decision based on ??

[tirzaray 4]

I want to know if the interview took a little bit over 1 hour, fiance answered all questioned asked in a very timely manner. He felt all questions were how he knows me and family as well. Aside from the big age factor, what is it about the interviewers that leads them to think it is bogus. Aside from a long term relationship, would age really matter? They did not even gave him a reason why is was being sent back to VSC!!!

[Love Eth 14]

I want to know if the interview took a little bit over 1 hour, fiance answered all questioned asked in a very timely manner. He felt all questions were how he knows me and family as well. Aside from the big age factor, what is it about the interviewers that leads them to think it is bogus. Aside from a long term relationship, would age really matter? They did not even gave him a reason why is was being sent back to VSC!!!

Sorry to hear that and to be honest with you, no one can know the answer for your question. The only way you can get the answer is by contacting Senators or Congressman of your state. , try your Senator or representatives involve and the embassy itself tell you why the want to return the petition back to USCIS.

Good Luck

[KittyPollitt 284]

I want to know if the interview took a little bit over 1 hour, fiance answered all questioned asked in a very timely manner. He felt all questions were how he knows me and family as well. Aside from the big age factor, what is it about the interviewers that leads them to think it is bogus. Aside from a long term relationship, would age really matter? They did not even gave him a reason why is was being sent back to VSC!!!

Age does matter to them, but they can't use it as an official reason. They'll say there's not enough proof of a genuine relationship and leave it at that. The consulate you interviewed at doesn't give out K1 visas easily. They even deny spousal visas and give a vague reason why. Now is the time to dig in to the forums here and figure out what your next step will be.

I'm really so sorry this happened to you

[abdelnish83 6]

im sorry too. i cant imagine now what u are going through. I hope things get better soon

[3t3rnal 3]

u mention "big age factor", is this big age factor a social/cultural norm in morocco? so are you older (your the petitioner and female, i assume) than ur beneficiary? if you are, then you just gotta ask yourself if it's a social/cultural norm for a young(er) Moroccan man to go for an older women?

[tirzaray 4]

I honestly think that after almost 4 yrs. of relationship, age should not be a factor and social norm or not is not the issue here. He's been married before as I have and again, why should that me a matter. Relationship was proven in my point of view, all evidence submitted, paperwork in place, proof of sound relationship.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I honestly think that after almost 4 yrs. of relationship, age should not be a factor and social norm or not is not the issue here. He's been married before as I have and again, why should that me a matter. Relationship was proven in my point of view, all evidence submitted, paperwork in place, proof of sound relationship.

Every consulate is unique in this respect. They spend years developing their rule book that defines what the characteristics are of a fraudulent relationship, and those characteristics change from one country to another. Quite often, these characteristics are factors which would not be very common in a typical relationship in that country. Whether those factors can be overcome with other positive factors, like a long relationship, will again depend on the country. Somewhere along the way the consulate in Casa determined that a lot of fraud cases involved an older woman petitioning for a younger man. Ever since then it's been considered a red flag.

Someone else mentioned that they can't cite it as a reason to deny the visa. In actuality, they can, but it's not one of the standard check boxes on the K1 refusal sheet they use at Casa. Usually they just check the box that has a generic 221(g) refusal statement next to it. The consulate in Vietnam also uses generic canned statements like the ones on the Casa worksheet, but they don't use preprinted refusal forms with check boxes. They print up a new sheet for each denied visa, and often include some specific reasons for the denial. One reason they frequently cite is circumstances which are "contrary to local traditional and social norms".

[abdelnish83 6]

Ur right it shouldn't matter but to them im guessing it matters. What is norm or acceptable for us Americans may just be down right weird for Moroccans. Personally i just think each consulate has their own basis reasons for a denial....and its really disapponting when the relationship is real and ppl have been waiting so long to be together.

I honestly think that after almost 4 yrs. of relationship, age should not be a factor and social norm or not is not the issue here. He's been married before as I have and again, why should that me a matter. Relationship was proven in my point of view, all evidence submitted, paperwork in place, proof of sound relationship.

[tirzaray 4]

Yes, I obviously see your point that age would be a factor 54f/29M. Like you mentioned in Vietnam but that is not to say that it does apply absolutely to everyone. My fiance speaks perfect English, has been prev. married but it is sad to think it is a factor in decision. I know they are doing their job as best as they can but in this case why not interview the beneficiary. To me that would be more practical then putting someone through this, heck, call me up here in the states. They, the consulate obviously can afford a phone interview. Look at how much these guys have to pay, just for a soft denial!!!

[msheesha 548]

Did he address why the age difference is not a factor to him in the interview?

In countries where that age difference is hugely outside of the norm, addressing it head on is usually helpful. If both the CO and the beneficiary ignore it throughout the interview, it doesn't sit well.

I think you mean you'd like them to call the petitioner. You're the petitioner.

Also, in Casa, they may be wondering after 4 years why no marriage? In Casa it can be a catch 22. Cultural norms there are that fiances do not necessarily know each other long periods of time before marriage. But, the Casa consulate often denes because of short relationships between USC and Moroccan.

Casa can be a puzzle, and an unexplained/unaddressed red flag (age difference) complicates things more there.

Try looking in MENA, there's an old thread called "Hoping Not to be Denied in Casa". Various situations of ppl going thru, and what helped with interview and denials, etc.

[nurse1967 287]

I cannot understand why you would NOT think an age difference that big would be a red flag. You need to look at it from the CO's point of view. They are looking for fraud and trying to decide if something is out of the norm. How many 29 year old men in Morocco have you met that are married to 59 year old women? You need to put aside your own emotional investment in the situation and realize these people are doing their job and have been trained at what types of things scream fraud. Huge age differences where the woman is older just happens to be one of them.

[msheesha 548]

I cannot understand why you would NOT think an age difference that big would be a red flag. You need to look at it from the CO's point of view. They are looking for fraud and trying to decide if something is out of the norm. How many 29 year old men in Morocco have you met that are married to 59 year old women? You need to put aside your own emotional investment in the situation and realize these people are doing their job and have been trained at what types of things scream fraud. Huge age differences where the woman is older just happens to be one of them.

Strongly agree. It should have been discussed, addressed, and explained in all the paperwork along the way. Casa CO's see an older woman/younger man and automatically think fraud. No explanation as to why it's not fraud and why beneficiary is compelled to overlook cultural norms & they're not going to think twice about a denial.

[Adil & Jeanne 296]

Good luck with this. Read in the Moroccoo site. Seems Casa embassy is ignorning emails and requests from Senators and Lawyers. There are many complaints about the embasy there and they way they treat everyone. I have spent well over $15000 on my 4 trips to meet and marry and I have been there for a month each time. for anhy one to assume we are not serious is a more than insulting. there is a site on VJ for those treated badly by embassy:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/289041-help-for-those-that-been-mistreated-from-the-co-in-casablanca/

look at this and see if it can help you

I sent in a complaint but would help to have a lot of them

[san diego 407]

I think this age difference is an issue. I understand political correctness but we have to face reality.. I cannot judge particular cases because I do not know specifics of each one of them. However, from threads that I read on this forum (there may be more than what I read that I missed), 90% cases from Morocco are the ones where much older woman from US is marrying much younger man from Morocco. Putting aside emotions, you have to question this. I am absolutely sure that on the side of petitioner this is true love. However, I have to question intentions of the beneficiaries from Morocco that are involved in such relationships. So do COs. I don't blame them for this. Leaving Morocco aside, where this is really outside the norm, how many relationships in US do you see with such difference? Or any other country? Can you name me any country in the world where it is usual or at least occurring on daily basis where over 50 female marries under 30 male? From abundance of such cases on VJ, especially from Morocco, is this coincidence? Given that >90% of cases from Morocco are like that you would expect that similar proportion you can observe in Morocco. I just need to agree with previous posts that it is a factor. I am trying to be as objective as I can but facts speak for themselves. I wish you the best of luck in your relationship but you need to face and address this issue in most creative way and realize that this is an issue.

Edited July 14, 2011 by san diego

[Max1gk 68]

I can't think of any place in the world where such a huge age difference wouldn't raise red flags,not even just in Casablanca. I don't think neither that a CO "automatically" thinks this or that based only on his own personal opinion about what a normal relationship should be..what they do is based on their live experience and knowledge of the place they're stationed.

We see many from those places running away after they get in the States with a Visa so It's normal that they're generally concerned (or even pressured from DOS because of that,who knows..). It doesn't mean there are no genuine relationships with a red flag like this one,but surely they're not the majority. The majority of the cases like the one of the OP end up being plain blatant frauds in which the petitioner was simply blind and couldn't spot it..not easy at all even for an experienced CO to spot that tiny percentage of genuine relationship in a sea of fraudsters.