ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaThis Is Happening!
I got a call from by fiance today telling me we have our interview in Casablanca on September 6th!!!!!!!!!!!! We're both so excited.... I can't even see straight I'm so happy!!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-07-27 08:09:00
Middle East and North AfricaNOA2

Thank You everybody!!!

I wish I can know that but we are going to wait for the NVC and then packet 3 so I am hoping we get the interview date a week before I leave to go see her :) if not I will be staying longer :blush:


Hopefully you'll be able to have your interview while you're there!! That said, and I don't mean to put a damper on your hopes but I feel you might (or might not--who knows) benefit from reading my observations, so here goes:

CSC may be processing petitions at a much faster rate than VSC, but they're taking significantly longer to send them to NVC. I've personally noticed an increased volume of cases from CSC taking upwards of a month or even 5 weeks just to arrive at NVC. I've also noticed recently that several VJers have complained about longer than normal processing times at NVC (though I didn't witness this personally... ours took less than a week from NVC receipt to mailing to consulate). I also noticed that you, like my fiance and I are subject to the Casablanca consulate. Our case was received Monday of last week (July 23rd), and though our original interview date was set for September 6th, it has been moved out to September 24th. All this doesn't necessarily mean you're out of luck... after all, your case is different from ours (purely on the "no two cases are the same" premise). But if I were to make an educated guess as to when, roughly, you might expect an interview, I'd say you're probably looking at mid-October or thereabout. All that said, I do hope that your process goes more smoothly than ours appears to be going. If your interview happens before the 24th, I hope you'll share all the gory details..... and best of luck to you both!!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-03 20:08:00
Middle East and North AfricaNOA2
Nice! Congrats to you both!!! So when's the interview?
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-02 13:39:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change
That's true, but Ramadan and Eid will be finished by September. Though the student visa thing's an excellent point!!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-06 23:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change
ewww... so when is your interview, then? ours is still the 24th... no word yet. :(
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-06 20:39:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change

Hi Linds&Youssef, the same thing happend to us today. We had our interview date.. I have my ticket to go and bam.. the date is changed to 20 days later... The Moroccan man who called my fiance to tell him told him something about the CO taking vacation. He was also sent an email that we responded with a request to please retain the original appointment if possible... we'll see what they say. ;)



When was your interview originally scheduled to happen before they changed it? And what did they change it to, if you don't mind my asking...?
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-04 14:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change
Sorry about that, Ryan H, I thought I was posting in the Morocco/MENA forum... :blush:
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-04 14:02:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change

Can you just change the travel date and pay the fee? I had to do that once...



Yes, I could, but I'd also have to shorten my trip by 4 days because of the way my PTO works out (currently my travel spans Labor Day Weekend). I mean, if it comes down to that I'll do what I have to do... it's just really an inconvenience and a point of frustration... that's all. So yes, thanks for the suggestion; that's what I'll do if they won't work with us on the date. I'm just sort of blown away that some people seem to get their interview dates moved for random BS reasons, and yet I'm getting responses saying they won't change it just because I already spent $1,600 on a plane ticket (after waiting for written verification of the interview date). Thanks again for your support, you're always so helpful! :D



You won't be allowed to go into the interview with your spouse. They will not change it back.



Although there is one documented case where the Casa consulate allowed the petitioner to come into the K-1 interview (and it actually made the difference in the couple receiving the visa),I know that, in general, they won't let the petitioner into the interview. On the other hand, they do frequently ask why the petitioner didn't come with them to the interview (from what I've read), and they've been known to verify responses to this question by sending officers out of the consulate to "check up" on what the beneficiary says. These are two reasons I want to be present for the interview (if even just to wait across the street at the cafe). But more importantly this is a life-changing moment, and I want to be there because the boost in his confidence will show through in his interview, and as his partner I want to be present as a show of support to him.

Untrue....there have been couples who have had their interviews changed back to the original date. A very close friend here had theirs changed back by simplying emailing the consulate.

Also, I believe the OP is just stating she wants to be with her fiancé during the time of his interview, she is not stating about going to the interview with him.



Can I get an Amen... :P :innocent:
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-03 22:27:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change

I don't think it is being smart to buy anything remotely close to a ticket because you do not know the outcome of the interview, you could could be in A/P, they may request new documents or even denying your visa. Now I know that we are all waiting for the same "outcome" approval for our love one but I would suggest you cancel the ticket if you can still get a refund unless it is for you to visit your partner. Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself this is just a mistake and I pray that things do work out for you.



Just for clarification, I bought the plane ticket to be present for the interview... not for him to come to the US. And I didn't buy it until I had a formal statement of the interview date in writing from the consulate...

So in light of my clarification (see above), I'm looking to find out if it'd be possible to get them to change back to the original interview date so that I can be present for it! Any takers?
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-03 21:33:00
Middle East and North AfricaInterview Date Change
We received notice today via email from the Casablanca consulate saying that our K-1 interview that was originally set for September 6th, has been changed to September 24th (without us requesting a change of date). Has anyone experienced this? Is there any way to get it changed back? I had already purchased a plane ticket based around the original interview date (I thought I was being smart by waiting until the interview date was issued...) :angry:
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-08-03 21:09:00
Middle East and North AfricaZyzz Needs a little help please.
we paid in MAD.... it was 2136 dirhams this past wednesday... but you'll want to check the current exchange rate on the day of the interview.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-07 16:24:00
Middle East and North AfricaZyzz Needs a little help please.
hey zzyzz,

you need to fill out all the documents they sent in your packet, and bring them with the appointment letter and your $240 (unless your letter says a different amount, but this is what we had to take on this past Wednesday). You'll also need the affidavit of support document, 3 years of tax documents--i recommend tax transcripts directly from the IRS because then you don't have to send w-2's, a letter from her employer stating what her job and income are, how long she's worked there, and as many paycheck stubs as she can find (we attached 13 months' worth). I've seen several people say that the Casa consulat requires the I-864 as the affidvait of support doc, but houbi only had to give them the I-134 with the above listed supporting evidence. We made 2 separate files (one with all the official documents and one with evidence of our relationship). In the evidence file, I recommend you include all evidence you sent with your original dossier (you never know what they've lost in the process of sending your case from office to office), evidence you've accumulated since sending your original packet, and updated letters of intent. If you can have letters written on your side by friends and family that'll be helpful. EVERYTHING must be translated into English and certified as an official translation. Good luck!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-07 06:07:00
Middle East and North AfricaWe Got the VISA!!!
Today we went and picked up our K-1 fiance visa from the Casablanca US Consulate... it's official... houbi's coming to America!! He'll probably be here in November. For any who are interested, I just posted a pretty detailed review in the Casa Consulate review section. Feel free to ask questions if there's something I haven't covered. Best of luck to you all!!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-07 20:01:00
Middle East and North AfricaLesson Well Learned
In my opinion, the questions you thought were hard are questions to which you should know the answers if your relationship is legitimate. I don't believe you'd have been issued a 221g just for wrong paperwork. They'd have told you to bring the correct forms in before they can finalize processing your application. It sounds to me like you've received the 221g because the CO didn't believe in the legitimacy of your relationship. My guess is you won't get another interview for quite some time.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-26 12:37:00
Middle East and North AfricaCarrying cash when traveling
Thanks! Hamigirl did you have that experience personally? If so, were you/your fiance traveling through Rabat, by any chance?
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-25 19:19:00
Middle East and North AfricaCarrying cash when traveling
I'm wondering if anyone can speak to whether houbi will have problems (as a Moroccan citizen) trying to leave the country via the airport in Rabat with a couple thousand dollars in cash....?? This is for when he comes over to the US. Thanks in advance!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-24 22:59:00
Middle East and North AfricaAPPROVED!!!! So excited :D
congrats again, lady! Now update your timeline!!!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-10-15 21:55:00
Middle East and North AfricaTop 10 TRICKY QUESTIONS???

I dunno... but there are quite a few VJers who had their interviews in other-than-English because that was their common language with their SO (even from this forum) and they came through successfully. I can't recall any cases where questions were asked about how well they would assimilate due to non-English skills. Maybe the consulate was making sure you guys weren't using language software or something in your correspondence ?


I suppose that could be the case, but we use a mixture of about three different languages (mostly French) with a whole lot of abbreviations and things only he and I together understand very easily. All you have to do is look at what's written to know there's absolutely no way in the world that a translator system could come up with the things we write. Plus there's video footage of us communicating together, and a plethora of other communcation-based evidence that they could've used to verify that we can communicate. I'm not saying that communication between the couple isn't a reason for conducting an interview in English; I'm saying there are probably other reasons for it, too. And it may be as simple as the interviewer not being well versed in other languages--we got the impression he was new to the post, anyway.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-09 20:21:00
Middle East and North AfricaTop 10 TRICKY QUESTIONS???

Good advice ! :thumbs:

One thing I would like to clarify, though - the part about speaking in English is not to show how well he might be able assimilate into the U.S.; it's about proving that he and his fiance can communicate in a common language (which is a huge part of proving valid relationship.)

The "common language" does not have to be English, but if his fiancee does not speak Arabic or any other second language in common with him, then he would have to show that he speaks English well enough to convince the consulate that he can indeed communicate with his fiancee in a normal spoken manner.

Presenting a lot of written correspondence in English as evidence, but then having difficulty in the interview conducted in spoken English may be considered a red flag. The consulates are well aware that it's not so difficult to fake one's way through written English correspondence( using translate software or even bilingual friends to help) and have been known to refuse to approve cases on those grounds.


Fair point, but I assumed that was the reason because houbi and I both speak French (him fluently, and me at least proficiently) and they still had him do the interview in English (even though all our proof shows we communicate for the vast majority of the time in french). Maybe it's a bit of both....?
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-07 16:27:00
Middle East and North AfricaTop 10 TRICKY QUESTIONS???
zzyzz, don't worry... the interview's not necessarily going to be terrible. Yes, the officers are trained to find fraud within visa application cases, but they're not unfair. Everything you need to know you should already know about your fiance. Go in with confidence and just don't stop talking. And by all means, make sure you tell them the truth!! Once you've answered their direct question, continue to show them what you know by expanding on your answer with a story. This will give them ideas of other questions that will come from your stories. They're more likely to treat the interview as a conversation if you do it this way. It also helps if you can let them know that you've discussed serious topics as a couple (like religion, children, relationship dynamics, etc,) and not just "oh habibi/habibati, I love you until my dying breath". And try to speak in English so they can see that you'll be able to assimmilate into America with fewer problems than if you didn't speak any English at all. They'll ask things like how you met, who first contacted whom, how many times she's visited you, her hobbies, what you two like to do together, about her family/work/school/pets, where you'll live/what you'll do for work, etc. They only asked houbi about 6 or 8 questions, and it was more like a conversation for about 25 minutes or so. But the K-1 visa interviews are usually last. So when you get there at 7:45 or whatever and go in at 8a, you should be prepared to not have your interview until almost 12p. Good luck!!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-09-07 06:32:00
Middle East and North Africajob in morocco :)
Just pointing out facts: nowhere in this job description does it specifically state that the person is responsible for uncovering fraudulent relationships. After thorough reading, it looks like the position is responsible for detecting fraudulent documents related to all kinds of visas and to monitor and report on trends. They're looking for fake passports/medical records/police reports/education documents/etc. I seriously doubt they're hiring people to look this much more deeply into fiance/marriage visa cases in particular. Let's not all get psyched out over this. Just sayin'
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-11-01 19:17:00
Middle East and North AfricaProof from past I-129f available to consular at marriage interview?
No idea, but if you find out, I'd love to know the answer to this, too!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-10-23 21:53:00
Middle East and North AfricaI got a call from consulate
This seems like the exact same question I just answered last week... I explicitly listed out the reasons one can get denied a K-1 petition. Just because you ask the question in different words doesn't mean you'll get a different answer. My statement to you was, based on the form you shared with us last week, the reason had to either be because they think you could be a threat to the US government or its citizens, or that they don't believe your relationship is legitimate. Since i don't know your entire story, I'm going to base my assessment on what I've seen you write on VJ.com. Again, only you can know for sure what your situation is, but to me it looks like they think you're only after a green card, and that your relationship isn't legitimate. You've given them plenty of reasons to think this, based only on what you've shared here on VJ.com (not including what you haven't shared with us here on the site). Some of these include:
  • staring at the CO's breasts during interview
  • having a significant age gap between you and your SO
  • her being outside of child-baring age range (I think that you said this is the case, anyway)
  • the fact that you're clearly much more interested in applying for this visa than she is in helping you apply
  • The apparent disinterest that is shown by you to your SO
  • These are just the ones I can think of off of the top of my head.

I'm not saying your relationship isn't legit (there's no way for me to know that). But based on what I know of your case, I'm not convinced you've got the real thing, and I'm not even trained to ferret out fake relationships. Just sayin'
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-11-05 13:45:00
Middle East and North AfricaI got an email from consulate.
Zagray, you can do a bit of deductive reasoning on the letter the Consulate sent you. There are only a handful of reasons you can be denied a fiance visa:

*you have a communicable disease
*you run the risk of becoming a burden on the US government
*you've been found guilty of a heinous crime (murder, rape, human trafficking, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, racketeering, etc.)
*you are associated with a known terrorist organization or you appear to intend harm to the citizens or government of the US
*your relationship is not (or appears not to be) legitimate

Since the document you received doesn't have check marks next to the ones about communicable disease or becoming a burden on the US government, I'd have to assume that they either found something in your background that makes them think you wouldn't be a law-abiding resident or that your relationship is fake. Only you know your history. I can't answer for you what the problem is because it's something only you know. If you don't have a criminal record of any kind and you don't appear to have potential for terrorist acts, then I'd say the problem lies in the appearance (or lack thereof) of a legitimate fiance(e) relationship. If that's the case, then you will need to find more convincing evidence of your relationship's sincerity before applying again. Otherwise, the others are right: you'll just be denied all over again.

On another note, it does seem somewhat suspicious that your fiancee doesn't appear interested in taking this process seriously enough to do her own research.... perhaps that, in itself, is a red flag? Hope this helps...
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-11-02 17:51:00
Middle East and North AfricaMorocco question?
Just to add my two cents: on the communication thing, the CO doesn't just want to see that you CAN communicate with each other, but that you do communicate about important things... i.e. religion, kids, money management, things that real couples discuss. Through discussions like this is how couples learn about each other. Therefore the questions they ask at the interview are only relevant to an extent. The CO in the interview may ask only a few questions and give your fiancé an experience more like a conversation with a new friend, they may drill your fiancé with all kinds of questions he couldn't possibly know the answers to, or anything in between. It all depends on the demeanor of your fiancé during the interview. Best bet is for fiancé to be confident, completely honest, and to just keep talking. Talk the CO's ear off. If he doesn't know the answer to a question, he should own it and move on by substituting with something related that he DOES know.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2013-01-23 19:44:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHELP!!!!! Second time to do this and sick of the waiting
Sorry, I'm a little confused. I was trying to find your timeline so I could get a better understanding of where you are in the process and what your background story is. Is this already somewhere on the site, or could you please share? I know there are tons of people on here who'd love to help!

LP
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-01-28 22:39:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedureswhat i can do if i got denied
Responding specifically to the question of age difference in MENA countries: whether you'll have children together as a married couple in these countries is pretty much not a question--it's an expectation. It's highly unusual that a married couple in this culture would not have them and propagate the family line. So when a young man who has no children and who is from a high-fraud country (especially when taking money from his female counterpart when this goes against the cultural norm), professes his love for a woman who is not just 20 years his senior but who is no longer in the range of child-baring years, it raises a gigantic red flag. This is partially because of the idea that the man may want to perpetuate his family blood line, but even if that's not the case it's basically what's expected. Hope this helps.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-04-14 13:27:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAFFIDAVITS FROM FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
Divs is correct as to what document sets go where; I just want to add that it'd be very helpful if the friends and family who provide your notarized affidavits would write about the legitimacy of your relationship from their first-hand knowledge, rather than just signing a sworn statement that it's legit. They should explain how they know it's legitimate. If the originals aren't in English, they should be translated and notarized, too. If you're including sets from the beneficiary's side, too, same goes. I know it can be difficult and/or pricey to get documents notarized in Morocco, so just thought I'd let you know that "legalized" documents work just as well. Good luck!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-04-14 14:09:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresthis is our cover letter is it ok???
No worries! I've just had so many conversations with my attorney about people whose cases get denied because they only send the minimum information required and forget that the consular officer's job is to assume your relationship is not legitimate until you can convince them beyond doubt that it is in fact a real one that's not based on a green card (particularly in high fraud countries, which includes basically anywhere in the MENA and Soviet Block countries to name a few).
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-05-20 19:26:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresthis is our cover letter is it ok???
I just saw the part about evidence of a bonafide marriage (excuse my last post about saying you intend to marry--you can leave that part off, but the rest of it's sound advice... and in fact you should each write one and have them both notarized). If you can get notarized statements from friends and family on both sides attesting first-hand to the legitimacy of your relationship, this is strong evidence. It also helps, being that we're talking about Morocco here, if the beneficiary's family writes that they approve of your relationship. Otherwise, the following are good evidence, and you should include as wide a range as possible. It's not necessary to include everything you have from each one, just a sampling that shows some breadth of time:
*phone records
*chat logs
*facebook posts between the two of you, you and his friends/family, him and your friends/family
*photos together (time stamped if possible)
*evidence of travel to and from his home or from his to visit you (within past two years)
*bills, letters, bank statements, addressed to the both of you together
*evidence of shared property (bank accounts, homes, vehicles, etc.)
*I also sent a sampling of emails along with a snapshot of the file box showing an index of his emails to me (I keep them in a separate folder), and mine to him (separate folder, too). This way, the consulate can see how frequently you communicate by the time stamp on the send/receive date of the emails.
*I don't know if they'll review it, but I even posted videos of us together on a private page on YouTube and gave instructions on how to access it and a quick summary paragraph of what to expect to see.

Again, it's not necessary to send 600 pages of phone records or copies of every single photo you have together. Just enough to show the progression of a relationship over time. For example, I sent phone records for the entire month with phone calls between us highlighted. I sent 3-4 per year (i.e. for the year 2011, I sent Feb., May, August, Nov.) Emails, I sent 15 or 20 and the index of the folders where I keep emails I send him and one of emails he sent me so they can see how frequently we communicate. I only sent about 20 photos and about 10 screen captures of facebook interaction. I also sent copies of ticket stubs, itineraries, and flight confirmations. Letters from each of you describing your relationship (notarized) are very helpful, and the more people who are willing to attest in a notarized letter to your legit relationship (and how they know it's legit) the better!! Hope this helps. Feel free to message me if you need clarification.

Good luck!

L&Y
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-05-19 00:21:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresthis is our cover letter is it ok???
You should also include a letter explaining your relationship (how/when/where you met, things about you as a couple that reflect the fact that you have a bonafide relationship, whether you've discussed the issues that could come between you as a couple (significant differences in culture, language, religion, age, beliefs, etc.). This letter should also state explicitly that you intent to marry your fiance within 90 days of his arrival into the US. The letter should probably also state something similar to the following at the end: "I swear under penalty of perjury that the above statement and included information is true and accurate." This should be signed and notarized.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-05-19 00:07:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedurestax return
The rule is that the petitioner must earn at least 125% of the national poverty income rate, according to number in the household (including the applicant), in order to qualify to fill out the affidavit of support. Although her current income will be considered, the fact that she claimed $0 income in 2011 and well below the poverty line in 2010 means that she is currently unable to prove that her ability to earn the minimum income is stable. Since she can't prove that she's got financial stability in her life, you'll need a co-sponsor. After all, the whole reason to have an affidavit of support is to show that you have access to financial resources that will keep you from becoming a financial burden on the US government. Although she has a job now, nothing is guaranteed (especially in this economy), and her history doesn't exactly fill one with confidence that she'll have you covered if her current job doesn't last. Sorry if I sound harsh, just trying to explain the reality of the situation... hopefully it'll save you the trouble of having to take extra steps on the back end that cause you to wait longer.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-06-07 00:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresexpired documents befor the interview date
My understanding is that police reports are specifically for the interview, so you didn't need them for the petition, but you will need them (current versions) for the interview. Does anyone have experience to the contrary with regard to this?
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-06-07 00:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresRFE Text today
It looks to me like they might've seen a couple of red flags... you listed proof of financial transactions. Does this mean proof of money sent to the beneficiary by the petitioner? If so, that's suspect for any high fraud consulate (though I don't know if yours is one since you haven't listed where you're case is from/for). Also, it doesn't sound like you sent much to support the legitimacy of your relationship. You have to keep in mind that the CO who reviews your file is looking at it from the perspective that your relationship is false, until you've given them irrefutable evidence that it's real. Have you sent them evidence that shows the length of your relationship? How your families feel about your marriage? friends/family memebers' accounts of your relationship being real (and how they know--do they see you together, etc.) A handful of pictures and chat logs isn't much evidence to prove that you're actually a couple. And depending on which consulate you're dealing with, this can completely make or break your case.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-06-24 14:43:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresHelp!!!!!
I'm hoping someone can clarify this for me... I thought that the NVC only used the documents provided in the original petition packet. If they need both the police record and the court record, wouldn't cases get RFEs from the VSC or CSC before even reaching the NVC? And then, wouldn't it be the Consulate in Casa that would require the updated court/police records for the interview (and thus again, not the NVC)?? Am I missing something here??
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-07-13 19:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduressome questions about NVC timeline
They told me our case was in "administrative processing" at the NVC and there was no time frame associated with that (even though they don't do extensive administrative reviews at this stage of the game). Even with that said, our case passed through NVC and was received by the consulate within 2 weeks. Hope this helps.
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-11-01 19:36:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresPetition Doubts - Your Input Requested Please
If you're from Canada as your emblem suggests, then you might consult an immigration attorney. I was talking to mine last Friday when he mentioned in passing that Canadians technically don't require a visa to come to the US. I'm telling you to consult a lawyer because I might've misunderstood or there may be certain restrictions. But it's certainly worth looking into if you haven't already! Best of luck!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-01-26 01:19:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan this be a red flag?
My understanding is that age difference is only a problem when it goes against the beneficiary's cultural norms. For example, in Morocco (where my fiance is from) having children is a very important part of a relationship and is considered something not to be overlooked. It would be considered very unusual for a Moroccan man to "be okay with" not having children of his own one day. This is part of his cultural upbringing and, I believe, an important part of his religion as well. As such, when young Moroccan men (low to mid 30's in age) are willing to marry a woman who's pushing 50, that's a red flag because she can't have children and it seems unlikely to an outsider that a Moroccan man would start a relationship with someone who will never be able to bare him children. I don't know what it's like in Nigeria, but I'd think that your age difference isn't great enough to cause concern regardless of your nationality, but the fact that you're in UK helps even more, IMO.

Best of luck!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-01-22 01:51:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & Proceduresaffidavit of support question
I know at the consular office in my fiance's country (Morocco), they've required both the I-134 and the I-864, along with the appropriate tax documents during the interview in several cases. So my thoughts are that it can't hurt to have all of these things already put together and in your fiance's possession before the interview, just in case. If you don't need all of them at that time, then you're already prepared for when you do need them. But better to have them a little early than to not have what they want to see during the interview and have your process delayed... Best of luck to you both!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-02-19 13:24:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresDidn't submit a letter of intent

It's kinda funny, I have only read about negative experience from people who use an attorney for K-1.
You still have to fill out the forms and gather the evidences yourself anyway, so why pay 5000$ for a glorified secretary to mail the packet for you.
You should get your money back tbh.

Oh and don't worry too much, even if you get RFE, it will probably set you back 2-3 weeks only



IMHO, it depends completely on the attorney you use. I'm having a fantastic experience with my attorney, and I'm only paying about $2,600 for him to help me through the entire process, from collecting evidence through AOS. It sounds like the problem isn't that people are using immigration attorneys, but more directly the problem is that they're expecting the fact that they have an attorney to take the place of being informed about the process and about the reputation of the specific attorney that they hire. So along with the advice of contacting your state's Bar Association to find out how to go about recouping your money, you might do some checking into lawyers' reputations (even interview a few of them--after learning enough about the visa process to know what questions to ask--before deciding which to use), and ask the state Bar Association if you could have your fees transferred to the new attorney. Just a thought. Best of luck!
Linds&YoussefFemaleMorocco2012-02-19 13:01:00