engagement story for interview

[chrisandamye 0]

Hi,

My fiance and I are debating about what story to tell of how we got engaged when he goes to the interview. Here's the truth: We met in South Africa, we dated for a couple months, then we moved in together. We've been apart now since May and in total we were together in SA for about a year. We've known for a while that we wanted to be together for ever, but as we're only 25/26 we wanted to wait to get married. However, when we found out that we would have to get engaged to stay together--me being American and he being British---we decided to apply for the fiance visa. We have every intent to get married when he gets here, but there's never been an actual proposal.

That's the story he wants to tell, but I told him that sounds like a scam. Like we're just getting married so he can be here in the States. I think we should make up a story about him proposing, etc. that sounds like a more traditional (safe) engagement story that will get approved. He doesnt want to lie and thinks our real story is perfectly understandable. I fear the people at the embassy doing the interviews wont accept our real story and we'll be denied. What do y'all think?

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

I don't think there has to be an official proposal. You could say that you both decided to get married together.

Had you spoken about marriage before you found out about the K1 visa?

I haven't been officially proposed to either....it's coming but we will be filing before he "officially" asks. We have talked about it a lot and have been talking about getting married for awhile now..we both know this is what we want.

Best of luck to you! I don't think it sounds like a scam at all.

~Laura

Edited November 4, 2007 by ~Laura and Nick~

[zqt3344 21]

Hi,

My fiance and I are debating about what story to tell of how we got engaged when he goes to the interview. Here's the truth: We met in South Africa, we dated for a couple months, then we moved in together. We've been apart now since May and in total we were together in SA for about a year. We've known for a while that we wanted to be together for ever, but as we're only 25/26 we wanted to wait to get married. However, when we found out that we would have to get engaged to stay together--me being American and he being British---we decided to apply for the fiance visa. We have every intent to get married when he gets here, but there's never been an actual proposal.

That's the story he wants to tell, but I told him that sounds like a scam. Like we're just getting married so he can be here in the States. I think we should make up a story about him proposing, etc. that sounds like a more traditional (safe) engagement story that will get approved. He doesnt want to lie and thinks our real story is perfectly understandable. I fear the people at the embassy doing the interviews wont accept our real story and we'll be denied. What do y'all think?

You never know, depends on the case worker looking at your K1 app and then on the interview the questions they ask of your finance. Are you sure this guy really wants to get married yet? Be careful. Because once you start this process it is lengthy and time consuming along with fact that once he arrives in USA he has 90 days or less to make up his mind to propose and you get married. Just sounds odd he would not propose to get married to you first then file K1, hope it all works out somehow for you, good luck.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Tell the 'real' story. It doesn't sound like a scam at all but a very real situation that happens to real people. When you start to get into the attitude of 'falsifying' information for immigration purposes you are walking on very dangerous ground. They are experienced at sniffing out when something is 'wrong' or 'off' and may well suspect your 'made up story' and then start to question the validity of your relationship. If you are worried that they will question you, make sure it is for the truth that is much easier to defend than for something that is fabricated. Lying to immigration is also considered a valid reason for denial and imposing a ban on entry to the US. If your fiance goes along with this story, he is the one who will be banned and you will face a lot more difficult problems in the future. Don't worry about 'impressing' immigration with a traditional engagement story - the 'real' story is the one you want to tell and it is perfectly fine. Not everyone's plans to marry start with the bended knee proposal - some sort of slip into it as the obvious next step of the relationship by ways of mutual agreement. Immigration has seen it all. Listen to your fiance on this - he is right.

Of course - if you are concerned about having an 'official' engagement and he doesn't feel it is necessary to ask - why don't you propose to him? That is perfectly acceptable too. Then you would have your 'engagement' story.

Edited November 4, 2007 by Kathryn41

[chrisandamye 0]

It's not a matter of us not wanting to get married. We do, and have wanted to way before we thought of the K1 visa. We're just young and poor, so cant afford a wedding and a ring yet. With work, we're also too busy to even plan a wedding. We both agreed a long time ago that we wanted to be together forever. The difference in nationality is just pushing us to make are feelings articulated legally. I was just worried if we didnt have a engagement ring, on one knee story we would get denied the visa at the interview.

[pushbrk 12,881]

It's not a matter of us not wanting to get married. We do, and have wanted to way before we thought of the K1 visa. We're just young and poor, so cant afford a wedding and a ring yet. With work, we're also too busy to even plan a wedding. We both agreed a long time ago that we wanted to be together forever. The difference in nationality is just pushing us to make are feelings articulated legally. I was just worried if we didnt have a engagement ring, on one knee story we would get denied the visa at the interview.

You don't need an engagement story. You need proof you met in the last two years and more importantly, you need signed statements from each of you declaring your intent to marry within 90 days of the foreign fiance(e)'s US entry. You can leave out the romance and proposal story, even if there was one.

The signed statements pretty much negate the need for a proposal story. Intent is declared. Don't mistake the 90 days as some kind of trial period. If for some reason things don't work out, nobody is going to force you to marry but somebody has to go home.

"Marriage" and "Wedding" are not the same thing. You can "marry" at the courthouse or otherwise, simply and with little expense. Have a wedding or not, when you're ready.

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

You don't need a ring, and you dont need a "on one knee story" either. The CO didnt even ask my fiance a single question about getting engaged. Yes, each CO is different, but also each person and each culture is different. The way you choose to do it, is unique to you. So I say stick with the truth. Say you love each other, and finally felt the moment that you two want to be together and get married, and that you discussed it this way. There doesn't have to be an official ring or story to go along with it.

Follow your heart, and you'll be fine

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

It's not a matter of us not wanting to get married. We do, and have wanted to way before we thought of the K1 visa. We're just young and poor, so cant afford a wedding and a ring yet. With work, we're also too busy to even plan a wedding. We both agreed a long time ago that we wanted to be together forever. The difference in nationality is just pushing us to make are feelings articulated legally. I was just worried if we didnt have a engagement ring, on one knee story we would get denied the visa at the interview.

You don't need an engagement story. You need proof you met in the last two years and more importantly, you need signed statements from each of you declaring your intent to marry within 90 days of the foreign fiance(e)'s US entry. You can leave out the romance and proposal story, even if there was one.

The signed statements pretty much negate the need for a proposal story. Intent is declared. Don't mistake the 90 days as some kind of trial period. If for some reason things don't work out, nobody is going to force you to marry but somebody has to go home.

"Marriage" and "Wedding" are not the same thing. You can "marry" at the courthouse or otherwise, simply and with little expense. Have a wedding or not, when you're ready.

[pushbrk 12,881]

It's not a matter of us not wanting to get married. We do, and have wanted to way before we thought of the K1 visa. We're just young and poor, so cant afford a wedding and a ring yet. With work, we're also too busy to even plan a wedding. We both agreed a long time ago that we wanted to be together forever. The difference in nationality is just pushing us to make are feelings articulated legally. I was just worried if we didnt have a engagement ring, on one knee story we would get denied the visa at the interview.

You don't need an engagement story. You need proof you met in the last two years and more importantly, you need signed statements from each of you declaring your intent to marry within 90 days of the foreign fiance(e)'s US entry. You can leave out the romance and proposal story, even if there was one.

The signed statements pretty much negate the need for a proposal story. Intent is declared. Don't mistake the 90 days as some kind of trial period. If for some reason things don't work out, nobody is going to force you to marry but somebody has to go home.

"Marriage" and "Wedding" are not the same thing. You can "marry" at the courthouse or otherwise, simply and with little expense. Have a wedding or not, when you're ready.

Checking the timeline for the OP, I see they really are asking about the interview. Answer every question truthfully but you probably still don't need an engagement story.

[Tyler and Agus 1]

It's not a matter of us not wanting to get married. We do, and have wanted to way before we thought of the K1 visa. We're just young and poor, so cant afford a wedding and a ring yet. With work, we're also too busy to even plan a wedding. We both agreed a long time ago that we wanted to be together forever. The difference in nationality is just pushing us to make are feelings articulated legally. I was just worried if we didnt have a engagement ring, on one knee story we would get denied the visa at the interview.

You don't need an engagement story. You need proof you met in the last two years and more importantly, you need signed statements from each of you declaring your intent to marry within 90 days of the foreign fiance(e)'s US entry. You can leave out the romance and proposal story, even if there was one.

The signed statements pretty much negate the need for a proposal story. Intent is declared. Don't mistake the 90 days as some kind of trial period. If for some reason things don't work out, nobody is going to force you to marry but somebody has to go home.

"Marriage" and "Wedding" are not the same thing. You can "marry" at the courthouse or otherwise, simply and with little expense. Have a wedding or not, when you're ready.

We are in a similar situation... young and poor but just wanting to be together. There hasn't been an official proposal, there's no ring (yet), and when we do get married, it will be at a courthouse-- because it's more simple than that, right? Love does not necessitate big expensive rings and beachside proposals-- we are very certain that we want to spend the rest of our lives together and if this is how it must be done, then so be it. I think the important thing is that you know that you want to be together and that this entire process is just part of the journey. A journey that is long and expensive and a test to your patience. I have found, however, that going through this process, my fiancee and I have become stronger, more trusting, and more sure of our desire to be together than ever! The important thing is to follow the procedure and not get caught up in worries (which is hard to do, I know).

Best of luck to you two on your journey.

Edited November 4, 2007 by Tyler and Agus

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

We are in a similar situation... young and poor but just wanting to be together. There hasn't been an official proposal, there's no ring (yet), and when we do get married, it will be at a courthouse-- because it's more simple than that, right? Love does not necessitate big expensive rings and beachside proposals-- we are very certain that we want to spend the rest of our lives together and if this is how it must be done, then so be it. I think the important thing is that you know that you want to be together and that this entire process is just part of the journey. A journey that is long and expensive and a test to your patience. I have found, however, that going through this process, my fiancee and I have become stronger, more trusting, and more sure of our desire to be together than ever! The important thing is to follow the procedure and not get caught up in worries (which is hard to do, I know).

Best of luck to you two on your journey.

Fantastic answer...this is exactly it...there doesn't need to be big dramatic proposals...if two people want to be married, have talked about it and are sure...that's all you need to say.

[notebook 0]

it is always the best to say whats real...

If Love is real there's nothing to worry about your love story and all....its goin to be very obvious if one will just make up a story about something not even happened. specialy when its about "love" cuz love should come out naturally along with feelings..sometimes because of its overwhelming emotions we tend to speak our heart out the next thing u know ur tears are fallin while telling ur love story..if it happens dont be ashamed just be yourself and i guess try to just control it a lil and answer just the questions...not adding up or telling thewhole story...GOLDEN RULE: BE REAL and Be YOURSELF let GOD takes it to where it should be. BEST of LUCK to u and ALL of US...

[msu17 0]

I agree with telling the truth. I'm assuming you are going through the UK embassy, and they aren't a high fraud embassy. When my husband went to his K1 interview, they just asked him to tell them about me (only question regarding our relationship). No engagement story needed. Most people are done with the UK interview in like 5 minutes. If they ask about the engagement, just say there was nothing ever formal, you just decided to get married and plan on doing it within 90 days of entering the US. I think it would be sketchy if you guys lied and they caught it. Good luck, and dont worry about the interview too much.

[c2pirpal 0]

I agree with the other posts. Do not manufacture a story, if/when you get tripped up and get caught in a fabricated story. You both will be black listed in all their records, and it will follow you around the rest of your life. Good luck.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

100% always tell the real story. It is so much easier to tell the truth! The process is too heart aching and a royal pain to possibly botch up at the interview over a made up detail.