After we marry in the states...can she go on a Honeymoon to Mexico ??

[Chris-n-Veronica 0]

I'm worried if we leave the states within a month after we marry for Mexico to honeymoon ..that maybe they won't let her back across the border... ???? Or can we ??

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Your wife can not leave the USA until she has either an Aadvance parole or her greencard.... you can file for AP along with her AOS but it takes about 3 months to get... once she has her greencard she can travel abroad with no problems....

You may need to pick a new destination for your honeymoon....

Kezzie

[raymaga 25]

You will have to honeymoon within the U.S. until your wife gets her GC or her Advance Parole document, whichever comes first. You can apply for them both right after your marriage.

Good luck.

[Randy 0]

Absolutely correct. If you and your wife leave the country without the green card or Advance Parole, she will not be allowed to re-enter. Then you have to go through the K-3 visa process to get her back. I am sure you do not want to do that.

The important point here for EVERYBODY is to realize that the K1 visa is only good for ONE entry into the USA.

[john_and_marlene 162]

You had a valid worry.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

For post-nup honeymoon, no (unless you want to do the honeymoon MUCH later than the marriage); you need to wait till you have AP.

For prenup honeymoon (if it sounds absurd, check the following thread http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33274), I can't say about Mexico.

[YuAndDan 153]

That is very correct! K1 is a single entry visa, Green-Card, or AP required to leave and come back.

Now if you were looking to honeymoon somewhere warm with a Spanish flavor like Mexico, then you might consider Puerto Rico. The territory is on this side of customs and immigration with many domestic flights and is US Territory, so is not considered to be leaving the country.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

That is very correct! K1 is a single entry visa, Green-Card, or AP required to leave and come back.

Now if you were looking to honeymoon somewhere warm with a Spanish flavor like Mexico, then you might consider Puerto Rico. The territory is on this side of customs and immigration with many domestic flights and is US Territory, so is not considered to be leaving the country.

Seconded.

Other choices are:

1. Miami (you've got enough Spanish-speaking population there)
   
2. parts of Texas, Arizona or New Mexico (some of these are quite close to the border, and will have a prominent Spanish-speaking population)
   

Edited October 3, 2006 by CherryXS

[WheresTheVisa 0]

That is very correct! K1 is a single entry visa, Green-Card, or AP required to leave and come back.

Now if you were looking to honeymoon somewhere warm with a Spanish flavor like Mexico, then you might consider Puerto Rico. The territory is on this side of customs and immigration with many domestic flights and is US Territory, so is not considered to be leaving the country.

Seconded.

Other choices are:

1. Miami (you've got enough Spanish-speaking population there)
   
2. parts of Texas, Arizona or New Mexico (some of these are quite close to the border, and will have a prominent Spanish-speaking population)
   

I noticed this thread, and I would like if somebody can confirm this. I was under the impression that Puerto Rico is not considered "US enough" for these purposes? We've been looking at USVI or Hawaii as the only tropical getaways allowed us, but I'd love to go to PR, and of course it would be much more economical. And after a year of this "process" (IMBRA case) we NEED a beach getaway.

So has anyone traveled to Puerto Rico for their honeymoon?

[WheresTheVisa 0]

Anyone found anything that limits these definitions? (disregard the "communism" ones, they're just for fun)

(36) The term "State" includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.

(37) The term "totalitarian party" means an organization which advocates the establishment in the United States of a totalitarian dictatorship or totalitarianism. The terms "totalitarian dictatorship" and "totalitarianism" mean and refer to systems of government not representative in fact, characterized by

(A) the existence of a single political party, organized on a dictatorial basis, with so close an identity between such party and its policies and the governmental policies of the country in which it exists, that the party and the government constitute an indistinguishable unit, and

(B) the forcible suppression of opposition to such party.

(38) The term "United States", except as otherwise specifically herein provided, when used in a geographical sense, means the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.

(39) The term "unmarried", when used in reference to any individual as of any time, means an individual who at such time is not married, whether or not previously married.

(40) The term "world communism" means a revolutionary movement, the purpose of which is to establish eventually a Communist totalitarian dictatorship in any or all the countries of the world through the medium of an internationally coordinated Communist political movement.

[YuAndDan 153]

I noticed this thread, and I would like if somebody can confirm this. I was under the impression that Puerto Rico is not considered "US enough" for these purposes? We've been looking at USVI or Hawaii as the only tropical getaways allowed us, but I'd love to go to PR, and of course it would be much more economical. And after a year of this "process" (IMBRA case) we NEED a beach getaway.

So has anyone traveled to Puerto Rico for their honeymoon?

FROM FAQ:

5.12)...Is it okay for us to go to the US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico on our honeymoon without Advance Parole?

A...Maybe not a wise thing to do. Even though these islands are US territories or possessions, you may have to deal with Immigration and Customs to get back to the United States. You might have trouble getting back home if you encounter an insane USCIS (INS) inspector, plus, there are too many opportunities to "technically" leave US jurisdiction (by visiting the adjacent islands, for example). Best to take the honeymoon somewhere in the 50 States, where there is plenty to see and do.

A..(newsgroup)..Let me make it as clear as it was explained to me and which the regulation bears out: So long as the K-1'er does not depart ("depart" is also defined in the reg.) the US after making a legal entry s/he can travel to any other location which includes the USVI, PR, Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska.

The inspector I spoke to gave clear examples. (My alien fiancée) can enter the US and we can fly directly from the mainland to the USVI. We can go wherever we want on the islands so long as we don't "touch" ground or water not under US jurisdiction. When we leave she shows her K-1 and I-94 to immigration (which shows she legally entered the US) and off we fly directly to the mainland. However, if while we are there (USVI) we decided to take a trip to the British islands then she would be denied re-entry. I know I used "directly" in this example but we could fly "outbound" mainland-PR-USVI and "inbound" USVI-PR-mainland without fear because in this case she never "departs" the US.

Inspectors (both mainland and USVI) told me that this is not an unusual occurrence. They see K-1'ers all the time.

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-enter.html#5.12

[Yodrak 7]

Kezzie,

Point of clarification: Veronica can leave the USA before she has advance parole or her green card.

Chris' concern was can she come back, and as John points out he has a valid concern.

Yodrak

Your wife can not leave the USA until she has either an Aadvance parole or her greencard.... you can file for AP along with her AOS but it takes about 3 months to get... once she has her greencard she can travel abroad with no problems....

You may need to pick a new destination for your honeymoon....

Kezzie

YuAndDan,

The VJ FAQ is pretty good, but it's got its weaknesses.

Yodrak

I noticed this thread, and I would like if somebody can confirm this. I was under the impression that Puerto Rico is not considered "US enough" for these purposes? We've been looking at USVI or Hawaii as the only tropical getaways allowed us, but I'd love to go to PR, and of course it would be much more economical. And after a year of this "process" (IMBRA case) we NEED a beach getaway.

So has anyone traveled to Puerto Rico for their honeymoon?

FROM FAQ: ....