Tougher time the less amount of time you've known each other?

[bebop + rocksteady 0]

I've seen some hints around the forum about people having a harder time getting a I-129f approval for knowing each other a shorter amount of time. Craig and I have a very legitimate relationship and have been to see one another 5 times (at least 8-10 by the time the interview comes around), but alas, we only met online in the beginning of February. And met in person in April. And were engaged in June. A relatively short amount of time compared to many couples on here.

Does anyone think this is going to cause a problem or has experienced a problem with this? We have very solid proof of both meeting in the past 2 years as well as an ongoing relationship. But that won't help much if they are biased because we haven't even known each other a year.

[dwar49 0]

Your petition only requires that you have met at least once within the last 2 years. There is no requirement that have known each other for any length of time.

Where you have to prove ongoing relatioship is at the interview. Again there is no requirement as long as you can prove ongoing valid relationship. Each consulate is different but being as you have met in person quite frequently I wouldnt think there would be a problem. Make sure you have plenty of evidence of relationship at interview and you should have no problem.

And since you havent even submitted package yet, there is good chance that by the time you get to interview stage a year will have passed anyway

Edited July 24, 2006 by dwar49

[TracyTN 237]

I have read an article by an attorney/former poster here that one of the contributing factors to a denial *can* be a swift courtship and matrimony.

See the article HERE.

Whether or not that applies to the OP, I don't know. But if none of the other contributing factors mentioned in the article apply to you, then its probably much ado about nothing.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

I am so thankful that there is no requirement stipulating how long a couple must know each other before entering this process because my fiancee and I would would be in that boat. The good thing is, by the time of the interview, we would have known each other at least 8 - 10 months. Not to mention, we already have tons of info to prove our on-going relationship. There are some folks on VJ that pressume this could raise the eyebrow of the Consular Officer, but the facts and truth should prevail. Thanks for the comment...

[bebop + rocksteady 0]

Hmm, that makes me a little nervous. None of the rest of the list applies to us, but still. Eek.

We do have 4 months of relationship before the engagement, so there are plenty of photos and emails and letters and the such. I hoping what they consider a "very brief courtship" is less time than that. And as the above poster says, by the time the interview comes around, we should be at least at a year of knowing each other. With many visits in between.

*crosses fingers*

I have read an article by an attorney/former poster here that one of the contributing factors to a denial *can* be a swift courtship and matrimony.

See the article HERE.

Whether or not that applies to the OP, I don't know. But if none of the other contributing factors mentioned in the article apply to you, then its probably much ado about nothing.

Edited July 24, 2006 by bebop + rocksteady

[no name 1]

There are some folks on VJ that pressume this could raise the eyebrow of the Consular Officer, but the facts and truth should prevail. Thanks for the comment...

I don't think those people say that to upset you or to be mean, it's because they've seen it or read about it here.

It very well may be an issue at interview since we all know visa fraud is rife in America.

Im thinking age of petitioners might be a factor as well...the OP is very young & has a 4 month courtship. That sounds like eyebrow-raising for sure. I think any courtship under 6 months will be scruntinized.

Edited July 24, 2006 by devilette

[dwar49 0]

From what I have seen the more time that you have actually spent together the better.

Think about it, if you have known each other for a couple of years but only spent a few days together one time probably is worse than having known each other for short time but yet have met in person numerous times.

Alot depends on the consular doing interview. It is the luck of the draw and how much evidence of ongoing relationship.

[Dean iWait 0]

I am so thankful that there is no requirement stipulating how long a couple must know each other before entering this process because my fiancee and I would would be in that boat. The good thing is, by the time of the interview, we would have known each other at least 8 - 10 months. Not to mention, we already have tons of info to prove our on-going relationship. There are some folks on VJ that pressume this could raise the eyebrow of the Consular Officer, but the facts and truth should prevail. Thanks for the comment...

I agree. The statement is: "A brief courtship followed by a plunge in to matrimony" . To me that means you met her and went to her country 2 or 3 months later and married her. It doesn't say "a brief courtship followed by a plunge in to engagement". I met Sheryl last November and we got engaged this last April. I don't expect any problems at all. I will be at her interview just to make sure they have a little extra proof of relationship.

[bebop + rocksteady 0]

This is what I was hoping. We see one another every 3-5 weeks for at least 3-5 days at a time. So that seems to validate it a little more than if we'd only known each other 4 months with one or two visits.

But then again, who knows what's going on in those consular's heads?

From what I have seen the more time that you have actually spent together the better.

Think about it, if you have known each other for a couple of years but only spent a few days together one time probably is worse than having known each other for short time but yet have met in person numerous times.

Alot depends on the consular doing interview. It is the luck of the draw and how much evidence of ongoing relationship.

And I completely 100% plan on being at his interview. We are going to make it mini-holiday in Montreal.

Edited July 24, 2006 by bebop + rocksteady

[Canuck Carrie 1]

Stop freakin'

We're another 'short time' couple & did fine in Montreal, the CO raised her eyebrow a little bit when she mentioned it but I wasn't too worried as I was too busy looking at her chin stubble

[Dean iWait 0]

Stop freakin'

We're another 'short time' couple & did fine in Montreal, the CO raised her eyebrow a little bit when she mentioned it but I wasn't too worried as I was too busy looking at her chin stubble

ROFL!

[perfect 39]

Not necessarily! The most important thing is to have all your evidence lined up very strongly so they can see you meet all the criteria for getting an approval of the K1 petition and have a legitimate relationship. I met my husband online in the July before we met in the December. We filed a I-129F in the following February, having only met in person once. We were approved the following July with no RFE because we sent in very strong evidence to fulfill the criteria for applying for a K1 visa. This was emphasised at the interview in the September where they could see our relatiohnship was very strong and legitimate and I moved here in the October.

So in and of itself the time you have known each other is not a reason to be denied for the petition. You have to fulfill all the criteria of the application for the petition and then prove the relationship at interview in order to be approved for the visa itself.

Hope that makes sense!

[Ecalos 0]

I read this and had a little bit of a panic attack because we met online in June/05, met in person in Oct/05 and were engaged in Dec/05

BUT on the other hand, we havent yet filed the I-129F, it's being sent out next week. We decided that we should spent a long period of time with eachother to see if this was really right for us. So in 3 months ago in April I drove to the US to stay with him, and I'm only now leaving and going back home on July 27th. The petition will be filed a few days after I leave the country. I'm hoping that the time we spent building the relationship -after- the engagement will be helpful to our cause

[jmwprof03 0]

i agree with the majority of what is being said. no need to freak. my lawyer (yes, i had a lawyer-- --i blame it on my "prone-to-mistakes" self propelled me to get one) told me that in his professional opinion and during his time doing fiance(e) visas, he typically likes to wait until the 3-month mark to submit anything on behalf of a couple. my idealistic self believes that as long as you are legit and you truly love each other, it will be apparent to anybody who meets you guys. oh, and that ridiculous amout of evidence will help, too. however, my realistic self knows that anything is possible, including having pisser of an officer. we all have bad days. let's just hope that none of us have en officer who woke up on the wrong side of the bed. bottom line: dont sweat it.

[iceyspots 0]

What it all boils down to is the Embassy that the beneficiary is going to be interviewed at, they make much of the differences.

If you have no other red flags, and you have a lot of evidence of a bona fide relationship, you should be ok