So sad!

[Dutchster 1,107]

Not to be unkind but if you can not afford to fly there again, how did you think to pay the upcoming fees?

the AOS was $1070 and has gone up - Please give a URL reference for this increase.

his flight to the US if you were paying

the $165 visa fee

and all the expenses after his arrival like buying health insurance

this is not a cheap process

you can reapply but it would require more visits to his country / I made 5 and stayed a month twice, 2 months, and 3 months twice

I was wondering the same thing, reference? As far as I know it's still $1070.

[NYCruiser 423]

No he plans on his friend/co-worker taking it over. He is planning on coming here and expanding my business with me. We didn't see the need for him to continue with that business when he can't be there to actually fix the phones or do anything with the business. Maybe when we decide to move there in many years we will start it again with his friend.

I am older and we don't share the same religion. But that shouldn't matter! We are in love! That's what matters at least to me!

Just an advice...my spouse is from Africa. African culture, the woman is younger, the man older but is fine but the other way around and the embassy will not approve as they know the culture

[AB loves AG 54]

Most likely he answered some questions incorrectly. He didn't know enough about you and your family. Let's say he did know you and your family members. Maybe he got nervous and didn't answer none of the questions correctly. Resulting in a denial. You guys need to talk and go line by line. What happened at the interview. Good luck

At this point it's not hopeless, But you need to contact a lawyer.

What can a lawyer do at this point?

[AB loves AG 54]

Just an advice...my spouse is from Africa. African culture, the woman is younger, the man older but is fine but the other way around and the embassy will not approve as they know the culture

^^^This. Especially if the woman is past child bearing age, and as stated in this case, the man has no children. It is very important for men from West African countries to have children. ***Red flag***

[JM101 14]

From what I understand is no matter how genuine your relationship is, it all boils down to 'marketing' it. A relationship is indeed spontaneous in nature, but to convince the other party you have to put it down like an exact science-be calculating and decisive, all for the intention of making your relationship look good on paper....so there's no fabrication of detail but you make your case enticing, or structure the flow of the relationship as close to ideal.

Think press release and all that good stuff.

I remember what my teacher told me before; "The right or wrong answer in an exam does not count as much as what the examiner thinks is right."

***sleepy me

Absolutely agree about you having to market your relationship...just like the marketing expert Elmer Wheeler stated in 1937.....“Don’t Sell the Steak — Sell the Sizzle!”

JM101

[Avery Cates 1,141]

Thank you that is true! I probably need to visit him again

Sounds like you need more time and multiple visits. Which you really should in any situation anyway.

[RobertM54 36]

^^^This. Especially if the woman is past child bearing age, and as stated in this case, the man has no children. It is very important for men from West African countries to have children. ***Red flag***

Hmmm. I wonder how the embassy and this group would respond if the OP was a man bringing his younger gay lover to the USA? It is the USC who should decide whether the relationship is legitimate; not some government bureaucrat. It stuns me how far we have fallen from the principles of individual liberty espoused by our founders. Thomas Jefferson weeps for what America has become.

[mrx3214 4]

What can a lawyer do at this point?

You could appeal the decision

[Boiler 45,575]

You could appeal the decision

How do you do that?

[mrx3214 4]

Speak with an attorney. I filled everything by myself. But before I did spoke with a attorney to discuss best and worst case scenarios. He informed me even if you get denied. We could appeal the decision. He knew for sure I wouldn't. Because I lived in the country. Even though I moved back to the US. Ive been there over ten times this year. Plus she's been here in the US met all my family members . She had a tourist visa before she even met me. One thing he did tell me. Was don't let her come to the US anymore. While the CR1 is pending. She could be denied entry and cause a red flag at the interview.

[Scandi 4,166]

Speak with an attorney. I filled everything by myself. But before I did spoke with a attorney to discuss best and worst case scenarios. He informed me even if you get denied. We could appeal the decision. He knew for sure I wouldn't. Because I lived in the country. Even though I moved back to the US. Ive been there over ten times this year. Plus she's been here in the US met all my family members . She had a tourist visa before she even met me. One thing he did tell me. Was don't let her come to the US anymore. While the CR1 is pending. She could be denied entry and cause a red flag at the interview.

CR-1 is very different from a K-1 though.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Speak with an attorney. I filled everything by myself. But before I did spoke with a attorney to discuss best and worst case scenarios. He informed me even if you get denied. We could appeal the decision. He knew for sure I wouldn't. Because I lived in the country. Even though I moved back to the US. Ive been there over ten times this year. Plus she's been here in the US met all my family members . She had a tourist visa before she even met me. One thing he did tell me. Was don't let her come to the US anymore. While the CR1 is pending. She could be denied entry and cause a red flag at the interview.

There is nothing a lawyer can do at this time, the refused K1 can't be appealed.

All the lawyer will do is take thousands of dollars for nothing.

Entering with a tourist visa and a pending CR1 is not a red flag for the embassy, she can however definitely

be refused entry.

[Georgia16 2,858]

Speak with an attorney. I filled everything by myself. But before I did spoke with a attorney to discuss best and worst case scenarios. He informed me even if you get denied. We could appeal the decision. He knew for sure I wouldn't. Because I lived in the country. Even though I moved back to the US. Ive been there over ten times this year. Plus she's been here in the US met all my family members . She had a tourist visa before she even met me. One thing he did tell me. Was don't let her come to the US anymore. While the CR1 is pending. She could be denied entry and cause a red flag at the interview.

Those things just tells you have much that lawyer is worth ...

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

^^^This. Especially if the woman is past child bearing age, and as stated in this case, the man has no children. It is very important for men from West African countries to have children. ***Red flag***

Though the embassies use this outdated yard stick of age difference and child bearing age, it can be successfully overcome.

Times change and cultures evolve, unfortunately DOS still goes by field manuals stuck in the dark ages.

The modern African man living in the big city may care less about having his own child than what old cultural ways dictate.

Not everyone fits the culture box that the embassies want to stuff applicants into.

People are way too complex to fit a cultural box and it's time for DOS to keep up with the changes and measure

a relationship by more sophisticated ways.

It's the ancient "they do everything that way" mentality that robs an individual of their actual dignity.

[Rc123rc 528]

I was wondering the same thing, reference? As far as I know it's still $1070.

There are a lot of posts saying that the fees went up in October. As far as I know, the fees were only proposals, the public commentary period for the increases was in July and currently closed. There has been no approval or implementation of any fee increases.