StrangerMe

1 hour ago, ROK2USA said:

How do you know you'll only be able to meet twice before the visa is approved and you move to the US?

How do you know you won't be able to live together before you move to the US? 

Have you explored living together in a third country?

You have 2 years to figure out alternate plans as opposed to just "meet once, file K1 or get married, meet again, move to the US.

It sounds like you are a planner and it is great you have an idea of what might happen when you meet 2 years but a lot can change. 

Maybe your partner will be able to get a job closer to you and you can meet more often. 

Why the rush to move to the US as soon as you meet?

I would explore alternate options after you both graduate. 

You're both young so you can take your time and explore options. 

And you don't know if you will actually "click" in person when do you eventually meet. 

I would try to be more flexible in your plans... 

 

1. I don’t know that for sure! However with how our paths are looking like right now, that seems to be the likely possibility with our potential jobs. I like to be a worst case scenario planner.

2. Hmm, the idea of moving to a third world country hasn’t occurred to us, mostly because he is an animal breeder and moving away from home with 20+ animals would be kind of a hassle if you can imagine lol. As well as finding a job there. Just seems easier to instead get a K-1 if marriage visa is not liable because of not living together.

3. Definitely no rush! We are aware it will take AT LEAST two years from us meeting to even getting the approval for the visa which I’m thinking will likely take longer. I just really want to be with him as soon as possible, and waiting this many years isn’t rushing in my eyes haha. It’s already a long wait and we just really really want to be together. It was already crushing me how he lost one of his pets that I really wanted to meet earlier this year. Just don’t wanna spend more time not being with him.

4. For sure the whole not clicking thing could be a thing, and hey I guess good thing we’re gonna meet first before filing anything, but I really have no doubts about that because we’ve been together video calling for 3.5 years everyday for at least 3-5 hours and still heads over heels over each other (is that how the saying goes? Haha)

Honestly sometimes it gets tough, especially when I see people that just go on a tourist visa and AOS and have it just work it when we just want to be together so bad lol.

Thank you so much for all the info you’ve given, we’ll definitely explore more options since we have some time before then and consult a lawyer.

10 minutes ago, yoda one for me said:

There isn't really a legal registration, but if he's genuine about doing it, I'm sure a local Imam would be happy to help guide him and provide a letter endorsing him afterward. How you two choose to practice (or not) that shared religion once you're together is up to you. It might help if you need parental/guardian approval to marry him in your country though?

 

I say this as I have a family member who converted to Islam in order to get family approval to marry a woman from a Muslim country. He has remained a Muslim and they have been very happy, living variously in the UK and Malaysia.

I see how this might seem like a straightforward solution, however in my family it really isn’t. They would never approve of me marrying a resident non- Saudi man here let alone a white man that only speaks English and has never lived here. I basically have all ties cut with most of my family so it really wouldn’t work. We’re not on good ends. That’s why we’re planning on marrying abroad.

1 minute ago, Jorgedig said:

He chose to move there and live with his wife before filing. 

 

The USC petitioner in your case could do the same thing.

 

We all make choices.

Actually, I fear for our safety. Living together as a non-married couple (our marriage in a another country won’t count because Saudi has its own laws on marriage) in Saudi Arabia is illegal and i, for starters, would not wanna risk that. And marrying here is not an option either since I need to have a “guardian” to approve of my marriage and yeah that’s not gonna happen.

1 minute ago, Jorgedig said:

"Online" relationships count for very little when it comes to US immigration, especially when it comes to high-risk, high-fraud countries.  No amount of texting or phone calls can overcome little to no time spent in person.

 

If you choose a partner who lives overseas and the end goal is living together in the US, you kinda just need to accept that it will take time and money, often more than you'd like.

 

Putting in the time to really develop your relationship properly can save you the heartache later of denials and/or extended APs.

Do you think meeting twice for a period of 10-14 days each would be enough to prove it?

We are willing to do more if we absolutely cannot get one with only visiting twice, but that would be kind of hard especially because we’re saving to live together.

1 minute ago, beloved_dingo said:

This is not uncommon and USCIS sees it all the time. However, you do need to spend as much time together as possible to strengthen your case, especially being from Saudi Arabia. 

 

Are there any red flags in your case? Big age gap, different religions, not speaking the same language, etc?

We both speak English and I’m not really religious (I am registered legally as one though, so we’ll see how that goes) nor is he. Only 4 year gap. He is willing to “change his religion” if it were to make our case more legit but I don’t think there’s anything like that legally in the US like there is here.

1 minute ago, Crazy Cat said:

I would never recommend marriage until you have spent considerable together. More time together is always better for multiple reasons.  Having said that, my wife and I met in May of 2015.  By the end of July of 2015, we were married and living in Taiwan.  We started the spousal visa process about 8 months later 

That’s my problem though! You guys were living together, my partner and I are unable to do that until after I move to the US

Thanks everybody for responding. The CR1 is definitely what would suit us better, I’m just worried about the question of “why did you get married after only spending such little time in real life together?” Or something like that. 

My partner and I are very conflicted on this and honestly I have been losing sleep and worrying all day about all of this.

We have been together online 3.5 years and haven’t met yet. (Finances, we’re both still students)

in about two years we will meet, however with the saving up we need to do I suspect we will only meet twice before I move there.

we could go the Utah Online Marriage route for a CR1 since I’ve seen a lot of K-1 haters.

however, do you think in my case (high fraud country, only meeting in person two times maximum -yes I’m aware we need to meet after the marriage in order for it to be legit-) a k-1 would be a better choice? Or would a CR1 still be non suspicious? We have been calling and messaging almost every single day for 3.5 years but I know that in person stuff matter way more, and I know for a CR1 joint finances and whatnot are what really matters. 
We’re honestly at a loss. 

Just now, EM_Vandaveer said:

Have you been physically together with your spouse since the wedding?

Hi! We have not started yet. We’re valuing all our options (spouse or fiancé) and I am aware that we need to meet after the wedding for it to be legit. I just have seen some people talk about ROM with the Utah marriage thing and was wondering about it 

I think my marriage would not be recognized as legit by my country (not because it’s online, but because it’s American)

if we wanted to file for spouse visa, do I need to give anything to my country instead of the embassy? Like ROM or the certificate?

1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

I realize in 2021 Saudi passed the law to allow single women ,  divorced ,  or widowed to live alone (age dependant)

but still the US embassy in muslim countries look to photos of the USC with family , especially the mother

 

In Morocco ,  the CO asked Adil "what does your family think of her?"  and yeh,  that was in 2009 so maybe outdated

 

but i asked the question and the OP signed off without answering so

1.  have they met

2.  does the family know

3.  what is her age

 

to really help the OP,  that's all important

and CO may not be able to deny a K1 for this particular reason but they can deny 

Hi, we haven’t legally done anything because we still have a few years before we can do this, I was just curious of this being an option. My family wouldn’t know because I cut them off, that is the problem. We haven’t met (we will soon) and I’m an adult. 
The answer so far seems to be that they wouldn’t deny me from getting it but the country might deny me from leaving? I will get a lawyer anyway just to double check everything, but I appreciate all the answers

Hello!

first of all, I am sorry if my question is stupid but I have looked around and haven’t found much details. My fiancé is in the US and I plan to get married to him after we apply for a K-1. We have yet to do anything but I have a question!

since you need the women’s guardian to approve of a marriage in Saudi Arabia, does that also apply for applying for a K-1 (in Riyadh)? Would I need a guardian’s approval of the marriage?

Thank you