Getting Cold Feet about submitting!

[Jon9205 1]

I have gathered copies of stamped passports, flight itinerary, bank receipts of transactions while in Ghana, time stamped photos, signed letter of intent to marry from both me & fiance along w/ G-325a's, skype, google & yahoo chats charting correspondence over almost a year time frame and proof of meeting twice during this year.

However, Because I'm going through the Ghana consulate, I'm concerned that without an engagement ceremony included in the I-129f petition, I will get further interrogated from the consulate officer. The reviews have identified Ghana as a high fraud embassy and one of the hardest and most unpredictable embassies to go through.

I don't want to take any half measures & I'm considering making a 3rd trip & conducting engagement ceremony and engagement ring presentation before applying. I think I should have a formal engagement ceremony before applying. At least it would give me peace of mind before applying. I know there are know guarantees regardless of how many times i visit.

Am I overreacting? I really want to file right now because I can't take being away from my fiance but I also don't want to act in haste & further complicate matters w/ a very difficult embassy. Should I file with out a formal engagement ceremony & ring presentation? Is two trips enough for Ghana? Thanks for the continued support, I appreciate it so much!

[evoria 19]

For what I know about Ghana, what matters more is how long you have known each other. This is a high fraud country, where and how did you meet and a demonstration of an ongoing relationship. Pictures are one thing but they seem to care more about time spent and how well you can present your information. Be careful with the engagement pictures, make sure they do not look like a wedding picture. If you have been twice write a time line from the beginning of the relationship, signed affidavits, pictures of the places, things you have done together, and phone and email logs. If you guys have spent considerable time as a couple you should be ok, either way try to go for the interview.

[reneegh724 14]

I did not include a ring (don't like them, can't wear them- I'm a massage therapist), or have an engagement ceremony or even a formal announcement. My i-129f has already been approved (58 days at csc) and I will be at his interview with him at the embassy.. perhaps you may want to do the same? - Instead of going for a third trip for the engagement ceremony/ring thing, can you plan to just go to the interview? After reading posts/threads from VJ members it appears it is highly unlikely a person gets denied with the usc at the actual interview...

[Jon9205 1]

The ceremony would be her parents, close friends, and my mother on webcam. To all formally agree to the wedding. I was thinking of taking pictures of the two of us with the ring w receipt. I have copied & pasted skype chat into word format & was planing on submitting 1 pg of chat per week. Not a lot of email & phone conversation because we talk on Tango. Which I haven't figured out how to index. I will save that for another post. You are making me think I'm ok to file.

[stevie b 141]

doubling down on the USC attending the interview in Ghana

[midge and isi 8]

The ceremony would be her parents, close friends, and my mother on webcam. To all formally agree to the wedding. I was thinking of taking pictures of the two of us with the ring w receipt. I have copied & pasted skype chat into word format & was planing on submitting 1 pg of chat per week. Not a lot of email & phone conversation because we talk on Tango. Which I haven't figured out how to index. I will save that for another post. You are making me think I'm ok to file.

We didnt include pics of engagement cer because there were issues with the embassy believing it was a marriage and K-1 is a fiancee visa. My parents traveled from the US from it but didn't risk the chance of the cultural piece being misunderstood even though it is suppose to be. I am not sure how the staff has changed in almost 3 years but there were some issues back when we were going through so we kept on the safe side.

IMHO I think pic with ring receipt is a little overkill for the I-129 packet which just requires meeting... bring the ring receipt to the embassy for sure

[Aya_P 17]

in my opinion, u dont need another trip, engagement etc. save that trip for the interview.

file as soon as possible, the wait is loooong.

[Jon9205 1]

Thanks for all the advice from my fellow Ghanian VJ members. Your insight is greatly appreciated and I have decided to file based on your response