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To obtain a fiance visa, the parties to the application must show that they have a genuine loving relationship. Proof of their relationship must be supplied to USCIS along with the initial fiance visa forms and other required documents.   Good proof typically consists of pictures showing the parties together, love letters and cards, phone and email records, and a personal letter describing how you met and what caused you to fall in love. Its also important to submit the traveler’s passport pages so you can show USCIS that you met and spent time together during the required 2 year period preceding the filing of your fiance visa application.

If you have any questions about the fiance visa or wish to speak with me about your marriage plans, please feel free to call me. All consultations are free. You can reach me at 1-888-515-3529.

Attorney Jeff Pettys

I recently did an internet search using the following two key word phrases; Fiance Visa and Fiance Visa Attorney. I wanted to see who was advertising on the internet for this type of immigration service. I was dismayed to see so many non-lawyers and visa service companies practicing law and listed next to my law firm and other experienced attorneys. I reviewed several of these visa service sites and came away with a few important observations; they all have very low prices, vague descriptions of their real experience, no obvious accountability for mistakes, no authority to give legal advice to their clients, no authority to work with the Immigration agencies involved with obtaining a fiance or marriage visa for a client, and no law degree listed.

I was someone who once needed to hire an Immigration Attorney to help my wife become a Legal Permanent Resident some 30 years ago, and I am also someone who has been in the practice of law for more than 20 years. As such, I can tell you that such low costs solutions are risky.

I am sure each of these low cost visa service companies can point to a successful case of theirs and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones if you hire them, but you should consider the following before cutting corners on something as important as a fiance visa and marriage:

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Applicants for a K1 Fiance Visa or a CR1 Marriage Visa must submit to a medical exam before the US Embassy will issue them their visa. In the Philippines, this medical exam must be done at St. Lukes Medical Center, Extension Clinic in Manila, Philippines.  The link for this site is: http://www.slec.ph/#.

You can find all the information that you need to prepare for your medical exam by visiting their web site. The site will list the documents that you must bring as well as all of the requirements and procedures that you can expect. Applicants for a Fiance Visa or a Marriage Visa are taken on a first come first serve basis. The reception area opens at 6 am, but for those who come early, the guards may allow applicants to enter the clinic as early as 4:30am.

If you have any questions about obtaining a Fiance Visa or a Marriage Visa, feel free to call me anytime to discuss. You can reach me at 1-888-515-3529.

When applying for a K1 Fiance Visa, I recommend that both parties, the petitioner and beneficiary of a fiance visa, write their own letter to USCIS describing how they met and what caused them to fall in love. Be sure to also describe what you did together when you met in person as required by Immigration and what about each other attracts you to one another. This is important because your letter is the best opportunity for you to share with Immigration the truth of your love story. Remember, the sole basis for your K1 fiance visa application is that you are in love. As important as this is, it is also important that you state your intention to get married within 90 days after the arrival of your fiance. I suggest that you state your intention to get married within 90 days of your fiances arrival at the end of your letter.

If you have any questions about the K1 Fiance Visa or wish to discuss your fiance or marriage visa  plans, feel free to call me anytime. You can reach me at 1-888-515-3529.

Attorney Jeff Pettys

Every Petitioner for a K1 Fiance Visa must file an I-134 Affidavit of Support form along with a copy of their most recent tax return, W2 or 1099, bank statements, a few pay stubs, a letter of employment as well as any other relevant supporting financial documents. For those that are self employed, the tax returns can become problematic. As a self employed person, you should take every deduction you can lawfully take to reduce your taxable income. The goal is to show as little taxable income as you can to avoid having to pay extra taxes. However, if you take to many deductions to the point that your Adjusted Gross Income falls below the required level of support required by USCIS, you can unintentionally fail to show that you meet the income requirements of a Petitioner.  Don’t expect  your Embassy personnel to be tax experts and able to piece together your income from the various schedules and pages of your tax return. They will likely look at the amount reported as your Adjusted Gross Income and if that number fails to meet the income requirement, and you have not provided other evidence to show that you have significant assets, your K1 Fiance Visa application could get denied.

If you have any questions about the K1 Fiance Visa or would like to discuss your immigration matter, you are welcome to call me anytime. You can reach me toll free at 1-888-515-3529.

Jeff Pettys

Adjustment of Status – Green Card explained:

Unlike the CR1 Marriage Visa, the beneficiary of a K1 Fiance Visa does not automatically become a Legal Permanent Resident upon entering the United States. Rather, the K1 Fiance Visa is a non immigrant visa that allows the fiance to enter the United States one time for the sole purpose of getting married. The K1 fiance then has 90 days to get married and then must apply for his or her Legal Permanent Residency “Green Card”.  The time frame for applying for your Legal Permanent Residency for a K1 Fiance Visa holder is not specially spelled out, other than to say that it must be done soon after the marriage takes place. I think a good rule of thumb is to apply for your Legal Permanent Residency “Green Card” within the first 30-60 days after getting married.

If you have any questions about the K1 Fiance Visa or would like to discuss your immigration plans, you are welcome to call me anytime toll free at 1-888-515-3529.

Fiance Visa forms can be found at www.uscis.com. Once on the home page, click on the tab for “forms” and a list of the forms will appear. You can read and review the forms or download them directly to your computer. The instructions can also be found with the forms. The forms and their instructions are always free from the official government site. For a Fiance Visa, you will need forms: I-129F, and G325A. Its always a good idea to read the notes on the website regarding the form’s expiration date. USCIS is always updating their forms and they will let you know when they anticipate updating the forms and which outdated forms will still be accepted. You can use an outdated form so long as they are still being accepted. If you use a form that is outdated and no longer accepted, USCIS will likely return your file and application.

You are welcome to call me anytime should you have any questions about the K1 Fiance Visa. You can reach me toll free at 1-888-515-3529.

Jeff Pettys

The petitioner for a Fiance Visa must show that he or she has sufficient income or financial resources to assure that the fiance you are sponsoring will not become a public charge while in the United States. To meet this requirement, you must file form I-134 Affidavit of Support and submit various documents proving your income and financial resources.

Form I -134 provides a list of the required documents, but my experience has shown me that the following items must be submitted for a smooth approval:

The Petitioners most recent tax return and W2. Although not specifically stated, it seems as though most US Embassies or Consulates require the latest tax year’s tax returns. In some cases, the Embassy may accept a previous year’s tax return with an approved extension, but this isn’t ideal. I have seen a recent trend whereby the processing Embassies are requiring the most current tax return and W2. If you are paid as an independent contract, you will need to submit a 1099 form in place of the W2. If you are self employed, and are required to submit a schedule C, you should submit schedule C with your tax return.

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