Kirsten21173

Can anyone tell me the costs of the fiancee visas and all ohther costs endured from medicals etc -Kirsten

Noorah101

Hi Kirsten,

Check out www.uscis.gov. Read up on "how do I bring my fiance to the USA", and "forms and fees".

The medical will vary in cost depending on where you live, and what doctor you go to.

Rene

Noorah101

OK, I was bored so I looked it up. LOL

I-129F = $165
Visa Fee = usually $100
Medical = depends on the doctor
If fingerprints are necessary at the interview = $70

This is the least expensive part of the whole process.

After the alien comes to the USA, he/she must Adjust Status (AOS). That part runs about $775 for AOS, EAD (work authorization) and AP (travel document).

Rene

Kirsten21173

Thank you for your help its all very confusing ,do you know how quickly you have to apply for the Adjust Status form and how quickly it comes through and can it be paid in installments

scrubbedexpat099

Once you Marry, you apply to adjust status.

You can miss AP if you do not want to travel outside US.

No instalments

I think you can plead poverty and get a waiver but not sure if that applies to a K.

The fees are a small part of the overall cost anyway.

Kirsten21173

Hi there - Thank you for your reply did you use a lawyer at all at any point ,would you be able to give me a rough outline of all the over all costs -Kirsten

scrubbedexpat099

I did not, I think I replied to you other post, never thought to do so and would not with the benefit of hindsight, seen too many simple cases messed up by lawyers. I would have wanted to check everything they did so what's the point, most use para legals for this work and I probably know more than they do, I certainly had more interest in getting it right.

But each to their own.

I never added up the total cost, I would be horrified by the total, but:

Lost Earnings
Moving costs
Air Fares
Wedding costs
Engagement Ring
Selling and Buying Cars

etc etc

All the above were a lot more than the fees, plus there were many more incidentals to the actual visa process, getting documents, copying, postage etc.

Noorah101

You have to get married within 90 days of entering the USA. The soon the better, so you can get going on the AOS for your green card, and work authorization, social security number, drivers license, etc.

How quickly "it" comes through depends on what you are talking about. Are you talking about how quickly the K-1 visa comes through, or the green card?? The K-1 visa takes roughly 6 - 8 months to get. The green card can be anywhere from 4 months to 2 years, depending on where you live in the USA.

No, you can't pay in installments. All fees are due in full along with each application.

There is plenty out there to read on the topic of bringing your fiance to the USA. www.uscis.gov, www.visajourney.com, and the FAQs at the top of this very forum. If you're planning to not use a lawyer, you'll need to do a LOT of research on your own.

Rene

Kirsten21173

Thank you for your help ,when i get my adjust to status visa does this mean i can get my work visa or do i have to wait for my green card for that -Kirsten

Noorah101

If you add up the costs I mentioned earlier, you'll see it comes to a total of about $1,110.00 just for the USCIS fees. That doesn't include the medical and any other expenses you might have, which will be specific to your situation, such as travel expenses, hotel (if you are traveling to your visa interview), traveling to America, the vaccination supplement done here in the USA, immigration photos, photocopies of documents, there are so many little miscellaneous items.

But, for the whole process K-1 to green card, if you allow about $2,000 for the basic USCIS fees and such, I'd say you'd be close to OK. Time-wise the whole time frame could be anywhere from 1 to 3 years to complete.

Rene

Noorah101

The Adjustment of Status is not a visa. Your K-1 will be your visa. AOS means the process of getting your green card. You'll be getting a work permit (not visa) about 90 days after you apply for it, once you get to the USA, get married, and apply for AOS.

Earlier you asked whether you need a lawyer for all of this. I'm leaning towards "yes" in your case, in my opinion. So far, it doesn't seem like you've read the links we've provided...?

Rene

ian-mstm

The fact that you have asked a lot of rapid-fire questions, indicates that you have not read the FAQ in the root post of the forum. Most of your answers are there. There's also a "search" feature where you can enter a few key words and be provided with previous links where, so far, every question you have asked has already been answered. While we enjoy spoon feeding tremendously, and nothing gives us more pleasure than to answer simple questions that have been answered hundreds of times previously, there really is no substitute for doing a bit of research on your own first! I'll add here that perhaps the time to worry about adjustment of status is after you have the visa in your hand. There is a lot of paperwork to be filed during the course of the immigration process and, pretty soon, the stuff starts to get all jumbled together inside a person's head... so... one step at a time. Also, there is a substantial cost to the process as you've no doubt become aware. If you have to ask about installments, then perhaps you're not financially stable enough to start the process.

Ian

Kirsten21173

Hello Ian - All I am doing is asking questions I am slowly going through all the links and all the research ,this is all new to me .I am fully aware that this is going to be costly ,I was merely asking if instalments where heard of this does not have anything to do with my status of my financial situation.I want to be fully prepared of what is a life changing area for me and my partner.That is why I ask questions I am sorry if it looks like I am being spoon fed ,but better ask questions to learn more is my theory thats why I joined this forum I thought it a place to be helped.

Rete

Kirsten

Frankly, if cost is the only issue you have with obtaining either of the two visas you are asking about then you might have major problems.

There are many hidden costs involved in all processing. The costs involved are not just CIS/DOJ fees but costs regarding obtaining required documentation, copying of documents, mailing costs, medical costs, vaccinations if missing, police certificates (they do cost in some rare instances), travel costs to either the US Consulate involved and/or the district office for the CIS stateside (i.e., transportation, hotels, food), a rough estimate for a fiancee visa from the US for a UK fiancee would run about $800 - $1,000. And that does not include AOS here in the US after arrival and marriage.

The process for all visas is listed and explained in the FAQ housed at:


www.visajourney.com


I strongly suggest you visit there, read about the various methods and all the ins and outs and requirements and then coming back and asking away. It is simplier to get a handle on the procedures if you have at least the rudiments set in your mind as to what is required.

As for your information, having an attorney handle any of it, is, in most instances, beneficial for any number of reasons but it is possible to do-it-yourself if you are organized, efficient, unflappable and patient.

Rete

We glad to welcome you aboard. However, Ian is 100% correct and I posted that just before this one. Read the FAQ. You cannot just ask one question because that leads to 4 more. And it is difficult to give you a simple answer to just one question without having to touch on 6 more unasked questions.

The FAQ was set up 8 years ago to assist the newbie such as yourself in getting a grip on the situation and then come back and ask any and all questions you may have. There are many knowledgeable people here who have been there, done that, and survived.

My next suggestion to you is to NOT get defensive or be offended by Ian's or mine remarks. Written communication on a newsgroup is not like speaking in person. It is difficult to ascertain the kindness in another's voice.