Hello there,

Could anyone with experience applying for the K1 Visa shed some light on their experience of notarising documents? I live in the UK and have applied for this visa to move to the US in Jan last year. Am still in the stages of collecting the correct paperwork before telling them ready for the interview.

In the link sent from the Embassy's approval letter, within the Affidavit of Support section, it says that any tax returns need to be notarized. My fiance has a 16-page tax return. Which pages of this tax return do they need to see? Does the tax return really need to be notarised?

In the UK, getting documents notarised isn't as common as in the US, and in the IV-15K checklist, it states that if it's been longer than 4 months, myself and my fiance need to write an updated intent of marriage statement which needs to be notarised. Has anyone needed to do this? I asked my bank, Natwest this morning, if they do this and they don't...

Any help anyone can offer would be really appreciated...

Thank you.

From what I remember, for my application, the only document that had to be notarised was the I-134/Affadavit of Support, which was one my fiancee had filled in and therefore she was able to get it notarised at work very easily.

They will need to see all pages of the tax return if it is a supporting document for the I-129F or I-134 but re-read the instructions to make sure they say the tax docs need to be notarised, or if it is just where your fiancee signs the I-134.

Either way, the only docs that will need a notary stamp will be those that your fiancee will be completing in the US, since it is they who are submitting the petition (I-129F). The things you are providing (biographical information form, letter of intent et cetera) will be included in that packet and so can be notarised in the US.

Slightly waffly, and based on memories of an application done 5 years ago, but I hope I helped

1. Regarding the tax returns, they do not need to be notarized. Instead of a 16-page photocopy, your fiancee could get free IRS transcripts which are official and use much less paper. But even the 16-page copy does not need to be notarized.

2. Your fiancee can easily write an updated letter of intent and get it notarized in the USA. I know notarizing is not as popular in the UK, and your signature would have to be notarized by a US Notary anyway, so you can write yours and then mention to the ConOff at your interview that you need to sign it before a US notary public. The consulate should have one on hand, or the ConOff might waive the updated letter requirement altogether.

Rene

The OP is beyond this stage now, it seems. The I-129F has already been approved and he is heading towards the interview.

Rene

I apologise - I misread the initial post. That combined with my own memory of the docs that needed to be notarised on my own app led me to mis-advise the OP.

I think I need my own version of Mr. Folinsky's disclaimer: "advice only valid if I read the bloody posts properly"

Thank you SultanOfSwing and Rene for responding to me so quickly.

Yes, I am past the I-129F stage and am now just collecting the DS-156, DS-156K, DS-157 and DS-230 forms. That combined with the IV-15K checklist of documents will make me ready for interview.

That's great to know that I can get my marriage of intent letter notarised by a US Notary and therefore have a notary on hand at the Embassy. Phew! That means I won't have to find a notary in the UK.

My fiance and I are very excited to be reaching the interview stage....he's as keen to see me again as I am to see him.

Thanks again!

Nam-anh

Comment: Why do people assume that government information is correct? The instruction to notarize a tax return is impossible to comply with. There is no such thing as a "notarized" tax return.

Exactly, S Folinsky! That's why we questioned it. But if it's on their website, and I'm applying to enter their country, I at least needed to consider it. Thank goodness for this forum, which allows me to find out from fellow successful recipients of the visa.

Comment: I do believe that both the United States and the UK are parties to the Hague Convention on documents.

I think it meant that the tax return as to be notarized before it is presented to the Embassy, rather than meaning that the return was notarized when it was issued. Did that make sense?

Anyway, that aside - best of luck with your interview, narian. There's been a bunch of K1 interviews lately it seems. I did the K1 myself - it won't be long until you both see each other again

Thanks SultanOfSwing! That's encouraging for sure...

Re the tax return, yes I understood what you meant. My fiance got it notarised today just in case.

Thanks to the replies today I think I'm ready for document submission. Will keep you posted once I get the visa!

Please do . If you don't mind me asking, where are you going to be moving to in the US?

Oh, not at all. My fiance lives in Houston, Texas. He and I have been together for a wee while now and it's just a good feeling to know that the completion of this process means we won't have those challenging goodbyes again. What's Illnois like?

Illinois is OK. I'm 55 miles north of Chicago here, maybe 10 miles from the Wisconsin state line. Where I live is still mainly urban, but a little west you get into more farm land. Lots of lakes - quite pretty but I miss the hills of NI and the Antrim coast. Never thought I'd miss the ocean because I took it for granted that it was always there . I do love Chicago itself, when I do get the chance to go there. I haven't seen too much outside of the greater Chicago area, and SE Wisconsin though. I've been up to Canada to visit my mate from school, but I'm dying to explore more of the US now I've been here 5 years!

The weather is fun here too - goes from 100 degree heat in the summer to snow in the winter and all stops in between. Think in total we had almost 5' fell on our street this year!

Yep, me too! Illnois sounds lovely. Am keen to visit that State and the other natural wonders the US has to offer. Houston too has extremes of hot and cold, although not as much snow as I'm used to in the UK. As long as Christmas isn't one by the hot sun I think Houston will be grand.