"Extreme hardship"

[samjoe2695 0]

So, it says that to be eligible for a K-1 visa, you must have met with your fiancé within the last two years and the only exception is if it would bring "extreme hardship" to the u.s. citizen. I want to know if my situation would a valid exemption...

My fiancé lives in venezuela, one of the most dangerous countries in the world. If that's not enough, I also have an anxiety disorder and have panic attacks anytime I'm unordinarily uncomfortable. That being said, I would obviously be very uncomfortable getting on a plane for the first time in my life to visit a very dangerous place where the odds of me getting murdered are not low. Thoughts?

[Roel 7,193]

Not a reason for waiver.

 

Meeting in person is the MOST IMPORTANT requirement for K1 visa.

Meeting waiver is extremely rare, granded when someone is ex. severely ill and stuck in bed/hospital permanently and can't travel. And that's after the foreign spouse would repeatedly fail to qualify for tourist visa and visit first. Other reason for waiver would be religious reason, but that's also very, very rare.

 

Sorry, you won't get a waiver because of fear of flying or because you're uncomfortable flying there. Nothing stops you from traveling there other ways - car, ship, cruise. Your fiance (can it really be called that if you never even met?) can try for tourist visa and visit you.

 

Other solution - meet in the 3rd country,  meeting doesn't have to be in Venezuela or US.

[hellofromme 34]

no that is not a valid excuse for a waiver. 

[JNJUSA19 5]

I suggest you meet in Mexico or Colombia. Make a nice vacation out of it.  You don't say whether or not you have actually met, but I assume you did meet at one point?  If so, just plan a little reunion and then you won't need the waiver (as others have stated).

[geowrian 22,338]

Agreed...there is almost no chance for a waiver on those grounds. The waiver for this is extremely difficult to get approved. You would have to show that you cannot meet in person.

 

Options:

1. Meet in 3rd country via flight.
2. Drive to another country and meet there.
3. Enjoy a nice, very long cruise?

Edited August 21, 2018 by geowrian

[Diane and Chris 651]

14 hours ago, JNJUSA19 said:

I suggest you meet in Mexico or Colombia. Make a nice vacation out of it.  You don't say whether or not you have actually met, but I assume you did meet at one point?  If so, just plan a little reunion and then you won't need the waiver (as others have stated).

Actually, OP very much implied that they haven’t met. That’s why he is asking for information on a waiver. He has a fear of flying and an anxiety disorder.  

[JNJUSA19 5]

 

18 minutes ago, Diane and Chris said:

Actually, OP very much implied that they haven’t met. That’s why he is asking for information on a waiver. He has a fear of flying and an anxiety disorder.  

Ok.  Best of luck with your waiver.

[TNJ17 1,329]

That’s not a valid reason. There are so many other ways of meeting up. Like others said meet in a third country, drive, take the train, there are an infinite ways of meeting up. You’re not required to meet in Venezuela, so the excuse that it’s a dangerous country is not gonna fly. Go somewhere else, go see a psychiatrist and get some anti anxiety pills. If you really love this person this shouldn’t be a problem. If you file and use a waiver I am willing you will 100% be denied and you will have wasted all that time (it will be 7-9 months from applying to denial) and money and you will have to wait even more time to be together. Also on a different note, if you’ve never met this person how can you even think about getting married. Get to know each other before getting married. 

[Highmystic 234]

17 hours ago, samjoe2695 said:

That being said, I would obviously be very uncomfortable getting on a plane for the first time in my life to visit a very dangerous place where the odds of me getting murdered are not low. Thoughts?

This was an exact scenario a couple months back.  Not met.. anxiety attacks,... fear of flying.. waivers... and then a lot of suggestions of meeting in Mexico.  Again.. drive to the US border, walk over in to a Mexican border town, and meet.  However, with 1 million percent inflation and it take a wheel barrel of cash to buy even toilet paper and a half dozen tomatoes, you need to send your fiancée enough money to get a visa if needed and travel expenses.  I am, of course assuming you are a male but you used "fiancé" in lieu of "Fiancée" so forgive me if I am wrong on he assumption.

[Christy&J 837]

My aunt married to USC on K1 more than 10 years ago when the process was still easier than now.they didn't get waiver though her fiance ( now husband ) is Vietnam veteran with 100 % disability ( he lost his legs ) and she couldn't fly to us as she didn't get visa.

 

They applied for waiver meeting in person within 2 years and they didn't get it,. if you want to try go ahead but that would waste your time.

meeting in person is really important not only for visa process but also for your relationship.

 

Good luck

[TBoneTX 45,959]

Noncontributory posts and quotes of them have been removed.  Stick to the OP's question.

[TNJ17 1,329]

10 hours ago, Highmystic said:

This was an exact scenario a couple months back.  Not met.. anxiety attacks,... fear of flying.. waivers... and then a lot of suggestions of meeting in Mexico.  Again.. drive to the US border, walk over in to a Mexican border town, and meet.  However, with 1 million percent inflation and it take a wheel barrel of cash to buy even toilet paper and a half dozen tomatoes, you need to send your fiancée enough money to get a visa if needed and travel expenses.  I am, of course assuming you are a male but you used "fiancé" in lieu of "Fiancée" so forgive me if I am wrong on he assumption.

No one is forcing them to meet in Venezuela or Mexico for that matter (which contrary to what the current administration says, it actually is a very nice country to visit and there are no issues). But if those two countries are deemed too violent for this person, they can literally pick a country, ANY country in the whole world to go to. A waiver won’t be approved for this. 

Edited August 22, 2018 by TNJ17