NEW and CONFUSED

[annlikesred24 0]

Hi everyone! I am so glad to have found this site and i RELY on your advice!!! to keep it short and sweet...My fiancee is an italian citizen. Where do I begin??? If he comes as a visitor to the US and we get married when he is here, do I need to apply for the K1? Or can I do that while he is here? Money does not allow either of us to be flying between Italy and the US. We want to stay and live in the US together after we are married....whats my first step? Im sorry if this question has been asked before (im sure it has) but there are soooooooo many posts to sort through to find the answers....any help or a friend with experience would be awesome and very appreciated!!!!! thank you! ciao!

[KimandRuss 0]

Hi, welcome to VJ.

Entering the U.S. with the intent to immigrate (marry and stay) is a violation. You will probably want to file for a K1 visa. Processing times varies greatly depending on where you are in the U.S. and the consulate of the beneficiary.

You can begin by looking at the guides... http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=guides

Good luck!

[annlikesred24 0]

Hi, welcome to VJ.

Entering the U.S. with the intent to immigrate (marry and stay) is a violation. You will probably want to file for a K1 visa. Processing times varies greatly depending on where you are in the U.S. and the consulate of the beneficiary.

You can begin by looking at the guides... http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;page=guides

Good luck!

Thank you so much! And im glad you told me that its a violation...oooops i have downloaded filled out and read the info for the k1 visa...however i am afraid it will denied because of the fact we have never met face to face........do you know anything that would help with the convincing? or my chances? i understand the reasoning....they dont want people just coming and marrying falsely to get citizenship..but we are so in love and it seems so intimidating to prove it! ahhhhhh....anyway, thank you, you are my first friend!!!!!!!!!

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Welcome to VJ!

I know this seems so very confusing at the beginning but you have come to the right place!

See above the top of this page?

There are tabs.

If you click on the Guides tab, it will take you to the VJ Guides..you could also click Here to take you to the Guides.

Where it says "Begin Here:" in red...that's the best place to start.

It shows a comparison of the visas available.

There is also a K1 Guide which shows you all the forms and information you need to send in with your I-129F petition (K1).

There is the K1 Flowchart which shows a step by step look at the process and how long it takes.

Everything you need is on the guides page.

As you stated, you cannot have your fiance come to the States, get married and then file for a K1. A K1 is for non-married couples only, it's for you, a USC wanting to bring their fiance over to the U.S. to marry and live.

If you were to marry, he would be your spouse and he'd have to go home and then you'd file a K3 which is a spousal visa.

Information on that visa is also on the guides page.

You may get married at any time, even on a visitors visa, but he cannot stay...that would be fraud. You must decide which visa is most appropriate for you and your fiance and then go from there.

We are all in this together, all of us are going through it, have been there, are just beginning and are at the end. We are all here to help!

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Thank you so much! And im glad you told me that its a violation...oooops i have downloaded filled out and read the info for the k1 visa...however i am afraid it will denied because of the fact we have never met face to face........do you know anything that would help with the convincing? or my chances? i understand the reasoning....they dont want people just coming and marrying falsely to get citizenship..but we are so in love and it seems so intimidating to prove it! ahhhhhh....anyway, thank you, you are my first friend!!!!!!!!!

Ann, meeting in person is a requirement of the K1 visa. You have to have met at least once in the last 2 years prior to filing.

I suggest meeting face to face with him, save all the information, boarding passes, stamps in your passport, pictures, hotel receipts, etc. Anything that proves you have met in person.

You have to build a case proving you are in a bona fide relationship and that you have met in person.

Good luck!!!!

[BlakeandOlha 0]

Ann, meeting in person is a requirement of the K1 visa. You have to have met at least once in the last 2 years prior to filing.

I suggest meeting face to face with him, save all the information, boarding passes, stamps in your passport, pictures, hotel receipts, etc. Anything that proves you have met in person.

You have to build a case proving you are in a bona fide relationship and that you have met in person.

I second and underscore Laura's statement. From everything I've read here, you've got to prove that you two have met at least once in the last two years - photos of you two together are not enough. This is a big deal and an area where people get RFE's after they've filed. Make sure you learn the difference between secondary evidence such as photo's and phone bills, and primary evidence that places you in her country/city as of a certain point in time (boarding passes/plane tickets/receipts/hotel bills/passport stamps - these are all primary) Photos and phone bills show an ongoing relationship but are not considered primary evidence of having met in person within the time constraints of the I-129F.

Read your guides and the threads closely - they can save you a lot of time and grief later in the process. Good Luck!!

[KimandRuss 0]

Thank you so much! And im glad you told me that its a violation...oooops i have downloaded filled out and read the info for the k1 visa...however i am afraid it will denied because of the fact we have never met face to face........do you know anything that would help with the convincing? or my chances? i understand the reasoning....they dont want people just coming and marrying falsely to get citizenship..but we are so in love and it seems so intimidating to prove it! ahhhhhh....anyway, thank you, you are my first friend!!!!!!!!!

Hello again Ann, i'm sure you will find a lot of friends here at VJ! Everyone is very helpful!

There is such thing as a waiver for not having met in person but it's rare and limited to extreme circumstances. Unfortunately, there is very little way around it.

[annlikesred24 0]

thank you everyone! i have read the guidelines. i think the k1 is my best option....i know, i know....face to face....we speak on webcam at least 3 times a day. we write emails, instant meassages, we speak to and hear eachother (audio and video on the cam)....everything....kinda wish the gov. would accept that we are living in the computer age...but anyway...thanks for the support, your right...we're all in this together! (it always stinks being the freshman!) lol.. but hopefully some of you nice people will take me under your wing! I wish you all the best!!!!!!!!! you inspire me that it can be done! and i'm a determined and strong willed little #######! by the looks of it that quality is gonna benefit me thru this journey! again, a million thanks!

[KimandRuss 0]

and i'm a determined and strong willed little #######!

You better be if you're going to marry an Italian! (j/k... i'm Italian!)

Honestly, you have a great attitude and with all these lovely people at your side, i'm sure you'll do just fine!

Do keep us posted!

[annlikesred24 0]

and i'm a determined and strong willed little #######!

You better be if you're going to marry an Italian! (j/k... i'm Italian!)

Honestly, you have a great attitude and with all these lovely people at your side, i'm sure you'll do just fine!

Do keep us posted!

oh god, trust me...(my mother is italian) And he is 100% sicilian! to the core. so you can only imagine and appreciate my determination and strong will.....i would never last!...haha. but seriously....he's awesome. those italian boys live up to their reputation and are very proud of it! hahahaha!