Yes, you can visit!

[Texaswife 0]

All this seems a very long time ago for me as I have just got my full green card without conditions.. literally, 2 days ago. I remember looking at these pages back then thinking this was an impossible task for us. I just wanted to wish you all good luck and tell you it's all worth it in the end and this process will test your relationships to the max but love will see you thru if you're truly commited. I visited my fiance at the time lots of times right up until I came over in August 2011. Each step of this journey is a victory. Wishing you all love and as easy a ride as possible.

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

Please my fiance from the states will be coming down to Ghans this month or next ...I was wondering if we really have to perform a engagement ceremoney or party for a k1 Visa????? Or we just have to show ring reciept and picturrd when he comes?

You don't have to have a ring - and a party isn't also necessary. Just the fact you are engaged matters..nowadays it's also fine by the fantastic development called internet ?

[Brad.French 0]

Hi guys, were currently stuck in the void that is the TSC and we filed in Feb this year.

I just arrived today in Atlanta to visit Katie and had spent the past few weeks in a panic that something was going to go wrong and it would be a nightmare of an experience.

Was actually the easiest of entries I've had in the states.

I was traveling from the UK on an ESTA so in ATL you can use the new passport kiosk machines and that helps you skip a large part of the lines which were quite extensive when I arrived.

Then you have to talk to a boarder officer but again the lines are much shorter here.

I picked a line with the friendliest looking officer but ended up being called to a more grumpy looking guy behind a desk.

I was a little nervous but then he noticed I was wearing an Archer t-shirt and started asking me wether I thought it was funnier than family guy. not what I was expecting but instantly relaxed me about the whole experience.

He asked me how long I was planning to stay (2 weeks) and what I was doing here.

I replied visiting my fiancee and his next question was "Did you bring her anything nice?"

I replied "chocolate and some cupcakes she likes"

and he just told me I was good and waved me through.

I was well prepared with employment letters and a copy of our K1 application just in case but I had no issues at all. now I can relax and enjoy our time together while we continue to wait on Texas to clear its back log.

Just wanted to share in case anyone else was nervous about visiting while waiting on there NOA2.

Brad

[swji89 41]

Hi guys, were currently stuck in the void that is the TSC and we filed in Feb this year.

I just arrived today in Atlanta to visit Katie and had spent the past few weeks in a panic that something was going to go wrong and it would be a nightmare of an experience.

Was actually the easiest of entries I've had in the states.

I was traveling from the UK on an ESTA so in ATL you can use the new passport kiosk machines and that helps you skip a large part of the lines which were quite extensive when I arrived.

Then you have to talk to a boarder officer but again the lines are much shorter here.

I picked a line with the friendliest looking officer but ended up being called to a more grumpy looking guy behind a desk.

I was a little nervous but then he noticed I was wearing an Archer t-shirt and started asking me wether I thought it was funnier than family guy. not what I was expecting but instantly relaxed me about the whole experience.

He asked me how long I was planning to stay (2 weeks) and what I was doing here.

I replied visiting my fiancee and his next question was "Did you bring her anything nice?"

I replied "chocolate and some cupcakes she likes"

and he just told me I was good and waved me through.

I was well prepared with employment letters and a copy of our K1 application just in case but I had no issues at all. now I can relax and enjoy our time together while we continue to wait on Texas to clear its back log.

Just wanted to share in case anyone else was nervous about visiting while waiting on there NOA2.

Brad

I have visited this past week,also entering at Atlanta. I'm only at the NOA1 stage but had a similarly easy experience having visited a number of times on the ESTA VWP. The TSA agent said 'oh boy' when I told him I was visiting my fiancee... to which I thought he was going to say they needed to ask me some more questions. However, he just stamped the passport and said 'enjoy yourself'. Need not have worried so much! That being said, there was no harm in being prepared for the worst.

Edited June 7, 2015 by swji89

[beppykins 9]

I'm gonna be visiting my fiance in his home country (England) for 2 weeks and have a few questions. He has currently scheduled his medical, we've got his letter from the Embassy in London and are far along in the process.

I have been questioned by their customs officers in the past and have a "restricted stay" sticker on my passport from a few years ago when I was staying for 6 months and the officer was wary about me. That sticker now makes the officers look over my stuff a little more thoroughly and ask me more detailed questions. I did not extend my stay or anything though.

My question is...should I be immediately up front with the customs officer about the fact that I'm visiting my fiance to give him necessary paperwork for his interview and to meet his family? I will have proof of all of our visa process with me. I'm just debating on whether I should give as little info as possible (say I'm there for touring and be vague about where I'm staying since I'll be at my fiance's house), or just lay it all out on the table immediately. I wanted to get a second opinion if anyone can help.

[Limey 551]

My question is...should I be immediately up front with the customs officer about the fact that I'm visiting my fiance to give him necessary paperwork for his interview and to meet his family? I will have proof of all of our visa process with me. I'm just debating on whether I should give as little info as possible (say I'm there for touring and be vague about where I'm staying since I'll be at my fiance's house), or just lay it all out on the table immediately. I wanted to get a second opinion if anyone can help.

For anyone who thinks US immigration are bad, they haven't experienced UK immigration. These are nasty, petty and unpleasant people who seem to lead miserable lives and delight in making anyone else's miserable too.

My girlfriend (US) was questioned for a fair while after entering the country after we'd had a trip to Portugal to see my brother. We weren't engaged at the time, and she was only spending a few days in Britain. She'd visited the previous year for a week with work (I met her during that trip). She'd never overstayed or anything like that.

My brother is married to a Brazilian, and they denied her entry in the past (even though Brazilians don't need a visa) because they told my brother that his relationship was a sham and she was just after his passport. This was absurd as she'd left the UK to be with him in Dubai a year or two before. They now are married several years and have 2 kids, but still UK immigration try and deny her entry each time. However now that my brother is resident in Portugal, he has the right to be treated under EU law as Portuguese (rather than British law) and therefore they must admit his spouse. Each time he comes they try to argue this isn't the case and to deny his wife entry, but he tells them they must call their EU case work phone help line, and when they do, they end up admitting her. They still claim that she's a flight risk - ie that she's going to get into Britain and then disappear and leave him and leave her kids, even though she can show previous visits where she has come in for 3 weeks and then left. My experience of US immigration is that they apply common sense - eg if you show them links to home, or that you're well down the k1 process or that you've entered and left the US before, they take this into account and admit you. This isn't the case in the UK.

So this is how UK border officials are. If they can find a reason to deny you, they will. If they do there is no appeal. They do not apply any common sense. DO NOT tell them you are visiting a fiance unless they specifically ask. Don't lie to them, but don't mention it unless you have to...

"what is the purpose of your trip?" - tourism

"how long are you staying?" - 2 weeks

"where are you staying?" - tell them the town, etc.

[oscillate.wildly 1]

I would just like to second Limey's comments RE the UK border - I'm from the UK and my fiancé from the US. Although we have had some 'easy' entries when he has come to the UK, we also had an instance where he was almost denied entry. It was a slightly special case as he was coming back early with me due to a change to our travel plans when I got sick and so did not have a return flight, but they still gave him an unnecessarily hard time and he got a special stamp, which then gave rise to extra questioning on subsequent entries. In contrast, I have had much longer stays - up to 5 months and several more entries to the US and had no problems what so ever. I wouldn't worry too much but just perhaps keep in mind that it does seem that the UK are a lot more suspicious than the US

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

Are they in Newark also that friendly as in atlanta ?

[kmkwanaa 0]

Hello VJers, I am writing to ask for help,

I have booked my ticket from Aug 12 to Jan 06 as I would be in vacation here so I think it wont be bad to spend more time together while waiting for the VISA thing to get through. It is going to be a 147 days of stay, its like almost 5 months. I have B2 visa and according to it, I would be able to stay maximum up to 6 months in States, but I am still worry.

I will be landing in Seattle, I dont know whether the CBP would be extremely difficult or harsh for such a long stay?

1)I would be able to bring along my flight itinerary which proves that I have a return flight;

2)I have talked to my boss for this vacation and he would be willing to write me a letter of proof for my work and writing that I would be expected to report duty after Jan 11.

3)I will also bring along with me all the documents I have so far for the visa application (A copy of Form I-129F, receive of case number assigned, mailing document, NOA1(If I can receive it before my trip))

I wonder if I have all the documents stated above, would I have a problem entering to the states in SEATTLE for such a long stay or I would have a really high chance to get turned back???? Do I need to prepare any extra documents so that it would prove that I have strong ties that I will return to my country which will help ease my entry?? I dont have a car but I do have a place to live where can receive letters.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!Thanks a lot

Edited June 9, 2015 by kmkwanaa

[redstripe54 42]

Hi, in reply to your concern about your forthcoming trip, I would say you have more than enough evidence of your home ties, of course the most important is the K1 visa application and supporting documents showing you are going through the system legally. That is the most important thing and if asked, why would you jeopardise joining your Fiancee legally, by overstaying, getting married and then being deported and banned.

I'm in Florida now for almost my maximum 90 days on a WV from London,( stuck in the back log of Texas and awaiting NO2) on my entry into Miami I was not asked a single question, not one and I have less evidence than you, no job, temporary accommodation with my son, and here I am happy, being with my fiancée, instead of hanging round London for months on end. On the U.S. embassy website in London, it actually states you can visit whist awaiting your K1 visa, as long as it's a temporary visit and you still have ties to your home country.

In conclusion I believe it is a pure lottery of which Immigration officer you face, I don't think it has anything to do with which airport you use either. I'm beginning to think that is it fairly unusual to get turned back.Hope that helps you and have a great trip

[Limey 551]

I have booked my ticket from Aug 12 to Jan 06 as I would be in vacation here so I think it wont be bad to spend more time together while waiting for the VISA thing to get through. It is going to be a 147 days of stay, its like almost 5 months. I have B2 visa and according to it, I would be able to stay maximum up to 6 months in States, but I am still worry.

When were you last in US, and for how long?

From my experience this is relevant too. The one time I had any kind of problem at the US border was returning around 4-5 weeks after a prior visit of around 35 days - prior to that I had not been to the US for around 4-5 months. The immigration officer said that I was "virtually residing" in the USA without a residence visa. I said that in the past 6-7 months I'd spent only 35 days in the US, and I pointed out that if it was my intention to live there to the fullest extent I could, I'd have made a 90 day visit. But clearly what had prompted his finger wagging was the closeness of the visit to my previous visit

So there are 2 issues that might trip you up

1) does the immigration officer believe that you might not return at the end of your declared visiting dates

2) does he believe that you're trying to circumvent the visa system by staying too long on a non immigrant (tourist) visa.

For point 2 I imagine that its going to be relevant about when your last trip(s) to the USA was, and how long it was/they where.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Limey

[redstripe54 42]

Hi BTW you could be more friendly, I'm not here to say I'm always right, I'm here to share my experiences on my journey and to maybe help someone in the same predicament!

These are my last visits to the States

July 2nd 2014-August 12th 2015

December 21st 2014- March 13th 2015

Present trip May 19th 2015- August 12th 2015

So quite a bit of time in the States, but I do agree, they may take the amount of time overall in the States into account, my point was that my last visit I wasn't asked a single question, and that it seems a lottery of where you land and who you get at the desk. I must just be lucky! ( but not to end up in the Texas backlog)

[Marlena13 0]

great forum and many great topics for getting visa

[Clk89 0]

Hi everyone, I'm sure this has probably been answered before but there are so many comments on here I thought I would just ask again. My fiancé and I are going through the k1 visa route and have just submitted extra evidence. I haven't seen him since Christmas when he came to the UK to visit for two weeks and I really want to go and visit him (coming here is out of the question as he is in the usaf and saving his holiday for our wedding and honeymoon and already visiting his family) I want to know if anyone has recently been to the USA from the UK while waiting on their k1 visa and been allowed to visit. I'm just worried because this time last year when my fiancé moved to GA from being stationed in England I went with him for three months and I got questioned and nearly got sent back and I'm worried if I go and visit they will see this and just send me back straight away. (That was at Atlanta but looking to fly to Orlando)

Please help

Charlotte

[Sabrina&Chuck 32]

I crossed borders two weeks ago no problem; POE Newark.

Having read this thread I came prepared (return ticket, job vacation plan, pet hotel and airport car parking bookings stating the pick-up date, the itinerary of my next flight to my fiance a couple of weeks from now) and didn't even need to show any of that.

Two stern questions (these guys can sound quite intimidating!): "How long are you going to stay?" - "One week" . "What for?" - "Vacation". Finger prints, photo, done.

*Shrug* Better overly prepared than not well enough, right?

great u just took my afraidness away ^^ good job well done =) ...so I'll be way more relaxed to go for a visit on 27th ..eventhough we're already having packet 3 ..but booked it already in march before we sent the application

So me as a (still student for 2 weeks hopefully and i'm done )...what should i bring with to show them then ?

- NOA1

-NOA2

-I-129f

-return ticket anyways

but what else? just to be on the safe side of the river..