K1 Visa for my fiance

[mynlal 0]

Hi All,

I will be applying for a K1 Visa for my Fiance, but I have couple of questions. I have received a lot of help in the past from the fellows here hopefully someone here have been in a same situation I am or know someone that have been.

A: How do I establish an Evidence of bonafide relationship when I havent even met my fiance due to customs and traditions of our culture/religion. We do however talk and email each other constatntly.

B: Realisticly how long it will take from initial day of filing for my petition to getting a K1 Visa. I will be filing in VSC since I reside in Texas.

C: Once approved and I have K1 visa for my fiance can I go to her country and bring her along with me.

D: Is there any other option other than K1 Visa that is more faster.

Thanks for all your help.

[payxibka 10,045]

A: USCIS is not concerned about bonafide relationship evidence... they are concerned about evidence of face to face meeting or a convincing & compelling dissertation as to why you have not met.

B: Changes all the time... VJ has timelines that adjust based on current data

C: You do NOT get a K-1 visa FOR your fiancee. You petition for determination of her eligibility to apply... Once approved SHE applies and gets approved for the visa

D: Tourist visa is faster... but it is not to be used for immigration to the USA

[Bobby+Umit 161]

To add to what payxibka posted.

From all the cases I have seen, you will probably not get the k-1 granted without meeting in person (within 2 years of the submission of the K-1). Simple browse of the cases on the USCIS (for rejection) shows they do not really grant them - so you should really consider meeting in person if you want a smooth K-1.

Since you plan on meeting her prior to marriage (once her visa is approved) and bring her back to the US, there should be no issues with you meeting prior to submitting the K-1 (devils advocate here)

You could always go to her country - marry here (which should satisfy the religious customs, and then apply for a CR-1 visa. That way she can come here with a GC in hand.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Many customs about meeting restrict the couple from being alone not from meeting with proper monitoring. Immigration is very aware of places with meeting is absolutely banned and would require proof that you are dealing with someone that adheres to those beliefs. But as a previous poster mentioned they would also not let your fiance leave with you as an unmarried couple. They would insist on you getting married before being alone with here which would automatically invalidate the K1 visa. I guess you could get the K1 and then pay for her and her escorts ( who would also need visas ) to come to the US and ensure she was separated from you until you married but that seems rather complicated and expensive.

[unique135 0]

A: Meeting face-to-face is one of the requirements for filing I-129F. Although, waiving of this requirement could be considered if you are able to provide

1. letters from religious leaders,

2. sworn statements from both of your parents,

3. documents showing that you both come from same culture and speak same language,

4. documents showing that both of your families are from cultures where arranged marriage without face-to-face is an important and accepted practice.

5. and ofcourse all other strong evidence of your ongoing relationship.

However, this process cannot guarantee your waiving and could probably cause delays (since you are looking for quickest way out). Personally, I wouldn't advise this process.

B: From statistics here with consideration of some buffers time and luck, I assume it be 12-16 months (from the day of filing I-129F to Green card in hand) or 9-13 months (with K-1 visa in hand). Ofcourse, this is not realistic and can't be realistic, but better to expect the worst case scenario at some point.

C: As said, your fiancee gets K-1 visa (not you). But, you will need tourist visa to travel to her country. I don't see a problem here.

D: Personally, I considered K-1 visa for myself but now I am influenced by CR-1 visa.

No, it is NOT fastest if you only want visa for her entry.

Yes, it is fastest if you want green card in hand sooner.

Consider this: Compare Visa Types

My advice: Marry her in her country or If she enter US on tourist visa and marry in US. Open joint-bank account or buy a car together (not sure if this is possible). Note: She must return back to her country after getting married. Go through regular process of IR-1/CR-1 visa.

I hope this helps,

Edited December 25, 2009 by unique135

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi All,

I will be applying for a K1 Visa for my Fiance, but I have couple of questions. I have received a lot of help in the past from the fellows here hopefully someone here have been in a same situation I am or know someone that have been.

A: How do I establish an Evidence of bonafide relationship when I havent even met my fiance due to customs and traditions of our culture/religion. We do however talk and email each other constatntly.

B: Realisticly how long it will take from initial day of filing for my petition to getting a K1 Visa. I will be filing in VSC since I reside in Texas.

C: Once approved and I have K1 visa for my fiance can I go to her country and bring her along with me.

D: Is there any other option other than K1 Visa that is more faster.

Thanks for all your help.

You are not likely to get anything approved or get anywhere with the process unless you can prove that religion and customs forbid you meeting before the wedding, THEN you have to prove that when she comes to the United States you will not meet with her before the wedding. Expect many months, or years, of delay while you work through this. Your other questions are all irrelevent until you receive approval to avoid the meeting in person. Good luck with that. Include your waiver request and all details when you file the petition.

[SuperDuper! 230]

It would be very interesting to learn of what cultures ban the man and woman meeting ahead of the wedding day as this is a relatively rare occurrence as seen on vj. I don't think many of us here know much about these types of traditions. We wish you the best in your vj.

[ScottThuy 140]

You are not likely to get anything approved or get anywhere with the process unless you can prove that religion and customs forbid you meeting before the wedding, THEN you have to prove that when she comes to the United States you will not meet with her before the wedding. Expect many months, or years, of delay while you work through this. Your other questions are all irrelevent until you receive approval to avoid the meeting in person. Good luck with that. Include your waiver request and all details when you file the petition.

Agreed 100% Gary.. Since USCIS requires meeting in person within 2 years... this can be a very difficult hurdle to bypass... it may take getting married there and filing a CR1...

I am very curious as to the culture/religion that prevents one from meeting the bride before the wedding... we all learn something new each day..

[Sebas&Lily 3]

I know that in India this is practiced still Not sure of any other cultures

[Boiler 45,553]

I think that any country that practices these traditions is likely to qualify for escorts B2 Visas.

CR1 sounds best bet.

[meowmeowmeow 1]

how can you know that this person is the One if you've never me? is this an arranged marriage? as someone else said...i'd be interested in knowing just where this takes place...i'd be a bit nervous about this myself...well, good luck.

[rajm11 0]

I know that in India this is practiced still Not sure of any other cultures

Wrong, Where do u get this idea man??? may be in tribes, that it, NO body in India does that.I live here, I know it. don't spread lies.

[sara..... 371]

My religion and culture does not allow us to meet alone.....but you have to meet in person..(we did this with parents there)....there just is no way to receive k-1 approval with out it.......also it is very hard to get permission from family for a girl that is Muslim to travel on k-1 visa .......if you can not meet in person because of ur religion and culture how an ur s/o travel on k-1 visa?

im not trying to be rude or mean im just trying to figure out this situation

sara

[msu17 0]

A and C cancel each other out. If you can't meet for cultural/religious reasons, then you can't pick her up prior to marrying by any basic logic. You either can't meet at all, which means C doesn't matter, or you can meet, in which case A doesn't matter. Before you decide anything you need to decide what exactly you are even asking.

[Bajih 4]

I know it can work. My friend did this. She did not meet her fiance' in person until he came over here after they went through this whole process. He has his interview last December, and was here a few days later.

Many reasons keep people from meeting each other. It states in the documents what you can do if meeting is not feasible, so please look! I know this because at one point I questioned all of this myself. It all depends on the situation. Really.

Besides the religious reasons, there may be financial concerns as well. I believe my friend was a combination of both of these. Seriously, some people cannot afford a $3000 airfare ticket plus travel expenses. I was very fortunate that I was able to piece together enough money to visit my fiance', but that is not to say the trip was not wraught with worry-about the religious piece. (another story; another time!)

My advice- Read ALL the documents. There are options for you.

Baj