Us citizen marrying Iranian national need advice.

[ceman2020 0]

So i am planning to marry a woman i met some years ago and obviously have formed a romantic relationship with and made life plans with. Obviously the situation in Iran is pretty terrible. She regularly has visits by the morality police to her institution to check that women are wearing the proper Islamic attire and aren't using makeup et cetera. So initially we were planning to meet and marry in Armenia but the political situation others is tense. Turkey was next on the list but she thinks she'll have a hard time if we can't see each other again during the wait after we marry. So we were thinking of Ecuador. But I'm worried for her safety. I work in a dental lab and i don't make a lot of money. Maybe around 24-27k ish a year. She works as an English instructor there on a City in southwest Iran. She doesn't make a lot either. The plan is for us to marry and then start the visa process and hope to have her stay in the country we marry in while she waits for the approval. I hand one consultation with a lawyer who's actually iraniam but i never heard back after i emailed him after that. I've never dealt with all this kind of stuff before and it's honestly overwhelming. And with the world situation becoming more tense by the day I'm just so anxious to get her near me. Is it a viable plan for is to meet and marry in Ecuador, and for me to just put her up there for a year ish whole the approval process goes through?

[Boiler 45,445]

You will need to check on what the visa opportunities are for Iranians in Ecuador. Also off the top of my head how would she get there.

 

Presumably between the two of you you have savings for her to hang out for maybe 2 years?

[pushbrk 12,870]

24 minutes ago, ceman2020 said:

So i am planning to marry a woman i met some years ago and obviously have formed a romantic relationship with and made life plans with. Obviously the situation in Iran is pretty terrible. She regularly has visits by the morality police to her institution to check that women are wearing the proper Islamic attire and aren't using makeup et cetera. So initially we were planning to meet and marry in Armenia but the political situation others is tense. Turkey was next on the list but she thinks she'll have a hard time if we can't see each other again during the wait after we marry. So we were thinking of Ecuador. But I'm worried for her safety. I work in a dental lab and i don't make a lot of money. Maybe around 24-27k ish a year. She works as an English instructor there on a City in southwest Iran. She doesn't make a lot either. The plan is for us to marry and then start the visa process and hope to have her stay in the country we marry in while she waits for the approval. I hand one consultation with a lawyer who's actually iraniam but i never heard back after i emailed him after that. I've never dealt with all this kind of stuff before and it's honestly overwhelming. And with the world situation becoming more tense by the day I'm just so anxious to get her near me. Is it a viable plan for is to meet and marry in Ecuador, and for me to just put her up there for a year ish whole the approval process goes through?

You understand that the spouse visa process takes from 18 to 24 months?  Your income is pretty low to be supporting two households.  Not many places she can go and stay that long.  You have lots of homework to do.

[SalishSea 17,801]

1 hour ago, ceman2020 said:

So i am planning to marry a woman i met some years ago and obviously have formed a romantic relationship with and made life plans with. Obviously the situation in Iran is pretty terrible. She regularly has visits by the morality police to her institution to check that women are wearing the proper Islamic attire and aren't using makeup et cetera. So initially we were planning to meet and marry in Armenia but the political situation others is tense. Turkey was next on the list but she thinks she'll have a hard time if we can't see each other again during the wait after we marry. So we were thinking of Ecuador. But I'm worried for her safety. I work in a dental lab and i don't make a lot of money. Maybe around 24-27k ish a year. She works as an English instructor there on a City in southwest Iran. She doesn't make a lot either. The plan is for us to marry and then start the visa process and hope to have her stay in the country we marry in while she waits for the approval. I hand one consultation with a lawyer who's actually iraniam but i never heard back after i emailed him after that. I've never dealt with all this kind of stuff before and it's honestly overwhelming. And with the world situation becoming more tense by the day I'm just so anxious to get her near me. Is it a viable plan for is to meet and marry in Ecuador, and for me to just put her up there for a year ish whole the approval process goes through?

This won’t be an easy path forward, as I’m sure you realize.   Do you have a joint sponsor lined up?  
 

With her being Iranian and interviewing abroad, you’ll need to have your ducks in a straighter row than most.   The good thing is that it will take several years, so you have time to strengthen your financial situation.

[Lemonslice 4,831]

17 hours ago, ceman2020 said:

So i am planning to marry a woman i met some years ago and obviously have formed a romantic relationship with and made life plans with. Obviously the situation in Iran is pretty terrible. She regularly has visits by the morality police to her institution to check that women are wearing the proper Islamic attire and aren't using makeup et cetera. So initially we were planning to meet and marry in Armenia but the political situation others is tense. Turkey was next on the list but she thinks she'll have a hard time if we can't see each other again during the wait after we marry. So we were thinking of Ecuador. But I'm worried for her safety. I work in a dental lab and i don't make a lot of money. Maybe around 24-27k ish a year. She works as an English instructor there on a City in southwest Iran. She doesn't make a lot either. The plan is for us to marry and then start the visa process and hope to have her stay in the country we marry in while she waits for the approval. I hand one consultation with a lawyer who's actually iraniam but i never heard back after i emailed him after that. I've never dealt with all this kind of stuff before and it's honestly overwhelming. And with the world situation becoming more tense by the day I'm just so anxious to get her near me. Is it a viable plan for is to meet and marry in Ecuador, and for me to just put her up there for a year ish whole the approval process goes through?

I'm not sure where you are living, but in most areas of the US, you are underpaid.  Time to request a raise.  Not going to fix everything, but it's going to help a lot with immigration and travel related expenses. 

Best of luck to you two.

 

[ceman2020 0]

21 hours ago, Boiler said:

You will need to check on what the visa opportunities are for Iranians in Ecuador. Also off the top of my head how would she get there.

 

Presumably between the two of you you have savings for her to hang out for maybe 2 years?

she will have to take a flight from turkey there. I need to contact the Ecuadorian embassy here to make sure alls a go but its one of two countries in south america Iranians can travel to visa free. we just need to make sure she can just cross the border and come back to renew. flight is about 1.5 to 2k depending on times and cities. 

 

21 hours ago, pushbrk said:

You understand that the spouse visa process takes from 18 to 24 months?  Your income is pretty low to be supporting two households.  Not many places she can go and stay that long.  You have lots of homework to do.

thats partly the reason i am here XD. its a bit different than other states. i was hoping to find anyone with experience dealing with immigration to the USA from Iran. 

 

20 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

This won’t be an easy path forward, as I’m sure you realize.   Do you have a joint sponsor lined up?  
 

With her being Iranian and interviewing abroad, you’ll need to have your ducks in a straighter row than most.   The good thing is that it will take several years, so you have time to strengthen your financial situation.

I am really just learning about the ins and outs of this. Theres a great number of people i can get to sponsor me. A few from my father's company (he doesnt own it but hes been there 20 years and is a chief engineer there), and im busting my ### working 45 50 ours a week XD. i have gotten two raises since starting at this new lab. do you know of any situations where people have come from iran and if so what was the process like for them on their end having to go through a foreign embassy?

 

5 hours ago, Lemonslice said:

I'm not sure where you are living, but in most areas of the US, you are underpaid.  Time to request a raise.  Not going to fix everything, but it's going to help a lot with immigration and travel related expenses. 

Best of luck to you two.

 

I live in Alabama. I'm now at 17 an hour. theres not that much available without having to start at the bottom somewhere without a college education. I did attend some college and initially had an academic scholarship but drugs got the better of me and i lost it all. ive been sober of all drugs for like 7 or 8 years now so that is no longer an issue but its been a long road to rebuild and im working my way up fast as i can XD. ill be at 18 once i finish training a new person to replace my old job and i move up again at this lab. 

[pushbrk 12,870]

Just learn the process.  It's not actually "different" going through a third country.  Note she probably cannot just be a tourist extending her tourist visa and interview in Ecuador.  She needs some kind of long term visa allowing her to LIVE there.  Philippines is an exception, but I don't think Ecuador is.

 

Only "difference" for Iranians would be they will need their Iranian documents translated to English, as none will be in the local language, and they'll need to interview in English, as nobody the US Consulate in Ecuador can be expected to speak or read Farsi.

 

Just a note about the Philippines.  I "live" in the Philippines with extensions to my tourist status.  I must leave once every three years. But, I have a local driver license, alien registration card, a lease in my name, and cable/internet bill in my name.  That would be OK for DCF, back when it was available, or under special circumstances now.  There may be other exceptions, so research Ecuador in that regard.

Edited January 27, 2023 by pushbrk

[ceman2020 0]

2 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

Just learn the process.  It's not actually "different" going through a third country.  Note she probably cannot just be a tourist extending her tourist visa and interview in Ecuador.  She needs some kind of long term visa allowing her to LIVE there.  Philippines is an exception, but I don't think Ecuador is.

 

Only "difference" for Iranians would be they will need their Iranian documents translated to English, as none will be in the local language, and they'll need to interview in English, as nobody the US Consulate in Ecuador can be expected to speak or read Farsi.

 

well she teaches english so im sure that communication with anyone who speaks english will be okay. also translating the documents shouldnt be a serious problem either. as for the k1 spouse visa, it says that "The INA requires K1 fiance visa applicants meet in person at least once to approve the fiance visa. May be waived if meeting would violate cultural norms, customs or some religious tenet. Extreme hardship waiver is available to the US petitioner." as shes from Iran, and they are also experiencing domestic turmoil, what is the likelihood of getting some exemption for a previous in person meeting? is that even worth looking into further? 

[pushbrk 12,870]

1 minute ago, ceman2020 said:

well she teaches english so im sure that communication with anyone who speaks english will be okay. also translating the documents shouldnt be a serious problem either. as for the k1 spouse visa, it says that "The INA requires K1 fiance visa applicants meet in person at least once to approve the fiance visa. May be waived if meeting would violate cultural norms, customs or some religious tenet. Extreme hardship waiver is available to the US petitioner." as shes from Iran, and they are also experiencing domestic turmoil, what is the likelihood of getting some exemption for a previous in person meeting? is that even worth looking into further? 

They DO NOT waive the meeting requirement.  Waste of thought to consider it further.  Not going to happen.

 

[Boiler 45,445]

You initially said you met her, where was that?

[ceman2020 0]

2 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

They DO NOT waive the meeting requirement.  Waste of thought to consider it further.  Not going to happen.

 

so in your opinion with her situation my biggest concern is her safety if she returns to Iran while waiting. that being considered, do you think it will be quicker in the long run as well as safer to meet and apply for a k1 or to meet and marry and go that route. the latter is obviously safer but obviously more complicated and more expensive. the expense i can live with. it will just require more effort on my part but i am young and strong so i can work like a dog. 

Just now, Boiler said:

You initially said you met her, where was that?

met online. not met in person yet. 

[SalishSea 17,801]

9 minutes ago, ceman2020 said:

well she teaches english so im sure that communication with anyone who speaks english will be okay. also translating the documents shouldnt be a serious problem either. as for the k1 spouse visa, it says that "The INA requires K1 fiance visa applicants meet in person at least once to approve the fiance visa. May be waived if meeting would violate cultural norms, customs or some religious tenet. Extreme hardship waiver is available to the US petitioner." as shes from Iran, and they are also experiencing domestic turmoil, what is the likelihood of getting some exemption for a previous in person meeting? is that even worth looking into further? 

You have not met in person???

 

You have zero chance of having that very strict requirement waived.   You will lose time and money if you file a petition without it.

 

You need to get serious about jumping through the U.S. immigration hoops if you really want to be with her.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Jorgedig

[ceman2020 0]

Just now, Jorgedig said:

You have not met in person???

 

You have zero chance of thawing that very strict requirement waived.   You will lose time and money if you file a petition without it.

 

You need to get serious about jumping through the U.S. immigration hoops if you really want to be with her.

any pointing in the right direction will be helpful. I have zero experience with immigration anywhere. the only place ive ever been outside the USA personally is Mexico, and that was in middle school when we would just ride our bikes across the border. was a bit safer then, though still a horrible idea at the time. in any case we're now in the information gathering stage. 

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Ecu visa requirements for U.S. citizens:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Ecuador.html

 

Click the tab for the consulates to find out whether they can answer your question about an Iranian citizen staying for an extended time.

[SalishSea 17,801]

1 minute ago, ceman2020 said:

any pointing in the right direction will be helpful. I have zero experience with immigration anywhere. the only place ive ever been outside the USA personally is Mexico, and that was in middle school when we would just ride our bikes across the border. was a bit safer then, though still a horrible idea at the time. in any case we're now in the information gathering stage. 

You’re really putting the cart before the horse with this entire thread.   Make plans to meet in person first, and then come back and ask questions.

 

When you meet, save every shred of evidence of the meeting, particularly boarding passes, and get passport stamps, hotel receipts with both names, and anything else that clearly demonstrates you’ve met.