F.B.J

I need advice. My USC fiance and I met on the internet. When she sent in the K-1 application, we lied and said we met when she visited Canada; we were worried that we would get refused because of the internet thing, but found out that it is a lot more common than we thought.

We did meet (on the internet) about a week after she got home from visiting friends in Canada, so if INS does check any records, they will see that she was in my city at the time we met. So our story about meeting on her visit is not at all far fetched.

However, I know that one little screw up could blow our whole story. So my question is how should we proceed. If it ever comes up, should we continue this very good story that we first met on her visit. Or if asked, should we come clean and tell them we made up this story because we were scared that our internet romance would be rejected. Are they more likely to forgive us because we came clean or reject us because we lied.

I don't need anyone giving me shit for lying to INS. What's done is done. Now I need advice on how to handle it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

For the record we have met in person many times.

Thanks.

angeles73

Umm.. I'll just skip the "giving you sh.."part but to be honest, my understanding is that lately the consulates see alot of internet romances so it's not that far fetched. I think being honest about the fact you were scared will help your chances as long as you have emails and things like that to corroborate the story. The fact that you met (or not) online is not important. The fact of the matter is that you have a real relationship now.

Good luck...

gracejilly

The best thing always is not to lie.

Having said that, who is to say you didn't bump into each other at a night club while she was visiting and then exchanged email addresses and got to know each other on the internet later on. What kind of proof would there be that you did not meet in person first. It just doesn't sound like a big deal But if you want to fess up, I think they will understand your concern.

my fiance and I first met on the internet as pen pals, but met in person three weeksl later

angeles73

I met my guy too over the internet. On mIRC to be exact. Technology is wonderful isn't it?

FBJ, go with the truth. If they find out otherwise it will be worse.

mrpink

I too met my girlfriend on the internet - these days it's actually getting quite hard to find people who *didn't* meet this way!

Strange how so many people are still not trusting of the validity of an internet based relationship. With email, chat rooms, "Insant Message" type software and webcams it's possible to get to really know someone - what makes them tick, as it were - far better than the occasional meal out or drink in a noisy wine bar. In our case when we finally did get to meet in person we'd already got months worth of shared memories, and our very first meeting was like the oldest and closest of friends!

We're still a little way from being able to submit our I-129F, but when it goes in we'll be happily telling the powers that be that the internet brought us together. Sometimes the world seems like a very small place indeed.....

Good luck with your application. :-)

Rete

While I don't condone lying, as you say "what's done is done." The issue will probably never come up again so don't worry too much about it. Answer truthfully when asked about when you met, i.e. in August 2001. If asked where you met in person, state that fact as well, Bilox, Canada ;-)

Another point that you have not mentioned and perhaps didn't because it is not relevant to your dilemna, but INS and the US Consulate will want to see proof that you two have met in person during the last two years. I assume you have this.

Enough said. Stop worrying and don't dream up any more stories. The truth is always stranger than fiction.

I.E. I knew my now husband's then soon-to-be exwife and her sister for a year before I knew him and didn't connect the three of them until we agreed to met in person almost a year after we started talking to one another online.

Rete

Gabriela

I too met my fiance on the internet...and I know what you mean by talking of
the power of meeting like this.We both believe that its the best way we
couild possilbe meet because before meeting in person we had already shared
our souls and emotions and got thru so many things together.We went thru
I-129 ans soon now( 26 oct) Chris will come to take me home.With the
internet we could feel eachother much closer than ever meeting in
person...and we think that if we would met in person first...it would of not
been the same...this way we are stronger than most of the other couples I
think.
When I had my interview,the officer didnt seem surprised at all when I
answeared that we met on the internet.
I can understand your fear about telling to the INS about that though...I
was to afraid...but after my interview I realised that I was so
silly....Anyways..I dont think that your story could be
discovered...considering that your girlfriend visited your town and that she
has proof of it...but maybe you should clear things up just so you can be
releaved and sleep better at night with no fears that they may find out.
Good luck!

Gabriela


"mrpink" wrote in message
news:437567.1034119546@britishexpats-
.com...
    > I too met my girlfriend on the internet - these days it's actually
    > getting quite hard to find people who *didn't* meet this way!
    > Strange how so many people are still not trusting of the validity of an
    > internet based relationship. With email, chat rooms, "Insant Message"
    > type software and webcams it's possible to get to really know someone -
    > what makes them tick, as it were - far better than the occasional meal
    > out or drink in a noisy wine bar. In our case when we finally did get
    > to meet in person we'd already got months worth of shared memories, and
    > our very first meeting was like the oldest and closest of friends!
    > We're still a little way from being able to submit our I-129F, but when
    > it goes in we'll be happily telling the powers that be that the internet
    > brought us together. Sometimes the world seems like a very small place
    > indeed.....
    > Good luck with your application. :-)
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

F.B.J

My main concern is that at the interview they will probably ask me how we met. If my answer does not match what they see on the original application, I fear it may cause problems. But I really don't want to lie any more than I already have. Rete, you say this will probably not come up again, but from the other sites I have been to, it seems like "How did you meet" is a very common question at the consulate interviews.

Lisa Simmonds

*throws hand up and waves it around wildly*

I met my fiance on the internet too - started of just 'friends' but everyone
else knew we would get together before we did!!!

We met soon after we decided to become an item so to speak...

1st NOA sept 29th... VSC

still waiting for the second noa....

-- Lisa

angeles73

I cannot deny that had I met Oscar (my fiance) on the street or in a club, I probably would not have given him the time of day. I wasn't introspective enough at that time to seek through writing and responding to letters what I needed in a companion. At the time I was a mom with an ex husband who basically made it his mission in life to make me feel like I couldn't make anyone happy. When you chat, there is no touching of the other person, you can't SEE how they respond to what you say. You have to basically feel everything alone, and hope that somehow transcends to the other person. It's actually quite incredible, and to this day I cannot believe if I had said "no"when my friend asked to translate his curriculum, if I would have had something else to do that day or just felt like not doing it, I wouldn't have had this gift I have today. Because, in a word he is that: a gift. I hope you two do well together and be happy. Being happy is not that difficult. We just seem to make it that way. Good luck.

Pete

Woo Hoo .. Hi Lisa.. 1st NOA VSC 28th Sept :-)
We met here too.. am a moderator in an email Bike owners list.. we own the
same make/model.. The story ..
Looks like we are kinda on the same time line.. I see you could be from
Aussie?.. VSC says 15-21 days..

Fingers crossed..

Pete


"Lisa Simmonds" wrote in message
news:[email protected]
t.net.au...
    > *throws hand up and waves it around wildly*
    > I met my fiance on the internet too - started of just 'friends' but
everyone
    > else knew we would get together before we did!!!
    > We met soon after we decided to become an item so to speak...
    > 1st NOA sept 29th... VSC
    > still waiting for the second noa....
    > -- Lisa

Paulgani

"F.B.J" wrote in message
news:437518.1034117331@britishexpats-
.com...
    > I need advice. My USC fiance and I met on the internet. When she sent
    > in the K-1 application, we lied and said we met when she visited Canada;
    > we were worried that we would get refused because of the internet thing,
    > but found out that it is a lot more common than we thought.

It seems to me that if you define "meeting" as something that only takes
place in person, then you have made no lie.

Lots of you know me on this newsgroup. Have I "met" any of you? No.

Paulgani

Rete

I am NOT urging you to lie and if at the US Consulate interview or even at the AOS interview later on at the local INS office (this is where we were asked that question) tell the truth. Hey we all get confused and you are from Canada and both the US Consulates in Montreal and Vancouver are easy going.

Rete

Mdudall

    >My USC fiance and I met on the internet. When she sent
    >in the K-1 application, we lied and said we met when she visited Canada;

    >We did meet (on the internet) about a week after she got home from
    >visiting friends in Canada, so if INS does check any records, they will
    >see that she was in my city at the time we met. So our story about
    >meeting on her visit is not at all far fetched.

    >So my question is how should we proceed. If it ever comes up, should
    >we continue this very good story that we first met on her visit.

    >Or
    >if asked, should we come clean and tell them we made up this story

    >Are they more likely to forgive us because we came clean or reject us
    >because we lied.

    >Now I need advice on how to handle it.

    >For the record we have met in person many times.

I believe I understand your posting, but correct me if I'm wrong. If I'm
reading it correctly, your fiancée submitted an I-129f petition at a time when
you and she had not actually met face to face, however since sending in the
I-129f petition, you and she have met face to face.

If that is the case, I think the INS (and/or Consulate) might take a very dim
view of the fact that your fiancée lied on the first I-129f (it was "her"
petition, not yours; but of course with her petition, you could have submitted
a written and signed statement saying you and she actually met in person when
in fact you had not done so at the time she submitted the I-129f).

The very first item in the instructions for the I-129f states, for who may
file: "You and your fiancée are both free to marry, and have met in person
within two years before your filing of this petition, unless: (the instructions
then go on to list the two exceptions to the "in person" meeting requirement).
But notice they use the words, "in person".

Since meeting "in person" is such a key component to eligibility for even
filing an I-129f in the first place, one might argue that this is a material
fact (since eligibility is conditioned on meeting in person unless one of the
two exceptions apply). One might also be able to argue that a "false statement"
was made (did she check the "yes" box for question 19 on the I-129f, and what
sort of "description" of the circumstances of your meeting did she give). And
did she submit any sort of "documentation" to back up a false claim that she
met you "in person" on that particular trip to Canada that is in question?

Point 13 in the instructions says: Title 18, USC Section 100 states that
whoever willfully and knowingly falsifies a material fact, makes a false
statement, or makes use of a false document will be fined up to $10,000.00 or
imprisoned up to five years, or both.

So, did your fiancée "know" of the "in person" meeting requirement when she
filed? Did you submit a written statement saying you met "in person" with her
I-129f, and if so, were you aware of the "in person" meeting requirement at the
time you executed your statement that was given to the INS?

I'm just curious. Oh, and if your fiancée was aware of the "in person" meeting
requirement; in light of the fact that she obviously can go to Canada (as she
was in your city once before), why didn't she simply go back up to meet you in
person before filing (or you come down to visit her). Was it too long of a trip
to make at that time?

By the way, most of "my" clients first become aware of each other and started
corresponding using the net, however they do eventually travel to meet each
other. I don't think anybody in this group would deny that many first make
contact in this way, and making contact in this way does not diminish the
relationship that eventually develops between the couple.

Mrtravel

paulgani wrote:
    > "F.B.J" wrote in message
    > news:437518.1034117331@britishexpa-
    > ts.com    ...
    > >
    > > I need advice. My USC fiance and I met on the internet. When she sent
    > > in the K-1 application, we lied and said we met when she visited Canada;
    > > we were worried that we would get refused because of the internet thing,
    > > but found out that it is a lot more common than we thought.
    > It seems to me that if you define "meeting" as something that only takes
    > place in person, then you have made no lie.

But meeting in person is required BEFORE filing I-129F.
Filing it before meeting in person and then lying afterwards could cause
plenty of grief.