K1 Approved With age gap and only 1 visit.

[SMACEM2019 19]

I know these are 2 common concerns about getting approved for K1. So I'm the US petitioner F/48 and my fiance is M/23. We met Aug 2018. I went to the DR to meet him in person once end of Dec 2018 and stayed till beginning of Jan 2019. Applied In Feb 2019. I didn't go back to see him again until now for the interview. We planned it that way.  I was so worried about the large age gap, specially me being the older one and female. Also the fact that I only went once to meet him in person. I front loaded my application heavily also side loaded it when I got an RFE. I sent in extra evidence from the months that had past since I had sent the application in.  I was asked more questions then my fiance.  Most of the questions were pretty basic. I was surprised we weren't asked more detailed questions to prove a bonafide relationship. That tells me that the front and side loading helped them determine our relationship was real and there were no doubts about that aspect. Last question was as follows " The next question might be an uncomfortable question" I'm thinking he was going to ask the last time we had sex or about having kids.  But he said 'you have a very large age gap of 25 yrs does this bother you at all?" My response came quick  " No not at all. I was married for 18yrs to a man my age and he still cheated on me and we divorced so age doesn't matter.  No one knows what the future holds or how long we have to live.  Theres no guarantees in life. I just want to be happy" and he said ok well congratulations your visa is approved and it will be ready in 2 wks. He didnt ask to see any of my binder which didn't surprise me. Also side note right after the interview started he said how many times have you been married and I said 2 he then said sorry maam but I only have 1 of your divorce decrees. Which is impossible because I sent  both of them twice.  Once with the original application and again when they sent me an RFE for one cause it wasnt signed.  So I sent both in again just to be on the safe side certified copies. As he started to close our file I said dont worry sir. I carne prepared and took it out of my binder and slid it to him he glanced at it for 3 secs and gave it back to me. In my mind im thinking if he needed it why wouldn't he take a copy or keep it to complete my file.  I have my theories but at the end of the day we got approved so it is what it is. My recommendations are to front load and if given the opportunity to side load cause some embassies don't look at anything else you bring to the interview. Also so important the petitioner be at the interview.  I'm certain we would have been denied if I wasn't there at the very least he would have been put in AP and requested the divorce decree I already sent them twice and am certain they had in that file somewhere. Lastly even though they won't look at anything at the interview still bring everything better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.  Hope this helps anyone reading this and gives you hope.  😊

[Sarge2155 4,570]

@SMACEM2019 I too am a firm believer in front loading congrats to you!!!!

[Ed&Midori1031 330]

Glad to hear everything went well.  Congrats. 

[flfreddy 92]

4 hours ago, SMACEM2019 said:

I know these are 2 common concerns about getting approved for K1. So I'm the US petitioner F/48 and my fiance is M/23. We met Aug 2018. I went to the DR to meet him in person once end of Dec 2018 and stayed till beginning of Jan 2019. Applied In Feb 2019. I didn't go back to see him again until now for the interview. We planned it that way.  I was so worried about the large age gap, specially me being the older one and female. Also the fact that I only went once to meet him in person. I front loaded my application heavily also side loaded it when I got an RFE. I sent in extra evidence from the months that had past since I had sent the application in.  I was asked more questions then my fiance.  Most of the questions were pretty basic. I was surprised we weren't asked more detailed questions to prove a bonafide relationship. That tells me that the front and side loading helped them determine our relationship was real and there were no doubts about that aspect. Last question was as follows " The next question might be an uncomfortable question" I'm thinking he was going to ask the last time we had sex or about having kids.  But he said 'you have a very large age gap of 25 yrs does this bother you at all?" My response came quick  " No not at all. I was married for 18yrs to a man my age and he still cheated on me and we divorced so age doesn't matter.  No one knows what the future holds or how long we have to live.  Theres no guarantees in life. I just want to be happy" and he said ok well congratulations your visa is approved and it will be ready in 2 wks. He didnt ask to see any of my binder which didn't surprise me. Also side note right after the interview started he said how many times have you been married and I said 2 he then said sorry maam but I only have 1 of your divorce decrees. Which is impossible because I sent  both of them twice.  Once with the original application and again when they sent me an RFE for one cause it wasnt signed.  So I sent both in again just to be on the safe side certified copies. As he started to close our file I said dont worry sir. I carne prepared and took it out of my binder and slid it to him he glanced at it for 3 secs and gave it back to me. In my mind im thinking if he needed it why wouldn't he take a copy or keep it to complete my file.  I have my theories but at the end of the day we got approved so it is what it is. My recommendations are to front load and if given the opportunity to side load cause some embassies don't look at anything else you bring to the interview. Also so important the petitioner be at the interview.  I'm certain we would have been denied if I wasn't there at the very least he would have been put in AP and requested the divorce decree I already sent them twice and am certain they had in that file somewhere. Lastly even though they won't look at anything at the interview still bring everything better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.  Hope this helps anyone reading this and gives you hope.  😊

Petitioner can go with beneficiary to the interview? Thats nice

[Ontarkie 13,913]

~~Moved to Progress Report, from Process and Procedures.~~

[Pitaya 2,576]

Best wishes to you. You are not out of the woods yet. The next test for your relationship still awaits you after you get married, at the AOS phase. You will have to show to the satisfaction of USCIS that you have sufficient marital bonafides to their satisfaction. Celebrate your achievement....

 

Good luck on your immigration journey.

 

  

[SMACEM2019 19]

11 hours ago, flfreddy said:

Petitioner can go with beneficiary to the interview? Thats nice

At some embassies its encouraged. The DR wants them there. Some embassies went let them in but its still a good idea for them to be close by.

[Carpe Vinum 2,310]

16 hours ago, Sarge2155 said:

@SMACEM2019 I too am a firm believer in front loading congrats to you!!!!

Yep, it is important for some embassies....

[Charlys&Indy 174]

18 hours ago, SMACEM2019 said:

I know these are 2 common concerns about getting approved for K1. So I'm the US petitioner F/48 and my fiance is M/23. We met Aug 2018. I went to the DR to meet him in person once end of Dec 2018 and stayed till beginning of Jan 2019. Applied In Feb 2019. I didn't go back to see him again until now for the interview. We planned it that way.  I was so worried about the large age gap, specially me being the older one and female. Also the fact that I only went once to meet him in person. I front loaded my application heavily also side loaded it when I got an RFE. I sent in extra evidence from the months that had past since I had sent the application in.  I was asked more questions then my fiance.  Most of the questions were pretty basic. I was surprised we weren't asked more detailed questions to prove a bonafide relationship. That tells me that the front and side loading helped them determine our relationship was real and there were no doubts about that aspect. Last question was as follows " The next question might be an uncomfortable question" I'm thinking he was going to ask the last time we had sex or about having kids.  But he said 'you have a very large age gap of 25 yrs does this bother you at all?" My response came quick  " No not at all. I was married for 18yrs to a man my age and he still cheated on me and we divorced so age doesn't matter.  No one knows what the future holds or how long we have to live.  Theres no guarantees in life. I just want to be happy" and he said ok well congratulations your visa is approved and it will be ready in 2 wks. He didnt ask to see any of my binder which didn't surprise me. Also side note right after the interview started he said how many times have you been married and I said 2 he then said sorry maam but I only have 1 of your divorce decrees. Which is impossible because I sent  both of them twice.  Once with the original application and again when they sent me an RFE for one cause it wasnt signed.  So I sent both in again just to be on the safe side certified copies. As he started to close our file I said dont worry sir. I carne prepared and took it out of my binder and slid it to him he glanced at it for 3 secs and gave it back to me. In my mind im thinking if he needed it why wouldn't he take a copy or keep it to complete my file.  I have my theories but at the end of the day we got approved so it is what it is. My recommendations are to front load and if given the opportunity to side load cause some embassies don't look at anything else you bring to the interview. Also so important the petitioner be at the interview.  I'm certain we would have been denied if I wasn't there at the very least he would have been put in AP and requested the divorce decree I already sent them twice and am certain they had in that file somewhere. Lastly even though they won't look at anything at the interview still bring everything better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.  Hope this helps anyone reading this and gives you hope.  😊

@AtlanticOceanLoveread this very useful... for interview when it comes to documents

[WaliG 1]

This is so very good to hear. I wanted to ask and pardon if it’s a dumb question, what’s front loading? I’m setting up a binder finally have an Interview date and I want to be prepared. I’m just not sure what to bring and what needs to be translated. 

[Cheschirecat 176]

19 hours ago, Sarge2155 said:

@SMACEM2019 I too am a firm believer in front loading congrats to you!!!!

Please tell me what you mean by front and side loading

[AFCF 267]

Congratulations! ❤

[HispanicLover 42]

16 hours ago, flfreddy said:

Petitioner can go with beneficiary to the interview? Thats nice

"Also side note right after the interview started he said how many times have you been married and I said 2 he then said sorry maam but I only have 1 of your divorce decrees. Which is impossible because I sent  both of them twice.  Once with the original application and again when they sent me an RFE for one cause it wasnt signed."

 

 

When you say it wasn't signed who didn't sign it? Do you as the petitioner have to sign the divorce decree or are you meaning the certified signature from the courts?

[SuznAaron 121]

10 minutes ago, Cheschirecat said:

Please tell me what you mean by front and side loading

I do the same. Front loading is basically putting more documents and proof supporting your petition than is called for when you send it off. Side loading is bringing all supporting documents with you in case you need them. I just call it being over prepared but for us we believe in doing that. 

[Sarge2155 4,570]

10 minutes ago, Cheschirecat said:

Please tell me what you mean by front and side loading

Front loading is where you load your K1 application  up with big time proof of relationship i.e., text, pictures, receipts and anything else you think would help your application get approved. This is done because once your application  gets to the embassy phase the CO does not have to accept anymore proof except what's already in your packet. Many COs make their decision even before the interview just by looking at the K1 application. Side loading though not as good as front loading is adding documents at and during the interview.