K-1 visa help for newbie!

[Faith88’ 68]

Hello Everyone!

 I am new to this forum and I have a few general questions if anyone can help!

 

1) my fiancé and I have only met once for a few days in the past week, I went to Nigeria to see him, is that not enough to be approved by the consulate?

 

2) Do I NEED a lawyer to help me file my petition for k-1 visa ?

 

3) can I go to his interview once the date is established?

 

we took several photos and I have receipts of the hotel, my itinerary, things I bought, and my passport was stamped upon arrival and departure.

 

we've been dating since May of this year and I haven't been to see him more than once because I've recently graduated and started a new job so it was impossible to ask for more time off, not to mention it's quite expensive. Is one meeting enough ? Are the fiancé visas as temperamental as I've read on this site because technically all that is required is one meeting.

 

Ive been on the fence about getting a lawyer because it's expensive and I've also read that I don't necessarily need one,, I've researched and learned a few things on my own so far.

 

thank you in advance!

 

AN

[bakphx1 789]

Nigeria is very high fraud country.   I would say that a visa would be a tough sell.  If you were my friend or my sister I would say wait a year, then get a lawyer to check this person out. I'm also leery that so many questions about marrying people from Nigeria and Ghana after one meeting are so common here. 

 

Consequently there are also posters questioning what to do with their nightmare of a spouse once here.  I invite you to scan the Family Changes section. 

[Faith88’ 68]

1 hour ago, bakphx1@aol.com said:

Nigeria is very high fraud country.   I would say that a visa would be a tough sell.  If you were my friend or my sister I would say wait a year, then get a lawyer to check this person out. I'm also leery that so many questions about marrying people from Nigeria and Ghana after one meeting are so common here. 

 

Consequently there are also posters questioning what to do with their nightmare of a spouse once here.  I invite you to scan the Family Changes section. 

thanks for your response and opinion. I am well aware of this. We've only met once because of my circumstances surrounding work... I am not sure if any other Us/international  (long distance) couples reasons for only meeting once; although this is common to many people due to financial reasons, work schedule etc.

 

I am also certain he's a wonderful person and "nightmare" spouses are common here in the US whether you marry someone from a different country or not. Integrity is what counts most; not what country you're from, but again, thanks.

 

 

 

[Abies 1,713]

1 hour ago, Msanelson1 said:

Hello Everyone!

 I am new to this forum and I have a few general questions if anyone can help!

 

1) my fiancé and I have only met once for a few days in the past week, I went to Nigeria to see him, is that not enough to be approved by the consulate?

 

2) Do I NEED a lawyer to help me file my petition for k-1 visa ?

 

3) can I go to his interview once the date is established?

 

we took several photos and I have receipts of the hotel, my itinerary, things I bought, and my passport was stamped upon arrival and departure.

 

we've been dating since May of this year and I haven't been to see him more than once because I've recently graduated and started a new job so it was impossible to ask for more time off, not to mention it's quite expensive. Is one meeting enough ? Are the fiancé visas as temperamental as I've read on this site because technically all that is required is one meeting.

 

Ive been on the fence about getting a lawyer because it's expensive and I've also read that I don't necessarily need one,, I've researched and learned a few things on my own so far.

 

thank you in advance!

 

AN

1. US embassy in Lagos is a very difficult one. Try to visit him once again before you file&spend more time with him(2- 3weeks)

2. If he doesn't have any ineligibility,using an immigration lawyer is waste of time&money.

3. You will not be allowed in with him during his interview.

[Faith88’ 68]

Thank you !

9 minutes ago, Abies said:

1. US embassy in Lagos is a very difficult one. Try to visit him once again before you file&spend more time with him(2- 3weeks)

2. If he doesn't have any ineligibility,using an immigration lawyer is waste of time&money.

3. You will not be allowed in with him during his interview.

He's never been married have kids or has ever been in any criminal or legal trouble 

[Faith88’ 68]

I plan to visit again in February 

[Abies 1,713]

1 minute ago, Msanelson1 said:

Thank you !

He's never been married have kids or has ever been in any criminal or legal trouble 

Who's older?

[Abies 1,713]

1 minute ago, Msanelson1 said:

I plan to visit again in February 

Alright but spend more time with him in February. Take pictures with him,his friends&relatives. Is the engagement official?

[geowrian 22,337]

Only one visit, and only for a matter of days, is going to be a very, very difficult battle with Nigeria. Not impossible, and a strong case can go a long way, but it's quite risky IMO.

 

I would highly suggest waiting until you have spent more time physically in person so you can frontload the petition with much more evidence. COs are supposed to consider the evidence you present at the interview without frontloading, but Nigeria is one country where it's virtually necessary or you run the risk of them presuming a fraudulent relationship before the interview even begins.

 

Alternatively, you could marry on your next visit and do a CR-1 instead. That gives you more time for additional visits, and a means to challenge a refusal (instead of having to start all over).

26 minutes ago, Msanelson1 said:

We've only met once because of my circumstances surrounding work... I am not sure if any other Us/international  (long distance) couples reasons for only meeting once; although this is common to many people due to financial reasons, work schedule etc.

I 100% understand this. That said, the reasons for not spending more time physically together don't matter to a CO. With that embassy, they tend to put a lot of emphasis on time spent physically together.

[Abies 1,713]

28 minutes ago, Msanelson1 said:

Thank you !

He's never been married have kids or has ever been in any criminal or legal trouble 

It doesn't matter tho. Who's older?

[Faith88’ 68]

36 minutes ago, Abies said:

Who's older?

I'm 

 

9 minutes ago, Abies said:

It doesn't matter tho. Who's older?

I'm older by one year 

[Faith88’ 68]

25 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Only one visit, and only for a matter of days, is going to be a very, very difficult battle with Nigeria. Not impossible, and a strong case can go a long way, but it's quite risky IMO.

 

I would highly suggest waiting until you have spent more time physically in person so you can frontload the petition with much more evidence. COs are supposed to consider the evidence you present at the interview without frontloading, but Nigeria is one country where it's virtually necessary or you run the risk of them presuming a fraudulent relationship before the interview even begins.

 

Alternatively, you could marry on your next visit and do a CR-1 instead. That gives you more time for additional visits, and a means to challenge a refusal (instead of having to start all over).

I 100% understand this. That said, the reasons for not spending more time physically together don't matter to a CO. With that embassy, they tend to put a lot of emphasis on time spent physically together.

Thank you ! not sure what a CR-1 is ?

I went two weeks ago and spent 7 days there 

[Faith88’ 68]

Yes it is.. I've taken pictures with his brother and us together of course ... his mom was 6 hours away in warri and so was his sister 

i have a ring and we have pictures together with the ring 

although I still may need to visit one more time at least 

[geowrian 22,337]

12 minutes ago, Msanelson1 said:

Thank you ! not sure what a CR-1 is ?

I went two weeks ago and spent 7 days there 

CR-1 is a spousal visa. ETA: 12-14 months

[Faith88’ 68]

17 minutes ago, geowrian said:

CR-1 is a spousal visa. ETA: 12-14 months

I thought they were harder to obtain due to the fact that a bonafide marriage is hard to prove