LizzieBee

My husband and I had pretty much ALL the red flags (almost 12 years age difference, different religions, I'm divorced, etc. etc.), and our visa process went off pretty much perfectly. Although the interviewer was really, REALLY hard on him, it was approved and issued the same day, and received a few days later. Here is what I did to prove that our relationship was legitimate. I provided as much evidence as I could at every step of the process, even at times when they didn't ask for it. Basically any time I had to send anything, I also included UPDATED proof of our relationship. Here's a list of the things I remember off the top of my head:
1. A letter describing how we met, how we fell in love, when we got engaged, the time we spent together, etc. I addressed some of the red flags directly in my letter.
2. Letters from ALL FOUR of our parents, supporting our relationship.
3. Letters from three coworkers stating that they had spent time together with us in Egypt and would attest to our relationship being real. This included a doctor, the head of police in his city, and his boss (who also had UK citizenship.)
4. A letter from his uncle who had visited me in the US and helped us work out the details of our engagement
5. Photos of us together at each and every one of my visits to Egypt, at lots of different locations and with lots of different people: coworkers, his boss, his parents, his cousins, etc.
6. Letter from my religious leader agreeing to perform the wedding ceremony
7. Letter confirming the location of our wedding
8. Contract for a wedding photographer (a friend of mine)
9. Receipts from gifts and restaurants we visited together
10. Photos of our engagement rings
11. Skype-to-mobile receipts showing my phone calls to him in Egypt
12. A full history of our Facebook "friendship" showing the day we met, everything we had ever posted on each other's timelines, and the announcement of our engagement. (I made sure to click "see more" until everything was shown, including my friends comments about how excited they were about our engagement and their wishes for a happy marriage.)
That's all I can remember off the top of my head. I'm sure there was more. The point is: if you can think of something that proves your relationship, SEND IT IN any time they request anything. I sent proof with our initial package and with his medical and stuff that they requested before his interview. They didn't ask for proof of relationship at that time, but I wanted it included with our file so I sent it. I feel like that is the only reason we were approved. I hope this gives you some ideas.

I understand. My fiance is very shy and quiet, so he may not make the best impression on the CO. Oh well, I love what Heather (?) said above. I know that he is sincere. I know that I am sincere. I know that we are in love and planning to spend the rest of our lives together. Red flags be damned; the truth should prevail. All I can do is keep a positive attitude at this point.

My husband and I had pretty much ALL the red flags (almost 12 years age difference, different religions, I'm divorced, etc. etc.), and our visa process went off pretty much perfectly. Although the interviewer was really, REALLY hard on him, it was approved and issued the same day, and received a few days later. Here is what I did to prove that our relationship was legitimate. I provided as much evidence as I could at every step of the process, even at times when they didn't ask for it. Basically any time I had to send anything, I also included UPDATED proof of our relationship. Here's a list of the things I remember off the top of my head:
1. A letter describing how we met, how we fell in love, when we got engaged, the time we spent together, etc. I addressed some of the red flags directly in my letter.
2. Letters from ALL FOUR of our parents, supporting our relationship.
3. Letters from three coworkers stating that they had spent time together with us in Egypt and would attest to our relationship being real. This included a doctor, the head of police in his city, and his boss (who also had UK citizenship.)
4. A letter from his uncle who had visited me in the US and helped us work out the details of our engagement
5. Photos of us together at each and every one of my visits to Egypt, at lots of different locations and with lots of different people: coworkers, his boss, his parents, his cousins, etc.
6. Letter from my religious leader agreeing to perform the wedding ceremony
7. Letter confirming the location of our wedding
8. Contract for a wedding photographer (a friend of mine)
9. Receipts from gifts and restaurants we visited together
10. Photos of our engagement rings
11. Skype-to-mobile receipts showing my phone calls to him in Egypt
12. A full history of our Facebook "friendship" showing the day we met, everything we had ever posted on each other's timelines, and the announcement of our engagement. (I made sure to click "see more" until everything was shown, including my friends comments about how excited they were about our engagement and their wishes for a happy marriage.)
That's all I can remember off the top of my head. I'm sure there was more. The point is: if you can think of something that proves your relationship, SEND IT IN any time they request anything. I sent proof with our initial package and with his medical and stuff that they requested before his interview. They didn't ask for proof of relationship at that time, but I wanted it included with our file so I sent it. I feel like that is the only reason we were approved. I hope this gives you some ideas.

My husband has adjusted nicely to the US, but Ramadan has been much different for him. We have a mosque about 25 minutes from our house, and we try to make it there every Friday. I was in Egypt for Ramadan last year, and I can tell it is very different from being in the US. Here, my husband doesn't hear the call to prayer coming through the loudspeakers, and we just use our cell phones to help us determine when to have Iftar. I am not Muslim, but I am fasting with my husband. The hours here are longer than they are in Egypt, but the time difference has not been that big of a deal. He keeps mentioning that it will be very different when Ramadan is over and the three day feast occurs. I'd like to find a group of people who will be celebrating the feast, but I don't really know where to go for that.
This is the first time in his life that he has been out of Egypt's borders for Ramadan, and I imagine he has a bit of longing to share with his friends and family of like faith. I can understand his unstated longing. Last year, when I was in Egypt, it was amazing to go to the mall and watch everyone get their food at the food court just as the fasting was concluded. It brought a sense of unity, and I loved that feeling. I wish there was that same experience for him here.

Ramadan kareem. My husband arrived exactly one month ago today and we're working out all the adjustments for his first Ramadan away from his Egyptian family. So far, we're actually enjoying it a lot even though I'm not Muslim.

Yes, but maybe it's a plus for you in this case. DHL is VERY reliable and as you saw in my case, email is more prone to human error. When they are ready to deliver, they will call the phone number provided with the package to arrange a hand delivery. I assume they'll deliver his "packet 3" that way since you didn't provide an email address. Oh, and they sent it (or tried to send it) to MY email address, not his. Did you provide an email address?
(Funny story about DHL: I was staying with my fiance's family in Egypt for two weeks in April. One morning, I was awakened by my fiance bursting into my bedroom and scaring me to death. "Don't worry, I was already awake," I mumbled for some reason, trying to wrack my brains as to why he was actually awake before me because that NEVER happens. He breathlessly said, "I got the interview date. DHL called this morning. I just got the letter now." I sat straight up in bed and was so shocked and overjoyed! I'll never EVER forget that moment. It was so so so lovely that I was with him in Egypt when he got the good news! The funny part is that DHL called and said, "We have a package to deliver. We'll be there in two minutes. Be ready." As if he's always just sitting at home waiting for them or something! Ha ha!)

Please be patient. My fiance sent his papers to the Cairo embassy at the beginning of February and the current wait time was five months. (Meaning they were scheduling interviews for cases that had returned the Packet 3 five months before.) That would have put our interview in the middle of Ramadan in July. We were thrilled that it was the end of May instead. Cairo is working hard to catch up and make the wait time shorter, but I doubt the wait time has gone from 3.5 months to ONE month somehow in the last month. You're likely looking at August for your interview unless the embassy continues to work hard to reduce the case load. For your sake, I hope that's true! But it's really best to plan for the worst and live your life... I hate to say that because I know you're in HELL right now with the waiting! Trust me, the wait after he receives his interview date but before the interview will be the hardest days/weeks of your life if you're anything like us!
Also, from my experience, they seem to schedule a whole month at a time. For example, they'll schedule all of July's appointments the last week or so of June. So if you don't hear anything by July 1st, that means you're likely not on the calendar until August at the earliest. That's what I noticed from the VJ timelines. People were only receiving their "packet 4" letters the last week or so of every month and then nothing new until the last week of the next month. Does that make sense? My fiance received his interview letter April 22nd and his interview was May 29th. Hands down the worst five weeks of my life! Please PM me if you want to know any more of my OCD ramblings about the Cairo embassy. I was absolutely going crazy!

YES! One of the really hard things about long-distance relationships is that you want to be together on Skype, which means you have to be TOTALLY INACTIVE in order to be together. You can't go out together or play together or anything else. You're forced into total physical inactivity to be with the person you love. That's SUPER HARD!

I hope you get your expedite, however I see almost no chance the Cairo embassy will approve it, even if NVC does. I sent in an expedite request because I was going to LOSE MY HOUSE (and significant portion of my income because it's an income property). My son was on suicide watch and my depression was so bad I could hardly get out of bed. They had no problems whatsoever in not even considering me for an expedite. Good luck to you, but I'd suggest you make alternate arrangements for extra help.

I can only wish you luck. I'm engaged to a man in Alexandria right now and we're waiting for his interview to be scheduled. I can only tell you that this process is incredibly painful and difficult. Being in a long-distance relationship with such different cultures is overwhelming. She is used to having a lot of freedom as an American woman, and you will probably expect her to isolate herself from all male acquaintances and many social situations after engagement or marriage. That isolation is okay when you have your sweetheart by your side, but when you're not together, it's just a huge stress on both of you. At least that's my experience. I wasn't prepared for how many sacrifices I would have to make to help my Muslim sweetheart feel comfortable--it's a difference of cultures that you need to discuss with your sweetheart in depth before you move forward. Talk about expectations. Talk about your Plan B if your visa is refused. Talk about how you'll find time to be together while you're waiting. Can she travel to see you? Can you travel to some other country to spend time together there?
As far as the actual visa process, I believe your visa wait will take longer if you're already married. If you go the K-1 route, you run the risk of being denied and then having to start over with the other. However, you also run that risk if you're married also. There are no guarantees. How do you do with massive uncertainty? This process is stressful. Very. Stressful. The more you can accept that, the better your chance of success. Whatever you choose to do, I am happy you found love and I hope you two can make it work. Real love is a beautiful thing and worth fighting for.

I'm glad it is working out so well for you! My husband and I have been spending June exploring the east coast, and we've had a nice time just being together. Continued wishes for a happy life for you and your family!

I am so sorry for you. This proves God works in mysterious ways as at least you were able to see him one last time. Take care, stay strong, thinking of you and yours.

I had the same after interview. I got AP for two weeks, then READY ( for appointment )
then the next day I got READY ( Case open, wait for two business days ) then the next day I got AP ( this differs from the first AP - this one means you will get ISSUED status soon ) , then the next day I got ISSUED.

One post that was nonresponsive and dismissive to the OP removed.

Haha, my husband was so nervous too! I was really confident that it would go fine, but the day before the interview Ramy made me go to a coffee shop with him practice asking him all kinds of questions we thought the interviewer might ask, especially hard "worst case scenario" kind of questions like accusations we were already married or he wanted me only for the visa and stuff like that. He was SO afraid the guy would be rude to him. He was rude, after all, but what harm did it do? Rude and approval!

In 2010 My family and I went to Egypt to visit one of my elder sisters and her Egyptian husband .......we stayed three months .....in the first month we went to Cairo shopping my dad was trying to purchase a cane for my mom but the guy was asking too much money my sister and her husband had gone on to look at other things in the Bazaar......this guy and a few of his friends had been watching the exchange between my dad and the owner of the shop......he asked my dad if he could help ......long story but at the end we asked him to have a drink with us to thank him for his help..we met up with my sis and her husband at the cafe turns out Moody and my brother in law knew each other.....after that seemed every time we went to Cairo he would show up.....he talked a lot to my brother and my brother in law and looked at me a lot I thought he was pretty cute but a pain in the butt ..it had not been that long since my broken 5 year engagement I was no way looking for someone especially anyone from over seas
after we returned to the USA Moody kept in contact with my brother...then we started talking in November of 2013 he asked my dad via skype if he would allow him to marry me..........after the agreement it felt like I was on a fast roller coaster that had no brakes
2014 My brother my mom and i got on a plane to Cairo ......I was tired from the long flight worried a lot about what he would think of me now it had been three years almost four since he saw me in person......after we collected our luggage we walked out of the airport at the doors this tall duffy guy grabbed me and hugged me so tight and kissed me on the head....he was so nervous he had trouble finding the way out of the parking lot and had to ask directions...he had rented a three bed room flat for us to stay in until we returned to USA .......I remember he just kept looking at me I was soooo tired I know it was rude and not romantic but i kept thinking i want to sleep laying down flat when is he going to go home lol he never left he stayed on the sofa every night until we married
Because of langue and culture differences I wont say we never argue I wont say that we will never argue after he is in the USA but I will say that both of us work hard to resolve any issue that comes up and at the end of the day both of us value the love that we have found I could not ask for a better husband than Moody is
sara

Yes, and like mine, your fiancé will do fine!

I'd like to add my two cents. I came here with a sincere desire to find some support and direction. The first time I posted, I was shocked by the insensitive and judgmental replies. Nothing constructive was said. Since then, I have tentatively tried to post a few constructive things on other threads to be helpful to others or give them encouragement. Tonight the judgmental attitude reared its head again and I think there should be no place for that on a forum like this.
Before judging people as thin-skinned or ignorant about the process, please consider that this process SUCKS. It's the most emotionally taxing thing I've ever been through and I'm a single mom of four kids, have recently left the my religion and been subsequently ostracized by my entire social network, and have had two failed businesses. Yet this crappy, crappy process is the hardest thing I think I've ever been through. I'm not thin-skinned. I'm not ignorant. I'm just a human being who is totally overwhelmed by a situation that is 95% out of my control. I think human decency requires us to at least try not to be total d-bags to each other on a site like this.
But sure, hey, it's the internet so d-baggery doesn't count here, right?

So sorry to hear this. Any chance your Aspie will change his mind? I have a son with Asperger's as well and I can sometimes get him to change his mind if I calm his fears and talk him through things.
I totally relate to feeling like you're "damned if you do" and "damned if you don't." I feel that way all the time with my fiance. If I'm with him, I'm not with my kids. If I'm with my kids, I'm not with him. I always feel like my heart is broken into two pieces and I can never really put it back together into one whole.
I hope you figure things out for the best... and remember, whatever you decide, you are an amazing mother AND an amazing wife because you're so thoughtful and considerate of everybody's feelings in a hard situation.

I'd like to add my two cents. I came here with a sincere desire to find some support and direction. The first time I posted, I was shocked by the insensitive and judgmental replies. Nothing constructive was said. Since then, I have tentatively tried to post a few constructive things on other threads to be helpful to others or give them encouragement. Tonight the judgmental attitude reared its head again and I think there should be no place for that on a forum like this.
Before judging people as thin-skinned or ignorant about the process, please consider that this process SUCKS. It's the most emotionally taxing thing I've ever been through and I'm a single mom of four kids, have recently left the my religion and been subsequently ostracized by my entire social network, and have had two failed businesses. Yet this crappy, crappy process is the hardest thing I think I've ever been through. I'm not thin-skinned. I'm not ignorant. I'm just a human being who is totally overwhelmed by a situation that is 95% out of my control. I think human decency requires us to at least try not to be total d-bags to each other on a site like this.
But sure, hey, it's the internet so d-baggery doesn't count here, right?

I'd like to add my two cents. I came here with a sincere desire to find some support and direction. The first time I posted, I was shocked by the insensitive and judgmental replies. Nothing constructive was said. Since then, I have tentatively tried to post a few constructive things on other threads to be helpful to others or give them encouragement. Tonight the judgmental attitude reared its head again and I think there should be no place for that on a forum like this.
Before judging people as thin-skinned or ignorant about the process, please consider that this process SUCKS. It's the most emotionally taxing thing I've ever been through and I'm a single mom of four kids, have recently left the my religion and been subsequently ostracized by my entire social network, and have had two failed businesses. Yet this crappy, crappy process is the hardest thing I think I've ever been through. I'm not thin-skinned. I'm not ignorant. I'm just a human being who is totally overwhelmed by a situation that is 95% out of my control. I think human decency requires us to at least try not to be total d-bags to each other on a site like this.
But sure, hey, it's the internet so d-baggery doesn't count here, right?

One post removed for dismissive, antagonistic tone. Any similar posting behavior will result in administrative action.
TBoneTX
VJ Moderation

Post returned to thread minus removed quoted section:

One post removed for dismissive, antagonistic language. Any similar posting behavior will result in administrative action.
TBoneTX
VJ Moderation

One member has been banned from this thread for dismissive comments. Either post constructively, or don't post.

Well it all leads to the things people are allowed to get away with. I am new here as well and have seen many new members bashed, rude remarks given too and very judgmental personal remarks made to them, from members who have been here for years and have been through this process already. Bullying and making disgusting remarks etc. to leading off of the initial conversation to looking through your personal profile and inviting themselves to have the audacity to make snide remarks about your couples pictures, job, and so forth. This causes members to leave and I have been here for about a month and have seen so many people feel attacked and leave this site because of it. I would never have thought coming on a site like this for support and help (which is what some of the older people who have been through this process before and have been around should be doing instead of targeting others with hurtful and unrelated remarks to the site is quite upsetting. This is supposed to be a family based website, not a website where you have people running around able to get away with public bashing etc. and get away with it. It's quite upsetting actually, but I have met some wonderful people on here and tend to try to ignore the ones who get a rise out of belittling others.