Will it count against us that I've only visited once?

[M J Woods 1]

I was reading Tokyo Lovers' interview experience (awesome that they got approved!) and was wondering... does it count against you if you've only visited your spouse once? Turkey is a long way from here and I'm in school and don't have a ton of time to go visiting him (I was there with him for three months this spring), and he hasn't applied for a visa to come visit me because we got married just two weeks after I got into Turkey to see him (and four months after we started "talking," which means seven months after we met)... is this going to look suspicious or like we're trying to pull off some sort of visa fraud or something? I think I fell in love with him within like two weeks after we actually started really talking with each other, and I just knew he was the one I wanted to be with. Does this kind of timeline and/or just one visit to the spouse's country count against you in a visa interview?

[LisaR 0]

I don't know if there is a lot of fraud in Turkey, but where my husband is from fraud is high. I have been to visit him four times, basically once a year. He just had his interview and they were not happy that I had only been once a year. They tried to use that as a reason to prove our marriage is not real. I was also told that I didn't need to be there for the interview and now they are requiring me to be there for a second interview. I am leaving in a week to meet with immigration. If you can, you need to visit as often as possible, save all phone records, skype records, emails, etc. Immigration doesn't care that you are in school, they want to see proof that the marriage is real. Hope this helps.

[Aya820 33]

I don't know if there is a lot of fraud in Turkey, but where my husband is from fraud is high. I have been to visit him four times, basically once a year. He just had his interview and they were not happy that I had only been once a year. They tried to use that as a reason to prove our marriage is not real. I was also told that I didn't need to be there for the interview and now they are requiring me to be there for a second interview. I am leaving in a week to meet with immigration. If you can, you need to visit as often as possible, save all phone records, skype records, emails, etc. Immigration doesn't care that you are in school, they want to see proof that the marriage is real. Hope this helps.

How the heck do they expect you to visit more than once a year, or even more than once??! I haven't seen my hubby since 2008, and when I went the first time it was very expensive for me and a major financial strain. I wish I could visit him more often, but it is not like he lives around the corner. Yes, I knew what I was getting into when we married...that this would be a long journey and somewhat expensive with fees and such, but to add expenses such as travel would be overwhelming for me as I am the sole bread winner in my household....ughhhh!

[LisaR 0]

I agree, the problem is they do not care about what it costs. Imagine, they told me I didn't need to be there and now they are mad that I was not there. Now I am going to jump through their hoops and then have to buy a plane ticket for my husband after spending that money on one for me. It is the price we pay for wanting our spouses with us. I will do whatever I have to and I can't change anything about the amount of times I visited. I just have to explain that I traveled whenever I could afford it and didn't travel as much lately because we were saving money for his plane ticket.

You just have to keep good records of all of the contact that you do have and hope for the best. Good luck to you.

[sachinky 465]

How the heck do they expect you to visit more than once a year, or even more than once??! I haven't seen my hubby since 2008, and when I went the first time it was very expensive for me and a major financial strain. I wish I could visit him more often, but it is not like he lives around the corner. Yes, I knew what I was getting into when we married...that this would be a long journey and somewhat expensive with fees and such, but to add expenses such as travel would be overwhelming for me as I am the sole bread winner in my household....ughhhh!

Given that he will be interviewing in Lagos, I suggest you make a trip there ASAP. There's no way in hell he'd get approved with a visit back in 2008.

[TBoneTX 45,291]

LisaR -- if you haven't read this thread, you may want to:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/207292-embassy-wants-petitioner-at-next-cr-1-interview-any-advice/

Good luck, and please post with full details, si man.

Edited July 5, 2010 by TBoneTX