My Story

[GodwithHK 0]

Hi,

I am a new member to this forum, i am glad to be. I have found this forum helpful, educative and interesting. I have read people's story and how members help out.May God bless you all.

This is my story: i was denied visa last year Dec. on the ground that the purpose was for immigration, which is not true on K1 Visa. We contacted the congressmen, Marc Ellis(lawyer) and sentors who help to fast forward our case back to US. We are now married and have file for CR1 Visa this July, the NOA1 has been sent and another letter that our case is being review, we are waiting for the NOID or NOIR which ever, i do not know or whatever they will tell us to do. My question is,1. how long does it take 2. Has anyone been through this before and how was it handled 3. Is it the same CO that will interview me again 4. What is my changes of getting this VISA and not being denied again 5. Any advise for me.

Please help. Thank you all.

[KLS2010 30]

Hi,

I am a new member to this forum, i am glad to be. I have found this forum helpful, educative and interesting. I have read people's story and how members help out.May God bless you all.

This is my story: i was denied visa last year Dec. on the ground that the purpose was for immigration, which is not true on K1 Visa. We contacted the congressmen, Marc Ellis(lawyer) and sentors who help to fast forward our case back to US. We are now married and have file for CR1 Visa this July, the NOA1 has been sent and another letter that our case is being review, we are waiting for the NOID or NOIR which ever, i do not know or whatever they will tell us to do. My question is,1. how long does it take 2. Has anyone been through this before and how was it handled 3. Is it the same CO that will interview me again 4. What is my changes of getting this VISA and not being denied again 5. Any advise for me.

Please help. Thank you all.

Firstly, welcome to VJ!

I'm guessing that you mean your K1 visa was denied because the CO believed it was only for the purposes of obtaining a green card, and not a bona fide relationship, since a K1 visa IS for the purpose of immigration (while technically a NON-immigrant visa, if you fulfill the conditions of the visa once you enter the country, then you are immigrating).

In regards to how long it takes....I can't speak specifically for your situtation as it is not a straight forward case, but in general, IR-1/CR-1 visas take around 8-10mths to complete, sometimes even longer.

Hopefully someone with more experience with your situation and/or your embassy can help you out a bit more regarding your chances of getting this visa.

I do know however that Lagos is one of the hardest embassies to be approved at. You and your spouse are going to have to work really hard to gather evidence to combat whatever reason the CO denied your visa the first time around. Same goes for any 'red flags' there may be in your case (ie large age difference, any thing that is outside the cultural 'norm' for your country, differences in religion, not many visits to each other, etc).

I wish you both the best of luck!

[pushbrk 13,468]

Hi,

I am a new member to this forum, i am glad to be. I have found this forum helpful, educative and interesting. I have read people's story and how members help out.May God bless you all.

This is my story: i was denied visa last year Dec. on the ground that the purpose was for immigration, which is not true on K1 Visa. We contacted the congressmen, Marc Ellis(lawyer) and sentors who help to fast forward our case back to US. We are now married and have file for CR1 Visa this July, the NOA1 has been sent and another letter that our case is being review, we are waiting for the NOID or NOIR which ever, i do not know or whatever they will tell us to do. My question is,1. how long does it take 2. Has anyone been through this before and how was it handled 3. Is it the same CO that will interview me again 4. What is my changes of getting this VISA and not being denied again 5. Any advise for me.

Please help. Thank you all.

Your post is confusing because you mix questions about two cases. If you receive an NOIR for the old Fiancee case, simply reply indicating you wish to withdraw the petition because you are married and have a pending I-130.

Your I-130 will proceed normally and there will eventually be another interview. Your "chances" will depend on the actual circumstances, but in my experience, unless you have arranged to spend some significant time together as man and wife BEFORE that interview, there is no real reason to expect a different result.

[GodwithHK 0]

Thank you all for your reply.

This is the detail story. We filed a K1 Visa last year, By Nov 2010, was the first interview, i was given a 221g to bring more document( birth certificate, phone record, my husband passport and more pictures), 2nd interview Dec. 2010, i brought all but no more picture because that was all we had. My husband does not like taking pictures. our relationship was 12years last year. we have been in relationship before he travelled, 6yrs in Nigeria with just one picture together(2002), and 6yrs in US. He only came back to see me twice within that 6yrs, first in 2004(no pictures were taken, we are not aware of it), secondly in 2010(with lots of pictures, now aware of it). The CO was not satisfy, 12yrs relationship with few pictures. The CO also said my husband US passport was not stamped, he later asked me question from our mail which i did not answer very well, he was not friendly at all.I think the main problem was the pictures, he then gave me the white paper that our relationship was for immigration purpose.

Concerning the CR1, we have not yet receive the NOIR.

Thank you

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Is your husband Nigerian ? Doe he still hold 2 passports ? If he used his Nigerian passport to enter does he have any records from the trips ? What kind of communication records do you have ?

[pushbrk 13,468]

Thank you all for your reply.

This is the detail story. We filed a K1 Visa last year, By Nov 2010, was the first interview, i was given a 221g to bring more document( birth certificate, phone record, my husband passport and more pictures), 2nd interview Dec. 2010, i brought all but no more picture because that was all we had. My husband does not like taking pictures. our relationship was 12years last year. we have been in relationship before he travelled, 6yrs in Nigeria with just one picture together(2002), and 6yrs in US. He only came back to see me twice within that 6yrs, first in 2004(no pictures were taken, we are not aware of it), secondly in 2010(with lots of pictures, now aware of it). The CO was not satisfy, 12yrs relationship with few pictures. The CO also said my husband US passport was not stamped, he later asked me question from our mail which i did not answer very well, he was not friendly at all.I think the main problem was the pictures, he then gave me the white paper that our relationship was for immigration purpose.

Concerning the CR1, we have not yet receive the NOIR.

Thank you

NOIR is Notice of Intent to Revoke. That would come in connection to your original I-129F.

If you have received nothing regarding your I-130, it's the NOA1 (Notice of Action 1) you're looking for, not an NOIR.

Edited July 26, 2011 by pushbrk

[LoveNigarmostyle 164]

Welcome to VJ,

You have joined one of the most informative sites you could of come across. Many of the members on VJ have gone through it all themselves, and are still available to help those of us, who are experiencing similar situations now. A lot of info and compassion goes through these posts. I can testify to that.

Dealing with Nigeria is a pain in you know what ^%$&*%# and having to go through the refiling and waiting is unbearable. But doing things right and knowing what to expect will give you stronger chance in succeeding this time around.

Things move slower than a snail in Nigeria, so pray for patience. You probably will have different CO, but that is not guaranteed. Your chances will be greater, if the two of you spend more time together, family and friends submitting letters on your behalf, more pictures and evidence of ongoing relationship, such as phone and email records.

NO one can guarantee the outcome of your visa. But if you read and make notes of what is being suggested, you go on more prepared, and as it is said "knowledge is power". Good luck and God bless

Again, welcome to VJ

[GodwithHK 0]

Thank you all for your reply.

My husband is a Nigerian, he still holds two passports(Nigeria and US) and he has record of the trips, we have mails, phone records, emails as our communication records. We took more pictures during our wedding this year, also before and after the wedding.

Pls is there any other things we need now, so we can start preparing them, i do not want to be denied again. God forbid.

Thank you

[pushbrk 13,468]

Thank you all for your reply.

My husband is a Nigerian, he still holds two passports(Nigeria and US) and he has record of the trips, we have mails, phone records, emails as our communication records. We took more pictures during our wedding this year, also before and after the wedding.

Pls is there any other things we need now, so we can start preparing them, i do not want to be denied again. God forbid.

Thank you

What you need is to spend significant time living together and document that. Without it, don't expect a different result than the first interview.

[MLS 0]

Thank you all for your reply.

My husband is a Nigerian, he still holds two passports(Nigeria and US) and he has record of the trips, we have mails, phone records, emails as our communication records. We took more pictures during our wedding this year, also before and after the wedding.

Pls is there any other things we need now, so we can start preparing them, i do not want to be denied again. God forbid.

Thank you

Hi there, I think you have come to the right place for advice.

I hope that all goes well for you and yours. However, I have a question regarding your previous statement that your husband's US passport was not stamped. How/ how long ago did your husband become a U.S. citizen? Also, during the past twelve years was he involved with anyone else while in the United States?

I ask these questions to get a better picture of your relationship from a CO's eyes. If there are red flags, you must acknowledge them before there is even a tiny hope of success.

best wishes

[GodwithHK 0]

My husband travelled through US VISA lottery. He became a citizen on June 2009 and he was not involved with anyone. He could not get a Nigerian visa on the US passport, so he used the two passport. It is called a dual passport, whereby one can enter and leave a country without a problem. Maybe the CO is not aware of that. We wedded this year and he came back with the two passports. It is allowed.

[MLS 0]

My husband travelled through US VISA lottery. He became a citizen on June 2009 and he was not involved with anyone. He could not get a Nigerian visa on the US passport, so he used the two passport. It is called a dual passport, whereby one can enter and leave a country without a problem. Maybe the CO is not aware of that. We wedded this year and he came back with the two passports. It is allowed.

Thanks for the clarification. I do think that is an essential part of the story to highlight. Often significant pieces like that elude officers accustomed to "tricky business." I believe that a good place to start is with a detailed time line of your relationship; next try to find as many bits and pieces of verification of each of those steps as possible. It will help you show exactly what needs to be seen for an approval. If your pictures/ letters etc are limited you may consider anything else like keepsakes you exchanged etc.

It is a difficult process especially if you aren't the "showy" kind of relationship people. But it is good to start thinking now because something may just occur to you!

Again, best wishes.

What you need is to spend significant time living together and document that. Without it, don't expect a different result than the first interview.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the best advice. I get the sense that this may not be possible in your circumstances... good luck.

[GodwithHK 0]

I don't know how we can spend significant time living together, he has gone back to US after the wedding and do not think he will come back this year again.

I don't know how we can spend significant time living together, he has gone back to US after the wedding and do not think he will come back this year again.

[pushbrk 13,468]

I don't know how we can spend significant time living together, he has gone back to US after the wedding and do not think he will come back this year again.

Then don't expect a different result. The "how" is simple. You treat the relationship and marriage as a priority and he gets on a plane, comes to you and stays for a couple months. There's nothing complicated about that at all. It's about priorities. If the marriage isn't a priority, it isn't genuine enough to get an immigrant visa for the foreigner coming from Nigeria. Just another trip and a marriage certificate changes nothing about how a Consular Officer will view the relationship. Time spent together is what counts.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

So your husband and you are not together very often , is it because he doesn't make good money in the US ? Why is he choosing to live in the US rather than Nigeria ? Does he own property here in the US ? Since your relationship started up again how much time have you spent together and what caused you to want to marry. Also you aren't at all related are you ( fishing for red flags )