Just Beginning...Need my UK fiance' here yesterday.....

[Colin&Lori 6]

You are in love with someone you've never met.. How is that even possible?

That my kind Sir is VERY possible....I have known my Fiancee coming up to three years now...(two year mark we met).

now inbetween first contact and meeting her..spending hours upon hours talking camming chatting friends...best friends..falling in love..

it is VERY possible to know that you love someone before you have met them...and in my case I KNEW I loved Lori before i even met her...the ammount of hours we spent talking getting to know each other very deeply personaility wise...

plus the fact she looked gorgeous is always a plus

what am trying to say here...if i knew i loved Lori before i even met her..meeting her in person only proved that fact and made that love much much stronger

meeting online first rather then in person has some pluses...one being you are more likely to connect on a personal level deeply because at the moment thats pretty much all you have...chats...camming...emails...texts

but aside all that....going back to the OP yes I would strongly suggest that you met the person in well person first you need it to File for the K-1 process

and well it will also help you confirm how much you do truly love this person

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I'm going to have to stick up for Dawn here as I knew that I was going to marry my husband before I met him in person. We waited 10 months to meet in person after meeting online, and the only reason we waited so long was because of money. I was so sure I wanted to be with him, that his first visit here was 3 months long and he planned to spend the whole visit with me at my house. No hotel booked and no second thoughts. and after that visit there were talks of getting married right away. Of course we waited because we didn't want to rush into things. But back to what I was saying, He was that same guy I fell in love with online, and meeting in person just made it that much better.

But of course you have to meet before filing the K-1. And not to mention, It'd be a good idea to visit there and have some idea of his culture, though England isn't that much different then the US, it is different and visiting would help you understand him and his ways. For me, going to England, helped me out so I could help my husband when he got home sick once he moved here.

[Colin&Lori 6]

exactly what I was thinking Kelly along the same lines anyways

proposed to Lori not long after i got there wanted to propose at the same time i handed over a box of chocs to her (as that was how we met online FB game called scavenger hunt and sent her a box of chocs for her collection)

but I spent every single possible moment with her (apart from in the morning where she went to work) and we instanly clicked into each others lives

anyways........

I know it will take longer but yeah I would get a visit or two under your belts first, keep the pics, boarding passes anything that proved you two have met...

also it will help prove more you have a bonafide realtionship as well

[Nik+Heather 121]

Hey Dawn!

When we were trying to figure out the ins and outs of international travel, and Nik was planning his first visit here for us to meet for the first time was the first time we'd heard about the K-1 fiance visa and the first time we found visa journey. It was all...tee hee, a fiance visa? We had barely decided to be exclusive. haha. We found out what others have already told you, which is that what you really want is the visa waiver program. Sometime before his trip, he'll register online with ESTA and then hop on a plane to see your smiling face in person!

Since you're considering permanent immigration, make sure you read (& listen to when in person) all questions posed by representatives of the US government (even on the VWP visits) very carefully and answer them completely truthfully. Although that sounds sort of obvious, there are a number of people who find that what they felt were innocent misunderstandings are actually misrepresentation (this results in a ban from the US). Particularly the questions about ever being arrested or convicted etc. When they say "ever been" Yes, they mean that one time 15 years ago too.

Meanwhile, I'd like to draw your attention to the many resources on this site. You'll find links to them at the top of the page (blue bar, white text - stretch your screen sideways, because the text wraps funny). Someone's already mentioned the guides they are so so so so so great!!! More on those later. Also, you had asked about how long things might take. Then you should look further to the right at Immigration Timelines and you can see all sorts of statistics as you look through the different links there. Although there is data for the K-3, due to some policy changes, you should really restrict yourselves to comparing the K-1 and CR-1. As you're reading the guides, look through the list of evidence you'll need to produce for your future petition - things like passport stamps and boarding passes. Get copies of these when he arrives and put them into your newly created immigration folder. Trust me, it's easier doing it now than having to dig them out months/years later! Finally, I want to show you where the Visa FAQs are. One in particular might be useful to you now: Visiting FAQ I know it says it's for people already in the process, but it has useful tips for successfully entering the country for anyone who is in a relationship with a US citizen. You don't need the whole list of items, but a good selection of them would be good, especially a print out of his itinerary showing the dates of his RETURN TICKET!

Good luck and happy visiting.

Edited November 3, 2010 by Nik+Heather

[CoffeeMuse 5]

I agree with others. You need to meet the person you are interested in before you take things to the next level and start talking longer term plans such as engagement and marriage. This is solid universal advice and common sense. So your next step should be to meet in person and spend some time together.

As for what is easiest and fasted for immigration, someone commented that a US person going to the UK is faster than visa versa. I haven't tried the former but the advice I was given was that it was easier and better process wise for the UK person to immigrate to the US. I received this advice from my brother-in-law who is a lawyer and his job is immigration law. His specialty is work Visa's however, but he is familiar enough with the system that he advised me to follow the route of bringing my UK fiancee to the US. In my case there are also work consideration and also climate (cold climate is not good for either of us).

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

The only way uscis accepts you two jot ever meeting, is unless its an arranged marriage and you have to show proof that its an arranged marriage.

Actually, in order to get a waiver of the two year meeting requirement you have to show that it's either a violation of long-standing strict social or cultural standards for the couple to meet, or an extreme hardship on the US citizen.

The hardship basis is sometimes successful, but it needs to be virtually impossible to arrange a meeting; e.g., the US citizen is in an iron lung and can't travel, and the foreign fiancee lives in a country where it's virtually impossible to get a visitor's visa to the US. Many people have tried to use financial hardship as a basis for asking for the waiver, but these are always denied.

There are very few societies in the world where it is absolutely forbidden for a couple to meet before the wedding. In those that would qualify for the waiver, the marriage would probably have been arranged. However, there are many societies where arranged marriages are still common, but where there is no prohibition against the couple meeting each other before the wedding. An arranged marriage alone would not be enough to qualify.

I've seen a few people apply for this waiver because dating was absolutely forbidden in their fiancee's religious community. They were denied. Even though dating was forbidden, a supervised meeting was permissible. USCIS is probably aware of just about every situation where this waiver might be appropriate, and it's probably a very short list.

[TwoCats 55]

As many of the others have said, you will need to have met before filing.

As hard as it might seem to have to meet and be separated again, you will get through it. I'm actually an old time VJer back for a second-go round, so I've been through the separation phase twice now. First with my ex-husband, and now four visits (soon to be five) with my UK fiance'. The first few times you visit, it will be hell saying 'goodbye', but you'll live through it and it will get easier. If nothing else, meet not only to satisfy the requirement, but to see if you two really work out reality. There's lots of little quirks people have that won't come up until you see them in person.

As someone just preparing to go through this process (ugh, again), I really do wish you and your beloved the best of luck.

It isn't as scary as it seems, just take your time, prepare, ask questions, and be ready.

[Gemmie 142]

Another defender of 'being in love before you meet' here.

I didn't meet my husband in person for nearly 2 years. We were just friends for a long time, and even when we realised we wanted to be together, I was a teenager and had school and financial troubles. We knew we loved each other because we spoke everyday, we cared for each others well being, we saw a future together, all of it. When we finally met in person, it was wonderful and I didn't really have any surprises because we knew each other so well. We also spoke of marriage before we met, but only in a hypothetical context, we didn't look at visas and rules until we decided we definitely wanted in, and had seen each other a few more times.

The first few times you visit, it will be hell saying 'goodbye', but you'll live through it and it will get easier. I

I actually found the opposite. At first, it was excitement and confirming what I thought about him. The more I saw him, and the longer the trips were, the harder it became to say goodbye. We did that for 4 years straight and by the end, I was practically dragging along the bottom of his plane.

I have to say though, it's all worth it. Even though there are so many struggles due to immigration, I'm so happy that I married him, he makes every problem seem doable.

Edited November 3, 2010 by Gemmie

[TwoCats 55]

I actually found the opposite. At first, it was excitement and confirming what I thought about him. The more I saw him, and the longer the trips were, the harder it became to say goodbye. We did that for 4 years straight and by the end, I was practically dragging along the bottom of his plane.

Yeah. I know that feeling all too well. It's one of those things, at least for me, where it's easier and harder. Harder because you don't want to let go, but easier because you know you'll see them again. You have your 'eyes on the prize' so to speak and you have goals for being together permanently. The letting go still hurts like hell, but the recovery is faster. Hopefully my next time, I'll be jumping strait from 'goodbye' at the airport to filing a K-1, so I'll at least have a feeling of moving forward to keep me from dwelling too long on it.

[kennym 275]

Colin&Lori, Damian&Kelly,

Very cool about your story, and for those who believe cinderella and other fairy tales are real life, more power to you.. for those in the real world, those relationships are NOT the norm and although I have no statistics, these relationships seemingly rarely last.

I am talking about just normal rational behaivior.. Colin&Lori, Damian&Kelly, the jury is still out on your relationships just like it's still out on mine.. Those points are all rather irrelevant however, since the Visa requires you meet in person either way.. By the way, I wonder why that is.. Maybe the USCIS realizes that the relationships require more than just internet, letters and phone calls to build...

Kenny

Edited November 3, 2010 by kennym

[phlpro30 3]

It is absolutely no one's business what you decide to do, however since you started a topic that everyone can see, most people ate going to comment before they address the question that you're asking.

How in the world do you decide to marry someone you have never met, too fairy tale. He is allowed to visit the US just as much as you are allowed to visit the UK. I would suggest you two visit each other at least ONCE, meet his family, have him meet yours and then decide where to go from there. The k1 is meant to be a quicker process than the cr1, however it can be a major headache dealing with uscis, the cost is never ending, even after he comes. So decide if you really want to go through with this for someone you have never met.

The only way uscis accepts you two jot ever meeting, is unless its an arranged marriage and you have to show proof that its an arranged marriage.

Welcome to vj and best of luck on your journey!

Hi There....

Well first of all.. good luck in this journey.. its extremely difficult.. and trying and heart wrenching all at the same time.. but if you truly want to be together.. youll go through anything.

YES.. you must meet in person once.. I know its expensive... but luckily.. right now, ticket prices from the uk to the us are relatively cheap.. and because the US and the UK have a visa waiver program.. he can come and stay with you for up to 3 months without applyiing for a visitors visa at the embassy.

If he can come for a few weeks.. you guys can spend some time together, take pictures etc.

I met my fiance online as well and he's from the UK... we've been together for 2 years and it wasnt an easy process getting through the govenrment.

Just make sure this is what you really want to do right now. Its very expensive (all the stuff you have to pay for they dont put in the fees... travel, processing etc). I understand wanting to be together .. (believe me i do) but you dont have to marry right now to make that happen.. Under US immigration law.. your sweetheart can spend 6 months out of the year in the US legally! Just not back to back (do 3 months and 3 months) .. it will cost you about the same as applying for the visa.. and you;ll build a stronger case as well.

But, that being said, I understand you guys want to be together.. so I wish you the very best luck. Stick with it.. dont give up...

Best Wishes.

[Tommy7669 0]

That my kind Sir is VERY possible....I have known my Fiancee coming up to three years now...(two year mark we met).

now inbetween first contact and meeting her..spending hours upon hours talking camming chatting friends...best friends..falling in love..

it is VERY possible to know that you love someone before you have met them...and in my case I KNEW I loved Lori before i even met her...the ammount of hours we spent talking getting to know each other very deeply personaility wise...

plus the fact she looked gorgeous is always a plus

what am trying to say here...if i knew i loved Lori before i even met her..meeting her in person only proved that fact and made that love much much stronger

meeting online first rather then in person has some pluses...one being you are more likely to connect on a personal level deeply because at the moment thats pretty much all you have...chats...camming...emails...texts

but aside all that....going back to the OP yes I would strongly suggest that you met the person in well person first you need it to File for the K-1 process

and well it will also help you confirm how much you do truly love this person

I agree I met Olya and we talked for five months I knew I loved her!! After meeting nothing has changed I love her even more!!

[Rob and Jill 82]

But ask yourself how you would consider marrying a person you've never met in-person... Nevermind the Visa Process Rules, there is a fundamental relationship issue that is being overlooked..

Kenny,

You're not in the relationships you are guessing or judging over. Do you follow people around here who met on vacation and say "Well, you only knew each other 7 days, so it's not real!!!!?"

When I met Rob I KNEW. It was a slap in the face...it was sitting down and thinking OMG I should have waited for him before I was married. It is the fairy tale. It IS finding the person you're meant to be with, and it's above your reproach or judgements.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The poster asked if they had to meet in person. Yes, yes, YES you do. Even knowing Rob was "the one" before I met him in person, I still would not have married without meeting...perhaps from caution. I know how intense your feelings are right now, I've been there, but keep in mind that if it's worth it, it's worth the wait. I waited 3 years and married 2 weeks ago. Best choice ever.

[pdmacca 3]

I do appreciate everyone's comments regarding the Visa process. When I discovered this site, I thought the Visa process was all anyone would ask. I'm a little surprised that a few of you have questioned our relationship without knowing us. I'm not trying to be ungrateful for your advice but we are both thankful that we've found each other and understand that love is not based on physical attributes (although we've actually seen each other). I love Paul more than I've ever loved anything (in an intimate way). He has unlocked a dream that I buried many years ago. So, we will meet and have no issues with meeting...just was hoping to save our money for the journey. So, with all due respect, we are adults and we both have been in love before and are more than confident of our commitment to this process as well as each other. After all, the true test will be surviving this process, right? lol

In saying all of that...it looks like we are meeting each other and then beginning the petition process. Any help would greatly be appreciated with guidance on our Visa journey.

Thanks so much,

Dawn

[phlpro30 3]

Thats right Dawn... everything you know and love about your fiance will be tested by this process. But, its good.

If you can get through this, you can get through ANYTHING... Just remember why you are both doing this.. and make sure you take care of each other through it. Be kind to each other, supportive and try to laugh ( some of the process is so darn dumb, it WILL make you laugh..) Just keep your eyes on the prize (each other).. and Im sure all us VJers will help in any way we can....