Age Difference An Issue?

[Dakine 26]

Lets face it! Large age gaps are definitly not a plus! At the same time if you have a loving bonafide relationship AND can prove such. You won't have any problems.

From what I've seen large age gap have more denials and problems getting cleared if the women is the older one.

Especially if the interview is in a high fraud country.

[RUKTHUR 0]

Hi All,

Personal opinions welcomed here ...

There's 15 years between me and my fiance, which to us isn't an issue, but to an immigration official it might be a biggie that raises whatever flags these things raise.

Do you guys think this will be an issue to get our NOA2 and if and when we get through that, should we attend the interview in London together so they can see us as a couple?

I think that they aren't there to judge a couple's precieved suitability rather just that relationship is stable, on-going and, above all, genuine. In which case, we have no problems at all - we have been living together for 2+ years after all.

Let me know what you guys think!!!

R & M

How old is your fiancee? If her old is over 18 years... It is not an issue... mmm but depend on laws each countries ...

[Seattle2Cebu 0]

we have a 25 year age difference..

i have no clue where my ex-wife is living... so maybe I should try to figure out how to prove

she isnt any longer with me.. would be a hard one maybe, no contact at all.

seems like fraud would imply exchange of money for visa, and I have a one year record

of sending money there, so doesnt seem like that would be an issue.

i guess a divorce could be fake, just so someone could file the visa..

ive actually talked to a couple people who did commit fraud and were paid to bring someone

over, and it kinda rubs me the wrong way.

its hard enough without all the idiots out there.

Hi All,

Personal opinions welcomed here ...

There's 15 years between me and my fiance, which to us isn't an issue, but to an immigration official it might be a biggie that raises whatever flags these things raise.

Do you guys think this will be an issue to get our NOA2 and if and when we get through that, should we attend the interview in London together so they can see us as a couple?

I think that they aren't there to judge a couple's precieved suitability rather just that relationship is stable, on-going and, above all, genuine. In which case, we have no problems at all - we have been living together for 2+ years after all.

Let me know what you guys think!!!

R & M

How old is your fiancee? If her old is over 18 years... It is not an issue... mmm but depend on laws each countries ...

[Mrs.J06 4]

From what I read, the consulates take the "cultural norm" of the beneficiary's home country into consideration, too.

Going through London, and you (the male) being older I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Especially since you said you've lived together for more than two years, so you probably have plenty of evidence for your relationship.

I'm 16 years younger than my husband (the USC) and it never came up during our interview in Frankfurt/Germany. I was prepared for questions, since it's not very common to have such a big age gap in Germany, but it's also not frowned upon. I'd imagine it's the same in the UK.

Good luck!

[Sienna 0]

My fiance is in the U.K. and I'm 15 1/2 years older than he is. It's not been an issue in our relationship and it never occurred to us that it might be an issue in his interview. I cannot think that it would be an issue when you have all the required supporting evidence and your relationship is a bonafide one. I'm not concerned about it at all really.

[pushbrk 12,883]

My fiance is in the U.K. and I'm 15 1/2 years older than he is. It's not been an issue in our relationship and it never occurred to us that it might be an issue in his interview. I cannot think that it would be an issue when you have all the required supporting evidence and your relationship is a bonafide one. I'm not concerned about it at all really.

You probably don't need to worry but don't fool yourself into thinking you have "all the required supporting evidence of a bona fide relationship". That is just not something that is defined until you know what, if anything, the Consular officer asks to see. If they decide they want to see something you don't have, it may not matter what you do have. The result is you actually didn't have all that was required.

The best you can do is make sure the applicant is well prepared for the interview, both from the standpoint of mentality and evidence.

[Sienna 0]

My fiance is in the U.K. and I'm 15 1/2 years older than he is. It's not been an issue in our relationship and it never occurred to us that it might be an issue in his interview. I cannot think that it would be an issue when you have all the required supporting evidence and your relationship is a bonafide one. I'm not concerned about it at all really.

You probably don't need to worry but don't fool yourself into thinking you have "all the required supporting evidence of a bona fide relationship". That is just not something that is defined until you know what, if anything, the Consular officer asks to see. If they decide they want to see something you don't have, it may not matter what you do have. The result is you actually didn't have all that was required.

The best you can do is make sure the applicant is well prepared for the interview, both from the standpoint of mentality and evidence.

I was strictly talking about the age difference. Of course there may be something we haven't thought of that the Consular officer wants to see. But it won't have anything to do with the age difference. I was merely trying to offer a bit of comfort to the OP that while there may be other things to worry about, the age difference shouldn't be one of them. If you have all the REQUIRED supporting evidence, as I said, you have everything you need!

[mox 298]

I think the way I'd look at it is that there's nothing you can do about your age difference, so why worry about it? I'm reading advice like "be prepared to explain it," but what is there to explain, other than what you would explain anyway? "We fell in love, we want to marry, and not that it matters, but we happen to have been born 15 years apart."

Your age difference is what it is, and I doubt you're going to abandon your partner in order to find someone closer to your age who is more likely to please the interviewer. So focus on getting paperwork in order and preparing for the interview like anyone else would do. There's plenty to worry about without worrying about things you cannot change.

[Sienna 0]

I think the way I'd look at it is that there's nothing you can do about your age difference, so why worry about it? I'm reading advice like "be prepared to explain it," but what is there to explain, other than what you would explain anyway? "We fell in love, we want to marry, and not that it matters, but we happen to have been born 15 years apart."

Your age difference is what it is, and I doubt you're going to abandon your partner in order to find someone closer to your age who is more likely to please the interviewer. So focus on getting paperwork in order and preparing for the interview like anyone else would do. There's plenty to worry about without worrying about things you cannot change.

Yeah. What Mox said.

[Eli the Barrowboy 16]

Yeah. What Mox said too!!! Well, at least starting these lively threads takes the boredom away!!!

[pushbrk 12,883]

Yeah. What Mox said too!!! Well, at least starting these lively threads takes the boredom away!!!

Three presumably beautiful heads down to their necks in sand.

Of course you can't do anything about or explain an age difference. If there's any explaining to do, it will be about how you established and are now maintaining a bona fide relationship.

[mox 298]

Three presumably beautiful heads down to their necks in sand.

lol! Hey as long as I can't see them, they can't see me!

I'm just saying that worrying about something you can't change is pointless. Maybe there's a better answer to the question "why are you and your fiance 15 years apart?" than "gee, that's a great question. We didn't think to ask it when WE FELL IN LOVE."

I guess it's a good thing I won't be the one sitting in front of the consulate.

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

I think the way I'd look at it is that there's nothing you can do about your age difference, so why worry about it? I'm reading advice like "be prepared to explain it," but what is there to explain, other than what you would explain anyway? "We fell in love, we want to marry, and not that it matters, but we happen to have been born 15 years apart."

Your age difference is what it is, and I doubt you're going to abandon your partner in order to find someone closer to your age who is more likely to please the interviewer. So focus on getting paperwork in order and preparing for the interview like anyone else would do. There's plenty to worry about without worrying about things you cannot change.

Again Mox, you are right on. Completely agree.

Edited November 1, 2007 by ~Laura and Nick~

[pushbrk 12,883]

Three presumably beautiful heads down to their necks in sand.

lol! Hey as long as I can't see them, they can't see me!

I'm just saying that worrying about something you can't change is pointless. Maybe there's a better answer to the question "why are you and your fiance 15 years apart?" than "gee, that's a great question. We didn't think to ask it when WE FELL IN LOVE."

I guess it's a good thing I won't be the one sitting in front of the consulate.

I hear what you're saying and disagree. Well, I wouldn't "worry" but you can "prepare". As I already indicated, nobody's going to ask you why you and your fiance are 15 years apart. With some age gaps, however, the gap can prompt closer scrutiny of the bona fides without a single mention of age.

Anybody can bury their head and say not only "It shouldn't matter." but "It won't matter." right up until it does. Then there's a good chance they'll be wishing they took their head out of the sand and prepared to provide excellent evidence and explanation of bona fides.

I think I already mentioned a 15 year difference is unlikely to attract much attention unless one party is a teenager. However, there are plenty of 25 year plus age differences that do.

[mox 298]

I hear what you're saying and disagree. Well, I wouldn't "worry" but you can "prepare". As I already indicated, nobody's going to ask you why you and your fiance are 15 years apart. With some age gaps, however, the gap can prompt closer scrutiny of the bona fides without a single mention of age.

Anybody can bury their head and say not only "It shouldn't matter." but "It won't matter." right up until it does. Then there's a good chance they'll be wishing they took their head out of the sand and prepared to provide excellent evidence and explanation of bona fides.

I think I already mentioned a 15 year difference is unlikely to attract much attention unless one party is a teenager. However, there are plenty of 25 year plus age differences that do.

Alright, I think I misunderstood you earlier. I do agree that if she's 18 and you're 43, they're going to look at that a little harder. So yeah, of course it makes sense to make sure that all your ducks are not only in a row, but that each duck know's it's name, rank, and service number. I was coming at it from the OP's question of "perceived suitability," in which I maintain that especially in his case, there's no problem. He should feel free to stick his neck in, the sand's just fine.