Cambodia considered a “high fraud” country?

[APA 44]

About to file a K1 petition for Cambodian fiance. We’ve been living together in Cambodia for a year and have traveled to multiple other countries together. We have passport stamps, boarding passes, pics, lease. We have an (me 38, him 20) age gap but everything else is solid. I’m trying to determine if it would be beneficial or a waste of time to frontload and I keep reading that frontloading is good for “high fraud” countries. I’ve read that Cambodia is one of these countries but I’ve also read the embassy reviews and it doesn’t seem like a difficult embassy. Just trying to determine the best course of action to submit an easy-to-process petition, avoid RFE delays, and make a positive decision easy for the IO.  

Edited February 16, 2020 by APA

[Greenbaum 12,258]

9 hours ago, APA said:

About to file a K1 petition for Cambodian fiance. We’ve been living together in Cambodia for a year and have traveled to multiple other countries together. We have passport stamps, boarding passes, pics, lease. We have an (me 38, him 20) age gap but everything else is solid. I’m trying to determine if it would be beneficial or a waste of time to frontload and I keep reading that frontloading is good for “high fraud” countries. I’ve read that Cambodia is one of these countries but I’ve also read the embassy reviews and it doesn’t seem like a difficult embassy. Just trying to determine the best course of action to submit an easy-to-process petition, avoid RFE delays, and make a positive decision easy for the IO.  

Cambodia is not a high fraud country. Having said that, to ensure your chance to receive a visa, it may be imperative you "front-load" your application and be overly prepared at the interview.

 

To “front-load” your USCIS petition by including a lot of communication documents, photos, letters, and other proof of relationship items can only help. It will take a bit more time upfront for you to put together your packet, but it will pay off greatly by reducing your chances of being placed on administrative processing.

[J+J 49]

I would definitely front load (I did) and remember quality over quantity when it comes to evidence of meeting and relationship.

 

 

[Dataunavailable 82]

I am wondering about Cambodia too, there are a few reviews in the consulate section, but there aren't an overwhelming amount. Looking at this website   https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/nonimmigrant-visa-statistics/monthly-nonimmigrant-visa-issuances.html     in the statistics, it shows Cambodia has an average of 30-32 K1 approvals per month, you can go back each month and look at the NIV amount that were approved. Compared to a country like Manilla where it is on average 300+ per month. Or at least 10 per day. 

 

I'm assuming Manilla gets many more Visa petitions per month vs Phnom Penh, but at an average 30-32 that's one a day or maybe 2-3 per week with closed weekends. But it would be interesting to hear from the more senior members here what their opinions on it are. 

 

I can't remember for sure if Cambodia does them everyday or if there is one or two days a week they do interviews. I think Visa pickup is usually Fridays I believe, but interviews I'm not sure. 

 

After our first denial, we front loaded with a lot of more information. And I also wasn't at the first interview, I didn't know of this website, and only followed the USCIS website on what to do. Still waiting on NOA2 atm, but hoping to get that soon. 

[SmallTownPA 71]

On 2/16/2020 at 9:58 AM, Greenbaum said:

Cambodia is not a high fraud country. Having said that, to ensure your chance to receive a visa, it may be imperative you "front-load" your application and be overly prepared at the interview.

 

To “front-load” your USCIS petition by including a lot of communication documents, photos, letters, and other proof of relationship items can only help. It will take a bit more time upfront for you to put together your packet, but it will pay off greatly by reducing your chances of being placed on administrative processing.

 

Can you please provide a source (official) of these 'high fraud' countries?

[SmallTownPA 71]

35 minutes ago, Dataunavailable said:

I am wondering about Cambodia too, there are a few reviews in the consulate section, but there aren't an overwhelming amount. Looking at this website   https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-statistics/nonimmigrant-visa-statistics/monthly-nonimmigrant-visa-issuances.html     in the statistics, it shows Cambodia has an average of 30-32 K1 approvals per month, you can go back each month and look at the NIV amount that were approved. Compared to a country like Manilla where it is on average 300+ per month. Or at least 10 per day. 

 

I'm assuming Manilla gets many more Visa petitions per month vs Phnom Penh, but at an average 30-32 that's one a day or maybe 2-3 per week with closed weekends. But it would be interesting to hear from the more senior members here what their opinions on it are. 

 

I can't remember for sure if Cambodia does them everyday or if there is one or two days a week they do interviews. I think Visa pickup is usually Fridays I believe, but interviews I'm not sure. 

 

After our first denial, we front loaded with a lot of more information. And I also wasn't at the first interview, I didn't know of this website, and only followed the USCIS website on what to do. Still waiting on NOA2 atm, but hoping to get that soon. 

 

That list does not say what you think it says.  Looking at the B1/B2 category there were 13,030 tourist visas approved.  B1/B2s are significantly harder to get and much easier to overstay.

 

 

[Dataunavailable 82]

23 minutes ago, SmallTownPA said:

 

That list does not say what you think it says.  Looking at the B1/B2 category there were 13,030 tourist visas approved.  B1/B2s are significantly harder to get and much easier to overstay.

 

 

If I look at Dec 2019 for issuance of Visas, it shows 15 K1s for Phnom Penh. Is this meaning something else entirely? 

[Greenbaum 12,258]

2 hours ago, SmallTownPA said:

 

Can you please provide a source (official) of these 'high fraud' countries?

The short answer is there isn't a list that I know of. I think of high fraud countries are those that we hear most often that the application is placed in AP after the interview and can sit there for 1-12 months or more. Others see high fraud countries are pretty much those that are not a part of the Visa Waiver Program. So if you live in a country where you have to go to the embassy to get a tourist visa, that pretty much means the country is considered high fraud for most visa types. These include most, if not all of the Latin American countries and others from Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. We don't hear much from Vietnam, Cambodia or other countries in that geographic location hence the reason for my original answer. 

[Dataunavailable 82]

1 hour ago, Greenbaum said:

The short answer is there isn't a list that I know of. I think of high fraud countries are those that we hear most often that the application is placed in AP after the interview and can sit there for 1-12 months or more. Others see high fraud countries are pretty much those that are not a part of the Visa Waiver Program. So if you live in a country where you have to go to the embassy to get a tourist visa, that pretty much means the country is considered high fraud for most visa types. These include most, if not all of the Latin American countries and others from Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia, etc. We don't hear much from Vietnam, Cambodia or other countries in that geographic location hence the reason for my original answer. 

What do you think of that link I posted, is that an accurate site that shows Visa approvals? Looking through it, Phnom Penh is never over 30 K1s per month, which is I'm assuming,  why most say go CR1. 

 

But compared to Manilla where it's always 300+ per month issued, I find it interesting, but like you also mentioned, Cambodia isn't a typical place that many hear of about the process. 

[jaysaldi 209]

Cambodia is a "high fraud" country because it is dirt poor and if one Cambodian makes it to the USA then there is an incentive/social obligation to help other Cambodian neighbors and family members who are desperate to get to the USA. So it's quite common for Cambodian-Americans in the USA to offer to marry Cambodian acquaintances, perhaps in exchange for money, to get them to the USA.  Or a Cambodian living in the USA might try to find and American guy to marry his or her niece who lives in Cambodia so she can get to the USA.  

I think three of the most important questions are: (a) are you Cambodian-American and (b) are you going to be present at the beneficiary's interview?  If the answer to a is No and the answer to B is yes and you have been living together in Cambodia for a year then you shouldn't have much trouble.

[APA 44]

9 hours ago, Dataunavailable said:

What do you think of that link I posted, is that an accurate site that shows Visa approvals? Looking through it, Phnom Penh is never over 30 K1s per month, which is I'm assuming,  why most say go CR1. 

 

But compared to Manilla where it's always 300+ per month issued, I find it interesting, but like you also mentioned, Cambodia isn't a typical place that many hear of about the process. 

One think I can think of is the Philippines has a population of 104 million, Cambodia only has 16 million. That means there will be more petitions simply by volume. Plus the Philippines is more of a tourist destination than Cambodia, which means more Americans will meet (and potentially petition) more locals than in Cambodia. 

[APA 44]

8 hours ago, jaysaldi said:

Cambodia is a "high fraud" country because it is dirt poor and if one Cambodian makes it to the USA then there is an incentive/social obligation to help other Cambodian neighbors and family members who are desperate to get to the USA. So it's quite common for Cambodian-Americans in the USA to offer to marry Cambodian acquaintances, perhaps in exchange for money, to get them to the USA.  Or a Cambodian living in the USA might try to find and American guy to marry his or her niece who lives in Cambodia so she can get to the USA.  

I think three of the most important questions are: (a) are you Cambodian-American and (b) are you going to be present at the beneficiary's interview?  If the answer to a is No and the answer to B is yes and you have been living together in Cambodia for a year then you shouldn't have much trouble.

I get this, and you’re right, it happens. I’ve seen it personally. I don’t blame them (or anyone) for wanting to come to the US for a better life but abusing the K1 program just makes it harder for those of us who are legit. I don’t blame the government for scrutinizing this. 

 

As far as your two questions, (a) no, I’m not of Cambodian descent. I don’t even know any Cambodians in the us. (b) yes, I definitely will come back if we get an interview. There are a lot of sham/questionable relationships here between locals and foreigners, we aren’t one of them. We have a normal, legit relationship. From the various things I’ve read, we will be an exception as far as legitimacy goes and I hope this is an easy decision for the IO. 

[jaysaldi 209]

25 minutes ago, APA said:

 

 

As far as your two questions, (a) no, I’m not of Cambodian descent. I don’t even know any Cambodians in the us. (b) yes, I definitely will come back if we get an interview. There are a lot of sham/questionable relationships here between locals and foreigners, we aren’t one of them. We have a normal, legit relationship. From the various things I’ve read, we will be an exception as far as legitimacy goes and I hope this is an easy decision for the IO. 

The other question that comes up when Westerners want to marry a Cambodian is "How did you meet?"  If you have a wholesome story about how you met, that's better than "We met on a marriage broker site" or "We met at a hooker bar." 

I'm 18 years older than my wife and they never asked about that.  That's pretty common at this embassy.

 

[APA 44]

1 minute ago, jaysaldi said:

The other question that comes up when Westerners want to marry a Cambodian is "How did you meet?"  If you have a wholesome story about how you met, that's better than "We met on a marriage broker site" or "We met at a hooker bar." 

I'm 18 years older than my wife and they never asked about that.  That's pretty common at this embassy.

 

That’s a good point. We met on a dating app and met in person the next day. Our interactions since then have been in person - I came back to Cambodia 3 times, we traveled to 3 other countries together over 2 different trips, and then I came back and lived here for a year with him. We have an apartment and lease, mutual friends, interactions with his family, etc. It’s a normal relationship and we can prove that.  

[jaysaldi 209]

Just now, APA said:

That’s a good point. We met on a dating app and met in person the next day. Our interactions since then have been in person - I came back to Cambodia 3 times, we traveled to 3 other countries together over 2 different trips, and then I came back and lived here for a year with him. We have an apartment and lease, mutual friends, interactions with his family, etc. It’s a normal relationship and we can prove that.  

One thing I did as part of the process was a search of my email inbox and outbox for my wife's first name. It pulled up some documents I otherwise would have forgotten that helped to show a genuine relationship.  Like an email from her dentist to me about her treatment, that sort of thing.