Can I go to Virgin Islands for honeymoon???

[dap 5]

I would be very careful with this, take a trip inside the states. Because a portion of the Virgin Islands is British, I would be CAREFUL! I would just wait until status is adjusted. My honey and I talked about this and agreed we are going to go to California or New York, We are not even trying to take the chance.

[rupa 2]

If it helps, My husband and I did our honeymoon in Puerto Rico and had a wonderful time. We left the day after the wedding and all I had was a marriage certificate, and my K1 visa in my passport and a Canadian Drivers Licence for ID. I am a Canadian citizen and had absolutely no problems getting there or even back into the U.S. It's just like flying from one state to another, you don't need a passport just photo id. You are not entering or leaving the US so even a drivers licence from another country would work, though I did show them my K1 visa just to be safe. They are familiar with K1 honeymooners and just flagged me through. My advice would be don't let people here scare you away from having the honeymoon of your dreams, it is a part of your life that you will remember forever, just be smart about it, stay in U.S. territory and make some wonderful memories.

[skiptex 225]

congrats on the wedding mr/ms rupa.. i am not trying to scare anybody.. but it is better to be informed of any risks, that is what op was asking for.. don't you think

for another story.. i was with ex, from mexico.. she needed to renew a stamp to go past 30 mile check points in south texas.. one ICE officer.. said "go thru here, and around the incoming foot traffic".. we never left US soil.. got her stamp.. when i had to get in a line and walk out.. another officer asked for my passport.. i told him.. i did not leave the country, we just went to that office..

he said, well, i need your passport if you want to enter the country.. all i had was my Drivers license.. he took it and talked to someone else.. he let me pass.. it was close.. but he could have denied me entry.. i would have been SCREWED!

so it really comes down to the person asking..

either way.. good luck to the OP.. and a big congrats to everyone else that received the K1.. i am learning lots of great stuff here thanks!!

Edited September 23, 2011 by skiptex

[Inyang Loves Dee 2]

Yes, we did K1. And we'll be married already by the time we'll fly to Virgin Islands...we can take copy of our marriage lisence. I just want to be sure that my K1 visa is enough to go TO islands and BACK to MAINLAND without any problems for my further ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS. Cuz we are going to start AOS right after we get back from honeymoon. So it's for sure that flight from mainland to island IS DOMESTIC!!!

I will share with you what was told to me by my former Immigration Attorney (not saying they "KNOW" everything). I'm from the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas) and before I decided to do the CR1 I was considering the K1 and specifically asked my Immigration Attorney that question (would he be able to travel to St. Thomas US Virgina Islands) and the Attorney said "yes" because it's "American Territory." Now, my Mom is British (she's from a British Island not far from St. Thomas) and the Attorney told me that "no" he could not go to that Island because of it being under British ruling. Also, trust me, the airlines would not allow you to fly if your papers aren't correct. Hope my information helps you.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I have lived in 6 European countries, then for 6 months in India, before moving to Florida. In my entire life I have not seen such crying poverty as I have in the U.S.V.I. Aside from the fact that it's quite a hassle to travel there as a foreigner, as you will be scrutinized beyond funny in San Thomas as well as in San Juan, it's not a good vacation spot, not even by a wide shot.

Fly to Hawaii instead, preferably Maui, and start your life together without stress.

[Liz&Nate 23]

You know, I am sure that it is a great place to visit, but personally I wouldn't risk it. It seems perfectly legal, but I wouldn't want to leave the mainland until I had AP.

[AmyWrites 593]

I have lived in 6 European countries, then for 6 months in India, before moving to Florida. In my entire life I have not seen such crying poverty as I have in the U.S.V.I. Aside from the fact that it's quite a hassle to travel there as a foreigner, as you will be scrutinized beyond funny in San Thomas as well as in San Juan, it's not a good vacation spot, not even by a wide shot.

Fly to Hawaii instead, preferably Maui, and start your life together without stress.

There's not even 1/4 of the poverty in San Juan than there is in the USVI... I've lived in both.

But I'd stay in the US. I dated an Australian whose parents were permanent residents in the US and they had many many problems going through San Juan.

[kenneme 2]

Yes, you can. We did it in 2009 and had a wonderful honeymoon and no problems re-entering. We took our mariage certificate, and they did take my husband aside for extra questioning to find out what he was doing there (which happens pretty often anyways with an Algerian passport ). When he explained it was a honeymoon, there was no problem. They seemed more concerned about smuggling palm products and other plants. Traveling to the USVI does not constitute a departure from the US (fly directly there). The VI is amazing and we really had a wonderful time - be sure to go to the natural parks and camping/huts on Saint John!

We went on our honeymoon after the foreign fiance had entered the US on a K1 visa (POE Dulles) and was married in California. We went to the USVI one week after the wedding and back to the mainland, without advance parole or filing for anything (which would have been necessary had we left the US).

Conclusion: K1 visa holders who have entered the US on their K1 visa can travel to the US Virgin Islands without advanced parole as long as they fly directly to the USVI and do not visit any non-US territory while there (i.e. you cannot take a boat into international waters or visit the British Virgin Islands). I got this answer directly from the Customs and Border Protection and we confirmed it through experience in 2009.

The reason: The US Virgin Islands are part of the US: going there does not constitute "departing" the US and returning to the mainland does not count as "entering" the US.

Source of confusion: Given the location of the USVI, travelers to the mainland US from the USVI do go through customs and will have their status in the US checked to verify that they are legally in US territory (the K1 visa holder shows their passport, their 194 and their visa). But upon arriving back to the mainland they are not "entering the US", they are simply going between two US territories. Think of it like a flight from New York to South Dakota, just with tighter customs and ID checks. It is still true that if, after entering on a K1, you depart the US you need to apply for advanced parole first or you abandon the immigration process by default upon exit and will not be allowed to reenter. The point of clarificaiton is that going to the USVI is not departing the US, and therefore coming back to the mainland does not violate the "single entry" K1 visa.

I personally think it's not fair for us international couples to have to settle for something less than what we want for the wedding and honeymoon just because of our status!

You can check out the thread here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/209901-k1-honeymoon-in-us-virgin-islands-has-anyone-done-it/page__p__3158441#entry3158441

We (fiancees) all were told not to leave US after get here. Soon we'll get married and we are planning our honey moon. Are Virgin Islands OK? Is it still US and I won't be deported once we get there and will have NO problem with coming back to Chicago? Well we know that it's part of US but what if they do a new port of entry for me on the way back...bcuz I visited islands!!!

Thank you in advance dear VJ's members )))

[Anh map 2,098]

We (fiancees) all were told not to leave US after get here. Soon we'll get married and we are planning our honey moon. Are Virgin Islands OK? Is it still US and I won't be deported once we get there and will have NO problem with coming back to Chicago? Well we know that it's part of US but what if they do a new port of entry for me on the way back...bcuz I visited islands!!!

Thank you in advance dear VJ's members )))

Just be very, very sure that you do not go anywhere that would require you to reenter the US. That is what could give you trouble. No cruises into international waters.

[M&S forever 4]

We (fiancees) all were told not to leave US after get here. Soon we'll get married and we are planning our honey moon. Are Virgin Islands OK? Is it still US and I won't be deported once we get there and will have NO problem with coming back to Chicago? Well we know that it's part of US but what if they do a new port of entry for me on the way back...bcuz I visited islands!!!

Thank you in advance dear VJ's members )))

Privet:)))

Konechno vi mojete poyehat na VI of US.We wanted got to VI for honeymoon too, but decided go to Hawaii bcz VI take longer from state we live

Good luck

[brownskinned 5]

just don't let this happen to you..

http://free-immigration-help.com/snafu/snafu.html

Wow. this is really sad.

[Justin and Kate 2]

Hey, dear VJ's members!!!! Thank you SO SO much for being so into my post! Your comments helped me a lot....I gethered all infor you posted and after thinking for a while with my future husband we decided no to take this risk. He's so affraud to lose me !!! SO we doing Florida this time and will take cruise to USVI for our 1 year anniversary ! Sounds not bad, huh? thank you everybody one more time!!! I dont know what to do without you all guys

[TBoneTX 45,284]

we decided no to take this risk.

That's smart, because some people were giving you truly reckless advice. If we take one wrong risk during any stage of the legal-immigration process, it could cost us years and thousands of dollars. The most dangerous advice to rely upon when reading VJ messages is "I had no problems doing _____, so you won't have any problems, either."

not everyone that comes to the US wishes to become a citizen geese

What are citizen geese, huh man?

[Austramerican 83]

So, just to clarify, Hawaii is no problem at all right? I'm staying away from VI too, and wondering if hawaii is still a risk, with any international places nearby to accidently be in?

[TBoneTX 45,284]

Hawaii is a U.S. state, and diversion of a flight to anywhere international is almost totally unlikely.