Met on the Internet... worried about prejudice

[LPW 0]

Dear users,

I've been reading the forums and guides on VJ for a while now to get guidance and encouragement on my I-129F Petition. I filed late last year and got approved in four months.

In particular, there is one thing I am worried about in my Chinese fiancee's upcoming interview.

The V.O. will probably ask my fiancee about the circumstances under which we met. In June 2007, we met on FaceRen, a social networking site (like a Chinese version of Facebook). I have since traveled to China twice to meet her, I love her a lot, and I have asked her to marry me. We have plenty of evidence of our relationship (letters, emails, conversation records, photos).

I'm specifically worried that the V.O. will have a prejudice against Internet relationships. I'm aware that there are many scams involving the K-1 visa and many of these fraudulent relationships start online. I certainly hope that the V.O. won't reject our application just because we met online, but I am worried enough about this that I'm considering making up other stories and asking my fiancee to tell the officer a false story.

I'm really hoping that some of you lucky couples had online beginnings, and have had experience discussing online relationships with the V.O. There's some stigma associated with online relationships because so many of them don't work out, and I just want to know how the Consulate people feel about them.

Thanks so much!

[Quail 0]

I think a lot of us have met our others via the internet. Some of us in a lot stranger ways then a social networking site

From everything I have read, I highly doubt you will have any problems. Good luck!

Edited March 14, 2009 by Quail

[Hell0W0rld 10]

it's the 21st century, internet relationship is normal now... so you are ok...

[defunct 0]

I'd venture to guess that the majority of I-129F filers met online. There would be more of a concern with the manner of how you met if you had met through a marriage broker or family member. The interviewer should be more interested with determining whether or not your relationship is bona fide. Be sure your fiancee provides convincing evidence that you have an ongoing relationship.

Edited March 14, 2009 by eyoa

[JODO 2]

Many people meet online nowadays. Just be able to adequately document your relationship.

[Nagishkaw 510]

What JODO said.

[William33 110]

Dear users,

I've been reading the forums and guides on VJ for a while now to get guidance and encouragement on my I-129F Petition. I filed late last year and got approved in four months.

In particular, there is one thing I am worried about in my Chinese fiancee's upcoming interview.

The V.O. will probably ask my fiancee about the circumstances under which we met. In June 2007, we met on FaceRen, a social networking site (like a Chinese version of Facebook). I have since traveled to China twice to meet her, I love her a lot, and I have asked her to marry me. We have plenty of evidence of our relationship (letters, emails, conversation records, photos).

I'm specifically worried that the V.O. will have a prejudice against Internet relationships. I'm aware that there are many scams involving the K-1 visa and many of these fraudulent relationships start online. I certainly hope that the V.O. won't reject our application just because we met online, but I am worried enough about this that I'm considering making up other stories and asking my fiancee to tell the officer a false story.

I'm really hoping that some of you lucky couples had online beginnings, and have had experience discussing online relationships with the V.O. There's some stigma associated with online relationships because so many of them don't work out, and I just want to know how the Consulate people feel about them.

Thanks so much!

You met on a social networking site, so no worries.

Any USG issues would be related to those that met through "marriage broker" websites, which spawned the International Marriage Brokers Act of 2006 (IMBRA). Marriage Broker websites charge fees for introductions and so forth.

All the best.

William.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Many of us met online - it isn't a problem. Good luck on your journey.

[LPW 0]

Thanks everybody for the responses. I'm reassured... but my fiancee may require a little more convincing. She had a traumatic experience when we applied for our first visa - our B-2 interview lasted all of 10 seconds.

[Rainschild 0]

I met my fiance in an Yahoo chatroom and I'm not worried at all. Online relationships are a normal thing nowadays. As long as you have proof that you have met in person, you have nothing to worry about (from this point of view).

[AnnexoxShay 1]

Nothing to worry about a lot of us on the boards have met online ... I met my fiance on a writers fan site .. we are currently waiting for me to get an interview date and have my interview and we've had no probs ... As long as you meet all the requirements and have all the evidence you will be just fine ...

I hope your fiancee stops worrying, this is a stressful process and the last thing you both need it to worry about stuff that is not going to be an issue on top of everything else.

[Nik+Heather 122]

It won't be discrimination if you LIE about something so substantial to your relationship and she gets denied/banned when they find out later. The truth is so much easier to handle (follow up questions etc!!), and it is not illegal. If she needs more convincing, just think how nerve wracking it might be to have to make up MORE LIES on the spot regarding this first LIE about how you met some other way. I'm a little surprised that this point wasn't more strongly discouraged already...

I'll also throw my support behind the others who would also like to reassure you that meeting online is not something that goes beyond an occasional raising of eyebrows. Social networking sites are so pervasive now, and like others, I'm sure that this is something they have heard many times already. Don't be so bothered about the tourist visa. I have this impression that it is difficult to get one from China to begin with. The K1 is a whole other animal. The thing to show is that the relationship is true and still going - this is the requirement to be thought about, not meeting in the "proper" way - whatever THAT is!

[Niel&Femi 0]

I think you don’t need to lie since majority of people are meeting online nowadays I met my fiancée through yahoo 360 over 3 years ago, and we have been doing fine since then.

Lying might put you in great problem if get to know later, so be careful…

I wish you and your babe good luck

[NickD 203]

Crazy, I met my wife on the internet, was magic how we grew so dependent on each other over a nine month period, read if you don't meet that person within a couple of weeks, that relationship will die. Finally, I said we have to meet, was scary in a way, but reminded her, we are really great friends.

Was the strangest day of our lives, we really developed an extremely strong platonic relationship, but was concerned about a physical one, we also spend hours with our webcams with face to face discussions on just about everything. But the first touch of our hands was pure magic. For the next year, we spend every moment we could together, parting was extremely painful, but back to the computer, phone, and even the cell phone, Venezuela has the more unreliable communications system in the world. But finally that day came with all the frustrations of the USCIS that gave further delays. We talk about those days frequently. If it wasn't for the internet, we would have never met, the internet was a true miracle in our lives.

Somehow we both knew we were meant for each other, can't explain that at all.

[Mo_Mati 2]

Didn't you already send in a description of how you met with the initial petition? It would be pretty risky to change your answer to how you and your SO met at this stage of the game. The truth is a lot easier, and as others have shown, many have met on the internet and then proceeded to have successful interviews.