requirements Is 11-12 days meeting actually enough?

[cedrichadjian 7]

Recently, my fiance came up with the idea of me visiting him in the US for a month. This is somehow impossible as I'm a freelancer and have no ties to the country I live in.

The reason he came up with this is that he thinks 5 days 12 hours of being together is not enough evidence to prove we have a bona fide relationship (we will also travel to another country and pass time there together for like a week, therefore 11-12 days before receiving a reply from USCIS), I've known my fiance for about 5 months now and 'til the end of reply from USCIS (for the form I-129F) it'd be around 1 year. We got lots of evidence like chats, photos together, with my mom and friends, plans for the future, how we met, hotel receipt, boarding passes, gifts we both sent on valentine's (though I didn't receive it because of address issues), and more and more in the future.

So question is, would the CO be convinced if we only pass 11-12 days (5 days 12 hours in my country and about 6-7 days in the country we will visit)?

What other way can we prove that we have a bona fide relationship?

We are a same-sex couple who met on an app, had a huge interest in each other and met 4 months later.

Thank you for taking your time to read, your opinions and advice would highly be appreciated.

[geowrian 22,337]

People have been approved with less time together and refused with much more. It’s really a case by case basis based on the specific circumstances. What country is the beneficiary from? That would likely be the biggest indicator on how much time spent together is advised. Some countries it’s not uncommon to meet that long so it’s not an issue. Other countries, especially ones in high fraud areas, it’s a red flag, meaning the CO will likely more heavily scrutinize the case.

[cedrichadjian 7]

Just now, geowrian said:

People have been approved with less time together and refused with much more. It’s really a case by case basis based on the specific circumstances. What country is the beneficiary from? That would likely be the biggest indicator on how much time spent together is advised. Some countries it’s not uncommon to meet that long so it’s not an issue. Other countries, especially ones in high fraud areas, it’s a red flag, meaning the CO will likely more heavily scrutinize the case.

Thanks for your reply.

The beneficiary is from Lebanon (me). I believe it is a high fraud country as we have an organization classified as terrorist by the US (Hezbollah), but I have zero ties with them, I'm not even ethnically an Arab, I'm ethnically Armenian.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

11 minutes ago, cedrichadjian said:

Thanks for your reply.

The beneficiary is from Lebanon (me). I believe it is a high fraud country as we have an organization classified as terrorist by the US (Hezbollah), but I have zero ties with them, I'm not even ethnically an Arab, I'm ethnically Armenian.

 

That is important to note also about country of beneficiary as some are more scrutinized than others. For us, we literally had 7-8 days together, so for you, 11-12 days is fine for the I-129f petition portion... come the embassy, that's where the scrutiny begins. Perhaps another trip could be made during the I-129f petition portion before the interview at the embassy? Would have 6-8 months to do it, that could help come the interview to show a second meeting.

 

Also, are there any other "issues"? Like large age difference? Religion differences?

Edited May 30, 2018 by Ben&Zian

[cedrichadjian 7]

1 minute ago, Ben&Zian said:

 

That is important to note also about country of beneficiary as some are more scrutinized than others. For us, we literally had 7-8 days together, so for you, 11-12 days is fine for the I-129f petition portion... come the embassy, that's where the scrutiny begins. Perhaps another trip could be made during the I-129f petition portion before the interview at the embassy? Would have 6-8 months to do it, that could help come the interview to show a second meeting.

 

Also, are there any other "issues"? Like large age difference? Religion differences?

We met about 5 and a half days when he came to visit me and we're planning on seeing each other again around October for 6-7 days in another country (he will apply I-129F about 15 days from now), so that'd be about 11-12 days of being together. There are no issues, we both are 23 years old and atheist.

[SmallTownPA 72]

The legal requirement is simply that you 'met once in the previous two years'.

 

But can you pass a Stokes Interview?   Google it and 'bonifide marriage interview' for ideas of what they may ask.

 

 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 hour ago, SmallTownPA said:

The legal requirement is simply that you 'met once in the previous two years'.

 

But can you pass a Stokes Interview?   Google it and 'bonifide marriage interview' for ideas of what they may ask.

 

 

No such thing as a stokes interview for a visa

[cedrichadjian 7]

1 hour ago, SmallTownPA said:

The legal requirement is simply that you 'met once in the previous two years'.

 

But can you pass a Stokes Interview?   Google it and 'bonifide marriage interview' for ideas of what they may ask.

 

 

I believe Stokes Interview is only applicable if the officer suspects or has some evidence that a couple has a fake relationship (I guess if someone reports for example, even if it's a genuine relationship and the reporter has no evidence, the officer might suspect therefore do the Strokes Interview)

[SmallTownPA 72]

Just now, payxibka said:

No such thing as a stokes interview for a visa

You completely ignored the second sentence "Google it and 'bonifide marriage interview' for ideas of what they may ask."  

 

When going through Counselor Processing they  can ask you detailed questions about your finance, as the presumption of fraud is still, by the FAM, the #1 reason for the interview.

 

So if your sweety can't answer basic questions about you (birthday, job, family) they can and will suspect fraud.

 

Or are you saying they don't do interviews for Counselor Processing???? 

[cedrichadjian 7]

1 minute ago, SmallTownPA said:

You completely ignored the second sentence "Google it and 'bonifide marriage interview' for ideas of what they may ask."  

 

When going through Counselor Processing they  can ask you detailed questions about your finance, as the presumption of fraud is still, by the FAM, the #1 reason for the interview.

 

So if your sweety can't answer basic questions about you (birthday, job, family) they can and will suspect fraud.

 

Or are you saying they don't do interviews for Counselor Processing???? 

I know details about my fiance of course, but I naturally won't remember small details like the high school he has attended, his 2 step brothers' name that he has little to no contact with since they live in another state, etc... And of course, I'm not gonna sit and learn them by heart! 

[payxibka 10,045]

For consulates other than high fraud countries, interviews consist of three to five questions.  Does that fit your definition?

[SmallTownPA 72]

Just now, cedrichadjian said:

I believe Stokes Interview is only applicable if the officer suspects or has some evidence that a couple has a fake relationship (I guess if someone reports for example, even if it's a genuine relationship and the reporter has no evidence, the officer might suspect therefore do the Strokes Interview)

There is an automatic and immediate presumption of fraud at every step.  Its in the FAM.  "(aa) the marriage or the intent to marry the United States citizen was entered into in good faith by the alien; and"

 

https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/SLB/HTML/SLB/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-29/0-0-0-1272.html#0-0-0-1787

 

They do that by presuming everyone is lying for an immigration benefit.  There are pages parsing the word intent, material fact etc etc because the main goal of the visa process is to remove fraudulent applications.

[cedrichadjian 7]

1 minute ago, payxibka said:

For consulates other than high fraud countries, interviews consist of three to five questions.  Does that fit your definition?

I live in Lebanon, I'm not sure if it's considered a high fraud country.

Of course it does. 

[SmallTownPA 72]

8 minutes ago, cedrichadjian said:

I know details about my fiance of course, but I naturally won't remember small details like the high school he has attended, his 2 step brothers' name that he has little to no contact with since they live in another state, etc... And of course, I'm not gonna sit and learn them by heart! 

Google stokes interview and see what they ask.  Its really up to each officer as to how much they believe you.  Its an imperfect system and if denied, there almost no recourse.

 

You don't list what country is involved, but that can have a major impact.  

 

The requirement is that you met at least once in the previous two years.  Some people spend months together and get denied.  Others a few days.  

 

Edit:  I see Lebanon.  

Edited June 9, 2018 by SmallTownPA

[cedrichadjian 7]

Just now, SmallTownPA said:

Google stokes interview and see what they ask.  Its really up to each officer as to how much they believe you.  Its an imperfect system and if denied, there almost no recourse.

 

You don't list what country is involved, but that can have a major impact.  

 

The requirement is that you met at least once in the previous two years.  Some people spend months together and get denied.  Others a few days.  

 

We spent (about) 5-6 days together, we decided on seeing each other again during January as he got denied to take 7 days off from his work. We can't just meet and pass days together, I'm a freelance web developer, but he's an employee.