LARGE AGE GAPS, PRIOR MARRIAGES NEED NOT APPLY

[jaycali 415]

D/D,I agreed with your original post! There is definitely bias in the immigration process. Me and my husband have two areas on the so-called red flag list: Divorce / new marriage dates close, and we are different races. The result: we are still waiting for a NOA2 going on 14 months. We know our relationship is true, and we are praying each day. When I hear cases on here when some poor USC has suffered fraud I get so angry because how can the fraudsters get through but me and my husband kept apart because of a bias system.

Something isn't right here, NOA2s do not take 14 months, even if there's a recent divorce int he picture. Are your husband's parents French? Is he of French origin? Sometimes they tend to treat natural born European citizens better than European citizens from certain immigrant backgrounds. Still, NOA2 should not take 14 months. They may actually have lost your case..?

What were these inquiries in your timeline?

On a general basis, to the OP, I can say that the consulates cannot deny an application solely based on age difference - it serves as a red flag, and only a red flag. A red flag is not a denial, but a reason to prepare extra well for the interview.

Is it fair? Perhaps not, but big age gaps, especially where the woman is much older is still uncommon. You can blame the numerous marriage fraud schemes out there, who match up completely different people and try to get them through the consulates. Often, when fraudsters like these try to "sell" a marriage, they face difficulties in matching people and often tend to end up touching numerous red flags.

The most common:

1. They match an American with someone of a completely different background.

2. The American has only visited the beneficiary's country once, and they got "married" during that visit.

3. They'll take a bunch of pics from one single event.

4. Age difference is often big.

5. The American will have had no logical reason for visiting that country, and will say they met online.

They often meet problems "matching couples" because person A is offering $X to get a visa, and it's not like they have 100s of Americans willing to marry a complete stranger. Their "matching capabilities" are therefore limited, and COs will catch onto immediately.

In fraud cases where the American was duped into a green card marriage, and divorce right after removing conditions, age difference tends to be very big also. This isn't just the case for older women, but older American men marrying younger foreign women. If the American fully believes the marriage is in good faith, there's little the CO really can do. The CO is not allowed to deny a visa based on what they believe is the foreigner's perceived intentions if, but they are allowed to give the American "hints" as to what's really going on, so they try to pry that out of the much younger beneficiary.

That being said, my wife and I are different ethnicities, but I'm not expecting this to be an issue what so ever, and it isn't an issue unless culture, language, religion etc is completely different as well.

[jaycali 415]

I really want to recommend this article on marriage fraud:

http://cis.org/marriagefraud

It's written by a former CO, and gives tons of insight into what they face, how they think, and really helps in how to best be prepared to meet them.

Edited March 10, 2012 by jhsm85

[SANDY AND HAMZA 4]

talking about is good to the petitioner moove and spend couple of years with the benifeciry !!!

do you think is easy for some one live in usa to lieve his job and familly and house and go live with some one in third world when he cant even speeck the launguage ? even if the love is very strong and big , you think is easy?

[NY_BX 397]

I really want to recommend this article on marriage fraud:

http://cis.org/marriagefraud

It's written by a former CO, and gives tons of insight into what they face, how they think, and really helps in how to best be prepared to meet them.

Incredible article. Thanks for sharing.

[jaycali 415]

talking about is good to the petitioner moove and spend couple of years with the benifeciry !!!do you think is easy for some one live in usa to lieve his job and familly and house and go live with some one in third world when he cant even speeck the launguage ? even if the love is very strong and big , you think is easy?

I don't think it's easy, no. but in the CO's eyes, they might as well ask "How is it easy for the foreigner to move, but not for the American?" - That's why they have "hardship waivers."

Incredible article.

I know, it really opened my eyes as to how COs think, and why they do what they do.

[Orando 57]

I really want to recommend this article on marriage fraud:

http://cis.org/marriagefraud

It's written by a former CO, and gives tons of insight into what they face, how they think, and really helps in how to best be prepared to meet them.

That is a good read.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Something isn't right here, NOA2s do not take 14 months, even if there's a recent divorce int he picture. Are your husband's parents French? Is he of French origin? Sometimes they tend to treat natural born European citizens better than European citizens from certain immigrant backgrounds. Still, NOA2 should not take 14 months. They may actually have lost your case..?

The US Citizen in question here was selected for an interview in the US which is highly unusual. There is obviously much more to the story.

[Darnell 8,478]

Are you saying that there is a definite, documented bias against older women marrying younger men? Has that just been your personal experience, or do you have any statistics on their refusal rates?

They can interview us a thousand times as long as they don't say no. Salatiel wants me to quit my job and come to Honduras anyway. Maybe someday that is how it will turn out. I still have issues here in the states that hold me back, though.

It's a problem in MENA countries, alas.

But it's not so much the age,

as it is

the historical fact that many of these 'boys' have defrauded the USCitizen Petitioner, over time.

There's a logged history of this stuff.

So, with a 'logged history' , a CO takes a different view, when handling an interview in a MENA country, when the woman is over 40 and the man is under 30.

Sorry, that's the way it is. Who to thank for this? Why, all of the 'boys' that defrauded USCitizens over the last 12 years.

[Stephanie J. 0]

I read your post, but also read down to the "Thank you my wonderful God in Heaven." I've heard my husband say a few times, "man proposes; God disposes." Perhaps it's not in God's plan that you be approved the first, second, or third time. Perhaps it's not in God's plan that you and your husband live in the US. My plan was to have my husband come to the US to visit first on a tourist visa. God's plan was to deny it and have me go to Nigeria and had that not happened I never would have seen things intended for me to see. At the end of the day remember your words and live them "Thank you wonderful God in Heaven."

Amen!

I pray I have your courage through my journey. Thanks so much for the words of wisdom.

[Dana-Mića 51]

I know a person i used to work with she is American born of Spanish origin and she got married to an Egyptian born man that was out of status about 8 years ago. She is about 5 years older than him (at the time he was 18 and she was 23) Not a big deal to me at least. Well from day one they tried to adjust status for him with a lawyer by their side the whole time and had a real hard time at it. Finally after 8 years of marriage they succeeded in the AOS he got his 10 year green card because at that point they were married for over 2 years and guess what happened not even a week later he told her he didn't love her anymore and that he thinks they should get a divorce. Mind you the whole 8 years they lived together, he picked her up from work all the time, she said they had a great love life, etc. What im trying to say it doesn't matter what country he is from but the fact that it took them 8 years to adjust status based on marriage should of been a huge red flag to her. Now she is stuck trying to rebuild her life from scratch and cannot even imagine trusting a man at this point because the one she thought she can trust the most lied to her for 8 years straight.

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

The way i look at it if you think you will have problems then don't start the process at all!

Everything happens for a reason! that i know for sure weather good or bad and yes it would really suck to go threw all the motions waiting time,pay all the fee's then get to the interview and get denied that would piss me off in a way well you know what i mean. I know there are a lot of wrong ways that they do this and should do it a certain way and not judge people because an older woman in love with a young buck and so on but it happens that way! I just put my trust in the lord and whatever happens happens. I'm going to be with mine weather it's here or there no matter what it takes. God Bless

A woman meets a person and falls in love and wishes to live together

She, an American citizen has the right to petition for her SO to come live with her here. It is too easy to write "if you think you will have problems dont start the process"

I believe OP started out with the K1 before this Denial of the Spousal Visa...without hindsight and VJ..how does one think they will have problems with the process???

Even now armed with knowledge of what to expect.. she is still fighting to this day when she boards her plane to Turkey in order to see her husband.

OP went through it all... Be it a VERY LARGE age gap or not dont see that was the jist of her post ...

I believe she was asking after all these fees paid, time waited, due diligence in attempting to show it IS a Bona Fide Relationship...with same results

WHY are they still taking the fees as if she has a chance...I too see this with our MENA forum with other ladies on here,after all that they have offered in proof and fight,emails, calls, requests to Senators to step in etc...One is left absolutely shocked,dumbfounded feeling helpless.

Living here or there is not important, you are right on with this, just as long as we are together with our partner! This is wonderful way of thinking and I too share this conclusion in my Journey...but the embassy in the country your SO is going through has quite a different idea of "age difference". You are very blessed with this.

It is not you that I post against...it is the irony of some cases. I wish you good luck

Edited March 10, 2012 by inluvnwaiting

[Shoot Em Straight 385]

talking about is good to the petitioner moove and spend couple of years with the benifeciry !!!

do you think is easy for some one live in usa to lieve his job and familly and house and go live with some one in third world when he cant even speeck the launguage ? even if the love is very strong and big , you think is easy?

Ummm with this OP.. SO country is Turkey. it is not a third world country and there are variety of languages spoken there...but I doubt any type of move is easy ...

God's will or the consulates final decision..if it is love...then the borders are not as important as being together.

Having written that...I hope I can walk the walk if my time comes...hahaha

[dustingthestars 9]

I really want to recommend this article on marriage fraud:

http://cis.org/marriagefraud

It's written by a former CO, and gives tons of insight into what they face, how they think, and really helps in how to best be prepared to meet them.

The essay paints a picture of an officer very frustrated with USCIS and also very aware of what acts were being or attempted at the offices he worked in. When I read it the first time, I felt he was jaded and bitter. The second read I felt he was just a professional trapped in an unprofessional system. He does have a unique way of expressing himself though, some of his expressions made me laugh.

Edited March 11, 2012 by dustingthestars

[Laure&Colin 435]

The CO is not allowed to deny a visa based on what they believe is the foreigner's perceived intentions if, but they are allowed to give the American "hints" as to what's really going on, so they try to pry that out of the much younger beneficiary.

This is absolutely not true. COs routinely deny visas based on what they believe is the real intent of the foreign spouse. Just look at a bunch of cases from Morocco or Nigeria: the number one suspicion there is that the USC is being fooled into believing that the relationship is real and that they're being loved when in fact they're just being used for a green card. There are tons of cases sent back to USCIS for revocation for this reason.

However one thing the COs CANNOT do is disclose details of their findings during the interview to the USC. Giving hints? Right, tell that to the USCs who call and email embassies daily in order to understand what went wrong and why the visa was denied before it is sent back to USCIS. NOIR is the only time when the USC will learn the actual reasons behind the denial.

The article you posted is interesting but the ex-CO who wrote it seems to be completely convinced that he would never make a mistake, and that petitions re-affirmed by USCIS were always fraud cases. I'm pretty sure COs can be wrong sometimes... especially when they refused to look at the evidence the applicant wanted to show and based their decision on who knows what (China, Nigeria, Ecuador, DR...).

[Boiler 43,760]

I think most males are pretty clear what the deal is if they import a younger spouse that would not otherwise give them the time of day.

I just wonder if the issue here is that women have different expectations?