TEE 1

To God be the Glory.
My wife has picked up her Visa and preparing to Join me in the US. So sorry for the delay in updating our Journey.
The journey began in 2014 with the K1 Visa. We followed all the requirements as stated however we discover that what we presented was not enough for the ‘Lagos Consulate’ and a different standard applies. At that time I just discovered VJ so I did not get a chance to read other members experiences or ask questions.
Just to give you a little background. I met my wife in 2012 about a year after my divorce and we became friends when I came back to the States and we developed a relationship and I came back to Nigeria in 2014 to do the traditional engagement. Listening to folks we were told that traditional engagement is considered a marriage and most people have been declined for that reason. So we decided not to include our traditional marriage pictures and just used our regular pictures together.
Around October of 2014 me she went for the K1 interview and she was told she has not shown enough proof of bona fide relationship. Looking back we had a few emails, phone records and Facebook chats. Feeling very devastated and perplexed as we have already began making arrangement for a wedding in the states we quickly decide to do the marriage in Nigeria. So within a few months we planned a small wedding in Nigeria and all went well.
Came back to the state and decided to apply for CR1 and withdraw the K1 visa. So this time around we kept up with Visa Journey and ready peoples comments and responses. We made sure we followed all the requirement step by step and provide every document required. In fact we front loaded everything and sent the application with box instead of an envelope (LOL) . We had to provide every proof of communication, hundreds of pages, flights, receipts 3rd party affidavits with all that we still missed one thing which was not specified on their website another example of a higher standard for the Lagos embassy. We included a birth certificate issued by local government one for hospital but that was not what they wanted. (keep reading).
I received a letter from the NVC advising to correct SECTION 5 (household information) and print a new form and to taken to the embassy when an interview has been scheduled. Fair enough once again we turned to VJ members and you all were kind and explained how to fill that section correctly. A little confusing even though it say don’t count the same person twice I mistakenly enter 1 for applicant and 1 in married (counting her twice).
We got the interview letter in December 2015 and being well prepared I told to be totally honest and not worry about anything else as God is in control.
My wife got there at 5 AM she said everyone waiting are looking tense and nervous and everyone tried to assure it each one another to just trust in God. So she went through the whole security check and finally her number was called she went up to the booth and it was a young white lady polite and very professional all business.
The is her account of the questioning.
CO: Good morning
ME: GM
CO: Who petition for you?
ME: My husband
CO: When was the last time you saw him
ME: Answered
CO: Has he been married before
ME: Answered
CO: What is your husband’s address
ME: Answer
CO: What does he do for a living?
ME : Answered
CO: When was your Wedding?
ME: Answered.
CO: Was your husbands Parents at the wedding?
ME: Answered.
CO: How many children does your Husband have?
Answered.
CO: Have you applied for Visa Before
ME: Yes,
CO: What happened.
ME: I was denied
CO: Why were you denied?
ME: I did not provide enough proof of bona fide relationship.
She gave her a paper and said ‘You will need to submit a joint affidavit if support , NPC birth certificate and 3 year tax returns (we already provided the IRS tax transcript)
So wasting no time I told my wife to go to NPC office on her way back from the embassy, I quickly filled out a new i-864 and my last 3 year tax returns and sent it via DHL.
I guess the mistake of counting the same person twice on my original i-864 may have pushed my income insufficient for the number of my household. So I fixed that and attached my latest W2 for 2015 showing my income has increased by over 100% and typed a very formal and polite explanation letter on why I am sending a new i-864 and clearly stated that a joint affidavit is not possible cause my wife is unemployed and I am the only sponsor. I attached a copy of the poverty guideline to the letter. I then signed and note on the letter that I have cc: my Congress Rep.
She got all the required document and dropped it off at the DHL in VI and the next day the status changed from AP to ISSUED.
I Just want to give God the glory. This visa journey has been a blessing to us and many others and I find the need to share our journey maybe it can help someone as we have also found this forum very helpful during our journey.
My advice to all going through this Journey, Please have faith in God, know you spouse very well, please keep every record of communication and time spent together take enough pictures with each other, friend and family members. Use your name on your social network (now they are into facebook verification) at least for the time you are applying. The front loading thing helped us because she was only asked for her medical, police report and passport photo.
Lastly I will like to recognize one of the most Generous people in the Nigeria Portal, dwheels76 you are so Awesome! May God continue to bless you and you will surely receive everything you want in life in Jesus Name.
(sorry for the typos, I am at work typing lol)

To God be the Glory.
My wife has picked up her Visa and preparing to Join me in the US. So sorry for the delay in updating our Journey.
The journey began in 2014 with the K1 Visa. We followed all the requirements as stated however we discover that what we presented was not enough for the ‘Lagos Consulate’ and a different standard applies. At that time I just discovered VJ so I did not get a chance to read other members experiences or ask questions.
Just to give you a little background. I met my wife in 2012 about a year after my divorce and we became friends when I came back to the States and we developed a relationship and I came back to Nigeria in 2014 to do the traditional engagement. Listening to folks we were told that traditional engagement is considered a marriage and most people have been declined for that reason. So we decided not to include our traditional marriage pictures and just used our regular pictures together.
Around October of 2014 me she went for the K1 interview and she was told she has not shown enough proof of bona fide relationship. Looking back we had a few emails, phone records and Facebook chats. Feeling very devastated and perplexed as we have already began making arrangement for a wedding in the states we quickly decide to do the marriage in Nigeria. So within a few months we planned a small wedding in Nigeria and all went well.
Came back to the state and decided to apply for CR1 and withdraw the K1 visa. So this time around we kept up with Visa Journey and ready peoples comments and responses. We made sure we followed all the requirement step by step and provide every document required. In fact we front loaded everything and sent the application with box instead of an envelope (LOL) . We had to provide every proof of communication, hundreds of pages, flights, receipts 3rd party affidavits with all that we still missed one thing which was not specified on their website another example of a higher standard for the Lagos embassy. We included a birth certificate issued by local government one for hospital but that was not what they wanted. (keep reading).
I received a letter from the NVC advising to correct SECTION 5 (household information) and print a new form and to taken to the embassy when an interview has been scheduled. Fair enough once again we turned to VJ members and you all were kind and explained how to fill that section correctly. A little confusing even though it say don’t count the same person twice I mistakenly enter 1 for applicant and 1 in married (counting her twice).
We got the interview letter in December 2015 and being well prepared I told to be totally honest and not worry about anything else as God is in control.
My wife got there at 5 AM she said everyone waiting are looking tense and nervous and everyone tried to assure it each one another to just trust in God. So she went through the whole security check and finally her number was called she went up to the booth and it was a young white lady polite and very professional all business.
The is her account of the questioning.
CO: Good morning
ME: GM
CO: Who petition for you?
ME: My husband
CO: When was the last time you saw him
ME: Answered
CO: Has he been married before
ME: Answered
CO: What is your husband’s address
ME: Answer
CO: What does he do for a living?
ME : Answered
CO: When was your Wedding?
ME: Answered.
CO: Was your husbands Parents at the wedding?
ME: Answered.
CO: How many children does your Husband have?
Answered.
CO: Have you applied for Visa Before
ME: Yes,
CO: What happened.
ME: I was denied
CO: Why were you denied?
ME: I did not provide enough proof of bona fide relationship.
She gave her a paper and said ‘You will need to submit a joint affidavit if support , NPC birth certificate and 3 year tax returns (we already provided the IRS tax transcript)
So wasting no time I told my wife to go to NPC office on her way back from the embassy, I quickly filled out a new i-864 and my last 3 year tax returns and sent it via DHL.
I guess the mistake of counting the same person twice on my original i-864 may have pushed my income insufficient for the number of my household. So I fixed that and attached my latest W2 for 2015 showing my income has increased by over 100% and typed a very formal and polite explanation letter on why I am sending a new i-864 and clearly stated that a joint affidavit is not possible cause my wife is unemployed and I am the only sponsor. I attached a copy of the poverty guideline to the letter. I then signed and note on the letter that I have cc: my Congress Rep.
She got all the required document and dropped it off at the DHL in VI and the next day the status changed from AP to ISSUED.
I Just want to give God the glory. This visa journey has been a blessing to us and many others and I find the need to share our journey maybe it can help someone as we have also found this forum very helpful during our journey.
My advice to all going through this Journey, Please have faith in God, know you spouse very well, please keep every record of communication and time spent together take enough pictures with each other, friend and family members. Use your name on your social network (now they are into facebook verification) at least for the time you are applying. The front loading thing helped us because she was only asked for her medical, police report and passport photo.
Lastly I will like to recognize one of the most Generous people in the Nigeria Portal, dwheels76 you are so Awesome! May God continue to bless you and you will surely receive everything you want in life in Jesus Name.
(sorry for the typos, I am at work typing lol)

Congrats! Wish you the best in your marriage.

So happy to report that my husband picked up his visa today... We are now shopping flights so he can be here asap!
There is a full update on my timeline and a review of the interview on Embassy review page!! All praise and glory to God! He sent this man into my life and perfected this entire process for us!
Thank you to all the wonderful VJ members that encouraged me and shared their stories and knowledge. Dwheels76, dear you will allways be remembered!

We are going through the checklist before submitting the documents to NVC, I insisted my husband should add my passport photographs,but he said NVC did not include passport photograph on the list sent to him and because of that he will not include it,as he strictly wants to follow their instructions and doesn't want to add what was not asked for,im surprised cuz on every website I have checked and even on visajourney,i keep seeing passport photographs as part of the list of requirements,did NVC make a mistake or do these lists vary from person to person?

~Moved from K1 Process to Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Forum~
~Inquiry is embassy-specific~