Evidence of on going relationship

[jjc 0]

Hello all! I'm hoping you can help me with a few things. Here is a bit of background info... My fiance and I met through a mutual friend a year & half ago and have been chatting online nearly everyday and also having many phone conversations. I will be traveling to Gambia in February to meet him for the first time. We are still trying to decide if it will be best for us to get married while I am there or come back to the US and file for a K1 visa. From the research I have done the time seems to be about equal for both types of visas. My question is that the IR-1/CR-1 visa calls for proof such as joint banking accounts, property owned together and things like that... Since we don't have any of those types of things for proof, would our chances of getting a visa using the IR-1/CR-1 process be very good? I don't want to do something that will make it more difficult for him to receive his visa to come here. I'm afraid if we get married on our first meeting they will really question our relationship. Any help you can provide will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Samantha78 117]

Not sure if the requirements are different per country for a CR1 but......joint ownership of property isn't necessary but a joint bank account is best to do, especially if you are married as this will show a bona fide marriage. Pictures, Receipts, Proof of the wedding and/or ceremony are also important. I don't think one is more difficult than the other. They both require proof and lots of it. I've seen a lot of posts and know a lot of people that have gone through the visa process, CR1 and K1.....I think the chances are equal.....it all depends on how much you can prove the relationship is legit.

[KLS2010 30]

The immigration process has so many variables, it can be hard to predict what will happen from one case to the next.

In our case - CR1 - my husband and I didnt have anything together except a bank account which we opened a few days after we got married which only had $100 in it. No joint lease/mortgage, no bills, no car loans/titles, no insurances etc in both our names - but we were still approved with no problems. I know of other people that had their I-130 approved with no joint information at all.

However - I don't think this will be your biggest problem. I would be more worried about how it will look getting married the first time you meet. In my opinion (and this is just my opinion) - that will probably raise more questions eventually than not having joint property etc. Also, if Gambia is a high-fraud country (I have no idea wether it is or isn't - I'm just mentioning it as a possibility), then getting married on your first meeting will probably look even more suspicious.

As sam&jensi mentioned - either way (K1 or CR1) - you are going to need lots of proof of a legitimate relationship. Keep that in mind during your visit wether you choose to get married then or not.

Good luck

[Ryan H 3,812]

My question is that the IR-1/CR-1 visa calls for proof such as joint banking accounts, property owned together and things like that...

Those items are not requirements to have an I-130 petition for a spouse approved by USCIS. USCIS will not expect to a couple that is living in two different countries to have such items. Records of your chats and phone conversations can be proof as well as pictures from your upcoming trip in February.

I'll echo what sam&jensi and KLS2010 have already said, you need lots of proof of your relationship and getting married on the first trip to meet each other in person could potentially raise a red flag in the eyes of a CO.