Factors i've noticed about issuing visas in MENA

[chaishai 1]

3afwan , anytime, it took you a minute although i talked to some palestians i hardly figured they were not egyptian !

Haha I'm American. But I'm more used to the accents in the West Bank, which are kind of similar to the Jordanian accents. In Gaza, though, a lot of people speak more like the Egyptian style.

thats interesting re: the accents. makes sense geographically but i never knew that!

now you know, no thanks?!!

the thanks was implied

[Aymerlu 3]

3afwan , anytime, it took you a minute although i talked to some palestians i hardly figured they were not egyptian !

Haha I'm American. But I'm more used to the accents in the West Bank, which are kind of similar to the Jordanian accents. In Gaza, though, a lot of people speak more like the Egyptian style.

thats interesting re: the accents. makes sense geographically but i never knew that!

My husband always teases me. We'll be watching something on arabic t.v and he'll say..."listen to the arabic accent....where are they from?" I'm like.....

[doodlebugg 10]

it's all greek to me!

:energetic:

[Elva and Ehab 0]

ok.....I read earlier in this thread that parental approval is important....my finacee does not have that......are we in trouble ?....they not only would not approve.....they dont know.......sigh.....am gettin more and more depressed over this everyday !

Early December, a field investigator spoke to my husbands family. One of the things the investigator told my husband and his family, was that its very important what the family thought of the marriage(relationship). Of course, not everyone gets a home visit from a field investigator. So really, this whole process is very confusing.

[Fandango 1,439]

Regions Wars

England Vs MENA

Go MENA CATS GO GO

I don't think this is a "RELIGION WAR". Cultural, maybe.

He said Region, not Religion.

I was gonna point that out, but you beat me to it.

But I didn't understand the reference to England. Did I miss something here ?

I figured he meant Lisa.

Ohh.

Well if so, it doesn't even make any sense. Lisa was expressing an opinion that was in *agreement* with many of the MENA folks here.

Maybe it was all lost in translation....

Thanks for pointing that out...as I said earlier, it was not meant as a poop fling...I was only repeating what I've read on this very forum, and I fig'd it was relevant to the convo.

anyways, I'm goosed tonight! it was a biiiiiiiiig and productive day! go me

Have a great night everyone

[Ban Hammer 13,112]

anyways, I'm goosed tonight!

and just who has been goosing you?

[doodlebugg 10]

ok.....I read earlier in this thread that parental approval is important....my finacee does not have that......are we in trouble ?....they not only would not approve.....they dont know.......sigh.....am gettin more and more depressed over this everyday !

Early December, a field investigator spoke to my husbands family. One of the things the investigator told my husband and his family, was that its very important what the family thought of the marriage(relationship). Of course, not everyone gets a home visit from a field investigator. So really, this whole process is very confusing.

I just added you to our Egypt AP list. If family is so important then I'm screwed since his parents are both dead.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Why is what the family has to say so important?

[Jenn! 918]

Why is what the family has to say so important?

Yeah, I don't get it. The family disapproves? ZOMG he's willing to do anything to get out of the country, even disappoint his own family! FRAUD! Or wait - the family approves? ZOMG they're all in on it - it's a conspiracy for FRAUD!

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Why is what the family has to say so important?

Yeah, I don't get it. The family disapproves? ZOMG he's willing to do anything to get out of the country, even disappoint his own family! FRAUD! Or wait - the family approves? ZOMG they're all in on it - it's a conspiracy for FRAUD!

That right there (the bolded) might be considered fraud.

I don't think it's necessarily a "deal-breaker" if the family doesn't agree, but I can see where it *might* be considered a *potential* red flag by some consulates.

It's possible that this issue has been identified as a common factor in fraudulent marriages -- where the foreigner disregards his family's disapproval of what they consider an "inappropriate" marriage, or where he actually keeps it a secret from them -- this could *possibly* be an indication that he doesn't intend to make the marriage a permanent thing.

Of course, it seems there are some families who are willing to go through with a charade of approving a marriage that they would not otherwise support, all for a green card.

I think it's just one more piece of the puzzle that some consulates *might* consider. I don't think it's the only (or even the most significant) factor in deciding a case.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

The elderly woman in your latest pix WOM looks like Waleed's Grandma on his Mom's side.

So what the family has to say is important because Egypt is considered a high fraud consulate and it's up to the discretion of the interviewer when they come knocking?

Why is Egypt such a high fraud consulate? Is it so bad there they would do anything to get out?

Why is what the family has to say so important?

Yeah, I don't get it. The family disapproves? ZOMG he's willing to do anything to get out of the country, even disappoint his own family! FRAUD! Or wait - the family approves? ZOMG they're all in on it - it's a conspiracy for FRAUD!

That right there (the bolded) might be considered fraud.

I don't think it's necessarily a "deal-breaker" if the family doesn't agree, but I can see where it *might* be considered a *potential* red flag by some consulates.

It's possible that this issue has been identified as a common factor in fraudulent marriages -- where the foreigner disregards his family's disapproval of what they consider an "inappropriate" marriage, or where he actually keeps it a secret from them -- this could *possibly* be an indication that he doesn't intend to make the marriage a permanent thing.

Of course, it seems there are some families who are willing to go through with a charade of approving a marriage that they would not otherwise support, all for a green card.

I think it's just one more piece of the puzzle that some consulates *might* consider. I don't think it's the only (or even the most significant) factor in deciding a case.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The elderly woman in your latest pix WOM looks like Waleed's Grandma on his Mom's side.

So what the family has to say is important because Egypt is considered a high fraud consulate and it's up to the discretion of the interviewer when they come knocking?

Why is Egypt such a high fraud consulate? Is it so bad there they would do anything to get out?

Well, as I said, family approval seems to have been identified as something that *certain* consulates look at more closely than others, but it's certainly not the only factor, and I doubt it's the most significant one. It's just another of many pieces of the puzzle. And yes -- it's up to the discretion of the CO to issue or refuse to issue a visa, or to require further information before deciding -- that's their job.

As far as what makes Egypt a high fraud consulate -- well, I'm not an expert. But consulates that have been identified as having a high incidence of fraudulent cases seem to share certain traits -- a very large population, a poor economy, and a very high unemployment rate.

But even with that said, there must be something more going on, because not all countries that match this description are considered high-fraud. Perhaps there are cultural factors ? I don't know....

[Imua 0]

I don't think Nepal is a high-fraud consulate, despite it being one of the poorest countries in the world with a 40% unemployment rate. All the VJers I have seen go through KTM(K1s) have breezed through like maya62 and Putali. When I visited the embassy last year it was basically empty. I have heard that they schedule interviews almost immediately after receiving Packet 3. I have no idea why Nepal is like this when other countries with similar poverty/unemployent levels are so high-fraud.

Nonetheless, I am filing for a CR-1 which I think is more closely scrutinized and we have two big red flags, short engagement/time from meeting to marriage and age difference(he is 16 years younger than me). I think Nepal(and India)are similar to Egypt in emphasizing family approval - I am including two photos with my I-130, one showing G's birthday party with his family and me and one of our wedding, the final arati(prayer) with G's mom and dad standing next to us, so they will know that his family approves. If the whole family is in on a scam, then they should be working for Hollywood because they would be the best actors I have ever seen...

The elderly woman in your latest pix WOM looks like Waleed's Grandma on his Mom's side.

So what the family has to say is important because Egypt is considered a high fraud consulate and it's up to the discretion of the interviewer when they come knocking?

Why is Egypt such a high fraud consulate? Is it so bad there they would do anything to get out?

Well, as I said, family approval seems to have been identified as something that *certain* consulates look at more closely than others, but it's certainly not the only factor, and I doubt it's the most significant one. It's just another of many pieces of the puzzle. And yes -- it's up to the discretion of the CO to issue or refuse to issue a visa, or to require further information before deciding -- that's their job.

As far as what makes Egypt a high fraud consulate -- well, I'm not an expert. But consulates that have been identified as having a high incidence of fraudulent cases seem to share certain traits -- a very large population, a poor economy, and a very high unemployment rate.

But even with that said, there must be something more going on, because not all countries that match this description are considered high-fraud. Perhaps there are cultural factors ? I don't know....

[~Jackie~ 30]

Pics of the family does not mean they approve. It means you all photographed together. I have albums of family pics. Didn't help me one bit when Mohammed walked out the door. Not one of the 'photographed family' would speak a word to me after he left. Not one person. Not one word. So don't put too much stock in family pics as 'proof of acceptance'.

Jackie

[morocco4ever 63]

ok.....I read earlier in this thread that parental approval is important....my finacee does not have that......are we in trouble ?....they not only would not approve.....they dont know.......sigh.....am gettin more and more depressed over this everyday !

One of the reasons listed on our denial was that there were no family at the wedding. Funny, if they would have asked who the people were at the wedding he could have told them it was his family. Why don't they know?

ok.....I read earlier in this thread that parental approval is important....my finacee does not have that......are we in trouble ?....they not only would not approve.....they dont know.......sigh.....am gettin more and more depressed over this everyday !

Don't worry too much about that. I personally don't think it's that big of a deal, and how would the Consulate even know unless you specifically told them that. Don't worry! If you have a friend who has spent time with you guys and they can write you a letter that can't help but otherwise don't sweat that. A lot of families aren't too excited about their choices but in the end they pretty much always come around. It's a red flag that the Consulate won't necessarily know about, unlike a large age difference for example.

I love how you manage to throw your favorite topic into the mix.

interesting topic...

i'm not taking any sides...but i just wanted to say, i'm an american-born egyptian and i have a sis who was married to a european guy a few years back...when they visited egypt together....lots and lots of men would stare and make comments, like "what's wrong with us that you had to go marry a foreigner???????????"....and other things like that..

also, when i walked with my husband in egypt..we got stares---i don't really look egyptian and also, i guess people can tell that i'm not from there from the way i dress and things like that...i wouldn't say they were jealous...just surprised maybe...

but when i visited my husband's hometown where he grew up, we got "different kinds of stares" from the women...the town is pretty small and everyone knows each other and my husband is pretty successful and very good looking ....anyway...so his sisters were saying that the girls were kind of jealous that he chose me because they've been around for years and yet he married a "foreigner"...

so, its not alwayssss jealousy....but it may very possibly be...

It may be jealousy, it may not. Who can really say for sure unless we can read their minds? My husband was in a Moroccan chat room a while back and there was a woman on there that stated how it made her mad to see Moroccan men proudly displaying their American wives on their arms. She said that it pisses her off that they don't pick a woman of their own kind. Then of course she went on to say how eventually these men would divorce their wives and go back to their own kind. Now that statement seems arrogant to me.