Can I apply for a K-1 Visa and a Tourist visa at once?

[baron555 934]

Hello people,

I'm currently engaged to my American fiancee and I plan to move to the USA in about a year from now. We decided to go for the K-1 visa.

Since she has been the only one visiting me so far I want to visit her the summer and see the sorounding where I will live.

I will apply for a tourist visa somewhere in August so I was wondering if it is possible to apply first for a k-1 visa and then a tourist one? Or can I apply at the same time for both or is it better for me to come back from the USA and then apply for a K-1 visa?

YOU can apply for the tourist visa but YOU can not apply for the K-1. Your USC fiancee must first petition the USCIS for the visa and then you will have to go to an interview to see if they will grant you a K-1 visa.

Depending on your country, there may be a slim hope that you will get the tourist visa if you two havessent in documents for the K-1, unless you have very strong ties that show you will return to your country.

Also I would like to ask: how long does the processing of the K-1 visa lasts?(from the moment you apply till the moment you pick it up)

Click on the Immigration Timelines button at the top of this page for average times.

Thank you for your help people...

Cheers,

Eddyy

[Eddyy 5]

Thanks for the help people.

@Baron555

We haven't started any process yet. As I said I'm pretty lost when it comes to this.

My goal is to apply for a US tourist visa in August, go in September in the USA, come back around the 21st of September.

In the mean time we are planning to gather all the documents and forms I would need for the K-1 visa and apply once I come back from my trip(begging of October)

Do you think that works in reality or?

[baron555 934]

Thanks for the help people.

@Baron555

We haven't started any process yet. As I said I'm pretty lost when it comes to this.

My goal is to apply for a US tourist visa in August, go in September in the USA, come back around the 21st of September.

In the mean time we are planning to gather all the documents and forms I would need for the K-1 visa and apply once I come back from my trip(begging of October)

Do you think that works in reality or?

Sounds OK to me. Your SO should be leading the charge since she will have most of the work to do regarding these forms.

[Ning 619]

When you enter US on a K1 visa you will have to get married within 90 days since your arrival.You can apply for a social security number before or after marriage and also apply for a permit to work.

it shouldn`t take long

Any S Security card issued prior to green card can not be used for work. You can not get an EAD prior to AOS application. You can apply for EAD with your AOS. My wifes EAD arrived 30 days after the green card so was worthless. You will take your green card or EAD & other I D info to S S office to apply for the card. It will arrive within a month. If you apply in your maiden name the card will have that name. If you change your name you will need to get S S card changed as well.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

hello,

you should apply for a tourist visa first and not overstay it.After u return to your country apply for a K1 because you cannot enter US while K1 is in process.

This is incorrect.

If you have a valid visa (visitors/VWP) you can enter the US for visiting, even if you have a K-1 in process.

You will have to show strong ties back home (which is the norm anyway) - and plenty of people do this everyday.

My own wife visited me during our K-1 process, and even told CBP she was in process, and she was given 6 months to visit.

[Libertarian 0]

hello,

My fiancee recieved a letter from the NVC a week ago telling him that they will send me a packet. I am from the Philippines. Can somebody tell me how long would I wait before I receive the packet from them. thnxs a lot.

You should seriously start a new topic. You will get much better result with your question.

[K and L 27]

You don't say what country you are from; are you sure that you *need* a visa to visit the US? Many European countries fall under the visa waiver program and you would just need pre-approval.

[kevdman 5]

Hello people,

I'm currently engaged to my American fiancee and I plan to move to the USA in about a year from now. We decided to go for the K-1 visa.

Since she has been the only one visiting me so far I want to visit her the summer and see the sorounding where I will live.

I will apply for a tourist visa somewhere in August so I was wondering if it is possible to apply first for a k-1 visa and then a tourist one? Or can I apply at the same time for both or is it better for me to come back from the USA and then apply for a K-1 visa?

Also I would like to ask: how long does the processing of the K-1 visa lasts?(from the moment you apply till the moment you pick it up)

Thank you for your help people...

Cheers,

Eddyy

You can apply for only one Visa at a time.

Good luck to you

[Ning 619]

You can apply for only one Visa at a time.

Good luck to you

See Bobbys' post for the correct info.

Immigration based visas are approved by USCIS & NVC. Tourist visas are submitted, approved & issued at an embassy. The problem with having a pending immigration type visa can be at the POE. The officer there may turn the tourist away when they find the pending petition.

[Rob and Jill 82]

You don't say what country you are from; are you sure that you *need* a visa to visit the US? Many European countries fall under the visa waiver program and you would just need pre-approval.

You took the typing right out from under my finger tips. You might not even NEED a Tourist Visa. Look up the Visa Waiver Program and see if your country is listed.

[When2RNLove 6]

When you enter US on a K1 visa you will have to get married within 90 days since your arrival.You can apply for a social security number before or after marriage and also apply for a permit to work.

it shouldn`t take long

You actually apply for a work permit, called Employment Authorization Document (EAD), at the same time you would file for AOS, not before. Correct, you can file for the SSN, but it will be in your unmarried name, then you would have to take your marriage documents and have the SSN reissued with you married name on it.

[Boiler 45,482]

Perhaps it is me but we seem to be getting more and more weird comments on this board.

You can certainly visit whilst your K1 is processing, I did, many do.

Looks like you might be Czech, I believe they now qualify for VWP, you have to complete ESTA on line for pre clearance, you probably will not need a visa.

Visa are handled by the Consulate, information perinant to you will be on their web site.

You can hold mutiple visa's, different purposes often require different visa's.

[Lorena&Donlee 0]

When you have the K-1 visa you have to get married within 90 days, and after that you have to file I 130 most of time this process takes between 3- 9 months if everything goes smooth and with the green card you won't need to file for a permit to work but if you want to work right away you have to file for that permit and most of the time it arrives faster than the Residence Card, and yes is between 2 and 4 months.

I was here as an Au pair the I got married in January 30 then I file all the papers then I sent them in March and after the biometrics and interviw I recived my Card in November the same year, so I did not apply for a permit to work or travel becuase I wanted the process to go fast, but many people that I know say that is easy to get the permit to work and is even faster. so Good luck and if you have more questions about Adjutsment of status, let me know I did all by myself, well with my husband!! so don't worry it is a easy process.

[CA dreamer 3]

email your embassy about possibility to apply for a tourist visa while k1 in process,i think you are fine to apply

tourist visa takes about 3 days to receive,but a great possibility it will not be accepted when they know you are going to see your fiancee cos the k1 is giving you 90 days prior to marriage to see how life and place there look like.

[Ju&Ja 1]

I am from Europe and I visited my fiancé during the K1 process. I got stopped at the POE (LAX) because I was coming too often in the USA on a waiver. They didn't want me to get in until I said that I was on the K1 process. When I did say it, the officer relaxed and took this as a proof, he wasn't worried anymore of me staying in the states to get married. If you are from Europe you def don't need a tourist visa. A waiver will be enough to stay 90 days.