Egypt K1/K3/IR1/CR1 visa and military conscription?

[eadreams 0]

Hello to friends & family at visa journey! I am new and came across this site while searching for answers on visas in Egypt.

I would love to get your advice and knowledge of questions that I have regarding marriage, Egypt, and its military conscription requirements. For anyone that has expertise on this, I hope you can share!

I am a 24 year old female who is a U.S. born citizen, and currently residing in the state of California.
My fiancé is also 24 years old and is of Egyptian nationality, currently residing in Cairo, Egypt. He is still studying at university therefore he has temporary military exemption. We have known each other for over two years and I have gone to visit him in Egypt twice, once every year. We decided from the start that our end goal is marriage, and originally I was to move to Egypt, but now we have decided that he should move to the U.S. because of my career. I do not have much information on marriage, visas, or military conscription in Egypt besides what I have tried to find and read but have not found any answers specific in nature.  

In short, my question is: is it possible for us to apply and be approved for a (K1, K3, IR1, or CR1) visa from Egypt while he has not completed the military service yet? I'm not sure which visa would apply in our case but any visa that would allow for him to move to the states with me would suffice.

Something I read was that people with dual nationality or with dual citizenship can claim exemption for military service in Egypt. In this case, to get dual citizenship, we would have to marry and then apply for adjustment of status. What I don't know is, if getting such a visa is possible without this military service requirement being met. In another forum, I read that in order to receive a K visa, he would have to have exemption from military that is not temporary -- that the military would have to give their permission for him to leave the country. Is there any cases that this has happened or what must be met for the military to allow him to leave Egypt? 

If you have any relevant information or experience going through this, I'd love to hear from you. Thank you in advance for your efforts and help. 

Signed sincerely,

A in eadreams

Edited June 4, 2018 by eadreams

[Roel 7,191]

K3 is no longer used. 

K1 visa is of you want to get married in the US. Then you apply foe the green card after wedding. 

CR1 is when you marry outside of the US. Green card is obtained after entry to the US. 

 

You need to do more reading about visa process. 

 

He will not get a citizenship for few more years. He can apply for the citizenship 3 years after he obtain his green card. So dual citizenship thing is no option for you. 

 

Not sure about the military thing. But I think I saw on here before that this requirement must be met... 

[Allison and Ahmed 30]

7 hours ago, eadreams said:

Hello to friends & family at visa journey! I am new and came across this site while searching for answers on visas in Egypt.

I would love to get your advice and knowledge of questions that I have regarding marriage, Egypt, and its military conscription requirements. For anyone that has expertise on this, I hope you can share!

I am a 24 year old female who is a U.S. born citizen, and currently residing in the state of California.
My fiancé is also 24 years old and is of Egyptian nationality, currently residing in Cairo, Egypt. He is still studying at university therefore he has temporary military exemption. We have known each other for over two years and I have gone to visit him in Egypt twice, once every year. We decided from the start that our end goal is marriage, and originally I was to move to Egypt, but now we have decided that he should move to the U.S. because of my career. I do not have much information on marriage, visas, or military conscription in Egypt besides what I have tried to find and read but have not found any answers specific in nature.  

In short, my question is: is it possible for us to apply and be approved for a (K1, K3, IR1, or CR1) visa from Egypt while he has not completed the military service yet? I'm not sure which visa would apply in our case but any visa that would allow for him to move to the states with me would suffice.

Something I read was that people with dual nationality or with dual citizenship can claim exemption for military service in Egypt. In this case, to get dual citizenship, we would have to marry and then apply for adjustment of status. What I don't know is, if getting such a visa is possible without this military service requirement being met. In another forum, I read that in order to receive a K visa, he would have to have exemption from military that is not temporary -- that the military would have to give their permission for him to leave the country. Is there any cases that this has happened or what must be met for the military to allow him to leave Egypt? 

If you have any relevant information or experience going through this, I'd love to hear from you. Thank you in advance for your efforts and help. 

Signed sincerely,

A in eadreams

Hello, CR1 (Spousal  Visa) Petitioner for an Egyptian Spouse here,

 

I have spoken (emailed) directly with the US Embassy in Egypt about this situation.  As long as he is enrolled in college, they will accept his college exemption form.

 

"Dear Madam,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

Please note that an enrollment certificate from the college can be submitted in lieu of the military certificate.

 

 

 

Regards,

Consular Staff"

 

However, if and when he is approved he will still need to get a "free to travel" stamp for the military.  This can be given to him during the OFF times during his college term.  He will just need to go to the correct place and tell them he will be traveling out of Egypt for vacation and they can stamp his passport letting passport control know he is free to leave.

 

Again, if he returns to Egypt before his time served, birthday of 28, etc.  They will take him to serve when arriving back into Cairo.  So he will need to wait it out and become a citizen  of the US, or what until the age where he is free to no longer serve.  Our military/college paper says 28, although we have heard 30 years of age as well.

 

This is all based on the knowledge I have gained talking with Egyptian attorneys, and the US Embassy in Cairo.  I do not know if this is exactly accurate.  But, this is what we have been told personally by numerous people.

 

Also, in regards to K1 Visa or CR1 - I recommend either way you have more time together.  Egypt is an extremely hard Embassy to get through.  The more visits the better!

 

I hope this helps!  Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

-Allison and Ahmed

 

[eadreams 0]

Thank you for sharing and thank you for your responses!

@Roel, I was getting the visa information straight from the embassy/consulate websites and was unaware of the K3 visa being phased out but upon your mention, did happen to find that being discussed on visa websites. You make a good point about the citizenship thing and it's something that I was wondering as well about green card being enough for exemption or not, so thanks.

@Allison and Ahmed -- Truly appreciate you sharing your experience! Yours and Ahmed's story is inspiring and so relatable. 
If it isn't too much to ask, had Ahmed already fulfilled military service or were you guys able to get through with a temporary exemption through enrollment certificate? In the past, we have applied for a tourist visa (in February this year) because we wanted him to visit the states this summer, to meet my family (as I have been to Egypt twice to meet his family and friends) -- but he was denied at the end of the interview citing that they are unable to approve the visa but not able to give a reason. For this reason, I am worried that a K1 visa would not go through for him as well as it is a "like a tourist visa on steroids" (quoted from a visa website).

As you have mentioned, we did try to get a temporary visa for travel to the states for this year's summer vacation during the OFF times before he had to start his next term in uni again but in the end, was not approved for one. Because of this, do you think that we should apply for a CR1 visa instead? I don't want to go through the process for a K1 visa, get denied, and have to start again with CR1 as this will take more months of time. I am 24! And hoping to get married by 25 or 26, and have some time for us to enjoy our married years together before we start a family (before 30). In U.S. I know that we often get married by 28 and kids by 32 but for my culture, I am considered 2 years older than the average marrying age! 

Thanks, 
- A

[Allison and Ahmed 30]

22 hours ago, eadreams said:

Thank you for sharing and thank you for your responses!

@Roel, I was getting the visa information straight from the embassy/consulate websites and was unaware of the K3 visa being phased out but upon your mention, did happen to find that being discussed on visa websites. You make a good point about the citizenship thing and it's something that I was wondering as well about green card being enough for exemption or not, so thanks.

@Allison and Ahmed -- Truly appreciate you sharing your experience! Yours and Ahmed's story is inspiring and so relatable. 
If it isn't too much to ask, had Ahmed already fulfilled military service or were you guys able to get through with a temporary exemption through enrollment certificate? In the past, we have applied for a tourist visa (in February this year) because we wanted him to visit the states this summer, to meet my family (as I have been to Egypt twice to meet his family and friends) -- but he was denied at the end of the interview citing that they are unable to approve the visa but not able to give a reason. For this reason, I am worried that a K1 visa would not go through for him as well as it is a "like a tourist visa on steroids" (quoted from a visa website).

As you have mentioned, we did try to get a temporary visa for travel to the states for this year's summer vacation during the OFF times before he had to start his next term in uni again but in the end, was not approved for one. Because of this, do you think that we should apply for a CR1 visa instead? I don't want to go through the process for a K1 visa, get denied, and have to start again with CR1 as this will take more months of time. I am 24! And hoping to get married by 25 or 26, and have some time for us to enjoy our married years together before we start a family (before 30). In U.S. I know that we often get married by 28 and kids by 32 but for my culture, I am considered 2 years older than the average marrying age! 

Thanks, 
- A

Hello again,

 

Ahmed and I tried to go the visitor visa route as well.  And that was a no go...reason being no solid reasons for him to return to Egypt.  This was back in 2016.

I really can't tell you what would be the best fit for you.  What I can tell you is that you need a lot more time together.  Meaning you will need to make more trips to Egypt to be with your fiance. 

 

As far as CR1 and K1 visa, they depend on the circumstances.  For the CR1 you need to be legally married, K1 you are engaged and planned to be married within 90 days of their arrival in the states.

 

No matter what route you go, you need more time together, you need a lot of evidence of a bona fide relationship, and more.  Egypt is very hard to go through.  So the more time together, the better!  I know traveling back and forth is not easy, but its better to have the time together, than be denied.

 

Let me ask you...are their any red flags in your relationship?  

 

Feel free to private message me if need be!

 

Best,

 

Allison and Ahmed

[eadreams 0]

On 6/5/2018 at 11:32 AM, Allison and Ahmed said:

Hello again,

 

Ahmed and I tried to go the visitor visa route as well.  And that was a no go...reason being no solid reasons for him to return to Egypt.  This was back in 2016.

I really can't tell you what would be the best fit for you.  What I can tell you is that you need a lot more time together.  Meaning you will need to make more trips to Egypt to be with your fiance. 

 

As far as CR1 and K1 visa, they depend on the circumstances.  For the CR1 you need to be legally married, K1 you are engaged and planned to be married within 90 days of their arrival in the states.

 

No matter what route you go, you need more time together, you need a lot of evidence of a bona fide relationship, and more.  Egypt is very hard to go through.  So the more time together, the better!  I know traveling back and forth is not easy, but its better to have the time together, than be denied.

 

Let me ask you...are their any red flags in your relationship?  

 

Feel free to private message me if need be!

 

Best,

 

Allison and Ahmed

Thank you! I have private messaged you!