Moroccan K1 approval?

[shhamada 5]

Hi..I'll be applying for K1 visa next month, but I'm reading all these horrifying denial stories regarding Morocco!

Has anyone dealt with this country? If so, what can you tell me

Thanks

[Golden Gate 530]

Just be prepared. Make sure you have enough evidence sent initially, well-organized and don't over do it but give selected samples. Also don't give details you don't want to come back to bite you. Hopefully your relationship is well established and doesn't show haste. Be truthful at the interview and all should be fine!

[shhamada 5]

Thank you. I won't even be starting the process until the end of May..but I'm reading so many negative comments regarding Casablanca, I'm already getting anxious!

[Boiler 45,517]

Morocco has a disproportionately large number of unusual relationships.

So the feedback you will see is coloured accordingly.

[shhamada 5]

I don't know how unusual our relationship. I'm 10 years older, no religious issues..not personally anyway. He's an atheist, which causes him issues, and will probably not be mentioned at the interview for obviousreasons. We've not printed any communications, but will start to don't his very soon.

Any other input/advice would be very welcome

[Boiler 45,517]

Because of an Asylum claim?

[shhamada 5]

No, he lives in medium size town in central Morocco. Not even his closest family members know he's an atheist. He's a teacher, If the school found out it would cost him his job. The town isn't exactly accepting of his views.

The only other issue I can see..and keep in mind he's 39, not a child, is his parents haven't accepted him marrying an American, and him moving here.

They think he will get shot! !

Maybe next trip over his mom will be a little more accepting.

It doesn't bother him too much, but that's something I would like to see improve

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

Welcome to VJ
Without you filling us in....

You have met his family? And they still dont approve? You reffer to yourself as an American when you write they are frightend of him marrying one and moving here...that is sad if this is how they think of thier sons fiancee. How will he answer this question if asked? No my parents dont accept me marrying her.

Much more will factor in....how you met? How long have you known each other. If you have visited and how many times and for how long. NOT sure how you plan NOT mention he is not Muslim. IF it is asked, which religiuos differences will come up, he must answer everything honestly.

Your'e almost fifty by calculating your info on your post....was the probability of him not having children with you discussed? Did you two run that by the the parents too?

And .....looking way ahead

Good for him he has a teaching job, educated and employed is a plus....but please include in your conversations with him the fact that most likely if the future K1 is approved and he arrives here....finding employment on the same acredited level will be close to impossible...this is a hard adjustment on an employed independant single man coming here.

Keep reading past posts of members here and your guides.

We made it through and at the time it was close to impossible to imagine we would.

It is just my observation but there are more approvals now then when we were waiting....

[nina.mb 8]

f it helps at all, my fiancé (Moroccan) and I were just approved for our K-1 last week! So it can work However, I should make the disclaimer that we were processed through the USEM in Doha (he lives and works in Qatar), so we were lucky enough not to have to deal with Casablanca.

That said, happy to provide any insight we can as you move through the process and come across specific questions. Right off the bat, I would encourage you to submit your petition sooner rather than later, as processing times (especially for the Texas Service Center) have been increasing as of late. FYI, it took us 6 months and 1 week to receive our petition approval (NOA2), which was even slower than average since both his being Moroccan and my working in the region prompts a lot of extra security/background checks...

Good luck and keep us posted!!!

[Golden Gate 530]

My husband was a grade school teacher in Morocco, his parents didn't approve of us and I haven't even been able to meet them. I am older than him. I have two kids. He had no problems getting the visa. They asked about his parents, because we first tried to get married there. He told them his father didn't approve. They did ask what type of work he would seek. He said Arabic Teacher. He still looks around for this, but not so easy to find without security clearance.

You have going for you that he is a professional, he has been independent probably (right?), and he thinks for himself. He should be truthful with the consulate.

My husband has been here now 2 1/2 years. He works in the tool and die field. He has mixed feelings about teaching here, and would rather own his own business. He had a bit of a hard time getting a job first thing, but it wasn't really too long that he found something. If your husband is tenacious, he will find something. Eventually he can work towards something he likes better. It is possible.

How long have you been communicating with him? We were communicating for two years before we applied. I met him in person after one year of talking to him online.

If you print out chats, make sure you pick chats that aren't too personal, because they can pick up on weird stuff you might say to each other, if they had any doubts. I submitted like 5 different short chats with relaxed banter. I also included samples of each month's skype calls, because we mostly communicated by phone, as he didn't have computer access where he worked in the mountains.

[Golden Gate 530]

No, he lives in medium size town in central Morocco. Not even his closest family members know he's an atheist. He's a teacher, If the school found out it would cost him his job. The town isn't exactly accepting of his views.

The only other issue I can see..and keep in mind he's 39, not a child, is his parents haven't accepted him marrying an American, and him moving here.

They think he will get shot! !

Maybe next trip over his mom will be a little more accepting.

It doesn't bother him too much, but that's something I would like to see improve

It's not uncommon for parents to have those kinds of fears there. If they can't read/write, it is hard for them to imagine where he is going and people there like to gossip and scare people to make it even worse. I am sure the neighbors tell them all kinds of bad stuff. My mother-in-law thought that we were getting bombed here in the U.S. when the war started in Syria. Don't fret over his parents too much. They are going to think what they are going to think no matter what. You can't change the older generation. He is a grown man old enough to choose his own life.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Golden Gate

[shhamada 5]

You all have been amazing, thank you!

I've known him for about six months now. I'm flying over there on May 6th to spend two weeks.

He also teaches french and arabic to kids under 12 years of age.

However he would like to go to school for social work.

Yes he's independent.

I have a grown child, he's 29, so it's a non issue.

I don't really know what the deal is with his parents.

This is my first visit to Morocco, so I can't apply for the K1 until I get back

Again, thanks to every body. I can't really see any reason for a denial. .

[Golden Gate 530]

You all have been amazing, thank you!

I've known him for about six months now. I'm flying over there on May 6th to spend two weeks.

He also teaches french and arabic to kids under 12 years of age.

However he would like to go to school for social work.

Yes he's independent.

I have a grown child, he's 29, so it's a non issue.

I don't really know what the deal is with his parents.

This is my first visit to Morocco, so I can't apply for the K1 until I get back

Again, thanks to every body. I can't really see any reason for a denial. .

Try to wait longer before applying for the visa. I think it is really wiser to do so. There is a lot of fraud that comes from Morocco. You want to stay clear of any of the red flags, like short courtship, so the longer you wait, the better for you. In fact, I visited twice, once for the whole summer, then I waited an additional 8 months before I applied so was 2 1/2 years after first speaking with him. His parents are traditional, that is all. Don't worry so much about that. They have limited experience and won't change. It is a very closed society, especially if they are from a smaller or more conservative area. Which town is he from? Be prepared for the fact that you can't be together legally in Morocco. It is against the law to be with a woman you aren't married to. Just be aware. I am sure he has told you all this, but if he hasn't, you need to spend more time discussing the differences in culture. He might be very open minded, but the society is very much the opposite.

[nina.mb 8]

Ah, just saw your post about the length of the relationship...I'd agree with Golden Gate, in that case, and recommend waiting until you have at least a year, maybe more, under your belt as a couple. Not only to improve the chances of approval, but, as other posters have suggested, to give yourselves more time to get to know each other and better understand your cultural differences. I lived in Morocco for 3 years and have been with my fiancé for 2 years since then; we still come across unexpected little cultural nuances everyday! This can be a beautiful thing that continuously pushes you to grow as a couple, but without enough time it can have a less positive effect...

[Golden Gate 530]

Yes, and something else - being a teacher, I am sure he works half a day 6 days per week. His salary is actually not bad for the amount of time working and they don't take taxes like they do here, and probably he doesn't have a boss breathing down his neck there (the school directors don't have the same role as principals do here). Also, he has time to hang out at cafes, enjoy life there, visit his parents.

Coming here, he will realize he has to work his butt off for many more hours to make not even comparable, considering they take taxes out here, plus all of the expenses we pay for things - car insurance, health insurance, going to the dentist!, gas (sure he takes the bus there). He won't be able to pick up and leave his job to fly to Morocco for a month's break, because he isn't likely to get one week's vacation in a year. Really, living in Morocco is a lot cheaper than living here and your money goes further. I don't think Moroccans realize how good they have it.

Here the government owns you, you are slaving away just to survive. There, the familial tribes have more importance to the individual than the government does. The government doesn't get involved in your personal life like they do here with taxes, etc.

He should be aware of these differences, which are eye-opening, although he probably won't be able to believe it til he sees it. It's hard to imagine the real difference between places til it is experienced.