HELP!! Need to apply for K-1 but HAVE NOT met!

[airforcewon 1]

hello, all!

before i begin, thank you for everyone's help.

i'm a female american and i met my algerian fiance (who lives in algeria) four years ago online. i met him while i was separated from my husband and we fell in love.

we have talked almost every single day for the last four years. we usually talk by instant messenger (skype) but occasionally talk by phone (using phone cards) or we'll text each other.

we have not met in person. i was scared to travel to algeria especially after the bombing at the embassy and i thought i would stick out like a sore thumb as an american. i'm ready to go out there now but...

we want to submit for a k-1 visa BEFORE we've met each other. i would like to submit the I-129F some time this month (after receiving his letter of intent to marry and passport photo in the mail/post per the k-1 guides on VJ). so we have some questions:

1. the BIGGEST QUESTION: will the I-129F be denied because we have not met in person? i've read about waivers or explaining the hardship for why we didn't meeting. we can prove that we've been in a relationship for the last 4 years because we have our IM conversations, emails, phone bills with calls or text messages received/sent. i was scared to travel there because of safety reasons. i read about all the travel warnings issued by the state department. i also read about a couple of different bombings there. since reading about the k-1, i've finally mustered up the courage to go see him but we had a few set backs so we probably won't meet up until october. is there any way that i can forward pictures of us together in algeria after i've submitted the I-129F, to further support the petition? i don't want to waste our time and hopes by submitting now if we're just going to get denied.

2. has anyone had their k-1 approved without having met in person and for non-religious/cultural reasons?

we would appreciate any and all help on this. we've waited long enough and really just want to get started on this ASAP.

Thanks!!

[Bsze 50]

Overcoming the 2 year meeting requirement is very, very difficult and I don't think VJ has seen a successful case yet. You would have to prove that it's impossible for you to go to Algeria, or for him to acquire a visitor's visa, or that you couldn't meet in a third country.

Sending the I-129F now without meeting the 2 year requirement would result in a denial. Submit it after you've met. October is only 2 months away.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Bsze

[Ban Hammer 13,282]

there is only one case i know of where someone was able to waive that and it was due to not being able to travel due to medical issues.

i'd suggest you two meet in another country.

[missicy 87]

Do not rush because the petition will be denied and you will lose a filing fee. They will not accept proof of meeting that happened after filing. Meet in person, gather evidence and then file.

[Anh map 2,098]

Without the face to face meeting you will likely be wasting the $340 fee.

There is no requirement that you have to meet in his country. You two can meet in a third country.

Even if you did file the form now (and it was accepted) you would at best receive an RFE for evidence of your meeting. That means that processing stops until you supply that evidence. So you gain no time by filing without meeting one of the core requirements.

This is a long process. Patience is paramount if you two are to be successful in obtaining the visa.

[Meriem_DZ 37]

I have been to Algeria 3 times. The most recent trip was this past November when my husband and I went to visit his family. I have never been afraid in Algeria and I would hop on a plane to Algeria tomorrow if I had the chance. The people are wonderful and welcoming. There are areas of Algeria that you should not visit and I am sure your fiance will know these areas very well. I have two friends that just got back from visiting there fiances and they had a wonderful time. I know of several American women living in Algeria with their husbands and children. You will have to go meet him in person before filing for the K-1. You just can get around that. Also there is no way he can get a visa to come visit you so you will have to go there. A friend of mine that is married to an Algerian man, met him for the first time in Tunisia. That could be an option and you do not need a visa to visit Tunisia.

Good luck!

Meriem

[Andie 147]

My understanding that it is compulsory to have met within the previous 2 years prior to filing (and be able to supply evidence to that fact).

[mugumogu 18]

Well, I believe all the above replies are correct, but why can't you meet in another country? Spain, Portugal, and France are right next door. I wouldn't bother going through with the petition without having met in person.

[Moonlight2011 13]

Hello,

as all VJ members explained before: youre chances to have you application approved, with out that actual condition: have met in person in the past two years before applying...`ARE NONE`.

Im sorry to be that hard to you, but following the US immigration and other experience....you are going waist money and time...

by the way, when i read youre story(i dont want be judgmental here), but i always find it weird when some people decide to get married with people that they never met in person.

If you think that youre case is going be okay just because you are in love and that you have 4years proof of communication: PLEASE DONT.

As a responsible person, you need to make efforts, to met, to travel to Algeria or meet in an other country..its very important for youre future in this journey:cause its going be a long long Visa process.

Algeria is very safe now, still few places arent but locals know where to do not go , so im sure youre fiance will do the right things.:-)

Good luck

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

You will get denied if you file now, and loose the filing fee. You MUST meet at least once. I have only seen one approval of the K1 "meeting in person in the last two years" rule, and that was where the US petitioner could not travel at all for medical reasons- not even by bus-, and the foreign fiancee had been denied a tourist visa to the USA several times.

Haas he tried applying for US tourist visas (yes, he will probably be denied but it is worth a shot)?

How about you go see him (photos with his family would strengthen your case, especially if one of you is muslim and the other is not), you don;t need to go out a lot, he can collect you from the airport and stay with you?

How about you meet in Europe- a romantic long weekend in Paris maybe?

[Enigma11561 336]

I have to agree with moonlight here. How can you marry someone you have never met in person? Regardless of have long you have been in communication it is VERY different in person. That is why the USCIS mandates an in person relationship. Please do not do anything foolish. Meet in person someplace. There is an old expression " you really don't know someone until the shoes are on the floor". If this person lived 10 miles from your home would you still do the same thing? Long distance relationships are very hard and if you really do not know this person, you are looking at a very difficult road.

[xocanin 0]

Can't you two meet somewhere else? They're not going to approve your petition otherwise.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

hello, all!

before i begin, thank you for everyone's help.

i'm a female american and i met my algerian fiance (who lives in algeria) four years ago online. i met him while i was separated from my husband and we fell in love.

we have talked almost every single day for the last four years. we usually talk by instant messenger (skype) but occasionally talk by phone (using phone cards) or we'll text each other.

we have not met in person. i was scared to travel to algeria especially after the bombing at the embassy and i thought i would stick out like a sore thumb as an american. i'm ready to go out there now but...

we want to submit for a k-1 visa BEFORE we've met each other. i would like to submit the I-129F some time this month (after receiving his letter of intent to marry and passport photo in the mail/post per the k-1 guides on VJ). so we have some questions:

1. the BIGGEST QUESTION: will the I-129F be denied because we have not met in person? i've read about waivers or explaining the hardship for why we didn't meeting. we can prove that we've been in a relationship for the last 4 years because we have our IM conversations, emails, phone bills with calls or text messages received/sent. i was scared to travel there because of safety reasons. i read about all the travel warnings issued by the state department. i also read about a couple of different bombings there. since reading about the k-1, i've finally mustered up the courage to go see him but we had a few set backs so we probably won't meet up until october. is there any way that i can forward pictures of us together in algeria after i've submitted the I-129F, to further support the petition? i don't want to waste our time and hopes by submitting now if we're just going to get denied.

2. has anyone had their k-1 approved without having met in person and for non-religious/cultural reasons?

we would appreciate any and all help on this. we've waited long enough and really just want to get started on this ASAP.

Thanks!!

You will be denied if you do not meet in person. You have not mentioned any reasons which would even be considered for a waiver of this condition.

The really bad news is you would probably not be denied outright. They would accept your petition for procersssing and you would wait 5-6 months, then you would get an RFE for evidence that you have met in person BEFORE you filed the petition. You would not be able to answer the RFE and 2-3 months later you would be denied, wasting nearly a year.

Go to Algeria or some other country where you can meet in person (it does not have to be in Algeria)

[arwen 8]

I do not want to seem judgmental, but I strongly suggest that you meet in person before marrying. Even though you are besotted with him,you need to know what he is really like in the flesh and blood. A person can be anyone they like online... and yes, even after 4 years!You could be setting yourself up for disater. You have to protect yourself in the long run as marriage is not to be taken lightly because when you sign those papers for his green card you will be responsible for him. Do yourself a favour....have a good think about this.

Just my two cents.....

[Brad and Vika 129]

Always a good idea to meet in person first. Over on the RUB forum, one of the most frequent contributing factors to petitions/relationships failing is lack of time spent together before taking the plunge.

I agree with all the advice above about an application without meeting probably being a waste. I would suggest Croatia or France for a place your SO might be able to get into easily that wouldn't present a problem for you (visa wise). Someplace like the Dubai might work too.

Best of luck.