What do we do first??

[Dody 0]

Hi ALL!!!

Ok my question is...first of all I am 42 and my fiance' is 25, I read on another forum that this might raise questions as to if it is a true relationship or just to help him become a US citizen...do you think that will be a problem??

I was also reading about him having to be in the Army??? I do know he has been in college and hasn't been working there

also my income is going to be very close to the guidelines that they have set,actually looking for another job so this won't be an issue

how hard is it to get a fiance' visa and how long does it take?

i work full time and it is going to be very hard for me to take off work and go to Egypt (as we have not met in person yet)do I have to go to Egypt or can he come here

would it be easier for him to get his citizenship and then move here or would that be longer??? what is THE BEST thing we can do to be together with no problems??

this is all new to me and I do not have a clue!!! I have read so many things and have gotten so confused as to what will be the best thing for us!!!

Thank You in advance!!!

[mandyu1 5]

Hi ALL!!!

Ok my question is...first of all I am 42 and my fiance' is 25, I read on another forum that this might raise questions as to if it is a true relationship or just to help him become a US citizen...do you think that will be a problem??

I was also reading about him having to be in the Army??? I do know he has been in college and hasn't been working there

also my income is going to be very close to the guidelines that they have set,actually looking for another job so this won't be an issue

how hard is it to get a fiance' visa and how long does it take?

i work full time and it is going to be very hard for me to take off work and go to Egypt (as we have not met in person yet)do I have to go to Egypt or can he come here

would it be easier for him to get his citizenship and then move here or would that be longer??? what is THE BEST thing we can do to be together with no problems??

this is all new to me and I do not have a clue!!! I have read so many things and have gotten so confused as to what will be the best thing for us!!!

Thank You in advance!!!

Hello and Welcome,

Im not sure how much advice I can give since I am going thru the process myself, but I've been told that the K1 takes about the same about of time or a little less than the CR1. However the requirements of getting a K1 is that you have to have met in person in the last 2 years. He can try and apply to get a visitors visa and come see you, but its very difficult to get especially if they know he will come to see you (they fear he will not return to his country and immigrate legally). If he is denied the only option you have is to go and see him then return and file the petition.

My fiance and I are not that far apart in age, but I do know that there have been other cases of large age differences and they have been approved. Maybe those ladies will chime and give you their input. Also, if you don't meet the income requirements you can always use a co-sponsor if you have someone who is willing to sponsor him.

Hope this helps and good luck

Mandy

[Dody 0]

Hello and Welcome,

Im not sure how much advice I can give since I am going thru the process myself, but I've been told that the K1 takes about the same about of time or a little less than the CR1. However the requirements of getting a K1 is that you have to have met in person in the last 2 years. He can try and apply to get a visitors visa and come see you, but its very difficult to get especially if they know he will come to see you (they fear he will not return to his country and immigrate legally). If he is denied the only option you have is to go and see him then return and file the petition.

My fiance and I are not that far apart in age, but I do know that there have been other cases of large age differences and they have been approved. Maybe those ladies will chime and give you their input. Also, if you don't meet the income requirements you can always use a co-sponsor if you have someone who is willing to sponsor him.

Hope this helps and good luck

Mandy

thanks Mandy I will be checking into the K1 a little more

[And_Sam 44]

Hi ALL!!!

Ok my question is...first of all I am 42 and my fiance' is 25, I read on another forum that this might raise questions as to if it is a true relationship or just to help him become a US citizen...do you think that will be a problem??

I was also reading about him having to be in the Army??? I do know he has been in college and hasn't been working there

also my income is going to be very close to the guidelines that they have set,actually looking for another job so this won't be an issue

how hard is it to get a fiance' visa and how long does it take?

i work full time and it is going to be very hard for me to take off work and go to Egypt (as we have not met in person yet)do I have to go to Egypt or can he come here

would it be easier for him to get his citizenship and then move here or would that be longer??? what is THE BEST thing we can do to be together with no problems??

this is all new to me and I do not have a clue!!! I have read so many things and have gotten so confused as to what will be the best thing for us!!!

Thank You in advance!!!

Hi Dody and welcome to VJ. I hope that you will find some good answers to direct you the path you want to go.

First of all, the age differences isn't really that uncommon specially for MENA countries. BUT, having an age difference will be a red flag that they will be looking at your case closely.

Regardless of any visas you may be trying to get your fiance over here for, you will need to meet him face to face. I haven't heard of anyone getting a visa without at least visiting each other. And even fiance (K1) visas, multiple visits are looked at.

Trying to get your fiance over here on a visitor visa is nearly impossible. Your fiance will have to show that he has reason to return to his country, whether it is a job, family, property..etc.. AND he will have to have money saved up in his own account to show that he is finacially stable to help if he should have any problems arise in the US, like medically.

If he should mention being engaged to someone in the US, they will automatically deny him any visitor visas.

If your fiance had ever tried to get a visa before and denied will also another red flag.

MENA has a very high fraud rate and this is one of the reasons that they scrutinize relationships from there.

As for being in the army, it is not something that is required to get a visa, but Egypt will not give him permission to travel outside of Egypt if he didn't do his mandatory enlisting in the military there. He may had been exempted to joining. Ask him about that.

I hope you can find the information that you need on here. It may seem confusing so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. There are some really nice and friendly people on here!

[Dody 0]

Thank You so much for your information.I didn't think this would be that difficult to be with someone!!! But we will do whatever it takes to get through this!! I am probably going to drive everybody crazy on this because I do not know the first thing about all of this. Seems to me it would be easier to become a US citizen than go through all of theses visa rules and regs!!!

[JlovesA 109]

Everyone has given good advice, but I just wanted to touch on one thing. You asked if he can get his citizenship first and then come here. That isn't possible as one has to be a legal permanent resident of the USA for 3 years (if immigrated due to marriage, 5 for non-marriage immigration), which of course, he needs a visa to become.

[BirdyGirl85 23]

Well first of all you should meet in person. I know you say you can't really afford it, but I just can't see how people would want to get married without even spending time together in person. Being together in person is different then talking online. I hope you can somehow afford to visit soon.

[Dody 0]

Thank you everybody for your advice, I know it is going to be hard for me to take off of work but i have made plans to go after the first of the year. I really want to go right now but just impossible. What if we get married while I am there how does this work as far as him being able to come to the States? I really do not know anything about this!! For one I sure wasn't looking for anybody much less online from another Country but hey it happened!! I just want him to be here and he really wants to be here!!! What is the best and fastest visa? I know I am asking alot but this is just all so new to me and I want to do this legally but also getting frustrated with all of the paperwork and waiting I just want to do the fastest visa or whatever to be together after I come back home.

Thanks Again to ALL

[Karonya and Adel 8]

i'm not sure about egypt but i know it took me six weeks to get married in morocco. had to have approval from the government for us to marry as i was a different religion than he was (at least that's what he told me ) ...made the rounds of courts and police and courts and police nothing goes quickly in MENA countries!! it's still going to be a lot of paperwork and waiting whichever visa you go with...

[mandyu1 5]

Thank you everybody for your advice, I know it is going to be hard for me to take off of work but i have made plans to go after the first of the year. I really want to go right now but just impossible. What if we get married while I am there how does this work as far as him being able to come to the States? I really do not know anything about this!! For one I sure wasn't looking for anybody much less online from another Country but hey it happened!! I just want him to be here and he really wants to be here!!! What is the best and fastest visa? I know I am asking alot but this is just all so new to me and I want to do this legally but also getting frustrated with all of the paperwork and waiting I just want to do the fastest visa or whatever to be together after I come back home.

Thanks Again to ALL

Im not sure where you live but this is something I recently found out. There are a few states that do what is called a proxy marriage (Texas the most common, Colorado and Montant). What this is, you get married in the court and your fiance signs a paper giving someone to act on his behalf (a proxy)and you get married legally in the US. There are some companies that will help you with this but they charge a fee like $600 or something and they arrange the proxy and everything, or you can do yourself. The thing with this case though is that for immigration the US government does not consider this a real legal marriage until you see your fiance/spouse. Meaning you could marry here this way and as soon as u see him in Egypt or whereever he is, then the US government will see this as a legal marriage and then you can apply for the CR1 to bring him here.

Now I don't know how the embassy will view this type of marriage, and it does cost some money, but from what I hear getting married in Egypt takes days and is a real headache. But I'm just giving you information on another option.

[Dody 0]

Thanks again Mandy I am in Arkansas and I will be checking into that!!! I also know some people here in my town that bring people from Mexico on work visas and then they marry here not sure how that works either but I think I will ask them about that....maybe he can get a job there!!! :)Everybody has been so nice and been giving me so much to look into and dig even deeper until I get him here!! I am so glad I accidentally found this forum because I feel like I will get more support than with my own friends and family.

Is there a way a couple could be married online? Or is that the same thing as the "proxy" marriage? I know he has asked me a few times about this so I thought I would ask.

We just really want to be together and we are trying to find out anything and everything so we know what plans to make. And what about him coming here on a visit? Does he have to go back if we marry? Sorry I know i am asking alot of questions but I really want this to be over and be together ASAP!!! I just don't know which would be the best and fastest route(even though the fast I know is next to impossible).

All of you guy's are great and have given me more each time to look into.

THANKS

[mandyu1 5]

Thanks again Mandy I am in Arkansas and I will be checking into that!!! I also know some people here in my town that bring people from Mexico on work visas and then they marry here not sure how that works either but I think I will ask them about that....maybe he can get a job there!!! :)Everybody has been so nice and been giving me so much to look into and dig even deeper until I get him here!! I am so glad I accidentally found this forum because I feel like I will get more support than with my own friends and family.

Is there a way a couple could be married online? Or is that the same thing as the "proxy" marriage? I know he has asked me a few times about this so I thought I would ask.

We just really want to be together and we are trying to find out anything and everything so we know what plans to make. And what about him coming here on a visit? Does he have to go back if we marry? Sorry I know i am asking alot of questions but I really want this to be over and be together ASAP!!! I just don't know which would be the best and fastest route(even though the fast I know is next to impossible).

All of you guy's are great and have given me more each time to look into.

THANKS

Well if he is able to come on a visitors visa you can marry here, but he MUST go back after you marry. If he stays then you will be committing visa fraud (basically he said he was coming here to visit and knew that he was going to use that vis to immigrate). There have been people that have done it, and when it comes time for him to AOS and get his greencard it is whether he came here under false pretenses. And the same goes with the work visa, he must find an employer here to hire him and prove that they cannot find someone currently living in America to do the job, and even then if you married right away it would look a little strange. And no there is no online marriage, there is the proxy but in order for immigration to consider you husband and wife you still must meet.

I think your only option is to go see him (which is easier than him coming here), or have him try to get a visitors visa here. However, to get a visitors visa he has to show strong ties that he will return to Egypt, such as family, job, bank account, etc... Also, the consulate officer can approve his visa, but it is always up to the agent at the port of entry whether or not to allow them to enter, so its best if he brings this stuff with him also.

[Dody 0]

Thanks again Mandy he is going to talk to the embassy in Cairo to find out which would be the best for him to apply for to come here. I think we have decided to see if he can get whatever visa or do whatever it takes to move here but we know it will be a long process. But it is to the point he no longer wants to live there because he can not find work and he has been in college so we will see what happens now I think after reading everything I have I really think it would be easier for him to get a non immigrant visa and come here and then file for permanent resident I really don't know but if nothing else I will be going in February I have read so much and it is all running together now. But I do think the non immigrant visa would work for him..still not sure maybe he will find something out from them at the embassy!! And I thought of the work visa because he wants to be able to come here and be able to work,then I started reading up more on that because of the answers i got.....it is a pain so many different ways to do things!!!

But all I can do is find info for him and he has got to contact them and do the rest because I know I won't get any answers if I was to call them because I am here and he is there,but i may call anyway just to see if they can tell me anything???

[Dody 0]

See I forgot to ask you Mandy you said he could come here on a visitor visa and we could marry but he would have to go back. What would we have to do for him to come back and live here?

[mandyu1 5]

See I forgot to ask you Mandy you said he could come here on a visitor visa and we could marry but he would have to go back. What would we have to do for him to come back and live here?

If he were to come visit and you married, after he returned to Egypt you could file for a CR-1 (which is like a K3, but the K3 is no longer being used (sorry having a mental block and can't think of the term ) The K-3 is similar to the K-1 but it is for a spouse, however all new petitions are for the CR-1. This is actually better because when he comes he will get his greencard right away. If he were to come on a fiance visa, after you married he would apply for AOS and then he would receive his 2 yr greencard, and after that he would apply for his 10 yr greencard. So going the CR-1 route, it takes a little longer, from what I have heard by a couple of months, but the advantages are better. Also, with a CR-1 he can travel out of the USA immediately after getting here and he can begin work. With a fiance visa he needs to get permission to travel and apply for a work authorization card.

Hope this helps!!!