K1 visa denied Cairo

[tenderheartusa79 14]

He applied for a visitor's visa in february 2007 and was refused. I am thinking this on top of all the other red flags probably pushed them not to issue the visa for him. At the time when he did the visitor's visa we were not sure what type of visa to file. So, I am sure this may be it. I have talked to a few others and they feel that this was the original problem to start. If anyone has any type of thoughts on this please reply. Thanks

It is true, this can sometimes cause problems.

From my understanding its not a problem .visitor visa doesn't affect k1 or any other kind of visa .

[tenderheartusa79 14]

One thing I saw, but no one has mentioned is that the OP stated that she did not give the baby an Arab name. Of course in the US this shouldn't be an issue, but I know that many Arab men would freak if the babys name wasn't Arabic. I don't believe this should EVER be grounds for a denial, but do any of you wonder if this is one of the reasons? Also, if she was divorced in Dec 06 and married Urfi in Dec 06, then had a baby 9 months later, gave the baby a name that wasn't Arab....do you see my line of thinking? What are your opinions on this thought?

yeah, kinda looks bad when you say it like that..... especially since we know they consider our SO's guilty of fraud until proven inoccent (however unoffical that view point may be )

In my mind I know where she's coming from and how most people don't live their lives asking themselves if what they choose to do going to look bad to an imigration officer - but those consulate employees don't seem to be too empathetic, I don't think it's in their job description....

Yes, and he was not too happy about that and we had long discussions concerning the name, that's why we chose Eli/Ali and all of his family calls the baby Ali and my family calls him Eli. I am Jewish and the child is Jewish from a Jewish mother, and even the CO said that he knew what Jewish Law stated since he worked in Jerusalem. Even if I converted to Islam, I would still be bound by Torah and obligated to follow Torah and any child who comes from me is the same as me, according to Jewish Law. I know that alot of Christian American women do marry Muslims from Egypt and never encounter something like me because of the child's name being a Christian name. I honestly feel that we are being discriminated against for my religion. But, I believe that our case draws alot of red flags, Im older, Im divorced, I have children, and the baby did not take on a muslim name, although his father does not only come from a muslim background but christian too. I truly believe that the consular thought that he was lying about the baby because he only judged it from a muslim Egyptian standpoint. Of course people should realize that there were MANY jews who converted to Christianity and Islam in Egypt and practiced Judaism in secret due to the problems with Israel in 1948. The consulars should take every aspect into play when they are making decisions as such. Many people will never admit in public that they are from Jewish descent for fear of discrimination after 1948 in Egypt. I'm just hoping and praying that God will answer our prayers and help us to overcome this horrible situation that we are in.

Well i think that's right. but as you know the child must be Muslim to cause of the father is Muslim and i think the CO know that .so maybe yeah its one of the red flags you have.

it doesn't matter if you are older than him .it doesn't matter if you are divorced .it doesn't even matter if you have children. there are so many American women here who are older then their fiance/husband (there are some couples have about 18 years gap ) and there are so many American women here who are divorced and have children and there are some who even have grandchildren and they got their visa without any issue .so i don't think its the problem..

Good luck . you are in my prayers . my best wishes for you

Edited August 8, 2008 by Hot Guy

[Nasturtium 500]

He applied for a visitor's visa in february 2007 and was refused. I am thinking this on top of all the other red flags probably pushed them not to issue the visa for him. At the time when he did the visitor's visa we were not sure what type of visa to file. So, I am sure this may be it. I have talked to a few others and they feel that this was the original problem to start. If anyone has any type of thoughts on this please reply. Thanks

It is true, this can sometimes cause problems.

From my understanding its not a problem .visitor visa doesn't affect k1 or any other kind of visa .

The Amman embassy cautions against it as a potential problem-- because one never knows what will be written about it in the paperwork (such as denial because of suspected immigrant-intentioned fraud).

[Nasturtium 500]

Well i think that's right. but as you know the child must be Muslim to cause of the father is Muslim and i think the CO know that .so maybe yeah its one of the red flags you have.

it doesn't matter if you are older than him .it doesn't matter if you are divorced .it doesn't even matter if you have children. there are so many American women here who are older then their fiance/husband (there are some couples have about 18 years gap ) and there are so many American women here who are divorced and have children and there are some who even have grandchildren and they got their visa without any issue .so i don't think its the problem..

Good luck . you are in my prayers . my best wishes for you

But... I don't think Eli violates the whole Islamic "good name" thing. I know there is a lot of Islamic=Arabic, but that's not necessarily the case. And as far as the child being Jewish, that's a Jewish ethnicity (and ticket to religion but the child has free choice), of course the child can be atheist, etc religiously... so I think the CO is just either personally against this or using it as an excuse. Also, who is to say that her fiance/husband is religious? I mean he's Muslim in paperwork, but who knows how he really is in his heart.. he could even convert to something else and never tell anyone... or he could be agnostic, atheist, non-religious... you know? ITA with the sentiment that the age, divorce, kids isn't supposed to matter and how many people go through this here and are approved... but... I seriously have to think it can make the difference to a CO... Like that it makes a red flag for them and then they look for other red flags which are legal in order to deny. I'm not saying Cos are "out to get anyone" but rather that sometimes, maybe, they read over a file and feel somehting isn't right in the summary of the case and the reasons stated may not always be the totality of the reasons they actually denied.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Well i think that's right. but as you know the child must be Muslim to cause of the father is Muslim and i think the CO know that .so maybe yeah its one of the red flags you have.

it doesn't matter if you are older than him .it doesn't matter if you are divorced .it doesn't even matter if you have children. there are so many American women here who are older then their fiance/husband (there are some couples have about 18 years gap ) and there are so many American women here who are divorced and have children and there are some who even have grandchildren and they got their visa without any issue .so i don't think its the problem..

Good luck . you are in my prayers . my best wishes for you

But... I don't think Eli violates the whole Islamic "good name" thing. I know there is a lot of Islamic=Arabic, but that's not necessarily the case. And as far as the child being Jewish, that's a Jewish ethnicity (and ticket to religion but the child has free choice), of course the child can be atheist, etc religiously... so I think the CO is just either personally against this or using it as an excuse. Also, who is to say that her fiance/husband is religious? I mean he's Muslim in paperwork, but who knows how he really is in his heart.. he could even convert to something else and never tell anyone... or he could be agnostic, atheist, non-religious... you know? ITA with the sentiment that the age, divorce, kids isn't supposed to matter and how many people go through this here and are approved... but... I seriously have to think it can make the difference to a CO... Like that it makes a red flag for them and then they look for other red flags which are legal in order to deny. I'm not saying Cos are "out to get anyone" but rather that sometimes, maybe, they read over a file and feel somehting isn't right in the summary of the case and the reasons stated may not always be the totality of the reasons they actually denied.

Exactly.

[punkmada 0]

He applied for a visitor's visa in february 2007 and was refused. I am thinking this on top of all the other red flags probably pushed them not to issue the visa for him. At the time when he did the visitor's visa we were not sure what type of visa to file. So, I am sure this may be it. I have talked to a few others and they feel that this was the original problem to start. If anyone has any type of thoughts on this please reply. Thanks

It is true, this can sometimes cause problems.

From my understanding its not a problem .visitor visa doesn't affect k1 or any other kind of visa .

The Amman embassy cautions against it as a potential problem-- because one never knows what will be written about it in the paperwork (such as denial because of suspected immigrant-intentioned fraud).

Yes, well I m sure that is the problem then.

[lion_lioness 0]

I don't think the visitor's visa is a problem IF you included that in your documentation. My husband filed for a visitor's visa in aug 06 when we were just friends.

I filed the K1 in feb 07 after visiting him twice. When we completed the DS 157 etc forms he needed for the interview we disclosed about the vistor application AND in the cover letter to our K1 packet i included a two-page letter summarizing our relationship how/why we came to apply for hte visitor visa and then onto the k1. Back in the day on VJ i know the sisters used to recommend. because remember, the more you disclose in your initial packet you submit to USCIS here and they approve it - the officer will have a hard time (although they still try) to refuse or send back because you would have had it documented and approved already on this side.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

One thing I saw, but no one has mentioned is that the OP stated that she did not give the baby an Arab name. Of course in the US this shouldn't be an issue, but I know that many Arab men would freak if the babys name wasn't Arabic. I don't believe this should EVER be grounds for a denial, but do any of you wonder if this is one of the reasons? Also, if she was divorced in Dec 06 and married Urfi in Dec 06, then had a baby 9 months later, gave the baby a name that wasn't Arab....do you see my line of thinking? What are your opinions on this thought?

yeah, kinda looks bad when you say it like that..... especially since we know they consider our SO's guilty of fraud until proven inoccent (however unoffical that view point may be )

In my mind I know where she's coming from and how most people don't live their lives asking themselves if what they choose to do going to look bad to an imigration officer - but those consulate employees don't seem to be too empathetic, I don't think it's in their job description....

Yes, and he was not too happy about that and we had long discussions concerning the name, that's why we chose Eli/Ali and all of his family calls the baby Ali and my family calls him Eli. I am Jewish and the child is Jewish from a Jewish mother, and even the CO said that he knew what Jewish Law stated since he worked in Jerusalem. Even if I converted to Islam, I would still be bound by Torah and obligated to follow Torah and any child who comes from me is the same as me, according to Jewish Law. I know that alot of Christian American women do marry Muslims from Egypt and never encounter something like me because of the child's name being a Christian name. I honestly feel that we are being discriminated against for my religion. But, I believe that our case draws alot of red flags, Im older, Im divorced, I have children, and the baby did not take on a muslim name, although his father does not only come from a muslim background but christian too. I truly believe that the consular thought that he was lying about the baby because he only judged it from a muslim Egyptian standpoint. Of course people should realize that there were MANY jews who converted to Christianity and Islam in Egypt and practiced Judaism in secret due to the problems with Israel in 1948. The consulars should take every aspect into play when they are making decisions as such. Many people will never admit in public that they are from Jewish descent for fear of discrimination after 1948 in Egypt. I'm just hoping and praying that God will answer our prayers and help us to overcome this horrible situation that we are in.

I think the CO is using what he knows to be customary practice for Muslims and sees something very out of whack. I dont think its one thing. I think its age. I think its your divorce right before you got pregnant. I think its also the fact that you did not give the baby a muslim name ( which knowing many muslims, I cant for the life of me imagine a muslim family being too thrilled with a jewish name) and then top it all off with the fact that you did not give the baby his last name which you could have done without him being there to sign. I think your best option is requesting DNA testing and help from your congressman. I think you will eventually be fine but I think that as you were on your path, you didn t think things through from an immigration standpoint as you were naming the baby and think things through about your other flags, which frankly are plentiful. Right now your best bet is to find out how to DNA test which should be very easy via mail and a clinic and IMMEDIATELY contact your congressman in PERSON with the baby in tow. RUN dont walk to the nearest senators office with your proof of relationship and ask for help. You cannot do this alone. I had tons of red flags and thank god for visa journey that I learned to document them before I got to the interview stage.

There may be other things the consulate knows via intelligence or research that are throwing wrenches into things as well. This is something that is rarely discussed but is very common. They knew my every move overseas and asked my spouse about certain dates, events times and people I knew and none of this is on an application. You really need to have your ducks in a row to fight things and this is the time to run to people who can help

Edited August 8, 2008 by Hanging in there

[punkmada 0]

I don't think the visitor's visa is a problem IF you included that in your documentation. My husband filed for a visitor's visa in aug 06 when we were just friends.

I filed the K1 in feb 07 after visiting him twice. When we completed the DS 157 etc forms he needed for the interview we disclosed about the vistor application AND in the cover letter to our K1 packet i included a two-page letter summarizing our relationship how/why we came to apply for hte visitor visa and then onto the k1. Back in the day on VJ i know the sisters used to recommend. because remember, the more you disclose in your initial packet you submit to USCIS here and they approve it - the officer will have a hard time (although they still try) to refuse or send back because you would have had it documented and approved already on this side.

Well he did mention on his packet that he did get a refusal for a tourist visa. So ,we will find out soon hopefully or if they can give him another interview and see with proof that we are a real couple and love each other very much, even if Im Jewish and he is Muslim!!!

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I don't think the visitor's visa is a problem IF you included that in your documentation. My husband filed for a visitor's visa in aug 06 when we were just friends.

I filed the K1 in feb 07 after visiting him twice. When we completed the DS 157 etc forms he needed for the interview we disclosed about the vistor application AND in the cover letter to our K1 packet i included a two-page letter summarizing our relationship how/why we came to apply for hte visitor visa and then onto the k1. Back in the day on VJ i know the sisters used to recommend. because remember, the more you disclose in your initial packet you submit to USCIS here and they approve it - the officer will have a hard time (although they still try) to refuse or send back because you would have had it documented and approved already on this side.

Well he did mention on his packet that he did get a refusal for a tourist visa. So ,we will find out soon hopefully or if they can give him another interview and see with proof that we are a real couple and love each other very much, even if Im Jewish and he is Muslim!!!

I dont think its so much the religion. I think its the other things. I think getting the DNA test ordered ASAP and finding out what you can do from your senator and congressman in PERSON will help the most. First get to the congressmans office and ask for help. They are the first people to people able to tell you what you can do.

You cant do anything about red flags. You can address the flags as fast as you can and overcome them. But if you wait around, it doesnt mean you wont get help, it means things will drag out longer. You can ask for expedites, congressional intervention , all kinds of things but you need to move very very quickly. I received an expedite that no one said I could ever get. Everything is possible . But you need to work hard on getting that help.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

Well i think that's right. but as you know the child must be Muslim to cause of the father is Muslim and i think the CO know that .so maybe yeah its one of the red flags you have.

it doesn't matter if you are older than him .it doesn't matter if you are divorced .it doesn't even matter if you have children. there are so many American women here who are older then their fiance/husband (there are some couples have about 18 years gap ) and there are so many American women here who are divorced and have children and there are some who even have grandchildren and they got their visa without any issue .so i don't think its the problem..

Good luck . you are in my prayers . my best wishes for you

But... I don't think Eli violates the whole Islamic "good name" thing. I know there is a lot of Islamic=Arabic, but that's not necessarily the case. And as far as the child being Jewish, that's a Jewish ethnicity (and ticket to religion but the child has free choice), of course the child can be atheist, etc religiously... so I think the CO is just either personally against this or using it as an excuse. Also, who is to say that her fiance/husband is religious? I mean he's Muslim in paperwork, but who knows how he really is in his heart.. he could even convert to something else and never tell anyone... or he could be agnostic, atheist, non-religious... you know? ITA with the sentiment that the age, divorce, kids isn't supposed to matter and how many people go through this here and are approved... but... I seriously have to think it can make the difference to a CO... Like that it makes a red flag for them and then they look for other red flags which are legal in order to deny. I'm not saying Cos are "out to get anyone" but rather that sometimes, maybe, they read over a file and feel somehting isn't right in the summary of the case and the reasons stated may not always be the totality of the reasons they actually denied.

And sometimes the COs are dead wrong about their intuitions about things. But sometimes they DO see things that seem off and irregular and then they do a little investigation , sometimes even in advance of the interview and know something isnt right. They know alot more than we know they know, trust me. I think its a combination of things and not specifically religion. Here they have a guy denied for a tourist visa and then hes 14 years younger than his wife and 21 and shes 34 and shes pregnant and only got divorced the month she got urfi married which kind of looks like a married american woman going to Egypt and getting pregnant and you have to also think is they have no proof that the baby is even his ( which we all know it is) but think like a CO. Think how it looks. Everything is explainable but when all you have are cold hard facts, its hard to see the rounded edges. To overcome objections you need to think like a CO and frankly not giving the baby an arab name coupled with not giving him his last name looks very very very bad no matter how you paint it. I dont think it mattered if she were buddhist. I think its the choices she made coupled with circumstances. @100 percent she can overcome this stuff with outside help and a DNA test if everything hit the fan but it will be alot harder and longer walk for her if she doesnt exhaust that avenue

[punkmada 0]

I don't think the visitor's visa is a problem IF you included that in your documentation. My husband filed for a visitor's visa in aug 06 when we were just friends.

I filed the K1 in feb 07 after visiting him twice. When we completed the DS 157 etc forms he needed for the interview we disclosed about the vistor application AND in the cover letter to our K1 packet i included a two-page letter summarizing our relationship how/why we came to apply for hte visitor visa and then onto the k1. Back in the day on VJ i know the sisters used to recommend. because remember, the more you disclose in your initial packet you submit to USCIS here and they approve it - the officer will have a hard time (although they still try) to refuse or send back because you would have had it documented and approved already on this side.

Well he did mention on his packet that he did get a refusal for a tourist visa. So ,we will find out soon hopefully or if they can give him another interview and see with proof that we are a real couple and love each other very much, even if Im Jewish and he is Muslim!!!

I dont think its so much the religion. I think its the other things. I think getting the DNA test ordered ASAP and finding out what you can do from your senator and congressman in PERSON will help the most. First get to the congressmans office and ask for help. They are the first people to people able to tell you what you can do.

You cant do anything about red flags. You can address the flags as fast as you can and overcome them. But if you wait around, it doesnt mean you wont get help, it means things will drag out longer. You can ask for expedites, congressional intervention , all kinds of things but you need to move very very quickly. I received an expedite that no one said I could ever get. Everything is possible . But you need to work hard on getting that help.

My rabbi wrote a letter to the congressman here. He is swearing out an affidavit at the embassy to be notarized for the baby, that way the vital statistics office will be able to add him to his birth certficate, and no one will have doubts about the child even if he has a Jewish name, he will still have his dad's last name. I am not waiting around for anything more to happen I want to resolve every issue that the consular had concerning this petition. Can you pm me and tell me a little more information on asking for an expedite. Thanks so much.

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

I don't think the visitor's visa is a problem IF you included that in your documentation. My husband filed for a visitor's visa in aug 06 when we were just friends.

I filed the K1 in feb 07 after visiting him twice. When we completed the DS 157 etc forms he needed for the interview we disclosed about the vistor application AND in the cover letter to our K1 packet i included a two-page letter summarizing our relationship how/why we came to apply for hte visitor visa and then onto the k1. Back in the day on VJ i know the sisters used to recommend. because remember, the more you disclose in your initial packet you submit to USCIS here and they approve it - the officer will have a hard time (although they still try) to refuse or send back because you would have had it documented and approved already on this side.

Well he did mention on his packet that he did get a refusal for a tourist visa. So ,we will find out soon hopefully or if they can give him another interview and see with proof that we are a real couple and love each other very much, even if Im Jewish and he is Muslim!!!

I dont think its so much the religion. I think its the other things. I think getting the DNA test ordered ASAP and finding out what you can do from your senator and congressman in PERSON will help the most. First get to the congressmans office and ask for help. They are the first people to people able to tell you what you can do.

You cant do anything about red flags. You can address the flags as fast as you can and overcome them. But if you wait around, it doesnt mean you wont get help, it means things will drag out longer. You can ask for expedites, congressional intervention , all kinds of things but you need to move very very quickly. I received an expedite that no one said I could ever get. Everything is possible . But you need to work hard on getting that help.

My rabbi wrote a letter to the congressman here. He is swearing out an affidavit at the embassy to be notarized for the baby, that way the vital statistics office will be able to add him to his birth certficate, and no one will have doubts about the child even if he has a Jewish name, he will still have his dad's last name. I am not waiting around for anything more to happen I want to resolve every issue that the consular had concerning this petition. Can you pm me and tell me a little more information on asking for an expedite. Thanks so much.

I would call the Jewish Federation and get them on the phone kvetching and enlist as many old women to help you as you can. Start calling and going all over and enlist an army behind you helping you. You need more than letters. You need advocates . The rabbi is a big start . The state dept doesnt want a problem with the rabbis... I AM TELLING YOU. YOU . You need to call the SENATOR now. They are the ones that deal with the state dept because this is FEDERAL

[punkmada 0]

Even if I converted to Islam, I would still be bound by Torah and obligated to follow Torah and any child who comes from me is the same as me, according to Jewish Law.

Actually, if you converted to Islam it would negate anything in Torah. Islam claims to recognize Torah and "Injeel" (but not Tanakh), but also says they are corrupted and therefore doesn't follow them. He is likely Sunni, right? So he would follow the Qu'ran and ahadeeth as rules, which are somewhat similar at times, but often just an antiparallel (for example, you have no pork in common but Muslims can and do sacrifice camels and eat them as well, which is forbidden by name in Torah, or their end times prophecies which are also a perfect antiparallel).

ETA: not that this should matter in your case at all-- I think it sounds like a flimsy excuse as well.

what Im saying about conversion is when a Jew converts, they are always still bound by Torah no matter what. So muslims can sacrifice a camel and eat it but as a Jew who accepts Muhammad PBUH as the last prophet you still would be bound by Torah and not allowed to partake in eating the camel, not unless that was the only food on earth and you were starving.

[punkmada 0]

Even if I converted to Islam, I would still be bound by Torah and obligated to follow Torah and any child who comes from me is the same as me, according to Jewish Law.

Actually, if you converted to Islam it would negate anything in Torah. Islam claims to recognize Torah and "Injeel" (but not Tanakh), but also says they are corrupted and therefore doesn't follow them. He is likely Sunni, right? So he would follow the Qu'ran and ahadeeth as rules, which are somewhat similar at times, but often just an antiparallel (for example, you have no pork in common but Muslims can and do sacrifice camels and eat them as well, which is forbidden by name in Torah, or their end times prophecies which are also a perfect antiparallel).

ETA: not that this should matter in your case at all-- I think it sounds like a flimsy excuse as well.

Well actually Islam does recognize Tanakh, Tanakh is all of the Hebrew scriptures, I think you are referring to the Talmud.