Entering US for layover before using K-1 Visa

[ehayulhwang 0]

Hi all, I just had a quick question about traveling before using K-1 Visa.

 

I'm currently preparing for my interview in May at Montreal, Canada. If I do receive the visa, I'm hoping to go on an early honeymoon to Japan with my fiance before I use my visa. However, most of the cheaper airline tickets have layovers in US cities like Chicago. Would I be able to land on US soil just for layover without 'using' my K-1 visa or is this not possible? I'm not sure if I'm making myself understandable here...

 

Thanks in advance!

[tsabbas 47]

It depends on whether you have to go through immigration. If you're transferring planes but never leave the international area of the airport, you should be fine. But if you have to exit the international area and technically enter the US before reentering another international area where your next flight is, then they would use the K-1 and you wouldn't be able to reenter on it again.   You need to find out from the airport I think.

Edited April 26, 2018 by tsabbas

[implife 318]

Why would Canadians need a visa to enter US?

[David & Diana R 1,005]

58 minutes ago, ehayulhwang said:

Hi all, I just had a quick question about traveling before using K-1 Visa.

 

I'm currently preparing for my interview in May at Montreal, Canada. If I do receive the visa, I'm hoping to go on an early honeymoon to Japan with my fiance before I use my visa. However, most of the cheaper airline tickets have layovers in US cities like Chicago. Would I be able to land on US soil just for layover without 'using' my K-1 visa or is this not possible? I'm not sure if I'm making myself understandable here...

 

Thanks in advance!

I wouldn't travel until after I had my green card...but that's just me. 

[Loren Y 2,756]

As long as you are just transferring planes from one to another ( Hopefully the same carrier so they will  be in the same terminal) but as long as you don't go thru passport control or legally enter the United states you should be fine. Check out the airport maps for the cities you are planning on transferring thru, then check out your flight on flight aware to see what gates that flight uses and compare to the map. Most of the time you just walk a few gates down and board the next flight. Make sure they are transferring your bags, sometimes you have to self transfer and that could end up with you going to baggage claim and possibly enter passport control. Most airports you can go to baggage claim without entering customs, but some airports you go thru passport control, then get your bags, then go thru customs with your bags. Just do a little research and you should be fine.

[Lemonslice 4,947]

7 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

As long as you are just transferring planes from one to another ( Hopefully the same carrier so they will  be in the same terminal) but as long as you don't go thru passport control or legally enter the United states you should be fine. Check out the airport maps for the cities you are planning on transferring thru, then check out your flight on flight aware to see what gates that flight uses and compare to the map. Most of the time you just walk a few gates down and board the next flight. Make sure they are transferring your bags, sometimes you have to self transfer and that could end up with you going to baggage claim and possibly enter passport control. Most airports you can go to baggage claim without entering customs, but some airports you go thru passport control, then get your bags, then go thru customs with your bags. Just do a little research and you should be fine.

That's not how it works - in most Canadian airports, preclearance is done in Canada.  Canadians have had mixed success entering the US without activating their K1.  

 

IMO find another itinerary and save yourself the stress of finding a border agent sympathetic to you, on your way there and back... 

[NikLR 13,231]

I agree with @Lemonslice.  K1 have mixed reviews about CBP allowing them to pre-clear without activating their visa.  Personally if you really want to go to Japan you'll have to fork over the extra cost of not entering the USA or waiting until your AP comes in.  

[Loren Y 2,756]

Here is the transfer information from the airport webpage. If you click on the transfer link below it gives the steps, and it looks like you have to go thru CBP at the international terminal before you can transfer, so Chicago as a layover is not going to work, sorry, thought you might get lucky, but looks like your going to be paying the higher price for this trip.

 

International Connections

The International Terminal 5 is not connected to the domestic terminals and is accessible via the Airport Transit System (ATS). If you arrive on a domestic flight and must connect to an international flight, you have two options: 1.) you  can take the ATS and pass through the security checkpoint in Terminal 5 or 2.) you can take a Terminal Transfer Bus (TTB) from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 and bypass the security checkpoint in Terminal 5. The Terminal Transfer Bus service is year round with operation hours as follows: 10:00 am - 8 pm. If you are arrivng into the domestic terminals and need to collect your luggage (exit the security side of the airport) and recheck in T5, you will not be able to use this service. 

Terminal Transfer Bus (TTB) Terminal 3 Pickup Locations

• Gate G17
• Gate K20
• Gate L24 Coming Soon 

 

If you arrive at O'Hare on an international flight and have a connecting domestic flight, you will arrive at Terminal 5 and will need to take the  ATS to the domestic terminals. You will need to clear security again at the domestic terminals. 

Our international traveler page contains all the information you will need for an international connection. You can also use our Transfer Guide found here. 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Loren Y

[payxibka 10,047]

1 hour ago, tsabbas said:

It depends on whether you have to go through immigration. If you're transferring planes but never leave the international area of the airport, you should be fine. But if you have to exit the international area and technically enter the US before reentering another international area where your next flight is, then they would use the K-1 and you wouldn't be able to reenter on it again.   You need to find out from the airport I think.

No such thing as a non-entry layover in ANY US airport.  Everyone who lands is required to be admitted to the USA before transferring to the next airplane.  This is how it works here.

[TNJ17 1,329]

Yeah there is no such thing as an international area for layovers in the US. Whatever the purpose of your landing on US soil is you go through immigration. I would not chance that trip because that is really up to the discretion of your CPB officer. If they ask you to enter with your K1 and proceed on your trip then you’re done because the K1 will be automatically voided and you won’t be let back in the country and will have to file everything all over again. It’s too risky. 

Edited April 26, 2018 by TNJ17

[Sarah&Facundo 599]

First, all international flights make you go through immigration and you are required to transfer all bags by yourself.

 

I do not know where you are in the process, but I'll tell you my story and you can see if it works for you. My fiance (now husband) got his K1 approved waaayyyy faster than we anticipated. He was approved in October 2017, but alreadyhad plans to visit the US to spend Thanksgiving with my family in November 2017. He did not want to quit his job or move to the US until March 2018. At the interview, we told them about this. They let him keep his tourist visa AND K1 visa, and was just told by the embassy to present himself in the B1/B2 line. We also asked them to make a note in the system. We were nervous about this, but did it anyway and had no issue. When he came to the immigration counter in November, he already had his visa open to the B1/B2 visa. The officer did not ask anything about the K1 or acknowledge it at all. They just asked the typical questions about length of stay. He stayed for 2 weeks. No issues, no questions. He moved here in March on the K1 and we married at the beginning of April.

[NikLR 13,231]

Regardless all major Canadian airports have pre-clearance. You go through US Customs and Immigration before even boarding the flight.  

[mcdull 474]

No.  You can’t. 

 

Canada has preclearance like like many said and us doesn’t have international transfer facilities. 

[NikLR 13,231]

~~moved to Canada regional forum from K1 process and procedures.  Topic is Canadian specific~~

[Akiko & Brad 46]

Air Canada frequently has seat sales and you can connect to Japan in Vancouver or Toronto.  Just check frequently to find a good price on a flight with them and don't risk a connecting flight in the USA.