Need Help Plz with K-1.. Got a situation unsure of.

[My Mohammed 2]

Before I start I want to say, I truly need your help if you know anything about my situation. What I don't want is judgement from those that oppose an Orfi, as i've read some nasty opinions about those of us that have one. I'm not here for judgement, as i'm sure everyone here has something the rest don't approve of. With that said, here is my question.

I met my SO in Apr/07 on an online game we both play. We played daily for hours and talked through the ingame chat. Later we started talking through Skype using a webcam. Both our Skype accts got hacked and we deleted them. We have no emails as we were together daily for months on game. We had no need for an email.

He asked me to marry him and in Jan/08 I went to Egypt. WE both assumed we could get married.. lol.. but we couldn't and he had already rented an apartment and the landlord was waiting for me to arrive. .. So, when I get there he explained about the orfi and I already had read of this before. I agreed to have one because I love him and want to be with him when i'm here. Besides, we knew one day American/Egyptian marriages would resume.

To make long story short.. my daughter won't be able to join us as we thought due to a health condition. Considering all invloved, I decided to get married in the U.S. so my daughter can be a part of it. All I want is to have my entire family in one place.

On the I-129f, we are to explain how we met, etc. What can I say about the Orfi in this section or should I not say anything at this point? The CO in Cairo are familar with Orfi's and as i've been told they have no problems with them as they know about them and deal with them everyday.

I would think telling up front would show we are serious about our relationship. I have spent months with him during the 3 trips to Egypt. I don't want to hurt our chances by someone in the U.S. not understanding what an Orfi is and decline our app. But, i'm an honest person and have nothing to hide either.

I'm not sure if they would ask do you have hotel receipts before the file goes to the Consulate if it makes it that far. If they didnt it would be ok as the CO's know of this and understand it.

If you have an Orfi and filed a k-1 and can help me, but don't want to talk of it on here plz send me a message. I appreciate any help/advice given.

Jolie

[Kathryn41 3,205]

For those of us who don't understand what an Orfi is, I looked it up. It is similar to a common law marriage between an Egyptian man and a non-Egyptiain/non-Muslim woman. that is not considered in any way, shape or form a legal marraige. It does, apparently, it offers a type of protection for a woman to be alone in a man's company as he is viewed as being in the place of her husband. It is not legal and it is not recognized as being a legal marriage - by Egypt or by the US. Here is a useful link with information and opinions from a variety of sources: http://members.cox.net/ahmedheissa/marriage.htm

Jolie, I have no experience in any of this but from what I read it seems to me that US Consulate in Egypt MUST be aware of Orfi relationships, and by the standards US requires for foreigners to be eligible to get married under the laws of their own country as well as to be married legally in that country, I can't see how they would recognize an Orfi relationship as a marriage. It would, indeed, indicate a serious commitment to each other and would be viewed along the lines of living with each other but not married. You should be fully eligible for a K-1 and I really can't see that you would run into any difficulties because of the Orfi. I think mentioning it would be of benefit to your application. Besides, you do need to be honest at all times with the Consulate and hiding something like this could be considered a type of misrepresentation, so yes, do mention the orfi.

Good luck. You may also want to ask this question in the Middle East forum as there will be more people there who are familiar with this situation.

Edited July 4, 2008 by Kathryn41

[My Mohammed 2]

Kathryn,

You put a BIG smile on my face when I read your reply. I was scared to even see the first one, wasn't sure what response i'd get. Thank you for the kind way you replied to me.

Yes, I have been to that very site and many more reading about an Orfi. I had already read of them and knew a bit about them before my fiance suggested it. As this is his country and I fully trust him, I believed he told me the truth as he explained what it is. I understand some are used for the wrong reason, but that's not the case with us.

We discussed this before I posted and he agreed we should mention it and pray all goes well. Since learning my daughter won't be able to join us here, everyday, I try to find a solution to our problem. I've sat him down and told him, the day may come I leave on the plane and never see him again. We both have cried many times over this.

I truly feel no one in this world is better suited for me than he is. As I tell him, most people only get one shot in life at happiness and we must do everything right the first time. All I know is to be honest and if we're punished for it, then I can say for sure I met the man of dreams, but I lost him. We don't see countries, religion, language.. all we see are the stars in our eyes when we look at each other. This man sings the same little song to me everyday and has for months. I just don't see a man singing this daily to a woman unless he truly loved her.

Again, thank you and I respect your suggestions and I wish you all the best.

Jolie

[Ahmed N Cheryl 0]

We had an Orfi also. We did not mention it in our I129-F papers but we had proof of how we met. I think you writing a letter telling you met on a game site which does not allow you to save conversations and explaining how your skype account got hacked so you both closed them is okay. However, I think you need to include your flight proof and lots of picures from your three trips to Egypt. Also I think you need to make it a point to get online and chat from MSN, skype, yahoo etc. to have some records for later. Also we had the call logs from our skype account where we used it to call eachother. However, during his interview my SO was asked if we had an Orfi and he told them yes and from that point on they called him my husband in all emails. But he is here now in the US with me since April and we have filed our AOS and just waiting. Basically all they want is you to prove you have a realtionship. Three trips to Egypt is good. If you still have your proof of them. We had all.....2 trips to Egypt, phone logs, letters, emails and chat logs. Also, we made sure to include pictures of me with his Family so they had no doubt that the family knew and approved of our marriage. I hope this helps you and I wish you luck. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

Cheryl

Edited July 4, 2008 by Ahmed N Cheryl

[My Mohammed 2]

Thanks, Cheryl, for sharing your info with me. Since I arrived in egypt in Jan, I made a 3 week trip back to states in Feb. and in May/June for 1 month and 1 week. The rest of the time we have lived together here in Egypt. Since my acct got hacked, I only save chats for one week. My daughter uses this computer, as does her father when he comes to stay with her. I think my conversations between my fiancee and I are private and not what I want my ex to read. So, I delete automatically after a week.

On my last visit in May/Jun I did copy off some of the chats we had on Skype. As well as emails to each other when we both werent on the game. LOL I only have 3 pictures of us together, the rest of us separately. We thought we'd ramble around Cairo and take a few more of us together.

I still think it's the right thing to try and explain as best I can about the Orfi. Honesty is the best policy, but people have been punished for their honesty too. I will see if anyone responds and has had exp in this situation.

Jolie

[My Mohammed 2]

Also, Cheryl, I have an Itinerary for each trip except the first one I made to egypt in Jan. What I do hjave from the Jan. trip is a copy of my boarding passes. I do as well have my boarding passes from the other flights as well.

I have also, copies from phone bills where I called him from Feb, May, and June visits.

Here is what I have so far to prove having met and having a relationship.:

3 - different pictures of us together.

Feb, May, and June phone bill showing calls to egypt

Chat log from skype during May/Jun visit to the states.

Emails from May/ Jun visit to the states.

Jan, Feb, May - All boarding pass copies.

Feb. and May - Itinerary - lost January.

I would think these lengthy visits would be solid proof. It's not like we met once in 2 years, for 2 weeks and havent seen each other since. If you can think of anything else I may have and havent thought of please ask.

** OH!! I forgot, but I also have the Marriage Affidavit from our Embassy and had it certified by Egyptian Authentication Office. The Consular Afairs also say this on their website:

Persons wishing a religious ceremony may arrange for one separately, but it is the Civil Ceremony that establishes the legal marriage.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

I don't have any information for you but I just wanted to wish you all the best in your journey together.