K1 visa requirements/ questions

[GeorgeandGeorgia 14]

Hi everyone,

I am working and living in Bahrain. My boyfriend and I have decied to get married but there is no official engagement ring proposal yet. We talk about our future and getting married in the US once I get fiancee visa. He used to work in Bahrain year in Jan 2013 and left Bahrain in Dec 2013. He visited me in Bahrain in April 2014 and I also visited him in April 2015. This Long Distance Relationship for 2 yrs is such pain in the ### and I have met his family when I traveled to US. But I have some questions that I do not have an answer yet thats why I have joined in this forum to get a help and advice. My questions are:

1. Do I need to worry that my boyfriend hasnt give my engagement ring yet and we are planning to apply for fiance visa? Does the ring really matters though we both talked about getting married? (He just got a job again this year in June so when he got a job, he decided to ask me if am I willing to marry him as he is financially stable again and can support me. Thats also i think one of the reason why he hasnt propose to me when I visited him in the US this year, because he has no job yet, he was studying and mastering his course but fortunately he applied for job and he got hired from his dream job and unfinished his masteral.)

2. His family loves me and has no problem that we want to get married but my family is very religious and they do not want me to marry a man if he is not the same of our religion so I didnt tell it to my family yet but once we get married i would introduce him to my family as they will have no choice but to accept him and let us be happy. I was thinking maybe it can be a problem for USCIS or US EMBASSY?

3. Do my fiance needs to send all ORIGINAL FORMS Needed to submit to USCIS or just a copy of each forms?

4. Letter to Intent to Marry within 90 days - is this enough evidence that we need to submit to USCIS and US embassy in Bahrain to prove that we will get married before 90 days? Also, how can we pick a date of our wedding if we do not know how long this fiance petition process will take?

5. Are 10 great quality photos enough to send to USCIS?

6. We are also confused about filing provisional case in the consulate? Does my fiance really need to file it and fax to US Consulate or is it not necessary?

Many thanks in advance and I appreciate all the helps!

-Regards,

Karen

[baron555 934]

1. Do I need to worry that my boyfriend hasnt give my engagement ring yet and we are planning to apply for fiance visa? Does the ring really matters though we both talked about getting married? (He just got a job again this year in June so when he got a job, he decided to ask me if am I willing to marry him as he is financially stable again and can support me. Thats also i think one of the reason why he hasnt propose to me when I visited him in the US this year, because he has no job yet, he was studying and mastering his course but fortunately he applied for job and he got hired from his dream job and unfinished his masteral.)

Ring not required.

2. His family loves me and has no problem that we want to get married but my family is very religious and they do not want me to marry a man if he is not the same of our religion so I didnt tell it to my family yet but once we get married i would introduce him to my family as they will have no choice but to accept him and let us be happy. I was thinking maybe it can be a problem for USCIS or US EMBASSY?

You are an adult and make your own decisions. USCIS doesn't care.

3. Do my fiance needs to send all ORIGINAL FORMS Needed to submit to USCIS or just a copy of each forms?

Copies are fine but original signatures are required on some. Read the Guides. Follow the Example Forms. Links at the top of this page.

4. Letter to Intent to Marry within 90 days - is this enough evidence that we need to submit to USCIS and US embassy in Bahrain to prove that we will get married before 90 days?

Yes that's all.

Also, how can we pick a date of our wedding if we do not know how long this fiance petition process will take?

You can't....and don't even guess. Plan on a quickly planned wedding. It's the deal with the K-1.

5. Are 10 great quality photos enough to send to USCIS?

Yes

6. We are also confused about filing provisional case in the consulate? Does my fiance really need to file it and fax to US Consulate or is it not necessary?

Read the Guides. The 129f Petition and other documents are sent to Texas, not the Embassy.

[Kat&Jon 85]

Hi everyone,

I am working and living in Bahrain. My boyfriend and I have decied to get married but there is no official engagement ring proposal yet. We talk about our future and getting married in the US once I get fiancee visa. He used to work in Bahrain year in Jan 2013 and left Bahrain in Dec 2013. He visited me in Bahrain in April 2014 and I also visited him in April 2015. This Long Distance Relationship for 2 yrs is such pain in the ### and I have met his family when I traveled to US. But I have some questions that I do not have an answer yet thats why I have joined in this forum to get a help and advice. My questions are:

1. Do I need to worry that my boyfriend hasnt give my engagement ring yet and we are planning to apply for fiance visa? Does the ring really matters though we both talked about getting married? (He just got a job again this year in June so when he got a job, he decided to ask me if am I willing to marry him as he is financially stable again and can support me. Thats also i think one of the reason why he hasnt propose to me when I visited him in the US this year, because he has no job yet, he was studying and mastering his course but fortunately he applied for job and he got hired from his dream job and unfinished his masteral.)

Not having the engagement ring yet does not matter towards filing. Some people have sent in a copy of the receipt of the engagement ring purchase but that is only Secondary Evidence. There have been a few members who started the process without officially having a ring yet so that should not be a problem. It is good that you are waiting to apply until he can support you since this is a requirement of the Visa that he is able to support you (or find a sponsor who can).

2. His family loves me and has no problem that we want to get married but my family is very religious and they do not want me to marry a man if he is not the same of our religion so I didnt tell it to my family yet but once we get married i would introduce him to my family as they will have no choice but to accept him and let us be happy. I was thinking maybe it can be a problem for USCIS or US EMBASSY?

This I honestly can't answer since it seems to be a family issue. From my understanding it shouldn't affect the K-1 Visa process but they do require Affidavits of friends and family when you go to Remove Conditions, but it seems like his family is more than enough to support you both with affidavits even if your family may not want to. Also, by the time you have to file for ROC to get your 10 year green card your family will hopefully be supportive by that point anyway.

3. Do my fiance needs to send all ORIGINAL FORMS Needed to submit to USCIS or just a copy of each forms?

Copies can be sent for most things such as Birth Certificate, Passport Pages, Divorce Decrees, etc. Original forms with WET signatures are required for the I-129F, G-325A, and both letters of intent.

4. Letter to Intent to Marry within 90 days - is this enough evidence that we need to submit to USCIS and US embassy in Bahrain to prove that we will get married before 90 days? Also, how can we pick a date of our wedding if we do not know how long this fiance petition process will take?

I am not sure how strict the Embassy at Bahrain might be, but the primary evidece they need is that you have met within the passed 2 years so that would include passport stamps and boarding passes. Secondary evidence include receipts, photos together, hotel stays, etc. Some Consulates require you to front load the packet with loads of secondary and primary evidence to prove the bonafide relationship. Someone from your regional forum could answer what you need to send the best. I wouldn't pick a date for the wedding. You can try and keep a window or a hopeful month in mind but we always recommend not to cement your plans until Visa is in hand.

5. Are 10 great quality photos enough to send to USCIS?

From my experience since this is Secondary evidence it sounds like plenty to me, but again someone from your regional forum would no best if you need to front load with a lot of proof.

6. We are also confused about filing provisional case in the consulate? Does my fiance really need to file it and fax to US Consulate or is it not necessary?

Since he now resides in the US it seems he will just have to mail it to the Texas Lockbox which will then route it to whichever service center will work it.

Many thanks in advance and I appreciate all the helps!

-Regards,

Karen

Hope this helps! Good luck with your journey!

Edited October 23, 2015 by Kat&Jon

[GeorgeandGeorgia 14]

Thank you for the quick response I appreciate it.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Adliyah2002

[TBoneTX 45,498]

2. my family is very religious and they do not want me to marry a man if he is not the same of our religion so I didnt tell it to my family yet but once we get married i would introduce him to my family as they will have no choice but to accept him and let us be happy. I was thinking maybe it can be a problem for USCIS or US EMBASSY?

This might be a massive problem at the embassy. Get it completely worked out ahead of time, before any papers are filed with USCIS.

[GeorgeandGeorgia 14]

But I thought as long as we are both on legal age, I'm 33 and my fiance is 30, means whether with or without the approval of our parents, we can get married?

[GeorgeandGeorgia 14]

Hope this helps! Good luck with your journey!

I have an additional question please...

The affidavit of support from friends, is it a MUST to notarize it? Or is it okey if our friends will just sign their statement and add their email add and contact number for verification? Also, i want to confirm if the affidavit of support from friends should be from US CITIZEN only? Because I have friends in Bahrain who witnessed our genuine relationship but they are not us citizen. I appreciate your swift response. Thank you.

[TBoneTX 45,498]

But I thought as long as we are both on legal age, I'm 33 and my fiance is 30, means whether with or without the approval of our parents, we can get married?

You can marry. However, if the embassy views the relationship as "outside the cultural norm," you can expect close scrutiny.

[GeorgeandGeorgia 14]

This might be a massive problem at the embassy. Get it completely worked out ahead of time, before any papers are filed with USCIS.

But we are both an adult and on legal age. Why it will be a massive problem at the embassy? Do u know anyone that their K1 application has been rejected because of this reason? Thanks for your reply.

[Kat&Jon 85]

If you are referring to my answering regarding the Affidavits from friends and family those are only required during removal of conditions stage and there are templates of those available in the guides that you can find here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/examples. Under the section labeled Lifting of Conditions.

If you are concerned that there would be a hold up with your petition due to family scrutiny then I would send some of these in as secondary evidence with your I-129F.

If you are referring to the K-1 required affidavit of support form that is form I-134 which your fiance needs to fill out and send to you supporting financial documents before your interview. This is not sent with your initial petition.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Kat&Jon

[TBoneTX 45,498]

If family approval is expected or crucial when a woman (regardless of age) marries, the embassy might focus on this in an attempt to determine the bona fide nature of the relationship.

[Kat&Jon 85]

I was not aware of that Tbone! I learned something new today! Its a good day!!!

Si man!!!

I apologize GeorgeandGeorgia for any misinformation!!!

Good luck on your journey!

[sumehra29 22]

I am also of a different religion of my fiancé . Embassy did not ask about a ring or anything and didn't ask religious things . As long as you love the person and the relationship is genuine

[TBoneTX 45,498]

1. I am also of a different religion of my fiancé . Embassy did not ask about a ring or anything and didn't ask religious things.

2. As long as you love the person and the relationship is genuine

1. This was very fortunate.

2. This is highly perilous advice to offer. One must leave no avenue to chance at the visa interview.

[GeorgeandGeorgia 14]

We have a genuine relationship/bona fide relationship and too many friends of him and I can prove it. the reason why I can't tell to my parents is because they are very religious plus my dad's heart condition is not so well. I didnt want something to happen with him if I will introduce my fiance. But after the wedding, i am definitely will introduce him to them. It happened before that I had a boyfriend and he is also not same my religion and my family asked me to break up with him and I did so.. Because I didnt want to cause any trouble but this time this relationship is serious and we have been through a lot of difficulties in long distance relationship, I dont want my family to interfere in my love life as I am old enough to make a decision who am I gonna want to spend the rest of my life and not them. I am just hoping in my interview, the consular will not ask the question regarding this matter or else I have no choice but to tell them the truth. I will never lie as welll even if it will cause of my fiance visa denial. If this is meant for us, then its meant for us.. Thank you all for all the advises! I really do appreciate it!