Case with a LOT of red flags (CR1, Spouse from Pakistan)

[carmel34 3,657]

Heavily frontload evidence with the I-130 petition, include documents to show more in-person visits, passport stamps, original boarding passes, hotel receipts, a few photos, even highlights of chat messages or email log, plus financial co-mingling evidence, such as adding him to your health insurance, dental, vision, beneficiary on your retirement accounts, bank accounts, life insurance, file IRS tax returns as married jointly with a W-7 and request for his ITIN, do a will, living will, power of attorney--the more documentation the better in your case, past history of relationships with foreigners that didn't work out, plus one of the most difficult embassies, often we see long administrative processing there because the background checks take months, sometimes years.  Hopefully you can visit him during the process, as much as you can and save the evidence for US immigration.  If you go into the spousal visa process with tons of frontloaded evidence, plus add side loading of more evidence at the NVC stage, you increase your chances of approval.  All the best in your journey, with patience and commitment to each other you can be together somewhere eventually.  Good luck!

[JessNAmir 2]

21 minutes ago, Mollie09 said:

First of all, good luck! 

Second, make sure your husband knows all the details of your previous relationships. Part of the scrutiny in these situations comes from asking the immigrant if they would marry a similar person in their own country - would he marry a Pakistani woman who has been married before and has a child? So make sure he understands that angle.

Thank you so much, Mollie. My husband's father married a divorced woman so maybe they will take that into consideration. I have been very open and honest about my past. Its good to hear that the case isn't impossible. Just feel like we're in for a long ride. 

[Beth & Achraf 328]

16 hours ago, JessNAmir said:

Okay....I don't want to be morally judged here, just requesting some honest advice.

My name is Jess and I am 37 years old and I am married to a Pakistani man named Amir who is 34. We got married in January of 2020. Previously, we filed a K1 but were denied. I believe it was due to the "red flags" associated with our case..which are all my fault. I have been married three times before this marriage and engaged once. (Please, please no rude remarks in regards to that.) I will explain more.

Fresh out of high school, I married my highschool sweetheart at age 18. We were both in the US Army. He cheated on me and that marriage ended after only six months. At 20, I married a man from China while I was there teaching. That marriage ended in divorce also because he was married already. I did not know. I filed a CR1 visa for him that was approved by USCIS but I withdrew the petition. After this teaching gig, I lived abroad in Kazakhstan and was briefly engaged to a Russian man. I filed for his K1 but we broke up before the interview. I married a man from Lebanon when I was 25 and we lived together in Chicago for seven years and had one child, a daughter, together. We amicably separated. About three years ago, I met my husband who is from Pakistan. He was visiting a local museum with his family and I was working there. We became friends and eventually began a relationship. We first filed a K1 but were denied at the visa interview. We have since married in his country of Pakistan. Considering my past, what real chance do we have that our petition will ever be approved by such a strict embassy? I know my story is super messy. I made a lot of mistakes when I was young and I will be the first to admit that. Otherwise, we meet the financial requirements, ect.. I have been to Pakistan 6 times and we have vacationed together in the Maldives and Dubai. 

I can be done, with strong hard evidence of a true relationship.     I've been there,  marriages, previous USICS filing, and also from a difficult country- Morocco  but we succeeded over a year ago, 10 year greencard. 

Past marriages consisted of cheating and one decided to marry his first wife again WHILE being married to me, I found out by accident.     So I had good cause to show when I cancelled their petitions for a CR1 visa.

 

You husband will need to know of the details of your past marriages,  they may ask at the embassy.

We all make mistakes when you and still even old enough to know better, so don't be hard on yourself.  

Feel free to PM me.

 

 

 

[Mollie09 1,543]

1 hour ago, JessNAmir said:

Thank you so much, Mollie. My husband's father married a divorced woman so maybe they will take that into consideration. I have been very open and honest about my past. Its good to hear that the case isn't impossible. Just feel like we're in for a long ride. 

Honestly, I've seen much more complicated situations on here. Your biggest hurdle is that Pakistan is a tough country, but your ages, religions, time you've known each other, time you've spent together... all counts in your favor. Just hang in there!

[JessNAmir 2]

50 minutes ago, Beth & Achraf said:

I can be done, with strong hard evidence of a true relationship.     I've been there,  marriages, previous USICS filing, and also from a difficult country- Morocco  but we succeeded over a year ago, 10 year greencard. 

Past marriages consisted of cheating and one decided to marry his first wife again WHILE being married to me, I found out by accident.     So I had good cause to show when I cancelled their petitions for a CR1 visa.

 

You husband will need to know of the details of your past marriages,  they may ask at the embassy.

We all make mistakes when you and still even old enough to know better, so don't be hard on yourself.  

Feel free to PM me.

 

 

 

Thank you, Beth, for sharing your story with me and thank you for being kind and understanding. I am not too familiar yet with the technical terms used by USCIS (although I met with a lawyer and am learning) but I glanced at your timeline. Was your husband denied at the embassy interview then you fought that denial? From filing until he was able to come to the US took about 3 years? 

[Beth & Achraf 328]

18 minutes ago, JessNAmir said:

Thank you, Beth, for sharing your story with me and thank you for being kind and understanding. I am not too familiar yet with the technical terms used by USCIS (although I met with a lawyer and am learning) but I glanced at your timeline. Was your husband denied at the embassy interview then you fought that denial? From filing until he was able to come to the US took about 3 years? 

No, actually we did his Adjustment of Status here in the US, he had a expired visitor's visa.

We never had to do the traditional filing that involves the embassy.  We dealt with USCIS here in the US. No less, we could of just of easily been denied, and he would of had to of gone back to Morocco.

 

Houston is very slow, that is the USCIS office we had to deal with. 

 

 

[Boiler 46,216]

45 minutes ago, Mollie09 said:

Honestly, I've seen much more complicated situations on here. Your biggest hurdle is that Pakistan is a tough country, but your ages, religions, time you've known each other, time you've spent together... all counts in your favor. Just hang in there!

My thought as well.

[Daisy.Chain 317]

Out of curiosity - did you get divorced from your Chinese husband when you found out he was married? Or was the marriage invalid (as though it never happened) because of his bigamy?

 

Best of luck on your petition! I agree with the others to frontload, be prepared for a long wait and that you have a fighting chance. Others have been approved with more red flags; this isn't too extreme.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Daisy.Chain
.

[Ontarkie 14,523]

~~Moved to IR1/CR1 P&P, from Bringing Family of USC- as the OP is filling for a spouse~~

[Sparkle Sparkle 914]

@payxibka almost choked on my coffee reading your comment

@JessNAmir It looks bad but not impossible. I think you should ask yourself what makes this present marriage different from others then elaborate on it with evidence and all...What comes to mind is maybe how long your other marriage lasted and legitimacy of the marriage...but you already mentioned you married long enough to have a child from one of your marriages...Personally I think they make alot of decisions based on time, legitimacy and co mingling of resources....try get all you can from these three and maybe you stand a chance....you should also consider maybe moving to his country for a while...goodluck

Edited October 26, 2020 by Sparkle Sparkle

[JessNAmir 2]

5 hours ago, Sparkle Sparkle said:

@payxibka almost choked on my coffee reading your comment

@JessNAmir It looks bad but not impossible. I think you should ask yourself what makes this present marriage different from others then elaborate on it with evidence and all...What comes to mind is maybe how long your other marriage lasted and legitimacy of the marriage...but you already mentioned you married long enough to have a child from one of your marriages...Personally I think they make alot of decisions based on time, legitimacy and co mingling of resources....try get all you can from these three and maybe you stand a chance....you should also consider maybe moving to his country for a while...goodluck

Yes, it's so funny making a joke about a stranger's personal life. I knew I would receive at least one comment like that. It's really okay though...

 

What separates me from my prior marriages is 15 years. I lost both of my parents at age 18 which was, in my opinion, a source of my poor choices. I have had a healthy marriage since that time that lasted years and ended very amicably. Thank you so much for your comment. I am glad to know that others have been in similar situations and there is hope for our case. It would be very, very difficult to move to Pakistan because I am in a very demanding job but I do plan to visit soon. Good advice on suggesting the co mingling. I will begin that process now. 

[Sparkle Sparkle 914]

@JessNAmiram sorry I laughed because of his comment and not at you my dear.... There is nothing funny with your story... I can imagine how much you have been through... Just hold on to faith and you and your family will get through this. 

[pm5k 129]

On 10/26/2020 at 8:05 AM, JessNAmir said:

Okay, great. I'll check out their old posts. Thank you so much. We are both Christians. Yes, I will definitely add him to my tax returns and **fingers crossed** have a trip to visit him planned in Jan.  And he has not been married before. 

How did you get married in Pakistan?  What document do you have to prove your marriage?  Do you have a nikah nama, marriage certificate, or some other document?  Does he have a passport? 

[Arsalan111 29]

On 10/26/2020 at 8:00 PM, JessNAmir said:

Thank you so much, Mollie. My husband's father married a divorced woman so maybe they will take that into consideration. I have been very open and honest about my past. Its good to hear that the case isn't impossible. Just feel like we're in for a long ride. 

How did you married him in Pakistan? Isn’t it illegal in the country’s jurisdiction? 

[pushbrk 13,157]

Lots of good comments already.  If you have a bona fide marriage (relationship, not JUST legal), and can show sufficient evidence of time spent together as husband and wife, I see eventual success if you do things right.  I would add an "Evolution of Relationship Letter" to your filing, that explains how you met, how the relationship developed and why you decided to marry.  This should be full of facts, with emotional issues minimized.  If you say how you feel, say why.

 

Document all time spent together with primary evidence like passport stamps and boarding passes for any trips you took together.  You mention two vacations outside Pakistan.  This is very strong evidence of a bona fide marriage.  Document it well.

 

How much total time have you spent together in person up until now?