if so, it could be a good thing, in some cases. Seriously - if you have to order a bride from overseas because no one around will have you... this could protect a lot of women.
I have to look at it from a girls point of view because, well, I'm a girl.
If I had the money to run a background check on every guy I go out with I would.
There's some real creeps out there among the good guys. I could have saved myself a bit of heartache.
What's a little paperwork when true love is at stake?
Q #10: Does this law apply at all to couples who did NOT meet through an IMB?
Answer: Yes. This law does NOT APPLY ONLY TO IMBs. There are provisions in this law which apply to ALL petitioners and couples, regardless of how they met. They apply to ANY K Visa petititoner, even those who did NOT meet their fiancee or spouse through an IMB, but for instance just through friends or family.
Examples are: 1) The "Petition Provisions" of IMBRA. These say: the I-129F Petition must include documents and information about petitioner's past criminal convictions, including domestic violence convictions must be submitted under signed certification. New I-129F Petitions will likely be distributed by USCIS in the near future for this purpose. Section 832(a)(1).
2) Numerical limitation on number of approved K Visa petitions. This says: A Petitioner cannot be approved for a third K Visa petition unless Petitioner waits two years from date of filing of last approved petition or secures a DHS-approved waiver. Section 832(a)(2). Another part is: The placing of information about Petitiner's mltiple visa petitions in the new K Visa database and the required notices sent out to the lady beneficiary from that database. Section 832(a)(4).
3) Consular Interview requirements and Adjustment of Status Interview requirements. These say that the Consular Officer at Embassy Interview or Immigration Officer at Green Card Interview must review and answer questions about Petitioner's domestic violence and other criminal record with the lady beneficiary in her primary language. Section 833(b).
4) The Domestic Violence Phamplet/Brochure. Section 833(a). This must be distributed and explained to the lady beneficiary regardless of how the couple met, either through an IMB or outside of an IMB.
5) More intensive security checks and information sharing. Given that Petitioners will be asked for more information and documents with their I-129F Petition, DHS and State Department will likely intensify security and background checks on Petitioners and have more and better information-sharing.
As for timing of these government background checks, though there may be exceptions, they are not normally conducted as a general rule until the Petition is filed with USCIS, regardless if the couple met through an IMB or not. A copy of the I-129F Petition (with the gentleman's answers and any supporting documents) and the results of the government backround checks with domestic violence help information are shared with the lady beneficiary no later than at the Consular Interview. Thus, the lady beneficiary will be privy to more information and documents concerning her Petitioner than ever before, regardless of how the couple met.
Q #11: Does this law apply to BOTH men AND women United States Clients who seek a romance partner abroad, or ONLY to men United States Clients who seek romance with a woman foreign national?
Answer: The new law applies to ALL MEN AND WOMEN United States Clients who seek a foreign national client romance partner abroad, MAN OR WOMAN. The language of the law is carefully "gender-neutral".
The only reason that you might see articles and discussion so-often referring to MEN United States Clients and WOMEN Foreign National Clients is for easy reference, since the very vast majority of United States Clients in the international romance field are men seeking women romance partners.
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