I-212 - Deciding between fiance or spouse route

[caliliving 606]

20 hours ago, Corzo1106 said:

I'm sceptical of people based on their actions not on whether they go to church or not. I mentioned church bc I thought it might be relevant. I've understood the point that it's not that helpful. 

 

In rethinking things I wonder if we could a ceremony through church first and not get legally married until we are in the US. Having multiple ceremonies might be something people do in these international relationships. Any idea how long fiance visas are taking? It's definitely a catch 22 isn't it... thanks for your 2 cents! I appreciate it. 

Call lizz cannon..she is the best waiver lawyer around. U will need to get married and then denies at the interview and a good waiver lawyer. Good luck

[Boiler 43,671]

For those who have missed it the waiver in question is an I 212.

[caliliving 606]

9 hours ago, Springrain22 said:

Hate to say but it will be a very hard journey for him and for you. Don't expect him to be in the US anytime soon. Not going to happen.

People get waivers and approved all the time...find a good waiver lawyer and you have a 90+% success rate! 

[bakphx1 785]

11 hours ago, mcdull said:

 

But are you suggesting the neighboring Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador etc , which Honduras shares cultural and linguistic similarities are all unsafe and one MUST travel thousands of miles to the US OF A?

 

They are generally very poor countries, with the exception of Panama and Costa Rica, but some do make their way there. Though they have the same language, they all have accents and dialects that are easily detectable, like a Texan in New York City and vice versa.  Venezuelans are also competing for any spot in these countries as well.  Some do stay in Mexico, while others go to Spain.  The M13 and Mara gang activity is horrible in El Salvador and Guatemala.  Mexico is generally dangerous to travel into as a Central American, as thieves know their routes and rob, kidnap and kill them.  Luckier ones do seek asylum there or live there illegally but it's harder to do because you have to be connected.

 

Keep in mind that much of Central America's plight is the grip cartels and gangs have, funded by America's appetite for drugs. 

[dentsflogged 352]

21 hours ago, Corzo1106 said:

Thanks for response. I'd rather not beat a dead horse about what's helpful and what is not. I remember this being a supportive community and I'm seeing things have changed a bit.

 

I wasn't assuming my board work would influence anything. I was curious if anyone had insight into that and I see the consensus is loud and clear that it won't.

 

I did state that I will be seeing an attorney soon. Just waiting on my FOIA request documents to come so I can give them a complete file. Point taken about being factual. The third fact is an important one that I hadn't considered before. Thanks for pointing it out. 

People here can be somewhat curt sometimes, I do agree. But most people do try to be helpful - it's tough when tone doesn't come across in writing and when people who are asking for help are stressed out they may automatically assume the worst - I know I certainly have a few times when looking for advice.

 

My third point was not meant to scaremonger, it's sadly just the truth.  Gather and keep records of *everything* when in doubt. How you met, dates, contact, things you do for one another and so on - it's the little things that may end up counting when it comes to showing a bonafide relationship just as much as the big things.  

 

Best of luck with the immigration lawyer.   I have an appointment to see one myself so I know how stressful the waiting and wanting an answer or an idea of questions to ask while you wait for the appointment can be! 

[dentsflogged 352]

13 hours ago, mcdull said:

We are not treating Hondurans who are looking for a safety shelter as "terrible"

 

But are you suggesting the neighboring Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador etc , which Honduras shares cultural and linguistic similarities are all unsafe and one MUST travel thousands of miles to the US OF A?

 

This is an ongoing political agenda argument going on in Australia at the moment.  Plenty of people welcome refugees. Plenty more want them to prove genuine refugee status.  For those who manage to cross through several safe countries, get on a boat, and come to Australia, the argument is made that they are not genuine refugees, because they're choosing where they go for safety, not fleeing and going to the closest safe place.  I'll never forget the fuss made in the media a few years ago about "economic migrants" because there was a boat-load of folks sailing through Australian waters holding up huge signs to the AFP/border patrol who were heading out to collect them saying "We want to go to New Zealand" - literally passing a safe country to go to another one, which at the time (and actually I think they still do, Australia is ... well, not good about that right now) had much more lenient laws regarding refugee status.

 

This is really not the forum/place for that sort of conversation, but OP you should be 100% clear on what visa your partner intends to apply for.  Immigration (as you know having done the K1 thing before) has zero sense of humour and if they think your partner is looking for any route into the country, not coming here as part of a genuine, loving relationship, he'll be denied entry and possibly banned from attempting re-entry so fast that his head (and yours) will spin. 

 

Bear in mind that the USA last I heard, has been drastically reducing the number of refugess it takes in - or at least they're attempting to.  Also bear in mind the legal definition of Refugee: 

"A refugee, as defined by Section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), is a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her home country because of a “well-founded fear of persecution” due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin"

 

While it sounds somewhat... um... unpleasant in Honduras the way you have described it - certainly unsafe - it may not necessarily fall under the Refugee banner unless your partner has a verifiable story that the behavior ONLY happens to people of his race/social group/political view etc etc etc. 

If he does decide to go that way and is denied... well, just remember that 1 illegal entry/deportation, and then a denied request for refugee status will just make the CR1 that much harder and long-winded to get.    Not saying this to scare you or tell you not to do things, but take into account all the potential repercussions of actions that seem like a faster way to do things.

Edited January 23, 2018 by dentsflogged

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2 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

This is an ongoing political agenda argument going on in Australia at the moment.  Plenty of people welcome refugees. Plenty more want us to prove genuine refugee status.  For those who manage to cross through several safe countries, get on a boat, and come to Australia, the argument is made that they are not genuine refugees, because they're choosing where they go for safety, not fleeing and going to the closest safe place.

 

This is really not the forum/place for that sort of conversation, but OP you should be 100% clear on what visa your partner intends to apply for.  Immigration (as you know having done the K1 thing before) has zero sense of humour and if they think your partner is looking for any route into the country, not coming here as part of a genuine, loving relationship, he'll be denied entry and possibly banned from attempting re-entry so fast that his head (and yours) will spin. 

 

Bear in mind that the USA last I heard, has been drastically reducing the number of refugess it takes in - or at least they're attempting to.  Also bear in mind the legal definition of Refugee: 

"A refugee, as defined by Section 101(a)(42) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), is a person who is unable or unwilling to return to his or her home country because of a “well-founded fear of persecution” due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin"

 

While it sounds somewhat... um... unpleasant in Honduras the way you have described it - certainly unsafe - it may not necessarily fall under the Refugee banner unless your partner has a verifiable story that the behavior ONLY happens to people of his race/social group/political view etc etc etc. 

If he does decide to go that way and is denied... well, just remember that 1 illegal entry/deportation, and then a denied request for refugee status will just make the CR1 that much harder and long-winded to get.    Not saying this to scare you or tell you not to do things, but take into account all the potential repercussions of actions that seem like a faster way to do things.

Common in Europe and the UK as well, we even have people seeking refuge from France.

 

Seems the claim was just that and an IJ gave him the opportunity to go home and anyway apart from the ban not really relevant to the issue any longer.

Just thought, unless it was deemed frivolous which most are but not many are viewed to be.

[Gamboli 48]

I know that this is not related to what OP is asking, but I never understood why people would risk their lives, cross the border and move to a country where they can't work and live legally. This really limits the options that they have available. Decades ago it might have been different, but what type of high-income job an illegal immigrant could find to help them achieve the American dream? But maybe it's because I'm living in an ivory tower or something, regardless it doesn't make any sense to me. 

[dentsflogged 352]

4 hours ago, Gamboli said:

I know that this is not related to what OP is asking, but I never understood why people would risk their lives, cross the border and move to a country where they can't work and live legally. This really limits the options that they have available. Decades ago it might have been different, but what type of high-income job an illegal immigrant could find to help them achieve the American dream? But maybe it's because I'm living in an ivory tower or something, regardless it doesn't make any sense to me. 

A while ago there was a program series on Australia's version of ... i dunno, I guess similar to PBS maybe?  Not that it matters.

Anyhow, it was called "You can't ask that!" and the entire idea was to get common questions that people ask of specific groups: The disabled, mentally ill, suicidal, fat people, refugees, transgender, kinky and whatever else. 

 

So the episode about refugees really stuck with me, because one of them (the Australian born daughter of a refugee) basically answered the question you posed about why risk it... And she said (paraphrasing here) "Because living in poverty in Australia is a hell of a lot better than living in poverty in [her mother's country of origin]. Because it's safer - there's no gunfire on the way to school.  Because the tap water is safe to drink." and she goes on after that, but... I get it.  I don't condone it, but I at least understand it.

[ASMS 86]

22 hours ago, mcdull said:

We are not treating Hondurans who are looking for a safety shelter as "terrible"

 

But are you suggesting the neighboring Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador etc , which Honduras shares cultural and linguistic similarities are all unsafe and one MUST travel thousands of miles to the US OF A?

 

please, don't forget to add Venezuela to that liSt.

[ASMS 86]

7 hours ago, Gamboli said:

I know that this is not related to what OP is asking, but I never understood why people would risk their lives, cross the border and move to a country where they can't work and live legally. This really limits the options that they have available. Decades ago it might have been different, but what type of high-income job an illegal immigrant could find to help them achieve the American dream? But maybe it's because I'm living in an ivory tower or something, regardless it doesn't make any sense to me. 

This is not related with the OP question.

 

Idk where do you live, but 5/7 years ago when life in Venezuela wasn't that bad, I was asking myself the same question. "why, do people do that, risking their life and going to a place where they will barely have any rights?.

But everything changed in here, and all what I read about countries going through communism didn't prepared me for what I'm living right now. I consider myself fortunate, because I can still eat 3 meals everyday, when many others scrounge for food in garbage bags, but the things you see when you go outside are terrible.

Here you pray everyday to not get sick, you go home before 4pm or you risk to not live another day. And like if not enough, you must deal with the persecution and the threats of the dictatorship.

 

But hey! USCIS didn't think 27.000 homicides per year, was bad enough to approve an expedited request.

Edited January 23, 2018 by ASMS

[bakphx1 785]

8 hours ago, Gamboli said:

I know that this is not related to what OP is asking, but I never understood why people would risk their lives, cross the border and move to a country where they can't work and live legally. This really limits the options that they have available. Decades ago it might have been different, but what type of high-income job an illegal immigrant could find to help them achieve the American dream? But maybe it's because I'm living in an ivory tower or something, regardless it doesn't make any sense to me. 

Yes, we Americans take personal safety for granted as well as the availability of basic food and medicine.  If you left for work every day with a chance of being held up and in fact odds were you'd lose a paycheck per year to a thug, would you think differently?  If you had to actually skip eating a day or two a month to stretch your food budget?  If your son or daughter would be inducted into a gang against their will? If you would never upgrade a phone because you'd be robbed so often you never had a chance to?  Again keep in mind that America's appetite for drugs gives the bad guys the advantage. 

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1 minute ago, bakphx1@aol.com said:

Yes, we Americans take personal safety for granted as well as the availability of basic food and medicine.  If you left for work every day with a chance of being held up and in fact odds were you'd lose a paycheck per year to a thug, would you think differently?  If you had to actually skip eating a day or two a month to stretch your food budget?  If your son or daughter would be inducted into a gang against their will? If you would never upgrade a phone because you'd be robbed so often you never had a chance to?  Again keep in mind that America's appetite for drugs gives the bad guys the advantage. 

Sounds like Chicago or LA.

[mcdull 474]

37 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Sounds like Chicago or LA.

or any other inner cities and urban areas.

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1 hour ago, mcdull said:

or any other inner cities and urban areas.

True, we all see the stories in the local media.