K1 denied now looking into CR1 (split)

[vinish 11]

We got refused Last week for our K1 because our Ghanaian engagement ceremony pictures were misinterpreted as traditional marriage. My fiancée will come down for us to go have a court marriage and file for CR1. Anyone with similar experience who will guide me through what exactly we need gather before filing. 

[Ontarkie 13,904]

~~Post split off to its own thread.~~

[SelAli711 1]

Ugh. I hate this. I’ve seen this before and I really feel like this is denial just because they don’t understand culture...and that’s just not okay.

 

Before your fiancé comes, I would have them print everything out so you two can fill it out together. Let it be three copies of everything—one for each of you and then one to be sent in. You don’t have to wait for anything to come in the mail for your denied K1....just send everything as soon as spouse arrives back home.

 

My husband and I were denied K1 in 2016 because they didn’t believe our relationship was bona fide. We got married later that year, and actually thought about me (the USC) being the one who immigrated, so I made lots of trips back and forth. Ultimately with all the bills and stuff piling up for me at home, mostly from student loans, we decided to just bite the bullet and file for IR1 in May. Now begins the waiting game again.

 

Good luck to you both!

[Mrs Oduro 302]

1 hour ago, SelAli711 said:

Ugh. I hate this. I’ve seen this before and I really feel like this is denial just because they don’t understand culture...and that’s just not okay.

 

Before your fiancé comes, I would have them print everything out so you two can fill it out together. Let it be three copies of everything—one for each of you and then one to be sent in. You don’t have to wait for anything to come in the mail for your denied K1....just send everything as soon as spouse arrives back home.

 

My husband and I were denied K1 in 2016 because they didn’t believe our relationship was bona fide. We got married later that year, and actually thought about me (the USC) being the one who immigrated, so I made lots of trips back and forth. Ultimately with all the bills and stuff piling up for me at home, mostly from student loans, we decided to just bite the bullet and file for IR1 in May. Now begins the waiting game again.

 

Good luck to you both!

I won’t say they don’t understand culture actually they do ... the traditional marriage in Ghana is the real cultural marriage in Ghana except u want to add the court or church wedding so to the CO if u take any traditional marriage pix then u r married .. Ghana traditional marriage which some call engagement isn’t the same in the states that’s y they take it very serious here 😊

[Mrs Oduro 302]

3 hours ago, Quansah said:

We got refused Last week for our K1 because our Ghanaian engagement ceremony pictures were misinterpreted as traditional marriage. My fiancée will come down for us to go have a court marriage and file for CR1. Anyone with similar experience who will guide me through what exactly we need gather before filing. 

Sorry to hear this but now ur other option is to go the spousal visa way .. get married   , make sure u take lots of pix with family and friends cus u will need it wen sending off your i130 forms for spouse

u shld file right after u sign the marriage cert cus u will need a copy to send to uscis n this time u call send all the pix u can think of n not worry abt them misinterpreting 

[vinish 11]

@SelAli711thanks for the insight, please how did you get Potomac service centre? Or better still which centre did you petition to in the first place? 

[SelAli711 1]

1 minute ago, Quansah said:

@SelAli711thanks for the insight, please how did you get Potomac service centre? Or better still which centre did you petition to in the first place? 

Potomac was pure luck, as they seem to be processing in about 3 months as opposed to the 8-10 some of the other service centers are. It depends on what state you live in where you originally file. I’m in NC so I sent to Chicago Lockbox. From there is where it gets transferred.

[vinish 11]

@Mrs Odurothanks so much, will it be still okay to include the some of the engagement pictures that the Officer interpreted as traditional marriage and add up the new pictures from our upcoming court marriage. Would it be necessary to involve a visa coach or lawyer in our next filing after our court marriage. 

[vinish 11]

@SelAli711, my sweetheart is in Washington State but it looks like USC filing for Spouse visa have Texas, Chicago and Phoenix lockbox as service centre for CR1 and IR1. I stand corrected anyway. 

[SelAli711 1]

39 minutes ago, Quansah said:

@SelAli711, my sweetheart is in Washington State but it looks like USC filing for Spouse visa have Texas, Chicago and Phoenix lockbox as service centre for CR1 and IR1. I stand corrected anyway. 

Yes, you’re exactly right....but after you send to lockbox, you’re transferred to a service center. Think of the lockbox as just a mailbox, then it’s sent to the actual facility where it gets processed. When you get your notice saying they received your i130, you’ll be given a case number and from there you can determine your service center. Hope that makes sense.

[vinish 11]

Thanks @SelAli711

[Wakabaw 6]

also, if you should consider doing Direct Consular Filing. Since USCIS does have an office in Accra, your wait time is much shorter than if you were to file from the US

[Just Paul 4,591]

5 minutes ago, Wakabaw said:

also, if you should consider doing Direct Consular Filing. Since USCIS does have an office in Accra, your wait time is much shorter than if you were to file from the US

OP Petitioner would need to meet the residency requirements of the Field Office:

• Passport entry stamp(s) and visa reflecting that you are residing in Ghana and not just visiting Ghana

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-offices/ghana-uscis-accra-field-office

Edited July 2, 2019 by Paul & Mary

[SalishSea 16,751]

2 hours ago, Wakabaw said:

also, if you should consider doing Direct Consular Filing. Since USCIS does have an office in Accra, your wait time is much shorter than if you were to file from the US

Only an option if the USC spouse is a legal resident there.

[mniceguy16 184]

2 hours ago, Wakabaw said:

also, if you should consider doing Direct Consular Filing. Since USCIS does have an office in Accra, your wait time is much shorter than if you were to file from the US

I think DCF has a conditional residency for the USC spouse, 6 months minimum (meaning the usc must have been living in Ghana for example for 6 months prior to petitioning a dcf).

Edited July 2, 2019 by mniceguy16