Yes, you can visit!

[Wendy71 26]

I am would just like to add to this thread that I sucessfully visited my Fiance three times after he filed, once on my own entering via Newark and twice with my two children (included on the petition) entering via Houston, TX. Visits were 2 and 4 mths apart. I did not carry any evidence of ties with the UK (am not currently employed) and the last trip was in order to start my kids at school on time while waiting for our K-1 interview to be scheduled in London. I/we travelled on the VWP program and perhaps I/we simply don't have a profile that is typical in terms of any suspicious or adverse intent (I am in my 40's) but we encountered no issues at Immigration or additional questioning.

K1 visas were Approved in London earlier this week and we're now just waiting for the return of our passports.

Thank you for your story I have just booked a return ticket which is changeable as well in case I need to come home early for my interview, my fiancé and I have been waiting since august 19th for VSC to make a decision which was stated in a letter they had sent him early august. Congrats on your approval and all the best with your future

[Paneristi 0]

This is such a relief to hear. My partner and I are planning to have our engagement party in my country so the people who cannot come to the wedding in the US don't feel so left out, and they can wish us off and well. Plus... Maybe a little bit more gifts for our wishing well.

[BecnChris2018 4]

Here's a strange question, but my fiancee is actually coming to live over here with me in the States and I'm going to visit her in two weeks in England, I'll be there for ten days. Last time I went to visit, the officer questioned me for half an hour... and put some kind of 'warning' stamp in my passport with a number and everything. I found out it was a warning stamp when we came back into England from Belgium. He asked me why I had a warning stamp and I said that the last officer was new and asked me every question in the book (Which was true), and he let me in with no problem.

What should I say up front so I can avoid this situation? I at first had said that I'm there to visit my friend and then when they asked what kind of friend I said my girlfriend.

[Kev-N-Ann 45]

How about visiting after NOA2??
We got approved yesterday and I (Anna) already have a ticket to visit beginning Nevember!
What should I do? Has anybody already been in the same situation?
Should I go or just stay in Athens and wait for my interview?

[Kiwinyc 62]

yes i visited after receiving NOA2, actually it was even further along, I had also already done the medical, received packet 3 and returned the required forms. I waited to be given an interview while in the US and returned for the scheduled date. Had no issues at POE and was not asked about pending i-129f or anything. (I went in saying we were staying for 3 weeks, it turned out to be 5)

[Kev-N-Ann 45]

yes i visited after receiving NOA2, actually it was even further along, I had also already done the medical, received packet 3 and returned the required forms. I waited to be given an interview while in the US and returned for the scheduled date. Had no issues at POE and was not asked about pending i-129f or anything. (I went in saying we were staying for 3 weeks, it turned out to be 5)

That's great!

The embassy told me that I'm going to have to go through the usual procedures at the POE, but I wanted someone's feedback out of experience!

Of course, my ticket is for 84 days stay, but I don't see that happening. 99% I'm going to have to be back much earlier.

Thanks a lot!

[bosson 0]

I went to the US once when me and my fiance were dating and now when we were waiting for the fiance petition to be approved.

First time I went in was in December last year. The conversation went something along the lines of this:

Officer: Hello, what is the purpose of your trip to the US?
Me: I'm visiting my girlfriend's family.

Officer: Ok, how many bags do you have with you?
Me: Three bags.

Officer: THREE BAGS?! Why do you have three bags with you?
Me: Just left Australia, I was studying there for two years and I won't fly back there but I will fly back to Sweden.

Officer: Do you got a flight ticket?
Me: Yes (showing the ticket).

Officer: Ok, looks good. Welcome to America.

I was very naive when I came the first time. I did not know they would even question me at customs and I had no proof of ties to Sweden (my home country) because I hadn't been there for over a year. I also had three bags with me and flew in on a one way ticket from Australia. Not the smartest, but it went well.

Second time I flew in was about a month ago. This time we were engaged and I had read up on some more stuff about customs and questions. Partly from this thread. Brought several ties that proved I would go back to Sweden after my trip.
This time they asked me questions at customs again. Something like this:

Officer: Hello, what is the purpose of your visit here in the US?
Me: I'm visiting my fiance.
Officer: Ok, how long have you been engaged?
Me: 8 months.

Officer: Is she a US citizen?
Me: Yes.

Officer: Ok, how long are you staying in America?
Me: Two months.
Officer: Two months? That's a long time. How many bags do you got with you?
Me: One.

Officer: Just one? What are you working with in Sweden?
Me: I'm a psychiatric aide.

Officer: And they just let you go on a holiday for two months?
Me: Yes. I'm working part time right now, worked full time until a few weeks ago.

Officer: How many bags do you got with you?
Me: One. I got a return ticket and other proof of ties if you want to see them.
Officer: I will let you follow this man and we will talk some more to you. (Leading me to a special room where I waited for about 10 mins before getting called into an office.)

This time another officer: Hello Mr.
Me: Hello sir.

Officer: Why are you visiting the US?
Me: I'm visiting my fiance.

Officer: Ok, how many bags do you got with you?
Me: One.

Officer: Ok. How did you and your fiance meet?

Me: In Australia, we were both studying over there.

Officer: You won't get married during this visit right?
Me: No, not this visit.
Officer: When are you guys getting married?
Me: When the fiance visa gets approved. We applied for one in December last year.
Officer: Ok, let me see the papers. (I'm showing him them)
Officer: So what's the hold up? Why hasn't the petition gotten approved yet?
Me: If you could tell me. I don't know. We have waited for over 8 months without getting any information.

Officer: Ok, let me see what's going on with it.

-- 10 min later --

Officer: Looks like it is still pending. So what are you going to do while you are in the states? I mean, your fiance will be working, right? What will you do during the days? (This question I was completely unprepared for.)
Me: Eh. I will study. I'm doing online study right now. (Luckily I had printed out my acceptance letter to the degree I'm studying online.)
Officer: Ok. What other documents do you got with you.

Me: Letter from employer, pay stubs, travel insurance during this time, flight ticket back, proof of address, resent bills, etc.

Officer: Ok, let me see. (Skimming the papers really fast).

Ok. You're ok. You can be here for three months now, but if you come back a few weeks after you get back to Sweden without the visa I think you will have a hard time getting approved for another three months. Welcome to America. (Stamping my passport and showing me out.)

All in all, it is not too hard to visit and the majority of people get through without too much of a hassle. It gets harder if you visit for a long time, have many bags with you and don't have proofs of ties.

[Kev-N-Ann 45]

I went to the US once when me and my fiance were dating and now when we were waiting for the fiance petition to be approved.

First time I went in was in December last year. The conversation went something along the lines of this:

Officer: Hello, what is the purpose of your trip to the US?

Me: I'm visiting my girlfriend's family.

Officer: Ok, how many bags do you have with you?

Me: Three bags.

Officer: THREE BAGS?! Why do you have three bags with you?

Me: Just left Australia, I was studying there for two years and I won't fly back there but I will fly back to Sweden.

Officer: Do you got a flight ticket?

Me: Yes (showing the ticket).

Officer: Ok, looks good. Welcome to America.

I was very naive when I came the first time. I did not know they would even question me at customs and I had no proof of ties to Sweden (my home country) because I hadn't been there for over a year. I also had three bags with me and flew in on a one way ticket from Australia. Not the smartest, but it went well.

Second time I flew in was about a month ago. This time we were engaged and I had read up on some more stuff about customs and questions. Partly from this thread. Brought several ties that proved I would go back to Sweden after my trip.

This time they asked me questions at customs again. Something like this:

Officer: Hello, what is the purpose of your visit here in the US?

Me: I'm visiting my fiance.

Officer: Ok, how long have you been engaged?

Me: 8 months.

Officer: Is she a US citizen?

Me: Yes.

Officer: Ok, how long are you staying in America?

Me: Two months.

Officer: Two months? That's a long time. How many bags do you got with you?

Me: One.

Officer: Just one? What are you working with in Sweden?

Me: I'm a psychiatric aide.

Officer: And they just let you go on a holiday for two months?

Me: Yes. I'm working part time right now, worked full time until a few weeks ago.

Officer: How many bags do you got with you?

Me: One. I got a return ticket and other proof of ties if you want to see them.

Officer: I will let you follow this man and we will talk some more to you. (Leading me to a special room where I waited for about 10 mins before getting called into an office.)

This time another officer: Hello Mr.

Me: Hello sir.

Officer: Why are you visiting the US?

Me: I'm visiting my fiance.

Officer: Ok, how many bags do you got with you?

Me: One.

Officer: Ok. How did you and your fiance meet?

Me: In Australia, we were both studying over there.

Officer: You won't get married during this visit right?

Me: No, not this visit.

Officer: When are you guys getting married?

Me: When the fiance visa gets approved. We applied for one in December last year.

Officer: Ok, let me see the papers. (I'm showing him them)

Officer: So what's the hold up? Why hasn't the petition gotten approved yet?

Me: If you could tell me. I don't know. We have waited for over 8 months without getting any information.

Officer: Ok, let me see what's going on with it.

-- 10 min later --

Officer: Looks like it is still pending. So what are you going to do while you are in the states? I mean, your fiance will be working, right? What will you do during the days? (This question I was completely unprepared for.)

Me: Eh. I will study. I'm doing online study right now. (Luckily I had printed out my acceptance letter to the degree I'm studying online.)

Officer: Ok. What other documents do you got with you.

Me: Letter from employer, pay stubs, travel insurance during this time, flight ticket back, proof of address, resent bills, etc.

Officer: Ok, let me see. (Skimming the papers really fast).

Ok. You're ok. You can be here for three months now, but if you come back a few weeks after you get back to Sweden without the visa I think you will have a hard time getting approved for another three months. Welcome to America. (Stamping my passport and showing me out.)

All in all, it is not too hard to visit and the majority of people get through without too much of a hassle. It gets harder if you visit for a long time, have many bags with you and don't have proofs of ties.

Can I ask you if you had your proofs of ties translated in English? I have translated some bills, my apartment's in Athens lease etc., but then again we use a different alphabet than the latin...

[djv-tco 29]

I will be visiting my fiancée for a week beginning of November.

Here are the following proof of ties I will be bringing:

• Copy of K-1 package sent to USCIS
• Return ticket
• Car and hotel reservation in Chicago
• Copy of my car loan
• Copy of my apartment lease
• Last two electric bills
• Last two cellphone bills
• Last two pay stubs
• Airline and car reservations for my trip in December 2013

All of the documents above will be from the two months (September and October) immediately prior to my trip.

***I will post my experience at the POE after my trip.

[pro_star 52]

Just went through pre clearance at Calgary airport.

Brought paperwork, all the guy asked was when are you coming back? No what are you doing down there or anything lol.

Early morning flights for the win?

Anyone on the mobile curious where I am, our 129f petition has been approved over a month Ago (it's currently in the black pit of csc hanging on before forwarding it to the nvc stage)

So yeah. No flags raised obviously.

...wow almost two months ago. Dang. Time flies?

Edited October 12, 2013 by pro_star

[Jimelu 1]

I have a question but i dont know if im in the right place, is it the same with the CR-1?? i already got married in march in usa, we started our papers in august and now i want to visit my hubby and take my babygirl for the first time there to see her daddy andd meet the family of my husband cause they dont know her, i have a job here and im just thinking to go 20 days with my daughter, she is a citizen, i wanna know if that would be the same with the k3 visa

[mstewart 6]

Just visited again. I'm the beneficiary. This is the third visit since July, and it doesn't seem to matter to border patrol (petitioner came to Canada once, and I've gone to the USA twice.

Same questions as always: what's your job, who are coming to see, how long have you known each other/be engaged, let's see your return ticket."

Coming back to Canada, the officer looked at my passport and said thanks. No questions, no scanning, nothing. Sweet.

[pro_star 52]

lol I got more questions coming back into Canada than when I left this trip! It all depends on who you get I guess!

[Dreamman 1]

Hi, I just had question. I am currently waiting for NOA2 to reach NVC. My question is my best friend and I are planning on booking a one week trip to Cuba in December. This trip has nothing to do with my fiancé. It's our last trip together as best friends. This shouldn't be a problem eh?

Thanks Tanya

[jmwinderl9 0]

My fiance and I travel alot back and forth between the US and Norway, and since our NOA1 came through (March 2013) and our NOA 2 (October 2013), I have traveled to Norway twice and he came here for 2.5 months. They didn't give him a hard time when he came into the US for almost the entire length of his tourist visa- I think they just wanted to see his return plane ticket. However, he is coming in early december for 5 weeks, so we might need to have him bring more info to prove he is leaving in January. I think it helps to fly into smaller airports too, just in general. I hate customs at the Atlanta and Newark airports, but Houston, Minneapolis, and Portland OR seem easier to navigate and less of a hassle...