Unshakable Faith

you do not need a lawyer. I think you answered your question when you provided her experience with the local immigration attorney. One's past experiences with immigration have no bearing on the current application unless there were previous fraud committed, overstays, deportations, etc. The only thing really at question is the relationship - that will be held to a high standard, as I believe Sri Lanka is considered to be the high fraud category. A lawyer cannot make your case any stronger or weaker than it already is.

Yes your first stop will be LA POE.
Flying from Hawaii to another state and vice versa is fine because Hawaii is one of the states.
So it would be a domestic flight and wouldn't go through immigration.
You'll have no issue.

It Shouldnt oome up as I make enough money to support everyone even though my son and his children no longer live with me. it is also on pay stubs this year of dependents I claim. in any case I had thought I needed to earn 150% but its 125. so even if I still had the 3 dependents and add my fiancé and his son I am still in range of the 125 with some to spare for 6 people thx for your help.

Why not just carry on studying, it is what you came here to do?

OP, so far, you are okay. However, when you travel and get back and file AOS after that, you will be judged based on your latest entry and you do have intent to seek permanent residence now. You know it already and posting on a public forum. So, travel might not be the best idea.
How about you travel after you get married, file AOS, receive your advance parole? You will be fine then. I strongly advise maintaining your student status while all these going on.

If you intend to aos at all then yes it's technically immigration fraud

Right I had 3 dependents last year but none this year. Yes I am aware from the charts for poverty guidelines increases with the number of dependents. But since it is 125 percent I make enough for 6 people and I should be fine even if they include my dependents from last year and him and his son. just wanted to make sure that it is not 150 percent.

Absolutely no traditional ceremony or you will be denied.
A little engagement party where it is clear from the photos that it is an engagement would be wise (cake decoration saying engagement,
announcements etc.)
Several couples have been denied even for an introduction / engagement party because the embassy takes it as a traditional wedding.
Be very mindful to clearly be able to proof it was just an engagement "get together." Try not to wear traditional clothing that could be
worn to a traditional ceremony.
Have family write affidavits of them knowing of and supporting your relationship and being present at the engagement and back it up
with photos. Front load your petition. Ghana has been terrible recently and I would say beats Nigeria in being hassled.

A party is fine with friends and family. Just nothing in traditional wear that may imply you got married and nothing in photos which appears to be an exchange of cards or moneys or gifts of any sort. Lots of pictures with friends and family is encourage. If you make formal invitations to an engagement party dinner, keep or take a picture of the invitation.
Cheers

My fiancee's visa was approved 06-04-2015! currently waiting to pick up the visa next week...what a journey.. Yay!

After almost 500 days, half of them in AP my man finally was issued his k1 Visa. He will travel from Lagos to JFK. Can anyone tell me if there any additional fees due at the POE? Thank yoiu

7 months pregnant is not a good time to be flying half way around the world.
She is looking I presume to travel later. Leaving 2 children behind may help.

But round trip is cheaper though most times. I have heard this question before so it isn't that far fetched. My fiance asked me the same thing because of something that he had heard. We will get a round trip ticket for cost though. Way cheaper getting a $1500 round trip versus a $2400 one way......

9c is the most common one.
False claim to US Citizenship.

You will go to your interview based on the I130 in India get denied and be told IF you can file waivers. Then you file the waivers and wait for them to be approved.

I've been trying to not get too optimistic but it definitely seems to be speeding up. All the data is pointing towards that. Yes there are a few unlucky people who are still left from like September but it seems to be the volume of applications in those months has caused that. It definitely isnt fair though like you say.

Sounds good guys!! Please keep us up to date. Sorry for the delay in writing I am in Berlin with my fiancee and will be back in the US on Sunday.
Tired of saying goodbye . I can't wait for this process to be done.
Gary

The point is it's not illegal.

More often than not they get their visa. It's not our place to scare people. For every denial there's likely three or four times where people get their visa no issues.The whole connection to it being illegal and the k-1 doesn't make sense. If it was illegal, you couldn't aos.

It is not illegal to get married while in the US on a tourist visa and then stay and adjust status. If the law allows for this type of adjustment, which it does, then it most certainly is not illegal.

Please don't take this advice, this won't make anything better. You become one when you're married- you don't simply stop talking to them for 2 weeks like it's high school!

Yeah there was just a couple here last week that had trouble because of engagement party photos and because of them it wasn't clear the CO if it was the actual wedding or just an engagement party. From what I can tell, Engagement Parties in Africa can easily be confused for Marriage Ceremony.

What she did or didn't tell the Spanish authorities will have no bearing on her K-1 application.
She should be truthful and honest with regards to all aspects of the process from this point onwards.

Moving about the US, from CT to CA, you don't go through any Customs or Border Patrol.

Thank you so much