In person meeting requirement for k1 visa application

[AlexHuang 2]

Hi everyone. my fiancé and i are currently in the process of obtaining our k1 visa. however, there is something that i am not entirely sure about. as i read through the eligibility of obtaining a k1 visa, the in-person meeting requirement is mentioned. the thing i am not sure is that what does this requirement is meant for?  for filing the petition? or it will affect the final issue of an actual visa?

 

my fiancé and i were physically together from 2019 December till 2020 june, and then we started long distance. from then till now, because of a lot of reasons we didn't schedule to meet, but took action on filing the k1 petition. 

so if the in person meeting requirement is only dictating our eligibility to file the petition, then i guess we are good. but if it also applies to the time period before my visa interview, then i guess we will have a problem. 

 

timeline 

dec 2019-june 2022 physically together 

june 2022- present long distance 

march 2021 petition filed 

march 2022 petition approved 

may 2022 received e-package notifying the beneficiary to begin k1 visa application 

 

we have been waiting for so long, and i am getting really nervous if my visa is denied, so just wanna make sure i get everything right

 

 

thank you 

 

 

[Redro 4,600]

24 minutes ago, AlexHuang said:

Hi everyone. my fiancé and i are currently in the process of obtaining our k1 visa. however, there is something that i am not entirely sure about. as i read through the eligibility of obtaining a k1 visa, the in-person meeting requirement is mentioned. the thing i am not sure is that what does this requirement is meant for?  for filing the petition? or it will affect the final issue of an actual visa?

 

my fiancé and i were physically together from 2019 December till 2020 june, and then we started long distance. from then till now, because of a lot of reasons we didn't schedule to meet, but took action on filing the k1 petition. 

so if the in person meeting requirement is only dictating our eligibility to file the petition, then i guess we are good. but if it also applies to the time period before my visa interview, then i guess we will have a problem. 

 

timeline 

dec 2019-june 2022 physically together 

june 2022- present long distance 

march 2021 petition filed 

march 2022 petition approved 

may 2022 received e-package notifying the beneficiary to begin k1 visa application 

 

we have been waiting for so long, and i am getting really nervous if my visa is denied, so just wanna make sure i get everything right

 

 

thank you 

 

 

If I understand your timeline. You were together when you filed the petition and this means you met the two year requirement. (Your petition would not have been approved if that requirement was not met).

Depending on the country your partner is from not meeting since June 2020 might be a problem. 

It depends on the consulate.

Where will your partner interview?

[AlexHuang 2]

I am in Taiwan and he is in the US. I am the beneficiary and he is the US petitioner. So, technically, I should not worry too much? since my petition was approved and that requirement is mainly for deciding if we were eligible for filing one

[MarJhi 919]

53 minutes ago, AlexHuang said:

timeline 

dec 2019-june 2022 physically together <----- Did you mean June 2020 here?

june 2022- present long distance <---- And here

march 2021 petition filed 

march 2022 petition approved 

may 2022 received e-package notifying the beneficiary to begin k1 visa application

In your original post you said "my fiancé and i were physically together from 2019 December till 2020 june", but in your timeline above you said you were physically together from December 2019 to June 2022. 

 

Maybe I am misreading it. Either way, sounds like you were within the 2 year requirement so I don't think there is anything to worry about.

Edited August 5, 2022 by MarJhi

[AlexHuang 2]

oops that was a mistake, thank you for pointing that out.

 

we were physically together from dec 2019 till june 2020, not 2022 

[AlexHuang 2]

sorry for the confusion

 

i provide a corrected timeline here below 

 

 

dec 2019- june 2020 physically together 

june 2020- present  long distance 

march 2021 petition filed 

march 2022 petition approved 

may 2022 received e-package 3 

[AlexHuang 2]

5 minutes ago, MarJhi said:

In your original post you said "my fiancé and i were physically together from 2019 December till 2020 june", but in your timeline above you said you were physically together from December 2019 to June 2022. 

 

Maybe I am misreading it. Either way, sounds like you were within the 2 year requirement so I don't think there is anything to worry about.

you're right that was a mistake i corrected my timeline 

[MarJhi 919]

2 minutes ago, AlexHuang said:

oops that was a mistake, thank you for pointing that out.

 

we were physically together from dec 2019 till june 2020, not 2022 

Well since you filed in March of this year, a few months before the 2 year window expired I think you are ok. 

 

We filed about 18 months after our last meeting because I could not get back to the Philippines because they were shut down. 

[AlexHuang 2]

1 minute ago, MarJhi said:

Well since you filed in March of this year, a few months before the 2 year window expired I think you are ok. 

 

We filed about 18 months after our last meeting because I could not get back to the Philippines because they were shut down. 

so have you received any update or you got your visa already?

 

yeah i m just a little worried, it has been over two years since we last saw each other. but if that in person meeting requirement is only for the petition, then i guess i should be ok  

[MarJhi 919]

5 minutes ago, AlexHuang said:

so have you received any update or you got your visa already?

 

yeah i m just a little worried, it has been over two years since we last saw each other. but if that in person meeting requirement is only for the petition, then i guess i should be ok  

No updates yet, but expecting NOA2 (hopefully) in the next month or 2, seems like most of the NOA2's I am hearing about are coming around 13 or 14 months of waiting. Just remain patient, 98% of this process is waiting. You are further ahead in the process than I so that's good.

 

Yeah it's a long wait to be apart, been 2 and a half years since my fiancé and I have been together in person. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by MarJhi

[Mike E 11,723]

1 hour ago, AlexHuang said:

sorry for the confusion

 

i provide a corrected timeline here below 

 

 

dec 2019- june 2020 physically together 

june 2020- present  long distance 

march 2021 petition filed 

march 2022 petition approved 

may 2022 received e-package 3 

Your I-129F was approved. I’ve never heard of an I-129F being approved without the in-person meeting requirement being met.  You are fine there.  
 

What isn’t fine is that you haven’t met since you filed I-129F.  Legally the K-1 can be approved but the CO has discretion to deny the visa if evidence for bonafide relationship is insufficient.
 

Start meeting in person. 

[Family 3,483]

2 hours ago, AlexHuang said:

am in Taiwan and he is in the US. I am the beneficiary and he is the US petitioner. So, technically, I should not worry too much? since my petition was approved and that requirement is mainly for deciding if we were eligible for filing one

Have your US Fiancé plan to fly out to Taiwan when you get the Interview Notice.  He may not  be allowed to go inside the interview with you, just telling the CO that he is there in person  will be very effective. 
 

You should carry your Fiancé US passport inside and show at check in, as a showing that he is there in person to support you. 

According to many , in Vietnam it is quasi expected that the US Citizen be there for the interview. @Crazy Cat can perhaps add anything I’ve missed, as he attended exactly such. 

 

You should have a 3 week window between Notice and Interview date, in case you need to start planning. 

Edited August 5, 2022 by Family

[beloved_dingo 1,932]

6 hours ago, MarJhi said:

Well since you filed in March of this year, a few months before the 2 year window expired I think you are ok. 

 

We filed about 18 months after our last meeting because I could not get back to the Philippines because they were shut down. 

They filed March 2021, not this year. It was approved in March of this year. 

 

@AlexHuang The advice here about seeing each other before the interview and/or attending the interview together is solid. You could still be approved without doing that, but your odds of approval are higher if you see each other again. 2 1/2 years is a long time to go without a visit. I'm sure a good chunk of that time was COVID related but that ship has sailed at this point. 

[Crazy Cat 39,285]

7 hours ago, AlexHuang said:

so have you received any update or you got your visa already?

 

yeah i m just a little worried, it has been over two years since we last saw each other. but if that in person meeting requirement is only for the petition, then i guess i should be ok  

AIT in Taipei is a pretty easy consulate.  My wife had a good experience for her interview.  Even though she had to provide an additional document, AIT issued her visa within a day or so.  As far as visiting goes, an additional visit would be good, but visiting Taiwan during Covid was a big, big hassle.  My wife went there in November 2021.  She had to stay in a quarantine hotel room (self-paid) for 15 days immediately upon arrival.  I think the quarantine requirements have been reduced to 3 or 4 days now. 

[MarJhi 919]

1 hour ago, beloved_dingo said:

They filed March 2021, not this year. It was approved in March of this year. 

Thanks for the correction. I always own up to my mistakes. Unlike some😁