Hilary

Hi everyone,
I mailed my petition for my fiance yesterday. I am now worrying about
getting for forms ready for the next phase with the US Embassy in
Peru. I went down to the INS office in Atlanta a week ago to get some
questions answered and to get the forms he would need so we can go
ahead and fill them out. They don't have those forms. Is there
anyone out there that's dealing with the embassy in Lima that might
have any information on their procedures? I have already checked
their website and I am not impressed with the info provided. Also, is
there anyway to get those forms sent to me or him? I have the
affadivit of support forms ( I don't understand why there are 2
different ones. ) Also, I wonder if anyone knows what immunizations he
will need? It is said it depends on age and country. We composed a
letter the other day for him to send to the consulate requesting this
information. I don't know if he has sent it or not. Also, is the TSC
moving backwards on their work with the I-129F? I saw the date go
backwards! Okay enough rambling. I could go on forever!
Thanks and Good Luck to all!
Hilary

MarthaMujica

pls write me back - this is Martha - I need to get in touch with you please about the forms you provided for Ernesto to the Consulate in Lima last year.
you have my email address - If possible - I'll try to find you on the chat tonight.
Thank you

Hypertweeky

Hey Hilary!!

These are the forms included in packet 3 for me (Notice I went thru Madrid, Spain, It might be different in Peru )
DS-156 (Duplicated, Do NOT sign or date it until the interview)
DS-157 (They sent this form to me even though I am a female, it is only required for Males)
DS-230 Part I
I-134 (Affidavit of support)
Go to www.visapro.com and do a search under the forms I listed

They also sent me a checklist with all the documentation I needed to bring to the interview.
Have he got his police certificate?, he might want to get that now, I have heard in some countries it takes up to 2 months to get it.
As for the immunizations he will need, don't worry about it, if he is missing any, he will get them at his medical exam.
When I went for my medical exam, the Dr asked me for my vaccination history, does he have it?.

Hope that helps!!

WiAnSiempre

Hi Hilary and welcom to the group My fiance is also from Peru and we are also going through the TSC. I just received an RFE last Friday, so hoping to get an approval soon. You're right the Peru website does not give a lot of information for the K-1 visa. Also, there seems to be very few of us out there Ok, on to your questions:

I don't think Lima is going to send the packet to your fiance until they receive the case from the NVC. However, I was able to get Packet 3 for my fiance when I was there visiting in October. I just went to the consulate and asked them

Here is what is in Packet 3 (all the forms are in Spanish)

Instructions - which is the checklist that he will need to send back as soon as he receives Packet 3 and has all his documentation.
Form 179 Biograficos - this he will send with the checklist. It is a very old form they are using - (the equivalent of the DS230 Part 1)
OF-156 - 2 copies - don't sign (the equivalent of the DS156)
OF-156k - (equivalent of the DS156k)

For his interview he will also need the following:

The Affidavit of Support - Form I-134- this comes from you and has to be a notarized original along with your supporting documentation, i.e. bankstatements, Tax returns, employer letter.

Passport - must be current and have at least 6 months left on it.
Birth Certificate
Police Certificate (s)
Photographs (like passport)
Evidence of your relationship
Medical exam results

We have not received Packet 4 yet of course. Packet 4 is the Medical Exam info. There are 3 doctors in Lima who do the exams.

I don't think you need to worry about the immunizations. He will get what he needs at his exam. The Medical exam costs $85 dollars by the way.

Here is a website that tracks the K-1 petitions at TSC. It is Very informative. You can see what dates they are actually working on.

http://macallan.homeunix.org/bcis/

Hope that helps some and Good Luck.

Angela

WiAnSiempre

Hey Hyper I don't know about Hilary, but my fiance has no vaccination record. He only received vaccines when he was an infant. Peru doesn't keep very good records of things

Chao,
Angela

Hypertweeky

I am sorry girlie!!

Why dont you give the Dr who will do the medical to your fiancee and ask if he really needs it?, Every consulate is different

Take care and have a nice weekend!

utopiacowboy

Wow, that was a great post! Very informative for anyone going through Peru - the embassy's web site there is not very good. I love your pictures! Buena suerte!

C Allan Rofer

This may be slightly off topic, but it might be interesting.

I just got a K1 visa for my beautiful fiancée from Perú! We started the
application process on May 1, 2003 and received the visa stamp on her
passport in January, 2004.

There were several complications regarding interviews at the embassy in
Lima:

1. Olga's interview was scheduled at 7:30AM, before the embassy officially
opens. At that time, the guards are in complete control of the entrance, and
they would not let her in, even with an appointment on official
stationery.( I would suggest that you request an interview time during
normal working hours -- 8:00AM to 4:00PM but not on Friday). I called the
embassy and got her interview rescheduled for the next week. At the new time
the next week, they would not let her in because her official appointment
paper was for the "wrong date" (DOH!). Olga immediately called me on the
cell phone (4AM my time) and I immediately called the embassy, told the
vice-consul that she was waiting outside, and the "consul assistant" ran
outside to let her in. I am not sure she would have been let in otherwise.
THE GUARDS RULE THE ENTRANCE AND THE EMBASSY PERSONNEL DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS
GOING ON OUTSIDE.

2. After Olga's interview in Lima, the vice-consul said that one more
interview was necessary, and that I (from California) needed to be there (in
Lima) for the interview. It took me a month to get a reasonably-priced
flight, and I arrived there in January. We had many fewer problems with the
guards, which I attribute to my flashing the US passport around them (they
are hired locally and treat the local Peruvians badly).

The vice consul explained that there was "a lot of fraud" in Perú regarding
K1 visas, so the extra precaution of talking with me personally was
necessary. Sidebar: the vice-consul insisted on chatting with me in Spanish
for 5 or 10 minutes, to ensure that I was able to communicate with Olga. If
I were unable to speak Spanish, I might not have been successful.

MORAL: the person with the passport should personally deal with the US
Embassy personnel. They treat the native Peruvians with much less respect (I
am tempted to say "contempt") than they treat the citizen. I was always able
to get through (8AM to 10AM Lima time only for telephone calls), and they
invariably were helpful. For Olga, the experience of dealing with the
embassy without me was invariably humiliating.

After all the wait, I am now floating on air, waiting only for my fiancée to
arrive from Lima.

Best of luck to you, and I hope you succeed in your K1 quest.

Allan Rofer

"MarthaMujica" <member9593@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > pls write me back - this is Martha - I need to get in touch with you
    > please about the forms you provided for Ernesto to the Consulate in Lima
    > last year.
    > you have my email address - If possible - I'll try to find
    > you on the chat tonight.
    > Thank you
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

WiAnSiempre

Thanks for this post. I found out the same thing when I went there in October. The guards were more than happy to let me in and smiled when I showed them my passport, but they gave a dirty look to my fiance and he had to wait outside. Anyway, this is the reason I plan on going to Peru for his interview. They told me on the phone that I don't have to be there but that I am welcome if I want. I am going to make sure nothing happens like what happened to your fiance.

One thing I'm confused about though - I don't understand why they Made you come for a second interview?? I have never heard of this happening. I have talked to a few people in the last few months that had the interview and they were fine - they received the Visa the next day - the vice-consule did not ask to meet the US fiance?? That is strange, but it makes me even more sure that I need to go to be with him. Could you post what kinds of questions they asked your fiance in the interview?

Thanks,
Angela

Hypertweeky

Hey Angela!!

I noticed a few days ago about your slide show, It rocks!!, I love the pictures, you two look so happy together!
I wish you a speedy process!
As for the mean security guards.. FART!! FART!!!

WiAnSiempre

THANKS! Hyper Can I borrow some of your hot air when I go to Peru for the interview??...please... Put those guys right in their place!

Chao,
Angela

C Allan Rofer

-- Why did the embassy in Lima ask for a second interview?
I don't know for sure, but they SAID, "We invited you here because there is
a lot of fraud in Perú with K1 visas".

-- What kind of questions did they ask?
We chatted in Spanish about my work, my home and my family (I have two sons
and I am a widower). This part was innocuous and I suspect was just to test
my mastery of the language (not great, but not bad, either).

When it came to questions asked of each of us individually, here are some of
them as I remember:
* On what date did you propose to Olga? (I flunked this one)
* What hotels did you stay in when you were traveling together in the US?
* How often do you call Olga? (almost every night... I have a calling card
that costs $.02 per minute California to Lima: www.cloncom.com -- the
cyclone card)
* How many sisters/brothers does Olga have?
* When is Olga's birthday?
* Are you planning to divorce Olga? (asked when I said I had a prenuptial
agreement)
* How, when and where did you meet exactly?

I had numerous documents such as photos of us together, cards received from
Olga, bills for telephone cards, emails, etc., but she never asked for any
of them. It was ALL verbal.

I think the key theme is: do you know who your fiance(e) is and something
about their life. It is also about your time spent together. Olga was asked
my work address, for example, which was difficult for her.

If you have a genuine relationship, try to memorize the essential life facts
about each other and you will do fine. It does not hurt to offer that you
are in love and demonstrate the extent of your commitment through your
words. Sincerity will come across and impress anyone, even a vice consul.

utopiacowboy

It's good to hear that LOVE still works. When you get right down to it, that is really what this is all about. I don't know if the people in the consulate forget about this fact in their obsession with marriage fraud. Personally I am willing to let a few fraudulent marriages slip through if that is the price to be paid for letting all the legitimate ones pass scrutiny. I really hate the feeling that some bureaucrat in Bogota can decide if my wife can live in the US or not. If not for the dangers inherent in life in Colombia for a gringo, I would say the hell with it and move to Colombia!

avi8tornole

Hi there,
First of all, it's nice to find more people that are dealing with Lima. I was pretty lonely when my husband and I went through this process, and I am glad everyone has gotten together to communicate information about this post. With that said, I will agree with the poster who had issues with Lima. I met my fiance while working in Peru. I was lucky because I was in Lima just about once a week for 2 years, and I went to his interview because I didn't want him to go through this on his own. The US Embassy uses intimidation as a tactic each and everyday. I have witnessed it first hand, and it's not something I wanted my husband to face without me there to support and protect him. I have no doubt that my blond hair and blue eyes and US passport made our process much easier and faster at least while dealing with the interview. I think it's incredible that they asked Allan to go to Lima for a second interview. However, since I was there for the interview with Ernesto I would agree that we were asked questions about our lives and they were pointed questions to find out if we really knew eachother. At one point Ernesto had gone for a tourist visa when we first met so he could come see life in the US and who I am when I am not at work or on Peruvian soil, but he was denied the visa. It was very disappointing, but I think it was evident to the bureaucrat interviewing us that we had spent plenty of time together and knew eachother well.
So, this process might not be easy, and it might make all of us want to strangle the BCIS it was worth it in the end. I am with my husband and we are happy. Despite the crap we have gone through to be together.
Good luck to all!
Hilary & Ernesto