Travelling outside the US after entering on a K1 visa

[Bonobo 0]

My fiance just had her interview in Bangkok and should get her K1 fiance visa tomorrow. We are planning for her to arrive in the US in a couple of weeks.

A good friend of mine is getting married in mid-September in Canada... If my fiance and I get our marriage certificate before then, can she travel to Canada and back for that weekend??? Is this risky?

I would really appreciate some advice on this subject.

Thank you.

[daboyz 36]

My fiance just had her interview in Bangkok and should get her K1 fiance visa tomorrow. We are planning for her to arrive in the US in a couple of weeks.

A good friend of mine is getting married in mid-September in Canada... If my fiance and I get our marriage certificate before then, can she travel to Canada and back for that weekend??? Is this risky?

I would really appreciate some advice on this subject.

Thank you.

#1 She will need Advance Parole to leave the US and return. K-1 is a single entry visa.

#2 Getting a visa to Canada with a Thai passport is gonna be tough.

Doesn't look good IMO.

[meowmeowmeow 1]

well, i would get that advance parole thing, but you're going to need to wait a bit for it to come through. my cousin who came to the US via a k-1 visa just traveled to her brother's wedding in russia and had no problems. but that's her...good luck.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

My fiance just had her interview in Bangkok and should get her K1 fiance visa tomorrow. We are planning for her to arrive in the US in a couple of weeks.

A good friend of mine is getting married in mid-September in Canada... If my fiance and I get our marriage certificate before then, can she travel to Canada and back for that weekend??? Is this risky?

I would really appreciate some advice on this subject.

Thank you.

It is very unlikely she would receive the Advance Parole (AP)in time for your friend's wedding. If she isn't going to arrive in the US until around mid-August, that means it will be only a month until the wedding in Canada. You need to get married yourself and apply for AOS, AP and EAD then get the AP processed within that month. APs generally take about 3 months to process so even if you got married on the day of her arrival and applied for AOS and AP that same day (difficult to do as you need to have proof of the marriage registration with the State to apply), you would still be about 60 days short of the time needed to process the AP.

If she leaves the US without the AP she would not be allowed back in and you would have to start the immigration process all over again from the beginning, this time with a CR1 application. She can't receive an AP until she has filed for AOS (Ajustment of Status).

I think you will need to send your regrets to your friend but you and your 'wife' will not be able to attend due to her immigration situation.

[daboyz 36]

My fiance just had her interview in Bangkok and should get her K1 fiance visa tomorrow. We are planning for her to arrive in the US in a couple of weeks.

A good friend of mine is getting married in mid-September in Canada... If my fiance and I get our marriage certificate before then, can she travel to Canada and back for that weekend??? Is this risky?

I would really appreciate some advice on this subject.

Thank you.

It is very unlikely she would receive the Advance Parole (AP)in time for your friend's wedding. If she isn't going to arrive in the US until around mid-August, that means it will be only a month until the wedding in Canada. You need to get married yourself and apply for AOS, AP and EAD then get the AP processed within that month. APs generally take about 3 months to process so even if you got married on the day of her arrival and applied for AOS and AP that same day (difficult to do as you need to have proof of the marriage registration with the State to apply), you would still be about 60 days short of the time needed to process the AP.

If she leaves the US without the AP she would not be allowed back in and you would have to start the immigration process all over again from the beginning, this time with a CR1 application. She can't receive an AP until she has filed for AOS (Ajustment of Status).

I think you will need to send your regrets to your friend but you and your 'wife' will not be able to attend due to her immigration situation.

Even if she get's the AP, what's the chances of her getting in to Canada? I think slim until she gets her green card.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Concur with Daboyz - she will need a Canadian visa to visit (the AP will not allow her to go into Canada).

AP is only used to allow her to come back into the US and not have issues with the AOS process.

List of countries needing a visa for Canada:

Visa

If she has her GC - she will not need a visa.

Many people do not require a visa to visit Canada. These include:

•persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence;

Since she will be in the process of the AOS, i do not think she can show the above...

[Bonobo 0]

Wow, everybody kind of spelled it out real clear for me. I can't see how leaving the US after being here a month could ever work for her. And the last thing I want to do is risk the last 8 months of paperwork and drama over a (admittedly sure-to-be-freaking-awesome) wedding.

Thank you everyone.

[Nik+Heather 121]

Have you considered having her delay her K1 entry, until after your friend's wedding? Not sure how set in stone your wedding plans are. Then she could go to Canada for the wedding (as your fiancee) and then come home with you to the US after.

Of course, that depends on if she can get a visa into Canada too, but I would think that a fiance visa to the US would be pretty compelling evidence that she has ties outside of Canada.

Maybe it's not a workable solution for you, I know a lot of people aren't willing to put off being together a whole month.