Young and broke LDR couple. Do I have to apply for a B2 before a K1?

[MC852 0]

Hi, Tunisian guy with an American girlfriend. We've been together for about two years with long, extensively documented social media presences and daily video call logs. Both of us are nerds who feel like a match made in heaven for one another and thoroughly enjoy spending most of our time together over Messenger video calls, Discord and a myriad of online games. We're both doing fine financially, but her being a young wagie (early 20s) and me being a college student, neither of us could comfortably afford an intercontinental trip to visit the other without taking a loan and extensive time off.

 

In my case a B2 visa application to the US requires a 9+ month waiting period and is very often declined. USCIS is extremely paranoid of muslims. I tried applying for a B2 once naively unprepared, and all it took was the interviewer asking me "who are you visiting?" and me stuttering "girlfrie-- uhh, friend.." for me to get declined. Reasonably speaking, since me and her aren't legally bound together yet, any future B2 application will either pressure me into lying ("no, i don't know this girl. im just here for tourism. i love mobility scooters and walmart!") or to make myself look like an immigration risk ("yes i love her, not enough to elope with her though trust me haha"). Both of which might endanger any future immigration attempt. I have another B2 application interview coming at the end of this year and that's still a dilemma. What do I even say?

 

This year, we both decided we wanted more out of our relationship and started researching ways for me to move to the US rather than just visit, and the mechanisms for a young unmarried long-distance couple who want to move in together are sparse. Trying for a K1 while on the waiting list for a B2 seems like a safe course of action. The only problem is some of the things listed as "evidence" of emotional ties is things like pictures together and hotel booking receipts, which we don't have. Can't I just show the USCIS staffer our messenger logs? We have video calls every other day going back since the Covid recovery period. The word "cat" alone shows up 386 times in our convos. The word "love" shows up 835 times (not counting misspellings). That's gotta count for something. Is there any precedent for this?

Edited May 24 by MC852

[milimelo 4,475]

Interesting but no, don't think your second tourist visa attempt will be successful. Online thing is online - you need to meet up for K1 visa, or do Utah marriage and then meet up in a third country (or Tunisia) before she could file for spousal visa. Either way, time together in person is very important especially in MENA countries. So she gets a cheap ticket for couple weeks in Tunisia and goes on unpaid leave if she doesn't have leave saved already. 

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Have you met yet - in person?  

And to answer your question - your chat logs are secondary evidence.  There will be much more emphasis on being together, spending time in the same place - not how many times single words appear in your chats.

 

Good luck.

[JeanneAdil 6,489]

If u r not ready to elope as u say ("yes i love her, not enough to elope with her though trust me haha"). then u r not ready for a K1 

K1 requires commitment to marry within 90 days of US arrival 

and if it takes a loan to visit ,  u both need to check out the K1 process and costs

 

the K1 petition, itself ,  is $675

to adjust status after marriage in US,  the I 485 alone is $1,440

and to do all 3 is over $2000 

this doesn't count the trips to meet,  the medical exam for the K1 visa,  or the flight to the US

Immigration is not fast, cheap or easy

 

At this stage since u haven't met and are not ready to marry,  continue to talk online, plan to meet (without a loan) and continue your education

 

BTW forget the bias u think about muslims  /we're muslims

denials come when a person has no job (income),  doesn't own property,  and has better reason to stay in the US like a gf or other family

[EmilyW 1,434]

Have you met, as yet?

 

Until then, the discussion is moot.

 

It's not a bias against Muslims.  It's a bias against those from countries/regions who have inordinate amount of luck landing in the US and finding a spouse five minutes after departing the luggage carousel, and subsequently adjusting status.  You can thank your fellow citizens for that.

[Marieke H 2,496]

1 hour ago, MC852 said:

In my case a B2 visa application to the US requires a 9+ month waiting period and is very often declined. USCIS is extremely paranoid of muslims. I tried applying for a B2 once naively unprepared, and all it took was the interviewer asking me "who are you visiting?" and me stuttering "girlfrie-- uhh, friend.." for me to get declined.

It was not paranoia about Muslims. It was you telling them that you have a girlfriend in the US and then trying to correct yourself and hide the fact that you have a girlfriend in the US. I think it is very unlikely that your next attempt will be successful.

 

For any kind of family visa (K-1 or CR-1), you will have to meet in person. Plus, it would probably be a good idea anyway to spend some time in person with the one who you think you want to marry. That meeting does not have to happen in the US; she can travel to you or you can meet in a third country. Without meeting in person, there is no chance to get a K-1 or CR-1 (there are some very rare exceptions to this, but being broke isn't one of them).

 

You could explore other visa options, like employment or student visas.

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

1 hour ago, MC852 said:

USCIS is extremely paranoid of muslims.

But USCIS does not issue visas of any kind. Anyone applying for a B2 visa is already assumed to have immigrant intent......that obstacle must be overcome with strong ties to your country.  Religion is irrelevant.  Good luck. 

[Crazy Cat 41,814]

1 hour ago, MC852 said:

Can't I just show the USCIS staffer our messenger logs? We have video calls every other day going back since the Covid recovery period. The word "cat" alone shows up 386 times in our convos. The word "love" shows up 835 times (not counting misspellings). That's gotta count for something.

You both need to study the requirements for a K-1.  Not meeting prior is not an option.  You will not meet a "USCIS staffer" for a visa.   My advice is to become an "A student" of the process before attempting to apply.  Good luck. 

[smilingstone 167]

We all have to meet the requirements of the K1/CR1 visa process. You are no different.

 

You either want to be together enough that you will find a way to meet the requirements so you can pursue the K1/CR1 route, with the intent of staying together indefinitely, or you don't.

 

Me and my fiancé had to wait 5 years to meet due to a combination Covid restrictions, inconsistent income and studying. Nothing worth having is ever easy to achieve.

[Boiler 45,451]

LDRs are EXPENSIVE and in your case you have not even met.

 

Not sure I understand the point of a B, you can not afford to visit?, and the chances of getting one with your situation and prior refusal are vanishingly small.

 

Perhaps wait and see, until you can meet and then see how it goes.