is it mandatory to get engaged for K1 visa

[pushbrk 13,611]

The OP has listed India as the beneficiary's country, so Bec_Dipu's comment was probably relevant to the OP's question.

In addition, in India and other countries where a traditional engagement ceremony is a cultural imperative, it's usually strongly advisable to have the engagement ceremony before sending the petition, and not simply before the interview, and to provide evidence of the ceremony with the petition package. In many of these countries, you aren't considered by the community to be engaged until you've had this ceremony, and the consulate may presume that the petition was filed prematurely if the couple was not formally engaged beforehand. They use things like this as evidence that the relationship is a sham for the purpose of evading immigration law because it doesn't conform to local cultural and traditional norms.

All true but if the couple otherwise qualifies to file the petition, I wouldn't delay filing until another trip can be scheduled to hold an engagement ceremony, provide one can be held before the interview. If it were Vietnam, I might have a different recommendation.

Aside, you would think the Consulates in India would get tired of having their cases reaffirmed and sent back to them when denied over such trivial matters. That's why they have senior people review things before they go back.

Edited February 23, 2011 by pushbrk