Exact Change Please for the 129-F

We're bringing Minxi to Kansas using a 129-F form in order to obtain a K-1 visa.  This is an alien fiancee visa and is very a very common way for people to bring their immigrant spouses into the USA.  Think about it like this, roughly 10% of all people living in the USA (about 36,000,000) were not born here.  This means that there are ten of thousands of American love stories taking place across international waters, and thousands upon thousands of 129-F immigrant fiance requests filed each year.

The process is a little complicated.  You have to send a whole lot of information along with your 129-F to demonstrate that your intended is actually your intended and not a terrorist or freeloader.  In all Minxi and I sent 14 different sets of information with our 129-F.  This included both of our divorce decrees and birth certificates, (her translated into English), tons of photos, and a whole page of weird biographical details.  Once we're sure our packet was accepted by the government and we get our K-1, we're going to write a lot about the process to help other couples out.  For now, we just want to make one small note.

Watch The Details on Your 129-F!

We are resubmitting our 129-F this morning because it was returned unprocessed.  The problem?  I had sent them a check for $10.00 more dollars than the required filing fee.  While I understand the government's need for exact accounting and agree that it wouldn't have been right for some worker to pocket the change, the entire 10 month, multi-international flight, night courses in English and putonghua, process was halted for two weeks for $10.00.  If you want the process to go smoothly for your an you immigrant spouse,  you're going to have to sweat the details.  Each one of the details.

When you fill out for immigration paperwork for your spouse remember, it only begins with the 129-F and doesn't end until every detail is correct and you've got your K-1 in hand.  Good luck.