K1 Visa - When did you apply?

[SarahLouiise]

Hi, i was just wondering how soon people applied for a visa? Im looking to apply for the K1 visa. It costs a lot so just want to make sure im doing everything right

Im thinking if people apply after a month, they'll get declined because it may look suspicious. So how long do you suggest i wait until i apply? (I have known my SO longer than that, just an example).

Weve only met once & didnt take ANY photos!.. If we have proof of plane tickets will this be okay?
Hes currently in the army but if he gets his 2weeks leave he said he'll try & come to London to see me. If not ill be going to the US when he get back from Afghanistan. If we take photos then, will that be okay?

Thanks

[Riyko]

Since you two haven't really been dating very long and don't have any photos that could be a problem and even only having a set of photo's from one visit isn't going to help. You need photo's from different places and times and it's best to have photos with each others families ect.

One of my good friends is dating a guy from Ireland (but he's been living in england since he was 5) and they tried to get him a K1 well they turned it down the first time and they have had many visits and have been dating since 2009, well about 5 days ago he got approved for his K1. This time they had photo's from over 6 different visits before they only had photos from 3 visits.

[SarahLouiise]

Ive known him since May 2010. Yeah, i guess!.. Grrr, wish we took pictures.. I guess ill just have plan loads of visits! ha .. hate the waiting.. thank you

[LotusWing]

Try to find out if he fulfill the requirement for the K1.
You need lots of evidence for your relationship though. You need lots of pictures, letters, messages (also MSN, SKYPE etc), phone call bills, and many more. You should read more about the K1. It is best that you two have seen each other or visited each other few times, and been dating less than 2 years.
You dated him since May 2010, so maybe it's too early for a K1. Try to visit each other more often because K1 (Fiance Visa) is one little step to marriage. I know you hate the waiting, cause I hate that too lol. Take lots of pictures and save all the plane tickets, letters etc. All that you can use as evidence. Remember that you need a pile of evidence that has to be about 10 cm thick. Otherwise read more about K1 online.
I wish you good luck

[mllebamako]

I don't really think it's "too early" other than the fact that you don't have much evidence. If you and he feel ready to be married, then I don't think it would look suspicious since it's almost been a year. If it was a month, than yes probably suspicious.

Make sure to start saving everything. On your next visit(s), take lots of pictures. Also focus on primary evidence: save plane ticket stubs, itineraries, make copies to stamps and visas in passports, if you stay in a hotel save that receipt, if you use ATMs in his country- save those receipts. For the first part of the K1 (I-129f) this is the most important: proving that you have seen each other in person in the past 2 years. So all those things I mentioned plus photos.
For the second part of K1 (embassy interview) you will need more proof of a continuing relationship, so everything already mentioned plus skype/phone bills, letters, etc.

Have you joined VisaJourney? That site is a goldmine of visa information.

[garnet]

We waited 11 months from the day we started dating. We waited 6 months from the first meeting. You only need one meeting. They don't care how many visits you've had. They just want proof that you met within the last two years, in person. No pictures likely would not work.

On your next visit, do try and get pictures taken on more than one day, wearing different clothes, in different locations. Pics with friends and/or family would be good but not a requirement. Save everything. Save any sort of tickets or receipts from your trip. Things with dates are great. Save your travel itinerary. The proof of your plane tickets will be good (from the first meet, and all future meets) to have, hang on to it. If you can exchange snail mail, start scanning envelopes, take pictures of box tops with postage. Save emails, chats, phone bills.

IMO, the amount of time you've been dating is not an issue. The only problem is your lack of pictures. A plane ticket does not prove that you met in person. That is what they want to see when you first send the K1 packet away.

[SarahLouiise]

We talk on the phone for HOURS!.. But i use a calling card so i call a number then put in his number.. So on my bill it wont come up with his number that i called, itll be the calling card number.. Also, when i call him via the calling card it shows as private / blocked number.. I dont know how to work round that?..
Im going to see if i can stay with his family for 90days in september. Surely that will help us? as we'd have spent alot of time together & i would've stayed with his family.
Hes in the army so money to support me shouldnt be a problem. & i dont have bad credit or a criminal record. I guess i just need more evidence.
We email each other atleast 50times a day on facebook so i guess ill just have to start printing. I have the flight ticket but i doubt he would've kept his.

Thank you for the replies

[Rane]

Make sure that you don't print out a lot of emails though, just pick key ones, both to and from one another, at differing dates in your relationship. They don't like to see a lot, more just a variety of different evidence. Garnet is more of the expert on it though, she did mega loads of reading up on it to make sure that everything was just right. ...And she also did basically 100% of the paperwork besides my signature. :P

On a side note, for your plan to visit his family for 90 days in September, prepare yourself that you may have some resistance, or may even have to change your flight plans later on. I had planned a 3 month visit to see Garnet on our second trip, we figured we barely get to see each other, and it was a terrible time to find work, so it seemed like a good opportunity to get some quality time together. However, the Immigration officer saw this as a red flag, pulled me into the back room, and grilled me to the point where when I finally got out, they had reduced my trip to 1 month, to which I had to pay for changing my return flight, and I missed my connecting flight just barely, so they had to reschedule my next two flights (Which at least that they did free of charge). None of this could happen to you at all, I just thought I would share my experience so that you're prepared for the possibility. >.<

[SarahLouiise]

Rane; Thank you so much for that.. Im being made redundant so ill have enough money to support myself whilst im there.. But i watch these immigration programs all the time.. (I want to become an immigration officer).. & if they see i have no job to come back home for they could decline me entry for 90days.. But ive been america 3times since July last year & ive never missed a returning flight so hopefully that would work at my advantage.. Ive been america 9times all together but ive renewed my passport since then so have no stamps from those trips.. If youre allowed to stay in the US for 90days i dont see why they could do that.. (if it was the US you were traveling to).. I guess ill just have to see .. But thank you so much, your post was very useful

[garnet]

Rane has been to the US a number of times as well. It doesn't matter. It was pretty clear his officer was on a power trip. You can't prevent that crap. Just have to be prepared for the possibility of it.

[SarahLouiise]

Garnet; Thank you.. The UK give out visas like theyre Mc Donalds coupons.. But the US arent so easy.. Grrrr!.. I guess ill just go for like 6weeks & hopefully be allowed entry for that length of time

[KatyCakes10]

Rane and my SO must have had the same person because the guy did the same thing to Kyle. He had already bought his flight back, had proof that he had to start work, but the person put said he could only stay a month. I'm pretty sure he was on a power trip. Now we try to avoid that airport.

[Rane]

Rane and my SO must have had the same person because the guy did the same thing to Kyle. He had already bought his flight back, had proof that he had to start work, but the person put said he could only stay a month. I'm pretty sure he was on a power trip. Now we try to avoid that airport.

Don't suppose he was going Can --> US at the Seattle PoE? Lol. :P

[KatyCakes10]

Lol No. It was from Canada to the US through Toronto PoE

[Rane]

Well I'm sure there are many insufficiently endowed officers that can't afford fancy cars out there...

(Oh, AND, he and his partner made me log into my gmail account and went searching through it, which I'm told after the fact was a complete violation of my rights. But I won't get into all that again. :P)