I have only dated my fiancee for 1 year!!

[Marcelo 0]

Hi all;

Thank you very much for your information.

I need a little bit of advice here.

I am a US citizen. My fiancee and I have been dating for about 1 (one) year. We are considering 2 options:

1)Fiancee visa

2)Spouse visa

We are somehow more inclined towards the fiancee visa just in case things get delayed. However we had planned already on getting married in southamerica, so the spouse visa is under consideration.

Now everywhere I read, it mentions a minimum of 2 years knowing each other for the fiancee visa. How can we deal with that and move forward with the fiancee visa since we only have dated for 1 year?

Thanks again to everyone. This thread is very helpful.

[TTownfire 0]

Hi all;

Thank you very much for your information.

I need a little bit of advice here.

I am a US citizen. My fiancee and I have been dating for about 1 (one) year. We are considering 2 options:

1)Fiancee visa

2)Spouse visa

We are somehow more inclined towards the fiancee visa just in case things get delayed. However we had planned already on getting married in southamerica, so the spouse visa is under consideration.

Now everywhere I read, it mentions a minimum of 2 years knowing each other for the fiancee visa. How can we deal with that and move forward with the fiancee visa since we only have dated for 1 year?

Thanks again to everyone. This thread is very helpful.

Hi Milo,

I'm no expert... but I believe the USCIS means "have met in the last two years". Met being the operative word in your case.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Hi all;

Thank you very much for your information.

I need a little bit of advice here.

I am a US citizen. My fiancee and I have been dating for about 1 (one) year. We are considering 2 options:

1)Fiancee visa

2)Spouse visa

We are somehow more inclined towards the fiancee visa just in case things get delayed. However we had planned already on getting married in southamerica, so the spouse visa is under consideration.

Now everywhere I read, it mentions a minimum of 2 years knowing each other for the fiancee visa. How can we deal with that and move forward with the fiancee visa since we only have dated for 1 year?

Thanks again to everyone. This thread is very helpful.

From the little i know, its actually that you physically had to see eachother within the last 2 yrs...not known eachother for 2 yrs..i am in the fiance visa process i know my fiance only 5 months...been to see her 4 times since we met

[~Nini~ 2]

Hi all;

Thank you very much for your information.

I need a little bit of advice here.

I am a US citizen. My fiancee and I have been dating for about 1 (one) year. We are considering 2 options:

1)Fiancee visa

2)Spouse visa

We are somehow more inclined towards the fiancee visa just in case things get delayed. However we had planned already on getting married in southamerica, so the spouse visa is under consideration.

Now everywhere I read, it mentions a minimum of 2 years knowing each other for the fiancee visa. How can we deal with that and move forward with the fiancee visa since we only have dated for 1 year?

Thanks again to everyone. This thread is very helpful.

Hi milo,

The requirements for the fiancee visa are that you need to have met within the last two years. You're okay - lots of people have applied for the K1 very early in their relationships.

Cheers and good luck!

[Dan J 277]

K-1 is faster, but you won't be able to have a wedding outside of the US unless its either not considered legal (No marriage certificate), or you do it after your fiancee has come to the US, and you been married and filed for AOS. At the same time you can file for AP or wait until your fiancee gets her green card. Then you can travel outside of the US and have another ceremony in South America.

[Marcelo 0]

You guys are awesome!!

My fiancee and I were kinda ready for the civil ceremony and the church in Argentina, but we just think perhaps is better, if we will continue to be separated a little longer, that we do so as still being dating and not married. You know, one of those things.

Thanks a lot to all of you for your help.

One last question, there is an private inmigration agency that charges me about $750 for the assistance + the government fees. Should I go forward since time is very important? I just want to make sure that I don't screw up anything.

Milo

[~Nini~ 2]

If you're wondering whether a private immigration agency is going to help speed up the process, it won't - they may be able to help you through issues (prior visa overstay, etc) but they're not going to help expedite the petition.

[RosemarieL 0]

Many of us have handled our own petitions and there have been some horror stories about lawyers filing the papers at the wrong office or not sending in the correct paperwork. If your case is not complicated then you might be better off filing it for yourself. It would be quicker that way as the lawyer will have other cases and does not have the commitment that you yourself would have. The guides on this site are excellent and you should have no problems if you follow them.

[Dan J 277]

You guys are awesome!!

My fiancee and I were kinda ready for the civil ceremony and the church in Argentina, but we just think perhaps is better, if we will continue to be separated a little longer, that we do so as still being dating and not married. You know, one of those things.

Thanks a lot to all of you for your help.

One last question, there is an private inmigration agency that charges me about $750 for the assistance + the government fees. Should I go forward since time is very important? I just want to make sure that I don't screw up anything.

Milo

No agency or attorney can speed things up. When it comes to choosing an agency or attorney, buyer beware. Most people here have done it on their own, If you don't think you can handle it, you can get a lawyer or agency to help, but do your research before choosing one. There have been issues with lawyers not well experienced with family visas.

[BYRON-LEIDY 0]

Do it on your own..take it from someone who is fed up with his lawyer...Its horrible to be anxious and have questions to ask and they never take the calls or just are not ever in the office..If i would have known i would have gone at this on my own!!!!!!!!

[Magnolia31 0]

You guys are awesome!!

My fiancee and I were kinda ready for the civil ceremony and the church in Argentina, but we just think perhaps is better, if we will continue to be separated a little longer, that we do so as still being dating and not married. You know, one of those things.

Thanks a lot to all of you for your help.

One last question, there is an private inmigration agency that charges me about $750 for the assistance + the government fees. Should I go forward since time is very important? I just want to make sure that I don't screw up anything.

Milo

We were worried about filling stuff out wrong too. The entire K-1 process was so overwhelming and confusing to me. I felt much better having an experienced person do our paperwork. He was very good and I really recommend him. His name is Jim Phair and his website is here: Jim Phair He is also cheaper than the price you were given my someone else. He charged us $485. Of course, keep in mind that you also have to pay the filing fee to Homeland Security/USCIS.

[nane1104 146]

I agree with most of the above posters-

*The requirements are you have to have met WITHIN the last two years before filing, the more the better.

*What visa type you chose is totally up to you. We decided to go for the K-1 because I didn't want to be married and then not be able to be with my husband until the visa is granted.

We did have a wedding ceremony in Germany though before I left the country, my fiance came over to "pick me up" in Germany and we had a ceremony with my family before I left, just nothing official/legal, so legally I was still unmarried when I entered the US.

I would always do it again that way and can only recommend doing something like this, specially if the non-US citizen has no option to bring her/his family over to the US for the wedding.

*If your case is not complicated, no issues, I don't think you need a lawyer or any agency at all. The guides on here are awesome and there are always tons of people around to answer any further questions....I say, do it on your own and safe the money for a lawyer and invest it towards your honeymoon

[Turboguy 6]

You are better off doing it yourself. I hear tons of horror stories about Lawyers and few good ones. If you want some handholding for the $ 495.00 range another good service is www.jet-visa.com Lots of good info on his site as well.

[pushbrk 12,999]

You are better off doing it yourself. I hear tons of horror stories about Lawyers and few good ones. If you want some handholding for the $ 495.00 range another good service is www.jet-visa.com Lots of good info on his site as well.

I generally recommend avoiding a lawyer unless there is something unique or clearly problematic in the case. The caveat is the at one should have the aptitude and concentration needed to clearly read, understand and follow instructions that use somewhat complex language. I worry about people who read this paragraph...

Provide copies of evidence that you and your fiancé(e) have personally met within the last two years; or if you have never met within the last two years, provide a detailed explanation and evidence of the extreme hardship or customary, cultural or social practices that have prohibited your meeting;

...and understand it to suggest a minimum time the relationship has been ongoing.

Perhaps the misinterpretation was not their own. It's not the first time for such a misinterpretation, not even the first time on VJ this week. My point is if you can't read and understand full sentences and paragraphs for context and intent, you need somebody to do that for you. Hiring an attorney provides no real assurance of avoiding errors either. Most people can navigate the process if they'll study the guides and form instructions and come back and ask any questions they have during the process. No question is a stupid question but many questions indicate the guides and instructions have not yet been read. Now that's what I call stupid. If you don't study the guides and read the instructions you won't know what you don't know and won't have a clue what to ask.

Edited July 23, 2007 by pushbrk

[^KK^ 3]

You are better off doing it yourself. I hear tons of horror stories about Lawyers and few good ones. If you want some handholding for the $ 495.00 range another good service is www.jet-visa.com Lots of good info on his site as well.

I generally recommend avoiding a lawyer unless there is something unique or clearly problematic in the case. The caveat is the at one should have the aptitude and concentration needed to clearly read, understand and follow instructions that use somewhat complex language. I worry about people who read this paragraph...

Provide copies of evidence that you and your fiancé(e) have personally met within the last two years; or if you have never met within the last two years, provide a detailed explanation and evidence of the extreme hardship or customary, cultural or social practices that have prohibited your meeting;

...and understand it to suggest a minimum time the relationship has been ongoing.

Perhaps the misinterpretation was not their own. It's not the first time for such a misinterpretation, not even the first time on VJ this week. My point is if you can't read and understand full sentences and paragraphs for context and intent, you need somebody to do that for you. Hiring an attorney provides no real assurance of avoiding errors either. Most people can navigate the process if they'll study the guides and form instructions and come back and ask any questions they have during the process. No question is a stupid question but many questions indicate the guides and instructions have not yet been read. Now that's what I call stupid. If you don't study the guides and read the instructions you won't know what you don't know and won't have a clue what to ask.

You really know your stuff. I agree....this site is very helpful by itself, but if you don't READ and ask questions...well.....