Applying for K1 visa

[Mzlin35 51]

Hello!

I am a U.S. citizen and my fiance is in Nigeria. We will meet for the first time in September and be spending 10 days together. I was hoping to start the k1 visa process on my return to the states, but I'm worried that it may get rejected; one because he is Nigerian, and we all know that having a Nigerian fiance or spouse is some kind of red flag due to scams. My other concern is that the consulate will question our relationship because we have only met one time and we've only been together for a 6 months. Does anyone have any advice for me?

[Redheadguy03 505]

12 minutes ago, Mzlin35 said:

Hello!

I am a U.S. citizen and my fiance is in Nigeria. We will meet for the first time in September and be spending 10 days together. I was hoping to start the k1 visa process on my return to the states, but I'm worried that it may get rejected; one because he is Nigerian, and we all know that having a Nigerian fiance or spouse is some kind of red flag due to scams. My other concern is that the consulate will question our relationship because we have only met one time and we've only been together for a 6 months. Does anyone have any advice for me?

Well first off, I'd wait to see how it goes once you've met. 

 

All you can do is provide tons of evidence. Meet his family, take lots of pictures of you with his family and everyone together. Keep receipts of everything, especially if it includes both of you on the receipts. 

[Holly&Andreas 38]

My fiance and I met and began talking in January and met for the first time in June. We also spent 10 days together in Spain and that's where he proposed to me. 

 

I don't know about the scams from Nigeria, but on the visa requirements it only says you must provide proof that you've met in person at least once within 2 years of filing your petition, which you will have once you meet in September. I haven't filed the i-129f yet since I'm waiting on some information from my fiance to finish filling out the form, but I told him to keep his boarding passes, his train tickets, all the receipts from our stay in Spain, and I'm keeping all of mine as well to use as evidence. We also have a ton of pictures, conversations on messenger, and interactions between family members.

 

Good luck to you!

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

I agree about meeting first, before you start making immigration plans.  Maybe you won't get along well.  Or maybe he looks different than he does online, or maybe you do.  Lots of things can happen.  I would meet and see where it goes.

 

We never want to thing that we are being played but be cautious and look out for red flags:

1. 6 months is very quick to get engaged, especially without meeting.  Did he propose to you already?  If so, I'd be VERY skeptical.

2. Is there a large age gap?

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Eric-Pris

[EandH0904 1,184]

Sometimes in harder embassies meeting once isn't enough to prove a bona fide relationship. Ours was returned to US and not approved. If i could do it over I would have waited till we met 3-4 times. 

[Mzlin35 51]

13 minutes ago, Redheadguy03 said:

Well first off, I'd wait to see how it goes once you've met. 

 

All you can do is provide tons of evidence. Meet his family, take lots of pictures of you with his family and everyone together. Keep receipts of everything, especially if it includes both of you on the receipts. 

I won't apply until after we meet. Thank you for replying!

[Mzlin35 51]

1 minute ago, Eric-Pris said:

I agree about meeting first, before you start making immigration plans.  Maybe you won't get along well.  Or maybe he looks different than he does online, or maybe you do.  Lots of things can happen.  I would meet and see where it goes.

 

We never want to thing that we are being played but be cautious and look out for red flags:

1. 6 months is very quick to get engaged, especially without meeting.  Did he propose to you already?  If so, I'd be VERY skeptical.

2. Is there a large age gap?

 

 

 

Thank you for replying! I don't plan on starting the process until after we've met, I'm just trying to be proactive and get advice from people. 

 

He hasn't proposed yet, but he's hinting around to it and we've also talked about how we will go about getting him here when the time comes, so really I'm just researching.

8 minutes ago, HollyWeber08 said:

My fiance and I met and began talking in January and met for the first time in June. We also spent 10 days together in Spain and that's where he proposed to me. 

 

I don't know about the scams from Nigeria, but on the visa requirements it only says you must provide proof that you've met in person at least once within 2 years of filing your petition, which you will have once you meet in September. I haven't filed the i-129f yet since I'm waiting on some information from my fiance to finish filling out the form, but I told him to keep his boarding passes, his train tickets, all the receipts from our stay in Spain, and I'm keeping all of mine as well to use as evidence. We also have a ton of pictures, conversations on messenger, and interactions between family members.

 

Good luck to you!

Thank you and good luck to you as well!!

[Mzlin35 51]

6 minutes ago, Eric-Pris said:

I agree about meeting first, before you start making immigration plans.  Maybe you won't get along well.  Or maybe he looks different than he does online, or maybe you do.  Lots of things can happen.  I would meet and see where it goes.

 

We never want to thing that we are being played but be cautious and look out for red flags:

1. 6 months is very quick to get engaged, especially without meeting.  Did he propose to you already?  If so, I'd be VERY skeptical.

2. Is there a large age gap?

 

 

 

And there is a 5 year age gap. I'm older 

[Mzlin35 51]

6 minutes ago, EandH0904 said:

Sometimes in harder embassies meeting once isn't enough to prove a bona fide relationship. Ours was returned to US and not approved. If i could do it over I would have waited till we met 3-4 times. 

What country was it? If you don't mind me asking. I've heard that most any country in Africa, a visa will get denied. 

[EandH0904 1,184]

4 minutes ago, Mzlin35 said:

What country was it? If you don't mind me asking. I've heard that most any country in Africa, a visa will get denied. 

We were in Morocco. Also difficult but from what I've read on here Nigeria is equally difficult if not more so. I wish I would have known before we started. You read how 95% k1 visas approved but that's the US side only not once it goes to the foreign consulate. 

 

Reading the Nigeria portal on here and talking to others who did k1 through Nigeria may answer your questions better. 

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

43 minutes ago, Mzlin35 said:

Thank you for replying! I don't plan on starting the process until after we've met, I'm just trying to be proactive and get advice from people. Meeting in person is required to apply, so you couldn't apply before your trip, even if you wanted to.

 

He hasn't proposed yet, but he's hinting around to it and we've also talked about how we will go about getting him here when the time comes, so really I'm just researching.  If you met a man in the US and you dated and he started hinting at marriage after only 6 months, you would probably think it was a little fast, no?  Considering the fact that you've never met, and he lives on the other side of the world, do you not think it's REALLY soon to be hinting at marriage?  I'm sorry but this is a huge red flag.  I'm only saying this because we never see RED FLAGS in our own relationships, but others can see them very clearly.

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Eric-Pris

[Mzlin35 51]

1 hour ago, EandH0904 said:

We were in Morocco. Also difficult but from what I've read on here Nigeria is equally difficult if not more so. I wish I would have known before we started. You read how 95% k1 visas approved but that's the US side only not once it goes to the foreign consulate. 

 

Reading the Nigeria portal on here and talking to others who did k1 through Nigeria may answer your questions better. 

I will head over there. Thank you!

[Mzlin35 51]

37 minutes ago, Eric-Pris said:

 

I understand completely where you're coming from. I don't really focus on amount of time spent, but more on the quality of the relationship. I am well aware of scams tho and I am being extra cautious, but I also won't allow my fear of being scammed keep me from a relationship that is real and true.

 

I do appreciate your feedback and will definitely keep everything you said in mind. But I'm not applying for a visa yet. Won't apply for a visa until after we've met and I feel secure in our relationship. I'm just doing research right now. 

[Oliversmom 250]

Maybe early hints of marriage could be a red flag but not necessarily.  We started talking about marriage before we met in person.  And we will soon be married five years and are very happy.  Just take it slow and get to really know each other.  But nothing wrong with doing some early research.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

I will share our story with you.  I met my now-wife online on a dating website on July 28, 2012.  I first visited her in the Philippines September 15, 2012.   On September 18, 2012 I proposed.  On September 22, 2012 we were married in the Philippines.  On July 20, 2013 she arrived in the USA!  Talk about a whirlwind romance! She was 19 and I was 54.  She was beautiful (still is), me not so great...hahaha.  Once we got the marriage certificate we filed for a CR-1.  Between our first meeting and her interview at Manila Embassy I visited her another three times.  So talk about a lot of RED FLAGS.  (I believe that getting married was a safer bet for us due to the red flags.  I also believe that being at my wife's interview at the Manila Embassy helped. It certainly didn't hurt.  Interestingly enough, the CO asked me more questions than she did my wife.)  We overcame all the red flags because we had a genuine love and relationship.  I knew the day I first met her in person that she was the one.  I know many people here are warning you but you should know once you meet your fiance in person...hopefully.  If you are not sure after meeting him there are many more fish in the sea.  Just be very careful.  BTW: We just had a beautiful baby girl and we named her Heavenly Joy.  Many people told us that our relationship would not last but it has.  We are more in love today than we were yesterday.   There are many people who warn about someone just wanting a green card.  That does happen for sure but you should be able to tell if your relationship is genuine.  I wish you all the best.  Good luck and God Bless.