Yes, you can visit!

[paddington_bear 30]

I was an active poster when my fiancé was coming from the UK to Chicago for two weeks. He confirmed he was here to see his fiancée and they just stamped his passport.

Now I'm traveling to the UK in early May for 7 weeks, but luckily I have an excuse other than my fiancé: I'm being funded by my university to conduct research for my dissertation, so that's my honest reason for visiting . I'll have all my funding paperwork and research/ archival invitations or approvals, as well as proof that I need to return in late June for a class I've already paid for that is required for me degree. Plus I have a new lease signed for August. 1, and a notice that I'm vacating my current residence July 29th--so hopefully I won't be asked anything about my fiancé. I've had zero problem entering the UK for my research before , though I was grilled last time for visiting him in November for 12 days....Oy.....any tips to those visiting during the k1 to the beneficiary's country?

[Tina and Johan 206]

First Post

I know a lot of people ask about this and to be honest I wasn't sure myself. Yesterday, Sunday, after another weekend missing my fiance, I emailed my immigration lawyer to ask what the deal was with visiting after application. If there was any possibility I could visit for a week or two. Within 2 minutes he emailed me back saying point blank, "Scrap the idea, you will be denied entry"

I'm not saying others haven't been lucky enough to experience something different but this is mine and thought I should share.

Johan arrived without incident on Saturday. He came through Toronto, Canada ( a pre-clearance airport), so that was his POE. He wasn't asked any questions at all about the K1, and didn't have to show any proof of ties back to Ireland. After all the horror stories here, we were very worried. But it's worked out very well.

Tina

Edit to add: they took his fingerprints and picture. He was asked basic things. His son was actually the one who was asked all the questions. "are you looking forward to the nice weather," etc.

Edited April 16, 2014 by Tina and Johan

[pmarshall 9]

4th visit since noa1 and 2 just gets easier ;-)

[froschundblumen 25]

First Post

I know a lot of people ask about this and to be honest I wasn't sure myself. Yesterday, Sunday, after another weekend missing my fiance, I emailed my immigration lawyer to ask what the deal was with visiting after application. If there was any possibility I could visit for a week or two. Within 2 minutes he emailed me back saying point blank, "Scrap the idea, you will be denied entry"

I'm not saying others havn't been lucky enough to experience something different but this is mine and thought I should share.

I think your lawyer might have given you overly cautious advice. I understand, because who wants to spend money on airfare just to be denied entry?

That said, I have visited twice without any problems. The k1 didn't even come up in questioning.

I think the people that run into problems are those who plan to stay for extended periods of time and can't show much proof that they intend to go home. If you have a return ticket and documents showing that you have ties to your country, you should not have any problem.

I hope you're able to visit. It's so hard to be away.

[pmarshall 9]

4th visit since noa1 and 2 just gets easier ;-)

Hi Mr Marshall how long ? He said this must be getting easier for you and no more questions ;-)

[Mikenmalin 1]

Are there some POEs that are worse than others when it comes to visiting your significant other? I went through Detroit in January, when asked said I was visiting my boyfriend, and was let through no more questions asked. I'm traveling again in August (for 88 days), but through Minneapolis St Paul this time. We haven't started the K1 process yet. I've read through many of the POE reviews, but these all seem to pertain to entering on your K1, not before. I'll be bringing a letter from my employer stating I'm on an approved leave of absence, from my university stating I need to be back to defend my master's thesis, and from my landlord confirming my ongoing apartment lease. I'm thinking maybe since I already told them last time I was visiting my boyfriend, I should just say that right away this time, instead of saying "friends" - I don't know if they have it noted anywhere what I've said before...

Anyone with any experience from Minneapolis St Paul?

Hi

Iv been there once.. Not very good experience because they took me to second hearing. Asked a million questions for an hour, kinda rude too! But when he was satisfied he let me thru and said welcome to America.. Lol! Maybe my fault he kept me so long because of all things I forgot my printed return ticket! I had lots of other proofs and I said I could show him the return ticket if I could open my email but nope!

I'm sure I only had bad luck but now I'm scared of transfer there:) I think you will be fine.

Best of luck with your case

Malin

[Karam and Jamie 44]

I'm sure all the vets on this board are tired of this daily question, but keep in mind that dozens of people are just starting this process every day, and the "can I visit while the application is pending?" question is one, if not the, most pressing matters to most of them.

Information about this is all over this site, but scattered. I for one am a person who likes to hear personal experiences too, so I can make a decision based on what others in my similar situation have gone through.

The answer is yes, visits are allowed. But whether you will actually be admitted lies entirely in the hands of the officer questioning you upon entry. And face it, hearing you've got a sweetheart you're intending to/have married waiting for you in the US is going to set off a "he/she is just going to stay here forever" bell to that officer. It's your job to convince that officer that you have a life back in your home country that you fully intend, and will, go back to.

Anyway, I'm hoping people will post their experiences visiting the USC before and during the visa journey. I'm sure that all of us do visit legally, and do leave when we're supposed to. So, is there anything that worked for you? Hindered you? If you were ever denied, why? Were you able to remedy the situation and try again?

Going through customs can make your stomach turn, and make you feel like a criminal even though you've done nothing wrong. So, let's try to calm each other down and tell each other our experiences. I think we'll find that most of us are admitted (albeit with a little hassle, perhaps).

Vets, maybe this will cut down on having to answer the question 5 times a day!

Michele

My fiance lives in Egypt. No way for him to come visit me really :'(

[ameiva 1]

Thank you for giving me hope. My and my fiance had this question and discussed it a while back. This brings a new light to this waiting process.

Edited April 30, 2014 by ameiva

[paddington_bear 30]

I fly to the UK (POE Edinburgh) for 7 weeks on Sunday--I'm a bit nervous as I've heard the UK can be harsher than the US (and I experienced some minor severity from a customs official myself last time when we were only dating--but he let me through with just a return ticket as evidence).

That said, I'm going for actual university-funded research, so that's what I will be claiming (and obligated to claim!) for my entry. Hmmm I wonder if this experience will help to solve the question of whether or not they can see pending petitions for USCs and beneficiaries on our passports.....

[_Paul&Jesica_ 70]

So we are in the K-1 process, NOA1 received on April 1. My fiancee wishes to visit for 30 days or so, but she doesn't have very strong ties to her country (Philippines) aside from her family. She was working in UAE but recently resigned and flew back to spend time with her family before the K-1 approval. But with apparent delays with the Embassy in Manila, she wants to visit for a month while waiting for NOA2 and interview dates. So the only real strong ties she will be able to present is her family and return plane ticket. I do provide her spending money, but she doesn't have a bank account and her mobile bill is pre-paid. I will be visiting her there in 21 days, and then again in late July. But we are thinking that she could come and stay for the month of August. What is the consensus, should she even bother to try to visit?

[funmi 1]

The visiting stuf is only uk and europe based I'm sure does not apply to africa.

If I had been given visiting visa my husband would not have filed immigrant

[floskii 0]

Hi everyone I'm visiting my fiancé in America next week, from the U.K.. I've listened to the advice on bringing evidence that I'm not going to outstay my two weeks visit. Here is a list of what I've prepared:

-E-ticket itinerary showing my return flights booked and paid for

-Receipt for travel insurance for two weeks

-Ticket for coach I'm getting home from the airport once I've arrived back in England

-Email from our lawyer talking about our applications with contact details in signature

-Signed letter from my manager at work, that says I am still employed there and will be returning after my 2 week vacation

-receipt notice for the first stage of my visa application (to show I'm actually doing this the legal way)

Do you think this will be enough? I recently moved back in with my parents so unfortunately can't provide anything to say I'm still renting or paying household bills.

[marialamas 0]

Hey everybody!!! Im in the k1 waiting time and decided to visit my fiancee. Im from Spain and flight from Madrid to NY JFK. I brought some proof,like return ticket,my insurance,letter from my job. I was a bit scared but when I went through customs,the guy took me the picture my finger prints,no questions then he said "you have to follow me" and then it was when I got scared. So on the way to the other room I asked him if there was any problem and he just said "common name". I waited 3 min and another guy called me,stamped ny passport and said welcomed!.

No questions,nothing. In the room there was another girl called Maria,so it a common name issue

I will stay one month.

I hope this was useful.

Good luck!!!

[kprzes 1]

Floskii^ Just to ease your worries. My fiancée is from the UK and visited me in the States while his K-1 was pending. I made him bring along his copy of the K-1 application. He's unemployed and living with his parents (poor guy!) and they only asked him a few questions about when we met etc, just standard like when you come into the country anytime. Didn't need to show anything special. Absolutely no issues! Good luck.

[paddington_bear 30]

Hi everyone I'm visiting my fiancé in America next week, from the U.K.. I've listened to the advice on bringing evidence that I'm not going to outstay my two weeks visit. Here is a list of what I've prepared:

-E-ticket itinerary showing my return flights booked and paid for

-Receipt for travel insurance for two weeks

-Ticket for coach I'm getting home from the airport once I've arrived back in England

-Email from our lawyer talking about our applications with contact details in signature

-Signed letter from my manager at work, that says I am still employed there and will be returning after my 2 week vacation

-receipt notice for the first stage of my visa application (to show I'm actually doing this the legal way)

Do you think this will be enough? I recently moved back in with my parents so unfortunately can't provide anything to say I'm still renting or paying household bills.

I feel like I've been one of the worst worriers on this thread for US-UK visits (and vice versa) while K1 is pending. My fiance got through Chicago's customs this past March 2014 in less than 2 minutes. We had only our NOA1 at the time, and he had a ton of documents to prove return. The customs officer asked him: "Reason for visit?" Jake: TO see my fiancee and her family. Officer: Oh your fiancee! How long? Jake: Two weeks. Officer: Thank you, stamp stamp.

You probably will get asked about a return flight ticket, and it's always good to have the proof--but I was SOOOOO worried, I couldn't sleep and was pacing outside of customs at OHare....it was all fine

I also just got through UK customs for seven weeks no problem, though my fiance wasn't my reason for visiting so that's not as relevant. You will seriously be fine, just be honest and calm (on the surface at least!) but don't answer more than the officer asks