Going through customs with a K1 visa

[Judah Avery 6]

Hey everyone.  My fiancee recently got her K1 visa. She and her parents are coming to the states in a few hours, but there was a problem with the flight. According to the airline, they cannot travel to the states with a stop in the Shengen zone. Scrambling, I was able to contact my travel agent to get re-routed flights through Turkey.  Will they have any problems at Imaginations with there visas? Does anyone have any information about this?  

P.S.  Her parents have tourist visas.    

[geowrian 22,337]

Good thing they were stopped beforehand...if they had entered a banned country, she would have to quarantine for 14 days before she could come to the US.

 

Technically, there is no issue. In practice, it's possible the airline already sent the passenger manifest (via APIS) and she is flagged as being in a banned country within the past 14 days. If so, they won't be able to board her anyway for at least 14 days after the departure date. This happened to another member recently. See here:

 

Edit: Best bet is to contact the airline. If they will board her, technically she's fine and that can be worked out with CBP to show that she was not in a banned country. Airlines generally won't take the risk as they are the ones responsible for boarding somebody when the system shows them as ineligible.

Edited August 8, 2020 by geowrian

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures.

[AliTan 53]

Did your fiancee make it?  Any problems traveling through Turkey?  Did she fly Turkish Airlines?

[Judah Avery 6]

Yes!    She made it!!!!      They went through Turkish airlines with no problem.   We are so happy.     
          

Thank you all for the advice and help.

[tanman22 14]

How long did it take her to get the k1 visa? How was she able to get an interview when all embassy’s are closed?

[Judah Avery 6]

     It took us about 11 months.  They canceled  her visa interview just three days before it’s scheduled date. It was extremely frustrating getting that close.            
     The embassy in Romania is open, but

they are not conducting physical interviews since they shut down in March.

We had been emailing the embassy about once a month to see if they would set up an interview for her. Eventually they asked us if we wanted if we thought we needed an emergency interview.  I asked my attorney about this, and she expressed her doubt that we would get one. She explained what constitutes an emergency for an interview.

With nothing to loose, I emailed them requesting an emergency interview and answered their questions.  After a few days they emailed us back and said we had been approved for the emergency visa interview the very next week.  We couldn’t believe it!  We had been praying for someway to get the visa.  So she had the interview, got the visa, and I flew her and her parents out here. We’re getting married this Sunday.