Fiancé Visa – The Financials Exposed!

[Justin 0]

Fiancé Visa – The Financials Exposed!

This article will expose the realities of the financial investment involved in bringing your beloved to this wonderful country. For the purpose of this article we will refer to the petitioner as HE (male) and the beneficiary as SHE (female), since it is the case for most of us here. Of cause HE(male) and SHE (female) can be used interchangeably in some cases with BENEFICIARY and PETITIONER. Many future wives from foreign countries have their own lives they can relate to. They understand their own personal financial needs in their own country, but are not clear about the financial resources that a blissful process of a foreign husband will involve. This is simply not at their fault, but just because they live in their own countries and can NOT YET relate to the investments that are being made. Now here we will expose the true financial realities to men considering to bring their futures wife's to the USA, but more importantly also to future wife's, to simply understand the financial investment you beloved husband is making for both of your happiness.

Before I continue, please read this article in an informative light. This article is very honest about the pure realities, without sugarcoating anything. We, as your future husbands love our brides to be very much! We will do anything for them. This article is not a romance novel, but instead a pure financial reality for those who wish to know the truths about the financials behind your beautiful romance and the investment needed for marrying a foreign bride.

Long ago, I read somewhere that it costs about $20,000 to marry a foreign national. In this article we will put that to the test. We will look at (1) real life one time expenses like international travel, engagement o wedding rings, etc. We will also look at (2) increased monthly expenses like how much your mans telephone bill has increased, above what it use to be or how much he is now paying for translation fees every month, which he never paid for. We will also look at expenses like the wedding and honeymoon – the (3) once in a lifetime events. Then lastly we will look at a (4) sample budget of a "everyday USA" man or family.

Please bare in mind, that these are samples. If you get a better per minute telephone rate, this is not the place for it. This is for illustration purposes, but I draw from my experience and several friends who have pursued the dream of marrying a foreign bride.

TRAVEL (over 1 year)

3 trips – flights @ 1400 each---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$4200

3 trips – accommodation @ $60/night and 10 days / trip------------------------------------------------------------------$1800

3 trips – daily money for food and play $1000/trip----------------------------------------------------------------------------$3000

3 trips – travel insurance @ $80 / insurance policy--------------------------------------------------------------------------$240

TOTAL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$9240

RINGS:

2 wedding bands @ $500--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1000

1 OPTIONAL engagement ring-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$500+

TOTAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1000

INCREASED MONTHLY EXPENCES, ABOVE THE MORM:

This is the difference that individual expenses for your future husband has increased above the norm, that is the typical amount in the USA. Not all of these will apply to you, but it might, especially if your future wife does not speak English yet.

12 months – telephone minimum of $100 per month increase-----------------------------------------------------------$1200

12 months – email translation services $130 per month--------------------------------------------------------------------$1440

12 months – telephone translation service. 3 calls per week; 30 min each @ $0.50/min----------------------$4320

12 month – English classes for your fiancé @ $70 per month-----------------------------------------------------------$840

3 months – Introduction driving lessons (without exam) -------------------------------------------------------------------$500

TOTAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$8300

IMMIGRATION:

Fiancé Visa fee to USCIS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$170

Visa Preparation Service-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$500

Documents translated (police certificate, birth certificate, etc)-------------------------------------------------------------$300

Fiancé Visa Interview fees and medical examination--------------------------------------------------------------------------$200

4 occurrences – Emergency FEDEX of documents @ $100----------------------------------------------------------------$400

TOTAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1570

WEDDING and HONEYMOON:

Your future husband will think and plan ahead. He has to plan for expenses of your honeymoon and depending on your tradition (or if his parents still live), he might have to plan money for a wedding too. Here we will not go into detail, but give you price ranges.

1 week honeymoon (flights, accommodation, food money and play money)--------------------------------------$3000+

Destination wedding (Hawaii)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1200-$6000

Wedding on Mainland USA-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$10,000+

Wedding dress and outfit---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$500+

Men's Tuxedo rental-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$100

TOTAL (Honeymoon + dress + Jux [not wedding])---------------------------------------------------------------------------$3600

TOTALS:

Let's add these up. Of cause, we understand that some people will use all these services and have all these expenses, other will not.

Travel-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$9240

Rings-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1000

Increased monthly expenses above the norm----------------------------------------------------------------------------------$8300

Immigration----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1570

Wedding and Honeymoon-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$3600

TOTAL INVESTMENT over 12 months----------- ------------------------------------------------------------------$23710

WOW, this is amazing! I truly have never done this math before and it holds true.

SAMPLE AMERICAN BUDGET:

I sat down with a few friends and we brainstormed a budget. Here we can give an indicator to our new wife's the cost of life here in the USA. This budget is based on a home owner in a average nice neighborhood in Texas, owns a average car and has the standard services most Americans have. We did not give him a salary first, but calculated the reality of normal expenses to reflect your everyday USA standard of living.

Mortgage (property tax included)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1400

Property tax (for some property tax might not be included)----------------------------------------------------------------$350

Home insurance----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$100

Car payment---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$350

Car insurance--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$80

Food---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$400

Electricity/Natural Gas Average (Texas)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$350

Water and Surge----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$70

Monthly Average: Car maintenance--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$70

Monthly Average: Medical expenses-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$100

Entertainment-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$200

Special Events (birthdays/gifts)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$50

Petroleum / Gasoline---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$120

Clothing (monthly average over the year)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$50

Home maintenance------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$150

Miscellaneous food------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$30

Telephone (before calling international) + Internet + Cable/Sat TV-------------------------------------------------------$120

Mobile Phone---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$70

Hobbies and sports (health club membership)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------$30

TOTAL-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$3570/month

Interestingly, if we take $3570 which is the pay he takes home and add tax to it and calculate an annual income for this fictitious man, we will be earning a yearly income of about $58,000 per year, assuming he is NOT SAVING ANYTHING and is NOT investing in his pension fund. If we add these to variables into the equation, assuming he invests 20% into his pension and saves 10% ($350/month) of his salary, we will be receiving an annual salary of $70,000. This is what most professionals earn about here in the USA. Professionals being sales people, IT professionals, managers, engineers, etc.

According to the Census Bureau here in the US, the median income for an average HOUSEHOLD in the USA is $43,000. HOUSEHOLD, where the man and woman contributes.

HOW DOES ALL OF THIS ADD UP?

So now that you have seen the numbers and might wonder, how will my beloved future husband make all of this happen for us? When you are engaged there is no question that he loves his fiancé with his whole heart and soul. Finding and knowing you have found your soul mate is an extraordinary experience and with love and commitment he will make it happen. He will adapt his life in a million small ways, so that the 2 of you can be together.

It is going to be hard for him, financially, VERY HARD. If we look at our fictitious man, earning $70,000 a year and takes home $3570 a month, that means in one hear he takes home $43,000 a year after tax. He needs to come up with another $23,710 in addition to still pay for his existing expenses also. This is almost 50%.

THE MESSEGE:

Here is the main message! This sample man we looked at is very real. It will represent closely a large percentage of men that want to bring their beloved future wife's from abroad. As a future wife, consider this... Your man needs to come up with an extra 50% more of his annual income, in order to make all of this happen. He will do this by changing his lifestyle, saving here and saving there. He will dip into long term savings. For all of this money, you will be together.

WHAT CAN I AS FUTURE WIFE DO?

Trust and honesty is crucial to any marriage, but in international relationship they develop much faster, or they decay much faster. Here is a few things you as the future wife can do to assist your beloved future husband:

- Show him you respect his money that he works very hard for.

- Understand that there is not an unlimited supply in his bank account.

- Do small things to also help save, since you are both a team now. Maybe write 3 letters a week in stead of 4 (if paying for translation).

- If you "want" something and do not "need" it, delay getting it. Your man needs to use his funds on things that will help the 2 of you get together and things that will be useful to you once you get to the USA. Belly dancing lessons is not one of those (smile).

- TALK to your future husband about what YOU can do to help. He will appreciate it VERY much! Not what you can do financially, but which small things can you do to ease the financial strain.

WHAT CAN I AS FUTURE HUSBAND DO?

Communication is critical and honesty is vital. You are making a huge commitment and telling her authentically what can be done and what can not, is very important.

- Share with her when something is not financially viable and a unproductive use of your money. Now of all times, you need to use your money to get her here and to prepare her for her new life with you.

- Be open and firm when something can not be done. She will appreciate the honesty VERY much and it will create a beautiful sense of closeness as you work thru all of this.

- Do not spend money on something she asks for and your heart does not feel right about it. This experience can be the best thing that happened to you in order to get your financial affairs in order. If you do spend money on something for her, feel right about it, not because you feel obligated.

- Also, by being firm and practical it will help you make sure that she wants your heart and that she has no ulterior motives.

- Talk to her about how much is there and how much is not. Tell her openly about options of doing things and how to pay for all of them. The better she is informed, the better she can help you save up.

- Ask her to help you. No, not financially, but by being your partner and by understanding the magnitude of the financials. Ask her to do what she can so that you as a couple will get thru this. Maybe you call her 3 times a week instead of 4.

I hope you got some insight into the financials that men like us are faced with. Please remember, we do not measure our love for our future wives by our wallets, but in this world we live in it is simply a part of life. Where 2 hearts become one, anything is possible.

[Mew 0]

I have no words, except for maybe: Oh.my.God.

[Rob and Melinda 0]

Fiancé Visa – The Financials Exposed!

This article will expose the realities of the financial investment involved in bringing your beloved to this wonderful country. For the purpose of this article we will refer to the petitioner as HE (male) and the beneficiary as SHE (female), since it is the case for most of us here. Of cause HE(male) and SHE (female) can be used interchangeably in some cases with BENEFICIARY and PETITIONER. Many future wives from foreign countries have their own lives they can relate to. They understand their own personal financial needs in their own country, but are not clear about the financial resources that a blissful process of a foreign husband will involve. This is simply not at their fault, but just because they live in their own countries and can NOT YET relate to the investments that are being made. Now here we will expose the true financial realities to men considering to bring their futures wife's to the USA, but more importantly also to future wife's, to simply understand the financial investment you beloved husband is making for both of your happiness.

Before I continue, please read this article in an informative light. This article is very honest about the pure realities, without sugarcoating anything. We, as your future husbands love our brides to be very much! We will do anything for them. This article is not a romance novel, but instead a pure financial reality for those who wish to know the truths about the financials behind your beautiful romance and the investment needed for marrying a foreign bride.

Long ago, I read somewhere that it costs about $20,000 to marry a foreign national. In this article we will put that to the test. We will look at (1) real life one time expenses like international travel, engagement o wedding rings, etc. We will also look at (2) increased monthly expenses like how much your mans telephone bill has increased, above what it use to be or how much he is now paying for translation fees every month, which he never paid for. We will also look at expenses like the wedding and honeymoon – the (3) once in a lifetime events. Then lastly we will look at a (4) sample budget of a "everyday USA" man or family.

Please bare in mind, that these are samples. If you get a better per minute telephone rate, this is not the place for it. This is for illustration purposes, but I draw from my experience and several friends who have pursued the dream of marrying a foreign bride.

TRAVEL (over 1 year)

3 trips – flights @ 1400 each---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$4200

3 trips – accommodation @ $60/night and 10 days / trip------------------------------------------------------------------$1800

3 trips – daily money for food and play $1000/trip----------------------------------------------------------------------------$3000

3 trips – travel insurance @ $80 / insurance policy--------------------------------------------------------------------------$240

TOTAL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$9240

RINGS:

2 wedding bands @ $500--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1000

1 OPTIONAL engagement ring-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$500+

TOTAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1000

INCREASED MONTHLY EXPENCES, ABOVE THE MORM:

This is the difference that individual expenses for your future husband has increased above the norm, that is the typical amount in the USA. Not all of these will apply to you, but it might, especially if your future wife does not speak English yet.

12 months – telephone minimum of $100 per month increase-----------------------------------------------------------$1200

12 months – email translation services $130 per month--------------------------------------------------------------------$1440

12 months – telephone translation service. 3 calls per week; 30 min each @ $0.50/min----------------------$4320

12 month – English classes for your fiancé @ $70 per month-----------------------------------------------------------$840

3 months – Introduction driving lessons (without exam) -------------------------------------------------------------------$500

TOTAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$8300

IMMIGRATION:

Fiancé Visa fee to USCIS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$170

Visa Preparation Service-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$500

Documents translated (police certificate, birth certificate, etc)-------------------------------------------------------------$300

Fiancé Visa Interview fees and medical examination--------------------------------------------------------------------------$200

4 occurrences – Emergency FEDEX of documents @ $100----------------------------------------------------------------$400

TOTAL----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1570

WEDDING and HONEYMOON:

Your future husband will think and plan ahead. He has to plan for expenses of your honeymoon and depending on your tradition (or if his parents still live), he might have to plan money for a wedding too. Here we will not go into detail, but give you price ranges.

1 week honeymoon (flights, accommodation, food money and play money)--------------------------------------$3000+

Destination wedding (Hawaii)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1200-$6000

Wedding on Mainland USA-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$10,000+

Wedding dress and outfit---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$500+

Men's Tuxedo rental-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$100

TOTAL (Honeymoon + dress + Jux [not wedding])---------------------------------------------------------------------------$3600

TOTALS:

Let's add these up. Of cause, we understand that some people will use all these services and have all these expenses, other will not.

Travel-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$9240

Rings-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1000

Increased monthly expenses above the norm----------------------------------------------------------------------------------$8300

Immigration----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1570

Wedding and Honeymoon-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$3600

TOTAL INVESTMENT over 12 months----------- ------------------------------------------------------------------$23710

WOW, this is amazing! I truly have never done this math before and it holds true.

SAMPLE AMERICAN BUDGET:

I sat down with a few friends and we brainstormed a budget. Here we can give an indicator to our new wife's the cost of life here in the USA. This budget is based on a home owner in a average nice neighborhood in Texas, owns a average car and has the standard services most Americans have. We did not give him a salary first, but calculated the reality of normal expenses to reflect your everyday USA standard of living.

Mortgage (property tax included)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1400

Property tax (for some property tax might not be included)----------------------------------------------------------------$350

Home insurance----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$100

Car payment---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$350

Car insurance--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$80

Food---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$400

Electricity/Natural Gas Average (Texas)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$350

Water and Surge----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$70

Monthly Average: Car maintenance--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$70

Monthly Average: Medical expenses-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$100

Entertainment-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$200

Special Events (birthdays/gifts)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$50

Petroleum / Gasoline---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$120

Clothing (monthly average over the year)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$50

Home maintenance------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$150

Miscellaneous food------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$30

Telephone (before calling international) + Internet + Cable/Sat TV-------------------------------------------------------$120

Mobile Phone---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$70

Hobbies and sports (health club membership)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------$30

TOTAL-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------$3570/month

Interestingly, if we take $3570 which is the pay he takes home and add tax to it and calculate an annual income for this fictitious man, we will be earning a yearly income of about $58,000 per year, assuming he is NOT SAVING ANYTHING and is NOT investing in his pension fund. If we add these to variables into the equation, assuming he invests 20% into his pension and saves 10% ($350/month) of his salary, we will be receiving an annual salary of $70,000. This is what most professionals earn about here in the USA. Professionals being sales people, IT professionals, managers, engineers, etc.

According to the Census Bureau here in the US, the median income for an average HOUSEHOLD in the USA is $43,000. HOUSEHOLD, where the man and woman contributes.

HOW DOES ALL OF THIS ADD UP?

So now that you have seen the numbers and might wonder, how will my beloved future husband make all of this happen for us? When you are engaged there is no question that he loves his fiancé with his whole heart and soul. Finding and knowing you have found your soul mate is an extraordinary experience and with love and commitment he will make it happen. He will adapt his life in a million small ways, so that the 2 of you can be together.

It is going to be hard for him, financially, VERY HARD. If we look at our fictitious man, earning $70,000 a year and takes home $3570 a month, that means in one hear he takes home $43,000 a year after tax. He needs to come up with another $23,710 in addition to still pay for his existing expenses also. This is almost 50%.

THE MESSEGE:

Here is the main message! This sample man we looked at is very real. It will represent closely a large percentage of men that want to bring their beloved future wife's from abroad. As a future wife, consider this... Your man needs to come up with an extra 50% more of his annual income, in order to make all of this happen. He will do this by changing his lifestyle, saving here and saving there. He will dip into long term savings. For all of this money, you will be together.

WHAT CAN I AS FUTURE WIFE DO?

Trust and honesty is crucial to any marriage, but in international relationship they develop much faster, or they decay much faster. Here is a few things you as the future wife can do to assist your beloved future husband:

- Show him you respect his money that he works very hard for.

- Understand that there is not an unlimited supply in his bank account.

- Do small things to also help save, since you are both a team now. Maybe write 3 letters a week in stead of 4 (if paying for translation).

- If you "want" something and do not "need" it, delay getting it. Your man needs to use his funds on things that will help the 2 of you get together and things that will be useful to you once you get to the USA. Belly dancing lessons is not one of those (smile).

- TALK to your future husband about what YOU can do to help. He will appreciate it VERY much! Not what you can do financially, but which small things can you do to ease the financial strain.

WHAT CAN I AS FUTURE HUSBAND DO?

Communication is critical and honesty is vital. You are making a huge commitment and telling her authentically what can be done and what can not, is very important.

- Share with her when something is not financially viable and a unproductive use of your money. Now of all times, you need to use your money to get her here and to prepare her for her new life with you.

- Be open and firm when something can not be done. She will appreciate the honesty VERY much and it will create a beautiful sense of closeness as you work thru all of this.

- Do not spend money on something she asks for and your heart does not feel right about it. This experience can be the best thing that happened to you in order to get your financial affairs in order. If you do spend money on something for her, feel right about it, not because you feel obligated.

- Also, by being firm and practical it will help you make sure that she wants your heart and that she has no ulterior motives.

- Talk to her about how much is there and how much is not. Tell her openly about options of doing things and how to pay for all of them. The better she is informed, the better she can help you save up.

- Ask her to help you. No, not financially, but by being your partner and by understanding the magnitude of the financials. Ask her to do what she can so that you as a couple will get thru this. Maybe you call her 3 times a week instead of 4.

I hope you got some insight into the financials that men like us are faced with. Please remember, we do not measure our love for our future wives by our wallets, but in this world we live in it is simply a part of life. Where 2 hearts become one, anything is possible.

Actually, your estimates for myself are pretty accurate. So far I have spend well over $15,000 and We are not even half way through this process yet!

But I would give everything I own to be with Melinda!

Rob

[choji 0]

My answer to the (obviously male) writer of this article:

1. Hire a cleaning lady

2. Visit the local "maison d'amour" once a week

Add up the money saved - voila, you don't need a wife, never mind which nationality.

[Karen_L 1]

Hm. Maybe it's just the nature of our relationship, or maybe it's because I (the girl) am the USC and my fiance' is the immigrant, but I have NEVER sent my fiance' money and he's never asked for any, and it is DEFINITELY not because my fiance' has lots and lots of money; in fact, he wasn't even allowed to work more than 6 hours a week in Italy. In total, I DID spend more money than he has (traveling to see him, for calling cards, etc), but I've never sent him money so he could pay for stuff/cover his expenses.

Do lots of people help financially support their fiancee/fiance during the period apart?

[PlatyPius 5]

Assuming all of these figures are correct (which they are not), how then am I surviving having a foreign fiance while I make $27,000/year (as an I.T. Professional - $70K/year??? Maybe in DFW, not in Indiana)

[Emma&Paul 0]

I think you need some serious

If you need a translater to understand everything your fiance says then maybe you really don't need to be going through the process in the beginning, that will save you some of that precious money your so worried about.

It's time wasters like you that feel the need to buy your wives that slow the process down for us legitimate people that are actually in love.

Get a life ..... and a wife you can understand !!

[PlatyPius 5]

For comparison....

Per Capita Income

#3. United States $41,399

Putnam County, Indiana $17,163

Basically, your "financial essay" is useless to anyone who lives outside of the DFW area. It's also useless to anyone who has a foreign fiance who actually works, lives in a non-third world country, or speaks English.

The "average monthly expenses" exceed my monthly income by quite a bit, too. lol

[luvaLimey 0]

yeah, um. I'm not a foreign bride.

The OP should probably spend more time around this forum, where they will most likely find this site doesn't just cater to the mail-order-brides.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Pretty condecending article - do others also feel 'talked down to'? These figures are totally unrealistic for the majority of K-1 visa applicants, and the 'daily living' expenses are also unrealistic. We live very comfortably in the Atlanta area - not a cheap part of the country - yet our expenses for the two of us plus our pets are less across the board for all of your single US citizen 'necessities'. It sounds to me that you have another agenda somewhere - some bone of contention to pick about your own dissatisfaction. I suspect that you don't feel that the 'importance' of your own financial worth is fully appreciated by your own fiancee or wife. Maybe because she was expecting to focus on a relationship rather than on an itemized debit ledger.

[*Robert* 2]

[sarah and hicham 3]

Jesus I hope this isn't right!

I didn't even know I had that much money in the first place!

[jezebelseven 0]

These figures are totally unrealistic for the majority of K-1 visa applicants, and the 'daily living' expenses are also unrealistic.

I think it's truely impossible to have any kind of generic list of things like this be correct.

There are so many things in here that are optional or not an issue to so many couples here, so many variables that it's not even realistic to have a general 'price list'. I'm also curious where the idea that the majority of users here are US male citizens bringing a wife here, when my understanding was the opposite (I could be wrong, but that was the feeling I've gotten being here for the time I have.). Either way, I don't see this as an issue of whether its a man bringing a woman here or vice versa, and that's truely how it comes across. The costs should be the same. Women face the same financial issues in this process as men do.

The travel section is completely variable because we all traveling to different countries at different times of the year (Some of us see our fiances once a year, some have the luck of being able to drive across the canadian border and see each other every weekend). I've never paid more than $1000 for my entire trip, including lodging (I stay with my fiance at his mother's home) and food/play. I've never paid for travel insurance, either, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, not to mention I've always seen it offered at cheaper than $80, more like 30.

Rings is also completely variable. Not only is the engagement ring optional, but $500+ is not nessessarily the bottom price that will be paid. Mine was more around $400, and was paid half and half by myself and my fiance. It also includes the wedding band. His wedding band will be no more than $150. Wedding bands, although traditional, are also optional. I know plenty of couples, even ones who didn't marry an alien, who decided they didn't want to get jewelry for that reason.

Monthly expenses again is incredibly variable. The only thing I can see even being an issue for my fiance moving here is the driving lessons, and truthfully I think he could easily do without them.

Immigration, again, variable. The only thing that applies to us all there is the form price. I believe the med exam changes from country to country. Not everyone will have to fedex docs overnight, or have things translated.

Wedding and honeymoon, again, your ranges are starting at high points and ignoring the lows or nonexistants. No honeymoon for us, an incredibly small wedding (for an incredibly small family), my wedding dress costs $150, etc, etc.

Lots of things depend not only on the country we're talking about, but the age of the people, and god knows how many other things.

So. Yes. There are very few actual constants in your equations here that hold true for everyone, and it's definately higher than realistic for most of us. When I first read this I was incredibly worried that I was being unrealistic, but I think it's quite the opposite.

Edited August 15, 2006 by jezebelseven

[Kathryn41 3,205]

One other important consideration: whatever costs are incurred for a marriage (ie. wedding expenses, rings, honeymoon, etc.) are equally applicable for a non-foreign fiancee as they are for a foreign one so should not even be included in with the equations.

Also, quite a number of the foreign fiance(e)s pay for their own medical exams, visa fees, transportation and accommodation costs for the interviews, and mailing costs to send necessary documents to our US sponsors, sharing in the 'immigration' expenses..

Edited August 15, 2006 by Kathryn41

[KarenCee 3]

Hmm.....Justin, you have to be seriously blind if you really believe this. My husband and I did NOT spend this kind of money to be together. We both contributed to the expense of this process, but not to THIS extent! Some...really I should say most...of the expenses you've listed are farfetched and rather exaggerated at best. I suppose if you have extravagant tastes or lifestyle then I can see one's costs amounting to this much. Meh, thank goodness this kind of thing doesn't apply to my husband or me.