Yes, you can visit!

[capriwithlove 4]

I think you should be fine. Maybe ask your boss to type you a letter stating you've been working there -since date- and stating that you're coming back on a certain date? But do not underestimate the fact that however, they can deny you entering again because you lied the last time (unless they don't know you lied) Be honest, whatever they ask you. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Good luck!

Yes, I'll definitely try and get that documentation from my boss.

Well, when I was pulled in the officer kept typing lots, so I would imagine she typed details.

''Friend'' being a diverse term I really didn't think I was lying. It could be considered a lie? Wow.

Certainly there won't be any underestimating from here on out.

If I try and cross again and they deny me, due to that, it wouldn't affect my case? Simply by trying to cross and providing as much documentation as I have.

Thanks.

[R16M05-77 1]

To me this is all total BS that immigration would give people an issue for visiting their loved one. I would want to so badly ask are you married? If the answer is yes then say when you were dating/engaged were you allowed to see each other? How would you feel if someone prevented you from seeing each other while you wait for a bunch of red tape....the approval for a K1 is extremely high...plus we are doing this legally, paid money, ect. Common sense should prevail.

[Carrie7003 7]

My fiancé was denied entry while traveling to the US. (He had previously entered and left twice on an ESTA). He is considering applying now at the consulate for a tourist visa to visit me because after being denied entry, he is no longer eligible to travel on ESTA. I read somewhere that if border patrol officers deny entry again, there is a possibility they could also put him on a 5 year ban from reentry. We filed I-129F; is this risk of a future ban real? We don't want to ruin everything by him attempting to visit

[R16M05-77 1]

My fiancé was denied entry while traveling to the US. (He had previously entered and left twice on an ESTA). He is considering applying now at the consulate for a tourist visa to visit me because after being denied entry, he is no longer eligible to travel on ESTA. I read somewhere that if border patrol officers deny entry again, there is a possibility they could also put him on a 5 year ban from reentry. We filed I-129F; is this risk of a future ban real? We don't want to ruin everything by him attempting to visit

Did they say why he was denied?

[Carrie7003 7]

Yes, just that they didn't believe he would return home

[Limey 551]

Yes, just that they didn't believe he would return home

How long had he spent in the US on his previous visits, and how long was the period between those visits?

Edited May 20, 2016 by Limey

[htfaust 131]

I'm about to make my second trip to the US to visit my fiancé. The last one was in February and I stayed for 2 weeks, in this trip I'm going early June and staying for another 2 weeks. I have an ESTA and use the VWP. I got NOA2 very recently (Tuesday). How likely do you guys think I am to run into any issues? Are these reasonable duration and intervals? I think they are, but I want to get outsider input just for the peace of mind.

Thank you!

Edited May 20, 2016 by htfaust

[Tom169 54]

I'm about to make my second trip to the US to visit my fiancé. The last one was in February and I stayed for 2 weeks, in this trip I'm going early June and staying for another 2 weeks. I have an ESTA and use the VWP. I got NOA2 very recently (Tuesday). How likely do you guys think I am to run into any issues? Are these reasonable duration and intervals? I think they are, but I want to get outsider input just for the peace of mind.

Thank you!

Take proof of your return after your vacation and answer questions to the point. No one can predict how the agent will be on your entry.

As for my experience, i entered the US on VWP a while after receiving NOA2 and even the NVC.

Good luck.

[R16M05-77 1]

That's pretty lame and sounds like someone on a power trip. Much like TSA....sorry to hear that. I'm going to be traveling abroad next week. When I get back I will ask the immigration officer exactly what needs to be presented to prove they will go back.

[capriwithlove 4]

Hi,

So let's say you have been denied before and you try and enter the USA again with more ties, yet only to be denied again - if there's no deception or criminal activity there's not a chance the officer can use it against your case...for instance put bad notes into the computer and somehow negatively affect your K1 petition as its pending? I am legitimately trying to visit my fiancé for a week next week with many more ties, yet am worried I will be interrogated and be putting us up for risk of something bad happening, even though we're doing it completely lawfully.

Edited May 21, 2016 by capriwithlove

[kumakun 12]

Just a tip that I've not seen acknowledged in this thread: It is VERY important that the foreign fiance entering the US to visit complete the immigration and custom declaration forms that are passed out and filled out in-flight honestly and carefully! My fiance was armed to the teeth with proof of ties to his home country, copies of our I-129F/NOA1/NOA2, return itinerary, etc. and despite being honest about visiting his fiance the agent wasn't interested in any of those documents...she was interested if he had completed his customs declaration form honestly and completely. She was pretty rude and brutal but ultimately let my fiance enter even after accusing him twice of being a liar! As our lawyer told us, approval or denial of entry is completely at the discretion of the customs agent...so not only should you answer all questions honestly and have an arsenal of proof at the ready, but fill out your in-flight forms honestly and completely, be honest and transparent about what you're bringing, and don't pack/carry anything you're not supposed to!

[R16M05-77 1]

But is it not absolutely absurd that the people working the customs can not understand that if you have forked out all sorts of cash doing it the right way that spending 6-12 months apart sucks and of course people will want to visit while they wait? And then to be a rude ####### to boot. This is what is wrong with the whole process. If in my job I acted in that way I would get in trouble....why are they not held to such a standard. My fiancee would be terrified...is this really the impression that the US Government wants to present and what if anything can we do to hold these representatives of the US accountable?

[Limey 551]

My fiancee would be terrified...is this really the impression that the US Government wants to present and what if anything can we do to hold these representatives of the US accountable?

Agreed - at the time I was waiting on k1 the waiting list at Texas Service Center was around 7 months, add into that the time in your own country for the medical and embassy interview and you're looking at 9 months. What better way to prove you have a genuine relationship than trying to visit at least once during that time. How many people in a real relationship would be fine with not seeing their partner for best part of a year?

But a word for US immigration - on all but one of my 6 or 7 visits prior to and during k1 process I found them to be courteous, reasonable, and even friendly and cracking jokes with me. UK immigration is much worse, and frankly I'm terrified that my american wife will be denied entry when we visit the UK this year. She got a fairly long grilling last time she visited before we were married. The UK immigration people won't care that I now have a house, car, wife with a job in the USA, and a green card which took me over a year to get. They'll convince themselves that we're desperate to give up our beach life in North Carolina for a grimy estate in Basingstoke.

[kumakun 12]

I wholeheartedly agree. It's shameful that the USA can be represented as such a rude and hostile country at POE (although our society is doing a better and better job of that on its own nowadays, but I digress). Doesn't make for a great first impression. I suspect agents are trained to be somewhat aggressive if they sense a reason to be suspicious in an effort to break an entrant down and get them to confess to any wrongdoing or impropriety, but it's obvious that some are just on a power trip. I've had experiences with both hostile and jovial agents when returning to the USA. It's all in the luck of the draw, I guess.

Bottom line is, if you're honest, friendly, cooperative, arriving legally, armed with proper documentation, not carrying/packing anything questionable, and complete any and all forms accurately, there's really no reason an agent would deny entry.

Having said that, I know there's been some debate in this forum as to whether an entrant should come right out and state that they are visiting their fiance(e). Based on our recent experience, doing so probably would have been the wiser approach. Even though he was prepared to be honest if asked if he was visiting anyone, the fact he originally stated that he was here "on vacation" ended up almost biting him in the a$$. Since my fiance had more than enough evidence to show he was returning to Japan and that we were very invested in the K-1 process (i.e., "doing things properly"), I suspect things would have gone more smoothly if he'd come right out and stated that he was visiting me. I think the fact he'd (legally under VWP) visited the U.S. 3-4 times a year the last two years is what initially raised the agent's suspicions.

Edited May 24, 2016 by kumakun

[MickeyB 15]

It's weird that so many people have had so many issues when visiting. My fiancé has visited 4 times in the past year & a half on an ESTA & never had an issue. Three visit he has stayed almost exactly 90 days. 87-88 to be safe.

The only time he was "questioned" was when he flew in two times back to back. One time for 2 weeks for the birth of our son. He left & then came back 4 weeks later. When he got to the officer, he just gave him a piece of paper & sent him to a room. In that room, the agent asked what he was visiting for, to which he answered that he had just had a son & was visiting me, his girlfriend. They then asked were we planning to get married, to which he responded no. He stamped his paper & that was it.

He also just went through in Detroit. He said they officer was very nice & didn't give him a hard time whatsoever.