New and Need Help. Need Sincere Help (American+Moroccan) Thank you In advance if you read this.

[Jarael and Laila 0]

Hello my name is Jarael,

I have met a girl, named Laila who lives in Morocco. I am very new to this and need some assistance. If you are interested in giving me some friendly advice here is my story below. I will put any information I think may have an impact as I dont know much about this process.

We met approx March 7, 2014 online. I am 24 and she is 5 months older making her 25. We have known each other for going on 2 years but I have yet to see her face to face as I am a full time college student and also in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. So I am not active duty. We have skyped emailed and talk on the phone daily via whatsapp or actual calls. We weren't serious in the beginning but it did develop into this.

Now I have been trying to figure how I can bring us together, we both have. I am again a full time college student and will more then likely, In sha Allah, be going to study abroad for a school year. MY major is French and anthropology. I also study Arabic. I also am Muslim by the way. The school I plan to attend is in Meknes, Morocco the same city she lives. This will put me there in a time frame of about August to December with her.

Here is where I need the assistance. I have been overwhelmed by all the steps and different options and being told to get lawyers, some ranging in the $3,000 range. Again I am not rich but I am surely determined. When I return I will have maybe 1 semester 2 at the most remaining before I finish school. At this point I dont know If I should attempt to marry her while there if thats possible as I'll be student or just get engaged or what.

So any help and guidance from people will be greatly appreciated. I sincerely thank you for your time in reading this.

[Dohan 133]

Many of us on here have done this process without lawyers. Immigration lawyers charge such high prices because this is tedious work and every word and comma needs to be checked. But with the help of the community here I assure you, you can succeed in this journey.

The fiance visa, K1 is a quicker process than the marriage visa, with the marriage visa she won't be able to enter the country for a while, I think about a year so a fiance visa is slightly quicker in that sense. It also depends on the state where you live at the time of filing, if you are lucky enoug to be designated to California Service Center, your journey for a K1 will be A LOT quicker.

One of the requirements for a K1 is having met in the past two years, so until you actually meet each other and collect proof of visits, and have photos together, it will be very difficult to get an approval.

Since you are a Marine (and by the way thank you for your service to our country!) you might be able to have your case expedited, I don't think you need to be on active duty for that.

So my humble suggestion would be to go and meet her, meet her family, and go from there.

Best of luck!

[alicia98981 128]

Best advice I could give you? Don't use a lawyer and follow the visa journey guides!

[Jarael and Laila 0]

Ah thank you so Much that is exrtemely enlighting already!!! So since i plan to meet her this coming august-ish and will be in direct contact with her until I return back to the states In Dec. Is it better to just grab pictures and all and wait to be married/engaged or just get engaged and then return or what do you suggest there? Apologies If im asking to many questions. I guess either way I have time so once I get there I hope to still be in contact with someone on here I can get constant advice from.

Many of us on here have done this process without lawyers. Immigration lawyers charge such high prices because this is tedious work and every word and comma needs to be checked. But with the help of the community here I assure you, you can succeed in this journey.

The fiance visa, K1 is a quicker process than the marriage visa, with the marriage visa she won't be able to enter the country for a while, I think about a year so a fiance visa is slightly quicker in that sense. It also depends on the state where you live at the time of filing, if you are lucky enoug to be designated to California Service Center, your journey for a K1 will be A LOT quicker.

One of the requirements for a K1 is having met in the past two years, so until you actually meet each other and collect proof of visits, and have photos together, it will be very difficult to get an approval.

Since you are a Marine (and by the way thank you for your service to our country!) you might be able to have your case expedited, I don't think you need to be on active duty for that.

So my humble suggestion would be to go and meet her, meet her family, and go from there.

Best of luck!

Thank you very much. Is it possible for you to guide to this guide you speak of as I am not sure how to navigate this webiste. I never have even used bany blog site so this whole concept is new.

Best advice I could give you? Don't use a lawyer and follow the visa journey guides!

[Dohan 133]

Hey, if you guys are happy and all is smooth while you're there I don't see why you can't get engaged! Collect all the stuff while you're there, photos with her family also would be great (USCIS likes to see that). Have her fill out a G325 and sign it (you need her original signature) and get copies of her birth certificate and her passport. This is just so she doesn't have to mail it to you from Morocco. I'm very paranoid about mailing documents lol.

[Jarael and Laila 0]

lol thats understandable and I will try minimize such a task as mailing things. So better to get engaged there then maybe just jumping straight to marriage. Next grab photos of all sorts(easy) , fill out G-325 and get copies of B.C. and Passport. Now is there a time limit on the forms, like for example once she fills out this G-325( as i dont know what this is) is it only valid for xx amount of days/weeks/months?

Hey, if you guys are happy and all is smooth while you're there I don't see why you can't get engaged! Collect all the stuff while you're there, photos with her family also would be great (USCIS likes to see that). Have her fill out a G325 and sign it (you need her original signature) and get copies of her birth certificate and her passport. This is just so she doesn't have to mail it to you from Morocco. I'm very paranoid about mailing documents lol.

[TBoneTX 45,524]

You can read the Guides for the K-1 and CR-1 visas (links atop any screen here).

I'm moving your thread from the "Introducing Our Members" forum to the "What Visa Do I Need" forum. Queries like yours are often discussed there.

You can find that forum on the list of forums, or you can click this link to get into it:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/157-what-visa-do-i-need-family-based-immigration/

Good luck!

Edited December 18, 2014 by TBoneTX

[alicia98981 128]

Thank you very much. Is it possible for you to guide to this guide you speak of as I am not sure how to navigate this webiste. I never have even used bany blog site so this whole concept is new.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guideis the link you should use. There are tons of resources you can use on this website that will help make the process a a whole lot easier for you. Don't be afraid to ask questions and search for answers. Chances are someone else had the same question already! You can also check out the Moroccan forum or the MENA forum as well for more area related questions. Good luck!

[Jarael and Laila 0]

Thank you very much!!!

I will take the time to look through all this links and try to figure my way through before coming back to answer more questions. Thank you as you all have already began to build my confidence.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guideis the link you should use. There are tons of resources you can use on this website that will help make the process a a whole lot easier for you. Don't be afraid to ask questions and search for answers. Chances are someone else had the same question already! You can also check out the Moroccan forum or the MENA forum as well for more area related questions. Good luck!

[southcoast 27]

Check through the marines. There are many immigration benefits for service members, including JAG lawyers in some cases at no cost. Worth a check.

[Cali&Safi 3]

Take a lot of pics with her, and with her family-friends...... Keep all receipts when your there, and the receipt for the engagement ring too. Try to have your engagement party when your there........ would be perfect timing.

You don't need an attorney to do this process, all you do is pay an attorney $3000.00 to basically stick a stamp on the envelope containing your docs to USCIS. You can do this yourself. Truly.....

And sorry to inform you, you can not request an expedite on your case after you file, unless your on active duty and about to deploy overseas........ sorry ...... thank you for serving our country ♥♥

My dad was a 30 year Marine...... ♥♥

Edited December 26, 2014 by Cali&Safi

[Jarael and Laila 0]

Thank you!!! that is really helpful info and i will def keep everyone updated with my situation pertaining to me and her. You all have surely giving me hope and belief that this is something that I can accomplish.

Take a lot of pics with her, and with her family-friends...... Keep all receipts when your there, and the receipt for the engagement ring too. Try to have your engagement party when your there........ would be perfect timing.

You don't need an attorney to do this process, all you do is pay an attorney $3000.00 to basically stick a stamp on the envelope containing your docs to USCIS. You can do this yourself. Truly.....

And sorry to inform you, you can not request an expedite on your case after you file, unless your on active duty and about to deploy overseas........ sorry ...... thank you for serving our country ♥♥

My dad was a 30 year Marine...... ♥♥

[Cali&Safi 3]

Your very welcome, and if you get stuck, just post a question on VJ and you will get the help you need... you can do this, I promise.....

Best wishes on your new journey.

[Jarael and Laila 0]

Thank you so much, And I just bought my ticket to morocco less then 20 min ago. Im going to see this amazing woman on JUne 2. Taking the first step to start this process. Thank you for your suppport

Your very welcome, and if you get stuck, just post a question on VJ and you will get the help you need... you can do this, I promise.....

Best wishes on your new journey.

[Cali&Safi 3]

Thats fantastic.......... what a lovely event to look forward to this new coming year........ Happy New Year..... see you around the forum here...