Closed North AFrican Country problem...

[SaroryH 0]

OK...hhhhh

He can't request a visitor visa for me because he will be investigated by his government. I can't request it alone because I will get a gov't guide and he will be investigated if we meet. Sounds like a country from a novel...YES! Nobody has an idea what we go through. Furthermore he can't come out of the country because he won't be able to return (that will mean jail...definitely...and for no reason) What can we do?? Does it sound like a reason for a waiver?? I have more reasons but that's the main problem...keeping him safe and being able to meet are not compatible things. I need advice before submitting the I-129F.

Please help....

SaroryH

[doodlebug 3]

OK...hhhhh

He can't request a visitor visa for me because he will be investigated by his government. I can't request it alone because I will get a gov't guide and he will be investigated if we meet. Sounds like a country from a novel...YES! Nobody has an idea what we go through. Furthermore he can't come out of the country because he won't be able to return (that will mean jail...definitely...and for no reason) What can we do?? Does it sound like a reason for a waiver?? I have more reasons but that's the main problem...keeping him safe and being able to meet are not compatible things. I need advice before submitting the I-129F.

Please help....

SaroryH

Why wouldn't he be able to return??

[mybackpages 0]

Can he not travel to a Libya friendly country nearby? Is there a money or military issue? I wish I had an asnwer but there are other petitioner's here with fiance's in Libya. I am sure they will have some good advice.

Iam sure you probably have seem this page. US travel to Libya has relaxed over the last year or so.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_951.html

[Caladan 19]

It is very very very very very very rare to succeed in getting a waiver for not having met within the past two years.

There's essentially two reasons listed in the I-129F: overriding religious/cultural prohibition that doesn't allow couples to meet before marriage. (unlikely since you've looked into meeting) And extreme hardship: severe medical, danger to the U.S. citizen, that sort of reason.

Someone who isn't as tired as I am will come along with the URL, but there's only one case I can think of where someone was approved: the petitioner was on kidney dialysis or something like that. It's theoretically possible, from what you sketched of your situation on the other thread, but very very very very very very very very very very very very very unlikely. (And that's just to get to the NOA2, let proving a viable relationship without having met.)

Could the two of you meet in a third country? You probably can't get to Libya, but maybe there's a neutral site where you two could meet (Egypt? Tunisia?) The U.S. barely has diplomatic relations with Libya. In any case, in a number of the denied waivers the adjudicators have cited failure to prove that meeting in a third country isn't possible, so that should be an option you should explore (aside from the advisability of meeting in person the guy you plan to marry.)

[MrsAmera 41]

I agree - I think that the odds of you getting a waiver are basically 0% - and not to pry but would you want to bring someone here having never met them? I know there are other people with fiance's from Libya and I think that one has even gone to Libya to visit. As has been said travel to Libya has been loosened - I'm not sure why he would be jailed upon return but maybe you can provide an idea/answer (USCIS will need an amazing and well documented one if you decide to go the waiver route). There must be some 3rd Middle Eastern country you could meet in, such as Egypt or Tunisia as has been said. Then again who knows Khadaffi is weird and I really am not a scholar of Libyan policy procedure! Whatever you decide to do - best of luck!

[SaroryH 0]

Can he not travel to a Libya friendly country nearby? Is there a money or military issue? I wish I had an asnwer but there are other petitioner's here with fiance's in Libya. I am sure they will have some good advice.

Iam sure you probably have seem this page. US travel to Libya has relaxed over the last year or so.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_951.html

Yes there is a military issue. We don't know what to do. The main thing is that if he does come out to meet, he cannot return. Then he cannot stay in the country we meet because it will have a time limit before someone misses him back home(you know what I mean) and the visa will take a long time.

I agree - I think that the odds of you getting a waiver are basically 0% - and not to pry but would you want to bring someone here having never met them? I know there are other people with fiance's from Libya and I think that one has even gone to Libya to visit. As has been said travel to Libya has been loosened - I'm not sure why he would be jailed upon return but maybe you can provide an idea/answer (USCIS will need an amazing and well documented one if you decide to go the waiver route). There must be some 3rd Middle Eastern country you could meet in, such as Egypt or Tunisia as has been said. Then again who knows Khadaffi is weird and I really am not a scholar of Libyan policy procedure! Whatever you decide to do - best of luck!

Yes, I know it sounds weird. Our families were reluctant in the beginning but, now they know and support us.

[sarah and hicham 3]

Sorry if I missed this but have you guys already met in person?

Are you comfortable with petitioning for someone you have never met in person? I guess I personally couldn't do it. Not only is it impossible but I just can't imagine being engaged and having someone come to live with me and to get married without meeting him in person first along with his family.

I understand that it is not an easy country for him to go in and out of but there has to be some way. I know someone who went through Libya I think met in Egypt (I think).

Good luck,

Sarah

[mybackpages 0]

Can he not travel to a Libya friendly country nearby? Is there a money or military issue? I wish I had an asnwer but there are other petitioner's here with fiance's in Libya. I am sure they will have some good advice.

Iam sure you probably have seem this page. US travel to Libya has relaxed over the last year or so.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_951.html

Yes there is a military issue. We don't know what to do. The main thing is that if he does come out to meet, he cannot return. Then he cannot stay in the country we meet because it will have a time limit before someone misses him back home(you know what I mean) and the visa will take a long time.

Yes, I know it sounds weird. Our families were reluctant in the beginning but, now they know and support us.

It's not for us to judge whether or not its weird. I think you are likely to have difficulty waiving the 2 year meeting rule, but you never know. Can you afford to lose your $170 plus other expenses? Maybe it would be wise to invest in a consultation with a lawyer familiar with these kinds of issues before filing.

Ii hope someone here can offer more support and answers. Wishing you well on this journey

[sarah and hicham 3]

No we can't judge but I brought up the point about being comfortable with it because sometimes I get an idea in my head then when an outside party talks to me about it or makes a comment that helps me decide what to do. Good luck.

[Together4ever 1]

I can respect the issues at hand but want to say one thing. Sometimes we can get swept up in the heat of a relationship and not slow down long enough to think things through. You can sit 24 hours a day with someone on the internet, they can be the most wonderful human being on the planet, but I can assure you when you meet face to face you will discover you had some preconceived assumptions about them that you could never know the reality of without actually meeting. It was that way for me. Mohammed was a bit different in person because you just can't convey every nuance over the internet or telephone even with cam or voice. Sure he was the same personality, but I was much more comfortable getting to know the total package.

I know well what it feels like to yearn and long to just be together. You want to hurry and start the visa process because in these countries it can be a lengthy wait sometimes. But if there are red flags in his history that will make traveling to another Muslim country difficult, they will definitely reappear during the visa process. You may want to simply address those with a good attorney as was suggested. I think in this situation his red flags would make a waiver impossible to approve.

I understand your concerns and frustrations and I sure wish the best for both of you.

[Henia 11]

OK...hhhhh

He can't request a visitor visa for me because he will be investigated by his government. I can't request it alone because I will get a gov't guide and he will be investigated if we meet. Sounds like a country from a novel...YES! Nobody has an idea what we go through. Furthermore he can't come out of the country because he won't be able to return (that will mean jail...definitely...and for no reason) What can we do?? Does it sound like a reason for a waiver?? I have more reasons but that's the main problem...keeping him safe and being able to meet are not compatible things. I need advice before submitting the I-129F.

Please help....

SaroryH

Hmmm where is Veiled Princess Layla...her SO is also from Libya :.............Laaaaaaaaaaaaayllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa whereeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaaaaare youuuuuuuuuuuu?

[dawnnhatem 0]

Hi

Though my husband is jordanian, he was working in libya most of the time we processed, and with his work contract (not military, but still with the gov't) it was difficult for us to plan travel together, but it was still possible. I don't know specifically what he did for permission to travel, but it all started with convincing his employer that he intended to return.

Maybe he can get something in writing from his employer that he is absolutely not allowed to exit libya. Its easy to prove you can't enter libya......is a waiver impossible? who can say. its not the standard "its not convenient enough" hardship, so who knows.

I'll tell you this tho, valid us visa or not, if he doesn't have permission to exit, his passport aint leaving libya. Do you know for sure that he could exit anytime soon anyway? Is waiting til then to meet not an option?

I'm sure you'll figure something out

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Hmmm where is Veiled Princess Layla...her SO is also from Libya :.............Laaaaaaaaaaaaayllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa whereeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaaaaare youuuuuuuuuuuu?

VP is an honorary Egyptian girl, even though here sweetie is Libyan. See if you can work out meeting in Cairo, fantastic city.

Edited October 9, 2006 by rahma

[mybackpages 0]

No we can't judge but I brought up the point about being comfortable with it because sometimes I get an idea in my head then when an outside party talks to me about it or makes a comment that helps me decide what to do. Good luck.

You will find wonderful supportive people here who offer thoughts in your best interests!

[mybackpages 0]

Had this thought about the possibility of a wavier-

With the current status of diplomatic relations between teh US and Libya, it does create a unique situation. My understanding is that the USC citizen needs to obtain a visa for travel to Libya but can only obtain it through a third country. There are other difficulties as the OP expressed- usually someone in Libya has to issue the invitation. If your fiance truely has extenuating circumstances that cause hardship to you that might not be easily explained here, you might be able to prove a waiver is appropriate.

I think the trick with such a wavier is that it has to be written out so precisely that facts are presented to support the USCIS guidelines. This is when a well qualified lawyer might be a great benefit to your case. If I were you, I would be hesitant to write the wavier myself. I would want a stronglegal agrument to adress it in terms USCIS would acknowledge.

Worse case scenario is the waiver asking for the exempting from having met is rejected. You would then have to find a different avenue to move forward. Given the difficulty being in Libya creates for the two of you, I imagine it is going to difficult the whole way through- especially when it comes to security checks after the interview level. You fiance might find himself on a list which could prohibit him from entering due to the problems the US had had with Libya in the past. I don't want to frighten you. I just want you both to understand the difficulties you MIGHT face.

Also I was just wondering is your fiance Libyan? a Libyan citizen?

Good luck!