K1 Evidence for the Delhi Consulate

[countjulian 0]

OK, so I'm engaged to an Indian woman. We met last year while I was in India but unfortunately I lost my passport and did not take too many pics with her, so I'm going back to India next month to get more evidence. I'll be staying for 25 days. What should I try to get? I intend to get lots of pics, plus a signed statement from her, and all of the receipts, itineraries, ticket stubs etc. from the flights there (in addition of course to the stamped Indian visa). I've been reading that we should have a religious engagement ceremony. Is that necessary? Do note that she is Muslim and has a very Muslim name, and I am a white Christian European American. We are also applying at the Delhi consulate, which from what I can gather is really tough to get through. What can I do while I am there this time to give us a good chance of getting the visa when we apply for it? I can already see that she will probably be put into AP so I want to make our case as airtight as possible.

[sara..... 371]

OK, so I'm engaged to an Indian woman. We met last year while I was in India but unfortunately I lost my passport and did not take too many pics with her, so I'm going back to India next month to get more evidence. I'll be staying for 25 days. What should I try to get? I intend to get lots of pics, plus a signed statement from her, and all of the receipts, itineraries, ticket stubs etc. from the flights there (in addition of course to the stamped Indian visa). I've been reading that we should have a religious engagement ceremony. Is that necessary? Do note that she is Muslim and has a very Muslim name, and I am a white Christian European American. We are also applying at the Delhi consulate, which from what I can gather is really tough to get through. What can I do while I am there this time to give us a good chance of getting the visa when we apply for it? I can already see that she will probably be put into AP so I want to make our case as airtight as possible.

you will need a letter from her family agreeing for her to marry a non Muslim man.......its going to be an up hill battle because of the religious and cultural norm of India.....

you want to be careful with the religious engagement ceremony because many times the embassy will try to state that it was a marriage...as for making it an air tight case its going to be difficult mainly because your non Muslim filing for a k1 for a Muslim women

I am Muslim and i can tell you straight up this would never fly with my parents......not because they do not like non Muslims but because many believe that the Quran does not allow non Muslim man to marry a Muslim women....and the fact that she is not getting married before traveling to you is a big no no.....

Personally i would rethink k-1 and look at a marriage visa with supporting evidence of her family there for the wedding....just to start with......

i wish you good luck and really do hope that this turns out for you......

sara

[countjulian 0]

you will need a letter from her family agreeing for her to marry a non Muslim man.......its going to be an up hill battle because of the religious and cultural norm of India.....

you want to be careful with the religious engagement ceremony because many times the embassy will try to state that it was a marriage...as for making it an air tight case its going to be difficult mainly because your non Muslim filing for a k1 for a Muslim women

I am Muslim and i can tell you straight up this would never fly with my parents......not because they do not like non Muslims but because many believe that the Quran does not allow non Muslim man to marry a Muslim women....and the fact that she is not getting married before traveling to you is a big no no.....

Personally i would rethink k-1 and look at a marriage visa with supporting evidence of her family there for the wedding....just to start with......

i wish you good luck and really do hope that this turns out for you......

sara

Believe me, I'm well aware of all these things, and we have come up with solutions to all of these problems, to say the least. Her parents will provide the letter. On a similar note, will my parents have to provide a letter? I just need to know what evidence to get when I go back this time.

[countjulian 0]

Also it should perhaps be noted that she is a year older than I....will this be a problem too????

[sara..... 371]

Believe me, I'm well aware of all these things, and we have come up with solutions to all of these problems, to say the least. Her parents will provide the letter. On a similar note, will my parents have to provide a letter? I just need to know what evidence to get when I go back this time.

when my x fiance and i went thru the embassy there both sets of parents had to give a letter........

i would also try to include with your and your families letter how you are going to implement providing support and encouragement to her for her religion

since you have come up with solutions to all those problems would be a good idea to address the problems and the solutions in the letter........

sara

[catknit 144]

Your engagement "ceremony" does NOT need to be religious. I'd highly highly highly suggest there be no imam or sheikh or mullah within 3 miles of your engagement ceremony, if you even have one. Depending on where she is from in India and what the traditions are there, de-religify the ceremony. As Sara has pointed out, anything that could at anytime be construed as a marriage or nikkah will burn you at the consulate.

My hubby and family are Muslim and for my husband's brother's engagement, there was only a dinner out with a ring exchange. For us, we didn't do anything at all. For the other brother-in-law, as is customary in their neck of the woods - our family [without the groom-to-be] went to her family's house and gave gifts. Notice in this tradition, the couple wasn't even in the same building let alone the same neighborhood.

So, the engagement ceremony is a #######-shoot - in the Hindu tradition [which is the religious majority] it may be more anticipated. And, many couples do make it through without the engagement ceremony.

Family statements are important but they can be seen as contrived if the family is "in on it" [thinking it is green card fraud].

Do you get along with her family? Is her family "progressive"? Do they approve of this marriage? These are items that the CO will be trying to figure out while he is assessing your relationship.

Pictures can be great secondary evidence. If you and her family get along, family pictures will hold weight.

Keep your receipts, boarding passes, etc.

In general, it appears that sponsoring a woman as opposed to a man is easier. I don't know why - some may argue that men seem to perpetuate more scams and are screened harder than women.

Mixed race/religion couples can get more scrutiny also. They may question how/why she's marrying a Christian man - as Sara pointed out, for many Muslims that's seen as forbidden [though Christian/Jewish women may marry Muslim men]. This is where the progressive family link may come into play. If she's from a Muslim family that is very progressive, world traveled, highly educated, wealthy etc etc etc a mixed marriage could be seen as just another part of their lifestyle. If she's from an orthodox family located in a small village and didn't pass out of her year 10 - well, that would be a much harder sell.

Keep in mind that you also want to be at the interview when the time comes [especially for Delhi - if you are going through Mumbai, I don't believe you can go in with her but she can make it known that you are outside waiting if the CO would like to speak with you also].

Get over to the India subforum also - there is good information there!

Best of luck!