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What did you end up doing? I've went through the visa process in Cambodia and also our engagement ceremony and marriage were both in Cambodia.

Nice, sorry haven't updated. Wife passed her interview we're back in the states now.

Thank you, very kind words. 🙏

We got it this morning, she has her passport back in hand with an IR1 stamp and we're ready to go back soon. When her interview was over and I was watching her walk out the door of the Embassy, I gave a thumb up/down gesture, she gave thumbs up and it immediately felt like 50lb weights were taken off my shoulders at that exact moment. It was very emotional to know that our fight is over, we can sleep knowing that we have the rest of our time on this planet to wake up and see each other everyday, I don't fly home alone this time. Getting the visa in hand was what made us realize this is real and we can finally rest after years of battle. I think those here that have fought for years to have their significant other with them in their home country know the feeling of finally getting approval, but it's impossible to describe in words, I look my wife in the eyes and I'm filled with emotions never experienced before. I wake up and say thank you that we're finally allowed the same benefit every human should be. I'm sure it may sound sappy or even hard to understand for some who have had immediate approvals and never had to deal with K1/C-IR1 immigration for seven years. We never gave up we never questioned our love and we never stopped pushing to have our future together. I know I'm not the first and I won't be the last to feel like this, I hope life works out for every real couple out there fighting and they are also finally given the opportunity to rest their stress.

As one who has had two K1s denied, and Redro linking my posts, I wish so much that we did not waste time filing another K1 and just got married to file a CR1 back in 2019. The time spent apart was just not worth it.

Thanks, we did get it figured out. It's for in person pick up but it's at a different building and not the embassy itself.

Yeah I'll be happy to. I do have a question regarding the Traveldocs site, we're trying to fill it out how it asks per the instruction sheet she received. We got to the page where it asks for mailing address, is it asking for her address here in Cambodia or my address in the U.S? This is just for the Visa pickup at the consulate on the date she was given. So I wouldn't think it would be my U.S address, but it's asking for city, state, postal code.

My wife was approved this morning. This long arduous process is done, at least the parts dealing with the embassy and what not. 🥳😭 Still feeling shock, not yet reality.

That's just insane, it's always sad to hear just how ridiculous this whole process can be. Especially when they tell you they don't like a foreigner taking men away. Only in the immigration process can we humans be treated this way with no way to get any sort of over ruling on a decision. That's good to hear the IR1 was approved after the second time. I can imagine you felt the exact same way as I do now, during that time.

She does know everything and we do practice over video calls. It's not so much the questions vs the previous denial stuff that we worry about for them to just use that as an automatic denial. If there was something that came away from the denial it was giving us the opportunity to have the full Khmer style wedding in Cambodia. It was an amazing experience and memories we'll have forever. I remember leading what felt like the entire village down the street to her house where they had her waiting, I had to carry this big metal vase thing that got so heavy after about 15 minutes I could barely move my arms. I guess it was an offering the man brings to the home in exchange for the ladies hand in marriage. Much more memorable than the small wedding we had planned to do here in the states.

That's what neither of us could ever figure out. She told me all the questions they asked in both interviews, I wrote them down and her responses the same day so it was still fresh in her mind. Nothing stood out to me trying to look at the responses from an outside non bias viewpoint. She asked the consular woman why she was denied a second time at the end of the interview, she was told they don't believe it is real. I even went to the embassy in person on a visit and was given the run around when trying to speak with someone. I finally was sent an email the day before my flight left stating, the consular officer determined your fiance did not display adequate intent to marry in the U.S, the consul chief agreed with the finding. Every question was given a truthful correct response except one, who owns his apartment, she said, I don't know. In all honesty, I would have even had to look at my lease to know offhand which company owns my apartment if I was just randomly asked. Just seems like a dart at a wall to find one answer that was an I don't know so they could issue a 221g.

🤼‍♂️ I just need to word it in a way that comes from myself without sounding like an a hole or that I'm telling them how to do their job. Stern and to the point so they know we'll never back down. They should already be aware of that from the times they pushed us down and we keep getting back up.

For the time being in Cambodia, only the beneficiary is allowed inside the building, allowed one person if a minor child or person with disability. So I do have to wait outside. They used to allow the petitioner inside from the consulate reviews I've read. Unfortunately they changed it now. Good idea, I was debating what to write from @Family suggestion.

I wholly appreciate your optimism and straight to the point no bs way of getting across what you're saying. We'll know the outcome in around a week and a half.

Of course I'm upset, angry with the way the current system is, trying to stay positive while having stress is tough. Avoiding getting in to the political side, I'll just say we all are fully aware of what is happening on the borders currently, we're all not blind to it. And while it's on us to affirm our legitimacy, it still feels like a punch to the gut when you fight for so long and see what is happening. While I would love to give my worded feelings to them, would it really help anything?, The stress is already enough on a daily basis and I try to stay as positive as I can just for the mental health side of things and to stay strong for my wife. But I'd be wholly dishonest if I said I'm never angry about the situation, I think I'm most upset about the time that is gone. She never got to meet my father in person before he passed away, there is just things in life that happen that we can not control, it's time that you can not replace. In cases of immigration, it can be years. And many here have dealt with it the same as I have. It's sad as born citizen when I've already had to tell my job that if she is denied, that I'll be back to tie up loose ends, sell my belongings, put my two weeks in and give up my citizenship just so my wife and I can begin our family together. Sorry, I guess you can see with that last paragraph, that I do have some frustration inside about the immigration process.

Two visits prior to marriage, about a month and a half total in 2018 and 2019. They had the covid lockdown from 2020 until 2022 when Cambodia reopened to tourists. Marriage visit was an entire month in 2022, went when Covid was still affecting everything, and quarantines were still commonplace. But we wanted to get married and decided it was worth the risk, 2023 I should have visited but I was saving my vacation for the interview which we thought would be before year end since we got DQ in Nov 2023. Total time around 3 months to date and I'll be there for another month, leaving next week. Besides staying together during this entire process we've dealt with, it's the personal things that show me her love is real and to me those are irreplaceable. She could of left anytime after the first or second denial, the lockdown period when we didn't know what would happen or when the world would essentially reopen. But we stayed together strong the entire time. If that's what you're asking about in a way.

Thanks. Was fine most of the time after submitting, now that we're just a few weeks away from a decision, the stress and self questioning if we have enough, has been eating at me. I personally think it's just worse with the two previous K1 denials, so I'm stuck with that doubt of is anything enough? Crossing fingers the nearly decade long fight to be together is over. 🤞

As some are aware from past posts over the years, my now wife and I have had 2 K1s denied at embassy level and are now a short time away from her IR1 interview. One K1 was focusing on her family here with a generic 221g and the second was me being told by email from the embassy she did not show adequate intent to marry in the U.S. Questions are basically for brevity and peace of mind, since I'm leaving in a week to go over and be there during the interview period, I know I can't go inside, but she'll have my passport. What if any, of the previous K1 denial factors can be used as a basis of judgment on the IR1? IR1 as we have passed two years of marriage when she will enter the U.S. They focused on her sister/aunt her in the first denial, since we are doing a spousal immediate relative Visa, this should no longer have any bearing correct? And the second was not believing intent to marry, which we overcame through a marriage in her country. I guess I'm just asking since we've been fighting this process since 2018 as my mind always feels like we never have enough to show them our legitimacy. 401k beneficiary Life insurance beneficiary Joint credit card she uses Letters from employer about adding to health insurance on her arrival Less impact but have none the less Notarized letters from my family stating awareness of our marriage/relationship Proof of visits and consistent daily video communication I'm not sure honestly what else can be done to show we are legitimate of the worst happens. But I have come to terms of knowing I will give up U.S citizenship if I have to, to be with her and start our family.

Thanks, I'll update once it's over. Crossing our fingers for a good outcome this time. There has not been any new Phnom Penh embassy reviews for a long time. Are you part of any other socialgroups, facebook groups etc? My wife is in one on facebook, but they all message in Khmer so I can only understand small pieces until she translates for me. But they give good information there too. Since it's Cambodia specific.

I talked to my employer, they gave me a signed letter from HR that she will be added upon arrival, because ours usually only allows changes due to life change events, like a marriage. But she is not here in the U.S yet, so I sent a letter along with my I130 that states she will be added when she arrives here.

Do you have all your paperwork ready to go? I won't be able to go inside with my wife but I'm giving her my passport to bring in to show I'm in the country. Have a good amount of proof so I hope it's just an easy in and out approval.

What was your DQ date? I'm in the U.S and the email came around 1am my time.

We also got email for early April interview.

Let us know when you hear a date.

Still nothing, according to a few in a Facebook message group, some are waiting over 5 months now since DQ.