Abbyxo95

2 hours ago, missileman said:

Bona fide, continuing relationship evidence isn't needed until the interview.  Pictures of this ceremony could cause the CO to question if iit was a marriage.  It has happened before.  Just pointing out what has happened in the past.......

Totally understand. The ceremony we want to have isnt so we can proof to CO that we are in a bonafide relationship. We will have a lot of proof of ongoing relationships from the time I send it until he goes to an interview. Text messages, pictures for when we go on vacation to dubai in july etc . Any kind of party we have for our families would have been after he is approved and gets visa. 

2 hours ago, Besamiot said:

You are free to do whatever your tradition demands. Your traditional engagement will prove that you are in a bonafide relationship which is known by both families. 

yes this is it. This is the whole point of it. In my culture, Your family has to meet and accept the man you are dating, that way if any potential suitors showed show interest in marrying you, then can disagree because you've already presented someone to them. 

2 hours ago, Besamiot said:

It depends on how elaborate the ceremony is. If you make it look like a wedding,  then it is misinterpreted. An African traditional engagement where I come from is simple. Just for the 2 families to know their children are intending to get married. They split colanuts, share a meal and drink together. It's like asking for the women's hand. If its going to complicate your case, then, please,  use discernment and don't do it. I also know that the embassy always wants to know if you have met your fiance's family and friends. A small ceremony with key family members ( mom, dad, brother, sisters and one or 2 best friends) captured in pictures is good proof.  Another thing ( African men like calling their fiance my wife). Please dont do it I  your chats. If you do, it the officer will think you are married. 

wow i never even thought of that. African men do like to call their girlfriends my wife!, I will need to read through the chat logs again to make sure i avoided such mistake. Thank you.

2 hours ago, Ray.Bonaquist said:

The probability it would be detected is low and in any case a traditional ceremony without registration is not accepted as marriage by US immigration law. However you’ve been warned of the ambiguous “too married for K1” designation which any power drunk point of entry immigration officer can invoke.

 

The more important question is why risk it in this age of anti immigrant sentiment? Err on the side of caution. Just yesterday the Supreme Court voted to allow means testing to deny immigration benefit. This is not the time to gamble with anything concerning USA immigration.

 

From Ghanaman to fellow Ghanaman, don’t rock the boat!

Thank you my fellow Ghana Man! I wont take the chance as others have advised. We will travel back and do it for our families once he gets settled and adjust his status.

5 hours ago, JFH said:

And I’ll never forget this story....

 

 

Omg that is so sad and hearbreaking and downright cruel! WOW.

29 minutes ago, ThomasNC1988 said:

You say a traditional engagement ceremony? If it is traditional to have an engagement ceremony then you would probably be safe. If this ceremony looks like a traditional wedding in Ghana that is where you might run into trouble. You can rest assured that the immigration officer will be familiar with local traditions when judging your case. To clarify what I am saying a little bit.

 

If it is traditional for the families to come together and bless the union BEFORE a wedding that would be fine. 

 

If it is traditional for the families to come together AT the wedding that is where you would run into trouble.

 

I have no idea how traditions work in Ghana.

there will be no wedding. No exchange of rings or vows. This is an engagement for our families to recognize and bless us before we do our white wedding in the US since they wont be in attendance. There are two types of Ghanaian engagements. Some people choose to exchange rings and vows and never go ahead to do a white wedding. This type of engagement is considered a marriage. Some people only do an engagement where the families are made aware and accept the relationship, THEN either the next day or at a later time, they do a white wedding or court marriage and exchange vows, rings, with reception etc.

We plan on having a court and white wedding in the US where mostly only my side of the family will be in attendance. This will be our marriage. Hence why we thought it might not be an awful idea to get both our families blessing before he travels here IF AND ONLY if he has already been approved for a visa.

but i definitely understand where majority of their fear and risk people are advising me against come from. 

3 minutes ago, geowrian said:

For a K-1, for example, there is one member here who recently was told approved but then was denied as they discovered an undisclosed criminal offense by the petitioner during final checks.

Another user had a valid K-1 visa but during POE, the CBP officer asked if they will marry. They responded with maybe they will and maybe they won’t. The officer determined that they were ineligible for the K-1 visa.

Another member was denied when CBP discovered documentation of a marriage abroad, so they were ineligible for the K-1.

woow these are some wild stories! 

How did CBP discover documentation of marriage abroad. Was this marriage AFTER the interview approval or before and was missed by NVC, embassy etc? 

Wow i never knew the denial after approval was a thing. Thank you all so much for your response

40 minutes ago, missileman said:

Why not just marry in Ghana, and go the CR-1 route?

Every couple has their own priorities, and each couple must decide which visa is better for their situation.

K-1
    Faster arrival in the US  
    More expensive than CR-1    
    Requires Adjustment of Status after marriage (expensive and requires a lot of paperwork)    
    Spouse can not leave the US until she/he receives approved Advance Parole (approx 5-6 months)    
    Spouse can not work until she/he receives EAD (approx 5-6 months)    
    Some people have had problems with driver licenses, Social Security cards, leases, bank account during this period    
    Spouse will not receive Green Card for many months after Adjustment of Status is filed.

  

CR-1
    Slower arrival in the US 

    Less expensive than K-1    
    No Adjustment of Status(I-485, I-131, I-765) required.    
    Spouse can immediately travel outside the US    
    Spouse is authorized to work immediately upon arrival.    
    Spouse receives Social Security Card and Green Card within 2 or 3 weeks after entering the US    
    Opening a bank account, getting a driver's license, etc. are very easily accomplished with GC, SS card, and passport.

    Spouse has legal permanent Resident status IMMEDIATELY upon entry to US.
  �

 

 

 

Thank you for your thorough response. I'm curious to know if there has been people denied the visa AFTER approval? Basically is there anything else the consulate does after interview and approval of visa before the beneficiary travels? 

Hello guys,

I'm in the process of submitting the I129 for my fiance in Ghana. By the looks of it from tracking other people's timelines, if all things go well without delays, we should be able to get an interview by November or December. Since majority of his family live in Ghana, as well as my mother and her side of the family, we were planning to do our traditional engagement in December. Assuming he gets his visa before end of December, are we allowed to do this before he travels to the states? We will have a white wedding and court wedding once he comes. 

38 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Question - if you decide to go the K1 route, your fiance will not be able to work for 5-7 months after you file the AOS. Who is paying for all these forms? Who is paying for your fiance to eat? Etc

If you're a fulltime student are you also working? 

 

Just things to think about when you're comparing which visa to obtain. Sometimes what's easier or faster isnt necessarily better. 

 

Also a joint sponsor doesn't have to be accepted at embassy for a K1 but has to be allowed at the CR1.  

My school does not allow us to work so I live off students loans and i take out enough that will cover for the both of us. My father will also help us with any additional cost. His family is rich, he has a house and several assets he owns himself. If things get extremely hard, he can always sell those things for money. 

About your last statement of Joint sponsor not being accepted, does that mean they can deny or reject my joint sponsor? But they will accept it if i go CR1 route? please elaborate. Thank you

Hello,

I am in the process of filing for my fiance in Ghana. I am currently in medical school. I am not allowed to work. My father has graciously agreed to sponsor my fiance. Will me having no income be grounds of inadmissiblity? My boyfriend comes from a rich family. He will not become a public charge.  I cannot imagine having to wait 4 years of medical school plus a year of residency before filing since that's when I will be able to make income. Thanks for your advise.