My future wife has informed me that she can get a fiancee visa to come to the U.S. without our having met --- at a cost of $750.  I can't help being suspicious, because the regulations say we have to have met physically at least once in the last two years --- and we haven't. The "source" of this visa is supposedly a lady who works in the embassy there.  Am I being paranoid, or do such things regularly go on?  I don't want to throw away $750 on a scam --- but I have been burned before.

Either you or your fiance is likely being scammed honey.    

I'm a TS, but once upon a time I actually got married in Honduras.  The resident visa process took us about 3 weeks.

But remember we were already married and living there for quite some time.  Her family owned substancial property and businesses, and she was actually better off financially than I was. Heck the Vice President of the country was at our wedding reception. (It's a very SMALL country... I was a journalist at the time.  (Now I'm a ts provider - pays a lot better... giggle

But my point is it wasn't your typical internet relationship where the woman is hoping to win the lottery of life and there is substancial passport fraud.

There was an in-person interview required even then. It was no big deal as we had actually met the State Dept. staffer who did our interview socially.  It was like, "Nice to see you again.  How's your Dad?  You're moving to the States? Well we hope to see you at the Christmas party... STAMP."

Meanwhile we had people approach us right outside the embassy purporting to sell legit US passports for $2,000.  My ex was like, "Why don't we just buy one of these, then we don't have to bother with all this paperwork."

That's how stuff is done there. Like getting her "Interpol" clearance (it's probably much tighter now).  It was "leave your passport and come back in 3 months."  Or, $20US tucked into the papers and "come back after lunch."  

So, my point here is, your fiance may be getting scammed herself, or may be scamming you.  Where is she from?  In many countries $750 is a years income.

My advice for anyone contemplating a foreign wife.  #1 communication and a common language.  #2 GO there at least once.  Check her out and her family.  And if you want to know if she wants you or your money, suggest that you have always wanted to live in her country and maybe you could move in with her family until you get on your feet.

Giggle,
TS Jamie

-- Modified on 4/20/2007 12:47:40 PM

Its a scam...don't send the money. A girl in India cheated a few Amercans the same way. She would send pictures of an Indian movie star (Ashwaria Rai) who was also Miss World sometime back. WHich guy would not fall. She would ask for $2000 through Western Union to get a visa and air tickets and then disappear.

OK, this is definitely a scam. I spend half the year traveling in third world countries, and the internet is doing more to advasnce the economy of these countries than anything else. They have companies set up with literally 100's of people in chat rooms, etc. running these scams, everythign from $100 for schoolbooks, to $3000 to marry you.

Do not send money,

However if you do, let me know, because I have a wonderful business and I need a parner, and for only $5000 I will let you invest.

don't send cash. it sounds like bs....for about $1000 you could go & visit her & get all the paper work going.....

I have a good friend that has helped over 100 women obtain their fiancée or spousal visa to the USA. There are medical and diplomatic visa exceptions to the meet first rule but they apply to a very small percent of situations. ALL the "short-cuts" are SCAMs. Be patient, get some experienced guidance to complete the paperwork, and live happily ever after.  One of the BiG reasons foreign marriages have a lower divorce rate is the couple survived the visa process before they married. It is a slow, stressful, emotional and highly revealing process.  So, I highly suggest you go the fiancée visa route.

Even if you could skip the visit, believe me you want to meet her family, friends, work associates, and see the home aand town where she lives. Look for inconsistencies and tactfully check them out.

I have friends who brought their future wives here with a fiancee visa. The future wife was not the one applying for the visa, the guy was. He was the one that had to fill out numerous forms, send money with the forms, send pictures of them together, letters, phone call records, etc as proof that they had a standing relationship. It took months. She doesn't get to apply for her own fiancee visa- definately a scam.

Lanette is correct. A fiancee visa is applied for here in the United States. You can get the forms on line. Once the application has been completed, submitted and approved by Immigrations, it will be forwared to the consulate nearest your fiancee. Keep in mind, that you have to show proof that you have actually met her, unless you can show you are exempt for religious or cultural reasons. The consulate will send her a packet of forms for her to fill out and schedule an interview.

-- Modified on 5/4/2007 7:32:35 PM

dude, as one who has done the fiancee visa thing, is now married, and "looking" on this board, forget it. Period. It's actually in your interest if it's a scam. 750 is pocket change. How I wish i was out 750 and learned my lesson.

I met several times and it wasn't enough. If you're going on blind faith, consider the probable financial obligation you'll have for supporting her if things don't work out. Scamming is by far preferable than it in good faith not working.

Anyway, look, there are a million rules and exceptions to rules in immigration, it's a mess, and you never know where you stand. But one thing is for sure, if there is a fee, there is a form. All you have to do is ask her to get the form number and then go to the USCIS website and hunt it down and read for yourself.