Yes, you can visit!

[KikeCa 8]

On 7/15/2021 at 11:30 PM, Kev & Lexi said:

Oh okay, I see. I can definitely adjust the dates then, to make the trip shorter. Hopefully with everyone being vaccinated, it'll make travel a bit easier.

Hi, i’m in very similar situation as you, just want to hear if you went to US and how did it go?

[Kev & Lexi 41]

1 hour ago, KikeCa said:

Hi, i’m in very similar situation as you, just want to hear if you went to US and how did it go?

Hello! I made it to the US and back since this post. The officer allowed me to cross and I wasn’t taken in for secondary questioning or anything, but he did grill me a bit and I was answering questions for much longer than usual due to the visa being in process and such. I did not have strong ties as I stated, and he basically explained why what I provided wasn’t really strong. He was just doing his job. He asked me questions about my fiancé and our relationship and eventually allowed me to cross and was very clear with when I needed to be returning to Canada. That was just my experience. I also want to mention I had a return ticket ready to show him when he asked for it so make sure you have that in case! 

[KikeCa 8]

48 minutes ago, Kev & Lexi said:

Hello! I made it to the US and back since this post. The officer allowed me to cross and I wasn’t taken in for secondary questioning or anything, but he did grill me a bit and I was answering questions for much longer than usual due to the visa being in process and such. I did not have strong ties as I stated, and he basically explained why what I provided wasn’t really strong. He was just doing his job. He asked me questions about my fiancé and our relationship and eventually allowed me to cross and was very clear with when I needed to be returning to Canada. That was just my experience. I also want to mention I had a return ticket ready to show him when he asked for it so make sure you have that in case! 

Did you provide any other proof that you’re returning to Canada other than return ticket? 

[Kev & Lexi 41]

23 minutes ago, KikeCa said:

Did you provide any other proof that you’re returning to Canada other than return ticket? 

I prepared a whole binder full of as much information as I could. I had bank info to show I could support the finances of my trip, a letter my grandmother signed, my health/travel insurance I purchased for my trip (end of trip date was included in this), my departure and return tickets, and also a copy of my I-129F petition. 

[Kev & Lexi 41]

Just now, Kev & Lexi said:

I prepared a whole binder full of as much information as I could. I had bank info to show I could support the finances of my trip, a letter my grandmother signed, my health/travel insurance I purchased for my trip (end of trip date was included in this), my departure and return tickets, and also a copy of my I-129F petition. 

Also it’s worth mentioning the officer was really not interested in any of this info. I think had I not provided satisfactory information about my fiancé and the circumstance of our meeting/our ongoing relationship, he wouldn’t have let me pass. He asked about my fiancé’s employment, address where I’ll be staying while in the US, how we met, the duration of my previous stay in the US, etc.

[Dale. 264]

I traveled twice to the USA while awaiting k1.  Once in Feb 2020 and I arrived Dec 2021 and left end of Jan 2022.  I was never asked for letters or any proof even though I did have them.  The officer asked my reason for visiting took my prints on the little machine and that was it.  

[millefleur 5,046]

**One hijack post removed.**

 

VJ Moderation

[NotDoug 3]

Hi!

Apologies if this is something asked before and if i'm in the wrong place please point me the correct way. Me and my partner are waiting on our NOA2 for our K1 still and have decided we'd really like to see each other and have a pseudo "move in", I was wondering if this sounds sensible or has any pitfalls we've not thought through?

Our plan is to use the ESTA for an extended ~3 month visit, I'm lucky to have a job that I can work from home so I would pack down and take my desktop with me and reassemble when i'm there to still have that income. Then when I would need to come back, HOPEFULLY we would have an interview date looming.

Is this something anyone has done before, or is it feesible?
Thanks!

[Ontarkie 14,222]

26 minutes ago, NotDoug said:

Hi!

Apologies if this is something asked before and if i'm in the wrong place please point me the correct way. Me and my partner are waiting on our NOA2 for our K1 still and have decided we'd really like to see each other and have a pseudo "move in", I was wondering if this sounds sensible or has any pitfalls we've not thought through?

Our plan is to use the ESTA for an extended ~3 month visit, I'm lucky to have a job that I can work from home so I would pack down and take my desktop with me and reassemble when i'm there to still have that income. Then when I would need to come back, HOPEFULLY we would have an interview date looming.

Is this something anyone has done before, or is it feesible?
Thanks!

You can visit but working in the US on ESTA is not allowed. Bringing your computer is going to put you on their radar. 

[NotDoug 3]

On 4/14/2022 at 12:43 AM, Ontarkie said:

You can visit but working in the US on ESTA is not allowed. Bringing your computer is going to put you on their radar. 

Right okay, I might have misread but I thought the ESTA stated you couldn't work in the US on an ESTA if you were being paid by someone within the US (Like going there and working construction for a bit then leaving). My pay would be coming from a different country and then being paid into a British account, so have I got that wrong?

Thanks for the help!

[Boiler 45,507]

You can not work in the US, VWP permits limited business activities 

[Ontarkie 14,222]

2 hours ago, NotDoug said:

Right okay, I might have misread but I thought the ESTA stated you couldn't work in the US on an ESTA if you were being paid by someone within the US (Like going there and working construction for a bit then leaving). My pay would be coming from a different country and then being paid into a British account, so have I got that wrong?

Thanks for the help!

Sadly, yes you have it wrong. 

[Mi and Ry 2]

As a Canadian citizen residing in Canada I personally had no issues travelling back and forth to the US with the K1 status pending.

I did this during every step of the K1 process, including once it was approved but I was not yet ready to activate it.  I was never asked to validate my intent to not immigrate but I did bring paper work back and forth with me to solidify my ties to Canada and need to return, just in case. I'm sure no two situations are alike but as stated before, it is at the custom's officers discretion.

[Emilia2117 0]

Hello! My husband is French and I am American. He wants to visit our new nephew who will be born in a couple weeks for about a month. He doesn't really have strong proof of ties to his country and we filed the I-130 a couple months ago. He doesn't have a lease or anything because he takes care of his mom at her house. She is old and needs the help especially since she recently recovered from cancer. His brother will help her during his travels. But he also only uses the train so he doesn't have a car. Trains in France are way more convenient where he lives and much more economical. He has is his bank account, a frail mother to get too, and the money he gives his family to help support them. He has friends he visits very regularly. But these aren't really strong ties? He will have a return ticket to, but it is required anyways. He would leave through Paris and arrive in Atlanta. 

 

Is there any chance he would be accepted to visit to meet his newborn nephew? If he is denied will our I-130 get canceled? Someone told me there is a 0% chance he will be accepted and they could cancel our I-130, he get deported and banned from entry for three years and it has me so scared to even try. What are the odds he could get in? 

[Christinazch 1]

This thread kept me saying while preparing to visit, so I thought I’d share my experience. I’m a Greek citizen, traveling on an Esta. Prior to filing for the K1 (June 2021) I had only visited the US once, for three weeks, in December of 2019.

 

Post-filing visit #1: October 23rd, 2021, entering through Canada due to the travel ban. Went through customs in Calgary airport (pre clearance) WITH my USC fiance. He handed his passport, no issues. I handed them mine, they immediately held onto it and directed us to follow them to secondary. My fiance was allowed to come into the waiting room with me, 5’ later I was called up to the officer (by myself). The officer wanted to establish whether I’d been in Canada long enough to bypass the travel ban (which I proved by showing them my boarding pass from my flight in). Once I showed them that, they simply asked why I was visiting and until when. I said I was visiting for a friends wedding (my fiance was the best man) and was staying until thanksgiving and that was it, I was immediately let through - no mention of the k1. 

 

Post-filing visit #2: May 9th, 2022, Dulles Intl (IAD). I was extremely nervous for this visit since my last one was around two months (Oct to mid Dec) and I had very little proof of my ties to home, as I was a recent graduate living with my parents - thus had no work contract, rental contract, or anything like that. I still prepared some proof, namely an affidavit from my sister stating she was to get married in September and I was helping her plan (and attending, obv) as well as our Noa1 and further evidence collected to showcase we’re trying to do everything by the book. 

Customs took forever, and I saw several people get pulled into secondary - and a couple deported, so I was getting more and more nervous. My turn came, I handed them my passport, got my picture taken. Officer asked how long I was staying (until May 29th, 3 weeks) and if I had anything to declare. As he was handing me my passport back, stamped, he goes ‘oh, and why are you here?’. I said ‘visiting my fiancé’ and he simply said ‘enjoy your stay’ and waved me on. I couldn’t believe how easy and painless that was & it reminded me of everyone on this thread sharing similar stories.

 

I ended up staying for 2.5 months and shortly after returning home we got our Noa2, so there will be no more nerve wracking customs experiences for me. But to everyone who’s Noa2 is pending - yes, you CAN visit!