ana y ray

Mind changing (note, moments after baggage claim, which seems to be a constant) only makes it harder for others in the future to get b2 visas...you and your fiancee wanted the vo to believe and trust you....now what? Recently, I found out that one of my employees did the same thing....lied to get a tourist visa for her foreign fiancee...they married 2 days after he arrived...I fired her two days later. I don't have much patience (none) for those who cheat our system and fully expect to be rewarded for doing so (she foolishly invited me to the wedding, where the story came out...she and her new husband were actually laughing about how 'dumb' the VO and our border officials were....the laughter stopped on Monday, when she showed up at the office, with her stuff from her desk all boxed up...I even asked somebody to put a nice bow on the box.
Bottom line: a B2 visa is supposed to be an object of trust, given to the trustworthy. When that trust is violated, it ruins the opportunities for others.

In the visa interview, they can and will say things to gauge the person's reaction. So it is possible that she was asked something about your looks, or an accusation was made about it, but that was not the reason for the denial. If a comment like that was made, and her reaction did not allay that concern, in addition to other similar "failed" reactions to questions, they may have concluded she was duping you to get to the US.
So they could have mentioned your looks but that was not why she was denied. You will need to find the real reason.

I wouldn't risk it.
Firstly, in many countries, a church marriage IS legal.
Secondly, even if yours is not, the embassy/ immigration at the airport/ USCIS later when you try to adjust status may THINK you got legally married (by talking to friends and family in the area, seeing your Facebook status, or photos or the way you refer to eachother as husband and wife etc) and deny you, because you must be unmarried to use the K1.
I see two save options:
- Have a "going away party", maybe even with a small blessing by the priest at the restaurant/ home you have it- no mention of wedding, no wedding dress, no weddingy invitations etc.
- Use the K1, get legally married in the USA, then AFTER that, as soon as she has AP, return for a visit to her home town and have the big wedding blessing and reception.

I disagree. I don't think a sponsor should be responsible to support someone at 125% of the poverty threshold. It's utterly ridiculous. it would leave the sponsor with next to nothing to live on (if they're just above the limit).
The sponsors I-864 does NOT mean the immigrant uses the sponsors income when determining whether they're eligible for benefits or not. The immigrant should apply for benefits, if needed, and if eligible (based only on themselves) should get them. At that point the government would then sue the USC to recover those benefits.
Really though, the immigrant should get a job and support themselves. I don't think it's fair that the USC, out of love, brought someone here and when the relationship fails they must continue to pay and pay and pay. I know getting a job isn't always easy, supporting yourself isn't always easy, but it doesn't mean the USC should do it for you.
In my personal opinion, as an immigrant, the sponsor/USC's only requirement should be to provide the funds to pay for a ticket back to the immigrants home country. There the immigrant can continue to live their life in the manner they are accustomed. Of course people will say I only say that because I'm from Australia, I can't possibly understand what it would mean to return to a country where it is dangerous, or less than the US. If the immigrant chooses to stay in the US, it should be on their own head, not on the head of the USC... save for the money the USC provides to the immigrant to make the choice "ticket, or stay".

It's extremely common in the Philippines when young single women have children for the grandparents of the baby to do a lot, if not a majority, of the raising of the baby. In my experience (20+ trips there) it's more common for the grandmother to raise the child than the mother, if the mother is relatively young and single.
Ann would not be "abandoning" the child. Although the US culture might see it this way, it's not the way the culture in the Philippines works. Ann, the baby, and Ann's mother and the rest of the family would see it as normal for grandma to do the primary job of raising the baby.
Many people I know who have come to the US do so without their children and later return for them. My now ex-wife came to the US with her 18 month old son when she came on her K-1 visa but that was against the wishes of my son's grandma and not the preference of my fiancee. It was only my insistence that made her bring him.
Different cultures have different cultural norms. We shouldn't judge others based on our norms if what they are doing is the norm for them.

So you're wife's been here for all of three months and she doesn't have a job yet? Divorce that slacker.
Seriously, when I was a new and very young bride, trying to make my way in a foreign country, with no friends and no immediate family but my husband, I freaked out. A lot. I often thought, "I left all that behind for this -- to live in a country where people make fun of my accent, where I am always the last one to get the joke, the one who had to and has to compromise all the time?" And I'd get angry and say spiteful things like, "I wish I'd never come here" and "I want to go home." I'd pack my bags and call my parents and say that was it.
But I didn't leave. Why? I had a husband whom I loved, and who loved me, and who listened to why I felt so desperate. It was never about him, it was about feeling powerless in a situation that I willingly entered because I loved him. I remembered I had vowed to stay with him and support him in good times and in bad. Ours was no great love story, a pretty average transnational romance that ended after ten mostly happy years due to us just growing up and wanting different things in life. But what we were very good at doing was listening to each other and really trying to understand what was going on underneath frustration. It was part of our vows. Did you not make similar vows?
It's one thing if someone is being abusive -- emotionally, physically or otherwise -- and another if that person feels lost, powerless, confused. In the former case, leaving is obviously the right thing to do. In the latter, the relationship can often be saved. This goes for either sex, lest someone accuse me of naturally siding with a woman here. The immigrant spouse is going to take a while to get accustomed to his or her new environment. It isn't plug and play. I would encourage you to seek counselling if things "just aren't working out" before you walk away from a marriage.
While writing this, my boyfriend asked me what I was posting about and I told him. He's Korean-American, and he suggested (as did Mr Smiley above) that your wife reach out to the Korean community in your town. Do you live anywhere near LA by any chance? There's gigantic Korean community here if you live within driving distance. He was also shocked that anyone could complain about an immigrant spouse (whose first language is almost certainly not English) not having a job after three months when there are so many native speakers who have been unemployed for many months in this environment.
In any event, he and I both wish the OP and his wife the best and hope they at least work a little harder to try to make this relationship work. Better to put the work in now and realise it can't be saved than to regret not doing so.

But the thing is, you think that the USCIS officials care about the emotional side of a relationship. They don't, and they have no reason to.
Their right to judge everything is just that - they judge your marriage at face value, at first glance, and it does not extend beyond that.
For you to say that what they say is not fair nor true is you appealing to the emotional side of things and assuming that they care about what you think of your marriage.
They don't care about what you think your marriage is. They only care about what THEY think your marriage is.
They never ask you how you feel about your husband/wife. For a reason. They don't care.

I don't mean to be hyper-critical, but this statement is a bit naive. They have every right to make any sort of judgement they want to. In fact, it's their job to make judgements. Adjustment of status is a discretionary benefit, and it's their job to root out fraud. They can ask any question they want. They can make any accusations they want. They can be as rude as they want. They can do practically anything short of taking you into a dark room and beating you with a rubber hose. As distasteful as these tactics are, the fact is that they have been found to be effective. People will often give up information they've been hiding when they feel intimidated, and when you're the subject of a fraud investigation then they want you to feel intimidated.
They came to your house because they suspected your relationship was a sham. The fact that your husband was not living with you confirmed their suspicions. A follow up interview is a possibility, but at this point I doubt if it's needed. They have enough information now to deny your application. If you're lucky then the denial letter will come by mail, and include a notice that you've been placed in removal proceedings for material misrepresentation. If you're not so lucky then the denial letter will be delivered by an ICE officer who will take you into custody.
Your case has taken a serious nosedive, and you need professional legal help now. This isn't like your friend's case where neither of them were home and a roommate said something stupid. They came to your house and you confirmed that your husband wasn't living there. Of all of the things they could have found that would have been proof of a sham marriage, the only thing they could have found that would have been more compelling would have been a signed confession. You'll have a very narrow window to file a motion to reopen after the denial is issued. A lawyer should be working on that motion now.

OP, more than likely ANY attempt to "fix" the photo will result in the reviewing officer thinking the photo has been tampered with. Leave it as is, supply addition photos and confirmation it really is you, and a brief explanation of what happened.

Try wiping it down with a wippie or a Clorox wipe... As much as you can, if that doesn't work, have her take another passport photo and make a copy of the biographical page with her info. and attach a little letter explaining the incident that happen. and see how that goes.

Am I understanding this correctly, you entered the US on the VWP with three children in tow, met a man and proceeded to marry him in 3 months? Was there something you were running from in your home country? Is the father of your children aware you are married and the kids may now be in danger? Have you filed for AOS, if so how could you afford to if your husband has spent all your money? What were your intentions on entering the US with your three children? You have no ties to the US so why don't you return to Switzerland, its a beautiful country, you're free there, just wondering what is holding you back from returning home.
Don't get me wrong I don't condone anyform of violence and he should be punished for what he has done, I'm just trying to figure out your situation and how it came about.

Not being negative, but am interested in the avenue(s) you have found. There are hundreds of VJ members that ask about the same thing and find no options.
Now if you find the sis a US boyfriend, that's fairly common.
Share, so others can benefit. That's what VJ is all about.

That's because in the US many people believe that "support from the government" is a euphemism for "support from the taxpayers". The government in the US doesn't have any money they didn't take from a taxpayer or borrow from a bond holder. The same is true in most countries that aren't socialist (i.e., where the government isn't getting revenue from nationalized industries), but many people don't make the mental connection between the government's money and where the government got that money.
I'm not belittling the social support structure they have in Australia, especially if most Australians are happy with it. I'm saying that, to a large degree, people in America don't feel the same way. Most people in America believe that unearned public benefits should be reserved for those who are either permanently incapable of supporting themselves (the disabled), or are temporarily down on their luck. What might be surprising is that this belief is the strongest in America's working class. The people who believe that America should have a social support structure resembling the one in Australia or much of Europe are at opposite ends of the income spectrum - those at the bottom who would directly benefit from a strong social support system, and wealthy liberals who would happily contribute a chunk of their own wealth if the government forced everyone else to do the same. The people in between don't like it because they're the ones who would mostly be paying for it.
Immigration law is crafted to appease the majority of American who feel this way. Americans, for the most part, expect the costs of family immigration to be paid for by the families and immigrants, and that there should be protections in place to ensure that Americans aren't left holding the bill for immigrants who can't support themselves.

How does your husband feel about you and your boyfriend?

I really love how everyone here has tried and convicted this guy with only hearing one side, and to be quite frank, her story sounds ridiculous and unbelievable. This guy is putting his life on the line for your freedom such as being able to post on boards etc etc etc , he at least deserves his say. He doesn't deserve to be labeled a woman abuser until all the facts come out. Horrible !!!!

I got a letter from NVC, dated almost 2 weeks from the date that I had called NVC and found out they had received our USCIS-approved petition.
The letter acknowledges their receipt of the petition, informing us that the petition within a week (from the letter date) would be forwarded to the interviewing consulate/embassy. It gave the name and address of the consulate/embassy. This document was the only one that I received that linked our USCIS receipt number and the DOS case number.
It was kind of a pleasant surprise. Based on the postings on these forums, I had been calling NVC daily to ascertain the status of our petition ever since receiving the electronic NOA2 status from USCIS. (Yes, we did get our official NOA2 notice in a couple of weeks too.) I was basing my actions on the email notices and verbal comments from USCIS and NVC.
I would suggest that you call NVC daily and inquire about the status of your petition, until you are certain that it has been sent to the embassy/consulate. After that time, start calling the DOS, the visa specialists will become your new best friends. The phone numbers are listed in the VJ forum guides.
Good luck on your visa journey.

According to a national victimization survey by the Justice Department, sexual assault is one of the most under reported crimes, with 54% still being left unreported. More than half of the women in America who have been victims of sexual assault don't ever report it. No documentation, no statements...just silence.
I would imagine that any immigrant coming to the United States, already faces obstacles in adjusting his/her life to a different language and culture than from where he/she came. To be a victim of sexual assault to add to all that...

No, Angelina did not marry the man that filed the I-129F ("Bob").
Angelina married Brad.
Pinoylover, there are still some who believe that you don't consummate the relationship until after being married, believe it or not. A bit surprising and old-fashioned I guess, but they are still around. So here's the thing...why would you want to use somebody on a K-1 visa to come to America, knowing full well (from the interview and questioning process in Beijing) that by not following through with the marriage it would jeopardize, no INVALIDATE, your legal status here in America? It would have been "smarter" to get married, get the green card, and then divorce/leave/separate, etc.
Angelina followed Bob to America, completely trusting him, with limited to no English language skills. If you were in her situation and forcibly raped, TWICE, who would you turn to? Better yet, who could you trust? I imagine that even for American women, born in the States, they would have a tough time finding someone to talk to/confide in or even report that it happened.

There is no possible way to know someone 100% even if they live in the same country you can be married a million years and find a million new things about your spouse each year. My mom both USC have been married for 63yrs and she still say she is learning my dad....so in my opinion you only know what the person has shown u and to be honest sometimes there are no indicators of scammers....its there profession they are good at it.....Just my thoughts

Actually you ARE here unlawfully. I understand that being told you are here unlawfully is upsetting for you but it doesn't make it incorrect nor give you the right to be quite rude to another member. Your I-94 controls your status. Here's a link to explain the I-94 for you: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1298.html
If you were to run into ICE they CAN lock you in immigration jail. The ONLY reason you are unlikely to be deported (yet) is because the immigration judge would see you're eligible to AOS (due to your marriage) and would order that you do so ASAP.
Please read this link: http://www.visapro.com/Immigration-Articles/?a=1484&z=46 which explains the terms. You'll note about halfway down the page it says "Out-of-status (Unlawful Status) Vs Unlawful Presence". See how the words "unlawful status" are enclosed in brackets after "out-of-status"? This means those two terms mean the same thing. Read that link and it should explain it for you.
If you are still confused I encourage you to speak to an immigration attorney who hopefully will be able to explain it in a way you can understand. Again. You ARE here unlawfully. You ARE accumulating unlawful presence which if you were to leave without a GC would get you a ban.
I should also mention that volunteering for your wife's workplace is illegal work IF you are taking the place of a regular paid worker OR you are planning to work there PAID once you get your EAD/GC. Just be aware of this as well.

It doesn't matter who pays what. If you’re filing a petition for your fiancé, you should be able to pay for all the filing fee expenses.  It doesn’t matter that I’m a female petitioner.  When he gets here and we get married, what’s mine will be his and what’s his will be mine.  If your fiancé is in a position to help you pay, then so be it, but this shouldn’t even be a major topic of discussion at this point.  I love my fiancé and will do whatever is necessary to get him here with me, that includes paying ALL the application/visa/medical fees. When he gets here he probably won’t be working right away, so I’m quite okay with absorbing whatever additional expense occurs as a result of him being here.  I know he appreciates and recognizes the expenses and when he starts working (however long that will take) he’ll pitch in as necessary, similar to how any working class family does it.   Also at some point you’ll have to sign an affidavit of support to indicate your commitment and ability to support your fiancé/fiancée financially when he/she gets to the USA.  This affidavit is legally binding for a number of years. 

We're getting married, so it's not his and her money anyway its our money. How is this even a question lol
Although since I'm here paying bills and he's living with his parents and working he can save up a whole lot more money than I can. But of course I'm going to be paying rent for him while his status is adjusting so it all balances out. And even if it didn't balance out evenly love doesn't keep score, we each do what we need to in support and love of the other

Forget about using Visas to get someone into the U.S. for a second, and think about all the suggestions to marry. They're young, they have no money; can they even pay for a wedding license? By the sounds of it, they only spent a short time together. Whoever takes the microscope to her case will also see her previously denied visa.
Here's an idea for OP and his girlfriend: Why doesn't she go to Europe to study somewhere? Then OP can go visit her, spend some time together and really figure out what they want to do. Marriage is a huge step, and it infuriates me to see it get tossed around as some post-script solution for someone to go to school in the U.S.

First coming from India to learn English sounds complete bogus, when English is one of common language in the country. Major portion of Govt and legal work is all done in English.
On top if it you sound like a hypocrite you want to live in this country, bring your GF to this country and you want to bad mouth this country.
Just coz you want your GF in US consulate does not have to grant her visa, if you are USC than also you don’t have any right to bring your GF and if you are on Visa you don’t even have room to talk.
If you don’t like the visa processing time, then there is always the option to stay in country of your choice where visa processing time s faster.

How can she quit two jobs merely to study English?
Moreover, the ESL visa request is by far the most common route many people use to circumvent the K1 visa....so common that many young single applicants find it impossible to qualify because in real life, so few ever return (and not surprisingly wind up marrying their 'sponsor' for said studies, who of course turned out to be more than the 'family friend' claimed on their application).
Having parents and siblings are not realistically strong ties....she is an adult, and sooner or later (sounds like sooner) she will be leaving them permanently to live her own life...so these family members are not really a compelling reason for her to return home. And apparently she can easily abandon not one, but TWO jobs for an extended period merely to study English.....promises of future employment are equally without merit since such offers are totally non-enforceable and there are no penalties for failing to return to take said promised empployment.
And as I have said numerous times before, while 99.9% of people posting their version of 'intent', about 99.9% of those same posters whose BF/GF did get the visa also experience that amazing mind change about that intent moments after clearing baggage claim....a fact that VOs know only too well.
Worldwide (something I read about 3 years ago and I doubt it has changed much) the return rate of students who go to the US ostensibly to study English is less than 2%....that includes folks from Western Europe in the entire mix...more than 75% wind up marrying their 'family friend' sponsor...which is a coincidence that is just too coincidental.