Im new help!

[Toadman555 0]

Hey everyone new here need advice.Met My girlfriend about 4 months ago and we will start the process very soon.She is going to school in Dublin and been living there for almost three years.We met online and then met in person in Dublin.Talk everyday through IM and video chat.not much phone calls.Been to see her in Dublin 2times and just got back from Thailand with her to see her family and hometown.Going back to Dublin at the end of nov and then again at Christmas.Her visa will be up soon for Ireland and we didnt know the wisdom of her staying or going back to Thailand.We didnt know if any of that is relevant to the k1 process.been saving IMs and all pictures and plane tickets hotels etc.Any advice?reading all of this seems like the process is pretty stressful.and tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

[thongd4me 69]

Hey everyone new here need advice.Met My girlfriend about 4 months ago and we will start the process very soon.She is going to school in Dublin and been living there for almost three years.We met online and then met in person in Dublin.Talk everyday through IM and video chat.not much phone calls.Been to see her in Dublin 2times and just got back from Thailand with her to see her family and hometown.Going back to Dublin at the end of nov and then again at Christmas.Her visa will be up soon for Ireland and we didnt know the wisdom of her staying or going back to Thailand.We didnt know if any of that is relevant to the k1 process.been saving IMs and all pictures and plane tickets hotels etc.Any advice?reading all of this seems like the process is pretty stressful.and tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

I think staying or going back to Thailand should be her call.

In light of your overall story I don't see it having any impact one way or the other.

Ireland makes it easier for you to get together for sure as the visa process progresses.

The simple truth is you are a very lucky couple (Thai/US) in terms of how the consulate will view you.

She obviously does not have money issues as her family is well off, and her extended stay in Ireland should be a plus.

Her education level should also work in favor of her not becoming a public charge.

As long as your income is well above the poverty level (I'm guessing it is, unless you are also a student),

you should have clear sailing in the K-1 process.

You did well to save the documentation; from what you have phone calls should be irrelevant.

We have no phone records whatsoever and my petition was approved in 48 days, close to record time.

I can see minimal cause for the interviewer to think of visa fraud on either side.

Follow the guides; there are lots of resources here.

Best of luck

Edited November 12, 2009 by thongd4me

[Eric-Pris 1,604]

You met 4 months ago and you are ready for K-1... seems a little fast to me. Was it her idea or yours?

[thongd4me 69]

You met 4 months ago and you are ready for K-1... seems a little fast to me. Was it her idea or yours?

The short duration of the relationship may be the only red flag,

but as time goes on the odds should improve.

Meeting her family in Thailand is a definite plus for you.

Maybe others who filed with similar histories could chime in.

[thongd4me 69]

If you had been chatting for 4 months & met once that may be a borderline case,

but you met 3 times in person, which required international travel and that has to

be a big plus.

[Eric-Pris 1,604]

If you had been chatting for 4 months & met once that may be a borderline case,

but you met 3 times in person, which required international travel and that has to

be a big plus.

I wasn't even thinking about the k-1 sitaution, I was thinking more on a personal level. I was asking the OP if he thinks it's wise to get married to somebody from another country after only 4 months and spending just a handful of days together. I'm sorry, but I can hear the train coming on this one.

You can't discount the fact that the person is from another country, another culture. That's a huge factor.

Edited November 12, 2009 by Eric-Pris

[Kathryn41 3,205]

moved from AOS forum to K-1 forum

[pushbrk 12,569]

Hey everyone new here need advice.Met My girlfriend about 4 months ago and we will start the process very soon.She is going to school in Dublin and been living there for almost three years.We met online and then met in person in Dublin.Talk everyday through IM and video chat.not much phone calls.Been to see her in Dublin 2times and just got back from Thailand with her to see her family and hometown.Going back to Dublin at the end of nov and then again at Christmas.Her visa will be up soon for Ireland and we didnt know the wisdom of her staying or going back to Thailand.We didnt know if any of that is relevant to the k1 process.been saving IMs and all pictures and plane tickets hotels etc.Any advice?reading all of this seems like the process is pretty stressful.and tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

My advice is to begin by carefully studying the K1 guide here. Yes, all that is relevant and it will become clear just how as you learn the process.

[Rito 28]

Hey everyone new here need advice.Met My girlfriend about 4 months ago and we will start the process very soon.She is going to school in Dublin and been living there for almost three years.We met online and then met in person in Dublin.Talk everyday through IM and video chat.not much phone calls.Been to see her in Dublin 2times and just got back from Thailand with her to see her family and hometown.Going back to Dublin at the end of nov and then again at Christmas.Her visa will be up soon for Ireland and we didnt know the wisdom of her staying or going back to Thailand.We didnt know if any of that is relevant to the k1 process.been saving IMs and all pictures and plane tickets hotels etc.Any advice?reading all of this seems like the process is pretty stressful.and tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

It won't matter whether your girlfriend is in Thailand or Dublin until her visa interview, which if you apply soon is still about five months away at least. You can go ahead and begin the process by filing a I-129F. She will need to send or give you a couple things, such as her passport-sized photo and letter stating her intention to marry, but presumably this could be done from Dublin or Thailand.

[thongd4me 69]

If you had been chatting for 4 months & met once that may be a borderline case,

but you met 3 times in person, which required international travel and that has to

be a big plus.

I wasn't even thinking about the k-1 sitaution, I was thinking more on a personal level. I was asking the OP if he thinks it's wise to get married to somebody from another country after only 4 months and spending just a handful of days together. I'm sorry, but I can hear the train coming on this one.

You can't discount the fact that the person is from another country, another culture. That's a huge factor.

OK.

I've met my fiancee 5 times in roughly 6 years and each time was roughly 4 weeks to a month.

I'm not saying that's the only way to go despite that having been my experience.

The OP will not have been with his fiancee after only a "handful" of days but he will have met her

on 5 separate occasions requiring international travel, just like I did, only for shorter periods of time,

once his petition has been in the works for roughly a month (he said he will go 2 more times betwen

now and December). Obviously they are both in a hurry and me probably being twice their age

should act like the old fart I am and tell them to slow down. The visa journey will slow them down,

don't worry.

They will have to demonstrate patience, teamwork and mutual support. If they can survive this then

they rightly deserve to be married.

Being in love does cloud judgement on both sides, but I think he did well to meet her family and

see the bigger package that he will be getting. Nothing is 100% guaranteed and there's an element

of risk every time you get emotionally involved.

I think cultural differences are highly over-rated (if the rating is negative). I think I have greater

cultural differences with people who live on my block and people who have exactly the same

genetic material as I do.

I was married to a Japanese woman and it was a disaster. Cultural differences or stereotypes had nothing

to do with it. We had endless problems but not for one minute did I think it was because of cultural

differences. The problem on her side was she was always angry, not something you could attribute

to Japanese or any other culture. She was always angry at her family long before she met me, but

I failed to meet her family and see the dynamic where she, not they, were dysfunctional.

My problem was that I was too optimistic and forgiving over a period of time. It's never only the

fault of one partner, it takes two to screw things up.

That being said, I think they have a good chance of beating the odds. For them I'm optimistic.

Good luck and God Bless.

[*Robert* 2]

Hey everyone new here need advice.Met My girlfriend about 4 months ago and we will start the process very soon.She is going to school in Dublin and been living there for almost three years.We met online and then met in person in Dublin.Talk everyday through IM and video chat.not much phone calls.Been to see her in Dublin 2times and just got back from Thailand with her to see her family and hometown.Going back to Dublin at the end of nov and then again at Christmas.Her visa will be up soon for Ireland and we didnt know the wisdom of her staying or going back to Thailand.We didnt know if any of that is relevant to the k1 process.been saving IMs and all pictures and plane tickets hotels etc.Any advice?reading all of this seems like the process is pretty stressful.and tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

If she goes back to Thailand, make sure she gets a Police Report from Dublin first. It will be easier to get it while she is there.

[Nik+Heather 121]

I think a hard look at her status (and how easy it is to maintain) in Dublin should be strongly considered in their decision to go through Dublin or Thailand.

I've read of too many people here on VJ who have not one but TWO immigration issues because they are 1. Trying to maintain legal status in a country where they are not a citizen AND 2. Trying to get immigration status into the US. These two processes can be quite conflicting.

Unless she can get legal status in Ireland for a year or more without having to renew, I would say go for Thailand. You don't want to be in a situation where one needs your passport, but the other is holding it for some sort of processing.

Reference: MARM (Passport was with UK home office with student visa renewal for 6 months and he couldn't get it back in time for his interview, then AP until 2 weeks before his UK status expired!!! Talk about making a person sweat!) and ParisHeart (Also interview w/visa in AP or otherwise delayed, and only a couple days left of legal presence in France).

[Toadman555 0]

Thanks to all for the great advice! I did have a question.I was looking at where to mail the first bit of info,I live in Illinois so i mail to California?What is the Chicago lock box? this is for K1 by the way.Kind of confused as to why i would mail to California and not somewhere in Chicago.thanks all~todd

[Anh map 2,098]

Thanks to all for the great advice! I did have a question.I was looking at where to mail the first bit of info,I live in Illinois so i mail to California?What is the Chicago lock box? this is for K1 by the way.Kind of confused as to why i would mail to California and not somewhere in Chicago.thanks all~todd

The instructions are correct as you read them, mail it to the California office.

The Chicago lockbox is not for K visa petitions.

[Toadman555 0]

Thanks to all for the great advice! I did have a question.I was looking at where to mail the first bit of info,I live in Illinois so i mail to California?What is the Chicago lock box? this is for K1 by the way.Kind of confused as to why i would mail to California and not somewhere in Chicago.thanks all~todd

The instructions are correct as you read them, mail it to the California office.

The Chicago lockbox is not for K visa petitions.

ah thank u for that info i was not sure