DCF Korea: Submitting the I-130 Petition

Submitting the I-130 Petition in Seoul, South Korea.


Jay and I got all our forms plus a few extras together and created an amazingly organized packet of information. We e-mailed the address posted on the Seoul Consulate website to make an appointment, but after a week of no response, I started posting on visajourney.com, and learned that they CHANGED the appointment system but didn't update the website. We found the correct website (http://www.ustraveldocs.com/kr/) and made an appointment for November 19th, at 1:40PM.

Here is a list of everything in our packet- I went with the "better to be over-prepared than under-prepared" philosophy. I've also starred *** the things they actually took from me out of that list.

On top there was a cover letter with an index of everything included and where to find it  [ALSO: don't staple anything, just use paperclips as they're going to tear through it anyhow] 

This is the index:

• I-130 Petition for Alien Relative***
• Copy of unexpired U.S. passport (Petitioner)***
• G-325A (Petitioner)***
• Passport Style Photo (Petitioner)***
• Copy of Birth Certificate (Petitioner)
• Copy of Korean Alien Registration Card (Petitioner)
• Copy of Current Work Contract (Petitioner)
• Copy of Previous Work Contract (Petitioner)
• Copy of unexpired U.K. passport (Beneficiary)***
• G-325A (Beneficiary)***
• Passport Style Photo (Beneficiary)***
• Copy of Birth Certificate (Beneficiary)
• Copy of Korean Alien Registration Card (Beneficiary)
• Copy of Current Work Contract (Beneficiary)
• Copy of Previous Work Contract (Beneficiary)

Evidence of Bona Fide Marriage: 

• Copy of Marriage Certificate from the U.S.
• Copy of Joint Credit Cards
• Copy of an E-mail requesting to set up wire transfer into a Joint U.S. Bank Account
• Copy of a wire transfer into a Joint U.S. Bank Account
• Copies of a scrapbook chronicling our relationship history, includes photos, letters, plane tickets, and travel stubs.

Day of the appointment

So, we arrive at the consulate super early [around 12:30PM for a 1:40 appointment], show our appointment printout and passports, and head up to the 3rd floor. There was only one couple ahead of us and the window was still closed. I organized and reorganized and within minutes the window opened and the man started dealing with the couple in front who, by comparison, had absolutely no organization. How do you show up to such an important appointment, not have the forms filled out, and have to ask your wife when her birthday is, right in front of the official? 

While they were writing out their forms, he called me up, I gave him my whole beautiful packet, which he quickly tore into, taking out only what he needed and leaving the rest in a sad pile of paperclips.  While this massacre was going on, he gave me a payment slip and sent me down to the 2nd floor to pay. I payed the $420, which was something like 507,000 won, and ran back upstairs. 

Jay had one green form to sign [don't follow the Consulate website- your spouse MUST go with you to fill out this form!] and then I handed the payment receipt and Jay's form back to him. He gave me my extra papers back, told me to save them for the interview, and said we would receive an e-mail from them in about a month!

All in all, it took about 12 minutes. 12 minutes!  A four hour train ride up, a night in a love motel, and an hour early to the appointment, which only took 12 minutes in and out! AMAZING!