Have not met in-person, does this situation qualify for an exception?

[AmyWrites 593]

Is this really true?

Oh really. Nice, very nice.

It's true.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

In a nut shell I do not believe your meeting requirement will be waved. You received excellent advice here and detailed

explanations of why it would not succeed so no need for me to repeat them.

I totally agree with the general consensus here.

The age difference is a red flag to them in a high fraud country.

You not being able to pay the amount in total that you are making payments on may

make them scratch their head asking how you will be able to support an immigrant sufficiently once he is here if you can't

get it paid to meet him and I don't see that as a viable reason to submit with your waiver request but adding to the problem

instead and it may add another red flag.

I believe you will waste a very long time and be denied. I would withdraw the petition and make a visit happen and file then.

This journey can take a very long time for some of us. I have met my fiance 4 years ago, he did not receive a visa even though

I made 3 trips with plenty of evidence and they were not convinced that we are bona fide couple. I am re filing.

I may take your hope but I rather let you know the hard facts so you can be well prepared of the outcome.

Best wishes, I know sometimes life is just plain difficult.

[Avery Cates 1,141]

1. Relationships with huge language barriers.

2. Relationships with large age gaps, especially in which the female is significantly older than the male.

3. Relationships in which the couple has not spent significant amounts of time together.

4. Relationships with big, often "socially unacceptable" cultural differences.

5. Relationships in which the foreign fiance(e)/spouse is from a "high-fraud" country.

Unfortunately the OP seems to fall into AT LEAST 4 of those 5.

An approved K-1 will be nothing short of miraculous.

However, if the OP still wants to try, she needs to not just jump head first into the brick wall. She needs to do research. A LOT of research. She needs to have a VERY SOLID plan for every inch of the journey. This "I hope it will be enough..." stuff isn't going to cut it. You're not going to be issued a visa from a high fraud country with all those red flags on hope and well wishes. Your case needs to be impeccably rock solid.

[dwheels76 5,463]

Also OP you have to look at the totality of your whole case. You are asking immigration to grant your man a Visa to come to the US to MEET you. yet you have evidence that you have submitted to them you really can't go anywhere. that you are basically tethered to your job and a nursing facility as primary person to someone who depends solely on you.

Immigration has to be thinking But they haven't meet and you have 90 days to meet and marry. can you see what a tight squeeze all this is. Just trying to paint a picture of even if you get past USCIS the likelihood getting through Ghana Embassy (even people who have lived together get denied there). It is no easy thing that embassy.

Can I ask how long has this relationship be going on? When did you meet? Obviously online and that can be another red flag? was it a specific site? All this has much to play into an approval or denial.and your.

[Lemonslice 4,569]

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Ghanaian_citizens for a list of countries your fiancé can visit without a visa - you could fly to the Caribbean ones over a weekend, that shouldn't be too inconvenient (or any other day where you're off work). You can try to meet soon-ish and enjoy each other and gather proof of having met (which will be useful in the small chance your petition is approved, and certainly if you need to refile).

[dobbietoo 8]

This kind of situation (asking for a exception from the 2-year meeting) seems to come up every few months and while every situation is unique most people don't even come close to qualifying for the exception.

1.Result in extreme hardship to you, or

Violate strict and long-established customs of the beneficiary's foreign culture or social practice.
In addition to establishing that the required meeting would be a violation of custom or practice,
you must also veriff that all other aspects of the traditional arrangements have been or will be met
in accordance with the custom or practice. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to:

Statements from the religious authorities attesting to the practices, beliefs, and customs
for the engagement and marriage.
Statements from tribal leaders that establish that the meeting of the petitioner and the
beneficiary is a violation of the tribe's customs.

Note: Extreme hardship for YOU, not the person you are taking care of, etc, etc. Just because you are taking care of someone and have many notarized docs, etc doesn't get around the point that this is in no way a 'hardship' for you, let alone a 'extreme' one. I'm only looking at the requirements you are seeking to comply with and then you have all the other red flags that will do nothing but cause a denial of the actual K1 petition.

You really should rethink your position on this and just find a way to meet in-person in the near future and then start fresh. You are looking at a VERY difficult petition for K1 coming out of Ghana as it is. Couples get denied there all the time with pretty solid petitions and no obvious issues. Not your fault so much fraud and problems have come out of that country but its a fact and you can't get around that. I will also add, 'one' visit is still pretty weak. I would recommend multiple visits over a extended amount of time for a more solid petition. I do wish you good luck!!

[Stephen&Lica 1]

Thank you everyone for your input, your respectfulness and your maturity. I had no idea this would be such a mess :-( Since when, as an American does someone else get to make life decisions for me? It's sad to learn. If I believe his heart and intentions to be genuine, who is someone else to have the right to question it? It simply seems very wrong :-( I'm not referring to you guys or even looking for a response for my short rant. Just expressing. It makes no sense that they won't even allow him to come here with the understanding that if we decided (for some strange reason) not to marry then he'd simply go back. It won't do me any good to try to express the things and reasons I believe him to be genuine to you guys so I won't waste your time (I'm not saying you doubt us). I really appreciate your help and advice. I'll keep you posted. Not feeling like such an American anymore....Lica

[baron555 934]

I think our situation might be quite unique. We met in an online dating site in December 2012. We haven't met in person. I mailed out our package on Wednesday October 16, 2013. Included is a letter signed and notarized by my employer (of almost 14 years) stating that I can't get time off of work because my boss was in the hospital for 2 months and is already scheduled to go back in and have more surgery. It also includes a signed and notarized letter from a nursing home where my long time friend resides. I'm her legal guardian and need to be here for her. It describes that I need to be here to make decisions and support her emotionally etc. It also includes a letter from my pastor about his knowledge of my relationship with Stephen, our plan for him to council us for marriage etc. I'm just wondering what the chances are that will get approved for the exception of not having met in person??? Any thoughts?

99.99% guarantee to get denied.

:-( Since when, as an American does someone else get to make life decisions for me? It's sad to learn. If I believe his heart and intentions to be genuine, who is someone else to have the right to question it? It simply seems very wrong :-

Immigration to the US is a privledge, not a right.

Go meet in person, doesn't have to be in his country, and withdraw that petition and file another. Very simple. If you follow the process, then you can get together.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Immigration and love....where the two worlds of 'right to pursue happiness' and 'immigration is a privilege and not a right'

collide.

You just have to meet the requirements they set to be together.

As far as him going back if it does not work out, many stay here out of status in search for a better life.

Unfortunately the bad apples that use Americans for a green card make it a hell of a ride for the rest of us who are genuine.

Buckle up and you will find a way if it is meant to be.

This journey is only for the tenacious. It requires a lot of patience and enough financial resources to reach the goal.

It has been a 4 year journey for us and we still have not reached the end so you see I certainly understand your disappointment.

[Boiler 43,596]

Passport and Debt

The only Debt I am aware of that has an impact is Child Support, anyway easiest solution as it is not very much would be to pay it off.

Terminal Friend

Well in Immigration timelines this will resolve itself.

Job

You will need to be making quite a few trips so I would give your Employer advance notice now that he or she needs to get there act together. Any business that is totally reliant on one employee has disaster written all over it.

[Justine+David 218]

As others have said, immigration is a privilege, not a right.

And looking at it from their POV, there are *many* visas that do get issues each year and end up fradulent. But now that the beneficiary is here (and goes under the radar of US immigration by moving elsewhere), they will work under the table, commit crimes, or claim false domestic abuse (foreign women for the most part). There are countless stories out there, and many of them documented here on VJ.

I think that the US needs to treat the foreign beneficiary with basic human dignity (and they often treat people like dirt at interviews), but I do agree that those with the "red flags" should be more heavily scrutinized because their risk of things going wrong is astronomical compared to those coming from wealthier nations.

Your case has red flags coming up the wazoo. I'm in no way saying that your relationship is fradulent, but I do think that it's reasonable that you show evidence that it's not. And from the limited amount of information that you've given us, I don't see a single positive factor to your case aside from the fact that you or he haven't committed any inadmissible acts. If I can't see it, there's no way that USCIS or the American embassy in Ghana will.

First things first, you MUST meet your fiance, even if it's just in a 3rd country. You can wait for the K1 petition to come back first, if you'd like just to be sure, but there's absolutely no go if you don't do this. Unfortunately, you'll have wasted your money spent on this petition because it won't count for the next one.

My suggestion is to read through the Sub-Saharan forum here on VJ, go through the threads meticulously over the next few weeks to get a better sense of the uphill battle and make an action plan.

I realize that this is probably devastating to read everyone's replies and I'm sorry. I only know that it's all worth it if it's the right person. I was lucky enough to have no red flags in my husband's visa case and the fact that he came from a wealthy nation. But even if he was from a high-fraud country and it had taken up to now to get a visa (we applied originally in 2009), it would have been worth it because we love each other.

Best of luck. Keep us updated if you can as your situation may help someone else in the future if they look through the archives...

Edited October 19, 2013 by Justine+David

[evoria 19]

you everyone for your input, your respectfulness and your maturity. I had no idea this would be such a mess :-( Since when, as an American does someone else get to make life decisions for me? It's sad to learn. If I believe his heart and intentions to be genuine, who is someone else to have the right to question it? It simply seems very wrong :-( I'm not referring to you guys or even looking for a response for my short rant. Just expressing. It makes no sense that they won't even allow him to come here with the understanding that if we decided (for some strange reason) not to marry then he'd simply go back. It won't do me any good to try to express the things and reasons I believe him to be genuine to you guys so I won't waste your time (I'm not saying you doubt us). I really appreciate your help and advice. I'll keep you posted. Not feeling like such an American anymore....Lica

This is exactly what I said, who decides for me who I can marry. Please woman to woman: Do whatever you can to go to Ghana. Make sure this man is legit. This is a high fraud country. I went to Ghana two times before deciding to marry my husband. The new scam out of Ghana is to get married to an American, come to the US and then join the military and get citizenship from the military. I know another woman's whose husband came right after mine. She is living in hell because she did not do her due diligence. Less than a year with him in the US she was working on a divorce she has stuck it out but she has no intentions of filing for his 10 year and they are heading for divorce. Prior to this man came, she came on visa journey questioning his intent, and did not follow her mind. If she could talk to you she would tell you the same. Go to Ghana, pay attention and make sure you know the real situation. Even if you do not understand the language, you can see and know who and what your man is really about. My situation was different, and my husband is great. While in Ghana I spent time at the cafe's where they do there "business". I have talked to the guys and many speak to different women to see who can get them in the US. Just saying, watch this video, stay safe. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=+ghana+fraud+video&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=170F7B75C80057268578170F7B75C80057268578

[Shiobhan 235]

Well someone suggested meeting in Canada,

the Canadians are NOT inclined to give a visa

to a person recently turnrd down for a US visa,

so see if a person from Ghana needs a visa to

Mexico then meet him there ...let him buy his own

ticket.

They will return the petition to U and not just the

issue of age arises, but finances too , it will be costly,

U never asked for opinions about fraud or real

but this smacks of a fraudulent on-line encounter

[Peter_Pan 661]

Thank you everyone for your input, your respectfulness and your maturity. I had no idea this would be such a mess :-( Since when, as an American does someone else get to make life decisions for me? It's sad to learn. If I believe his heart and intentions to be genuine, who is someone else to have the right to question it? It simply seems very wrong :-( I'm not referring to you guys or even looking for a response for my short rant. Just expressing. It makes no sense that they won't even allow him to come here with the understanding that if we decided (for some strange reason) not to marry then he'd simply go back. It won't do me any good to try to express the things and reasons I believe him to be genuine to you guys so I won't waste your time (I'm not saying you doubt us). I really appreciate your help and advice. I'll keep you posted. Not feeling like such an American anymore....Lica

You are naive. How do you think you can make him go back if he doesnt want to go home?

[AmyWrites 593]

Thank you everyone for your input, your respectfulness and your maturity. I had no idea this would be such a mess :-( Since when, as an American does someone else get to make life decisions for me? It's sad to learn. If I believe his heart and intentions to be genuine, who is someone else to have the right to question it? It simply seems very wrong :-( I'm not referring to you guys or even looking for a response for my short rant. Just expressing. It makes no sense that they won't even allow him to come here with the understanding that if we decided (for some strange reason) not to marry then he'd simply go back. It won't do me any good to try to express the things and reasons I believe him to be genuine to you guys so I won't waste your time (I'm not saying you doubt us). I really appreciate your help and advice. I'll keep you posted. Not feeling like such an American anymore....Lica

Would you marry some man you've never met, and only wrote letters to, in the US?

Don't let the exotic aspect of international love fool you.

These visas are hard to get for a reason.