"Met in person within 2 years before filing Form I-129F" Question

[ML Magz 1]

Hello. So I need some guidance on the item regarding us meeting in person prior to filing.

We met on June 5, 2016 and pretty much fell in love during her stay in the US. She did not go home until July 23rd. We spent about half of her stay together. Before she left, I had asked her to be my gf and she had expressed desires of getting married to someone like me. I actually said yes. Three days before she left, we decided to buy matching rings together (nothing fancy) to symbolize what we had been through. We continued to talk day in and day out and even fell harder. Our plans became more concrete and we are now considering applying for a K-1 Visa. Prior to meeting her, I had already made plans to visit Philippines in December so that was a great coincidence for us!

The question I have is, do we need to see each other in December BEFORE I can file for the K1 Visa? It says on the filing instructions that we need to have "met in person within 2 years before filing Form I-129F". Does our time together during her stay here (which includes us meeting for the first time, becoming friends, falling in love, agreeing to be girlfriends, and getting engaged-ish) count as the MEET UP?

Any input will be appreciated guys! =) Thank you!

[EM_Vandaveer 2,408]

Yes, the time you met in person does in fact count as meeting in person.

[cristina16 81]

The question I have is, do we need to see each other in December BEFORE I can file for the K1 Visa? - No, the time you first met counts having "met in person". You can file for I-129F petition now. Depending on the timeline of approvals now, your travel to the Philippines in December can coincide with her interview schedule and you can come back with her if she will receive her visa without any problems.

I have my blogs in my signature of our entire process. Good luck!

Edited August 3, 2016 by cristina16

[ML Magz 1]

That is such great news!!!

So here is another question, I intend to apply here in the USA. Would we need to be together during interviews and stuff? I can't just take off work due to its nature. =(

You mentioned interviews. Would she be interviewed in Manila even if I filed here in the US?

The question I have is, do we need to see each other in December BEFORE I can file for the K1 Visa? - No, the time you first met counts having "met in person". You can file for I-129F petition now. Depending on the timeline of approvals now, your travel to the Philippines in December can coincide with her interview schedule and you can come back with her if she will receive her visa without any problems.

I have my blogs in my signature of our entire process. Good luck!

Aaaaw. Your story sounds amazing!

[cristina16 81]

That is such great news!!!

So here is another question, I intend to apply here in the USA. Would we need to be together during interviews and stuff? I can't just take off work due to its nature. =(

You mentioned interviews. Would she be interviewed in Manila even if I filed here in the US?

Aaaaw. Your story sounds amazing!

You need to read more on the process to petition your fiancee.

You file for the petition here in US, when approved she will actually process her K1 via in Manila. There are so much more involved here. Start reading more info. My blogs has the step by step procedure, focus on the I-129F petition for now.

I see you are from San Marcos, we are south of you

[ML Magz 1]

You need to read more on the process to petition your fiancee.

You file for the petition here in US, when approved she will actually process her K1 via in Manila. There are so much more involved here. Start reading more info. My blogs has the step by step procedure, focus on the I-129F petition for now.

I see you are from San Marcos, we are south of you

Okay okay. I guess I just got excited but I will go ahead and file the I-129F first then continue learning about it. I see that you are in Chula Vista. Hello, neighbor.

What is your blog btw?

[gregcrs2 1,778]

You need to learn about how to file I-129F and supporting documentation first! Otherwise, you are likely to make mistakes which would increase your timeline.

Also, what is your rush? I would advise spending more time with her in "her environment" and then decide.

Edited August 3, 2016 by gregcrs2

[cristina16 81]

it's in my signature below but here arre the links:

I understand, we are very excited as well when we are doubg the process. Focus on the I 129f for now, the peocess and requirements are tidiuos and confusing at times. you can PM me for specific queations mentioned ned in my blog.

Yes, we are on the same City I am willing to help out.

Regards to your fiancee

http://theadventureraatheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/how-to-take-your-fiancee-to-united.html?m=1

http://theadventureraatheart.blogspot.com/2016/01/i-129f-petition-application-process.html?m=1

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Read the guide and follow it closely.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1tips

[Andrea&Henry 311]

You need to read more on the process to petition your fiancee.

You file for the petition here in US, when approved she will actually process her K1 via in Manila. There are so much more involved here. Start reading more info. My blogs has the step by step procedure, focus on the I-129F petition for now.

I see you are from San Marcos, we are south of you

OP!! Welcome to the forum,

I tell this to everyone who starts this process. I've been there myself when my now husband applied for our K1 on 2011.

The first thing you need to do is study the process. Is not rocket science I swear! it's fairly easy but you need to do some research and understand how does it works. Because getting the K1 is just the 1st step of a very lenghty process, but because she should be here for the other parts of the process...it becomes WAY more bearable.

If you "type step by step" how to file for k1 visa, you will find all the information you need (documents, forms, processing times etc etc) once you have read everything and understand the process, you can get your paperwork together.

Let me give you my 2 cents,

We have something in common: I too got engaged shortly after I "met' my now husband. My mom and his grow up together but my in laws moved to the States way before he was born so technically it was not an stranger to me but we only saw once in 17 years until we "met" each other again. We met on june 3rd, 2011 and by September same year, he sent the k1 petition for me.

I was concern because we had such a little time together and I was worried the Embassy or the USCIS might think is was just for the papers. So we got many recommendations and the stronger one was to get as much proof of relationship as we could. Of course "proof of bonafide relationship" is a requirement in this process, but is even more important is short relationships. So since day one we started gathering everything that might show we were really in love and of course, in a relationship.

We gathered: phone calls logs, whatsapp/skype/facebook conversations, cards, letters, emails, pictures, receipts from hotels, restaurants, boarding passes, itineraries you name it. After we met, he traveled 4 times before our interview. I think that having all these help tremendously because by the time of my interview, we had less than a year together (it took us 6 months from the day we filed until our interview), the CO didn't bat an eye when she asked how how much we had been in a relationship. It was too obvious we were meant for each other I can say that now after 5 years together, 4 years of marriage and 2 year old son.

He traveled to be with me during the interview but is not necessary at all...

Coming back to business...

Make sure to read and understand all the requirements and the process it self. And of course make all the questions you have. This forum is super helpful and if you know how to use it, you will avoid thousands of dollars going to immigration lawyers.

I became an USC 2 months ago and throughout the course of my immigration journey, Visajourney was the key. From my k1 visa all the way to my citizeship, everything went great thanks to this forum.

I just want to say also, is going to take time, the k1 visa takes from 4- 10 months depending on the case and the service center. Just be very patient and take that time to know each other.

I wish you the best of lucks!!

[Pennycat 880]

Okay okay. I guess I just got excited but I will go ahead and file the I-129F first then continue learning about it. I see that you are in Chula Vista. Hello, neighbor.

What is your blog btw?

Hold your horses there, friend. That's a recipe for missing out on key things you need to submit (with the I-129f!) and plan for! Not a disaster, they won't reject you if you miss out on things, but you will get a Request for Evidence which will slow you down a month or so.

There is a lot more to the initial application than just the Form I-129f. Notice on the USCIS page for I-129f there are "instructions for filing". Read those. Or read the Guides here which boil them down a lot more clearly (to me).

[Greenbaum 12,259]

Guides and step by step processing for the K1 in the philippines: http://dennyeyberg.wixsite.com/filipino-am-visa

[Prystine 184]

Greenbaum's guide is extremely helpful to those going through the k1 visa process in the philippines and includes several gotcha's that you may run into over there. Definitely read that as I know it's helped several in the philippines.

[jaffandliz 11]

Hello. So I need some guidance on the item regarding us meeting in person prior to filing.

We met on June 5, 2016 and pretty much fell in love during her stay in the US. She did not go home until July 23rd. We spent about half of her stay together. Before she left, I had asked her to be my gf and she had expressed desires of getting married to someone like me. I actually said yes. Three days before she left, we decided to buy matching rings together (nothing fancy) to symbolize what we had been through. We continued to talk day in and day out and even fell harder. Our plans became more concrete and we are now considering applying for a K-1 Visa. Prior to meeting her, I had already made plans to visit Philippines in December so that was a great coincidence for us!

The question I have is, do we need to see each other in December BEFORE I can file for the K1 Visa? It says on the filing instructions that we need to have "met in person within 2 years before filing Form I-129F". Does our time together during her stay here (which includes us meeting for the first time, becoming friends, falling in love, agreeing to be girlfriends, and getting engaged-ish) count as the MEET UP?

Any input will be appreciated guys! =) Thank you!

A family friend (Lawyer) in Texas that does Visa immigration stated to us that the U.S Government looks at whether a relationship is fraudulent as there are so many cases of marriages of convenience. I am not saying that your relationship isn't genuine, what i am saying is that if they get a smell of something that doesn't fit into their box then they could deny your application. Time in a relationship is definitely a factor.

It happens a lot that people meet and just fall in love and want to be together for the rest of their lives- so, if she has come to the US and you have gone to her home country then it will definitely add force to your petition and K1 Visa.