Mandatory 21 days before you file??

[dwheels76 5,468]

I would like to get peoples views and opinions on what is running around the Nigerian rumor mill that a 21 day total face time will be universally required for a filing of I-130.

Now supposedly question #21 (the what address you lived together) is to see the time frame one puts.

But since most of is go as visitors I am sure many leave blank or put "never lived together".

Now for Nigeria, I hear that the Embassy and USCIS are stepping up their game cuz the scammers have done the same and will deny anyone not meeting the 21 day requirement.

Which frankly how can something be required and people not be told.

So anyone heard this? Know anything on the grapevine?

[pascanda 13]

Is this as a married couple "21 days" lived together or can time beforehand count?

[Iyawo_Omo_Yoruba 31]

This is an interesting topic....cant wait to see some more views on it. Personally I have not heard about it. And is it rumored that the 21 days must be one visit or over time? Clueless.....

[Thomas&Cleofe 358]

I think OP is getting paranoid. Her time for going to see her husband is getting near.

[Iyawo_Omo_Yoruba 31]

I think OP is getting paranoid. Her time for going to see her husband is getting near.

Lol, thats funny! In this particular case OP doesnt have a thing to worry about!!

I am glad she posted this, cause if its true, and they arent telling us, they are setting us up for failure!

But yes, her time is coming soon!! Yay!

[dwheels76 5,468]

Is this as a married couple "21 days" lived together or can time beforehand count?

Pascanda, I don't know that's why I am posing the question. There are those here who may have their ear close to the situation.

I personally hate the "my friends said. Or a reliable source". If its a requirement by gollie tell folk.

Even though deep down most of us can see and we know Lagos wants face time. I aint mad at em if this is what they want but tell people so they will know.

I guess my thing is if its required will people be denied at USCIS or at interview if they don't meet requirement.

[dwheels76 5,468]

I think OP is getting paranoid. Her time for going to see her husband is getting near.

Nope Thomas not paranoid at all. I spent 6 1/2 months with my husband. I just love knowledge and to know and to help others.

I would hate that couples have it all together with evidence but get denied because they spent 20. Days or less together.

Sure people who r going through this should spend more but that's not always possible.

And many may spend a week or two and file and in that long wait make more visits.

Just would like the facts and not my friend at the #### told me this is now a requirement.

[Thomas&Cleofe 358]

They need to disclose their requirements. Just like USCIS and NVC must disclose the requirements. If you feel worried about this, I would send off an email to the US embassy and ask the question.

[dwheels76 5,468]

Lol, thats funny! In this particular case OP doesnt have a thing to worry about!!

I am glad she posted this, cause if its true, and they arent telling us, they are setting us up for failure!

But yes, her time is coming soon!! Yay!

LOL thank you Tracy and heck ya soon soon. I am so ready.

And u right if it is some unwritten rule is one thing but to say required. Hmmmm

Thomas u funny paranoid (yes I am). I always feel like somebodies watchin me.

[Kayode&Ginie 11]

It is so difficult to understand sometimes what exactly Lagos wants from us at times!! I too have heard something similar to what you are talking about, but I think I heard 30 days of face time. I do not think it's a requirement per say, but I believe in the CO's mind that they may use the amount of time spent together to make up for a person's red flags and give the approval. Honestly though, how would you know exactly? Is there a method to the madness?

[dwheels76 5,468]

It is so difficult to understand sometimes what exactly Lagos wants from us at times!! I too have heard something similar to what you are talking about, but I think I heard 30 days of face time. I do not think it's a requirement per say, but I believe in the CO's mind that they may use the amount of time spent together to make up for a person's red flags and give the approval. Honestly though, how would you know exactly? Is there a method to the madness?

No method to no madness. I guess they figure if you are a true blue real couple you will risk job, family whatever and leave and come and stays weeks and months. And still get denied while someone else came and stayed a week or 2 got married first visit and interview was no wahala. Shaking my head.

Like making a requirement will show the scammers the playbook. I think not.

Scammers don't want face time with u. The more u stay away the better. Than when u do come they will fake it till u go back so a week 2 weeks no issue. I just don't know. And also how can it be a mandatory requirement for one country and not the other?

[Kayode&Ginie 11]

No method to no madness. I guess they figure if you are a true blue real couple you will risk job, family whatever and leave and come and stays weeks and months. And still get denied while someone else came and stayed a week or 2 got married first visit and interview was no wahala. Shaking my head.

Like making a requirement will show the scammers the playbook. I think not.

Scammers don't want face time with u. The more u stay away the better. Than when u do come they will fake it till u go back so a week 2 weeks no issue. I just don't know. And also how can it be a mandatory requirement for one country and not the other?

Yes, I agree! Nigeria definately gets the short end of the stick as to how our relationships are scrutinized! I think any of us would stay in Nigeria with our love's if we had the ability to, however in real life it is hard to juggle a huge trip like that. Especially when we have responsibilites here. All we can do is visit as much as possible, try to be present at the interview, make sure our husband's know us well, and collect plenty of evidence........and PRAY God help all of us!

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Progress Reports to Africa: Sub-Saharan regional forum; topic is specific to Nigeria.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Immigration is something between a formula and an unbalanced scale. They have the ablity to collect data at all points of the operation. How many petitions of which type are filed. What are the profiles of the petitioner and the beneficary, how many issued visa recipients are married at ROC, at citizenship ? You make a grid of the responses and issue scores to the success rate of all people. Some places like the UK you have a high success number across all ages, all deltas in race/religion so they rate everyone as a low chance of fraud. Other places like Nigeria you have troubles all around but few low success when the woman is older/white/divorced/not travelled so these people have the balance tripped heavily against them in getting approval. To pull the scales back into a favorable tilt you have to do more to show you have a better chance then others in your group. One of the things measured is how much you really know each other. Once measure of this is time spent together. If worse your probability score the more you have to add to your side of the scale to balance it out. I have seen scammers work over woman for years, all the time spewing their tales of absolute love and commitment. I have seen USC's snowballed by the over attentive behavior of these people and left holding the bag. Is 21 or 30 written down somewhere no, but if you have a heavily unbalanced scale then spending time together will help bring it back into balance. If you are in the white, over 40, divorced crowd I would put a month of face time high on your list of things to do in Nigeria. I know Nigerians don't marry each other without doing background checks, they really consider us rather silly for not.

[Iyawo_Omo_Yoruba 31]

In my situation I would LOVE to spend more time with my husband and inlaws, but realistically, it isnt a possibility. To be denied based on lack of visits, or face time is absurd, when the desire to be there is much, but life here has its many demands. There is nothing couples cannot overcome together if their marriage is built on God. For a complete stranger to have the evidence of knowing each other well, ongoing communication and other evidences, yet a certain time frame of face time isnt established, they issue a denial?

Sorry, but America has taken a huge financial blow, and we all feel it. This is why it is difficult for us to get our face time in. I think all outlying circumstances should be looked at to make a well informed decision, but then thats me and how I would look at things.