Relationship of 9 months with Dominican girl - need DR specific advice on starting VISA process

[brian&yani 0]

Sorry for the long post. There's a TLDR at the bottom

Hello,

In June 2014 I decided to try online dating and gave latinamericancupid.com a try. I messaged quite a few females but only one girl really caught my attention and we hit it off right away. She is one of the few from Dominican Republic that didn't appear to me a money loving sanky panky. We really opened up to each other and she is great and we chatted everyday for about 4 weeks. Then came July 4th and I felt comfortable enough to fly down and spend 3 days to meet her quickly in Santiago, DR to see if she was really what I was looking for. I am 31 and she is 25 by the way. We met when I was 30 and she was 24. Also, I am an American Hispanic and speak pretty much fluent Spanish. She speaks only Spanish.

We hit it off, very well, it was love at first sight both with the online pics and in real life. She said when she first saw my picture online she knew she wanted that man for her right away and then she closed the webpage and went to sleep. Unknowingly at the same time I was looking at her picture and saw something special in her eyes and I messaged her only 10 minutes after she logged off. She had just missed my message but she was hoping to meet me already. Kind of a connection on first picture view.. things only intensified after we met in real life.

She's very warm and loving, much a person I could see myself with for a long time. She knows how to take care of a house, cook, clean, good with children, and has nursing ambitions and is certified to work in emergency rooms. We started the relationship with us both looking for something very serious. I was looking for someone who wanted to come to USA and eventually start a family with me, she was/is also looking for a family life with children. After about 6-7 months of talking and visiting she had begun to agree to come to USA. She's hesitant about leaving her homeland and worried she won't be able to learn english as I try to ease her worries. I tell her that raising kids in USA is much better than in DR because here I have a great job with security and lots of family support more than she has in DR. When she comes I will be ready to buy a house. Every day she sees more and more why she needs to come here, as opposed to me going there. Children education and education cost would be better here as well.

Our relationship is very good. We do video chat everyday and most of the day, when i'm not working. We chat on Whatsapp and do phone/video on LINE. Oh and I have been visiting her around every 6 weeks. (my job allows me to make my own hours) So at first I went for 3 days, then the next time I went in August for 3 weeks, then in Oct for 3 weeks, and in December for 4 weeks, and I am going again soon for a couple weeks. In this time I have moved her out of her home where her step parents were taking care of her and basically using her to do all the housework, meals and food shopping. This girl came from extreme poverty and broken family so she had to rely on kind of step parents to take care of her who ultimately ended up using her like the maid of the house while only allowing her to leave the house for going to university. They really treated her like a slave and I didn't like that. In Oct I offered to move her to an apartment so we could have our privacy and she could try to make her own life. She was hesitant at first but after a while she agreed and now we have an apartment where I bought her the basic things and pay around 200 bucks a month for rent and everything. It's going well, I enjoy my time with her, we are great together, tons of communication just like best friends.. and lovers... I might marry my best friend.

In December we started talking to a popular "multimigracion" lawyer who supposedly helps many Dominicans leave the country with marriage and family stuff. I paid the lawyer 1000 pesos which is around 25 bucks for a consultation to ask questions. The lawyer basically advised us that getting married was our best chance. She specifically said to me that a k1 fiance visa would require 2 years of relationship proof. This is conflicting of what I have read online. I don't know why she is giving me conflicting information but many Dominicans have told me that the consulate there is quick to question a couple's legitimacy and deny people for little reason. She told me I need to prove I make 18,000 or more income which I can by showing my taxes. She advises us to get married right away and start the process.

Below is a link to the image of the paper she gave to us which describes the process, required documents, and the amounts... She wants to charge me 3000 USD for the whole process of a marriage visa. Is 3000 is a lot of money for a marriage visa?

https://i.imgur.com/XGp2HW2.jpg

Anyway, I heard about people, instead, hiring a US lawyer for this. Also I have read the instructions on how to do the filing myself. I just want the best chance of a VISA going smoothly as possible because this is a real relationship and I am eager to start a family and believe this to be a suitable person for me.

We have much proof so far:

-both normal and intimate pictures together

-an apartment together with receipts of bed, stove, refrigerator, tables, some furniture

-western union receipts

-4+ plane tickets and itinerary

-over 300 pages of chat

-list of video chat call date and times

No bank account together yet. I feel like if someone were to look at all our evidence they would see it's a real relationship.

Our plan for now is to marry and go with the lawyer but I wanted to know what other people here thought? I am willing to wait 1 to 1.5 years and will continue supporting her no matter what, while visiting as much as I can. Does anyone have Dominican Republic specific advice? Experiences? I'm reading all of the interview process for Santo Domingo and am very grateful for this website and all the people here. Thanks for reading

TLDR: (too long didn't read) Met a girl online, now 9 months later, which way to start VISA? is 3000 bucks for a Dominican lawyer to help us a rip off?

Edited March 9, 2015 by brianhvac

[j&ana 363]

It is a rip off. The only requirement is that both of you have met within 2 years of knowing each other, not 2 years of a relationship. Do not even talk to that lawyer anymore.It is my advise to you. You can do it your self , research on this site things that need to be done

Edited March 9, 2015 by j&ana

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Welcome to VJ.

Start by reading the comparison chart for the various types of visas, then decide which one you want to use. There are guides here for each different process. They help a lot, but be sure to always read and follow the instructions for each form you will fill out, if you choose to go it alone. Most people here make that choice.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

~ Moved from Introducing our Members to What Visa Do I Need - OP deciding on immigration path~

[CowBoE 429]

Tens of thousands have used self-help information on this site and got it done successfully.

It's easier than filing tax I think...(at least mine).

[NYCruiser 423]

Welcome to VJ.

Start by reading the comparison chart for the various types of visas, then decide which one you want to use. There are guides here for each different process. They help a lot, but be sure to always read and follow the instructions for each form you will fill out, if you choose to go it alone. Most people here make that choice.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/compare

~ Moved from Introducing our Members to What Visa Do I Need - OP deciding on immigration path~

I agree...kick that lawyer to the street (not really just mentally). You dont need her. She is giving you wrong information.

[~Yoly~ 4]

getting a lawyer is a waste of time everything you will need will be here! Ask away

[AverysMom 76]

Don't waste your pesos on a abogado, thank us later! ?

[abby12 13]

$3000 USD?? more than $100,000 pesos for a visa process?? Even if what she said its right about the 2 years (which is not), it is still too much money,. I am sure that there are more reasonable lawyers in Santo Domingo that I know for a fact that would not charge that amount of money for a simple visa application and follow up. Unless you and your girlfriend have real legal problems, then get a lawyer (not that one you talked to!!).

But, I agree with the rest, use this site as a reference, and do it yourself. The only fee you will have to pay is like $340 for the I-129f, then there will be other costs for your girlfriend to complete the process in the DR, ..Personally we paid for everything around $800 dollars, between the petition and then visa medical fees, day of the interview in the DR, plus other costs like birth certificate etc and fedex when needed. Not including plane ticket/hotel for the day of the interview at the consulate.

Now, it depends on what you and your girlfriend would like to do, get married first and then apply for her visa , or apply for the K1 visa and then marry in the US. Kay gave you a link, read it and consider your options, and ask questions when in doubt.

Good luck!

Edited March 9, 2015 by abby12

[janet&adonis 57]

Also, you can check my timeline, my husband was here in March, and I filed the K-1 paperwork in July. We had our interview at the consulate in February. So it won't take a year for her to be in the US. Unless there are some unforseen delays.

I agree with most of the people here. Definately this is the site to get all the info you need to file by yourself. No lawyer needed. Also USCIS only requires proof of you meeting once in person in the last two years. As long as you send in proof of boarding passes, calling cards, chats, visits to the DR, all of your receipts from the apartment etc. You will have enough evidence.

You can still get married and file a CR1, but it will take about 12 months or more for her to come to the US.

[brian&yani 0]

Thank you so much for replying everyone! I am very happy to have found this community and information resource. I will definitely be starting the K1 visa application within a month or two and will look forward to reaching the interview part. We didn't want to be forced into marriage anyway so K1 will please both of us. I'm sure she will be happy to know that, thanks to this website, we can now be completely self sufficient and not be scammed by any lawyer especially for 3000USD (majority of dominicans don't earn close to that in 1 year and this lawyer wants to make it from 1 client :| )

Again thank you so much and any questions I have I will be sure to post. I enjoy reading all of your experiences. Bless you all, thanks again!

-brian & yani

[RoJ10 18]

We've completed our k1 requirements by helping each other and this community helped us both to complete our application with no RFE ! No lawyer inquiry just by research and coordination.

[Ilovemyman 147]

You dont need a lawyer if you can read with patient and follow instructions.

You can do the k1 process without problem.