Fiance Visa Questions: Minor Traffic Violations, Processing Locations, and Joint Sponsors
Processing Locations The fiancé visa process is initiated with an application or a petition to USCIS which are mainly processed in California. USCIS always looks at their processing centers and reviews them. If there are too many cases being processed at one site or it’s really struggling and it appears like that might be long…
Online Status – Ready for Interview! When is My Interview?
Does your online case status say ready for an interview and are you wondering when are you finally going to be scheduled for your interview? The online USCIS tool to check your case status can be great. For couples going through the immigration process, you’re probably checking it a lot because it’s really the only…
K3 Visa Faster Than a Souse Visa?
The K3 Visa was something that was created to be a complement to the K1 fiancé visa. It was created with the intent on the part of immigration to make the wait time for the spouse visa shorter so that a couple could apply for both a spouse visa and then they could also get…
USCIS Receipt Notices Explained
To get a receipt notice, you have prepared your initial filing and this could be a lot of different things with different processing centers and different applications. There are some nuances that you’ll definitely want to discuss with your attorney if you have further questions. But in order to get a receipt notice, you’ve prepared…
COVID Vaccine Required for K1 Visa? (2023)
The COVID vaccine is required if you are going through a process to receive your green card, be it a adjustment of status or a spouse visa. What that means is that you have to receive that very first vaccination which is either two doses or one dose, depending on which vaccine. That is considered…
The Immigration Process Can Be Great for Your Relationship
Navigating the U.S. immigration process is often perceived as a daunting and overwhelming journey. However, contrary to what many may initially feel, this journey can indeed be beneficial for relationships. While acknowledging that the idea of finding positives in such a stressful process might be surprising or even triggering for some, it’s essential to recognize…
Fiancé Visa Evidence
We look at all of the evidence that we might have for a couple and that really is tailored to that specific couple. There is nothing that is definitive. There can be receipts, engagement photos, engagement ceremony, or engagement rings. Many couples may not have those things and so, we really tailor the evidence that…
Who Completes the Public Charge Section
The new public charge rule came out and will be in effect on December 2023. They have switched to all new forms and the forms for the I-485, which is the adjustment of status and have an additional section on the form that addresses the public charge ground of inadmissibility. See: DHS’s Public Charge Final…
Consular/Embassy Interview – What to Expect
Are you nervous and wondering what to expect at your consular interview appointment? Part of the fiancé visa and spouse visa process involves an interview at a US embassy or consulate abroad in a country abroad, depending on where the immigrant lives. That interview is in front of an immigration officer and going to an…
Are Joint Bank Statements Required Proof of Relationship in USCIS Applications?
In the journey to establish the legitimacy of a relationship for an immigration case, couples often wonder: are joint bank statements a requirement? The answer, as any seasoned attorney might say, is that it depends. When you’re married to a U.S. citizen, a crucial part of your immigration process is proving to the United States…
Traveling While Fiancé Visa is Pending
Traveling while a fiancé visa is pending is a question we get a lot because with the processing time delays for a fiancé visa or any visa for that matter, those delays are so lengthy and people just want to be together in the US. By this time, they’ve made that commitment to be with…
Top AOS Immigration Interview Questions 2023
What are the questions that happen at the interview as it relates to your relationship? There are five common questions that we see in USCIS interviews across the country for the adjustment of status process, the process that happens here in the United States where a United States citizen is petitioning his or her spouse.…
Important Update – I751 Conditional Green Card Extensions
On January 23rd, USCIS announced that they have extended the validity period of conditional green cards to 48 months for those who have filed removable conditions. See: 1-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence For some individuals who go through the green card process based on marriage, you’ll receive a two-year conditional green card and…
Common Questions: Affidavit of Support – Joint Sponsorship and Living Abroad & Redesigned Green Card
Affidavit of Support This is one of the areas that we see the most issues that people have during their petitioning process and the Affidavit of Support would come sometimes at different stages but it’s along with some type of a petition for an immigrant to come and stay in the United States and the…
Religious versus Civil Wedding Ceremonies
Let’s discuss the difference between civil ceremonies and religious ceremonies, mostly describing the wedding ceremony process and how that impacts how immigration views that. Those two things are very different. A civil ceremony would be basically making that wedding legal in the eyes of the law. You usually have some type of a designated civil…
USCIS Backlogs – How Your Congressional Representative May Help
Recently, USCIS issued its progress report for 2022 and they’ve discussed the issue of backlogs. Obviously, there are many factors that went into why we have such a backlog. The time frames that we see with USCIS currently that have to do with COVID, global conditions such as the war in Ukraine and even Afghanistan.…
3 Reasons Why You Should Use An Immigration Attorney, Such as Immigration for Couples
1. Attorneys understand the immigration process Here at Immigration for Couples, we help couples navigate the immigration process. From step one, an attorney can help you obviously understand the nuances of the immigration process. We see tons of clients who during initial consults have questions even over the forms, much less the 200 to 300-page…
I-601A Processing Times (2023)
Are you wondering why provisional waivers are currently taking three to four years for immigration to make a decision? Wait times have increased by 600% since the provisional waiver program or application was released which was in 2013. It used to take only six to eight months to get a decision and now, we’re looking…
Proposed Fee Increases and Consulate in Cuba
You may have heard about the proposed rule changes, mostly with regard to filing fees for USCIS. That came out January 4th of this year and any proposed fee increases or rule changes first come out as a proposal for a notice-and-comment period so the public knows that these things are coming or being thought…
What Evidence You MUST Include – K1 Visa
What are the top three pieces or types of evidence that you should include with your fiancé visa application to give you the best chance of winning your case? When they’re starting out on their immigration journey, a lot of couples want to know what are the documents that they need to provide. While the…
Taxes and Immigration 2023 – What are Your Questions?
At the start of every year, it’s tax filing season time and how does that impact individuals who are going through an immigration process? It is a really important thing to be aware of to make sure you’re filing on time and there are a lot of intersections between tax filing and immigration that you…
Are Engagement Rings Necessary in the K1 Visa Process?
Navigating the U.S. immigration process can be a maze of questions and uncertainties, especially for couples where one partner resides in the U.S. and they wish to live together permanently in the States. A common question we at Immigration for Couples encounter is: are engagement or wedding rings required as part of the immigration process?…
When Should I Start My Immigration Case?
Starting an immigration case is a significant step for couples planning to spend their lives together. For those in a relationship and considering marriage, it’s crucial to understand when to initiate this process. Our aim is to guide you through this journey and provide resources to make informed decisions. The Early Bird Advantage…
Immigration Interview Scheduling – Cambodia Embassy
My petition is already approved and is in the process of being sent to the Cambodia embassy. How long before I get an interview date? We’re seeing wait times anywhere from a few months to upwards. Typically, the embassy would schedule that interview for you. For the individuals we’ve helped from Cambodia, we’ve seen interviews…
Employment-Based Visa vs. K1 Visa for Couples
For couples where one partner is in the U.S. and the other wishes to join them permanently, deciding between an employment-based visa and a K1 visa can be a pivotal choice. Many couples consider the employment-based visa route as a potential shortcut to bypass the long wait times associated with fiancé and spouse visas. While…
Which is Faster? K1 or CR1? (2023)
This is such a common question for couples. Is it better to do the K1 fiancé visa or the CR1 spouse visa? There are so many opinions on this from couples who were in the process or who have already completed the process. Everyone will have their opinion on which they think is faster. Prior…
Important Update – Automatic Green Card Extensions
What exactly is this announcement from USCIS about automatic extensions of green cards? See: USCIS Updates Policy to Automatically Extend Green Cards for Naturalization Applicants While the automatic extension will occur in the context of individuals who are going from lawful permanent resident status, also known as having a green card, to becoming a US…
Top 3 Tips for Acing Your USCIS Interview
Embarking on the immigration journey is a path filled with hopes, dreams, and understandably, a fair share of nerves. Whether you’re reuniting with loved ones or pursuing new opportunities, the immigration interview is a significant step that can feel overwhelming. We’ve all been there – the mix of excitement and anxiety, the desire to get…
Pet Passports and Traveling With Pets to the US
There is a special podcast episode with Dr. Gary Richter. He’s a doctor of veterinary medicine and the author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide and The Ultimate Pet Nutrition. He is always looking for ways to help individuals to give their furry family members their best life. Why would we have a veterinarian on…
Top 3 Reasons for a Green Card Denial
1. Mistakes in Application or Ineligibility The adjustment of status or green card application can be applied for either in the United States or through a consular post. Both of those will have the same requirements but it’s a little bit different in the processing nature. One of the most common things that we see…