My K1 Visa approval detailed process

[Saparo 4]

Hi everyone 👋,

I'd like to encourage all who are seeking to join their partners in overseas to take it to God first and with sincerity to their spouse and God no matter how hard the devil fights your process, you shall overcome and be victorious 🤲. My fiancé filled for me as a K1 partner in June 2018 in the U.S. All dealings with NVC was handled by him and by Nov 2019, we were approved to finally book for the interview in Ghana. Our interview date was early 2020 . On the said morning of our interview my husband had arrived in Ghana some days earlier to do the traditional marriage rites. We were so happy and the occasion went well. Indeed we added more printed pics of the occasion. During the interview the first thing I said was "we just got married over the weekend" 😰😨 😪 the consular interviewing me moved back and said to me " this would change your whole process..... Did I just hear you say you just got married?" Folks, that was when reality check hit me and I started to TRY to rethink what I had just done to myself. I tried to do damage control by telling her it was a traditional marriage and not court. But looks like the consular even knew more of our culture than I did. She explained  to me traditional marriage is recognized marriage in the Ghanaian culture that did we sign anything? Then the Holy Spirit took control from here.... I replied NO!!!!!🧏 she asked me one more time to confirm if am married or not and then I replied No please it was a knocking ceremony more like an introduction of both families. Then my interview began. She first asked how we met, when last we saw each other; i quickly replied he's outside waiting. Then things changed, almost all the other questions were about his ex wife 😲 which I really didn't expect. but like I said the Holy spirit had taken control and I provided all the answers accordingly. Thankful to God and my fiancé who had been an open book from day 1. my interview lasted for 12-13mins. Then I saw her reach for a paper with a yellow marker and gave me the magic words. I said to her "thank you and I Thank God" she smiled back and I walked briskly to my fiancé to celebrate👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨. 

The second struggle set in when COVID hit and my visa delayed for almost nine months. In the course of that they dug my background and realized I had been to the embassy about 16 years ago with different dates of birth and names. So I was written to prove that I am the same person who came to them 16 years ago and they needed proof on a official documents before 2010. Apparently I went to the embassy when I was about 15 years and my sister who did my passport for me completely used wrong information for my full name, date of birth and that was on my first passport I went to the embassy with. It was when I was at the university that I realized all information on my first passport was wrong and had to do a new passport in 2010 by canceling the old one with the wrong information . So basically what was happening was that I had gone to the embassy with two different passports with two different set of names and date of births and due to my finger prints all of them popped up. So there was a doubt here and they wanted to make sure I am who I am for the K1 visa.  What made matters worst was that the birth certificate my big sister used for my first passport happened to be fake to my surprise. My advice here is that never give birth certificate process to any agent or connection person to process for you. Find time and do the process yourself, go to the office and make sure it is genuinely done.  Finally, my husband had to write a cover letter to me to submit explaining the circumstance leading to these errors in name and date of birth, having admitted that I am the same person who went there around 2005.Here , the fact is that please don't lie, because the embassy knows and has lot of information about you and the least lies will deny the chance to be considered. By the grace of God, I submitted my JSS certificate which has my name and correct date of birth, SSS certificate, all my transcripts, voter ID, Driving License, ECOWAS ID and also the old expired passport with the wrong names and dates of birth to prove that I used it and in two days I was issued a visa after my passport had been returned to me twice because of this back and forth. 

Lessons to leave -1. please for K1, even if you have done traditional marriage, never disclose that, if you do you will be denied and asked for CR1 to be processed. 2. Only traditional knocking is acceptable for k1 process. 3. Never make any attempt to lie, because the embassy may have more information about you than you may think. and 4. most importantly than anything, please pray, pray pray and trust God and know that righteousness opens doors. Once you remain faithful, righteous and sincere to God and your partner,  you will definitely  get your visa. Now I am here and married to my husband and other processes are being followed. Glory be to God.

[Marieke H 2,519]

6 minutes ago, cynthiadumasi@gma said:

1. please for K1, even if you have done traditional marriage, never disclose that, if you do you will be denied and asked for CR1 to be processed.

 

6 minutes ago, cynthiadumasi@gma said:

3. Never make any attempt to lie, because the embassy may have more information about you than you may think.

These two points contradict each other. Not disclosing that you are married after having done a traditional marriage is lying. The better advice would be not to do any kind of marriage ceremony outside of the US; a K1 is for marrying in the US. If a traditional marriage in the home country is important, the only correct option is to apply for a spousal visa.

[Timona 4,207]

And this is why some countries face a lot of scrutiny. 

 

Hopefully, you have no issues at AOS...good luck 

[Chancy 6,241]

7 minutes ago, cynthiadumasi@gma said:

please for K1, even if you have done traditional marriage, never disclose that

 

As the consul officer said, a traditional marriage is recognized as a valid marriage in certain cultures.  You're very lucky to have encountered such a tolerant CO who granted you a K1 visa anyway despite knowing that you had a traditional marriage.

 

In any case, for those who have already done a traditional marriage before coming to VJ, the more appropriate advice would be to drop the K1 and pursue CR1 instead.  Married applicants are not eligible for a K1 visa.  Telling people to not disclose the traditional marriage would be condoning fraud.  That is prohibited here.

 

[nastra30 2,288]

Wow. You are pretty lucky because there are so many things that could have resulted in you being denied. At least, you've learned some lessons through this experience. No lying, no fake documents, no contradiction self at interviews, always review your own documents, etc.

[Sparkle Sparkle 914]

One more point to note... Answer only the questions you are asked... And give straight forward response... No need to offer info they didn't ask you for... You are very lucky... More than average lucky

[Saparo 4]

No, there is no contradiction here. In my husband's traditional traditional knocking ceremony or rites represent recognized married by the family, its just like betrothal but every family and tradition takes it differently. So I considered myself as such and that is why I said that we got traditional marriage but we actually did knocking. So there is no contradiction. My caution is about choice of words since they can be confusing and destroy chances . We did traditional knocking which to our respective tribal understanding represents betrothal. For instance we called our traditional marriage as engagement which is completely different in terms of its real meaning in our traditional sense. So no contradictions

[Saparo 4]

No, please understanding cultural differences before you comment. In my culture betrothal or knocking ceremony represents marriage to some of the tribe which happens to be our case. The Consular knows that and that is why when I used the right word knocking ceremony it was accepted. Just don't comment out of ignorance of the cultural context.  We never got married traditionally but yes, we did a big knocking ceremony because we knew that well. Like I had initially said, we Ghana engagement is completely the actual marriage ceremony but we called it engagement but the choice of words are completely wrong.

[nastra30 2,288]

2 minutes ago, cynthiadumasi@gma said:

No, there is no contradiction here. In my husband's traditional traditional knocking ceremony or rites represent recognized married by the family, its just like betrothal but every family and tradition takes it differently. So I considered myself as such and that is why I said that we got traditional marriage but we actually did knocking. So there is no contradiction. My caution is about choice of words since they can be confusing and destroy chances . We did traditional knocking which to our respective tribal understanding represents betrothal. For instance we called our traditional marriage as engagement which is completely different in terms of its real meaning in our traditional sense. So no contradictions

If you did a traditional marriage you would have been considered too 'married for K-1 visa', you got off easy there. I'm Ghanaian, I also did traditional marriage - you exchange vows, you exchange rings, family gives bride away, etc. You got a pretty tolerant consular officer. 

[Saparo 4]

No, none of those exchanges were done, please. I used the wrong wording, if you are a Ghanaian you will know that knocking ceremony some of the Akan context take knocking ceremony as marriage which is in actually sense to some other tribes not the same

 

[nastra30 2,288]

15 minutes ago, cynthiadumasi@gma said:

No, none of those exchanges were done, please. I used the wrong wording, if you are a Ghanaian you will know that knocking ceremony some of the Akan context take knocking ceremony as marriage which is in actually sense to some other tribes not the same

 

No, I'm Akan too. Knocking is not considered marriage. Knocking is just visiting future bride's family to ask for her hand in marriage. Anyway, if you did knocking then fine. But all I'm saying is since you mentioned traditional marriage to the IO, it could have resulted in more scrutiny from the IO and a visa denial because IOs deny people at the slightest hint of contradictions especially from high fraud countries like Ghana.

 

All the same congrats on your visa, and your marriage as well. Enjoy marriage and life in the US. Your immigration journey with USCIS is just beginning.

Edited July 6, 2021 by nastra30

[Saparo 4]

Exactly but some Fanti tribes like the Agona and Gomoa consider knocking as marriage and enjoins you to perform all rites in case anything happens to either of the family. Like I said, we did knocking and I was using wrong choice of words. My fiance knew so well the process of marriage and K1 and in any case what is important is getting married here, no lies. 

[Ontarkie 14,280]

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