Experience with K1Visa from Lagos, Nigeria (Hi-Risk Fraudulent Country))

[ziggyzaazaa 14]

Hello,

I have been reading into everyone's experiences here since I signed up for VJ and a couple of members have stated that Lagos, Nigeria is a tougher country to obtain a K-1 Visa due to the heavy fraud in the country. Does anyone have any feedback on the Lagos Consulate when interviewing or having REF's being not met. I believe what we sent in our I129f packet was flawless, we have documents, receipts, boarding passes, tickets, engagement receipts , pictures, and passport stamps all included, but I am still nervous of being denied due to some of the horror stories I am reading about the interviewers there. We only met once in Dubai after two years of talking and spent 6 days together with my daughter I brought from the USA. We met online 3 years ago and it just makes me nervous. I am a single mom with 3 kids, with a very good job that is able to sustain our family finances, but he is unemployed and I worry they will believe he is coming for the financial benefit. I am also 41 and he is 32. So there is an age difference. I would love to hear from others!! Thanks!

Edited September 12, 2016 by ziggyzaazaa

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

What do you mean by having REF's not being met ?

[ziggyzaazaa 14]

I think I mis-worded that, I just mean are we prone to receive RFE's since there is so much skepticism of Nigeria fraud even though i provided everything required and front loaded my application with factual documents. I just hope they don't give us a hard time. I keep reading that Nigeria is a hard country to obtain a visa and it makes me feel that we may or may not get approved based on only luck. Some reviews I have read are that it depends on the mood of the interviewer, and some have made a presumption even before the interview weather or not you will be approved or not.

Thanks

Edited September 13, 2016 by ziggyzaazaa

[soulstriker 274]

nigeria is doing way better when it comes to k1, if your a true couple they do fine , that short visit may be questioned tho , look at the current consulate reviews

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Well you front loaded which is good but if I were you I would hop on a plane and be on the premises for the interview, even if not allowed inside

it will mean a lot that you are having additional face time with another visit under your belt and more evidence and photos to show.

Stay for a few days, accompany him to the interview

(you likely won't be allowed in) and bring him home.

[dwheels76 5,468]

Well the red flags I see i your case are:

1. Meet once for only 6 days
2. Meet in another country
3. Never been to Nigeria.
4. Haven't meet family
5. Married before with kids (looks like a least one young child) and doing a fiance visa
6. Although not terrible age gap 9 years and you a parent f 3 is a big difference

You doing a fiance' Visa and having children can be looked at as you aren't sure about marrying him. And 6 days to make a lifetime decision. Why Dubai? Meeting the parents and family is vital to the African Culture.

You truly need to get back over there. When was your first meet?

[ziggyzaazaa 14]

Hello, Thanks for the reply. I am a single mother, but I have never been married and the kids father is unfit I've raised my kids solely on my own their entire lives. I am granted the sole custodian and father has only rights to supervised visitation. I attached the custody decree in my application. Partly the reason I couldn't visit more is because I have three kids and I can't interrupt their school studies, they are close to trying to graduate high school. Also, it is way too expensive for me to travel with a family of 4 to Africa from Alaska. Lagos is also not exactly the safest part of the world for bringing my children into a country that is unknown to me. So we have reasons why I only was able to stay 6 days and we met somewhere else, I had to get back to my kids as soon as possible. I could only bring one. I met his friends in Dubai, but we didn't take pictures, I didn't even think of that while we were there, so I think i messed up. You got me more worried now that I may get denied

[Everlast 49]

Hello, Thanks for the reply. I am a single mother, but I have never been married and the kids father is unfit I've raised my kids solely on my own their entire lives. I am granted the sole custodian and father has only rights to supervised visitation. I attached the custody decree in my application. Partly the reason I couldn't visit more is because I have three kids and I can't interrupt their school studies, they are close to trying to graduate high school. Also, it is way too expensive for me to travel with a family of 4 to Africa from Alaska. Lagos is also not exactly the safest part of the world for bringing my children into a country that is unknown to me. So we have reasons why I only was able to stay 6 days and we met somewhere else, I had to get back to my kids as soon as possible. I could only bring one. I met his friends in Dubai, but we didn't take pictures, I didn't even think of that while we were there, so I think i messed up. You got me more worried now that I may get denied

Hey!

You are going to be fine. Sounds scary, Lagos is doing alright. If you frontloaded everything iniatially, you are good.

Another point you should consider is: before the interview, make sure you print out more chat logs to show the C O.

Before his interview, they've already made up their mind.

You are gonna be good. Cheer up!

[soulstriker 274]

Hello, Thanks for the reply. I am a single mother, but I have never been married and the kids father is unfit I've raised my kids solely on my own their entire lives. I am granted the sole custodian and father has only rights to supervised visitation. I attached the custody decree in my application. Partly the reason I couldn't visit more is because I have three kids and I can't interrupt their school studies, they are close to trying to graduate high school. Also, it is way too expensive for me to travel with a family of 4 to Africa from Alaska. Lagos is also not exactly the safest part of the world for bringing my children into a country that is unknown to me. So we have reasons why I only was able to stay 6 days and we met somewhere else, I had to get back to my kids as soon as possible. I could only bring one. I met his friends in Dubai, but we didn't take pictures, I didn't even think of that while we were there, so I think i messed up. You got me more worried now that I may get denied

well a 6 day visit isnt enough , and no pictures isnt good neither

[ziggyzaazaa 14]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! You have changed my discouraging thoughts. I was so worried to get denied that it took me 6 entire months to prepare my 331 page application to send out after our visit. It will ruin mine and my families happiness if we are denied. I also already have the church ready to do my wedding and I have my dress picked out for myself and my daughter. I will do whatever it takes to marry the love of my life, even if I marry him outside, and go through a two year process, but I just cant wait that long living apart.

My life decision to marry my fiance is not based on a 6 day trip. I love this man more than any human being on this entire planet and so do my children, we are on video everyday with him and his family whom supports us even through different languages and cultures. I was in a very detrimental position in my life for 17 years and I met him and he has been part of my healing and a true blessings making him my life decision.

He is coming to live in America, I am not coming to live in Nigeria, so maybe the vitality of family in the African Culture wont be an issue. I hope so, but I am going to continue to keep on praying. And his family supports us no matter what anyone would believe. I will definitely start taking screenshots of his family talking to me and the kids on Skype and stuff, maybe that will be acceptable. Thank you for the additional tips. I'm going to continue to be excited and celebrate with everyone on here once it has been approved!!!

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! You have changed my discouraging thoughts. I was so worried to get denied that it took me 6 entire months to prepare my 331 page application to send out after our visit. It will ruin mine and my families happiness if we are denied. I also already have the church ready to do my wedding and I have my dress picked out for myself and my daughter. I will do whatever it takes to marry the love of my life, even if I marry him outside, and go through a two year process, but I just cant wait that long living apart.

My life decision to marry my fiance is not based on a 6 day trip. I love this man more than any human being on this entire planet and so do my children, we are on video everyday with him and his family whom supports us even through different languages and cultures. I was in a very detrimental position in my life for 17 years and I met him and he has been part of my healing and a true blessings making him my life decision.

He is coming to live in America, I am not coming to live in Nigeria, so maybe the vitality of family in the African Culture wont be an issue. I hope so, but I am going to continue to keep on praying. And his family supports us no matter what anyone would believe. I will definitely start taking screenshots of his family talking to me and the kids on Skype and stuff, maybe that will be acceptable. Thank you for the additional tips. I'm going to continue to be excited and celebrate with everyone on here once it has been approved!!!

Of your large packet, did you make sure, because you do not have any pictures together and did not goto Nigeria..

Did you include copies of both of your passports showing that you both were in Dubai at the same time??

Also any receipts you have from their for expenses(hotel, food) and well as if he has any himself would be helpful to show that you two were in same place at same time obviously again since it was not Nigeria.

[IfoemaUS 25]

I can tell you my experience. I met my fiance online as well. He was working in Qatar when we met but ended up going back to Nigeria when his contract ended. I visited him in Nigeria for one week (had the best time ever and felt safe the entire time). We started the K-1 process once I came back. The most nerve-racking part of the process for us was the USCIS wait...not the interview. I have not gone back to visit a second time meaning I was not on site when he interviewed. He was approved with ease and his interview lasted all of 5 minutes. This is not to say that everyone will have the same experience but most of the stories I've read for Nigeria are similar. I think it's a matter of your documentation and just being confident in answering any questions. The questions weren't all that tough either. I was very worried about the short visit but we had no problem at all with that and others have attested to the same. The only thing that could be concerning is that you have no pics together.

Best wishes to you both!

[IfoemaUS 25]

Well the red flags I see i your case are:

1. Meet once for only 6 days
2. Meet in another country
3. Never been to Nigeria.
4. Haven't meet family
5. Married before with kids (looks like a least one young child) and doing a fiance visa
6. Although not terrible age gap 9 years and you a parent f 3 is a big difference

You doing a fiance' Visa and having children can be looked at as you aren't sure about marrying him. And 6 days to make a lifetime decision. Why Dubai? Meeting the parents and family is vital to the African Culture.

You truly need to get back over there. When was your first meet?

Out of curiosity why would #5 be an issue? I was married before and have kids from the marriage but that never came up at all in interview.

I don't think the short trip is the issue...more so that it wasn't in Nigeria with family and no pics to show.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

well a 6 day visit isnt enough , and no pictures isnt good neither

I married my wife in the Philippines on my first visit. Stayed for one month. Took hundreds of photos of wedding and each other throughout my visit.. Video of my surprise proposal and wedding, etc... Then I went home to US and began paperwork. Visited her two more times while waiting for CR-1. Spent total of 60+ days together in Philippines. Then I went back to Philippines for the Embassy interview. The embassy officer asked me more questions than she did my wife. (BTW: I was 54 at the time and my wife was 19.) I am convinced that had I not visited her so many times and attended the interview we would have likely been turned down. I guess the point I am making is you can overcome several red flags if you plan everything ahead of time. Of course being in love helps. We will be celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary later this month. I did all of this without any attorney...thanks to VisaJourney. Good luck and God bless. Visit him again and take lots of photos... Aloha, david O

[ziggyzaazaa 14]

Om-goodness!! Misunderstanding!! We Have pictures together in Dubai with me and my daughter and him together! I just don't have any pictures with his family or friends or of us in Nigeria. I submitted approximately 12 or so. with some where he was teaching my daughter how to swim and her always in his arms happy, even some of us at the grocery store shopping as family. We included birth certificates for all of my three kids, and all passports with stamps and including my daughters. We had receipts to the aquarium and grocery stores, hotels, flights- everything!!! Sounds like maybe we would be fine according to some!! , I called my fiance freaking out today telling him to ask all his friends if they possible took pictures that we didn't know about LOL...Now that I hear the interview process wasn't so bad for others, I think I can relax Thank you for replying!!