Greetings and My Situation

[South 0]

Hello everyone in the Visa Journey community!

I want to first say thanks to everyone involved. The guides and topics have been instrumental in building my confidence to undertake this process.

I met my fiancé in December 05 traveling through Cambodia as a tourist. I returned to Cambodia after completing my degree in August 06. I struck up a romantic relationship with her in September 06. This relationship grew and matured as we owned and operated a coffee shop and we took the next big step in July 07 when we were in engaged.

We no longer operate the coffee shop, and have decided to move to America, visa permitting. I would like to share some of my concerns for our situation in regards to obtaining a K-1 visa.

1) I have lived in Cambodia since August 06. This means I have plenty of supporting evidence for our ongoing relationship, but it also means I have not worked or maintained a residence in the US in that time period. Will living together even be seen as a positive? Will it be countered by my lack of maintained residence in the US?

2) We are both fairly young: 23 and 19 for myself and my fiancé respectively. Is age used as a determining factor in the process?

3) Since I came here directly after finishing my studies, I have little in the way of assets. My parents are both working professionals, and have volunteered to sponsor my fiancé for the visa process. Is my earning potential (Bachelors in Multinational Business) and sponsorship by my family sufficient or will we be denied due to no assets?

Those are my major concerns. I have decided to forego returning to the US until my fiancé gets her visa. We can support ourselves here for as long as the process takes. I don't want to spend a day without her, and hope we can stay together in the States soon.

Please feel free to ask for more info. I would just like to get acquainted with the community and hear your take on our situation. Thank you for your time!

South

[Obelix 0]

Hello everyone in the Visa Journey community!

I want to first say thanks to everyone involved. The guides and topics have been instrumental in building my confidence to undertake this process.

I met my fiancé in December 05 traveling through Cambodia as a tourist. I returned to Cambodia after completing my degree in August 06. I struck up a romantic relationship with her in September 06. This relationship grew and matured as we owned and operated a coffee shop and we took the next big step in July 07 when we were in engaged.

We no longer operate the coffee shop, and have decided to move to America, visa permitting. I would like to share some of my concerns for our situation in regards to obtaining a K-1 visa.

1) I have lived in Cambodia since August 06. This means I have plenty of supporting evidence for our ongoing relationship, but it also means I have not worked or maintained a residence in the US in that time period. Will living together even be seen as a positive? Will it be countered by my lack of maintained residence in the US?

2) We are both fairly young: 23 and 19 for myself and my fiancé respectively. Is age used as a determining factor in the process?

3) Since I came here directly after finishing my studies, I have little in the way of assets. My parents are both working professionals, and have volunteered to sponsor my fiancé for the visa process. Is my earning potential (Bachelors in Multinational Business) and sponsorship by my family sufficient or will we be denied due to no assets?

Those are my major concerns. I have decided to forego returning to the US until my fiancé gets her visa. We can support ourselves here for as long as the process takes. I don't want to spend a day without her, and hope we can stay together in the States soon.

Please feel free to ask for more info. I would just like to get acquainted with the community and hear your take on our situation. Thank you for your time!

South

Hi There

first of all congratulations!!!

1. The fact that you have lived together for a while is definitely a positive thing. It is however rquired to have and U.S. income to sponsor someone's visa (regardless of type). You might want to ask you parents to be your co-sponsor to provide prove of adequate income.

2. I am assuming you are a US citizen. You age most definetly won't be a problem. I am not sure about your fiancee age though, but i think she can legally marry in US and that's the main purpose. You might want to call UCIS on that though.

3. See point 1

[JVKn'CVO 11]

Hi South! Welcome to VJ

Have you considered direct consular filling, since you will be in Cambodia during the process? it's the fastest immigration choice by far

I'm sending you a few links, hope this helps

Immigration choices

DCF (Direct consular filing)

K1 overview - travelstate

USCIS- How to guide

Saludos,

Caro

[South 0]

Thank you for your responses Obelix! They were very soothing. I will definitely use one of my parents as a sponsor to reassure Uncle Sam that she will not become a ward of the state. I am indeed a US citizen. I should have specified that. Thanks again.

Caro,

I was under the impression that Direct filing was not accepted at the US embassy in Cambodia. However, I've found them to be extremly unhelpful and fllat out wrong at times (info givers at the embassy) so I will double check it through your links. Thank you!

[Jasman0717 9]

It sounds like you should be ok. Good luck

[pushbrk 13,117]

Thank you for your responses Obelix! They were very soothing. I will definitely use one of my parents as a sponsor to reassure Uncle Sam that she will not become a ward of the state. I am indeed a US citizen. I should have specified that. Thanks again.

Caro,

I was under the impression that Direct filing was not accepted at the US embassy in Cambodia. However, I've found them to be extremly unhelpful and fllat out wrong at times (info givers at the embassy) so I will double check it through your links. Thank you!

Regardless of whether the Embassy will accept direct filing, that process is for married people only. Unless you wish to marry abroad before filing, it isn't an option anyway.

It looks like everything has been covered except the domicile issue. It would be good to have a US bank account but not absolutely critical. You "permanent address" in the US could be your parents' address. You could also do as many others have done, and come home, get a job and establish residence before the interview. I'm not saying you need to for the visa process but you might find it a practical matter that covers multiple bases for you.

Evidence you lived together for more than a year. is a definite plus at interview. You will be the first recent college graduate in world history to meet a woman abroad and want to marry her though, so maybe your age will be a problem.

Edited August 31, 2007 by pushbrk