Question about evidence for Cambodia interview [edited title]

[magicant 11]

I would like to have some opinions regarding evidence for the interview.  I am from the US and my fiancée is from Cambodia.

 

I met her online through some of her relatives that work with me.  We talked (text and video) every day for 2 months.  After 2 months, I knew it was right, so I went to Cambodia with 2 of her relatives that work with me.  I stayed there for 2 weeks and got engaged.

 

I filed my i-129 package on June 5th.  And now I'm patiently waiting, which is torture.  Once she gets a visa, I am planning to go back to Cambodia and bring her home with me so she doesn't have to travel alone.

I wasn't really planning to go back there until then, as it's a bit difficult for me.  But I am a little worried regarding evidence.

 

I wasn't planning on going to the interview with her, because then I won't be able to go back so soon to bring her home with me.  Also I've heard mixed things about attending with her, and some of her family and friends went alone and were fine.

 

But now I am contemplating visiting her again, maybe after the summer.  Because even with all the evidence I have, I am afraid the interviewer may look at two things:

   - You only knew each other for 2 months and then got engaged.

   - In all this time, you only met in person once, for two weeks.

 

So this is stressing me out now.  I would like to have your thoughts please.

 

Thank you very much.

Edited July 21, 2018 by magicant
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[GreatDane 366]

21 minutes ago, magicant said:

I would like to have some opinions regarding evidence for the interview.  I am from the US and my fiancée is from Cambodia.

 

I met her online through some of her relatives that work with me.  We talked (text and video) every day for 2 months.  After 2 months, I knew it was right, so I went to Cambodia with 2 of her relatives that work with me.  I stayed there for 2 weeks and got engaged.

 

I filed my i-129 package on June 5th.  And now I'm patiently waiting, which is torture.  Once she gets a visa, I am planning to go back to Cambodia and bring her home with me so she doesn't have to travel alone.

I wasn't really planning to go back there until then, as it's a bit difficult for me.  But I am a little worried regarding evidence.

 

I wasn't planning on going to the interview with her, because then I won't be able to go back so soon to bring her home with me.  Also I've heard mixed things about attending with her, and some of her family and friends went alone and were fine.

 

But now I am contemplating visiting her again, maybe after the summer.  Because even with all the evidence I have, I am afraid the interviewer may look at two things:

   - You only knew each other for 2 months and then got engaged.

   - In all this time, you only met in person once, for two weeks.

 

So this is stressing me out now.  I would like to have your thoughts please.

 

Thank you very much.

Yes, the length you've been together and face time is a red flag. Cambodia is a higher fraud country so the petition will typically undergo a bit more scrutiny. The best thing you can do is visit and get to know each other better. Two months (or two weeks) is pretty fast.

[JE57 239]

I would seriously consider going back to visit her *and* planning to be there for her interview.  Cambodia is tough as a higher fraud country and you have a significant Red flag that you didn't mention in addition to only one visit and that is the issue of her relatives that you work with.  I'm not saying that your relationship is not real but you have to look at it from the perspective of a skeptical CO that will interview her.   From that perspective it could look like this....  She has two relatives in the USA and she wants to come to the USA as well.  So.... the relatives introduced their USC co-worker to her and then took him to Cambodia and that the primary purpose of this whole relationship is for her to get to the USA to be with her relatives and have a better life.  A 2nd visit with her where you spend alone time with her away from the family getting to know her in person outside the confines of her family I think would go a long way both in your immigration efforts as well as be a benefit to you to see what life would be like spending 24x7 with her when she gets to the USA.   If your goal is to accompany her to the USA after visa approval rather than spend time with her before she gets there then this would potentially also be looked at by the CO as a negative in that you are focusing more on the journey than the relationship

-

There are no absolutes but I'd be concerned that the CO will see this as you being used simply as a way for her to get to the USA so your evidence needs to show that.  I don't know what evidence you front loaded your application with but at this point there is nothing you can do to improve it.  I would brace yourself from the possibility that she will be denied (A second visit could help improve her chances as could your presence in country at the time of the interview).  If she is denied however marriage and spousal visa is the only way and that adds more than a year to the process.  Discuss this with your future wife so that if she is denied she doesn't see it as the end of the world. 

Good luck and God Bless

[EmmNM 179]

44 minutes ago, magicant said:

I would like to have some opinions regarding evidence for the interview.  I am from the US and my fiancée is from Cambodia.

 

I met her online through some of her relatives that work with me.  We talked (text and video) every day for 2 months.  After 2 months, I knew it was right, so I went to Cambodia with 2 of her relatives that work with me.  I stayed there for 2 weeks and got engaged.

 

I filed my i-129 package on June 5th.  And now I'm patiently waiting, which is torture.  Once she gets a visa, I am planning to go back to Cambodia and bring her home with me so she doesn't have to travel alone.

I wasn't really planning to go back there until then, as it's a bit difficult for me.  But I am a little worried regarding evidence.

 

I wasn't planning on going to the interview with her, because then I won't be able to go back so soon to bring her home with me.  Also I've heard mixed things about attending with her, and some of her family and friends went alone and were fine.

 

But now I am contemplating visiting her again, maybe after the summer.  Because even with all the evidence I have, I am afraid the interviewer may look at two things:

   - You only knew each other for 2 months and then got engaged.

   - In all this time, you only met in person once, for two weeks.

 

So this is stressing me out now.  I would like to have your thoughts please.

 

Thank you very much.

Through a high fraud country I wouldn't risk it with only one visit. Especially getting engaged after only 2 months. I would recommend if you can, to go to the interview with her. You don't need to fly back immediately after she gets her visa. She can travel for up to 6 months after her medical. Let her get her affairs in order and go back to get her a couple months later.

Edited July 21, 2018 by EmmNM

[EmmNM 179]

1 minute ago, JE57 said:

Cambodia is tough as a higher fraud country and you have a significant Red flag that you didn't mention in addition to only one visit and that is the issue of her relatives that you work with.

I thought of this too but forgot to mention it. Good call out.

[magicant 11]

 

I appreciate the responses, thank you.  Now I'm feeling more depressed than I already was.

 

I actually didn't see the relatives as a negative.  Thought it was positive that she has relatives here (she has other relatives as well).

 

When I did visit, although I spent some time meeting her family and friends, we did have a lot of alone time, and were together 24/7.

 

As far as going to the interview, then going back a few months later, I really don't want to wait that long to be together, as it will already be too long for me.  I'm not that young anymore and I've been alone a long time.  I wasn't planning on her telling the embassy that I'm going back to bring her home with me.

 

Also, I just don't have the funds or time off to keep going back and forth.  I will have to think about this, but definitely think I need to plan at least one more visit.

 

As far as evidence I submitted:

- Screenshots of emails, text and video chats throughout the 2 months

- Western union receipts of money I sent for engagement costs

- Copies of plane tickets, travel insurance, and evisas for myself and her 2 relatives

- Copies of receipts for engagement rings, engagement costs (catering, etc)

- Letter of intent to marry from myself and from her (witnessed by her mom)

- Letter of declaration of how we met

- Photos of our engagement, me with her and family, and me and her out at different places.

 

And for interview I plan to have more chat/email screenshots, more western union receipts, photos of a locket I gave her when I got there, new letters of intent to marry, and a letter from my mom endorsing the engagement and future marriage.

 

But I guess even with all of this they may still not believe it

 

Also, I've heard of a downside of both of us at the interview, where they ask both people the same questions and if they don't exactly match it can cause a denial.  So I worry of that as well.

 

Edited July 21, 2018 by magicant
added comment

[Dee elle 1,368]

5 minutes ago, magicant said:

 

I appreciate the responses, thank you.  Now I'm feeling more depressed than I already was.

 

 

 

 

I actually didn't see the relatives as a negative.  Thought it was positive that she has relatives here (she has other relatives as well).

 

 

 

When I did visit, although I spent some time meeting her family and friends, we did have a lot of alone time, and were together 24/7.

 

 

 

As far as going to the interview, then going back a few months later, I really don't want to wait that long to be together, as it will already be too long for me.  I'm not that young anymore and I've been alone a long time.  I wasn't planning on her telling the embassy that I'm going back to bring her home with me.

 

 

 

Also, I just don't have the funds or time off to keep going back and forth.  I will have to think about this, but definitely think I need to plan at least one more visit.

 

 

 

As far as evidence I submitted:

 

- Screenshots of emails, text and video chats throughout the 2 months

 

- Western union receipts of money I sent for engagement costs

 

- Copies of plane tickets, travel insurance, and evisas for myself and her 2 relatives

 

- Copies of receipts for engagement rings, engagement costs (catering, etc)

 

- Letter of intent to marry from myself and from her (witnessed by her mom)

 

- Letter of declaration of how we met

 

- Photos of our engagement, me with her and family, and me and her out at different places.

 

 

 

And for interview I plan to have more chat/email screenshots, more western union receipts, photos of a locket I gave her when I got there, new letters of intent to marry, and a letter from my mom endorsing the engagement and future marriage.

 

 

 

But I guess even with all of this they may still not believe it

 

 

what is the age difference? 

[WandY 430]

I've worked and traveled in Cambodia and can agree with others that it is a very high-fraud country. A lot of pedophiles, sex trafficking, and shifty old men looking for young women. If you've been around Phnom Penh's tourist area/riverfront, you know what I mean. That's why Cambodia makes it difficult for foreign men (especially American) over 50 years old to marry young Cambodian women. I've met many Westerners that have experienced fiance/spousal visa issues. Hopefully this will not be your case, but it illustrates the difficulty of getting a visa. I agree with others here that you might want to spend more time with her and also brace for the possibility of a denial. You can always try the CR-1 spouse visa. Based on my experience in Cambodia and going through the Vietnamese consulate, I highly suggest spending more time in Cambodia. Your ties to her family and short engagement period are real concerns. Get more photos of you and her traveling, spending time together (not with her family), and looking more like a couple than an arrangement. A couple of months and two visits isn't much for a high-fraud country. For Cambodia, it might not be enough. Don't rush this. Absolutely attend the interview. I hope you are successful. I love the Cambodian people and it's a beautiful country. Too bad it's so corrupt and getting too much Chinese influence. Not sure what the future holds for Cambodia, but my time as a journalist there was scary as hell. Good luck!

[magicant 11]

She will be 29 in November.  I just turned 48.  So a little over 19 years.

 

Her relatives here all did the same thing, including my boss who is married to a cousin of hers and he is 24 years older than her.

 

And they have all been happily married for years and have children (and some work together at my company which is how I know them).  I actually asked them to come with me so I wouldn't have to go alone as I rarely travel.

[magicant 11]

Unfortunately I don't have the funds or time to keep visiting. 

I know 2 of her cousins only met their husbands 1 time for 2 weeks and they both went to the interview alone and passed.  But I'm not sure how long they knew each other before meeting.

 

And could attending the interview be a negative, if our answers don't exactly match?

 

I know I shouldn't rush it, but hard to wait months and months, or years and years when you are finally ready to start your life with someone you love.  But I know everyone here understand that feeling.

 

Thank you.

[EmmNM 179]

Anyone else think western union receipts are not a good idea? It may look like she's using him for money? And you paid for the entire engagement party?

 

Red flags:

-Age difference

-Known very short time

-Only 1 short in person meeting

-Relatives in the US that introduced you

-Sending her money

 

Is there anything else? From some countries these things wouldn't always be a big deal. But she will be scrutinized more coming from a high fraud country. One more thing. At the engagement party, was there ceremony or pictures that look like a wedding? The reason I ask is I truly want you to be successful and happy. You are really going to need some more face time. I know its expensive to travel. But it will be even more expensive if you are denied and have to start over.

Edited July 21, 2018 by EmmNM

[magicant 11]

I saw other people show that they paid for things, like receipts for engagement rings, etc. so I thought western union receipts would help.  Now I feel worse about it.  In Cambodia it seems the foreigner always pays for the ceremony, etc.

 

Yes there was a ceremony and everything.  Some of her relatives and friends had similar situations to me (with meeting once, engagement ceremony, etc) and passed. 

 

Now I'm feeling like I don't have a chance.  I don't know what to do.

[Teemo 252]

12 minutes ago, magicant said:

Her relatives here all did the same thing, including my boss who is married to a cousin of hers and he is 24 years older than her.

 

And they have all been happily married for years and have children (and some work together at my company which is how I know them).  I actually asked them to come with me so I wouldn't have to go alone as I rarely travel.

Your boss is married to your fiance's cousin?

 

Yeesh. That's another, major red flag. That's exactly a pattern IOs look for, when one set of beneficiaries who know each other, marry a set of petitioners who also know each other. It's a very common scam, where one US Citizen has made money petitioning for a foreign beneficiary and says "she has a sister/cousin/friend, will you marry her and you can also make money?" (As an aside, that's basically what happened with the family of the San Bernandino terrorist). Perception is often reality, and you have an uphill battle my friend. 

[EmmNM 179]

1 minute ago, magicant said:

I saw other people show that they paid for things, like receipts for engagement rings, etc. so I thought western union receipts would help.  Now I feel worse about it.  In Cambodia it seems the foreigner always pays for the ceremony, etc.

 

Yes there was a ceremony and everything.  Some of her relatives and friends had similar situations to me (with meeting once, engagement ceremony, etc) and passed. 

 

Now I'm feeling like I don't have a chance.  I don't know what to do.

Try to stay positive an ask yourself what you can do to give yourself the best chances. I will defer to others advice on the western union. I'm just thinking about what the CO would think about you sending her money regularly. 

 

I don't know the tradition in Cambodia but some couples get denied if they submit photos of a ceremony that looks too much like a wedding. Make sure your engagement pictures don't appear like a marriage.

[magicant 11]

They do not know that my boss is married to her cousin.  Only that she has 2 relatives that work with me who also accompanied me to Cambodia, but I didn't spend time with these 2 relatives in Cambodia, they visited other relatives while their.