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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Sunday, January 12, 2014 - 10:58 pm 
5 couples only 4 to be seen on TV - Only 3 shown on first show (or I missed one couple completely)
I was curious why they didn't do a 6 month tourist visa *first* but from what I read that can result in being charged with "marriage fraud" & deportation (if they decide to marry)! More info shown below.
Russ, 27, from Owasso, Oklahoma - oil rig worker that lives with parents (expects gf to live with his parents as well during 90 day stay)
Attractive guy but he seems to only own one orange shirt that he feels is appropriate to wear everywhere.
Paola, 26, from Colombia - Beautiful, wild & crazy kind of girl used to city life
After moving to Colombia for work, country boy Russ met Paola at a local house party. Just when their romance started to take off, Russ' job called him back to the U.S. They've been separated ever since, except for the trip he took to propose on their anniversary. Paola, who is used to fast-paced city life will be moving to Russ' hometown in Oklahoma, where a big night out means watching a football game.
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Mike, 31, from Cleveland, Ohio smoker (she won't kiss/hug a smoker)
Aziza, 21, from Russia
Mike and Aziza met on an international language learning website. Mike wanted to learn Russian for an upcoming trip, and Aziza wanted to learn English. The site paired them up, and they began speaking to each other regularly online. Mike visited Aziza in Russia, and after spending 6 days together, the two decided to get married. As a full-time student, Aziza has never had to take care of anything but her studies. With Mike eager to start a family, Aziza will face a steep learning curve as she leaves the comforts of her familiar culture, sheltered life and studies for a new world filled with first experiences and a whole lot of pressure.
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Alan, 29, from Los Angeles, California
Mormon (from LA) met her on mission in Brazil (missionaries are typically 18/19?)
Beautiful, wild & crazy kind of girl
Kirlyam, 21, from Brazil
Alan met Kirlyam while he was on a missionary trip to Brazil. This devoutly Mormon (and sexually abstinent) couple have only seen each other a few times in short two-week intervals. They have never lived together or slept together, and they still have a lot to learn about each other. Not only will they feel the natural pressures of a couple's first shared experiences, but Kirlyam will also face new everyday challenges when she leaves the back-country of Brazil for the fast-paced L.A. lifestyle.
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Louis, 33, from Indianapolis, Indiana
Aya, 30, from Philippines
After his divorce, Louis, a father of two, decided to try his hand at online dating. He found Aya's profile on an international site, and the two began talking. At the time, Aya was also talking to several other men. It took some time before she decided to date Louis exclusively. After a 7-day trip to the Philippines for their first face-to-face meeting, Louis decided to propose. To date, the couple has only spent 14 days together in person.
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Len 48 - Scottsdale, Arizona gym owner their story only online
opens gym at 5am & passed out by 8:30pm
nice body, attractive but life begins & ends at gym
Alina 23 - Ukraine
Len is a successful businessman and considers himself one of Scottsdale's most eligible bachelors. While traveling in the Ukraine, Len spotted Alina in a coffee shop with some friends. The two hit it off right away, and when Len returned to the U.S., they started video chatting daily. Soon they joined up for a one-week vacation together and decided to pursue a more serious relationship. Len asked Alina to come to the U.S. on a K1 fiancé visa. Alina just graduated from college in the Ukraine, and only knows basic English. To be with Len, she'll have to give up her active social life at home and settle down in the suburbs of the American Southwest, where the only person she knows is Len. Watch this couple's story unfold exclusively on TLC.com
90 Day Fiance offers a never-before-seen look into the world of international dating and matrimony. Using a unique 90-day fiance visa -- the K-1 visa -- four women will travel to the U.S. to live with their overseas fiances for the first time. The couples must marry before their visas expire in 90 days, or the visiting fiancees have to return home. The women will have to overcome language barriers, culture shock, the stigma of the "mail order bride," and skeptical friends and family -- all with a clock that starts the moment they step foot on U.S. soil. Rolling the dice on a cross-border romance, we discover whether these foreign brides-to-be can find their happily ever after in America.
The stakes are incredibly high as these couples will each be forced to make a life-altering decision: get married or send their international mate home.
Watch as (clockwise from the left) Mike and Aziza, Russ and Paola, Louis and Aya, and Alan and Kirlyam face the stresses of cultural acclimation and wedding planning; exclusively on TLC.com, watch Len and Alina's relationship unfold.
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re: Visas -
tourist visa 6mo for $160 (was $140)
fiance visa 3mo for $240 (was $350)
A tourist or visitor visa is just that, the purpose is to visit, sightsee, have fun. The visitor is NOT allowed to work, and should not marry. I say "should" not because in some cases, a visitor marries a US citizen, and can stay in the USA.
They way it works is a question of "intent". A foreign visitor may arrive in the USA for a holiday, meet someone, fall in love, marry, and apply for residency (green card). If Immigration believes that the visitor did not have the "intent" to remain in the USA when she arrived on the visa, they may accept, that this was serendipity, love at first sight, and allow her to stay.
<edited for excessive quoting>
http://tinyurl.com/lfdp4cq
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Sunday, January 12, 2014 - 11:26 pm
Your fiancé(e) may enter the United States only one time with a fiancé(e) visa. If your fiancé(e) leaves the country before you are married, your fiancé(e) may not be allowed back into the United States without a new visa.
A fiancé(e) may not obtain an extension of the 90-day original nonimmigrant admission.
http://www.ailc.com/howdoi/fiance.htm
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Monday, January 13, 2014 - 4:48 pm
What channel is this on? It sounds interesting.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Monday, January 13, 2014 - 5:15 pm
I dvr'd it but haven't watched yet. Was hoping to get someone's take on ot that did watch.
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Moderator
Moderator
06-29-2002
| Monday, January 13, 2014 - 5:58 pm
Please be reminded that TVCH upholds copyright law standards. That is quoted material is limited to 1-2 paragraphs, and a link must be provided.
It appears we still need a link for the couple descriptions provided above. Can someone locate one please?
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - 12:57 pm
Sorry mod -
http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/90-day-fiance/about.htm
http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/90-day-fiance/photos/bios.htm
This is on TLC - I think after Sister Wives on Sunday night 10/9CST
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - 1:03 pm
OK I watched last night. I'll watch the next episode too. I feel a bit sorry for the guys they all seem really into their "girls" and most of them seem to be very young. But my gut is telling me the girls aren't as into them as they should be. Getting a visa to marry and stay in the states is very enticing to some....I don't know what the timeline is as to how long they'd have to stay married before they can stay here legally is? But these girls are so young that even if they have to put 5 years into a sham marriage to stay it might be worth it to some.
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - 1:30 pm
I wish they had explained the visa laws, it makes the situations more understandable. I thought these were people trying to "shortcut" the system when actually this is their only legal option.
I found the visa laws very interesting - a friend couldn't come visit you from another country to explore the possibility of compatibility (that would be grounds for deportation if you did marry). If they come here with the intent to find a marriage partner - even if (especially if) they already had a previous relationship with a US citizen. Using a "tourist" visa to explore relationship possibilities is considered fraud.
So the *only* legal option is the 90 day "fiance/e" visa & if I'm understanding it correctly may only be available once every 5 years *and* takes 5-8 months to process. The US citizen must prove that s/he can support the other.
The 90 day fiance visa allows temporary residency for 2 years in pending mode while the green card is processed. Apparently this is a much easier process than marrying someone overseas & *then* trying to get them into the US as a resident (because they can't enter the country as a tourist or a fiance).
I would think that the fiance visa would be at least the same as the tourist visa - 6 months but I guess they figure this is not the time to explore a relationship, just enough time to plan a wedding.
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - 2:59 pm
From what I can see, it takes appx 5 years to go from green card to being able to apply for permanent resident status.
This program is documenting their relationships & if they don't convince the audience that they didn't just marry these guys for US residency, they will never convince the immigration service.
I was wondering why these folks would possibly sign up for this documentation. I'm sure the fees & airfare are paid by TLC but I guess for these guys, they want to make sure that the ladies don't have ulterior motives for marrying them.
I guess that's why the guy is insisting that his gf live with his parents through this process. The parents sure didn't seem welcoming, so I imagine that will be another hurdle for her to overcome. Apparently, he's gone for 3-4weeks at a time for his job. I bet he wants her to live with the parents permanently.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - 6:27 pm
Living with his parents is strange enough and wanting this "fiancé" to also live there, and in separate rooms is even stranger. It's all strange. Yet I'll be tuning in. ;)
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 20, 2014 - 8:25 pm
I'm into the second episode and feel sorry for some of them..
Alan, the Mormon guy from LA, with the girl from Brazil.. she certainly doesn't seem wild and crazy at all and badly misses her family, isn't used to being alone because at home there would always be someone around.. so he first makes a big deal about a friend chaperoning them and when the friend cannot, he stashes her with his parents who are nice, but speak no Portuguese and both work, leaving her alone all day.
He keeps talking about temptation and not being alone.. well for heaven's sake man up and have some willpower! But isolating this girl seems likely to send her home just out of loneliness. She seems like a lovely girl, too.
Oklahome oil rig worker.. tsk.. you should have saved money first and moved OUT on your own before having this woman come all the way from Russia.
She seems a bit high maintenance, but could be fun.
Indianapolis guy, keeps telling the camera they haven't slept together yet, she clearly wants some time and he clearly is going to pressure her.
Maybe he should have gone with the Russian girl, who isn't happy sleeping in her fiancé's brother's childhood room in Oklahoma, whereas the girl from rural Brazil might have done better with the guy living at home with family and having separate bedrooms for awhile.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Tuesday, January 21, 2014 - 8:34 am
Girl from Russia is not into her guy. Weird her not eating at the parents house. Shes awfully skinny,I wonder if she has an eating disorder. Young pretty girl seems very sweet.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, January 21, 2014 - 10:23 am
Since the Russian girl told the guy she didn't like to eat in front of people, perhaps he should have had her meet his parents under different circumstances, or explained to them. I agree she could have an eating disorder or has been made to feel she must look a certain way.
The young pretty girl is sweet.. the preview where someone says she could be a model.. she definitely could be.. I think she's short but she could do some modeling.. she really is pretty in a fresh way. Don't think Mormon guy will handle that well, though.
A couple of the girls are going to miss family.. Russian girl not so much.
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Rehtse
Member
08-17-2005
| Wednesday, January 22, 2014 - 1:18 am
People could enter on another type of visa. The key element is intent at the time of entry. If your goal is to remain permanently in the u.s., you should enter on a k-1 visa. Once you marry, you can apply for permanent residency. You would initially be granted conditional residency because you have been married for less than two years. Shortly before the two year mark of the conditional residence, the spouse is required to apply to remove the conditions. At the three year point of being a CR and LPR, the spouse may apply for citizenship. The process takes a few years, but time flies.
That being said, I feel bad for some of the women. Some of the men seem socially awkward. Hence the reason why they look for vulnerable, attractive girls who will only have them to turn to in the States. I feel bad for the Mormon guy and girl. She seems full of life, but he seems "off". Ditto on the couple that went to New York...he seems ?
The one couple that actually comes across like there is some chemistry is Paola and her OK boyfriend. However, it is a bad idea to live with his parents. His folks are from a different world. I felt her pain when she said she does not go to church!
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Wednesday, January 22, 2014 - 10:01 am
I called Kirlyam, wild & crazy (by Mormon standards) based on the previews of her getting into modeling or I may have confused her previews with Paola's. She is by no means the true wild child that is Paola but I think she is young, vibrant, willful & not ready to settle down. I think she will feel caged & restricted by Alan & will be struggling to break free.
I find this incredibly interesting - the relationships, the process, the time restrictions. I can't imagine this is "created" reality, if they do marry, the I.N.S. will be scrutinizing the footage - ready to make an example of them.
Rehtse, it's my understanding that if a person comes to this country on a tourist visa to explore the possibility of a relationship & they end up marrying that person, there is a chance that they could be deported for tourist visa fraud. I would be afraid to chance it myself.
The lady from the Philippines & her fellow seem to me to be mature & the best suited for marriage. They both seem to be willing to make it work. It seems like he gave his ex & their children power over the new wife though - I think he said that he wouldn't marry her if she didn't get along with the children. It wouldn't take much for the children to push boundaries to try to run her off.
I don't think Russ is man enough for Paola. I can see a tug of war between his Mom & her. I bet they are both extremely strong willed women.
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Rehtse
Member
08-17-2005
| Wednesday, January 22, 2014 - 10:13 am
Yes, that is correct. That is why I said that intent is key. If I intend to visit my boyfriend and return home but then change my mind because of some triggering event, then I can adjust my status stateside. I dabble in immigration law. NB my comments are not to be taken as legal advice. You should contact an attorney for individual consultation and advice.
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Rehtse
Member
08-17-2005
| Wednesday, January 22, 2014 - 10:16 am
I like Paola. I hope she wins the power struggle. I was aghast at how tacky his mom was dressed; she could have made a little bit of an effort and spruced herself a little bit. Plus the shortcake did not look that great.
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Seanshepard
Member
01-26-2014
| Monday, January 27, 2014 - 9:38 am
residency begins immediatly ... I married a Lithuanian the same way ... after all the hassle with the visa, she came to the USA - we got married within the 90 days and then (through our lawyer) entered the petition to change her status to permanent resident (green card). From that point, it took almost 4 months for her to get her actual 'green card', and without that, she could not work, get a soc sec # or even a drivers license. She did get a 'work permit' card about a month before her green card came, but most places didn't know how to 'process' it because she still needed a soc sec #. After her green card came, things moved fast with soc sec number and DL ... that green card is only good for 2 years, because they want to make sure that the marriage is not a scam ... after 2 years, you need to petition to remove the conditions to her residency (which basically meant spending another $700 and getting more fingerprints taken), and now her green card is good for 10 years. She will renew it every 10 years forever unless she wants to become a citizen. She has been here and married to me for 7 years now, and could become a citizen if she wanted to , but would lose her EU (Lithuanian) passport, so she doesn't really want to do that. The process is long and EXPENSIVE to get the visa, get married, convert the visa to residency, then after 2 years spend MORE money. They process from start to finish for my situation (standard situation, no issues or anything - we DID use a lawyer to dot the I's and cross the T's) was about $2500 for the lawyer, $300 or so for the medical exam in Europe (required), $200-ish for the actual visa, $700-ish for the green card and biometric (fingerprint fee), and then about $300 for an identical medical exam from a US Civil Surgeon (REQUIRED) ... not to mention the plane ticket and 5 months of her not being able to work (so just 1 income). after 2 years it cost roughly $750 for visa renewal (conversion to 10 years) and fingerprints. The thought that people do this as a 'scam' is funny to me, because of all the time and effort involved. There are REAL mail-order bride sites that take all the hassle out of it, if that's what people are looking for, so to actually do on your own accord and meet someone and take the time/money/hassle, to do it shows real love in my book; for BOTH parties. Total process time was long too - I hired a lawyer and had the paperwork done by August, she got her interview for the visa scheduled the following February. She got a ticket to the USA to come in June and got married June 23rd - then she didn't get her actual card-in-hand until December (all in 2007). It's a long expensive process, but it's still the best thing I have ever done. Almost 7 years now, and still happy  Oh, and I should mention that, one MUST (MUST MUST MUST) physically meet the person before USCIS will even consider a fiance' visa petition - no internet skype talks, only actual PHYSICAL meeting counts (and I beleive it's a meeting within the past 2 years) - you have to prove it with pics and stuff.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Monday, January 27, 2014 - 10:56 am
That's really interesting Sean, thanks for your INSIDER's perspective. Congratulations on your 7 years and going strong, love match!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 27, 2014 - 11:08 am
Thanks for that, Sean!
So how did you meet and was it exciting to go there to meet in person?
I was aware of some of the legal and financial hoops one must jump through. I had a patient I drove who did marry a woman so she could come here, but with full intention of staying married and hoping to get her family here in time. She was from Vietnam. At the time I was driving him, she definitely had her green card, I think, and was going to school for I think becoming a hair stylist. She didn't have a license, or maybe they didn't have a car, but I remember she had a bike and it was stolen so she was back on the bus at that time. Unfortunately he had a brain tumor and both feared he would die before some part of the process was complete. They did have an attorney. I'm sure she was scared, but she sure wouldn't work with us as we tried to get him to and from treatment.
Very stressful situation.
That sure makes sense about the face to face meeting. I'm glad you are still going strong.
Have you both been watching this show and do the situations ring true?
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Monday, January 27, 2014 - 1:18 pm
Another site with online detectives have found the status of some of the couples & how/where they found the couples (online visa forums). I don't know how they even figure out their names but some people are good at this sleuthing business.
After seeing for myself, I feel confident that none of this was "created" for reality TV. Of course, it could be edited for drama, but I feel confident that these are all real people & not actors.
All participants were paid for being on the show including air travel tickets.
Spoiler
Click below to view spoiler | | Russ/Paola & Mike/Aziza are married now. I don't know about the other participants but Alan/Kirlyam were contacted through an online visa support forum |
Thank you Seanshepard for your insight.
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Rehtse
Member
08-17-2005
| Monday, January 27, 2014 - 6:20 pm
Thanks Will.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, January 28, 2014 - 10:11 am
Talk about controlling.. the ex wife, of course has to advocate for her boys but to demand that he and Ila have no children?
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Tuesday, January 28, 2014 - 1:00 pm
Another site with online detectives have found the status of one of the couples
On Aziza's social media page some interesting items I noticed. Not really show/relationship spoilers but things that may not be seen on the show. I don't know if this is considered a spoiler or not, but just in case...
Spoiler
Click below to view spoiler |
On Aziza's social media page, she has a pic of a hospitalized obese American woman - I translated her comments & it said this was a 348 pound woman but I assume that it should have been more like 348 kg because the woman looked closer to 800#. I assume from what we've seen on the show she does have some type of eating disorder & maybe fears eating like an American will make her 348# & if she's 110# already, maybe she feels like she's a third of the way there??
Her pics show her with a pierced tongue, so she may not be as innocent as shown.
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Willwillbee
Member
09-19-2001
| Thursday, January 30, 2014 - 12:20 am
On Paola Twitter picture feed, she's posted pictures from Argentina, Panama, Nicaragua, Rome, Mexico, Amsterdam, Milan, Ibiza, Brussels, Madrid, Dubai, and Paris but all the pics look like her alone. I wonder if she was a stewardess, model or something.
https://twitter.com/pao8705/media
ah ha
Paola is/was a shoe designer (not surprising since there are many shoe and leather-work factories in Bucaramanga) and sometimes model who went to the UIS, which is a very prestigious university where she is from and also studied communications at the Politecnico GranColombiano in Bogota.
http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3219976-90-day-fiance-get-your-internet-ordered-brides-here/page-8
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