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But you have clearly never been through an immigration process with USCIS. You came here looking for advice and guidance; just because you don’t like what you’re hearing doesn’t mean everyone is being pessimistic. They’re being realistic and informing you of the laws that exist that are, in fact, absolute.

OP, I think you're getting swindled. Plenty of US citizens or LPRs in the US for the receptionist and sandwich maker positions. Cut your losses now and don't pay whoever this middle man agency is. That is not how either USCIS or visa issuance works.

Just because he isn't registered, does not mean he isn't supposed to be registered. This is not a DIY case by any stretch of the imagination.

Do not rely on ChatGPT for legal advice. This is a serious situation. It is hard to tell whether he is eligible to sponsor you, without court records. A lot depends on nature of crime.

Your best bet will of course be getting married ASAP and your spouse adding you to their insurance policy - marriage is a qualifying life event. I'm not sure what other insurance you'd qualify for as you're not really a tourist given that on K-1 you're expected to AOS and become an LPR. I know our company when sending folks to the US for training gets them seven corners health insurance policy - may want to check if they cover K-1?

I would move heaven and earth to get the Divorce completed earlier. She can hardly sign anyway as you are separated, you are not in a good faith marriage.

he definitely ‘remembers’ the details. There’s no way anyone is convicted of such a serious offence and serves 2 years without knowing the details. I would be more worried about him lying to you/trying to downplay it. Make sure you get the full details and soon

From what you listed DV, assault and similar - stay away - not worth it your life to end up dead for a visa. Find someone else. I'm sure not just consulate but also the CFO process will flag your petitioner.

Not really. If you guys separated, he is no longer eligible to naturalize under 3 year rule, as it requires living in marital union until the date of oath. Do not wait, live your life. Waiting would be immigration fraud. Nobody should stay married to get immigration benefit. Not declined, but denied with 99% certainty. Divorce, live your life. Husband should withdraw his N-400 today, he is not eligible. No explanation for withdrawal needed, just a letter saying he wants to withdraw whatever case # is and whatever alien # is. He is safe as he removed his conditions already. Then he reapplies when reaches 5 years of being LPR. He may be asked about marriage etc in the future but it should not be a problem unless USCIS suspect fraud. Everything else is calling for a trouble. Good luck!

I think there has been good advice above. Not saying this relationship can't work out, or you can't ever apply for a visa for your partner, but with her prior K1 visa entry, that limits her options. The reason for the delay and limits on the K1 recipient adjusting while married to the original petitioner is to guard against fraud. Your title makes me think you may not understand these restrictions and the purposes. She does not have a "major family change" that could affect her immigration. That would be something like needing to suddenly return to a home country for a parent's funeral and needing advance parole while other processes were pending. She has a "major change" in that she no longer has an applicable immigration category and lacks her sponsor. Think of it like she got a highly selective internship at Google, and then she gets fired. But she keeps hanging around the building and walks through the door when a delivery person is exiting. She doesn't have security clearance or permission to be there. She doesn't still work there. That doesn't mean she can't update her resume and apply for another opening later, but she can't hang out on campus. I appreciate your hopefulness and it's not a dead end, but you need to be careful with discounting the laws and timeline that are there to protect you and your fellow citizens.

That's not how it works. A K-1 MUST adjust status through the original petitioner.

I am from Ghana too but girl, you need to take it slow and study him well. Even I won’t sponsor a man from my own country. This is just my humble advice.

I see. Why don't you let things develop naturally? If he doesn't overstay, he can go back home, then you can visit him. And on one of the visits, either yours to Ghana or his to the US, you can marry. Don't center everything around immigration, because then it becomes suspicious. Marriage is a big commitment. Why not take it slow, learn the person better and make a decision down the line?

Ceremony was today. Took about 2 hours all in 1:50 of which was sitting around. Besides sitting in the room the process couldn’t have been more painless and now we’re all done! We got married July 20, 2018 and my wife became a citizen December 1, 2025. Onto the passport office tomorrow morning, bright and early.

You can probably look up his name on any of the public sex offender registries and see what the specific charge was. Also, consult a lawyer regardless.

2welve, people here are trying to be kind while also being frank. Let me hit you between the eyes, and hopefully in the brain: With all the wonderful, loving, kind, available men in the world, this is the one you want to marry?

Maybe not more convenient but MAY help overcome that number of convictions on his record. Keyword may, there's no guarantee based on the severity of some of his convictions. Definitely cross reference if any of those would fall under AWA. If so, you will have a very long, difficult road ahead of you and it's up to the two of you if you want to try to overcome that. I can sense you're frustrated with the number of people expressing hesitance for you and this relationship, but please know it all comes from a place of concern. Being with someone in person is VERY VERY different from that phone call/e-mail/FaceTime phase - all of us know that because we've been through it! I would be very, very, very wary of marrying someone who has a long and recent track record of violence (!!) and trouble with the law, when you have not even met him in person to evaluate if he's a changed man. It's really easy to say the right things when you need to. The last thing I would do is commit to marrying someone I have never met, have only been talking to virtually for less than a year, especially when he has this background. I know the meeting in person multiple times is a time and financial commitment, but it is much less so than pouring all this money into an immigration process only to get here and find out he's not who he says he is, or worse, for you to get here and be put in a dangerous situation. Please truly think about what people in this thread are saying. It comes from a place of experience and concern.

Run away.

Agree pull the N400 Apply when eligible

Thank you!! Okay to clarify. Visa type R class B1/B2. We live in the same city, 10 minutes from each other. I see him everyday. We met at church when he came here last year for three months but did not date. He was here last October- December 2024, and joined my church. Went back to Ghana for three months and three months in India for work. He came back to Ohio In the summer. We met again once he returned and went out with our church group and just hit it off. Been together just about everyday since. He doesn't have his divorce papers or birth certificate here as he was planning to return home in February. As we were told from friends and family, both here and in Ghana returning home and waiting out the process there can take years especially now with all that is going on. My church is an African church with our pastors both being from Ghana as well. (I'm half African as well) We have a couple of members who married after several mission trips to Ghana and haven't been able to get there spouse approved to come to the US. His visa was approved on his 1st try due to him traveling all over the world for 13 years, he has other visa's. He was in the military, got out and was approved to come here. I make good money as I work for the government, but he has his own money and supports me financially. I told him after carefully thinking, I do not want to risk him going back home. Lets get married here and go through the process. We have nothing to hide! I know in the interview it may seemed rushed, but I can't really explain it, when you know, you know. Both of our families have given there blessings as they too feel the love and just know! They are all in agreement with us marrying. I hope this helps answer some questions and I thank everyone for their response. Helps so much!!

Wow, that timing is going to attract scrutiny.... hasn't even gotten the GC through the original petitioner, and now is already engaged to you? Are you from the same country? Did you know her before she got here?

Good morning VJ Folks, I wanted to give everyone an update on our case. Yesterday, my wife and daughter had their court date at 1:00 p.m. The hearing was done via Zoom — and to my surprise, there were about 15 other people with hearings scheduled at the same time! I honestly thought it would just be us. The judge started by calling the other cases first, and wow… some of them were pretty serious — involving criminal records or overstays for various reasons. When the judge finally called our case, our lawyer spoke and explained everything. As the judge reviewed our file, he glanced over at the DHS lawyers like he was thinking, “What are these people even doing here?” Then he asked my wife and daughter to state their names. After that, he looked right at the DHS side and said (and you could tell he was irritated), “This little girl should be in school right now — why do you even have her here?” He then looked down at his calendar and said, “Alright, your case is adjourned until December 15th, 2025 — these people don’t need to be here today.” Keep in mind, some of the other people’s cases were pushed out all the way to 2026 or even 2027! Afterward, our lawyer confirmed that December 15th will be our final hearing, and that everything should go smoothly from here since my wife and daughter have already completed their biometrics and everything else. So, in a nutshell, our case should be finalized on December 15th, 2025! 🙏

That’s going to be a tough sell to immigration when he’s from a high fraud country like Ghana. I concur with @OldUser, consular processing after more time together would be a much better idea. What visa is he in the US on?

better to get married before the end of the year as you will get the tax deduction for all of 2025.

Just got approved!

If he was being paid cash and making 80-90K he needs to talk to a tax professional now. Yes the IRS does want cash income reported too. Sooner he fixes his 2024 taxes the better. Luckily it will take more than a year to get to the interview stage where he will need to show his income. Go ahead and get started on the process, by the time you interview they will most likely be looking at 2025 taxes.

Thank you very much for your words! always very positive. Today I had my Oath Ceremony, it was so emotional and beautiful. Finally I can say... I DID IT!!!

He either needs to search the records and find out of file in the blind. If his crime falls under the Adam Walsh Act, USCIS will find it and he'll hear it from them in a year or so. He knows where the crime occurred, and when. Searching for the record is not difficult.

Oath ceremony complete today. It feels good to be American. Thank you all for your company. Now I can log out forever.

My Wife is from the Philippines, and I see this all the time and hear many stories of Filipino girls like you. You choose the worst of the worst Americans to marry because that is who you could find or who found you. You think they are from USA so it will give you a better life for you and your family, and think that they will be nice to you and that you can still have a happy life. You don't even know who they really are. You don't have a clue as to the reality of moving back to the USA in a poor area, with a person who has limited intelligence, emotionally unstable, a long list of baggage, and is ultimately going to very abusive to you and ruin your life. You'll likely end up as being abused house cleaner, additional income, and babysitter for his kids, with horrible cheap meals, crappy car if any, and a horrible set of friends and associates. Don't you see these other bad Americans with other Filipino girls and see how they end up? - You will have a very hard time getting a K-1 or CR-1 VISA approved. - You will have even a harder if not impossible time getting the CFO to approve it. - If you make it past that, it is very unlikely you will be married (or even alive) long enough to get your 10 year green card, let alone citizenship. Just saying ... Of course, like every other victim they always say "he's different, etc..."

So you haven't even met this man in person, and you believe you want to marry him despite his violent past. I would agree with those who tell you to run away, but I also get that you are in love and believe this is the man of your dreams. You need to slow down. A lot. Spending a week together is not going to be enough. You will need multiple visits and lots of time spent together. And while you are getting to know each other, make sure you are safe. You may believe that he has changed, but you will only really find out when you spend time with him in person. He has a history of domestic violence. Don't become his next victim.

We were in a very similar position, my wife had her (first) green card for about 20 months when we ended up moving to her home country for the next 5 years. So we didn't end up applying for ROC, because we knew we wouldn't be returning anytime "soon" (as in within 2 years to potentially use a reentry permit), plus then with ROC you have to put you are still living in the US, go to an interview, etc. -- so didn't seem worth doing anything that could be viewed as fraudulent just to try to keep her green card. A few months after moving, we also filed her i407 (Abandonment of Green Card), which not everyone says you should do. But we have found it very useful, because in subsequent visa interviews (first for a tourist visa, then for her second green card) and border crossings they have asked for it and she has shown it, basically to "prove" she has been following the rules and not trying to maintain her green card while not living in the US. Now your dates are a bit closer (and we have never done ROC, so I don't know all the details or timelines), so maybe there is a path apply for ROC just to keep the option open (especially if you end up moving back to the US within a year or two), but you would probably face issues the first time your spouse tries to visit the US after being outside for a long time. So my recommendation would be just to leave, abandon the green card so your wife can get a tourist visa to be able to visit the US, and if or when you decide to come back to the US you will just apply for a new IR1 visa (won't need to do ROC after). It is annoying to do the process twice, but it just takes long term planning and patience -- and I don't regret at all our decision to move at the time, or how we proceeded with visas and residency processes.

Agree 100%. I don't know if the OP realizes that this man may not even be able to travel to meet in person to begin with due to the nature of his charges. When other countries won't let you in, that has to be a flashing neon sign to turn the other way.

I think you are getting well ahead of yourself, a few trips, some quality time spent together see how it goes.

You don't have to share his criminal history here, but be aware that some types of cases will disqualify him from petitioning you. You may want to consult with an immigration attorney to determine your best path forward. I agree with others that the K1 may not be your best choice. It's great that you are involved in the process, but at this stage, the petition really is his responsibility. He will need to put some effort into it, especially in obtaining all the court records.

Interview scheduled!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy!! Still no update on her work authorization (last update was ~28 days ago saying they transferred her case to another office), but so happy we got an update for the green card at least! For their cases, we can't check online, we have to wait until the notice arrives in the mail to see when the interview is scheduled for (please don't be December 4th or 5th).

The sister owns a different house. She’s more than willing to help us til we get established and have the chance for me and my husband to spend time with the kids and build a relationship with them.

An actual NOID will have instructions. Maybe the online notice doesn't but the one you will get in the mail does. Do not rush this. Months ago, was the time to get a complete and detailed report from your spouse about what happened from the time they arrived at the Embassy in Lagos until they left. I mean word for word. Once you have that, you will understand the reasons and whether you have a case to overcome the revocation or you should accept and start a new case. (or stop and give up) You have a few months to respond. The last thing you want to do is waste your response by responding ineffectively.

Delays in Ontario for marriage certificates are a known factor. You wait. The I-130 is not a visa. It is a petition for alien relative. When the petition is approved, your spouse will be invited to apply for a CR1 or IR1 visa, depending on how long you have been married at that time. Start by clicking on the word "guides" at the top of any page here, and use your waiting time to learn the process.

This would've been one case the K-1 would've been advantageous but you're past that now.

Except US Immigration law.....and this administration isn't playing around.

I have seen no end of similar cases, have not kept count but must be dozens.

You will be fighting a losing battle which cause her to be banned from the US........If I were her, I would leave asap. We have seen many cases like this.

Sounds like you only had I-751 interview and most likely will be scheduled for N-400 interview again.

On paper or not, this could invalidate that K1. Please provide more detail. USCIS are well aware of ceremonial traditions and what they mean in other cultures. You may well be "too married" to be attempting this route.

Already answered here: It's concerning that, of your nine posts on VJ, some refer to a fiancée (K-1 forum) and some to a wife (CR-1 forum). Please put all known information into a VJ timeline so that people know your situation accurately enough to best help you. At minimum, we need to know what you've filed and when, and which consulate you'd be dealing with. Quit making people infer something like "he was engaged in July but must have married between now and his current post, so he must be on a CR-1 path now." With that said, the advice from July (fiancée) holds true for now (wife): The chances of her being granted a tourist visa approach zero

I want to thank everyone for keeping the discussion on such a cerebral plane. Had this thread sunk into the mud with blatant political partisanship, we'd have had to move it to the Current Events forum. People here are quietly expressing reservations and keeping those secondary to thoughtful policy discussions.

Hey Nathan. Welcome to the forum! First and foremost, you need to work out what your faith is (or isn't - entirely for you to decide) and how that relationship works. Irrespective of what your parents want, you're an adult and you have every right to make those decisions about what you believe and how. Secondly, it sounds like you need to set some boundaries with your parents. Not sure what your relationship is or your living situation, but again, you're an adult. Maybe this requires heading to some counselling or therapy to learn how to manage all of that; I can't judge, I'm not in your shoes. How much time have you spent with your fiancé and how, if she doesn't know the language, do you communicate? Are you fluent in Mandarin? Why would she want to move to the USA? Would you move to her country? All questions you need to ask yourself. This sounds more like you need to do some soul searching on who you are as a person and what your values are and then evaluate how these other people fit into that structure. Yes, parents typically want what's best for their kids, but it doesn't mean their approach is always ideal. Maybe they are scrutinizing your partner somewhat emphatically, but do you have rose colored glasses on when it comes to this person and they are just trying to protect you? Yes, people who are in a relationship typically tell one another they'll never leave. The hard truth is people change, relationships change and sometimes things just don't work. So, deep down inside, are you prepared for that reality, be it happily ever after OR not so happily ever after? You have to take a pragmatic approach before making major life decisions, but that requires a bit of a philosophical visit to know yourself.

Which was a response to another comment inferring a President was usurping Congressional authority. This of course is not true as the action appears to be within the law as currently written. Congress of course can write new law, but we all know that will never happen. Like @S2N, I am not in complete agreement of this change in policy, but it was probably necessary to take care of all the EADs that were handed out like Pez by the previous administration.

Nobody here would know exactly how your second interview will go. I am only suggesting to prepare for the worst scenario and hope it goes a lot easier than this. If you prepare for tough interview, you will have answers for any scenario. As to my knowledge, no I don't work in the field, but immigration is my passion. I've read thousands of pages on Visa Journey and other immigration related websites on various subjects, including visas, adjustment of status, removal of conditions, naturalization over the last 7-8 years. I contributed with close to 13000 posts on Visa Journey since 2022 when I joined it. I watched every single episode of Immigration Answers Show on YouTube, which is about 1000 hours of content, questions and answers by attorney. I also watched other attorneys, perhaps 200-300hrs additionally. I read USCIS manual, watch updates on immigration, review forms regularly. And lastly, I went from various visas to becoming a citizen myself. I have few friends who went through this process to. This is where I'm coming from. By no means my messages here are the ultimate truth or legal advice.