100% of the Federal poverty guidelines? 125% for I-130

[EmilyW 1,439]

Meh, she's not cute. He's not employed.  I'd say it all balances out in the end.

[Georgia16 2,858]

I think after you meet her and if you guys both think that you will continue with this and maybe meet a bit more then you should really think about doing the Spouse visa instead of the K-1. 

 

Many people know about the CR-1 visa don't know why you think they don't.

 

The CR-1 will be cheaper in the long run as she will not have to AOS after she gets here. She can also work right away and that seems like a good idea money wise for you guys.

[payxibka 10,045]

4 minutes ago, Georgia16 said:

I think after you meet her and if you guys both think that you will continue with this and maybe meet a bit more then you should really think about doing the Spouse visa instead of the K-1. 

 

Many people know about the CR-1 visa don't know why you think they don't.

 

The CR-1 will be cheaper in the long run as she will not have to AOS after she gets here. She can also work right away and that seems like a good idea money wise for you guys.

To complete the marriage process in the PI takes about 3 to 4 weeks when factoring the required waiting period.   Another thing the OP would need to consider 

[Boris Farage 353]

Trying not to be too judgemental here -- OP's circumstances could not have been different from my own -- but I would be very cautious about deciding to marry a woman, particularly one you describe as 'little overweight not crazy cute', sight unseen, and you are hindered in your ability to get to know her better in person (crucial) because of limited financial resources. Consider this: what if you did manage to get a visa for her, exhausting your savings, and upon arriving in the States, she decides that the life you lead is simply not enough for her? It is a sad story I have read on here on more than one occasion. I'm something of a romantic at heart, and think that love should be able to overcome distance and obstacles, but I have seen for myself that money can have an outsize role in a marriage. For me, it was that my ex was more attracted to my money than who I actually am as a man. 

 

I understand how very hard it can be to be lonely and wish for companionship; my ex-wife and I parted over two years ago and whilst our relationship left much to be desired, I do miss knowing there is someone at home for me at the end of the day to make my life comfortable and show me affection. The idea of finding a new partner is something I have been considering for some time, but I am taking my time. Think clearly about whether this is the right time for you to pursue the big step of marrying, or whether you should take the time to save money and develop your love. As 1 Corinthians 13 says quite famously, 'Love is patient, love is kind.' I would suggest that you consider being patient and show your lovely woman the kindness of waiting and growing your love and your savings.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Boris Farage
Clarity; grammar.

[Gabrielfka 0]

Your SSI doesn't meet the requirements. So you have to find someone else who makes enough income for amount of people considered. You can visit this site to calculate how much does he/she needs to make, if you have a person wants to vouch for you. 

https://rapidvisa.com/visa-income-requirement-calculator/

[Crazy Cat 41,888]

16 hours ago, Tony999 said:

Not too bad she's 30 I'm 42 she's a little overweight not crazy cute. She works in a hospital many hours a week. A very simple woman working for her family way back home. 

Does she have an account here?  I think she needs to get in on this discussion....

Edited July 17, 2019 by missileman

[debbiedoo 2,339]

alrighty there don juan. lets take off the rose colored glasses and look at this realistically.

 

1. you havent met her. even meeting her and thinking 'yeah, shes cool' does not mean you will a good married couple make. you might only need one visit to petition, but you really need to have MANY visits to determine true compatibility. outside of a vacation scenario.

2. how the heck are you going to afford to support her. how are you going to afford to visit her? How are you going to afford the filing fees, much less all the incidental costs associated with either a k1 or cr1. 700 a month doesnt pay my UTILITIES. much less food, insurance, clothing, basic necessities. use your big head and not the little one and THINK about this.

3. now, lets say you get her here and get married. you had to have a co sponsor (cause ummm you WILL). you split up. reason doesnt matter. Now YOU as well as your CO SPONSOR have a LEGAL CONTRACT with the government for up to 10 years to keep her off public benefits. and if she goes on them? guess who gets the bill? Not her.

4. say you stay married. happy happy all is good. then she gets pregnant. squeezes out a puppy or two. now, shes probably not gonna make much regardless, but try taking care of a hubby who cant work, a kid or two, yourself, and being happy. and staying off those benefits.

 

and saying shes not pretty, true or not, is a real low thing to do. i know im not pretty, my husband values his life and our relationship too much to EVER say otherwise. I dont care if shes walking around looking like Shrek on meth. you dont disparage her appearance. women put up with enough garbage to have the person who supposedly loves them more than anything saying ####### about how they look. especially since in your case, you need HER to support YOU.

[Boris Farage 353]

5 minutes ago, debbiedoo said:

alrighty there don juan. lets take off the rose colored glasses and look at this realistically.

 

1. you havent met her. even meeting her and thinking 'yeah, shes cool' does not mean you will a good married couple make. you might only need one visit to petition, but you really need to have MANY visits to determine true compatibility. outside of a vacation scenario.

2. how the heck are you going to afford to support her. how are you going to afford to visit her? How are you going to afford the filing fees, much less all the incidental costs associated with either a k1 or cr1. 700 a month doesnt pay my UTILITIES. much less food, insurance, clothing, basic necessities. use your big head and not the little one and THINK about this.

3. now, lets say you get her here and get married. you had to have a co sponsor (cause ummm you WILL). you split up. reason doesnt matter. Now YOU as well as your CO SPONSOR have a LEGAL CONTRACT with the government for up to 10 years to keep her off public benefits. and if she goes on them? guess who gets the bill? Not her.

4. say you stay married. happy happy all is good. then she gets pregnant. squeezes out a puppy or two. now, shes probably not gonna make much regardless, but try taking care of a hubby who cant work, a kid or two, yourself, and being happy. and staying off those benefits.

 

and saying shes not pretty, true or not, is a real low thing to do. i know im not pretty, my husband values his life and our relationship too much to EVER say otherwise. I dont care if shes walking around looking like Shrek on meth. you dont disparage her appearance. women put up with enough garbage to have the person who supposedly loves them more than anything saying ####### about how they look. especially since in your case, you need HER to support YOU.

Thank you, debbiedoo. You were far more to the point than I was. These are all salient issues, not least of which is the joint sponsor's legal obligation which I had overlooked. I feel for the man -- he likely cares about this woman very much, but one should be realistic even when the deepest of feelings are involved.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

Just now, Boris Farage said:

Thank you, debbiedoo. You were far more to the point than I was. These are all salient issues, not least of which is the joint sponsor's legal obligation which I had overlooked. I feel for the man -- he likely cares about this woman very much, but one should be realistic even when the deepest of feelings are involved.

i dont doubt he cares for her. not a bit. but he doesnt KNOW her. anyone can be whatever they want to SEEM to be online or on the phone. even time in person doesnt always prevent that. paul and i spent 3 years doing the long distance thing. and we were together at LEAST once a month. And when he MOVED IN... there were a few bumpy patches. nothing serious, but i cant imagine moving someone in who i didnt even TRULY KNOW.

 

 i mean, for real though, the man has no idea on how to close a cabinet door. not in the kitchen, or bathroom, or anywhere at all.

[Ontarkie 14,227]

4 hours ago, carmel34 said:

You have not ever met in person so the trips to meet her and spend some time together will add much more to your estimate. Think of airline tickets, hotels, restaurants....  I made 8 trips from the US to Brazil in our CR-1 visa process, plus one trip to Europe together, and have one final trip to bring my husband to the US for the first time (in four weeks, counting the days).  A total of 10 trips to be together and some of them were more than $3K just for one trip.  Then add the cost of filing the petition, visa fees, medical exam, vaccinations, and all the rest.  I don't even want to add up all that money, the total would be crazy.

 

Since you have never met this person, and your income is not high enough to sponsor her, you will need a co-sponsor, someone willing to not only fill out forms, but also willing to contribute financially to your household expenses and possibly to help cover the costs of the visa process including travel.  No co-sponsor, no visa.  So I suggest that you go and meet her first, then if after spending as much time as you can with her, you decide to keep pursuing the relationship, come home to the US and find a qualified and willing co-sponsor.  Take this one step at a time and think rationally, logically about it before going further.  Good luck!

The part in bold is absolutely wrong. The co-sponsor is not responsible for any household expensiveness or visa costs and traveling. This is complete hogwash. 

[Ontarkie 14,227]

Changing my comment. 

 

I don't believe the OP's statement about his girl was meant to be a dig at her. I want to believe that his comment was more that she is not way above him that no way would in the real world she be interested in him. As she is not scamming him. 

Edited July 17, 2019 by Ontarkie

[Ontarkie 14,227]

~~Thread moved to What Visa DO I Need, from K1 P&P - The OP is researching his options~~

[Boris Farage 353]

1 minute ago, debbiedoo said:

i dont doubt he cares for her. not a bit. but he doesnt KNOW her. anyone can be whatever they want to SEEM to be online or on the phone. even time in person doesnt always prevent that. paul and i spent 3 years doing the long distance thing. and we were together at LEAST once a month. And when he MOVED IN... there were a few bumpy patches. nothing serious, but i cant imagine moving someone in who i didnt even TRULY KNOW.

 

 i mean, for real though, the man has no idea on how to close a cabinet door. not in the kitchen, or bathroom, or anywhere at all.

My ex and I were together for five years before I came over on a K1. We had met when she was on a year abroad in the UK and she was studying at the same uni as me, so we had nearly 9 months together, more than half of which was as boyfriend and girlfriend with only a brief interlude when she ran off with my best friend for a time. We stayed together after that as I waited for her to finish her own schooling. She came over the year following for an extended six month visit with me in London as a 'trial run' before we got engaged, and this seemed quite successful. However, after she left, the stress of the long distance caused a brief break up in the year before we filed the K1 (I had prepared all the paperwork, but she decided there were greener pastures before I sent it in), though we soon reunited. And even then -- even then! -- after five years as a couple we were not guaranteed success. The faults in our relationship that existed before our marriage were amplified once the ceremony was over, the guests had gone home and now we were faced with trying to make our lives work as a couple, one of whom now did not have to leave after a few weeks or months. Aspects of each other's personalities that seemed superficially acceptable but irritating before became flashpoints since we could no longer just hang up the phone or end a Skype session. We were stuck together in a house, no escape, especially before AOS was complete. And this is without the burden of being in financial straits!

 

Do some people make it with short visits, or one visit? Yes. Do people make it on limited budgets? Yes. But that is not a road I would want to travel.

[debbiedoo 2,339]

1 minute ago, Boris Farage said:

Do some people make it with short visits, or one visit? Yes. Do people make it on limited budgets? Yes. But that is not a road I would want to travel.

i cant imagine trying to do it while struggling financially. i know a lot of people do (even just with life in general and no immigration issues) but i cant imagine trying to support someone decently and worrying about how im going to pay my electric bill. or buy groceries. much less worry about the costs of AOS and subsequent petitions and costs.

 

ive been where i struggled. it SUCKED. and it was just me and my son way back then. and even then, i had more than 700 a month coming in.

[SalishSea 17,837]

31 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

The part in bold is absolutely wrong. The co-sponsor is not responsible for any household expensiveness or visa costs and traveling. This is complete hogwash. 

Fair enough, BUT- then who would support them?  OP does not make enough to support two people for 6-8 months in the US without relying on means-tested benefits, which becomes tricky when a household member is not eligible to receive such benefits.

 

The point is that even with a joint sponsor, which is a contract between the joint sponsor and the US government, OP cannot currently afford the cost of immigration.