Can anyone confirm this?

Maybe I'm just needlessly worrying...

The answer for the joint sponsor is 'none' if they have never petitioned for anyone. The answers being different on this question is of no relevance. Each is answered correctly.

You're right aussiewench... thanks for quickly bringing me back to my senses.

For saftey sake, I am having my mother as a co-sponsor for my fiance.

I have read in many posts that if you fiance will remain in the United States forever, you would put an x next to "I do not intend to make specific contributions"

My question is do either of us have to make specific contributions?

I'm filling out I-134 now for upcoming wife's K3 interview next Wednesday and I have a co-sponsor who has already filled out his I-134. I'm using Nolo Press book "Fiance and Marriage Visas" that has line by line instructions for forms. For this question book says: "Enter N/A (Not Applicable). This is only for visitors who are truely temporary, such as tourists." Seemed a little strange to me, but I'm hoping it's correct because that's what both I-134s will say.

Can any wise person share some wisdom on this?

Best way to answer you as far as the joint sponsor goes is to ask you a question........

Did they petition anyone, or only yourself?

No, the co-sponsor has never filed a petition for anyone else.

So, with that logic, sounds like it's ok that our two forms on different on this question. Can anyone confirm this?

Maybe I'm just needlessly worrying...

Hello friends,

Flying to Rio Monday to accompany wife to K3 interview Wednesday. Filling out my 134 Affidavit of support form. Also have co-sponsor who has already filled out same form and passed it to me.

Question #10 on 134 states: "That I have submitted visa petition(s) to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS) on behalf of the following person(s). If none, state none."

When I helped my co-sponsor fill out this form we put "none".

Now I'm filling out my version of this form with help of Nolo Press book "Fiance and Marriage Visas" and it says that USC should put name of sponsored spouse here and then "(subject of this Affidavit"). Ok, I can do that, but should my cosponsor have done that as well? It would be rather hard to get that changed on his form at this late date.

So what is correct? Will it matter if my co-sponsor put "none" for this question??

Thanks very much for any quick info!

...since I just happened to have the visapro.com site opened, I did a quick search for your form... here's the link:

http://www.visapro.com/US-INS-Forms/Form-I...-of-Support.asp

visapro.com is the place for all your fill-out-online form needs.

have fun,

ca_ba

Hi all,

Thanks for your kind replies... we ended up calling the consulate and rescheduling the wife's interview to a more manageable date. I initially tried to call from the states, but the wait time for calls to be answered was 30 mins so my wife made the call . When she spoke with the consulate they said the package of docs had been sent Dec 13, so we assumed it had been lost in the mail. That is, until last Wednesday, when the package did arrive, at my place here in California! So Markand Francisca, I'm guessing that's what has happened in your case as well. Not sure why they would mail the package (and letter addressed to my wife) to my address in the states, when all our submitted paperwork clearly showed she's in Brazil and I'm in CA... perhaps they have a good reason, at least one would hope ...

And to top things off, got an email last week saying our original I-130 petition has been approved. Have mixed feelings about that... great to have that taken care of, but if it takes the consulate 2 months to send the package to the foreign spouse, that kind of negates the 'speediness' of the I-129f route, and one could save the $$$ and time and stress of filing the second petition.

Good luck to everyone,

ca_ba

P.S. Consulate's phone number can be found here:

http://www.embaixada-americana.org.br/inde...php&itemmenu=58

Hello friends,

Our I-129F petition was approved on Nov. 22, 2005 and on Dec 7, 2005 I received a letter from the NVC saying our paperwork was being sent to the consulate in Rio and my spouse "would soon receive a packet with instructions from the consular section at this post".

Last Friday, Jan 27, 2006, after waiting patiently for the communication from the consulate that my wife never received, I decided to try to call the consulate in Rio to inquire about our case. I called during their posted telephone hours but got a message saying they were closed. I then sent an email trying to find out the status. Today I received a very brief email response saying my wife's interview is scheduled for next week, on Feb 8, 2006. Along with the email were eight attached documents, the apparent equivalent of the (postal) mailed K3 package.

Of course, although we are pleased to have an interview date, having such little prior notice makes it rather difficult I was planning to fly down to accompany her to the interview and the trip to the states, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get a reservation on this short notice (it's currently high season/carnival time in Brazil). Also, since I work, it would hard for me to take off time on such a short notice. I'm also not sure she'll be able to get the necessary police records and medical exam in time.

I'm planning to call the consulate tomorrow and try to reschedule our interview, for a month or so in the future. Does anyone have any experience with rescheduling interview dates that they wish to share? Do you think they will be able to reschedule to a month or two into the future?

Any and all information appreciated... thanks!

ca_ba