Pakistan embassy

[Hamzah and Amna 23]

I'm a K1 applicant beneficiary here. My fiancé and I have applied for the K1 and we have received noa2, now our case is sent to NVC. I wanted people from Pakistan to tell me I live in Karachi, do I have to go Islamabad for the interview? Is it too difficult being a Pakistani. Me and my fiancé have never met in person but we have qualified for the hardship waiver so, idk I can get Skype records, present receipts, FaceTime records, cards, letters everything but still I'm confused how is the experience at the embassy? Please help

[Jon York 156]

I'm interested in seeing what people have to say about your questions too.

By the way, I'm just curious - how did you qualify for the hardship waiver? What did you tell them? I heard those were almost impossible to get! So, congratulations.

[Boiler 45,903]

I thought only Islamabad dealt with Visa's.

I have never seen a similar case anywhere, this not exactly the easiest Consulate to deal with.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

I'm interested in seeing what people have to say about your questions too.

By the way, I'm just curious - how did you qualify for the hardship waiver? What did you tell them? I heard those were almost impossible to get! So, congratulations.

I believe in some (conservative) Muslims countries, bride-to-be and groom-to-be are not allowed to meet before the wedding has taken a place. I also interesting to hear the explanation from the OP though how they could qualified. There were a few stories on VJ about successful of the hardship waiver. Even though USCIS granted the waiver but the real challenge is at the US embassy in Islamabad. They are one of the toughest US embassies. I suspect maybe OP and fiancé(e) is in an arranged marriage. Edited June 29, 2014 by Girl from Celebes

[Boiler 45,903]

Arranged, obviously and Medical.

Medical was confusing, started as being housebound and ended up 99% functional, sort of history now.

[Jon York 156]

I believe in some (conservative) Muslims countries, bride-to-be and groom-to-be are not allowed to meet before the wedding has taken a place. I also interesting to hear the explanation from the OP though how they could qualified. There were a few stories on VJ about successful of the hardship waiver. Even though USCIS granted the waiver but the real challenge is at the US embassy in Islamabad. They are one of the toughest US embassies. I suspect maybe OP and fiancé(e) is in an arranged marriage.

Yes, you are right, in Pakistan bride and groom aren't supposed to meet before the wedding, unless of course it's a love marriage.

[Hamzah and Amna 23]

Yes initially we were into arranged marriage but after we started talking we fell in love and are now totally in love with eachother. How we qualified for the hardship waiver, well we had RFE they asked for the proof of whether met in person or submit documents otherwise so we submitted his doctors letters, the reason why he cannot travel and in a week we got approved Alhamdulillah! Anyhow were still hopeful it wasn't easy and I know it won't be easy for us but still we need it. Islamabad embassy be difficult I'm sure that's why I want to know what should I be prepared for because I'm sure they are human beings and they will definitely understand as we're not lying.

[Hamzah and Amna 23]

It's not that we were not supposed to meet before marriage it's just we couldn't. He couldn't travel and when I tried 2 times I got denied, we were helpless nothing we could do

[Jon York 156]

Well, they waive the meeting requirement for people who come from cultures where the bride and groom are not supposed to meet. So they should waive that requirement for you on that basis as well. Because even if you could meet him if you wanted to - it's still very common in Pakistan for couples to be forbidden from meeting until the marriage.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Jon York

[Hamzah and Amna 23]

No as much as we went through for the hardship waiver that it is supposed to be for those if traveling will cause any harm to the US citizen and it was him my fiancé

[Jon York 156]

It's not that we were not supposed to meet before marriage it's just we couldn't. He couldn't travel and when I tried 2 times I got denied, we were helpless nothing we could do

So, are you an American citizen? And are saying here that you were denied a visa for travel to Pakistan?

[Hamzah and Amna 23]

I'm the beneficiary and my fiancé is a US citizen. I was denied for the tourist visa to USA twice. My fiancé cannot travel that's how we got the hardship waiver

[Jon York 156]

Oh okay right. Yeah, my fiance is the beneficiary and we knew she'd never be approved to come to the US for a visit. So we met in Dubai. It's so difficult having a relationship between two people - one who is in the US and one who is in Pakistan!

[Girl from Celebes 588]

I'm the beneficiary and my fiancé is a US citizen. I was denied for the tourist visa to USA twice. My fiancé cannot travel that's how we got the hardship waiver

I should say, if it was the reason for hardship waiver, both of you must be lucky! There was a member here got denied for the hardship waiver for medical reasons and denied of tourist visa.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Oh okay right. Yeah, my fiance is the beneficiary and we knew she'd never be approved to come to the US for a visit. So we met in Dubai. It's so difficult having a relationship between two people - one who is in the US and one who is in Pakistan!

I understand they scrutinize people from Pakistan after 9/11. My tourist visa was denied in 2010 and my then-fiancé could not travel because active military duty off limit come to Indonesia. We finally met in Singapore on 2011.