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| the Long Wait was Worth it! |
This page does not outline tips for Internet Dating anymore, but provides filipino girls the steps and tips when applying for a Visa to come to the United States. This will help you to decide the type of Visa Application you are going to process after meeting the foreign man of your dreams.
Read>> CR1 Visa vs. K1 Visa
August 2011, I came to America with a K1 Fiance Visa. It took only like 7 months for my husband and I to complete all the
processing, from the application of Alien Petition (I-129F) to K1 Visa Application Interview.
Please visit my: Visa Application Timeline to give you a process flow with dates of my K1 Visa Application. Going through with my Visa Application Timeline will give you an idea for the approximated time of processing of K1 Visa.
Please visit my: Visa Application Timeline to give you a process flow with dates of my K1 Visa Application. Going through with my Visa Application Timeline will give you an idea for the approximated time of processing of K1 Visa.
K1 FianceVisa for Filipino Girls, I should say, is the fastest way for you to get into
the United States. If you want to get yourself out of the Philippines fast, then go for K1 Fiance Visa. From my experience, when I came in America, I realized that K1 Fiance Visa is not really the best way to come into the United
States. Why?
K1 Fiance Visa will cost you more money.
K1 Fiance Visa will take so much time to get your application for Permanent Resident Status approved. Once you get your Adjustment of Status approved, coming in the United States with a K1 Fiance Visa, the Permanent Residency you get is still "Conditional", this would mean that the time of waiting going back to Philippines to visit your family gets longer because you are not allowed to travel outside the United States if your Permanent Residency is on Conditional Status, unless you applied for a Re-Entry Permit - Form I-131 which will cost over $400 (2012 Year), plus the application is subject for an approval by the USCIS, so NO Guarantee!
I have been here in America for almost a year now, but I still don't have my Green Card (Conditional Permanent Residence). I received my Employment Authorization Document, after 2 months when I applied for it, it means I can start applying for a job? BUT, you need to have a Social Security Number to get an employment.
I went to the Local Social Security Office to apply for a Social Security #. Most people get it on the same day. Unfortunately, not for me, weeks, months, have passed and I still did not get my SS#. I was told there was a problem with the system, still waiting for verification, still waiting for authorization -- all that stuff. I almost get to the point of getting sooo frustrated of waiting. I called like almost a hundred times to follow up, and I get the same answer.
There were just too many issues going on and almost everything is taking like forever... If only I can turn back time, I would have gotten married in the Philippines and applied for a CR-1 Visa.
K1 Fiance Visa will cost you more money.
K1 Fiance Visa will take so much time to get your application for Permanent Resident Status approved. Once you get your Adjustment of Status approved, coming in the United States with a K1 Fiance Visa, the Permanent Residency you get is still "Conditional", this would mean that the time of waiting going back to Philippines to visit your family gets longer because you are not allowed to travel outside the United States if your Permanent Residency is on Conditional Status, unless you applied for a Re-Entry Permit - Form I-131 which will cost over $400 (2012 Year), plus the application is subject for an approval by the USCIS, so NO Guarantee!
I have been here in America for almost a year now, but I still don't have my Green Card (Conditional Permanent Residence). I received my Employment Authorization Document, after 2 months when I applied for it, it means I can start applying for a job? BUT, you need to have a Social Security Number to get an employment.
I went to the Local Social Security Office to apply for a Social Security #. Most people get it on the same day. Unfortunately, not for me, weeks, months, have passed and I still did not get my SS#. I was told there was a problem with the system, still waiting for verification, still waiting for authorization -- all that stuff. I almost get to the point of getting sooo frustrated of waiting. I called like almost a hundred times to follow up, and I get the same answer.
There were just too many issues going on and almost everything is taking like forever... If only I can turn back time, I would have gotten married in the Philippines and applied for a CR-1 Visa.
Read More>> Why apply for CR-1 Visa?
But as I have said, if you are Filipino Girl whose dream is coming to America and wanted it as quick as you can, then, go apply for a K1 Fiance
Visa
Here’s the Step-by-Step Guide of K1 Fiance Visa Application:
U. S.
Petitioner Files for a Petition for Alien Fiancée (Form I-129F)
Petitioner needs to submit the following documents:
Form I-129F - Petition
for Alien Fiancée (completed and signed)
Form G-325A -
Biographic Information (completed and signed by petitioner)
Form I-134 -
Affidavit of Support (completed, signed and notarized)
A written
statement describing the circumstances under which you and your fiancée met
Letter of
Intent to Marry
Proof of U.S.
citizenship, examples include U.S. passport, original U.S. birth certificate
Proof of
termination of any prior marriages of the Petitioner
Two INS Color
Photographs
Proof of
Financial Support (Bank Statement; Letter from employer; tax returns last 3
years; Copy of paycheck stub)
Proof of
Relationship (Read more >> Visa Tips: Proof of Relationship)
Enclosed a check for Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS)
When Petition
for Alien Fiancée is approved, you’ll receive a letter from the
embassy to set for an appointment. You’re supposed to receive a packet that
contains form that you need to bring with you on the interview, but in my case
I did not receive it, I had to download the forms in the http://www.uscis.gov website.
Filipino Fiancée
(Beneficiary) Applies for the K1 Visa.
Filipino Fiancée
needs to submit the following documents:
Passport (valid for at least 6 months) and photocopy
of first and last page of your Passport.
Form G-325A -
Biographic information (completed and signed by Fiancée)
Form DS-156
Nonimmigrant Visa
Applications (2 completed copies)
Form DS-156K Nonimmigrant
K1
Fiancee Visa Application
Form DS-157
Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa
Application (2 completed copies)
Form I-134 -
Affidavit of Support (completed, signed and notarized)
Two INS color photographs
Two INS color photographs
CENOMAR (Proof
of No Marriage)
NSO
Authenticated Birth Certificate
NBI Clearance
Other Country Police
Clearance after the of age 16 (have lived
at least for 6 months)
Medical X-Ray
CD & Vaccinations
Proof of Payment for the Visa
Interview and your appointment letter
Proof of Relationship (Read more >> Visa Application Tips: Evidence of Relationship)
Proof of Relationship (Read more >> Visa Application Tips: Evidence of Relationship)
Filipino Girl K1 applicant must pay the visa application fee of $350, before they can request a visa appointment via the online appointment website or the Embassy’s Visa Call Center.
Scheduling
an Appointment for the K1
Fiance Visa Application
After I gathered and completed all the documents, I paid
for the Visa
application fee at BPI bank and kept the MRV Payment Receipt as it
will be needed when you get a schedule for your appointment.
In my case, I scheduled my appointment online: http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/ph-niv-appointmentschedule.asp
Medical Exam for the K1 Fiance Visa Application
I went to St. Luke for my medical exam, 1 week before
my interview. Note that: You do not need a medical exam notification from the
embassy to take the medical examination. You may proceed to St. Luke's
Extension Clinic on any workday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. with your valid
passport, the letter from the embassy, and 2x2 Photo to have the required
medical examination. Be there as early as you can like 5:00 in the morning.
There will be lots of applicants waiting in like already.
St. Luke's Extension Clinic is located at 1177 J.
Bocobo Street, Ermita, Manila. The phone numbers are (632) 521-0020, (632)
521-8647, (632) 523-8258 and (632) 526-4327
After your medical exam, St. Luke will forward the
result the to the US embassy. But they will release to you the X-ray result
saved in a compact disc and the vaccinations. This is like the last part of the
medical exam process.
Interview
for the K1
Fiance Visa Application
Come to the embassy as early as you can. In my case,
my appointment was 6:15 in the morning. So I came there 5:00 in the morning and
there were lots of people waiting in line already. You must bring all the necessary
documents when you come to the Embassy for your Interview. An embassy’s
personnel will check all your documents at the gate entrance before you can proceed
inside the embassy’s office.
For K1
Fiance Visa payment instructions, you may visit a link to our
website at http://manila.usembassy.gov/
You should follow all interview preparation
instructions for K1 visa applicants located on the Embassy’s website at http://manila.usembassy.gov/
Find K1 Visa Applications Forms at http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_1342.html
Find Photo Requirements at http://travel.state.gov/visa/visaphotoreq/photoexamples/photoexamples_5331.html
Find a U. S. Embassy at http://travel.state.gov/visa/embassy/embassy_4825.html
