Strange K-1 Request?

[Dante]

Well, after sending in our application back in June, my fiancee received something from USCIS. The strange thing, they're asking for my birth certificate. I don't remember seeing that anywhere in the original application. Is this an odd request? Or part of the norm?

While my fiancee will be calling them, I was wondering if anyone had experience with this. Do they require the short form birth certificate or the long form certified document? Do I need to send the original, or will a copy do?

Thanks in advance for the help!

~J

[flames9]

have you checked out visajourney.com lots of info on the K1 visa! Step by step, examples of filled out forms etc!

[Reba]

Nothing is strange with USCIS. If they ask for it, you have to send it to them. It may be you have a similar name to someone on the no-fly list or something and they need to make sure you're not them. I do believe it was required to be sent with your G-325A biographical form, along with the petition, but its been so long I don't know for sure, and the rules have changed since I went through all this years ago.

They'll want a copy of the long form, not the wallet sized one. And DO NOT send them an original, you won't get it back. Just send a photocopy and take the original with you to your interview at the consulate.

[Dante]

Thanks for the replies! Looks like I'll need to get the long form version. I know I was going to need it for the interview, but now I'll have to put a rush on it. (I know we were given until Jan. 24 to submit my birth certificate, but we've been delayed long enough, and would rather get things done quickly.)

I suppose the good news about all of this is that they're looking at our application finally. Texas, here I come!

~J

[Reba]

If you're in Ontario and need to rush your long form, call your MPP after you submit the application for it. I think Ontario is faster than they used to be, but still slow enough that you may not get it in time to reply to the RFE unless you have it rushed.

[Dante]

An extra $30 and I can have it in five business days. Otherwise it's a total of 15 business days. Er, that's with online submission. In person is longer.

My fiancee managed to get a hold of someone at USCIS and was told that since the only request was for my birth certificate it was a very good thing, and definitely meant that our application has been assigned to an agent and is being looked at. Feels nice to finally have something happening.

~J

[MarieR19]

How long did it take from submitting your petition to get to this point?

[Dante]

It's been a long story thus far, but we finally received a case number a little while back and found out our application was received June 12, 2007. Unfortunately, we were in that weird little time where we were supposed to submit to the Texas office (which we did), and found out it was forwarded to California. We never received NoA1.

~J