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Author Topic: K-1 visa (don't make my mistakes)  (Read 6683 times)

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Offline Son of Clyde

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K-1 visa (don't make my mistakes)
« on: February 03, 2005, 07:01:45 AM »
Well, the K-1 application is about finished and I will take it with me in a few weeks for her signature.

I wanted to explain my situation and why it took three months to file. I hope some of you experienced guys can tell me what I did wrong besides hiring an attorney.

From the feedback I received I thought my case would be a little different from most. She is Ukrainian, has a 14 year old son and an ex-husband in the militia. Her English is very limited. I hired the first attorney because he was inexpensive, Ukrainian and could phone her to request all the information we needed to file.

Needless to say the first attorney did very little except to put my G-325A on his pc. He phoned her twice in 2 1/2 months and wrote it off because he could not reach her. I phone 10 times some days before I can reach her because of the poor reception in Ukraine. Since she goes out of town on business trips, her mobile phone does not work at these times. I gave the lawyer documents she mailed to me and she faxed him additional documents. He never received the documents she faxed to him. To compound the problem the attorney was never in his office. He also practices injury, medical malpractice, contract's and he is a trial lawyer.

Oh well, you get what you pay for.

As a last ditch effort I scoured the Internet and found a very good immigration attorney and I used a translator to translate all the documents. The translator was also able to schedule 3 way telephone conversations between me and my fiance to request the needed documents and information.

One good thing. I filed a grievance against the first attorney and he refunded 100% of my money. He also sent a lame response to the Attorney Grievance Committee. In actuality he did not break any law and he indicated that I was not able to get him all the information that was necessary to file. He never followed up on anything. Isn't it his job to be available so I could deliver the needed documents he had requested? My fiance emailed them to me since he alleged never receiving her fax.

I will not post the information here however, if anyone wants to use an excellent immigration attorney (my second one) and outstanding translator/interpreter, send me a PM and I will give you the information.

I am going back to visit her on February 21 and will file as soon as I return.

I will be using the Vermont Service Center which is good.



« Last Edit: February 03, 2005, 07:13:00 AM by Son of Clyde »

Offline Bruce

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K-1 visa (don't make my mistakes)
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2005, 08:44:41 AM »
Well, hindsight is 20 / 20.  I did mine myself through Vermont.  It took a little over 5 months from the day I mailed it going through Moscow until she had the visa in hand this past August.  I wish you and others going about filing a K-1 visa would first research what documents she needs to have filled out.  If I remember correctly, all you need her signature for is the 325A form.  That is best to get in the FSU.  The rest is just information about her parents, her addresses over the past 5 years, work ie. all the stuff on the 325A form for you to fill in.  Then it is just regular passport photos of your girl and her teenager.  Her birth certificate plus translated copy as well as her divorce certificate plus translated copy and pictures of all of you together, hopefully with some FSU distinctive background as well as visa page stamped in your passport, tax returns and some properly filled out forms on your part.  At least you almost have your girl Stateside.  Best of luck.  :)
"A word is dead when it is said, some say.  I say it just begins to live that day."  Emily Dickinson

Offline Son of Clyde

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K-1 visa (don't make my mistakes)
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2005, 09:07:29 AM »
She did not have her father's date and place of birth (he died when she was 17) and this was one of the last items she gave me. Another problem was the documents. Half were written in Russian and half Ukrainian and she didn't know the exact dates of her employment and residence. She also has two addresses. We had to insert dates that sounded logical. My translator had to provide Ukrainian and Russian spellings of names.

Some people say this is easy. Maybe it is easy when you have all the information in front of you and you don't have to keep asking her for more detailed information. 
« Last Edit: February 03, 2005, 09:13:00 AM by Son of Clyde »

 

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