Going abroad on a working visa while waiting for K-1 visa approval

[SarahJ 0]

My fiance and I have plans to meet soon and file for K-1 visa later on.

I wonder if me going abroad to work (short term 6 months or so) while waiting for the K-1 visa approval will be acceptable and would not affect the approval. I understand that I must go to the US 3 months upon the visa approval.

If I am already in another country when the visa is approved, is it okay to go to the US not from my home country? How does it affect my entry to the US?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Love's JAA 100]

My fiance and I have plans to meet soon and file for K-1 visa later on.

I wonder if me going abroad to work (short term 6 months or so) while waiting for the K-1 visa approval will be acceptable and would not affect the approval. I understand that I must go to the US 3 months upon the visa approval.

If I am already in another country when the visa is approved, is it okay to go to the US not from my home country? How does it affect my entry to the US?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Did you read the K-1 Guides on this site and the flow chart? http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

You will have to go to an interview at the US Consulate where your petition is being forwarded (assuming it's approved by USCIS). You'll have to take a medical exam and submit that envelope at the interview. You will have other documents to collect, like criminal background checks (you will need for your home country, and possibly for this foreign location if you go there). I don't know how you will do those things if you are out of the country.

On the other hand, if you have a longer term contract and you are considered residing in this other country, you could apply for the visa from the country you are working in. Your fiance-petitioner would list your address in that country rather than your home country. Seeing that the whole process could take a up to a year or more, you should plan on being in that other country at least that long if you wanted to do it this way.

The K-1 visa, when issued, allows you up to 6 months to enter the US. Then once you enter, is good for 90 days. You have to marry within those 90 days, then file for adjustment of status.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Love's JAA

[SarahJ 0]

Did you read the K-1 Guides on this site and the flow chart? http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

You will have to go to an interview at the US Consulate where your petition is being forwarded (assuming it's approved by USCIS). You'll have to take a medical exam and submit that envelope at the interview. You will have other documents to collect, like criminal background checks. I don't know how you will do those things if you are out of the country.

The K-1 visa, when issued, allows you up to 6 months to enter the US. Then once you enter, is good for 90 days. You have to marry within those 90 days, then file for adjustment of status.

Oh 6 months is not enough time.

Thank you for your help. I guess I will just have to stay where I am and wait.

[CaroSL 68]

Oh 6 months is not enough time.

Thank you for your help. I guess I will just have to stay where I am and wait.

Actually, if your fiancé file I-129F petition for you (this is step one of the k-1 process), and you go abroad for 6 months right after that, you will be fine.

A petition takes 5 to 7 months (now it is even more about 8) to get approved by USCIS. After that, it will be sent the US embassy in your country, and this is when you are going to need to be in your country. In the 5 to 8 months that the petition needs to get approved, nothing happens for you, so you can be abroad, no problem at all.

Now, if your case gets in the embassy while you are still abroad, you can just hold on to packet 3 (what the embassy send you) for a while. This will delay the date of your medicals an your interview (please check this on the regional forum, this is and embassy specific issue). You have to be careful to be able to schedule and interview before the Approval notice of the I-129f expires (NOA2- Usually expires after 4 months if I am not wrong)

To get a more precise idea, please go here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow (or here if you'd like, I tryied to clear up what what not clear to me when I started the process in that post: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/415986-canadian-in-love-with-american/page__view__findpost__p__5995601)

[SarahJ 0]

Actually, if your fiancé file I-129F petition for you (this is step one of the k-1 process), and you go abroad for 6 months right after that, you will be fine.

A petition takes 5 to 7 months (now it is even more about 8) to get approved by USCIS. After that, it will be sent the US embassy in your country, and this is when you are going to need to be in your country. In the 5 to 8 months that the petition needs to get approved, nothing happens for you, so you can be abroad, no problem at all.

Now, if your case gets in the embassy while you are still abroad, you can just hold on to packet 3 (what the embassy send you) for a while. This will delay the date of your medicals an your interview (please check this on the regional forum, this is and embassy specific issue). You have to be careful to be able to schedule and interview before the Approval notice of the I-129f expires (NOA2- Usually expires after 4 months if I am not wrong)

To get a more precise idea, please go here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow (or here if you'd like, I tryied to clear up what what not clear to me when I started the process in that post: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/415986-canadian-in-love-with-american/page__view__findpost__p__5995601)

Thank you for your very helpful information. I am so glad i joined this forum because I can address issues that are a bit unique to my situation. I guess I will have to talk it with my partner first although I am sure he would just prefer for me to sit around, stay in my current job and wait for him.

Thank you very much anyways!