Some corrections, It is a K-1 for a fiancé'. You do not need a lawyer if you are prepared. Go to www.usavisanow and for $49.00 they will give you a book and a CD with the forms, but carefully check the forms to make sure they are the most recent ones.
Have her sign two copies of the biography forms G-325A, collect a copy of her birth certificate and divorce decree if she has one (or two). You will need to get those translated and notarized. Save all your plane ticket, Emails, receipts for activities you did together, take photos all to prove you have a legitimate relationship. Also, have her take passport photos too. Fill out all the forms exactly; organize your documents for quick review by USCIS. Write a detailed relationship letter describing how you met and fell in love.
Again, you do not need a lawyer; you need to do things correctly and Honestly.
Go to: http://www.global7network.com/immigration/us-embassy-moscow-russia/discussions/k 1-visa-russia.asp
and read the postings, they will help you understand the process and there will be experienced people to give you correct answers to your questions. The people here are good people wanting to assist, but sometimes there are men form other countries that do not completely understand US INS rules.
Thanks guys for the info, this is alot to digest and I will read and re-read what you have written. The lady I wish to visit lives in Cheboksary. Has anyone been there? , and if so any thing I should stay away from. I have looked on line for a few flights to Cheboksary but they always say fly into Moscow. I believe Moscow is about 600 miles from Cheboksary. It sounds as though a few of have made the trips before , have you actually brought a lady to the states and how is it working out for you? Bob
"You will need to get those translated and notarized (birth certificate and divorce decree)"
To those Gents in the know:
I believe these translations have to be done within a certain time-period because their validity expires after some time?
I've heard some rumours about this, and would like to know these details myself also.
Thunderman,
Translations that have been notarized have no time period. Being notarized makes the tranlsation a legal document that last as long as the document. Make sure the notary uses a raised seal, that is very important.
Frank Vans, I welcome your comments. For my information, have you brought a lady to the United States and have you done so without the assistance of an immigration attorney to fill out the papers?
I agree you can do it without an attorney, but it is risky for the following reasons:
(a) Even a simple mistake in the information that you provide the INS can result in a rejection of your application. The INS has no obligation to tell you why they rejected your lady and they generally won't provide you this information. Then you have to start over and you will have wasted between 3-6 months depending on which state you live. An attorney has done this hundreds if not thousand of times and knows what the bureaucrats want to see.
(b) I had visited the sites that you mentioned a long time ago. They have good, general information, but the people who give the information are not qualified to give specific information. You can find similar type information on any attorney's web site. Some marriage agencies also provide all this information at no cost at their web sites. Even the fact that someone applied to bring a lady to the United States and did so succesfully does not qualify that person to give specific advice to others who may face a different case. An attorney is qualified to give specific information, has experience with many case (not his own only case), and is paid and has interest and obligation to assist you by all means.
(c) How you know that you know everything about your lady's past? an FBI background check is required and for Russia this is not even initiated by the embassy in Moscow, but instead it controlled by the central bureau in Washington DC. Consider that the embassy in Moscow and the central office in DC are not even on the same system (at least they weren't until last year). How you know they will no find something and as a result reject your application? even make a mistake, but you won't know (hey the government never makes mistakes after all). An attorney can dig to find information and represent you in the INS.
In any event, I don't like throwing money out the window, but if I had to do it again, I would again hire an attorney that I feel confident can handle my case. As a disclaimer, I am not an attorney, accountant or golfer. I am not associated with any law firm.
I tend to agree with Frank Vans. When my lady and I were in the US embassy in Moscow in September I asked many questions about the visa process. They were very helpful and gave me good information. I did ask the question about using an attorney, and the response was ...that although he would not tell me to use or not use an attorney, they reassured me that all forms are straight forward and even if you make some mistake or leave out some information your application will not be rejected. They will notify you of the missing information and you will be able to provide what is required. Of course this will result in a few weeks delay. They said fill in the form and include all requested information and you should not have a problem. They also told me processing time in the US was running 4 to 6 months, and that if we were to get married over there add 2 months to that. All information is online at the appropriate US government website and up to date. In case you purchased a kit to do the work yourself. check the website as some of the forms and requested information may have changed.
Neon and Frank,
That gives me hope. I am not made of money and today I called Holmes and Lolly. They wanted $2300 for processing the K1 visa and then there were going to be incidentals that would take this fiancee visa up to almost $3000. I went through the immigration process myself, me being the one on the sharp end. My experience with attorneys then was that they leave things undone, mess up and are very good at convincing you that YOU will screw up filling in straight forward forms. It is true that they have more expertise and are far more familiar with the system but I have met many people who have done there own greencards/marriages successfully.
Yesterday I went to court and got my divorce. It was simple. I paid a paralegal $70 to prepare the papers and $360 to file. The paralegal wanted to sell me a whole package for $400, the advertised price was a come-on. Classic bait and switch. My wife approached an attorney who wanted $1200 just to prepare some papers. I refused to pay or fill them in. Later that 'attorney' demanded payment from my wife for the papers that she led my ex to believe were free. She, on my instructions told her to get stuffed.
So for $430 and 5 minutes flat with a judge I got my complete divorce. Why did I need an attorney??
The moral of this story is that attorneys are very good at manufacturing busness for themselves out of thin air. Thank you Neonred and Frank Vans. I for one believe you and will take a crack at organizing the K1 myself.
I forgot to mention that of course the K1 is only the beginning. Then I need 2 plane tickets and all the gubbins that goes with that. Rack up another $2000 minimum. And remember this is only to get her here for 3 months so we can SEE if we want to get married. 2 weeks in Ekaterinburg isn't going to do it. We will definitely need to spend time together and she needs to see the realities of life in the USA. As most everybody here will know, life in South Florida isn't all sunshine, pina coladas and Mickey Mouse. It is impossible to explain this to someone, they have to see it themselves over as much time as possible. I envy our English friends who get 9 months. A much better deal.
It is quite possible that this might have to be done a couple of times. There are no gurantees that the first time will be the charm. So this starts to take on a mind numbing expensive angle. If the attorney can be eliminated it makes it much easier on the pocket book. I will take a crack at this myself and hope to God I don't make a mistake.
isifaddag, it is good to speak based either on evidence or personal experience. I take that neither the other two gentlemen nor you have had fiancees apply for K1 visa. I agree with you, none is putting a gun to your head to hire a lawyer. It's a convenience and risk avoidance that different people value differently. The $1,500 that I paid to my attorney was money well spent given that I had peace of mind that everything was taken care right the first time.
The "incidentals" that you mentined are the INS and embassy fees that you pay whether you hire a lawyer or not. You are very biased. You are making this sound like everyone wants to rob you.
As a caution, the K1 visa has nothing to do with a green card. K1 is much more complicated process than applying for a permanent visa when she is already here legally. My wife has a green card since last March. I did not hire a lawyer for that and you don't need a lawyer for a green card unless your immigration case has specific issues. The parallel drawn between a K1 visa and issuance of a divorce decree is beyond comments.
In the general context of what you said and how you said, I am getting the impression that for you finding and bringing here a foreign fiancee is a process much like you clean your floors or windows. You cannot count everything down to the last penny. How about your feelings about her and vice versa. Instead of bringing her here and then discover she is not the one why not go a second and third time if necessary and invest in your relationship. You know women are not things, if you want her to come here for you not for the sunny image of South Florida, you got some work to do and I mean not with your money, but as a man.
"In the general context of what you said and how you said, I am getting the impression that for you finding and bringing here a foreign fiancee is a process much like you clean your floors or windows. You cannot count everything down to the last penny. How about your feelings about her and vice versa. Instead of bringing her here and then discover she is not the one why not go a second and third time if necessary and invest in your relationship. You know women are not things, if you want her to come here for you not for the sunny image of South Florida, you got some work to do and I mean not with your money, but as a man."
I have never read such rubbish in my life. Can you read at all ?? I am not trying to count everything down to the last penny. How insulting can you be? I am watching the money though I am not a rich man. I have enough to do this and to support 3 people but I don't have enough to waste on attorneys to fill in a form that I can do myself.
I don't need any lectures from the likes of you mister. I had an attorney (immigration) who because they had no idea what they were doing got me a 10 year ban from the USA. I knew what I was doing they did not. I was right they were wrong. I had to sneek back into the country and take care of business myself so don't tell me I'm "biased" - of course I am. I trusted and paid (and paid) an attorney to totally screw me over. Why because I fell for the "I'm an attorney I know more than you do" line. It isn't true. Do they want to rob you?? Yes absolutely so. Visas etc are a way for governments to steal monmey from travelers. Period.
I am fully aware that a greencard is nothing to do with a K1 visa but they are are coming from the same people and handled by the same attorneys (with the exception of Holmes & Lolly who specialize). There are many similarities.
There is a principle I have highlighted don't you get it??? For your information getting a greencard weather it is done after a marriage or bringing in dsomeone from another country is full of pitfalls and if it isn't done right can end in disaster easily. You were obviously watching what you were doing. I am happy it was successful for you.
You go your way and keep your advice on what I should do to your self and I'll make a point of ignoring it.
I got all the info and forms and took a look at them, and they are not tricky or complicated. And lets face it YOU have to give that very same information to the attorney so HE can have his secretary or para legal fill in the forms, so why can't you do it yourself? Maybe you are not good with following directions or filling out forms or are just afraid. If that is the case....hire the attorney. If you do your homework and have some confidence, why not do it yourself?
Izifaddag, I am in South Florida too, but probably on the other side of the state.
izzi,
i said to you before once that european connections has an attorney here in the states where that is all he does for their business .they never had a problem . i know the owners. no headaches for 1200 dollars. that is who i will use.
izifaddag, since you managed to sneak back into the country, I am sure you have enough experience to sneak in others as well, so don't bother to pay the INS fees either.
Neonred, have you ever used an immigration attorney specializing in K1/K3? - by the way Holmes & Lolly are by no means the only ones specializing on K1/K3, it's just heappens that they are the first ones that pop up on a google or yahoo search.
Of course an attorney at law does not create your information for you. An attorney asks the right questions and you, the client, provide the information. What is the news for you? Of course a $200 or $400 an hour attorney would not type your information on the computer, they have computerized templates and secretaries (surprise!!) to do this tedious tasks. You can do it by yourself, none's putting a gun to your head. I just laid out the pros and cons the way I see them through personal experience. I don't have a problem paying for an attorney, just as I don't have a problem paying for insurance for my car and home. I value the service and the peace of mind. Others choose the "do-it-yourself" approach, nothing wrong with that.
wtrav02,
To answer your questions, not I am not a lawyer. I can read, write and fill out forms correctly the first time. I can do research, which I have done quite a bit of. I am bright and used to completing government speak forms. The forms ask the question and you give the honest and correct answers. It is how youdo it that counts. Lawyers make mistakes.
My K-1 is now on it's way to Moscow. The petition I presented was very, very details and extremely organized for quick review. I wrote an honest 3-page relationship letter. I gave them all the substantiating documents to backup my forms and relationship letter. I am guessing that I spent well over 50 hours or more on doing this correctly. And it was correct. I also wrote a very good, clear and lawyer like cover letter that made processing my application easy and helpful to the processor and the person who downloads the information into the computer. Everything was perfect, including the exact size of her photos.
By profession, I am a clinical social worker and although I can be conned, I am in the business of assessing people. Sure, my lady could be lying to me and if the FBI finds a lie, they did me a favor. Until that time, I trust her and I believe I know what is needed to know. She has led a fairly uninteresting life and they will find nothing except a woman that is educated, bright, hardworking and has never been in trouble or called attention to herself.
I have investigated the actual interviews used in Moscow and I have a very good idea of what they ask and how they ask it. We have anticipated the interview and she is ready. She knows she has to tell the truth and cover anything up. The point is, just be honest!
We have made no mistakes. Everything was researched very well. I have written legal documents before and I have experience in this area. In fact, I was considering running a workshop in how to meet Russian women and get them to USA quickly. I think there is money here and I like the idea of helping other men doing this. I thought $50 course fee for about a 4-hour workshop with handouts including how to complete the forms would be a worthy activity. I would be available for further consultation afterward without crossing the line of a lawyer.
You just have to do you homework first.
So the petition was mailed on October 30 and now it is on the way to Moscow. My lady has all Packet 3 and 4 forms already completed along with the required vaccinations, medical records, all emails, photos, receipts ect. “Huston it is a go!”
"I have investigated the actual interviews used in Moscow and I have a very good idea of what they ask and how they ask it. We have anticipated the interview and she is ready. She knows she has to tell the truth and cover anything up. The point is, just be honest!"
Frank Vans, I am glad that is going well for you. If you're into it, you should begin giving the courses, why not make some money on what you know. There's plenty of others out there doing the same thing. Even hiring a lawyer, I had to learn all the stuff that you learned. As I said, for me hiring an attorney was essential to reduce my risk of a delay. I didn't have a problem paying for this, it can be done without an attorney, I just chose to hire an attorney. Good luck with her interviews.
frank et al, i am just jumping into this same situation and any and all insight would be helpful, especially regarding the interview process. i am attempting to bring my brazilian lady to the US. i would hate to screw this up. feel free to contact me at thewindtraveler@yahoo.com.
I am using an attorney for all the same reasons you did. I fill out gov. forms everyday and the peace of mind plus the "Money back Garrantee" is what I chose. Life is too busy and time too precious to make any mistakes with my beloved. I hope she will be here this fall.