Denied visitor visa - considering K-1 (Nigeria)

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

You can't "start the process right away." You must meet in person before you start any process whatsoever. And yes, as the previous poster said Nigeria is a high fraud country so meeting just once for a week or two might not be enough. Note I said "might not be." It could be that one visit would do it...depends on the American Consul that does the interview on that fateful day in the embassy. Is he/she in a good mood or had a rough night? Does the CO believe you?

If I were you this is what "I WOULD DO." I would go to Nigeria and visit him for a while. Make sure that this love is real. (That's what I did. It only took a few minutes to know that my finace at the time really loved me just by looking into her eyes. I proposed 3 days later and we were wed 4 days later in a beautiful ceremony.) If you believe the love is real then I would get married in Nigeria, come back to US and proceed with the CR-1 route. (I know there will be many that might argue this but in my humble opinion getting married shows perhaps a more serious committment on the part of both parties involved.) Then I would go to Nigeria at least one more time maybe two more times, take tons of pictures, don't forget the wedding photos from the first trip, save all airline receipts, boarding passes, hotel receipts, family photos, etc... If at all possible I would be in Nigeria when your spouse goes for the interview. Not sure if Nigeria lets spouses into the embassy interview but I WOULD BE THERE IRREGARDLESS. Even if not allowed into the embassy for the interview process I would provide my spouse with my passport so he could take it into the interview. Make sure your spouse shows the consular staff your passport and that he tells them that you are there, outside the embassy waiting. I have heard of some countries where this has happened and the embassy has the beneficiary go outside to get their spouse and then allows them to come in to be interviewed also.

Now remember, many people are going to argue some of these points. I am just telling you what worked for us and these are merely suggestions. This is what I would do if I were in your situation.

I wish you both the best of luck but most importantly, GOD BLESS

David

I think K1s should be abolished in it's entirety but OP needs to go back a second time before getting married if possible. But yes a proper CR1 and it's accompanying traditional requirements with precursor visits will frustrate many would be scammers (not all of them).

USC are not allowed in interviews but like you said she should be there. I was outside, my Wife took my passports in (US and Nigeria), CO leafed through every single page with a smile on her face. Per my Wife after that the interview took on an even more positive note.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I think K1s should be abolished in it's entirety but OP needs to go back a second time before getting married if possible. But yes a proper CR1 and it's accompanying traditional requirements with precursor visits will frustrate many would be scammers (not all of them).

USC are not allowed in interviews but like you said she should be there. I was outside, my Wife took my passports in (US and Nigeria), CO leafed through every single page with a smile on her face. Per my Wife after that the interview took on an even more positive note.

One additional red flag. If the beneficiary is asking for money for emergency surgeries, sick family members, more money for documents, living expenses, etc...get the hell out! Run as fast as you can. Sure the majority of persons living in third world countries like Nigeria, Philippines, etc are needy and many are destitute and literally hungry. But you must remember, they got along before you came into the picture so if all of a sudden there is this huge need for money you have to be suspicious.

One Filipina that I communicated with prior to meeting my wife on-line I found out was using a Philippines web site that was devoted to excuses, lies, ways to get out of things. I wish I could remember the site name because it was kind of shocking. I mean if you had to make up a lie for anything you could go to this site and find hundreds of scenarios to cover your #######. It was kind of shocking. The actual purpose of the web site was to find excuses for everything from A to Z. I am sure Nigeria has web sites similar to this as do probably most countries.

Let the buyer beware...

David

Edited January 16, 2014 by David & Zoila

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Marrying on the first visit to Nigeria is in itself a fraud indicator on their worksheet that a CO has to make a decision on.

The more red flags the more likely a refusal will result.

The reason a CR1 is a bit more solid versus the K1 is because K1's expire and it's over and done with, you file again and the roller coaster

starts all over again.
A refused CR1 will get a chance for rebuttal of the CO's findings and it can be overcome.

I don't believe K1 should be abolished but fit well in many circumstances which is a whole other story for another time.

[MochaMichou 26]

Meet him first then decide about the K1. I would say its too early to think about K1 before meeting. I respect online love stories (i myself one of those people who fell in love before meeting my now husband) but meeting the other person will reveal way more of their personality and intentions. Im only saying this out of love and concern for visa journey member's and after reading horrible stories on this forum. Im not saying your boyfriend is gold digger either but its better to be careful than sorry.

After you meet and you decide he is such a great guy then file K1. K1 take 6 to 8 months so you can visit him during the process and by the time he has his interview, you will have a record of two visits, plenty of pictures etc etc

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Just because some people don't get a green light on a K1 interview, either because they didn't have their act together or ran into a psycho CO is not a good reason to do away with that class of visa. Don't blame the type of visa on your failure to get it. Second passes usually are successfull no matter what the second attempt if for K1 or CR1

[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.

I misread, thought the OP had already met beneficiary face to face!

[Avery Cates 1,141]

Tell him you'll move to Nigeria to be with him. See what happens.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Just because some people don't get a green light on a K1 interview, either because they didn't have their act together or ran into a psycho CO is not a good reason to do away with that class of visa. Don't blame the type of visa on your failure to get it. Second passes usually are successfull no matter what the second attempt if for K1 or CR1

Well, I for one am so grateful that we did not have to go through a "second pass". That really would have sucked!

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Tell him you'll move to Nigeria to be with him. See what happens.

I agree. That might be a good acid test. Be very careful. My wife suggested that I just move to the Philippines several times because it would be so much faster and easier. That kind of put me at ease. We are here in Hawaii now and both agree that one day we will return to the Philippines and build a nice home and possibly live there in retirement. Well at least during the least hot months of the year.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

I hear you Brother, any denial sucks.

It's infantile to assume that a second pass guarantees an approval, it doesn't.

My ideology that K1s should be eliminated doesn't hang on my Wife's approval of a CR1 (though I understand that's a low hanging fruit for some folks to pick). It's based on measuring pros and cons and how it seems to me that USC are more easily taken by K1.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I hear you Brother, any denial sucks.

It's infantile to assume that a second pass guarantees an approval, it doesn't.

My ideology that K1s should be eliminated doesn't hang on my Wife's approval of a CR1 (though I understand that's a low hanging fruit for some folks to pick). It's based on measuring pros and cons and how it seems to me that USC are more easily taken by K1.

Gowan, oh wise one,

(I gave you a reputation point for this one and a few more.)

I would agree with you on several points. It is "MY BELIEF" that both persons are showing more comittment when they get married vs a fiance visa. Both to each other as well as the CO in the embassy where they will be interviewed.

I gotta tell you. I fell head over heels in love with my Filipina in less than two months. But I had not mentioned marriage until I met her in person and had spent a few days with her. Then after looking into her eyes, watching how she looked at me and just seeing how much she loved me I popped the question. Then 4 days later we were married in a beautiful ceremony and a great party afterwords. I WOULD NOT have married her before seeing her, touching her, holding her hand and looking into those beautiful brown eyes. Oh I know it sounds mushy but hey...it's real.

Gowan, I can't even begin to imagine how many K-1's come here, don't get married for one reason or another and then just stay. We hear about over-stays all the time do we not?

We have millions of illegals here already. Why give scammers (most are not scammers I would guess) the opportunity to cross our borders only to stay and never go home. And if anyone disagrees with me you haven't read a paper or watched the nightly news for some time now.

Edited January 16, 2014 by David & Zoila

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Gowan, oh wise one,

(I gave you a reputation point for this one and a few more.)

I would agree with you on several points. It is "MY BELIEF" that both persons are showing more comittment when they get married vs a fiance visa. Both to each other as well as the CO in the embassy where they will be interviewed.

I gotta tell you. I fell head over heels in love with my Filipina in less than two months. But I had not mentioned marriage until I met her in person and had spent a few days with her. Then after looking into her eyes, watching how she looked at me and just seeing how much she loved me I popped the question. Then 4 days later we were married in a beautiful ceremony and a great party afterwords. I WOULD NOT have married her before seeing her, touching her, holding her hand and looking into those beautiful brown eyes. Oh I know it sounds mushy but hey...it's real.

Gowan, I can't even begin to imagine how many K-1's come here, don't get married for one reason or another and then just stay. We hear about over-stays all the time do we not?

We have millions of illegals here already. Why give scammers (most are not scammers I would guess) the opportunity to cross our borders only to stay and never go home. And if anyone disagrees with me you haven't read a paper or watched the nightly news for some time now.

And you and I have also been on those "I came in on a K1 and my boyfriend doesn't want to marry me" threads.

So the poor immigrant gave up everything, job, homes, family, etc to come here and then whamo USC boyfriend or girlfriend changes his mind for whatever reason or used the K1 as a "go for a test drive" visa.

With a K1 the immigrant has to go back home empty handed with nothing to show for it. Frankly I am not sure where my head was when I filed for a K1 but then I was sure that I was going to marry my Wife though. With a CR1 it forces the USC to be sure of the relationship (as we know the I-134 is not worth the paper it's written on), and the immigrant to be secured that she's not giving up everything without any US benefit.

The reason I am a little bit more conversant on this than most threads is that I am getting sick and tired of all the Nigeria is this horrid country full of scammer and insane COs. How about USC also stepping up to bat and not doing stuff like planning to marry someone they haven't even met face to face before.

I know that in some instances a K1 may be ideal for whatever reason but guess what I think it is ideal for me to drive at 100mph too. If they decide to cancel K1 theres still CR1 there and actually IR1 just with a years wait with even more benefits.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Gowon

[Boiler 46,084]

How many people living in the US get married to someone they have not met, or even engaged.

Seems to come up on here quite a bit on VJ.

After all to fly from coast to coast is longer than say going from one side of Europe to the other.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

My work has specific restrictions about me being to a foreign national living in another country. So I would be prevented from marrying my now husband until I retire because Gowan doesn't like K1's The people that get here on a K1 and get sent home without marriage are a minority and suffer from the same lack of knowing the person they are committed to that people who marry someone that takes off as soon as the greencard/10 year card/citizenship suffer from. I think the K1 should use the I864 not the I134 but it has it's place You can go over marry someone and be on a flight home the same day and not know their spouse at all but still manufacture all the evidence recommend in the oft posted scammers guide to a visa.

[SennaBrigante 92]

It is absolutely a big transition from moving your relationship online to offline. I met my husband online too and for two years we were just an online couple though I have met his family who vacationed here. He can't leave the country yet because of probation so it was really up to me to travel to the US to satisfy the K1 requirement. I rarely asked him for money and in fact, I was the one who would send him money when his finances became tight. When I was able to visit him, it was sooooo different. We were no longer typing messages and we weren't struggling through a wonky Internet connection, we were LIVE!

Luckily for us it all felt really natural so the transition wasn't too hard. I was also able to see what life could be like in the US and honestly, I prefer to stay in the Philippines but my husband will never agree, especially after the typhoon. I got knocked up and we got married and now doing CR1.

To the OP, you don't just get meeting face-to-face "out of the way" and spending only 2 weeks together won't be enough time for both of you to truly reveal your real selves and not your "courtship" selves. You won't get to see the quirks and little annoying things he does in that span of time. Of course he'll put his best foot forward and so will you. I suggest just putting these visas on the back burner and focus first on your relationship and guarantee for sure that you're willing to spend time, money and effort in getting the K1