Do I really have to meet my Foreign Fiancé(e) first before filing the I-129F Petition?

Yes. You have to meet at least once within 2 years of filing your I-129F Fiancé(e) Petition. This also applies during the K1 Visa Stage. At the time of your fiancé(e)’s interview, make sure that you are still well within the 2 year meeting pre-requisite. If not, it would be wise to visit your fiancé(e) again.

However, there are exceptions:

  1. If this meeting requirement, in any means, violate strict and long established customs of your or fiancé(e)’s culture, religion, and/or social practice;
  2. And if this meeting requirement would result in extreme hardship (i.e. financial) to you.

The above exceptions must be proven through documentation and/or evidences.

 

Sources:

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2 thoughts on “Do I really have to meet my Foreign Fiancé(e) first before filing the I-129F Petition?

  1. Cj says:

    Hi! My fiance will be filling for fiance visa but we did not meet for 2 yrs and 3 months. He left his military work last Sept 2013 and only found a new job last July 2015 that is why he can’t come to visit me again. Is there a high chance that his petition will be disapproved? Thank you for your feedback..

    1. Mrs. Presson says:

      Minimum requirements are requirements. It will not change. It may or may not be approved at petition stage, but this will more often than not result to a delay in the K1 Visa Process. Some blog readers that messaged me have been denied issuance of a visa because of this. It’s your choice/risk to take. But again, 2 years is the requirement. If you and your fiancé can prove extreme hardship for not seeing each other, maybe the consular officer would look into it. Ultimately, it’s all the immigration officer / adjudicator / consular officer working on your case that has the last say. The requirements are there for a reason.

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