How important are multiple visits?

[rek pooh 0]

Hi everyone,

Our interview is coming up insha'allah and I was wondering if I should make another visit to see my fiance beforehand. I only visited once in August for about 12 days? I noticed that some say that a short stay/one visit can be a potential "red flag". So I was thinking about staying for another couple of weeks around the time of her interview insha'allah. The only reason I have not visited since August is because I had no more vacation time at work and didn't get my days back until recently. Do you think one visit would be bad for us? Alhamdulillah we have alot in common. We are both Muslim, around the same age, education, etc...masha'allah. What are your thoughts? Should I visit again?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Hi everyone,

Our interview is coming up insha'allah and I was wondering if I should make another visit to see my fiance beforehand. I only visited once in August for about 12 days? I noticed that some say that a short stay/one visit can be a potential "red flag". So I was thinking about staying for another couple of weeks around the time of her interview insha'allah. The only reason I have not visited since August is because I had no more vacation time at work and didn't get my days back until recently. Do you think one visit would be bad for us? Alhamdulillah we have alot in common. We are both Muslim, around the same age, education, etc...masha'allah. What are your thoughts? Should I visit again?

Multiple visits *always* help. Your case may be strong enough without that - I can't judge that - but another visit would definitely give extra oomph to your evidence of relationship. I'd say - if you can do it, go for it.

[rek pooh 0]

Multiple visits *always* help. Your case may be strong enough without that - I can't judge that - but another visit would definitely give extra oomph to your evidence of relationship. I'd say - if you can do it, go for it.

Do you know of any cases in Morocco that were approved with only one visit?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Do you know of any cases in Morocco that were approved with only one visit?

Yes, there are quite a few.

[rek pooh 0]

Yes, there are quite a few.

Really? Any K1 visas that you know of or CR1 only?

[Crossed_fingers 128]

I can't think of any offhand that were approved recently, but I can think of many that were approved years ago. Things may have changed since then, though.

[PowerOFlove 0]

I think you have to go visit him again if you can, it will help you so much to get the visa inchallah.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Female beneficiaries processing through the MENA consulates usually have a much easier time than males - not nearly as many females are denied. CR-1/IR-1s tend to have a higher approval rate overall because married couples are able to provide more "hard" evidence of their relationship - proof of mingled finances, shared assets, shared debts, insurance, etc. K-1 couples must prove their relationship with more subjective evidence - length of relationship, continuing regular communication, time spent together, etc.

Morocco is a very tough consulate. I don't know all the details of your relationship (how you met, how long you've know each other, etc.)... but the consulate will look at all your evidence and weigh it all together. Another visit would only help you.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

There has been some speculating on the board that post-filing visits aren't "counted" by the consulate, by the way. Personally, I'd suggest making the trip if you are able, but more for emotional and relationship reasons....getting to know her better, seeing her family again, supporting her during the interview, being there to celebrate the good news together or console each other over the bad news (I hope it is good news!!!), and so on. While I think a second visit can only help, I don't know if this late in the game whether it makes a difference for the consulate.

[KittyPollitt 284]

There has been some speculating on the board that post-filing visits aren't "counted" by the consulate, by the way. Personally, I'd suggest making the trip if you are able, but more for emotional and relationship reasons....getting to know her better, seeing her family again, supporting her during the interview, being there to celebrate the good news together or console each other over the bad news (I hope it is good news!!!), and so on. While I think a second visit can only help, I don't know if this late in the game whether it makes a difference for the consulate.

I don't buy that. Being there for the interview is always a good idea. I feel like they're less likely to deny if they know they're going to have to deal with an angry American woman beating down their door the next day.

[sandinista! 1,816]

The subject of being in country for the interview has been debated since time immemorial here. there's been plenty of guys denied whose significant others were right across the street at a cafe. And there wasn't much of anything said women could do about it. Being there, so far as I've heard, has never been precisely pinpointed as having gotten any decisions overturned right then and there. It's not like you can just pop into the consulate and complain to the manager, like if you bought a defective piece of

furniture at ikea or something. They had to go through the

same denial hoops as someone sitting at home

in San Francisco or Omaha.

[rek pooh 0]

I don't buy that. Being there for the interview is always a good idea. I feel like they're less likely to deny if they know they're going to have to deal with an angry American woman beating down their door the next day.

I'm a man...lol. The reason that I only visited once is that I used all my vacation time from work then and didn't get it back until March. I wanted to visit her for the interview but I think maybe its a better idea to wait until she is approved insha'allah so we can fly back together. But I had another idea. I plan to get a plane ticket insha'allah and put a copy of the receipt in her file for when she goes to the interview so that way they see that i plan to visit again soon. What do you think?

As for details: Masha'allah

We are both Muslim

Neither of us has children or has been married before

I am 6 years older than her

We met on the internet in a Muslim site

We met after knowing each other for about 3 months

I stayed for 12 days

We filed for marriage but didn't finish in time before I had to leave

So now were are filing for K1

Thoughts anyone?

[Berber Mama 5]

I don't think that visiting multiple times is as important when filing for a K-1 visa as it is in filing for a marriage visa.

The red flags come into play when a couple gets married a few days or weeks after meeting in person for the first time (although there have been couples who have secured a visa even in those circumstances).

Good luck to you both.

Edited March 15, 2011 by Berber Mama

[KittyPollitt 284]

I'm a man...lol. The reason that I only visited once is that I used all my vacation time from work then and didn't get it back until March. I wanted to visit her for the interview but I think maybe its a better idea to wait until she is approved insha'allah so we can fly back together. But I had another idea. I plan to get a plane ticket insha'allah and put a copy of the receipt in her file for when she goes to the interview so that way they see that i plan to visit again soon. What do you think?

As for details: Masha'allah

We are both Muslim

Neither of us has children or has been married before

I am 6 years older than her

We met on the internet in a Muslim site

We met after knowing each other for about 3 months

I stayed for 12 days

We filed for marriage but didn't finish in time before I had to leave

So now were are filing for K1

Thoughts anyone?

MR Pooh. I don't think you will have major issues.

[Crossed_fingers 128]

I'm a man...lol. The reason that I only visited once is that I used all my vacation time from work then and didn't get it back until March. I wanted to visit her for the interview but I think maybe its a better idea to wait until she is approved insha'allah so we can fly back together. But I had another idea. I plan to get a plane ticket insha'allah and put a copy of the receipt in her file for when she goes to the interview so that way they see that i plan to visit again soon. What do you think?

As for details: Masha'allah

We are both Muslim

Neither of us has children or has been married before

I am 6 years older than her

We met on the internet in a Muslim site

We met after knowing each other for about 3 months

I stayed for 12 days

We filed for marriage but didn't finish in time before I had to leave

So now were are filing for K1

Thoughts anyone?

How long did you wait after your visit to file your K-1 paperwork? If I were a CO and saw a 3 month online courtship and a 12 day visit and that's it, I would have questions. With that said, I'm a female petitioning for a male beneficiary and I find it very difficult to step outside of that mindset to evaluate the opposite scenario. If it's true that female beneficiaries do have a much easier time in Casablanca, maybe the time frame would be a non-issue. And of course, if I'm misunderstanding your time frame and you did know each other longer before filing, then disregard all of this!

It sounds like your interview is coming up quickly so at this point there isn't much you can do except prepare and pray. Best of luck to you both!