Hardship for meeting within 2 years

[cassi9879 20]

What I can't figure out is why it has to be in person. Nobody seems to be able to explain this part to me. With today's technogolgy why is USCIS so backwards?

Benny and I met online in March, started dating in May, and conversed via video chat daily beginning in July. No subject wasn't discussed. We did everything but kitchen and bathroom stuff in each other's presence. It's like the other person's there the whole time. Why is physical presence such a factor in granting a visa?

[chris4gretchen 1]

Too add to this thread, anyone who attempts to petition for a Fiance, with whom they have not met in person, is nothing more than a fool.

Reason 1: You will not get a waiver.

Actually you are incorrect on this one. There was a K1 visa petition just in the last 6 months that got a hardship waiver. They had never met, the guy had some mental problems and was on disability. He had letters from his doctor, and his pastor. He was approved and his fiancee came to the USA last november or December.

She was from the Philippines and couldnt get a tourist visa, and he had physical disabilities and couldnt fly and he had financial hardship. They used a co sponsor ( the guy's dad) and on his last post on another website, they were very happy to be united and getting married. Their timeline was as normal as anyone elses. They had never met and used the hardship waiver.

I will admit its a long shot for most petitioners but they did it and recently.

Chris

[Minya's wife 24]

What I can't figure out is why it has to be in person. Nobody seems to be able to explain this part to me. With today's technogolgy why is USCIS so backwards?

Benny and I met online in March, started dating in May, and conversed via video chat daily beginning in July. No subject wasn't discussed. We did everything but kitchen and bathroom stuff in each other's presence. It's like the other person's there the whole time. Why is physical presence such a factor in granting a visa?

Because you're asking to be granted a visa that is conditional upon enterring into marriage to the person who is petitioning you. I don't think its backwards....technology advances being what they are, I would still not marry someone after only knowing them through video chat/phone/e-mail whatever. Being that international travel is doable for many of us these days, I don't think its too much to expect that you meet 'fiance(e)' at least once in person. Think of it this way; USCIS wants to make sure you're sure when you say you wanna marry your fiancee.

-P

[brnidokiegurl 0]

It's like the other person's there the whole time. Why is physical presence such a factor in granting a visa? Surely you have thought that through... do you really think that being in person will be exactly the same as on the computer maybe if you live your life as u did thru the computer days with no touching and no kitchen or bathroom stuff ha you wont know someone as they truly are until you have spent some time with them (in person)

[Minya's wife 24]

Too add to this thread, anyone who attempts to petition for a Fiance, with whom they have not met in person, is nothing more than a fool.

Reason 1: You will not get a waiver.

Actually you are incorrect on this one. There was a K1 visa petition just in the last 6 months that got a hardship waiver. They had never met, the guy had some mental problems and was on disability. He had letters from his doctor, and his pastor. He was approved and his fiancee came to the USA last november or December.

She was from the Philippines and couldnt get a tourist visa, and he had physical disabilities and couldnt fly and he had financial hardship. They used a co sponsor ( the guy's dad) and on his last post on another website, they were very happy to be united and getting married. Their timeline was as normal as anyone elses. They had never met and used the hardship waiver.

I will admit its a long shot for most petitioners but they did it and recently.

Chris

Do you by chance have the name of the website you read this on? I'm quite curious about this, as all the reading on my part indicates that a waiver based on hardship of the meeting once before you file rule is next to impossible to attain.

-P

[Minya's wife 24]

It's like the other person's there the whole time. Why is physical presence such a factor in granting a visa? Surely you have thought that through... do you really think that being in person will be exactly the same as on the computer maybe if you live your life as u did thru the computer days with no touching and no kitchen or bathroom stuff ha you wont know someone as they truly are until you have spent some time with them (in person) ...and done the kitchen and bathroom stuff around each other. (Hey they may make or break a relationship...you never know.)

[cassi9879 20]

Benny was able to come for the holidays. He loved my cooking (well, never complained about anything I made). While I worked he cleaned my apartment. When I came home all I had to do was cook dinner and do laundry - he did all the rest!

[Aymerlu 3]

wow.....this thread was a hell-of-a bump!

I do have to say I don't see how anyone could marry someone they've only seen on a computer screen. It's nowhere close to being anything like being together in person. There are things you learn about each other being face to face that a computer screen or telephone cannot capture.

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Benny was able to come for the holidays. He loved my cooking (well, never complained about anything I made). While I worked he cleaned my apartment. When I came home all I had to do was cook dinner and do laundry - he did all the rest!

awww the single life, (then the honeymoon is over) of course when here to visit he wasnt going to complain of the food, you worked he cleaned, what else was going to fill his days we are just saying there is a reality to the everyday life, everyone gets comfortable he has a job hes tired when he comes home, hes not going do all that cleaning , your tired, its just life and this life can not be experienced thru a computer screen

[Alex & Rachel 78]

What I can't figure out is why it has to be in person. Nobody seems to be able to explain this part to me. With today's technogolgy why is USCIS so backwards?

Benny and I met online in March, started dating in May, and conversed via video chat daily beginning in July. No subject wasn't discussed. We did everything but kitchen and bathroom stuff in each other's presence. It's like the other person's there the whole time. Why is physical presence such a factor in granting a visa?

There are a lot of things that you just can't pick up on online. Smell, height, a person's size, how tidy/clean a person is, how their manners are, how they treat others and not just you.

Sure, you can get a pretty good picture of a person before you meet, and chatting online for long periods of time can even help you overlook aspects of a character that you thought you may have minded (Alex is a lot shorter and a lot messier than I would have originally considered 'ideal' and although I don't mind that at all now, I do wonder if it would have affected our relationship had we met in person first), but you can never be sure until you meet in person.

Smell is very important to me, for example - I would have seriously reconsidered if I had not found Alex to smell lovely (you may think I am weird, but my friends assure me they feel the same way!)

How they are socially is another big thing that is hard to gauge. Some people are a lot more confident online and are very good at projecting a persona online that is different from how they appear in real life, even if they are not being deliberately deceptive.

[chris4gretchen 1]

Do you by chance have the name of the website you read this on? I'm quite curious about this, as all the reading on my part indicates that a waiver based on hardship of the meeting once before you file rule is next to impossible to attain.

-P

Yes, its www.theworldoffilipinas.com

his post asking about hardship waiver

his letter to USCIS

his approval post

after her arrival in USA

As you can see he did it and its current. I cant say everyone will be successful with it but there are a few cases that seem to meet the criteria.

Chris

Edited February 4, 2008 by chris4gretchen

[Minya's wife 24]

Do you by chance have the name of the website you read this on? I'm quite curious about this, as all the reading on my part indicates that a waiver based on hardship of the meeting once before you file rule is next to impossible to attain.

-P

Yes, its www.theworldoffilipinas.com

his post asking about hardship waiver

his letter to USCIS

his approval post

after her arrival in USA

As you can see he did it and its current. I cant say everyone will be successful with it but there are a few cases that seem to meet the criteria.

Chris

Wow, thanks for the link. I've read them....and am glad he was approved. While his letter to USCIS does not give details, I'm sure his medical records must have been compelling to have the waiver approved. I would be curious to see USCIS statistics on how many people get a hardship waiver of the meeting w/in 2 years prior to filing rule. I bet not many....but I guess some do. I still would try to do everything possible to meet at least once, just MO that you should see the persone you'll marry in person at least once before you tie the knot.

Thanks again for the links.

-P

[gwenneh 7]

Frankly, if AFQuaid didn't get their waiver approved, most people don't have a prayer.

[shannon65 2]

Frankly, if AFQuaid didn't get their waiver approved, most people don't have a prayer.

Who was AFQuaid? Was that the couple who were both quite disabled and applying for a K1? They didn't get a waiver for meeting in person...but did they get the visa approved?