Morocco - K1 visa denied - Now what? Help!

[krista_nourdin 0]

I am so devastated. My fiance's K-1 visa was denied, due to what they felt were communication issues. I have not seen the denial letter yet to see what the exact reason was. I have gone to visit my fiance twice. Most relationships have communication issues at one point or another, especially when dealing with language and cultural differences.

From just a quick search it looks like a lot of K-1 visa's are denied. Looking at timelines near our dates, I saw only 3 out of 8 that were approved.

What do I do now? Appeal the decision, if that is even possible? Wait until the petition expires and reapply? Go to Morocco to get married, then file an I-130 (CR-1)? I do not know what to do.

Going there to get married will be very hard financially for me. I can handle the plane tickets (not cheap from Portland, OR), but I don't know all the costs involved with getting all the documents and medical exam. Also, I will only be able to be there about 2 weeks. Is this even enough time to get all the required paperwork approved to get married?

What have other couples done? Please help me in any way possible.

Thanks!

[EAbbas 213]

I am so devastated. My fiance's K-1 visa was denied, due to what they felt were communication issues. I have not seen the denial letter yet to see what the exact reason was. I have gone to visit my fiance twice. Most relationships have communication issues at one point or another, especially when dealing with language and cultural differences.

From just a quick search it looks like a lot of K-1 visa's are denied. Looking at timelines near our dates, I saw only 3 out of 8 that were approved.

What do I do now? Appeal the decision, if that is even possible? Wait until the petition expires and reapply? Go to Morocco to get married, then file an I-130 (CR-1)? I do not know what to do.

Going there to get married will be very hard financially for me. I can handle the plane tickets (not cheap from Portland, OR), but I don't know all the costs involved with getting all the documents and medical exam. Also, I will only be able to be there about 2 weeks. Is this even enough time to get all the required paperwork approved to get married?

What have other couples done? Please help me in any way possible.

Thanks!

How much evidence did he take to the interview... chats, emails, pics, cards, letters, etc..? I know my husband took about 300 pages extra just in case... and that was between all the evidence of phone calls, chats, emails, cards, letters invoices for gifts sent to me and from me etc.... unfortunately the burden of proof is on us as couples to prove to the CO that there is an ongoing relationship.

Also, did he take his interview in english or his native language? Sometimes they see that as an issue as to whether or not they think you can communicate as a couple with a common language.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

doesn't matter about evidence to Morocco embassy. My husband took 2 years of chats and over 1000 emails and photos SMS messages for the K-1 interview. Morocco likes to deny almost all K-1's. They even deny a married woman with a child her CR-1 and say the baby can have a visa but not the mother. I was advised to go and marry and do CR-1. We married march 2010 and we just now have interview coming up. So, if you can, go marry. and prepare for a wait. When your K-1 comes back, they really don't do anything. not even tell you why you are denied. I waited 120 days for that process. Get ready to provide all evidence you can gather when you do CR-1 including how you met and if a dating site, how you paid for it. I had a 4 page RFE and my evidence weighed over 25 pounds in the box when it was sent back.

Best of luck. It is stressful and difficult and you must love a lot to go thru it. Incha Allah

[Love Eth 14]

Having a language difference is one of the red flag for the K-1 visa. If the couples didn’t have a common language to communicate each other, it is difficult to convince the CO about the relationship. Wait until the USCIS tell you what to do next. You could get a chance to appeal, or file another one or otherwise you can get married and file CR-1. Recently, I have been reading issues from Morocco, and I thought the embassy looks getting harsh on the applicants. I hope you will get a solution as quick as possible and I wish you the best of all.

Good Luck

[krista_nourdin 0]

As far as I know he did his interview in English. His brother got his visa without problems, even with emails showing they fought like cats and dogs, but that was almost 3 years ago. Part of the problem is that we don't have a lot of chat records. Mostly just emails and I didn't print them all out. I don't know yet how much he printed out to show the communication between my filing and his interview. The guys trying to scam women just to get to the USA has ruined it for the rest of us.

[msheesha 548]

From your timeline it looks like your interview was June 21st. Not knowing for sure what language he did his interview in seems like an issue.

You need to know exactly what was said, what was asked, what language, etc. to ensure you know what conclusion the consulate has come to. Also, you should have your fiance scan the denial letter to you, so you know exactly what it says. You won't get anywhere unless you know the exact details.

Also, any red flags in your relationship that the consulate would have wanted addressed, and how did you address them - i.e. - age difference, religious differences, small amount of visits to Morocco and/or overall time spent together.

You mention his brother - did his brother come to the US on a K1? Did the consulate ask your fiance about that?

[msheesha 548]

Also, you may want to ask to have this moved to the MENA forum, where many others have been denied in Morocco and have since gotten approved.

[KittyPollitt 284]

You mention his brother - did his brother come to the US on a K1? Did the consulate ask your fiance about that?

This might have been an issue. They might see it as the family trying to shift continents.

OP, with a K1 you had a high chance of being denied, regardless of what the content of the interview was. He could have accurately answered every question, and they'd say he was rehearsed. He could have been 100% honest, and they'd say they find him untruthful. Casablanca sucks.

I'd say, start preparing for a fresh trip to Morocco now. To get married over there, you'll need to get fingerprinted at your local police station and request a police record (do this about 2 months before you leave). 2 weeks may or may not be enough time to get married there, it depends on who you know and if you can slip a few dirhams into the right people's pockets. We like to tell people to have at least 3 weeks, preferably a month when planning to marry over there. If you go with only 2 weeks, there's a good chance you'll leave still engaged.

There's plenty of women on Visa Journey who have gone through what you're going through. Head over to the Middle East and North Africa discussions for some first hand advice. That's right here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/97-middle-east-and-north-africa/

Sorry this happened to you I hope you can stay positive and work it out.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Sent email to you telling the exact steps for marriage in Morocco. I will be there from July 16th on for about 90 days if you need help with the process for marriage. It is helpful to have someone (a woman) speaking Arabic with you at the foreign minister as men and women stand in different lines and your financee can not go in with you.

Anyone else needing steps to marry in Morocco, write to me. I married there in March 2010.

[noon 0]

its same things happened to my visa fiance the denied me too i answer all the question the ask me about my fiance and her kid and to much things and about her job but the denied me about 2 question just about her sister husband and if she is married but that no matter i dont know exactly why the denied me that is my problem just give up and be strong and try again ?

[krista_nourdin 0]

I am waiting for him to send me a copy. The problem with going to Morocco is my son is in school and we do not have family in the area that can help. Just 3 hours away. He can't miss school. My available time is in August, during Ramadan. I am assuming that would be a nightmare to try to get married in even 3 weeks then. My next available time? Next June.

In time things will work themselves out. Thanks for all the help!

[Casprd 167]

A couple of things have popped out of this thread that could easily have been the problem

His brother came to the US already. As someone else pointed out, having relatives in the US is a negative rather than a plus. The VO's know that too often the beneficiary just tries to get to the US so they can go be with their family. They don't know your relationship so you have to front load the evidence. You also need to find out if he has ever applied for a visa to the US before. Student, work, tourist, anything as this tends to have an impact in MENA countries. Communicating only by email is a problem. Typically they want to see some types of instant communication like IM, skype or telephone.

On to what to do now. Find out what he took to the interview with him and also find out what questions they asked and as soon as possible find out what the slip says. Once you know these things then you can start to plan for the next try. IMO appealing won't get you anywhere and your best chance is to go the CR-1 route. When you do, take a good look at everything in your situation and think what would the VO see as a problem and make sure to address that. It's an uphill battle but stay strong and eventually you wear them down enough that they will approve you

[Peace.... 281]

Well I just really think it all depends on the CO, my husband has a brother that lives here for 3 years now, 2 cousins, and a sister. Age difference: I am 15 years older, still not an issue that day and was only pointed out once during the interview. Never reviewed hardly any chats or emails, or skype records, cell phone records all of this over 1.5 years of chatting. The only thing I had going for me was the 6 visits to Morocco and the personal phone interview with the CO, everything else to the CO seemed irrelevant, except for one picture of me and his mother that the looked at over and over. They did a through background check on my fiance, including his internet usage and questioned him a lot about this..... I think so many people do not realize just what these people at the Embassy are capable of doing when it comes background checks on each individual. Maybe just maybe, they are finding out more and more about these individuals who possibly had too many I love you's online and trying really hard to marry someone from the USA and they are just weeding them out now. I mean do we as the Petitioner's know everything in our loved one's past, of course not, and how can we judge them as we never knew them, but the Embassy could care less and there job is to protect us from fraud and they will do whatever they have to do to protect the Petitioner.

I hope you get your case turned around soon....

[EAbbas 213]

Well I just really think it all depends on the CO, my husband has a brother that lives here for 3 years now, 2 cousins, and a sister. Age difference: I am 15 years older, still not an issue that day and was only pointed out once during the interview. Never reviewed hardly any chats or emails, or skype records, cell phone records all of this over 1.5 years of chatting. The only thing I had going for me was the 6 visits to Morocco and the personal phone interview with the CO, everything else to the CO seemed irrelevant, except for one picture of me and his mother that the looked at over and over. They did a through background check on my fiance, including his internet usage and questioned him a lot about this..... I think so many people do not realize just what these people at the Embassy are capable of doing when it comes background checks on each individual. Maybe just maybe, they are finding out more and more about these individuals who possibly had too many I love you's online and trying really hard to marry someone from the USA and they are just weeding them out now. I mean do we as the Petitioner's know everything in our loved one's past, of course not, and how can we judge them as we never knew them, but the Embassy could care less and there job is to protect us from fraud and they will do whatever they have to do to protect the Petitioner.

I hope you get your case turned around soon....

That's very true.... My husband altho it wasn't in Morocco it was islamabad they asked him to log into his facebook to see his connections etc...once they saw we were on the same page as married and everybody knew wer were husband and wife and that all his family were also in my list as well as his etc they were ok with it...so yeah they do try to protect us and while I appreciate it sometimes it feels invasive but again..i have to step back and realize they are doing their job.

Edited July 5, 2011 by EAbbas

[milimelo 4,484]

Moving to MENA forum - OP, you'll get even more answers from region-specific forum.