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king kakipi
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Australia
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 Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
but the immigration officer at my local airport let us through the priority entrance when we arrived this time because we were loaded down with very grumpy kids.
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Actually last time the four of us arrived at Narita we all joined the foreign passport queue despite the missus and kids having J passports. We were ushered into a room ahead of others and processed more quickly. The kids were able to witness me getting my prints done  . My wife always tells the kids to start crying when they are in any queue at Immigration but, being kids, they won't do what they are told to....... |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:52 am Post subject: |
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| cat mother wrote: |
This might be relevant to the OP's question:
"Effective August 15, 2011, most Americans will no longer be able to use the US Consular Sections in your country of residence for immigration matters. The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will require that you petition directly with the USCIS in the United States to bring your foreign family with you when choose to move back to the US. (form I-130,Petition for Alien Relative). "
more here: http://1.usa.gov/17A2pz |
Yeah, that makes it so that making a mistake could cost me months  |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:54 am Post subject: |
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| king kakipi wrote: |
| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
but the immigration officer at my local airport let us through the priority entrance when we arrived this time because we were loaded down with very grumpy kids.
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Actually last time the four of us arrived at Narita we all joined the foreign passport queue despite the missus and kids having J passports. We were ushered into a room ahead of others and processed more quickly. The kids were able to witness me getting my prints done . My wife always tells the kids to start crying when they are in any queue at Immigration but, being kids, they won't do what they are told to....... |
Man, your kids need to start pulling their weight already  |
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king kakipi
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:04 am Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| king kakipi wrote: |
| Mr_Monkey wrote: |
but the immigration officer at my local airport let us through the priority entrance when we arrived this time because we were loaded down with very grumpy kids.
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Actually last time the four of us arrived at Narita we all joined the foreign passport queue despite the missus and kids having J passports. We were ushered into a room ahead of others and processed more quickly. The kids were able to witness me getting my prints done . My wife always tells the kids to start crying when they are in any queue at Immigration but, being kids, they won't do what they are told to....... |
Man, your kids need to start pulling their weight already |
Look, you're right. Harsh words have been spoken but my one year old daughter in particular just doesn't get it. Ah, the youth of today.....
BTW, despite the important advice you're getting re the topic, may I strongly suggest that, after you are wed, you take every opportunity to sleep in as often as possible. One day those opportunities will be gone. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:46 am Post subject: |
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Look, you're right. Harsh words have been spoken but my one year old daughter in particular just doesn't get it. Ah, the youth of today.....
BTW, despite the important advice you're getting re the topic, may I strongly suggest that, after you are wed, you take every opportunity to sleep in as often as possible. One day those opportunities will be gone.[/quote]
Ah man, what can you do. What is this place going to come to when kids are all behaving themselves?
Oh, I am getting my sleep in now. On weekends, I barely know what AM is  which I will be very familiar with once we have kids  |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| Well, seems like they added a lot of unnecessary/redundant departments that are involved with getting a visa. Have had to send in documents several times. Not that it was wrong before, as we sent in the same documents, such as proof of marriage, and photos of her. Getting kinda silly now. |
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spidr245
Joined: 26 Nov 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| Well, seems like they added a lot of unnecessary/redundant departments that are involved with getting a visa. Have had to send in documents several times. Not that it was wrong before, as we sent in the same documents, such as proof of marriage, and photos of her. Getting kinda silly now. |
It is a pain, but if you get everything together before you're at the embassy or ever turn anything, it goes by really quickly. My wife and I were just married when we applied and everything went fine because we made sure everything was complete and detailed. On both trips to the US embassy in Tokyo, we were only called to the window once and approved both times. (First being the okay for an interview, the second being the interview for the VISA.)
Also, because she is your spouse, you need a total of about $55,000 US to be able to sponsor her. If you two can combine your assets and make that amount, then there isn't a need for a sponsor. Of course, that amount is no small change, so your joint sponsor(s) will have to make up the rest of that amount.
(I haven't read the whole thread as I just got home and am rather tired, but I hope this helps.) |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:47 am Post subject: |
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| spidr245 wrote: |
| rxk22 wrote: |
| Well, seems like they added a lot of unnecessary/redundant departments that are involved with getting a visa. Have had to send in documents several times. Not that it was wrong before, as we sent in the same documents, such as proof of marriage, and photos of her. Getting kinda silly now. |
It is a pain, but if you get everything together before you're at the embassy or ever turn anything, it goes by really quickly. My wife and I were just married when we applied and everything went fine because we made sure everything was complete and detailed. On both trips to the US embassy in Tokyo, we were only called to the window once and approved both times. (First being the okay for an interview, the second being the interview for the VISA.)
Also, because she is your spouse, you need a total of about $55,000 US to be able to sponsor her. If you two can combine your assets and make that amount, then there isn't a need for a sponsor. Of course, that amount is no small change, so your joint sponsor(s) will have to make up the rest of that amount.
(I haven't read the whole thread as I just got home and am rather tired, but I hope this helps.) |
Thanks for the support. We are getting to the point of the interview. Is there anything in particular that she needs for the interview, document wise? |
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spidr245
Joined: 26 Nov 2008
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:32 am Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| spidr245 wrote: |
| rxk22 wrote: |
| Well, seems like they added a lot of unnecessary/redundant departments that are involved with getting a visa. Have had to send in documents several times. Not that it was wrong before, as we sent in the same documents, such as proof of marriage, and photos of her. Getting kinda silly now. |
It is a pain, but if you get everything together before you're at the embassy or ever turn anything, it goes by really quickly. My wife and I were just married when we applied and everything went fine because we made sure everything was complete and detailed. On both trips to the US embassy in Tokyo, we were only called to the window once and approved both times. (First being the okay for an interview, the second being the interview for the VISA.)
Also, because she is your spouse, you need a total of about $55,000 US to be able to sponsor her. If you two can combine your assets and make that amount, then there isn't a need for a sponsor. Of course, that amount is no small change, so your joint sponsor(s) will have to make up the rest of that amount.
(I haven't read the whole thread as I just got home and am rather tired, but I hope this helps.) |
Thanks for the support. We are getting to the point of the interview. Is there anything in particular that she needs for the interview, document wise? |
Well, if you go the US embassy (Tokyo, Japan) site, there is a checklist of what they want you to bring. (That's all I used. I didn't use a lawyer or a book. Just good ol' Google. That and just making sure to double-check everything and be thorough.)
Beyond that, there really isn't anything else. Just bring what they ask you, be yourselves and don't be (too) nervous. If you're too nervous, you might not seem like a legitimate couple. That is on dependent on your interviewer though. But I've read the horror stories and I saw it on the day of my interview. (A couple just couldn't get their facts straight ...) I don't want to alarm you or anything, just giving a heads-up.
One big thing I do remember: GO TO THE INTERVIEW TOGETHER!!! They gave wives who went there by themselves (especially those married less than 2 years time) a hard time from what I saw. I remember one window personnel saying, "If this is so important, why is he (the husband) not here?" to a woman there. Even excuses like, "He had to work today," didn't cut it because they replied back with, "He should have been able to get a holiday for something this important." |
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timothypfox
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492
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| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:04 am Post subject: |
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| I recommend printing out whatever you need from the websites posted by Glenski and using a highlighter. Anything that you miss will result in delays and paperwork being sent back to you for revisions. The devil is most definitely in the details. Costs quite a bit to file all the forms. Make sure to prepare enough money.... |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:46 am Post subject: |
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| Going to the interview together, is a great tip. Thanks. Was planning on it. Now, I will def go, no matter what. |
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jmatt
Joined: 29 Apr 2012
Posts: 122
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| Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 6:55 am Post subject: Some information... |
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Was too lazy to read all the replies to this post, so if I'm just repeating what's been said, sorry!
Anyway, here's my experience.
When my (now) wife and I came to the US in 2004, I applied for the K1 visa. The reams of paperwork and proof that were really were a couple---not so difficult as we'd been living together for 3 years previous (including loads of pictures and letters from my parents), was a pain in the ass, but it was pretty straightforward and there were no hassles from the Tokyo embassy or US immigration upon getting into the country. Once we were here, we had 90 days to get married and start the documentation process all over again. At the time, my parents were living in Providence, RI, but we weren't planning to live there. The people at the processing center told us to figure out where we were going to live, get married there, and start the process in that location to limit the bureaucracy/red tape. We ended up in Portland, OR, got married at the Multnomah Co. Courthouse and started everything there. All in all, it took about 2-3 years for her to get her permanent green card. The only difficult aspect was that in the 7 years I lived in Japan, I'd never filed US tax returns and they needed them, or a letter of waiver, which I had to go to another federal office to get. No big deal though.
The only difficult interview was in Portland though---the woman interviewing us was not a natural-born US citizen---she was Russian or from somewhere in Eastern Europe, best I could tell---maybe that's why she was hired for the job--those only a rung up can make it difficult for others---who knows, but she was a stony-ass cold bitch & totally played the good/bad cop routine with another agent. Ended up being fine though.
As long as you have all the appropriate documentation, you shouldn't have too much trouble. Good luck! |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 11:19 am Post subject: |
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That is really bad. I have considered moving to Oregon and no way do I want my Japanese wife to have to wait so long to get a green card. I have heard of problems with people in Dallas and Seattle having to wait a while for their green cards. It makes me to just want to stay longer in Japan.
Thanks to Bush I think green cards cost about 400 dollars. Is that right? |
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jmatt
Joined: 29 Apr 2012
Posts: 122
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| Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
That is really bad. I have considered moving to Oregon and no way do I want my Japanese wife to have to wait so long to get a green card. I have heard of problems with people in Dallas and Seattle having to wait a while for their green cards. It makes me to just want to stay longer in Japan.
Thanks to Bush I think green cards cost about 400 dollars. Is that right? |
Oregon has nothing to do with it, it's federal, and the temporary status is fine---what's the difference? |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
That is really bad. I have considered moving to Oregon and no way do I want my Japanese wife to have to wait so long to get a green card. I have heard of problems with people in Dallas and Seattle having to wait a while for their green cards. It makes me to just want to stay longer in Japan.
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Took me ~18 months from start to finish for the perm resident card. Conditional perm resident took ~4 months from arrival. It is what it is.
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Thanks to Bush I think green cards cost about 400 dollars. Is that right? |
A replacement perm resident card costs ~$450 these days. K1/K3 from start to finish (initial application to citizenship) is upwards of ~$6000 over 3-5 years.
If you go to the USCIS website you'll see that the fees for everything involving a non-citizen activity is in the hundreds of dollars range. Anything that a citizen might do (genealogy research request, for example) is $20-30. But they assure people that prices are based purely on cost. Yeah, right.  |
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