No Ring Ceremony,need advice please for NEWDELHI CONSULATE...

[abhishek1984 5]

We are a Interracial couple.Met online in 2009 and eventually developed a relationship and met three times in real life(2 times I visited her to the USA and 1 time she visited INDIA for 12 days),in total we spent like 35 days.I have been to USA like 9 times.1 time on tourist visa to be with her for 20 days.I used to work for a Cruise Ship company for 9 years in USA.She applied for a K 1 in December 2014.We never had a FORMAL RING CEREMONY as she told me that people usually don't do it in the USA.So we decided that I will buy her a ring once I reach USA as she did not like Indian designs for engagement rings.

We are planning to have a Courthouse Wedding as soon as I reach USA followed by a Wedding Reception at a Clubhouse.I have the receipts of flowers,clubhouse and the catering quote for the food along with the guest list who will be attending the wedding reception and their contact information.Also photographs of me with her mom and my fiancee with my family(if CO cares to look at them).Also affidavits from her family and my family about our relationship.

Now coming to the point-I have read many reviews about NEW DELHI consulate and the Chinese looking CO who grills the applicants.I know she is gonna grill me to the core for this "ring ceremony"thing and may be not issue the visa.I just need some ideas how to to reply to this question in a best possible way or handle this issue.YOUR ADVICE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.Thanks in advance...

[Anh map 2,098]

Affidavits and wedding party quotes are pretty meaningless (as far as immigration is concerned).

What you want to show is the development of your relationship from beginning to present time. Photos as different times during your relationship. Certainly some pics with the parents is good. Evidence of time spent together (travel receipts, etc), communication (chat logs), and any other evidence of your relationship.

I don't know about the "ring ceremony" you refer to. If it's a cultural norm then other members with New Dehli experience can offer insight.

[abhishek1984 5]

Affidavits and wedding party quotes are pretty meaningless (as far as immigration is concerned).

What you want to show is the development of your relationship from beginning to present time. Photos as different times during your relationship. Certainly some pics with the parents is good. Evidence of time spent together (travel receipts, etc), communication (chat logs), and any other evidence of your relationship.

I don't know about the "ring ceremony" you refer to. If it's a cultural norm then other members with New Dehli experience can offer insight.

thank you.hope someone will answer soon.my interview is day after tomorrow...

[Sawa N Ab 7]

I am not at the interview stage yet but at the New Delhi embassy so I don't know if my words will be helpful because I am as scared as you about certain COs bringing issues that I never thought were going to be a problem like not having a ring ceremony.

I think as long as you show evidence of continue of relationship and are confident that you know your relationship and spouse, you should be fine! I know reading the horror stories at the Delhi embassy help us prepare but a lot of people get approved that we don't hear from.

So stay positive, and Good Luck!

[abhishek1984 5]

I am not at the interview stage yet but at the New Delhi embassy so I don't know if my words will be helpful because I am as scared as you about certain COs bringing issues that I never thought were going to be a problem like not having a ring ceremony.

I think as long as you show evidence of continue of relationship and are confident that you know your relationship and spouse, you should be fine! I know reading the horror stories at the Delhi embassy help us prepare but a lot of people get approved that we don't hear from.

So stay positive, and Good Luck!

Thanx a lot abhishek!!! The only red flag that we have is this Ring Ceremony.Wish I knew about this website before we applied for the I129f.Do you think traveling to USA for 9 years will create some positive effect on my case?I can say if i wanted to do a fraud I could simply marry her when i was with her on a tourist visa....I dunno what is gonna happen but I am scared...

[Sawa N Ab 7]

I am actually the Sara part so I don't have the same worries of actually doing the interview but my main worry is getting approved.

I know after reading the reviews we have a few red flags in the cultural department for the Delhi embassy of not having a ring ceremony, being interracial, having two different religions, and we lived in the same house for many months solo and also with his parents, which I been told is very shocking. The mindset I am going in this is that we both have very western mindsets and that how Abhishek is going to explain it. That our relationships fits us and our parents accept that, which I hope will help.

So be confident you know your in a good relationship and that your doing this the right way so explain it to them. The questions might be tough but as long as you answer them truthfully you should be fine. Abhishek thinks the interview part will be easy because he loves to talk about us and hopefully the COs will see that we are all good.

[abhishek1984 5]

I am actually the Sara part so I don't have the same worries of actually doing the interview but my main worry is getting approved.

I know after reading the reviews we have a few red flags in the cultural department for the Delhi embassy of not having a ring ceremony, being interracial, having two different religions, and we lived in the same house for many months solo and also with his parents, which I been told is very shocking. The mindset I am going in this is that we both have very western mindsets and that how Abhishek is going to explain it. That our relationships fits us and our parents accept that, which I hope will help.

So be confident you know your in a good relationship and that your doing this the right way so explain it to them. The questions might be tough but as long as you answer them truthfully you should be fine. Abhishek thinks the interview part will be easy because he loves to talk about us and hopefully the COs will see that we are all good.

thank you once again SARA.As a matter of fact even I am good at communication skills also but that will happen only if the CO is ready to listen.90% of the cases they have already decided the outcome before the Interview actually happens and they don't even want to look at the evidences u bring along with u....So i dunno what will happen.Hope for the best.Best of luck to you guys and I will post the review on 15th evening.

[Sawa N Ab 7]

Well if that happens, prepare your fiance to get in contact with Senators and ya'll be able to hopefully fight the prejudice. Keep the hope up that you showed enough evidence and everything will be fine! Good Luck and sending you positive energy for the next couple of days.

[katietw95 16]

Talking from experience...

Though we were married and applied for K3 visa, we had trouble at the New Delhi Embassy. We are also an interracial couple. We had tons of pictures, Skype screenshots, emails, Facebook chats with my family, my WhatsApp chat logs with his family and him, receipts from trips we took, my boarding passes to India, and tons of more stuff. However, our CO was stuck on the fact that his family was accepting of me (being white) and allowed for us both to stay at a flat that they own above their flat when we were not yet married. Plus, the CO did not look at a single piece of evidence we brought, so from what it seems, he had already made a judgement on what he wanted to do, and he was not ready to change his mind.

Long story short, we ended up with a 221(g), and we were allowed to submit more evidence. They wanted detailed letters from us describing how we met, our relationship. They also wanted sworn affidavits from his parents describing us and acknowledging that they are accepting of our relationship and the marriage. I also sent in a a copy of my entire passport, along with a few other items. So, my husband submitted that along with everything else he had originally taken to the interview. He was incredibly detailed on everything. he wrote notes on stuff telling them to look at certain pages to see certain things. We also referenced pieces of evidence in all of our letters. I also got a letter from one of my college professors and my employer who know about the marriage; we already had stuff from my parents side.

At the end of the day, after we submitted the evidence within a week he was approved.

So, I am just sharing this with you because I know that they view the whole interracial thing there as a red flag. Plus Anh map is wrong above when they say that affidavits are not useful because that is exactly what they requested from us.

[katietw95 16]

It really stinks that it happened to us because his family absolutely adores me, and they were also heartbroken when they had heard about our embassy experience.

To give you any idea, while my husband was in the embassy, they called his brother and grilled him asking him why they would allow for us to stay together unmarried. He just told them that his family is open minded and that they love me and their was no problem, but again, they did not want to listen. They were completely baffled I guess. What makes it worse is my husband was there from like 7-8am to 3pm. His brother drove him, and he waited all day long outside for him to come out.

[Sawa N Ab 7]

Katie, I was wondering do you think we should be extra prepared and bring letters beforehand or wait till we get the 221g and have the letter ready to be sent.

I truly hate that we have to deal with this prejudice mindset at this embassy but glad to know if you show the evidence that they still approve just takes a little extra longer.

Also Abhishek, there is a guy on here who just wrote about his approved visa experience in detail at Delhi on Tuesday and if you want to read about it to calm your nerves.

[abhishek1984 5]

It really stinks that it happened to us because his family absolutely adores me, and they were also heartbroken when they had heard about our embassy experience.

To give you any idea, while my husband was in the embassy, they called his brother and grilled him asking him why they would allow for us to stay together unmarried. He just told them that his family is open minded and that they love me and their was no problem, but again, they did not want to listen. They were completely baffled I guess. What makes it worse is my husband was there from like 7-8am to 3pm. His brother drove him, and he waited all day long outside for him to come out.

Thanks a lot for Ur input...do u remember if it was this same Chinese looking women?

[katietw95 16]

Katie, I was wondering do you think we should be extra prepared and bring letters beforehand or wait till we get the 221g and have the letter ready to be sent.

I truly hate that we have to deal with this prejudice mindset at this embassy but glad to know if you show the evidence that they still approve just takes a little extra longer.

Also Abhishek, there is a guy on here who just wrote about his approved visa experience in detail at Delhi on Tuesday and if you want to read about it to calm your nerves.

It truly does stink. we never truly realized how odd our situation was; we never realized that it fell so far out of cultural norms, as they tried to say. Yes, I recommend to just take everything before hand. Hopefully, you will be able to be given the chance to present what you have. I believe we just got a cruddy officer honestly. Also, keep in mind that we are married and we applied for K3 (some how we were lucky and ended up with a K3 otherwise the process would have been a lot longer with the CR1). I am unsure if being a K1 makes a huge difference, but regardless, I think the advise is still helpful.

Thanks a lot for Ur input...do u remember if it was this same Chinese looking women?

No problem! And, no, my husband told me that he was an Indian man.

Also, if possible for you to go attend the interview, I would definitely try to. I did not because I am a student, and we also did not think we would have any problems. But, after the fact, we wish that I would have attended because I could have easily gotten permission to be off from college from the Dean.

[Sawa N Ab 7]

Thanks for the advice and sharing your experience! I am going to go extra prepared with letters from everyone so if we get someone who doesn't understand that it is 2015, he will have evidence to show that our families are okay with the relationship.

[abhishek1984 5]

Katie, I was wondering do you think we should be extra prepared and bring letters beforehand or wait till we get the 221g and have the letter ready to be sent.

I truly hate that we have to deal with this prejudice mindset at this embassy but glad to know if you show the evidence that they still approve just takes a little extra longer.

Also Abhishek, there is a guy on here who just wrote about his approved visa experience in detail at Delhi on Tuesday and if you want to read about it to calm your nerves.

SARA I read the review you referred to and it is well written and I have realized that presence of the petitioner makes a difference.In my case,my fiancee will not be able to come down to India as she is on a notice period and cannot take a leave....lets see what happens...but thanks again for the moral support to all you guys...it really means a lot to me...