Return ticket beyond 90 days

[James Lipscomb 0]

Just trying to find out if anyone has any perspective on this. Katya was approved for a K-1 today in Moscow. Lore has it that since she will touch ground on a 90 day visa then she will need to have a return ticket showing within 90 days. This is not an enormous problem as RT is less than one way, but I hate to waste a ticket and think managing the return date could be an advantage. As I have Googled and blogged, it seems like homesickness is a big problem, and would guess it is the single reason marriages dissolve quickly. I was thinking of booking the flight here for June with a return for December. That way she knows when she is going back and as importantly, so does her family. I am thinking it will be good to have this visit to granny cast in stone. Anyone know if she will into problems at customs with a return date later than the visa expiration?

[Ed+Cindy 1]

Just trying to find out if anyone has any perspective on this. Katya was approved for a K-1 today in Moscow. Lore has it that since she will touch ground on a 90 day visa then she will need to have a return ticket showing within 90 days. This is not an enormous problem as RT is less than one way, but I hate to waste a ticket and think managing the return date could be an advantage. As I have Googled and blogged, it seems like homesickness is a big problem, and would guess it is the single reason marriages dissolve quickly. I was thinking of booking the flight here for June with a return for December. That way she knows when she is going back and as importantly, so does her family. I am thinking it will be good to have this visit to granny cast in stone. Anyone know if she will into problems at customs with a return date later than the visa expiration?

The return ticket is irrelevant on a K-1. If you buy a return portion (because its cheaper), the time frame doesn't matter.

by the way, if you do buy a return ticket and she plans to use it for a family visit, make sure to allow enough time for her to receive the AP docs.

Edited May 26, 2009 by Ed+Cindy

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Myth: for K-1's trip to US, ticket must be less-than-90-day return

Fact: lots of K-1's have entered on one-way tickets--and lots of others have used the less-than-90-days due to it being cheaper.

So, not problematic if RT of over-90-days (but generally pricier than one-way, or short-return), but (as E&C stated) the trip will need to allow enough time to ensure AP will be in hand before departure of AOS'ing K-1 from US.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Don't book any return trips back home until after you have the Advance Parole or you may well lose your ticket. The K-1 is good for a one time entry. Once used, it is used. The process is to get married within the 90 days and then apply to adjust status. Along with adjusting status she needs to apply for Advance parole (I-131). The AP generally takes about 90 days to process but it can take longer. If she leaves the US without either her green card or her AP she is abandoning her immigrant status and will not be allowed to re-enter the US without going through the immigration process all over again from the beginning. So, as nice as it would be to plan a trip home for December there are so many variables between then and now that you are more likely to have a ticket that you can't use. You can plan on trying to make it back for December, but don't book any tickets that you can't afford to forego if the AP doesn't come through in time.