Has anyone....

[hayati 0]

Hi all,

I am currently living in Cairo, have been here for a year with a job I secured while back in the US. Anyway, long story short, met the love of my life and we've been dating also for about a year. We will get engaged within the next month or so and then are considering applying for the K1 visa (I'm ready to go back to the US... plus I have law school, etc.). Anyway, law school doesn't start until Fall 2010 and I will more than likely stay in Egypt until next summer. Here's the question though....

I want to go home for Christmas and my boyfriend would like to go with me so he can meet my extended family and friends (he met my Dad and brother about a month ago. I'm also Egyptian so my family does the yearly visit thing). I know that technically he can apply for a tourist visa while the fiance visa is still pending but I am wondering if anyone has any personal experience with doing this? For the tourist visa you must prove that you have every intent to return back to your home country and with a fiance visa pending it might look suspicious. Of course we're both working at the same job and perhaps we could explain that we both have every intention to return to Egypt and continue our work. I'm also leasing an apartment that I will be returning to, obviously. He of course still lives at home. It's Egypt... I hear hoards of horror stories regarding visas. So, any thoughts/ personal stories? Really interested in personal stories...

[caybee 21]

Welcome to VJ MENA Your experience is a little bit unusual for this group because you've been in Egypt for so long and plan to file for the K-1, so it may take a little longer to find someone who can answer your question. But I'll tell you what little I know. I know it's generally more difficult for a young person from MENA to get a tourist visa to the U.S. because they tend to have a more difficult time proving strong enough ties to their country of origin to convince U.S. officials that they don't have intent to immigrate. Add to this that your fiance is thinking of applying for a tourist visa after he's already shown immigrant intent by beginning the K-1 process, and it may be even more difficult for him to prove he intends to return to Egypt and wait for the K-1 after meeting your family. But I don't know if the fact that you are both Egyptian might work in your favor somehow in convincing the DOS that his intention is solely to meet your family, since I imagine that is customary, and then return to Egypt to wait. That's entirely speculation on my part. Wish I had more to offer, but I hope someone else with more experience, especially with Cairo, will come along soon.

[msheesha 548]

Are you able to marry there, and file direct consulate filing? Do you even have to be married to do that? I would do a search on here and the government website for direct consular filing, and see if it fits and would be easier for your situation.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

^ I like what msheesha suggested. You do have residency after living there for 6 months and filing DCF usually gets same day approval then it's like a month waiting for the visa. It may be your quickest bet.

Also from personal experience before marriage my Husband has applied twice for a tourist visa to here and both times been denied. With the amount of applications they get it's random who they choose to approve. It's like a 1:1500 chance he would get the approval. They have even denied tourists visas to Christian & Muslim mothers of daughters who are pregnant in the US needing their Mom's help with the baby so it's not a religious thing it's a prevention of the intent to immigrate thing. Best wishes to you both and keep us updated on your visa journey. I'd love to know how it works out since this is a unique situation in the way that you are choosing to file.

[hayati 0]

I'm new to this process but it is my understanding that to do a DCF (direct consular filing) we must be married aka I believe that service is only available for K3 visas. Right? We do not want to get married here because I want a ceremony in the US, my parents wouldn't be able to come for the katab kitab, the paperwork to get married and going from office to office in Egypt will be a HUGE pain in the butt (probably more complicated than when I got my Egyptian passport and ID card... and that was NO fun), and I heard that there's a waiting time after the marriage before you can file (and you must show proof of living together, etc.). Besides, we're not willing to rush into the whole process for a visa, though tempting, we want to take things at a steady pace letting the whole visa process effect us minimally (but I think that's impossible! we're both so bummed out on how drawn out and complicated it is... plus the fact that we will have to get married 3 months after he enters the US). Anyway... if I am misinformed on this, i.e. there is some way I can file for the fiance visa while in Cairo... PLEASE DO TELL!

As for the situation.... I am HOPING that if we can both show we have every intent on returning and waiting for the fiance visa to process (both showing that we will return to our jobs, his bank account information maybe?, my lease to my apartment, return flight ticket for me (since I doubt we will want to buy his until we know for sure he can get the visa)) this will help. I'm really irritated at how incredibly in inconvenient and hard US immigration laws are, though I doubt I'm alone on this issue...

[brnidokiegurl 0]

i dont have answers either BUT i doubt intent will phase them in this at all, you can have two ceremonies one there for his people and one after here for yours. Its a long process either way.

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

I believe you have to be married to do DCF. If you are already living in Cairo it makes more sense to do DCF. Getting married and then having 2 separate receptions is a good option. We've married and will have a reception in Iran for his family as soon as the political situation simmers down a little there and we will have a reception for my family when we arrive stateside. The thing that is best about DCF is that your husband will enter the US as an immigrant and will be able to seek work immediately. If you go the fiance visa route then you will have 90 days to get married, then you will have to adjust status. That way it could be 3 months or more before he is legally allowed to work which could be a big financial strain for you. That's something to consider.