I do the work. YOU get the gal (or guy)! Click to CALL or EMAIL the VisaCoach
Fred Wahl (the VisaCoach) is an Immigration Consultant, not an attorneyFirst.. find a fiance. Find someone who loves you, and wants to marry you and have a life together with you.
AFTER you do that, not before, I can help you bring her or him to the USA.
Your foreign Fiancee needs permission from the US government to allow her or him to enter the USA. This is called a K1 Fiancee visa. Continue reading “Fiance Visa”
That means, they have always been single, or if previously married that marriage is ended by divorce, annulment or death.
This means both have met face to face, in person. Webcams are great, but only the in person meeting, breathing the same air counts.
The couple has a sincere relationship between them. It does not have to be a “Hallmark Greeting Card” romantic relationship. But it must be sincere that the couple TRULY want to spend their lives together, that they are not shaming, they are not undergoing this process, only for immigration purposes.
A similar requirement to being “bona fide” is that the couple ACTs “bona fide” as well by following the culural norms from the Fiance’s home country. What that means is that if for example: in the country and culture of the Fiance an engagement celebration is expected, or a ring is expected, or a dowry is expected, or full involvement of the family is expected, then the couple should do what is expected.
Knowing what to expect on how long it will take for your Fiance visa to go from submission of application through to USA arrival of your partner is very important for you to know.
You need to know when you can expect your partner to arrive as that determines when and where and how you get married, where you go on honeymoon, probably where you will live, and hundreds of other important details for a couple planning their future lives together to consider.
You have to budget monies to pay for the visa, for travel, for the wedding and honeymoon. Maybe you need time to find a nicer place to live, or to renovate your existing residence So your Fiance will feel happy and comfortable on arrival. A lot needs to be done, and you need to know how much time you have.
In this video I am going to break the timeline down into its different stages
so you have a good idea how long each will take, and by adding all together
you can estimate how long the total process should take.
What are the costs to obtain a Fiance Visa?
$510 USCIS filing fee, paid when submitting the application to USCIS
$350- $450 for the Medical Exam, this is usually paid in cash at the clinic appointed by the consulate in the country where the interview will be held
$265 Immigration Visa Filing fee, paid to the interviewing Consulate
Total is about $1,125 to $1,225
Continue reading “K1 Fiancee Visa Cost”
In order to successfully be approved for a K1 Fiance visa
that allows your fiancee to travel to the USA, US immigration
must be confident that you, the US sponsor, have enough
financial strength, to support and feed your future
family. They must be convinced that there is no chance
your new family would need public benefits such as welfare,
or food stamps to survive.
It is critical that you understand BEFORE you apply, what the
requirements are, in order to avoid surprises and denial.
Continue reading “K1 Fiance Visa Financial Eligibility Requirements”
These are sample questions that every K1 visa applicant should practice in advance of his or her consulate interview. Before a K1 Fiance visa can be approved, the last step is an interview at the US embassy or consulate where an American consular officer meets with the foreign fiance, and decides whether or not to grant the visa request.
This 2019 collection includes new questions now asked regarding the International Marriage Broker Act, Social Media, and EXTREME vetting.
While helping VisaCoach clients achieve their dreams of spending lives together in the USA, by getting approved for their Fiance Visa, after the interview is over, I always ask the happy couple to tell me about their experience at the consulate. And I always ask what questions were asked.
This has allowed me to compile a detailed and accurate list of sample questions that are actually asked. Continue reading “Sample Questions for K1 Fiance Visa Interview”
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Fiance Visa 101: How to bring Fiance to USA.
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Along with this video, VisaCoach has provided many resources to help you get started in bringing your loved one back to the USA. Some important lessons include an overview on Bringing Your Fiance to the USA and how Visacoach helps in Preparing K1 Visa Petition .
To be granted a fiance visa, the k1 fiance is reuqired to schedule and attend a medical exam at a clinic approved by one of the US Consulates. There they test and examine to confirm that the fiance does not have any diseases that would put the public at risk or medical conditions requiring public funding to treat, has the required vaccinations, does not have a history of drug use or mental instability.
Most consulates recommend the fiance attend the medical exam two weeks prior to the interview as mentioned in our K1 Visa Timeline. This gives ample time for tests to be processed, x-rays developed, and all results to arrive at the consulate, despite occassional traffic jams, power outages, bad weather. Continue reading “K1 Fiancee Visa Medical Exam”
Recipients of Social Security Disability (SSD, or SSDI) are financially eligible to sponsor immigration while recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are NOT!.
SSD or SSDI = Eligible to apply
SSI = NOT eligible to apply
While both are administered by the Social Security Administration, the difference between Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income is the fact that SSD is available to workers who have accumulated a sufficient number of work credits, while SSI benefits are available to low-income individuals who have either never worked or who haven’t earned enough work credits to qualify for SSD.
Supplemental Security Income, then is a form of federal welfare, and as such makes the recipient ineligible to sponsor a foreign fiance or spouse, and promise to keep them off of welfare, while the sponsor is already recieving those same benefits. Continue reading “SSI Ineligibility vs SSD”
When applying for Fiancee or Spouse Visas, or Adjustment of Status to Permanent Residency US Immigration requires that the sponsor demonstrate his financial eligibility. For most sponsors the financial proofs required are proof of employment, year to date earnings statements such as pay stubs and the sponsors most RECENT Federal Tax return.
Regardless of the length of the relationship and extent of knowledge you have about your fiancee, we strongly recommend you reach out to your attorney to discuss the use of a prenuptial agreement to protect your assets and the assets of your heirs in the case that the marriage ends in divorce. Continue reading “Prenuptial Agreement”
Before deciding to apply for a K1 Fiance Visa to bring your fiance to the USA for marriage, you should know the following Thirteen requirements to determine if you are eligible and if the Fiancee Visa is right for your situation.
1. You must have a “bona fide” relationship.
Your relationship is genuine. You want to be together. You are not going through the process solely for immigration benefits.
Continue reading “Top 13 K1 Fiance Visa Eligibility Requirements”
Proof used for Fiancee Visa evidence typically starts with a few well chosen photographs that show a happy and bona fide couple. Below is my video that explains how to choose the “right” photos, and avoid the “wrong” photos to submit with your Fiancee Visa or Spouse Visa Petition. For forms I-129F and I-130
In preparing a fiance or spousal visa petition for USCIS it’s important to include some photos that proves that you and your life partner have met each other.
In addition you have the opportunity here to tell the story about your relationship and to to give the impression how sincere your relationship is. So it is important to choose the right photos and that’s what this presentation is all about. Continue reading “Evidence Photos”
After you put together an awesome front loaded presentation, waited patiently for USCIS approval, and got it, then waited for NVC to forward the case overseas, got their letter confirming the new case number, then are contacted by consulate that they have your case, followed the instructions to register at ustraveldocs.com or usvisa-info.com pay the visa fee, wait another day to return online to FINALLY book the interview, and when you get to the booking calendar you see “No appointment date available”
It is a very frustrating moment. You are “this close” to the end of the process, but now have come against a blank wall.
Below is my TIP on how to reduce the stress and to book your interview just as soon as a date becomes available.
“No appointment date available” doesn’t mean forever, it doesn’t mean the consulate has gone out of business. Continue reading “Problems Booking UStraveldocs.com Interview: No Appointment Date”
As we know the internet is timeless. Once something is posted online it is there forever. So the exact date of posting is not too important.
But I would like share with you that I am recording and publishing this video just before Veterans Day.
I want to thank all of our Military men and women for their service.
Here at VisaCoach we greatly appreciate everything you do and the sacrifices you make for us and for our nation. I am honored to have personally assisted many military couples unite in the USA
I’m proud that so far 100% of the cases I’ve helped Military Personel with have gotten their visa or green card the first time we applied. This includes all of those unhappy couples who came to me for help to reapply after their “do it yourself”, or JAG assisted cases had been denied.
Because the processing time for fiance and spouse visas and adjustment of status can take quite a long time from 6 months on the short side to over a year and a half, on the long, sometimes it happens that you the military Sponsor receive orders for Deployment while your case is in process but not finally adjudicated.
In such cases we want to push USCIS and the State Department to work faster so that your fiance or spouse can enter the USA faster. That way you could some time before the Deployment starts to make sure your family are settled in before leaving. Continue reading “Military Visa Expedite”
The International Marriage Broker Act of 2005, IMBRA has been a bogey on the horizon for men and women in long distance relationships who met online at dating websites. This hasn’t been a problem for the websites or their clients UP TO RECENTLY, as the IMBRA laws been only partially enforced. However USCIS has been gradually implementing inch by inch some of the procedures as mandated by IMBRA and has taken major actions in 2015 and 2016 to now require couples to identify the websites they used, and provide evidence that the website was exempt from or strictly followed the IMBRA regulations..
The law puts draconian restrictions on how an American is allowed to meet his partner when using an online dating service. Basically every dating service, regardless of where located in the world, is supposed to comply with this regulation if they have American clients. To follow the act’s regulations, the dating service must obtain written, and detailed consent from the foreign born person, before ANY form of direct communication with the American is possible.
This confusing act requires the American to provide confidential information about himself to the website. The foreign born “potential date” then views the confidential information, after translation to her/his native language, and finally must sign and date a document, with all this information, if agreeing to allow communications to begin.
When this onerous law came out in 2005 some companies like mine, HeartofAsiaonline.com converted our websites to fully comply with the law. This meant that clients from US and overseas found many more hoops to jump through in order to join our membership and meet their foreign loves. By following the law, my company HeartofAsiaonline.com lost $ thousands each month, as clients gravitated to websites with easier registration and contact processes.
Many other companies abandoned the business altogether. And many companies and businesses especially ALL non-US based services decided to ignore the law. Ignoring the law has paid off for companies such as Cherry Blossoms, Filipino Cupid and so on. For the past 9 years they have continued to collect good US dollars while scoffing at the IMBRA regulations.
Up to now this hasn’t been a problem for them or their clients, as the IMBRA laws have not been fully enforced. However USCIS has been gradually implementing inch by inch some of the procedures as mandated by IMBRA.
A BIG CHANGE starting in 2015
The most recent turn of events has been implemented three months ago. Now each time a fiance visa petition is submitted to USCIS and the couple confirms they met at a online dating website USCIS has been stopping processing on their case and sending the following request for evidence (RFE) to the couple.
The evidence in the file reflects that you met the beneficiary through the services of an International Marriage Broker (IMB). You stated you met the beneficiary through xxxxxxx dot com. This website is considered to be an International Marriage Broker as it is a business that charges fees for providing, dating, matrimonial, matchmaking services. or social referrals between United States citizens and foreign nationals. Therefore, you are required to submit a copy of the signed written consent form that the International Marriage Broker obtained from the beneficiary, authorizing the release of her personal contact information to you.
The decision of whether to approve or deny your petition will be based upon the type(s) of evidence submitted and its credibility.
This is quite a problem when the majority of websites have ignored the law. And now the couple (not the website) are in trouble for not complying with IMBRA.
I have helped couples draft various answers to these requests. Sometimes we have a consent form, sometimes we deny the website is an International Marriage Broker, sometimes we just say now we know it was an IMB, but did not follow the rules, and therefore no consent form every existed..
So far of the couples I have worked with, none yet, have had their petitions denied due to using a non-compliant dating service. I believe it is just a matter of time till USCIS takes the next logical step and denies the visa applications of those who violated US law by using websites that violated IMBRA.
I suggest any couple who has met at a dating website should confirm with the administrator of that website whether The International Marriage Broker Act (IMBRA) rules were followed or not and if followed obtain written proof.
And of course for any American now going online to find his partner from overseas I strongly suggest you only join dating services that are IMBRA compliant.
By Fred Wahl
the VisaCoach
If your Fiancee has children who are unmarried, and under the age of 21, they can come to the USA too. To faciliate this they should be included on the Fiancee Visa petition.
Their visa (called K-2) is automatically granted when the Fiancee’s K-1 visa is granted. This allows the children to accompany the Fiancee or to follow her later. They may remain in the USA for up to 90 days. If the Fiancee and Sponsor marry, the Fiancee (now spouse) and children may remain in the USA and apply for conditional residency see Adjustment of Status.
The K-2 visa(s) are issued at the same time that the Fiancees K-1 visa is issued. The children do not need to travel with the Fiancee, they can come later. but they can not come before. The cut off date for the issuance of a K-2 visa is one year after the issuance of the K-1. Once issued the visa is valid for one entry to the USA any time within the next six months.
In ordering Full Support, Petition Review, or Adjustment of Status be sure to indicate how many children will be included in the applications as this requires additional paperwork. Click Order Services.
By Fred Wahl
By Fred Wahl
This is what happens when traveling on a K1 Fiance Visa Everyone gets off the aircraft. Usually there is a line for US citizens, and another line for non-citizens.
When your fiance gets to the front of the line, she presents her passport to the inspecting officer.
He will examine her passport and once sees she is traveling on a K-1 Fiance visa will direct her to enter a side room.
There she will meet a different officer.
He will ask her “Are you married or single?
A fiance visa is only for a traveler who is single, and planning to marry.
If she says she is “married”, as in already married, he stops the interview and she is refused entry.
But If she says “she is single”, he will continue.
H might ask “What are your plans?”
In that case, she should talk about where she is going, when, where and how.
A good idea is to provide specific details about the plans for the wedding, the honeymoon, where she and her husband will live after the wedding.
When the officer is satisfied that she is a legitimate Fiance Visa traveler he will explain
“The K1 fiance visa allows you to visit the USA for 90 days. While you are here, if you marry your fiance, you become eligible to remain in the USA, by later applying to adjust your status to permanent residency and get your green card.
The Fiance visa does not FORCE you to marry. You do NOT need to marry if you don’t want to.”
Then she hear “Welcome to the USA” and he sends fiance on her way. ?
By Fred Wahl
the Visa Coach
Passing the interview is not the last step in the immigration process. The K1 fiancee visa is embossed onto the foreign Fiance’s passport and sent via courier. Within 6 months the fiance must travel to the USA. Within 90 days the wedding should occur. Then in order to remain in the USA the former fiance, now spouse applies for Adjustment of Status. Only conditional permanent residency is granted, necessitating two years later another application to USCIS in order to remove the conditions. A year beyond that the spouse is eligible to apply for US citizenship.
Let’s talk about What happens after the K1 Fiance Visa Interview?
It’s taken awhile to get here. After many months of careful preparation,team work (between you, me and your fiance) and nerve wracking waiting, your fiance has finally had her or his interview.
The VisaCoach “front loaded presentation” has done its job. Before the interview started, the consulate officer reviewed our petition and found many good reasons to trust you and want to approve the visa.
By the time he pressed the button to call your fiance to come to his desk, he was already inclined and prepared to say “yes”. Once the interview started, it was friendly, and after only a few minutes, ended with “Welcome to the USA”
So what happens next?
Your fiance has already handed in her or his passport. This will stay at the consulate, to have the k1 visa imprinted on one of its pages.
About a week later, the passport will be returned, usually by courier to your fiance.
And along with the passport will also be a sealed envelope, labeled “do not open”. This is a summary of the medical exam that had been taken prior to the interview. Do not open means just that. Leave the envelope sealed.
Upon first entering the USA, your fiance will be met by a Customs and Border Patrol officer. He will discuss with her the terms of the fiance visa.
And he MIGHT ask for the sealed envelope. Your fiance should keep it with her in her hand carry luggage, cause if asked for it, she will need to present it before getting access to any checked-in luggage.
If the officer doesn’t ask for it. Don’t worry, it’s up to him and the procedures followed at his post.
The K1 visa is valid for use for up to six months. But this is not six months from the date of the interview, it is six months from the date of the medical exam. So do check the dates carefully and make sure your fiance begins the journey to the USA before it expires.
Upon Arrival, your fiance is allowed a 90 day stay. This means the fiance visa is treated just like a visitor visa. It is officially for a temporary stay of only a maximum 90 day visit.
However adds has the “special benefit” that should you marry within the 90 days, then your new spouse is eligible to stay if she applies for “Adjustment of Status”.
Marry within 90 days of arrival. Then apply for Adjustment of Status, to “Adjust” from a temporary visitor to a Permanent Resident.
When permanent residency is approved, your spouse gets an id card, about the size of a driver’s licence that confirms permission to remain in the USA. This is what is called the “green card”
As the marriage had just taken place the permanent residency that is granted is only good for two years. This is called “conditional” permanent residency. Just before it expires, you will apply to USCIS to have the permanent residency upgraded to un-condition, permanent, permanent residency.
Finally 3 years, from the start your spouse’s permanent residency, your spouse is eligible to apply for US citizenship.
For all these steps, Fiance Visa, Adjustment of Status, Removal of Conditions and Citizenship team VisaCoach can work with you to achieve your goals.
By Fred Wahl
the VisaCoach
