Yes, you can visit!

[happycookie 15]

Just wanted to tell my experience:

my fiancé filed the I-129 for me in October last year. We got our NOA2 in early March and I visited him for the last 2 weeks of March.never had any issues at immigration. They just asked me the usual questions. They didn’t me ruin the K1 neither did I. 

It was no different than any of my other visits to the US.

I was worried beforehand, but that was completely unnecessary.

[zhuwanyu0917 26]

Hi guys, just wanted to share my experience of traveling to the US during K1 process. I was asked a bunch of questions at the customs but I got through eventually. So here is the timeline: 

 

—2018/01/16  7 days visit in the US

—2018/09/16  7 days visit in the US

—2018/12/17  45 days visit in the US and filed our K1 petition 

—2019/02/07  Got NOA1 from USCIS 

—2019/05/06 Traveling to the US and planing to stay here for 2 months 

 

The questions I was asked on 05/06 at the customs were: 

 

— what’s your purpose of travel.

(Visit boyfriend and his family)

 

—have you been to America before and  how long are you planning to stay

( two months)

 

— WOW, so long? Do you have return ticket?

(yes, wanted to show him the receipt of plane ticket but he didn’t want it lol) 

 

— What do you do?

(English teacher)

 

—English teacher in China? 

(Yep) (Oh and we applied for K1 visa three months ago, here is NOA1 if you want to see it)

 

— How did you and your boyfriend meet?

(met if college and been together for 5 years) 

 

—then other regular custom questions about declaration of food and money

 

—Good luck!

(thank you)

 

Yay

[Ameriaussie 49]

Same concern here. Tagged

[Carmine N Agnes 23]

Anyone know the phone number with the options to actually talk to a live person with the USCIS? Thanks.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Carmine N Agnes

[Ameriaussie 49]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:02 AM, Carmine N Agnes said:

Anyone know the phone number with the options to actually talk to a live person with the USCIS? Thanks.

you can google it

[Limey 551]

On 4/22/2019 at 2:38 PM, Nyro33 said:

Hi Boiler. Thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, I know that this is unusual. Would bringing proof that he has his own website development company help with that?

 

Does he have a better chance of visiting if he comes for only 2 months instead of 10 or 11 weeks?

I was in a similar situation to this as I run a web software development company.

 

The concern of USCIS is that you're going to take a job directly in the USA, which obviously isn't permitted. Its a grey area since technically if he did open his laptop and do some work for a client in eg the UK, he's arguably not working in the USA (he's being paid by a non-US company for work outside the US). If he entered the USA on ESTA for a business trip he'd be working too - and that's perfectly legal - again so long as the trip is for a non-US company that has a job in the USA. Similarly if a tourist who worked for eg a EU bank visited the USA but had their laptop and answered a few emails etc during their stay, that would be fine (I imagine most employees have done this while traveling).

 

I did get an issue during one trip where the agent said that I was effectively living in the USA since I'd visited so often. This was untrue (I'd spent one of the previous 7 months in the USA), but obviously if they consider that you're working full time for your day job back home while living in the USA, they may view it as an abuse of the ESTA. After some discussion I was permitted to enter

I tended to visit for 3-4 weeks so was able to skip doing too much work, though I did a few fixes here and there and answered a few emails. I have a partner and employees who were able to cover.

I'm not sure I'd bring it up, unless they ask. If you can stress that its effectively a freelance gig and that is how you can take time out, that might help (though don't lie if that isn't the case!).

[Nyro33 27]

23 minutes ago, Limey said:

I was in a similar situation to this as I run a web software development company.

 

The concern of USCIS is that you're going to take a job directly in the USA, which obviously isn't permitted. Its a grey area since technically if he did open his laptop and do some work for a client in eg the UK, he's arguably not working in the USA (he's being paid by a non-US company for work outside the US). If he entered the USA on ESTA for a business trip he'd be working too - and that's perfectly legal - again so long as the trip is for a non-US company that has a job in the USA. Similarly if a tourist who worked for eg a EU bank visited the USA but had their laptop and answered a few emails etc during their stay, that would be fine (I imagine most employees have done this while traveling).

 

I did get an issue during one trip where the agent said that I was effectively living in the USA since I'd visited so often. This was untrue (I'd spent one of the previous 7 months in the USA), but obviously if they consider that you're working full time for your day job back home while living in the USA, they may view it as an abuse of the ESTA. After some discussion I was permitted to enter

I tended to visit for 3-4 weeks so was able to skip doing too much work, though I did a few fixes here and there and answered a few emails. I have a partner and employees who were able to cover.

I'm not sure I'd bring it up, unless they ask. If you can stress that its effectively a freelance gig and that is how you can take time out, that might help (though don't lie if that isn't the case!).

Hi Limey

 

Thank you very much for the advice. Appreciate the guidance.

[Miosotty M 90]

Hello everyone

I will be visiting my fiancé for a week in the next few days. Mew asked if it is obligatory to take the documents that support my return to my country translated into English? (Work letter, contracts, etc.)

[payxibka 10,045]

1 minute ago, Miosotty M said:

Hello everyone

I will be visiting my fiancé for a week in the next few days. Mew asked if it is obligatory to take the documents that support my return to my country translated into English? (Work letter, contracts, etc.)

If you want them to understand what they are reading 

[Crazy Cat 41,881]

2 minutes ago, Miosotty M said:

Hello everyone

I will be visiting my fiancé for a week in the next few days. Mew asked if it is obligatory to take the documents that support my return to my country translated into English? (Work letter, contracts, etc.)

I would......not every CBPO can read every language.

Edited May 21, 2019 by missileman

[Miosotty M 90]

Just now, missileman said:

Lo haría ...... no todos los CBPO pueden leer todos los idiomas.

 

2 minutes ago, missileman said:

Lo haría ...... no todos los CBPO pueden leer todos los idiomas.

Perfect! Thanks for your quick help

3 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Si quieres que entiendan lo que están leyendo. 

Perfect! Thanks for your quick help

[Jamdie 27]

Hi guys,

 

I was on this thread a few months ago filled with panic about an upcoming visit. 

 

I flew into Denver on May 10, and, as everyone on here says... it was just like any other visit. My only comment really was the agent wasn’t as friendly, but... everyone’s different. 

 

I was asked the usual questions and my answers were based on me visiting my girlfriend. My return ticket seemed to be enough evidence, I didn’t feel any particular burden of proof placed on me or anything, it truly just felt normal. 

 

I hope this can make someone somewhere feel a little better if they are concerned. 

[fayrog 33]

Boyfriend crossed at the Bridges of the Americas to fly out of El Paso. We filed for our K-1 back in March. The only questions he was asked were: where was he going, why was he going to Iowa, and that I must be a good girlfriend if he was willing to come to Iowa to visit me.

[opcav 2]

My fiancé came to visit for the month of May. He flew into Minneapolis and had no issues. He had his itinerary printed (its delta so it was in English). He’s self employed but he was ready to say he had to go back because he had work scheduled. 

 

The agent only asked him why he was visiting (he said visiting his girlfriend) and when he was returning home. Otherwise, no issues!

[Ameriaussie 49]

On 5/26/2019 at 6:35 PM, Jamdie said:

Hi guys,

 

I was on this thread a few months ago filled with panic about an upcoming visit. 

 

I flew into Denver on May 10, and, as everyone on here says... it was just like any other visit. My only comment really was the agent wasn’t as friendly, but... everyone’s different. 

 

I was asked the usual questions and my answers were based on me visiting my girlfriend. My return ticket seemed to be enough evidence, I didn’t feel any particular burden of proof placed on me or anything, it truly just felt normal. 

 

I hope this can make someone somewhere feel a little better if they are concerned. 

How long was your visit? And how long were you approved for? Thank you.