Getting ready to start the K-1 process..a little unsure.

[InsanelyOne 8]

Greetings all. I've been lurking for a while...decided to reach out and get some feedback/advice. Although my situation isn't unique, it certainly seems to stray from the norm based on my reading of the forums and also based on the immigration forms and guides. So often it's a US citizen living in the US with a foreign fiancé living in their home country. I'm a US citizen, my same-sex fiancé is from Trinidad and we presently reside in the Dominican Republic. We've been together over 10 years and during that time we've lived in the US (while he was going to university), Trinidad, Sint Maarten, and now the DR. All of that moving around wasn't by choice. We were trying to find someplace we could live together legally. It's been quite a journey and with DOMA having been struck down, we finally have the opportunity to return to the US and begin the life together that we've been dreaming of.

Here's my concern. Is the fact that neither of us are in the US or our home country going to complicate things? I presently do not own a home or have any property/presence in the US. One very good thing is that I've maintained my employment with a US company this whole time (22 years I've been with the company). I make a very good salary so money isn't going to be an issue. I'm more worried about the logistics of it all. Should we apply through the embassy in Trinidad or the DR? My fear with the DR is that the US embassy agents here are most certainly jaded. Virtually everyone who applies for any kind of visa here is denied. They are skeptical and overly suspicious. Although we can easily establish the length and validity of our relationship, I'm convinced something is going to go wrong. These last 10 years have been laden with difficulties in just staying together as a couple. I'm petrified the visa process is going to fail somehow.

Thoughts/Suggestions?

[clairegie 265]

I think you should go for it. Regardless if they are jaded about same sex marriage, they still need to respect it. The consulate must treat you the same way they treat heterosexual couples. You can support him financially, you are both legally free to marry (right?), and you've been together 10 years (hopefully physically met within 2 years of when you file). Aside from making sure your K-1 petition is complete and you make plans about living arrangements in the US, I think that you have a very strong chance of being approved. I understand your concerns, but you & your partner deserves a chance as much as the rest of us.

Maybe this will make you feel better. Read the DR consulate review of bob72601, same sex couples that got their K1 visa approved.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?trim=no&cty=&cnty=Dominican%20Rep&page=4&dfilter=5&topic=

He seems to still be active on the VJ website. I'm sure he can provide more insights on how to do it successfully

[InsanelyOne 8]

Thanks iammrsregi! That is encouraging. I think one of the biggest hurdles is getting the "good conduct" letters (or whatever you call them) from each of the countries we've lived in, especially Sint Maarten. We are most likely going to travel to each country and stay while we get the documents instead of attempting to do it by mail. There is no postal service where we live in the DR and the Sint Maarten postal service is sketchy as well.