k-1 help

[pushbrk 13,166]

Beware.

no he is one of the good ones we wereintroduced through his brother who is here in the states. his brother thought we would be good together after my break up with my ex. his brother has been here five years through lottery.

You're going to want to check with the folks in the Sub-Saharan Regional forum here on VJ in regards to being introduced by a relative.... I'm not sure if it matters in Nigeria but it may be a big red flag that you will need to prepare for.

Yes, red flags are popping up all over the place. No matter how genuine the relationship there are a pile of things working against you. Even every solution that comes to mind hurts the chances of success.

[Enlighten one :) 5]

I am married to a respectful, honest, and dedicated Nigerian and I too have received those emails from his homeland and also other countries abroad. This email does not remind me at all of those emails. Your implications are not what she is requesting information on.

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

you also need to understand that there a A LOT of expenses with filling a petition, to file the petition it is 455, (this not include all the money spend photo copying, gather evidence (copy of birth cer., pictures, ext), then there is the interview fee 131.00, plus medical (hopefully if he really is rich he will be paying for this, but most of us with African fiancés have had to help at least a little with this). Then airfare (a one way ticket from Africa is almost as expensive as a round trip) and finally adjustment of status which is over 1,000.00. If you are struggling for money now, you really need to be aware of how expensive this all gets. I am struggling to make it, and I work full time and have no kids.

Unfortunately this immigration process is not made easy or cheep, so if you are poor it is really hard to do.

You also should look in the regional sub Sahara form, the people there are pretty honest, and you will hear the successful stories of those marrying an African and also the stories of fraud.

Also, the Lagos embassy is one of the hardest to go through; it is a very long process for most.

One more thing is even if your fiancé is has a lot of money there, his economic status might change in the US. Most schooling or job experience will pretty much count for nothing here, and will probably have to take a job he would consider to be menial in Nigeria. He will probably not be making the same competitively, especially when things are so expensive here.

PS. Don't take my word on any of the price quotes, they could be more now, ready the guides, do the research, so you know what you will be getting yourself into.

[momov31 2]

you also need to understand that there a A LOT of expenses with filling a petition, to file the petition it is 455, (this not include all the money spend photo copying, gather evidence (copy of birth cer., pictures, ext), then there is the interview fee 131.00, plus medical (hopefully if he really is rich he will be paying for this, but most of us with African fiancés have had to help at least a little with this). Then airfare (a one way ticket from Africa is almost as expensive as a round trip) and finally adjustment of status which is over 1,000.00. If you are struggling for money now, you really need to be aware of how expensive this all gets. I am struggling to make it, and I work full time and have no kids.

Unfortunately this immigration process is not made easy or cheep, so if you are poor it is really hard to do.

You also should look in the regional sub Sahara form, the people there are pretty honest, and you will hear the successful stories of those marrying an African and also the stories of fraud.

Also, the Lagos embassy is one of the hardest to go through; it is a very long process for most.

One more thing is even if your fiancé is has a lot of money there, his economic status might change in the US. Most schooling or job experience will pretty much count for nothing here, and will probably have to take a job he would consider to be menial in Nigeria. He will probably not be making the same competitively, especially when things are so expensive here.

PS. Don't take my word on any of the price quotes, they could be more now, ready the guides, do the research, so you know what you will be getting yourself into.

he is aware of the cost, his famly here and him have and will continue to pay for everything. he knows about how his income will change his brother has told him about the struggles we will face. thank you for your help.

[momov31 2]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

Edited February 25, 2009 by momov31

[momov31 2]

I am married to a respectful, honest, and dedicated Nigerian and I too have received those emails from his homeland and also other countries abroad. This email does not remind me at all of those emails. Your implications are not what she is requesting information on.

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

you also need to understand that there a A LOT of expenses with filling a petition, to file the petition it is 455, (this not include all the money spend photo copying, gather evidence (copy of birth cer., pictures, ext), then there is the interview fee 131.00, plus medical (hopefully if he really is rich he will be paying for this, but most of us with African fiancés have had to help at least a little with this). Then airfare (a one way ticket from Africa is almost as expensive as a round trip) and finally adjustment of status which is over 1,000.00. If you are struggling for money now, you really need to be aware of how expensive this all gets. I am struggling to make it, and I work full time and have no kids.

Unfortunately this immigration process is not made easy or cheep, so if you are poor it is really hard to do.

You also should look in the regional sub Sahara form, the people there are pretty honest, and you will hear the successful stories of those marrying an African and also the stories of fraud.

Also, the Lagos embassy is one of the hardest to go through; it is a very long process for most.

One more thing is even if your fiancé is has a lot of money there, his economic status might change in the US. Most schooling or job experience will pretty much count for nothing here, and will probably have to take a job he would consider to be menial in Nigeria. He will probably not be making the same competitively, especially when things are so expensive here.

PS. Don't take my word on any of the price quotes, they could be more now, ready the guides, do the research, so you know what you will be getting yourself into.

thank you. im glad to see someone has something positive to say. this man has treated me way beter than all the american men i have dated. i do know sometimes you get a bad egg but i am grown enough to know i cant judge anyone. i can only give them a chance to prove me right or wrong.

Edited February 25, 2009 by momov31

[natty bumppo 297]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

[momov31 2]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

[pushbrk 13,166]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

You are asking legitimate questions and with an exception or two, you are getting the needed answers. Now, IMO, it's time to learn from the answers you are given so you can prepare as well as possible for success. I'm going to just assume the relationship is a genuine one with the best intentions of all concerned being foremost. However, that's my assumption. It will probably not be quite a different initial assuption a Consular officer in Lagos has. It's your job to overcome the challenges, if you want success.

First, learn the process. First thing is you file a petition. You, the US Citizen never "apply" for anything. If you are a US citizen, free to marry, you can file a petition. If you've been together in person during the past two years (Have you met in person already? If not, that's required.) with the beneficiary and he can show evidence he's free to marry along with you both sending the appropriate documentation including letters of intent, (See the K1 guide) then, you can actually get a petition approved. That's the easy part. After petition approval comes the hard part.

The initial financial requirements can be met with a co-sponsor but this is dealt with after petition approval, so yes, the poor can petition.

Now come the red flags and challenges to deal with. Here's a partial list. They work against you in combination with only "Lagos" being of critical significance on its own.

1. You have a low income.

2. You met though his brother who already immigrated.

3. He's paying the expenses of immigration and I assume any trip(s) to visit him.

4. You'll be going through Lagos Consulate, with a unique history of high fraud.

5. If his brother instead of your family or close friend is the co-sponsor that's another mark against you.

This whole set of circumstances fits a common fraud scenario. It fits regardlesss of how genuine your relationship is. As such, you'll need enough (and nobody can tell you what "enough" is) evidence of a bona fide ongoing relationship to overcome the initial conclusion the relationship is one HE entered into for no other purpose than to gain an immigration benefit.

The very best evidence of a bona fide relationship is the time you spend together before the interview. With a passle of kids, that's not going to be easy but you'll need to arrange at least two and better three visits with the third being at interview time. In addition, see the guides and other threads for examples of gathering evidence of ongoing regular communication. You may even want to include a few selected pieces of evidence that address the red flags along with your petition even though they are not required. We call this "front-loading the petition" and it can be critical in situations like yours.

Why not start now but telling us what you already have for evidence including your evidence of meeting and how long you spent together, so we can help you gauge whether you're ready to file.

[momov31 2]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

You are asking legitimate questions and with an exception or two, you are getting the needed answers. Now, IMO, it's time to learn from the answers you are given so you can prepare as well as possible for success. I'm going to just assume the relationship is a genuine one with the best intentions of all concerned being foremost. However, that's my assumption. It will probably not be quite a different initial assuption a Consular officer in Lagos has. It's your job to overcome the challenges, if you want success.

First, learn the process. First thing is you file a petition. You, the US Citizen never "apply" for anything. If you are a US citizen, free to marry, you can file a petition. If you've been together in person during the past two years (Have you met in person already? If not, that's required.) with the beneficiary and he can show evidence he's free to marry along with you both sending the appropriate documentation including letters of intent, (See the K1 guide) then, you can actually get a petition approved. That's the easy part. After petition approval comes the hard part.

The initial financial requirements can be met with a co-sponsor but this is dealt with after petition approval, so yes, the poor can petition.

Now come the red flags and challenges to deal with. Here's a partial list. They work against you in combination with only "Lagos" being of critical significance on its own.

1. You have a low income.

2. You met though his brother who already immigrated.

3. He's paying the expenses of immigration and I assume any trip(s) to visit him.

4. You'll be going through Lagos Consulate, with a unique history of high fraud.

5. If his brother instead of your family or close friend is the co-sponsor that's another mark against you.

This whole set of circumstances fits a common fraud scenario. It fits regardlesss of how genuine your relationship is. As such, you'll need enough (and nobody can tell you what "enough" is) evidence of a bona fide ongoing relationship to overcome the initial conclusion the relationship is one HE entered into for no other purpose than to gain an immigration benefit.

The very best evidence of a bona fide relationship is the time you spend together before the interview. With a passle of kids, that's not going to be easy but you'll need to arrange at least two and better three visits with the third being at interview time. In addition, see the guides and other threads for examples of gathering evidence of ongoing regular communication. You may even want to include a few selected pieces of evidence that address the red flags along with your petition even though they are not required. We call this "front-loading the petition" and it can be critical in situations like yours.

Why not start now but telling us what you already have for evidence including your evidence of meeting and how long you spent together, so we can help you gauge whether you're ready to file.

First let me say thank you. my mom or my sister will be the co-sponser, they both make good money. we have been dating since july of last year and i went to nigeria last week to visit him. we do have a lot of letters and emails. we took over a hundred pictures and i do have phone records and cards. i have the hotel receipt. please tell me if i need more.

[natty bumppo 297]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

congratulations on the 2nd job. hope this helps you make ends meet.

so you can afford the process and still be on gov't assistance? ... ok

[momov31 2]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

congratulations on the 2nd job. hope this helps you make ends meet.

so you can afford the process and still be on gov't assistance? ... ok

thank you.

[pushbrk 13,166]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

You are asking legitimate questions and with an exception or two, you are getting the needed answers. Now, IMO, it's time to learn from the answers you are given so you can prepare as well as possible for success. I'm going to just assume the relationship is a genuine one with the best intentions of all concerned being foremost. However, that's my assumption. It will probably not be quite a different initial assuption a Consular officer in Lagos has. It's your job to overcome the challenges, if you want success.

First, learn the process. First thing is you file a petition. You, the US Citizen never "apply" for anything. If you are a US citizen, free to marry, you can file a petition. If you've been together in person during the past two years (Have you met in person already? If not, that's required.) with the beneficiary and he can show evidence he's free to marry along with you both sending the appropriate documentation including letters of intent, (See the K1 guide) then, you can actually get a petition approved. That's the easy part. After petition approval comes the hard part.

The initial financial requirements can be met with a co-sponsor but this is dealt with after petition approval, so yes, the poor can petition.

Now come the red flags and challenges to deal with. Here's a partial list. They work against you in combination with only "Lagos" being of critical significance on its own.

1. You have a low income.

2. You met though his brother who already immigrated.

3. He's paying the expenses of immigration and I assume any trip(s) to visit him.

4. You'll be going through Lagos Consulate, with a unique history of high fraud.

5. If his brother instead of your family or close friend is the co-sponsor that's another mark against you.

This whole set of circumstances fits a common fraud scenario. It fits regardlesss of how genuine your relationship is. As such, you'll need enough (and nobody can tell you what "enough" is) evidence of a bona fide ongoing relationship to overcome the initial conclusion the relationship is one HE entered into for no other purpose than to gain an immigration benefit.

The very best evidence of a bona fide relationship is the time you spend together before the interview. With a passle of kids, that's not going to be easy but you'll need to arrange at least two and better three visits with the third being at interview time. In addition, see the guides and other threads for examples of gathering evidence of ongoing regular communication. You may even want to include a few selected pieces of evidence that address the red flags along with your petition even though they are not required. We call this "front-loading the petition" and it can be critical in situations like yours.

Why not start now but telling us what you already have for evidence including your evidence of meeting and how long you spent together, so we can help you gauge whether you're ready to file.

First let me say thank you. my mom or my sister will be the co-sponser, they both make good money. we have been dating since july of last year and i went to nigeria last week to visit him. we do have a lot of letters and emails. we took over a hundred pictures and i do have phone records and cards. i have the hotel receipt. please tell me if i need more.

For filing, you've got plenty to get the petition approved but need more details for front-loading. How long were you there? Tell us about the pictures. Who else is in the pictures. Is it clear pictures were taken in multiple locations, some with family and friends. If we saw the pictures would be be impressed the relationship is genuine?

FYI, your mom or your sister may co-sponsor, not both.

[shamrock21 0]

You should know that many people here at VJ are extremely knowledgable about the visa filing process and are an invaluable source of help for people who are just becoming firmiliar with the whole immigration thing. You will slowly find out with research on VJ that this process with be one of the hardest thing you ever do- its not as easy as we all wish it could be. The reaction you get here in the forum will most likely be the reaction of immigration so be prepared. Your story is not unique but at the same time, we dont know what is real or what is fake but the best advice u will get here, is to be prepared for every possible obstacle this immigration process will put in front of you.

I wish u the best of luck.

[momov31 2]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

You are asking legitimate questions and with an exception or two, you are getting the needed answers. Now, IMO, it's time to learn from the answers you are given so you can prepare as well as possible for success. I'm going to just assume the relationship is a genuine one with the best intentions of all concerned being foremost. However, that's my assumption. It will probably not be quite a different initial assuption a Consular officer in Lagos has. It's your job to overcome the challenges, if you want success.

First, learn the process. First thing is you file a petition. You, the US Citizen never "apply" for anything. If you are a US citizen, free to marry, you can file a petition. If you've been together in person during the past two years (Have you met in person already? If not, that's required.) with the beneficiary and he can show evidence he's free to marry along with you both sending the appropriate documentation including letters of intent, (See the K1 guide) then, you can actually get a petition approved. That's the easy part. After petition approval comes the hard part.

The initial financial requirements can be met with a co-sponsor but this is dealt with after petition approval, so yes, the poor can petition.

Now come the red flags and challenges to deal with. Here's a partial list. They work against you in combination with only "Lagos" being of critical significance on its own.

1. You have a low income.

2. You met though his brother who already immigrated.

3. He's paying the expenses of immigration and I assume any trip(s) to visit him.

4. You'll be going through Lagos Consulate, with a unique history of high fraud.

5. If his brother instead of your family or close friend is the co-sponsor that's another mark against you.

This whole set of circumstances fits a common fraud scenario. It fits regardlesss of how genuine your relationship is. As such, you'll need enough (and nobody can tell you what "enough" is) evidence of a bona fide ongoing relationship to overcome the initial conclusion the relationship is one HE entered into for no other purpose than to gain an immigration benefit.

The very best evidence of a bona fide relationship is the time you spend together before the interview. With a passle of kids, that's not going to be easy but you'll need to arrange at least two and better three visits with the third being at interview time. In addition, see the guides and other threads for examples of gathering evidence of ongoing regular communication. You may even want to include a few selected pieces of evidence that address the red flags along with your petition even though they are not required. We call this "front-loading the petition" and it can be critical in situations like yours.

Why not start now but telling us what you already have for evidence including your evidence of meeting and how long you spent together, so we can help you gauge whether you're ready to file.

First let me say thank you. my mom or my sister will be the co-sponser, they both make good money. we have been dating since july of last year and i went to nigeria last week to visit him. we do have a lot of letters and emails. we took over a hundred pictures and i do have phone records and cards. i have the hotel receipt. please tell me if i need more.

For filing, you've got plenty to get the petition approved but need more details for front-loading. How long were you there? Tell us about the pictures. Who else is in the pictures. Is it clear pictures were taken in multiple locations, some with family and friends. If we saw the pictures would be be impressed the relationship is genuine?

FYI, your mom or your sister may co-sponsor, not both.

i was only there a week couldnt stay longer i wanted to but i had to get back to my babies. i have pics with his brothers and his friends. i didnt get any pics with his mom because her lights were out and we got to her very late. yes we have pics at several different locations. yes i know only one of them can be it but they both said they would help. thank you again.

You should know that many people here at VJ are extremely knowledgable about the visa filing process and are an invaluable source of help for people who are just becoming firmiliar with the whole immigration thing. You will slowly find out with research on VJ that this process with be one of the hardest thing you ever do- its not as easy as we all wish it could be. The reaction you get here in the forum will most likely be the reaction of immigration so be prepared. Your story is not unique but at the same time, we dont know what is real or what is fake but the best advice u will get here, is to be prepared for every possible obstacle this immigration process will put in front of you.

I wish u the best of luck.

thank you

[pushbrk 13,166]

why does this thread remind me of someone asking for my bank account number to help them "save" money?

it amazes me how people can joke about other people lives and not look at their own. you may be in a bad relationship and not know it til its to late. i only wanted to know if i could apply. i have heard all the fraud jokes and warnings. so please keep your unproductive answers to yourself.

having a bad day? geez .... lets think about this

if you're not making ends meet today without gov't support where will the money come from to complete the k-1 visa process which includes proof of relationship and having met? how will you survive if/when he makes the journey to the US? his "lot of money"? (hope you've factored in the exchange rate). it will be more than a few weeks after he arrives until he will be able to work, will the money last, or will he be eating off your food stamps too?

you might be better off to find a better paying job and a least get above the poverty line before beginning this process.

ymmv

no im having a blessed day. thank you. negative people cant nor will they have any affect on my life or my attitude. we have thought and discussed all this at length and i just got my second job which if i need to get a third i will do, so he can be here with us. because i do believe he is a blessing and i should fight for my blessing. my thing is why couldnt you say something productive in the first place instead of trying to make a lame joke. i would hope if you had a question you wanted answered you didnt get jokes and got some constructive answers. im not worried about the money for the process i have that, i was asking if i could apply if my job income is below the poverty line. not once did i say we couldnt afford the process. thank you for your concern.

You are asking legitimate questions and with an exception or two, you are getting the needed answers. Now, IMO, it's time to learn from the answers you are given so you can prepare as well as possible for success. I'm going to just assume the relationship is a genuine one with the best intentions of all concerned being foremost. However, that's my assumption. It will probably not be quite a different initial assuption a Consular officer in Lagos has. It's your job to overcome the challenges, if you want success.

First, learn the process. First thing is you file a petition. You, the US Citizen never "apply" for anything. If you are a US citizen, free to marry, you can file a petition. If you've been together in person during the past two years (Have you met in person already? If not, that's required.) with the beneficiary and he can show evidence he's free to marry along with you both sending the appropriate documentation including letters of intent, (See the K1 guide) then, you can actually get a petition approved. That's the easy part. After petition approval comes the hard part.

The initial financial requirements can be met with a co-sponsor but this is dealt with after petition approval, so yes, the poor can petition.

Now come the red flags and challenges to deal with. Here's a partial list. They work against you in combination with only "Lagos" being of critical significance on its own.

1. You have a low income.

2. You met though his brother who already immigrated.

3. He's paying the expenses of immigration and I assume any trip(s) to visit him.

4. You'll be going through Lagos Consulate, with a unique history of high fraud.

5. If his brother instead of your family or close friend is the co-sponsor that's another mark against you.

This whole set of circumstances fits a common fraud scenario. It fits regardlesss of how genuine your relationship is. As such, you'll need enough (and nobody can tell you what "enough" is) evidence of a bona fide ongoing relationship to overcome the initial conclusion the relationship is one HE entered into for no other purpose than to gain an immigration benefit.

The very best evidence of a bona fide relationship is the time you spend together before the interview. With a passle of kids, that's not going to be easy but you'll need to arrange at least two and better three visits with the third being at interview time. In addition, see the guides and other threads for examples of gathering evidence of ongoing regular communication. You may even want to include a few selected pieces of evidence that address the red flags along with your petition even though they are not required. We call this "front-loading the petition" and it can be critical in situations like yours.

Why not start now but telling us what you already have for evidence including your evidence of meeting and how long you spent together, so we can help you gauge whether you're ready to file.

First let me say thank you. my mom or my sister will be the co-sponser, they both make good money. we have been dating since july of last year and i went to nigeria last week to visit him. we do have a lot of letters and emails. we took over a hundred pictures and i do have phone records and cards. i have the hotel receipt. please tell me if i need more.

For filing, you've got plenty to get the petition approved but need more details for front-loading. How long were you there? Tell us about the pictures. Who else is in the pictures. Is it clear pictures were taken in multiple locations, some with family and friends. If we saw the pictures would be be impressed the relationship is genuine?

FYI, your mom or your sister may co-sponsor, not both.

i was only there a week couldnt stay longer i wanted to but i had to get back to my babies. i have pics with his brothers and his friends. i didnt get any pics with his mom because her lights were out and we got to her very late. yes we have pics at several different locations. yes i know only one of them can be it but they both said they would help. thank you again.

Can you think of anything else that could evidence the bona fides? If not, a carefully drafted letter describing the evolution of the relationship could help front-load the petition. Don't underestimate the factors working against you. Can you visit once or twice more in the next few months? Can you arrange to be there at interview time?