Concerns Relationship Moving Too Fast for K1 Visa Approval

[ZachTX 4]

First post on here for me - I've been lurking on VJ for a few weeks now and have found the community to be informative and supportive.

 

I met my girlfriend, a Filipina, on an international dating website (Christian Filipina) on January 24 of this year. We instantly hit it off and found a very high level of compatibility - within the first two weeks, we had already video chatted close to a total of 30 hours. I soon after booked a trip to Manila and will be spending about 13 days with her in late March and early April. I'll be meeting her relatives and friends, too, while there with her (she has already video chatted with my parents and myself). When I originally booked the trip, I knew it was going to be for the woman I was going to pursue (not 100% sure it was going to be her at that time); however, I soon realized the trip would be for her exclusively.

 

We both have been serious in our intentions and conversations from nearly the beginning and began discussing the visa process (I brought it up) soon after the relationship began. If our feelings for each other our confirmed in person, we plan on getting engaged when I'm there in March and then I'll file the petition when I return in April. Due to job requirements and the expense of travelling to the Philippines, our 13 days together next month will likely be the only time we get to meet in person during this process. Given current USCIS petition processing times, it will likely be late Fall before the case is sent to the embassy in Manila. We will have known each other about 9 months or so by the time she has her visa interview.

 

My concerns are:

 

• Is the fast-paced nature of our relationship likely to be a concern for the embassy when reviewing our application?
  • Met online in January, meet in person and get engaged in March, file in April
• Will the embassy scrutinize details of our relationship - such as when we first said I love you, intimate topics of conversation, etc. - in regards to the length of the relationship and could this have a negative impact?

 

I appreciate any insight. Other than these potential concerns, there aren't any anticipated complications for the process. I'm single, never married, no kids as is she. I'm 30 and she is 27.

[JFH 12,191]

13 days is more than many here spend with each other before deciding to get married.

 

I don't see it being a problem for the Manila embassy - they see dozens of K-1s every day. Almost all of them meet online and spend only a brief time together before they apply. Your case won't be that unusual for them. 

 

But are you ready for this? Marriage is a huge step. A life-long commitment. What's the rush? 

[Jaquelly 1,647]

Just now, JFH said:

13 days is more than many here spend with each other before deciding to get married.

 

I don't see it being a problem for the Manila embassy - they see dozens of K-1s every day. Almost all of them meet online and spend only a brief time together before they apply. Your case won't be that unusual for them. 

 

But are you ready for this? Marriage is a huge step. A life-long commitment. What's the rush? 

I was just typing up the same thing.

My fiance and I started dating in May of 2016. He proposed July of 2017. We are getting married this year (I sure hope). With that being said, we knew by December 2016 that we wanted to get married. USCIS hasn't given us any grief thus far. With that being said, we've had more than enough visits with each other, we've had fights, we've seen each other sick. We've had that realism.

 

I cannot express to you enough how much of a leap this is, and how hard this process is. It is definitely not to be rushed.

[OutOfThisWorld 87]

Nope, no problem at all as far as official business goes. Whether it is a good idea to jump in so fast on the personal level… that is entire different matter altogether…

 

You got to realize that you will be taking full responsibility, including financial, for a human being you barely know.

[JFH 12,191]

1 minute ago, Jaquelly said:

I was just typing up the same thing.

My fiance and I started dating in May of 2016. He proposed July of 2017. We are getting married this year (I sure hope). With that being said, we knew by December 2016 that we wanted to get married. USCIS hasn't given us any grief thus far. With that being said, we've had more than enough visits with each other, we've had fights, we've seen each other sick. We've had that realism.

 

I cannot express to you enough how much of a leap this is, and how hard this process is. It is definitely not to be rushed.

It seems that Europeans do tend to take it slower than others. We met in May of 2012, married in September 2014. And I thought that was fast! I also visited over 40 times before I moved here. Although we knew we would be together for life, I wasn't completely ready right away, if that makes sense. 

 

 

[Fippsie 164]

I think it will cause red flags that you met on a dating website and plan on marrying before even meeting. Looks like a wedding simply for immigration. 

 

Also you say you will only be able to visit once during the process because of finances.. the visa process is VERY expensive. are you sure you want to invest more than half a grand before even having met? I‘d say wait a few months and see how it is. if you of course don‘t care that you might waste 600$, apply the sooner the better. It‘s a long process.

[ZachTX 4]

Thanks for the replies all.

 

Yes, I realize the huge personal leap this is for us as a couple and that I'll be responsible for her financially and otherwise. I won't be submitting the petition, as is required, until we meet in person and confirm our feelings.

[Jaquelly 1,647]

2 minutes ago, ZachTX said:

Thanks for the replies all.

 

Yes, I realize the huge personal leap this is for us as a couple and that I'll be responsible for her financially and otherwise. I won't be submitting the petition, as is required, until we meet in person and confirm our feelings.

 

We're not necessarily telling you not to do it. You didn't ask for our opinion, and we know that. You may have a hard time about the website from USCIS regarding IMBRA. Was it a paid service or a free website?

[ZachTX 4]

Its ok - I understand the reactions.

 

It was a paid website, but per the TOS they don't meet the criteria of an IMB.

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

45 minutes ago, ZachTX said:

 

My concerns are:

 

• Is the fast-paced nature of our relationship likely to be a concern for the embassy when reviewing our application?
  • Met online in January, meet in person and get engaged in March, file in April
• Will the embassy scrutinize details of our relationship - such as when we first said I love you, intimate topics of conversation, etc. - in regards to the length of the relationship and could this have a negative impact?

 

This will be no issue with US Embassy in Manila

[AL-MJD 144]

@ZachTX

 

by the way, i fall into the group of people that think you'll be absolutely fine.

 

if i may share with you my experiences, i believe you should definitely prepare the necessary documents from your girlfriend, like letter of intent, prove of having met in person and US-passport-sized photos.

 

but i do advise that you give it a month and two or even three after that before you file and pay for the petition. personally, i had wished my hubby(fiancée, really) filed for the petition sooner, but the wiser option in the long run is to make sure she is aware of what her life is going to be like when she leaves her home for you.

 

similarly, you must be certain how she will behave as a wife, not just as a girlfriend.

 

petition-wise, you should have no problem.

 

good luck! xx

[CaseyCobos 100]

My fiancé and I met in October 2016, met in person March 2017 and got engaged September 2017. Very short but we’re not concerned at all. 

As long as you know your relationship is real I don’t think you can put a time frame on love. 

I do however, recommend that your relationship is strong as it is a very testing process. 

I have never been closer with anyone before but the K1 process is very emotionally draining and can cause a lot of disagreements and frustrations to come out. 

[ZachTX 4]

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

I'm committed to seeing this through with her. I know this will be a trying process for us but it will also be a good strength-building experience for our relationship.

 

In less than 3 weeks we will be meeting each other - the excitement is building with each passing day for her and myself!

[TNJ17 1,329]

I am not judging here but I will never be able to understand relationships that begin like that. Love is love and you can't help it, but it"s a completely different thing to get engaged and marry someone you met online, you've so far never met, and will most likely meet only once during your whole engagement time. Regardless, you're not asking people's opinions about your relationship, you're asking about the immigration process. I don't know how strict your embassy is on the relationship, that's something you need to find out because every embassy is different. However, if I were the officer in this situation, I would be suspicious because you have just met and the beneficiary does come from a high fraud country, so you might get some scrutiny over it. Having said that, the amount of time two people have been together is not a requirement of K1. As far as time together all they ask is that you have met once in the last 2 years. 

[TBoneTX 46,013]

Nine inappropriate posts or quotes thereof have been removed.  Stick precisely to the OP's immigration question, or administrative action will be forthcoming.

 

VJ Moderation