Denied visitor visa - considering K-1 (Nigeria)

[SavedByGrace 1]

Good Evening All:

I wanted to inquire about a K-1 visa process. My boyfriend and I have been talking about getting married but have yet to meet. I had been unemployed and have been the primary caregiver for my mother (who has dementia-like complications) from 2012-2013, and had just started working at the end of 2013, so we tried to bring him in on a visitor visa just ti satisfy the requirement but he was denied. So now I am trying to work on getting things rearranged in order to go to Nigeria just to get the meeting requirements of meeting out of the way. I may try to stay for a week but no more than 2 due to my mom's separation and health issues, I am not sure how long of a meeting they are requiring but with all that being said:

1. Will meeting once and spending nearly two weeks together (be favorably looked upon) in the K-1 process?

2. Will his denied visa visitor visa have any bearing or weight on our K-1 approval?

[EndlessStory 53]

You visiting for a week meets the requirements for K1 visa which is to meet within 2 years prior to filing I-129F but Nigeria is consider as a high fraud country according to my reading from this Forum. You will need to meet a couple times more to convince the CO that your relationship is bone fide.

His B2 visa denial will not lead or affect the K1 visa. (if his denial isnt because he was banned from U.S. for 10 years, Drug abuse, crime etc.. if his denial was because of not enough ties to home country then you be fine).

Hope it helps you. This is all I know with the situation you posted.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Janice&Micah

[SavedByGrace 1]

Thanks so much for the input - yes they denied him for lack of ties to the country not for any other reason. How long will the visits have to be to be considered "acceptable"? For instance, if I go once for 12 days and another time for 5 days will that help? Or do they both have to be lengthy visits?

[DRbound 38]

there is no rule that says you need to visit anymore than one time. I get what Janice&Micah is saying but i also know how much of a drag it is to delay an already long process. I would start the process right away... sure it would help but you meet the requirements with a single visit (i hope you have some good pics at least)! during the process, you could plan your additional trips which will strengthen your case for your interview date.

[Jawaree 718]

May I ask whats both of U age range, you have to meet with the last 2 yrs, show

on-going relationship, pictures of both of also friends, have met the family, and

verify there's no other wives, this is a high fraud country where men seek out lonely

vulnerable women online...In saying that there are also many upstanding men from

the country that should not be painted with the same brush.

Red flags....If only one visit

You are unemployed, how will you petition him, and visit him at least 3 times. the

airfares aren't cheap.

Will you have a co-sponsor above the poverty line to do I 864 (agree & sign)

Do you know you will have to marry him in 90 days & financially responsible

for any relief he takes from the gov. for 10 yrs even if he leaves you, unless he

naturalizes after 3 yrs.

Very expensive for someone unemployed.

[Hypnos 6,578]

A couple of things are getting mixed together here.

To be eligible to file an I-129F fiancée petition you must have met at least once, for any period of time, within the past two years. This requirement is very rarely waived, and only in extreme cases.

Beyond this, you would probably need to have met at least a couple more times (the longest and more frequent the better) to help demonstrate your relationship is bona fide. Nigeria is probably the single most difficult consulate to get through, so you need as much proof as you can possibly assemble.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Hypnos

[EndlessStory 53]

There's no so called Rules of how many times and how lengthy your visit must be. It is just how you want to proof your relationship is true to the CO. CO have the final decision in your marriage life to an alien fiance you want to bring and live in the U.S.

my own background : I only met my fiance ONCE but lived together for a period of 6 months. I have not been interviewed yet so I don't know what will ask of me. I do hope that is sufficient. I heard that any country that isn't under VWP is consider is high/medium fraud country. I am in one of those country that is not under VWP. I got approved for my B2 visa in 2012.

[SavedByGrace 1]

I had been unemployed, I am currently gainfully employed. We are both about the same age (give or take 3 months) we are both in our early 30s. We have chatted online consistently and I have close to 300 pages of chat longs since last year and we talk on the phone daily sometimes almost 100 hours a month. I now make enough to more than sponsor him but I also have a parent who can be a co-sponsor if necessary. Yes I am very aware of the marry in 90-day stipulation. All I am trying to figure out now is what is the best course of action to take - one visit or multiple visits and also if the denied Visitor Visa would cause any issues. Sorry I should have explained all of that the first time around. I am rather new so I am trying to make sure I say as much as possible. If I need to split the visits and take one for 10 days and file the K1 and then in the process take another 5-7 day visit before the interview I can try to work that out. I am just trying to get some advice on how to really get the ball rolling.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Meet him and then visit him again before filing and take it slow or meet him, file and then visit again one or two times while waiting during

the process.
Be there for the interview ! Front load your petition !

If you have any questions ask in the Sub-Saharan forum where members familiar with Lagos will be best equipped to help you get clarity.

[SennaBrigante 92]

Though we applied for a CR1, I only visited my husband once in the US for 2 months and our petition was approved.

You really just need to show STRONG evidences to USCIS that the relationship is real. With Nigeria being a high-fraud country, you'll need EXTRA strong evidences. During your visit did you meet his family? Do you have photos of that? Do you have joint big purchases you made together?

Even if you visit him 10x a year but you don't submit the evidences they want to see, you'll see your petition denied.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

I had been unemployed, I am currently gainfully employed. We are both about the same age (give or take 3 months) we are both in our early 30s. We have chatted online consistently and I have close to 300 pages of chat longs since last year and we talk on the phone daily sometimes almost 100 hours a month. I now make enough to more than sponsor him but I also have a parent who can be a co-sponsor if necessary. Yes I am very aware of the marry in 90-day stipulation. All I am trying to figure out now is what is the best course of action to take - one visit or multiple visits and also if the denied Visitor Visa would cause any issues. Sorry I should have explained all of that the first time around. I am rather new so I am trying to make sure I say as much as possible. If I need to split the visits and take one for 10 days and file the K1 and then in the process take another 5-7 day visit before the interview I can try to work that out. I am just trying to get some advice on how to really get the ball rolling.

Multiple visits are best for Lagos, the longer the better.

You are good on chat logs, keep printing them up to the interview time.

Add some itemized phone call logs and cam screen shots when you skype.

Take plenty of pics when you are there and with family.

You have no red flag concerning your age so that is a very good thing.

The denied B2 is no problem at all but be aware that the applications will be cross checked for consistent answers.

If everything had been and will be filled out truthfully there is no problem so no need to stress about that.

The initial meeting, getting 1-2 more visits in while waiting and then being there for the interview will be alright.

I don't advice to marry on the first visit in case that has come up versus the K1.

[blooms 63]

You both can meet up in another country if you'd like as long as you have met within the two-year requirement.

But I would suggest meeting him in his hometown, visit with his family and take a lot of photos as proof.

A week visit would suffice. Collect itineraries, receipts for petition purposes.

Or

He can always apply for B2 visa again. I understand it can be difficult to leave mom alone due to the illness.

Good luck to you.

Blooms

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

With Nigeria proof of meeting his family and going to his village helps a lot. A lot of scammers think nothing of parading a mark about Lagos, but fewer will take them home to parents. ( Unless the while family is in on the game ) Meeting family and friends with photo documentation is important. At least 30 days in Nigeria is advisable if you can't actually live there. .

[christeen 966]

A b2 visa for a Nigerian male is near to impossible, especially with a girlfriend in the USA but denials will have NO effect on the k1 visa process and will in no way count against him.

However, 1, visit for 1-2 weeks will probably not cut it for Lagos. That may work for many other consulates, but Lagos is a whole other world. I would take it slow and plan for 2 or more visits... And you should be sure to meet his family and friends and get photos... Meeting in a 3rd country is a red flag as many scammers will do this so the USC does not see what is really going on....

Lagos will need front loading.... Put n lots of evidence of chats, Skype, photos, airline receipts,passport stamps to show bonified relationship. I sympathize with caring for an aging parent as I am a primary caregiver for my mom, but visit g is a MUST for Lagos due to the vast amount of fraud that occurs.

Be prepared and eyes wide open. Since you cannot spend a lot of time over there and many Nigerians have perfected the scam business, you might even consider having him checked out a bit with a PI in his country... To at least set your mind at ease and keep you from an emotional and fnancial mistake... Just my 2 cents... Good luck, go slow, be sure..

[AliAli 11]

When you guys meet make sure you keep flight tickets, receipts and anything that shows you two were in the same country at the same time, not just pictures.