meauxna

Seeing as how there are so many of you just getting your cases going, I thought it would be good to have a place to put all that unwritten practical advice that you'll never find on a government webpage.

Like:
Make a 'shadow copy' of your entire immigration file as you're going along. Anything you submit to CIS/DOS/et al, keep a photocopy for yourself, even if you're retaining the original.
You'll be reusing a lot of that obscure information (mother's birth place?!).

When sending forms, always send the original form; retain a photocopy for yourself.
When sending evidence, always send a copy; take the original to the interview and retain a photocopy for yourself.

Signing forms in blue ink is a good way to show it's an original signature & not a scan or copy (thanks to MDUdall for bringing that to the group).

Paperclips and staples are usually sufficient for putting your submissions together. Bulldog clips are your friend for big bundles.

SAVE the "NOA2" Notice of Approval--the US citizen fiance receives this when the petition is approved, and you will need it for your eventual Adjustment of Status/AOS application.

Read other people's posts, especially recent K-1 applicants. People have left a trail of their experiences so you can learn from their victories and errors.

The 'search' feature at the top right corner of the forum home page will answer your common questions.. someone else has already asked, trust me.

Post your own mileposts and tips in the forum to benefit all!

Looking forward to the AR Club members additions to this thread; please don't post your questions here unless it's to clarify a Tip someone posts.

meauxna

Oh, thought of another common one...

When at your medical examination, ask for your own copy of DS-3025 (vaccination worksheet) and keep it for your AOS application.

meauxna

Maybe some of the recent interview folks have something to add to this most excellent thread.

PepsiChic

Heres a checklist I had created for my K1 stuff:

K1 Checklist

Main Documents
Your Passport
Your Full Birth certificate
8 Colour US passport sized photographs (just incase i need spares)
NOA2 (I-129F approval notice) and Packet 3 letter
Letter of Intent to Marry (with updates on wedding dress and venues etc)
Relationship Evidence including - photos, plane ticket stubs and itinerary, hotel receipts, phone bills
APCO Police Certificates (2 copies to be safe)


USC Sponsor
2 copies of sponsors detail page of passport/birth certificate
I-134 Form completed and signed by USC and bank
Bank Letter (date account opened, current balance, total deposited in last 12 months)Latest 6 months of bank statements
Latest 3 Tax Return Transcripts
Letter from Employment (stating date work started, position, salery etc) and signed and dated by manager)Latest 6 months of pay stubs.
Proof of Assets (savings, property etc)

Joint Sponsor (If needed)
2 copies of joint sponsor birth certificate
I-134 Form complete and signed by joint sponsor
letter from bank
6 months worth bank statements
Latest 3 Tax Return Transcripts
Letter of Employment
Latest 6 months worth of paystubs
Proof of Assets

2 photocopies of EVERYTHING, the originals and 1 set of photocopies to take to the interview. the second set of photocopies to stay at home "just in case".

Hopefully this list is still good I did my K1 May/June 2009

ChelseaDagger

In no particular order:

Start working on K-1 requirements as soon as fiance(e) has mailed I-129F (you can find them on here using the search function). This will give you plenty of time to get everything ready in advance of you receiving "packet 3" instructions from Embassy. You can request ACPO & long form birth cert straight away. Work on ensuring that you meet the vaccination criteria as required by Embassy appointed doctors; this may take a while, especially if you need a course of injections that must be administered over a period of time - NHS had lost my childhood records so had to have those all again! Of course, most were free on NHS so make use of that service while you can!

Ensure you leave your cell (mobile) phone at one of the pharmacies on either side of the Embassy; the last thing you want is to get to the line, only to be told to go back, drop phone, then join the end of the line again - unless of course you come as a couple, they allowed one to stand in line and the other to deposit phones while I was there.

Wear warm clothing in winter! It could get cold standing in line outside for long periods of time, not to mention the wind and rain. There is no protection from the elements there.

Take something to read. Most of your time in the Embassy is spent waiting. There is no TV to watch in there, no cell phones allowed. You may get bored easily otherwise!

Following successful visa appointment, ensure you have a bank card/check(cheque) to pay for the courier service, they don't accept cash.

mystasia

Question on the USC Sponser documents needed.

The instructions for the affidavit of support only list for supporting evidence:

A. Statment from the bank
B. Statment of your employer
C. Documents if Self Employed
D. List containing serial numbers and denominations of bonds and name of record owners.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-134instr.pdf


So why is it mentioned to have copies of my passport, birth certificate, 3 years tax transcripts, last 6 months of paystubs?

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...v/docs169.html

Per the Londoon US Embassy website it also doesnt state needing the above documents.

Noorah101

Because often times, it's been other people's experiences, that the ConOff asks for more documentation than the I-134 or the embassy website mentions.

The birth certificate/passport copy is to prove that you are a USC. A US PR could include a photocopy of his/her green card. I believe only a USC or US PR can be a sponsor, unless the K-1 applicant is "self sponsoring".

The 3 years tax transcripts is not an I-134 requirement, it's an embassy requirement for the visa.

Last 6 months (or even just a few recent) paystubs just helps your case with more solid documentation of your current earnings.

Rene