Blue Raven

Dear BigJailerman,
That is correct. The article lists the top ones. However, the graphic shows many more "red nations" implying, at least, that they are the ones who are more scrutiny.

Reading your post, I haven't once heard you say anything about how your husband feels about all this. He was ready to give up everything for you, yet now when the table's reversed, you're not ready to do the same for him...
Your kid is three years old, she will have no problems moving. Kids adapt soooo easily, especially when they're so young and you're moving to a country that speaks the same language. I've worked in the hotel industry for 15 years, I've seen Directors and General Managers come and go in the different countries I've lived in, they all brought their families along and I never saw any kids have problems adapting to their new country. My family moved twice when I was a kid, once when I was your daughters age and once when I was 8 years old, if anything it made me stronger and more adaptable to change. Sounds to me like you're the one that's scared of moving?!
I understand that you're worried about your elderly parents, especially in the US where you don't have the social safety nets we do in Europe but you must have know this was gonna be a possibility before you started the K-1 visa journey. I mean you did your research before starting the process, right?! You knew it was gonna be hard for your husband to get a visa with his two prior convictions. If you refuse to move to the UK, another alternative could be Canada. Your parents could move up to Seattle and you and your husband to Vancouver, that way you could live together as a family but you would be very close to your parents too, to help them out if needed.
Since you asked for our personal opinion, I'm gonna put it out here; When you marry someone you make a commitment to each other and that means doing whatever it takes for each other. I don't think it's fair on your husband or your daughter for you to refuse to move to the UK. You're basically splitting your family apart and keeping your daughter from her dad. You haven't even given the UK a chance, you haven't even tried.

A three year old can easily move and adapt at this point in her life. She will be changing schools several times even if she never leaves California. Grasping for excuses with that one. You have a viable visa to UK to be united with your husband. That's a tough argument for a waiver hardship in my opinion, if he's even waiver eligible. I am skeptical to believe a work visa is a viable option if a K1 or CR1 is not due to his charges. Why would a work visa be any different? I am somewhat familar with waivers, but not an expert.
OP, to me its sounds like you just don't really want to go. Your heart is not in your marriage/relationship. I think you know what you want to do.

I wanted to chime in because although I have no experience of waivers, I am in a similar but reversed situation. I am the UK citizen and my husband is the US citizen. Our plan was to live in the UK as I have a very good job. I have a master's degree and have spent many years in the same industry and I'm doing very well. My husband loves the UK (although he has never been). He loves the music and culture here. He's an artist.
But my husband has been permanently banned from the UK. He cannot even visit. Even when I was in the hospital last year about to face brain surgery he was not allowed to come. Because he has a conviction for theft from 1990. We were devastated but we have moved to plan B and applying for my spousal visa for the US. I will also be leaving a very good job here. I'm hopeful that I will find employment in the same field there but I have decided if I have to flip burgers at McDonald's then I will. That got me through university so I can do it again if I have to. I would be suicidal if I couldn't live with my husband.
We are having to make the best of a bad situation. My parents are also from two different countries and are divorced and I was sent back and forth between two countries throughout my childhood. It was tough. I'm not thrilled about moving to the USA but this is the man I want to be with. If I am denied a spousal visa (and there's nothing in my history to suggest I will be but I err on the side of caution) then we will look at another European country. Even if the UK leaves the EU I still have another EU citizenship to fall back on so there is that advantage for me.
I've reached the stage where I don't care what I earn, where I live, whether the weather suits me. It's my husband I want. And I'll do whatever it takes. My husband currently rents one room in a shared apartment. That's where I will be living too when I arrive. Yes, I had my own house here, garden, drive, etc. I enjoy my job. I have good friends. But I am leaving them behind for my husband and I would do it 1000 times over if I had to.
There isn't even a 15-year clause or a waiver for my husband to come to the UK. Our only hope is a change in the law by a subsequent government.
I made a vow to him - in good times and in bad times, in rich times and in poor times... And this is what I have to do.
I think you need to think about what matters to you. What stood out for me was you said your husband is a "nice guy". I work with nice guys, my neighbour is a nice guy. My husband is so much more than that. What is your husband to you? I was also concerned that you said you wouldn't have married him or had a child with him if you had known he couldn't move to the USA. Quite frankly, immigration is a privilege. Even with a spotless record there is no right to immigration. One of you would have had to move. You are resentful towards him that he can't and you are refusing to. You can't afford to be that stubborn on this path. You should have married a Californian.
I'm not going to say anything about your slating of the UK, the NHS and our justice system when you've never even lived here. Your husband did the wrong thing and this is part of the punishment. We don't all hate Americans. I'm sorry you got a raw deal from the system, so did I. But you need to focus on how you can make it work rather than spew hatred towards a country that you may well have to call home if this marriage means anything to you.

Congrats!

Never a lack of comic relief on VJ.

What a super nice correction.,.,.I stand mis-informed..,.,..,thank you for the super nice way you worded your response..,.,,CANNOT.,.,.,say so much for some moderators.,.,.,
I stand corrected.,.,.and am more informed!

He can go hiking, exercising, walking, doing volunteer work, attending courses, learn how to fix the house, etc...
Anything except sittting on the couch and watchinv TV.

Since you have your case number, you can check your status (Processing, Sent to Consulate, Received, etc.) on this link: https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx (I don't remember where I found this link, but it's in my notes and much less of a pain than phoning NVC).
As always, - they've got all the information for the NVC and next steps for the whole process. But in the meantime, you & your beneficiary need to prep your forms & materials for Packets 3, 4 & the interview.
Good luck!

You'll be fine but I believe fiancees/spouses from certain countries are given less scrutiny/more benefit of the doubt than others.

To me the positive I have taken away from this is that the OP and her fiance CAN overcome a ban.
Lioness is sharing her experience. If anything I would be asking her about next steps just in case. How many appointments he has to take? Is there any further cost or paperwork associated with the ban? Is there a possibility for the ban to be lifted prior to the 1 year? etc. etc.
A ban can be overcome when all of the necessary steps have been taken.
Also, some posters have stated that there have been cases where previous drug use was mentioned during a medical and they didn't incur a ban. Hopefully someone with that experience can share their story.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/113-waivers-i-601-and-i-212-and-administrative-processes-221g/
You may want to read up in the AP forum. Seems to be a trend of more extensive background check and longer AP

The open records request just came back and they did find the initial call report. So we do have something to send over. Everything was as my fiance described point for point. The only official charge was "Resisting Arrest" which was dismissed based on the video. The call report said he asked something like "what did I do wrong?". They never said that they answered him. The evidence log had 3 DVDs of the surveillance which were officially destroyed once the charges were dismissed. Amazing how that works....
So I am sure this will work out. I will let you all know if we have any hiccups.

He wrote a letter explaining what happened. This was not enough for the embassy, but the police produced the initial call report, so we should be fine.

Having an active I-129F petition has been known to add a prejudice to entering on a visitor visa, and/or obtaining one. As having one does show intent to immigrate, which getting a visitors visa requires proving intent not to immigrate.
Have you been in each other's physical presence in the last 2 years? This is required before filing.
You would need to complete the process in your home country. You can not get a K-1 visa while you are in the USA.