Nigeria to USA

[Alicia & Ken 0]

If you get married to a US citizen in a foreign country, say Nigeria, and have a US visitors visa, can you go to the US with your spouse after filing for the spousal visa to wait for approval? Will the foreign spouse have to go back to the country of Origin?

[EOC 440]

I belief the foreign spouse has multiple B1/B2 entries, but you can't stay more than 6months on each visit. The question is will the i-130 get approved before your 6months stay elapse?

And yes the foreign spouse have to go back to his country for the interview.

[dwheels76 5,460]

If you get married to a US citizen in a foreign country, say Nigeria, and have a US visitors visa, can you go to the US with your spouse after filing for the spousal visa to wait for approval? Will the foreign spouse have to go back to the country of Origin?

You can stay as long as the stamp at POE allows some get a few months lucky ones get 6 months no more. You would file in US and yes you would have to return. You can come back during the process but coming from Nigeria once you file I doubt you would be let back in. But maybe since you already have proved you can be trusted.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

IF you show up with a USC spouse and no proof that you intend on going return to Nigeria you will probably be denied and sent home. Just because you are married you will need more proof that you intend to visit and not stay now.

[Alicia & Ken 0]

So I have been communicating with a man in Nigeria for about 3 months. We talk and text everyday and skype on the weekend. We are in our 30s ...old enough to know what we want and ready to settle down. I really want him to come visit me in the US to meet my friends and family (I have a son). According to him the process is tedious and he will more than likely be denied the visa wasting time and money. Then he is worried that having a denied visa will look bad if/when we apply for K-1 or I-130. He wants me to go there and if all goes well get engaged at that time. Getting engaged to someone who has not met my family in person seems crazy! Then we have to wait 6 plus months for a k-1 visa and get married as soon as he gets here! No matter what I do want to visit him in Nigeria but I really want him to come here first then I'll go to him and we can get legally married in Nigeria. Then we could bypass k-1 and just file I-130! While we are waiting we can plan a wedding in the US. If the I-130 takes too long he can come visit again! Am I delusional? Any advice/tips would be helpful!

Thanks!

[dwheels76 5,460]

So I have been communicating with a man in Nigeria for about 3 months. We talk and text everyday and skype on the weekend. We are in our 30s ...old enough to know what we want and ready to settle down. I really want him to come visit me in the US to meet my friends and family (I have a son). According to him the process is tedious and he will more than likely be denied the visa wasting time and money. Then he is worried that having a denied visa will look bad if/when we apply for K-1 or I-130. He wants me to go there and if all goes well get engaged at that time. Getting engaged to someone who has not met my family in person seems crazy! Then we have to wait 6 plus months for a k-1 visa and get married as soon as he gets here! No matter what I do want to visit him in Nigeria but I really want him to come here first then I'll go to him and we can get legally married in Nigeria. Then we could bypass k-1 and just file I-130! While we are waiting we can plan a wedding in the US. If the I-130 takes too long he can come visit again! Am I delusional? Any advice/tips would be helpful!

Thanks!

All he can do is apply its $160. Showing strong ties to Nigeria and every reason why he would return after visit. A denial no would not look bad. Why would it look bad him trying to come visit you.He should try

[EOC 440]

So I have been communicating with a man in Nigeria for about 3 months. We talk and text everyday and skype on the weekend. We are in our 30s ...old enough to know what we want and ready to settle down. I really want him to come visit me in the US to meet my friends and family (I have a son). According to him the process is tedious and he will more than likely be denied the visa wasting time and money. Then he is worried that having a denied visa will look bad if/when we apply for K-1 or I-130. He wants me to go there and if all goes well get engaged at that time. Getting engaged to someone who has not met my family in person seems crazy! Then we have to wait 6 plus months for a k-1 visa and get married as soon as he gets here! No matter what I do want to visit him in Nigeria but I really want him to come here first then I'll go to him and we can get legally married in Nigeria. Then we could bypass k-1 and just file I-130! While we are waiting we can plan a wedding in the US. If the I-130 takes too long he can come visit again! Am I delusional? Any advice/tips would be helpful!

Thanks!

Yeah he can give it a try, its a 50/50 chance. Considering Nigeria as a high fraud country, he might be denied if there's no STRONG tie to Nigeria, CO might think his not coming back. Why not try to visit him and spend sometime with him in Nigeria and see if its really what you want, then you can file for K1 visa for him and he can get to meet your family in U.S before the marriage.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

He has about a 2% chance of getting a visitors visa. The CO is required to assume he wants to violate it and stay and coming here to meet his online girl is a big red flag. Most people wanting to meet Nigerians are going to end up being the one doing the travelling. If it is important for him to meet your family before marriage then a second trip to Africa after you meet with family may be needed to cover that. What would be his strong ties to Nigeria if he is wanting to marry you and move here ?

[EOC 440]

He has about a 2% chance of getting a visitors visa. The CO is required to assume he wants to violate it and stay and coming here to meet his online girl is a big red flag. Most people wanting to meet Nigerians are going to end up being the one doing the travelling. If it is important for him to meet your family before marriage then a second trip to Africa after you meet with family may be needed to cover that. What would be his strong ties to Nigeria if he is wanting to marry you and move here ?

100 likes for your comment. You just hit the nail on the head.

[Alicia & Ken 0]

Uhg nothing really : ( Just the fact that we know the rules and plan to follow them. I guess me saying I promise to play by the rules and send him back isn't enough huh? I've only been to Mexico so I'm nervous about flying to another country alone!

[MacUK 983]

Uhg nothing really : ( Just the fact that we know the rules and plan to follow them. I guess me saying I promise to play by the rules and send him back isn't enough huh? I've only been to Mexico so I'm nervous about flying to another country alone!

Unfortunately the COs are required by law to presume that no-one asking for a visa will 'play by the rules'.

It is up to the applicant to show that they have stronger reasons to go home than to stay illegally and I'm sorry to say that too many of your fellas countrymen/women haven't played by the rules so thanks to their actions people like your chap have more to prove than someone from a low fraud country.

Frankly, you're better off going to him.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Flying to another country is different, it can be safe or it could be hell. One thing is to prepare for the worst that way everything is better than that. Depending on the relative wealth of his family the trip can be quite first class or like a really bad camping trip. But unless you are will to accept and understand his culture your chance for long term success is near zero. Culture is a very important thing and it shapes what they are no matter how much they claim otherwise.

[EOC 440]

Uhg nothing really : ( Just the fact that we know the rules and plan to follow them. I guess me saying I promise to play by the rules and send him back isn't enough huh? I've only been to Mexico so I'm nervous about flying to another country alone!

Applicants have said more reassuring words than that and yet they still violate the terms of the visa.

If you really want to meet him then you should be willingly to take the risk. Life itself is all about risk.

[christeen 966]

It does not sound likely that he would get a visa... However, might I just ask yo to please read some of the issues and histories associated with the Lagos consulate.... 3 months is a SUPER short time to even be considering marriage (even for someone in their 30s) especially when dealing with a completly different culture... plus there will be issues which arise that are particular to Lagos regarding women past child bearing age... Just saying, prepare yourself...

I agree with others that you need to plan for a trip to Nigeria... There is great insight here on VJ from others who have taken that journey...

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

It does not sound likely that he would get a visa... However, might I just ask yo to please read some of the issues and histories associated with the Lagos consulate.... 3 months is a SUPER short time to even be considering marriage (even for someone in their 30s) especially when dealing with a completly different culture... plus there will be issues which arise that are particular to Lagos regarding women past child bearing age... Just saying, prepare yourself...

I agree with others that you need to plan for a trip to Nigeria... There is great insight here on VJ from others who have taken that journey...

Hmm I was still in the "child bearing" bracket in my 30's Has the world changed that much