Visiting fiance while waiting for interview

[darkchilde794 5]

Hi guys,

So it looks like itll a while before I get my interview date. My fiance and I estimated that we would be able to get it latest mid-October, but I guess not because we received an email from Montreal embassy that our interview date will take another 2-5 months from NOW to be scheduled.

Anyway I was wondering if it will be risky to visit my fiance while waiting for the stupid interview. Im done with grad school, I dont even know what to do with employment because I might be leaving between 2-5 months, and my fiance used up all his vacation time thinking that we will be married in a few weeks

I dont want to risk my interview and get denied entrance to the US. But I am also going crazy with the wait (like everyone here). Is this something I could do or should I just wait? And if I can visit, how long am I "allowed" to visit him?

Thank you for your help

[domegirl1978 1]

What I did was get a letter from my job stating that I was leaving for so long and coming back on such and such a day.

I also got bank statements showing I still had open accounts here, a letter from my cell phone company saying I had a contract until 2010 with them.

Also, a return ticket is important I think. It shows you have plans to return to Canada.

I only went to Florida for a 10 day visit.

Oh and I brought all the papers I had from the Consulate showing we are in the process of waiting for an interview on a K-1 visa.

[trailmix 77]

The only risk you take is being turned back at the point of entry if you have insufficient ties and they decide that whatever you have for proof of ties is not enough.

It's up to you if you want to take that risk, it won't affect your visa application.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I think if you had a return ticket, along with evidence of filling the petition, it would help you a lot. If the officials at the boarder see you intend on moving to the US through legal channels, and that you have almost completed the process, the perceived risk you are going to enter and then stay is lowered. However, with that said, there is always a risk you will be turned back. But, as Trailmix said, it will not put your visa application in jeopardy.

You are technically allowed to stay for 6 months, however that too is up to the discretion of the officer at the POE.

[dutchmatt 1]

The 2-5 month is just them managing expectations. I doubt it will take 5 months. Keep your fingers crossed! It'll be sooner than you think.

[intuitionsys 0]

It appears this is one of the most oft-asked questions here and my wife and I are in the same boat. Her case was completed at the NVC on Sep. 24 but getting an interview appointment in Montreal is completely up in the air. My wife wants to come and visit until the end of Dec. and is deathly afraid of getting turned back at the POE because she would have to quit her job in order to stay that long. She doesn't need the job but there goes her proof of ties to Canada if she quits. She has a bank account in Canada and a ton of paperwork for her IR1 but that's about it.

Even though we'd have to be absolute idiots for her to have come this far (we started the process early Jan.) and then just stay illegally, there is always the chance that the border guard could refuse her entry. One time we drove across the guard was an absolute jerk and really ran us through the ringer. That was the exception not the rule but there's always that chance you'll get somebody with a chip on their shoulder. Flying down seems to be the only guarantee she'll get across without a hassle as a return ticket seems to be way up there on the list of things to prove she's coming back.

I called the POE directly and they advised against her coming down but they didn't say no, just that she might be turned back. I e-mailed the consulate in Montreal but don't expect to receive anything positive. It would be nice if she could come back with me as I'm driving up there for a visit this weekend but we don't expect to be able to come back together for an extended visit down here.

[darkchilde794 5]

It appears this is one of the most oft-asked questions here and my wife and I are in the same boat. Her case was completed at the NVC on Sep. 24 but getting an interview appointment in Montreal is completely up in the air. My wife wants to come and visit until the end of Dec. and is deathly afraid of getting turned back at the POE because she would have to quit her job in order to stay that long. She doesn't need the job but there goes her proof of ties to Canada if she quits. She has a bank account in Canada and a ton of paperwork for her IR1 but that's about it.

Even though we'd have to be absolute idiots for her to have come this far (we started the process early Jan.) and then just stay illegally, there is always the chance that the border guard could refuse her entry. One time we drove across the guard was an absolute jerk and really ran us through the ringer. That was the exception not the rule but there's always that chance you'll get somebody with a chip on their shoulder. Flying down seems to be the only guarantee she'll get across without a hassle as a return ticket seems to be way up there on the list of things to prove she's coming back.

I called the POE directly and they advised against her coming down but they didn't say no, just that she might be turned back. I e-mailed the consulate in Montreal but don't expect to receive anything positive. It would be nice if she could come back with me as I'm driving up there for a visit this weekend but we don't expect to be able to come back together for an extended visit down here.

Im really sorry to hear that. Sometimes I get so worked up thinking about our situation (we are all on the same boat in terms of waiting for the big Montreal interview) because we're in limbo as to what to do, what to plan, etc.

Funny but somewhat related story: my fiance bought a house last summer and the first real estate agent he was considering also went through the K1 about 10 years ago or more. Shes USC and hes Canadian. Anyway they wanted to live together before they officially married, so they called up the embassy asked if its ok, embassy said no problem, and he hauled up all his belongings in his truck, drove to the border and was promptly turned away and red flagged. Anyway apparently youre not supposed to do that and I guess the peeps back then were not as communication savvy bec embassy and CBP said two different things. She actually advised us to not even go through K1 and just marry in the US illegally Im not doing that of course, but the semi moral of the story is it appears that the border patrol people dont appreciate long visitations I suppose.

However, I did email the Montreal people way back before this backlog business and was told that I could visit but need to prove my ties to Canada (which at the moment is flimsy). I also called NVC and was told that I shouldnt (but not outright NO!) because I might get turned back, but when my fiance called, the NVC agent said I could visit but need to again prove ties to Canada. We tried to call CBP but their customer service line is "temporarily closed".

I personally dont understand why they would make a big deal about extended visits. I used to stay in the US for 2 months at a time when I was visiting as a kid -- and my fiance has stayed with me for a whole month once. But I do worry that our current status would have been logged already (since Im after P3 and your wife's case has been approved and pending interview). Ive found mixed answers about whether or not it would show on my passport, but I do know a fellow visajourneyer was told by the consulate that her file has been logged and the border patrol people will have access to her case. And since we are intending to immigrate, they might be bigger jerks than normal

Anyway the real estate agent whom my fiance was considering told us that when her husban was red flagged, he's red flagged for life Essentially EVERY TIME he goes through customs, he's automatically put to secondary, even now. THAT is my biggest worry. I doubt that getting turned will affect the visa (this was actually confirmed by Montreal in their email to me), but I dont want to have to go through secondary inspection EVERY TIME I leave and come back to the US.

So like you, Im still debating if its worth it. I just want to go for 2 weeks but it would be nice to just stay with my fiance until we hear of an interview date....

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

So like you, Im still debating if its worth it. I just want to go for 2 weeks but it would be nice to just stay with my fiance until we hear of an interview date....

Well, that's my plan right now too. I'm still not certain that I'll do this, but I'll likely take an extended visit at the end of next month, possibly through until after Christmas. Basically, as soon as I hear of an interview date, I'll fly back...but in the interim, I'm thinking of simply visiting my wife for several weeks. As others have said, it's perfectly legal -- you just have to be calm, polite and honest with the border guard, and be able to demonstrate ties to Canada.

It's easy to get worked up over something like that, simply because it's such a horrific prospect, being DENIED entry. But the reality is that there's no legitimate reason why you can't visit for awhile, so long as the border guard lets you through.

[intuitionsys 0]

We decided not to try her coming to visit as it would require her to quit her job which pretty much precludes successful entry and given the short time available for me to get back home if she was denied (it's two hours back to Ottawa and then two hours back to the POE again by myself) we figured we'd just wait and see for the middle of November and just hope and pray we actually get an interview date. From what I've seen from other members who's cases were completed before ours the chances seem slim but you never know.

While I was up in Ottawa I got her set up with a webcam for her laptop so we can at least video chat while she's stuck up there. By the way the Logitech "Vid" program works about a thousand times better than that horrible Windows Live Messenger. If anybody is interested in doing that I'd recommend it highly. It's extremely simple which is good for my wife and doesn't have all the complicated nonsense that comes with Messenger, and it's free too which is always a plus.

Anyway, I e-mailed the Montreal Consulate over a week ago and still haven't gotten a response. Even a "no freaking way we hate you you're evil" response would be better than limbo We had a good visit though and all we can do is wait and pray so we'll just keep doing that and try to talk smack about Montreal as often as possible

[darkchilde794 5]

We decided not to try her coming to visit as it would require her to quit her job which pretty much precludes successful entry and given the short time available for me to get back home if she was denied (it's two hours back to Ottawa and then two hours back to the POE again by myself) we figured we'd just wait and see for the middle of November and just hope and pray we actually get an interview date. From what I've seen from other members who's cases were completed before ours the chances seem slim but you never know.

While I was up in Ottawa I got her set up with a webcam for her laptop so we can at least video chat while she's stuck up there. By the way the Logitech "Vid" program works about a thousand times better than that horrible Windows Live Messenger. If anybody is interested in doing that I'd recommend it highly. It's extremely simple which is good for my wife and doesn't have all the complicated nonsense that comes with Messenger, and it's free too which is always a plus.

Anyway, I e-mailed the Montreal Consulate over a week ago and still haven't gotten a response. Even a "no freaking way we hate you you're evil" response would be better than limbo We had a good visit though and all we can do is wait and pray so we'll just keep doing that and try to talk smack about Montreal as often as possible

Fortunately I received my interview date before my designated departure date to visit my fiance. I decided not to fly to Baltimore anymore and he is coming to the interview with me instead. But when I e-mailed Montreal, inquiring to visit, they replied that I can as long as I provide strong ties to Canada. Furthermore, visiting will not affect the visa application.