Story of Kshatriya

[kshatriya 0]

There is a huge mis-concept in the West, that a dot means married, that not true, atlease not where I grew-up, Andhra Pradesh INDIA. I gotta find the PBS show that started this

Anything can look like taali and every culture does it in different ways in INDIA. I wish this was not this complicated.

The advice we can get from this case, was there any pictures that had the resemblance of a Taali,/ red dot on forehead that was submitted to the consulate and they interprete it as a wedding photo.

Edited April 17, 2008 by kshatriya

[yeye 0]

khastriya,

If anybody has engagement cermony in our culture red dot definitely gets put on. I think taali means mangalsutra, that gets put on during wedding at least in our customs.

You are right we should not submit engagement photos during I129F submission. But, during interview you will tell them that engagement is done and they will ask pictures for proof. Now if you show photos without any customs like red dot. It doesn't look real.

That's a big lesson learned not to ever sign anything to withdraw petition.

Best wishes and hope your K1 appeal succeeds.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

I totally agree with you on that statement, and DON"T EVER SIGN ANY STATEMENT specially something that is Incriminating, It's advisable to say I have told the true and you want me to sign a false statement, therefore you will have to address my advocate/Lawyer.

As for the red dot, I was refering to the Red powder right on the top of the forehead going to the hair, I don't know how you call it, but for hindu i thought it's like a sign of marriage. From reading this website I learned a lot about the indian consulates, and bascically went through all the pictures we were about send to make sure there's nothing that can give the impression of a wedding, Engagement in India is a big affair and for someone whose not well verse on the culture and even consulate gives hard time with their interpretation, so don't leave out anything that can be taken different way. I feel for your fiancee and wishes you all the best.

The simple answer is don't submit something that remotly looks like wedding, I know that highly immpossible with so many cultures in INDIA, so bottom line is dont submit any, if you do be there with your fiance and don't let her sign anything without consulting you.

If you were married and divorced before that makes the case more complicated, they assume that you are human trafficing, I guess. Get married and do a K3.

They even told my fiance that she will be banned for her life and can't enter US if she doesnt sign the paper, which is pure BS.

My opinion was she should have walked out and let them do what they can, since they dont have any solid proof they would have agreed to give her the Visa. You can't convince NVC, with a photo that someone is married, when they return the petetion to NVC in US.

kshatriya,

I am trying to figure out why they thought it was a wedding. Did you submit the engagement pictures with your I129F petition? Did the pictures have some religious ceremony with the priest? Or the types of questions they asked in the interview which led them to believe that. Any details you can provide.

After reading your story and another one, it seems like getting K1 approval is harder with engagement ceremony.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Nikita2Charles

[kshatriya 0]

The red kum kum in ur hair, above forehead is something North Indians do and that too some parts.

South indians its Taali/MangalSutra and Mattelu(ring on the feets second finger)

As for the red dot, I was refering to the Red powder right on the top of the forehead going to the hair, I don't know how you call it, but for hindu i thought it's like a sign of marriage. From reading this website I learned a lot about the indian consulates, and bascically went through all the pictures we were about send to make sure there's nothing that can give the impression of a wedding, Engagement in India is a big affair and for someone whose not well verse on the culture and even consulate gives hard time with their interpretation, so don't leave out anything that can be taken different way. I feel for your fiancee and wishes you all the best.

[kshatriya 0]

We are Maharastrians, we do the Taali/Mangal Sutra and Mattelu (ring on the feets second fingure).

All I can say is Chennai Consulate officers are ignorant on Indian Customs and differences.

khastriya,

If anybody has engagement cermony in our culture red dot definitely gets put on. I think taali means mangalsutra, that gets put on during wedding at least in our customs.

[cjindia 0]

We are Maharastrians, we do the Taali/Mangal Sutra and Mattelu (ring on the feets second fingure).

All I can say is Chennai Consulate officers are ignorant on Indian Customs and differences.

khastriya,

If anybody has engagement cermony in our culture red dot definitely gets put on. I think taali means mangalsutra, that gets put on during wedding at least in our customs.

I have been off the boards lately... but you must contact the congressman asap. They will send the petition back fast, so you need to make sure the congressman sends an email. Also, appeals are useless... take too long.. we went thru this... we only got approved(the second time) because the congressman prepared them.. and I flew down for the interview...

[DanielParul 50]

They cannot just make people sign on anything they want. They can ask the stupidest (grammer!) questions but certainly not force someone to sign on a piece of sh!t.. that makes me so MAD

What makes it worse is that its the Indians at the Consulates that treat everybody like that. They of all the people should know the customs and traditions. Thats probably why they are there in the first place anyway. I hate this "COLONIAL" mentality....

Just Venting

[bengalilover 0]

DanielParul: I agree with you. Lot of desi workers have this colonial mentality, continuing from British Raj. They can't think that India is not servent of UK or any other country.

We are only expecting desi-stuff to explain the cultural thing properly. They can do that without feeling they are servent of anybody.

[Charuhans 0]

I am very sorry to hear about your case. I was under AP for more than a year. Anyway, it seems they had transferred out the thugs who used to man the Mumbai Consulate after 2006 and now it seems they transferred them to Chennai. One only has to do some research and will know what I am talking. The scene you described was a usual thing at Mumbai, especially for inter-racial couples (1999-2005). Also, the Indian counterpart at the consulate does not necessarily understand all the cultures and many times is very bigoted towards Indians of other caste and language. I could virtually see the hate in the eyes on the Indian employee.

Also, I have to admit that those who commit fraud, do use the K1 route even when they are married, simply because its the quickest and I know atleast a dozen. When I did not know anything about the process, I didn't think twice about it. But when I started my process, I wondered, "Gosh, how did XYZ who married the American desi got her visa and moved to the US in 3 months???" When I inquired with some they told me, "stupid, we did the K1 and planned it the moment the marriage got arranged". Alas, I have never heard of any of those fraudsters getting denied.

Anyway, I think the plan which you have come up with is the best according to me. Contesting the denial, involving congressmen/women, lawyers will be very lengthy and expensive. Getting married and then filing for an K3/CR1 and documenting everything, writing a letter to the Consular Chief before the second interview explaining the situation and attending the interview yourself too, should make it work. We have a person here, who was denied for K1 or K3, I can't remember, who refiled and requested for a interview with another consulate and got the visa next time and it was only a few months.

Good Luck, stay strong!!

[laurarajesh 0]

hello friends

i also got white 221g

they asked more relation proof in it

actuly i did absence marry in usa and we did traditional cermony in india

so our marry valied as per tesax law and us law that is why we not regester our mary in india

because i cant do marry again in india because we doing paper from our first marry and india marry is just traditional cermony

pls go and check on my post pls advise wt i do

and wt is meaning of white 221g

how much time it can take