Tourist Visa to USA and impact on future K1 visa application

[TimInDonesia 2]

Hello, my girlfriend in Indonesia wants to visit me in the USA before we start filing for K1 Visa.

She was denied a tourist visa to the USA back in 2018, before we met.

 

A travel agent in Indonesia suggested that, if she wants to get approved to visit the US, she should not include me anywhere in the application. They also suggested for the K1 visa app, we not say we met until she visited the US.

 

We want to be honest and don't want to jeopardize our future K1 visa.. looking for suggestions. If she puts me down as a US contact, is her tourist visa going to be automatically declined? If she doesn't put me down on the tourist visa application, will that cause issues if we file for K1 visa later?

Thanks in advance!

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

If the CO asks Who is going to visit and stay with?  she needs to say u as otherwise its lying to immigration officer

Never do that

Tourist visa is about her returning to home country so she needs strong ties

and all CO's at embassy assume the person has immigrant intent so she needs to prove she will not marry and AOS in the US

1.  own property in Indonesia

2.  job and //or contract she needs to return to

3.  money for the trip /  u can pay but she needs to disclose where ticket will come from

4...return ticket at POE for CBP

[Crazy Cat 41,829]

12 minutes ago, TimInDonesia said:

Hello, my girlfriend in Indonesia wants to visit me in the USA before we start filing for K1 Visa.

She was denied a tourist visa to the USA back in 2018, before we met.

 

A travel agent in Indonesia suggested that, if she wants to get approved to visit the US, she should not include me anywhere in the application. They also suggested for the K1 visa app, we not say we met until she visited the US.

 

We want to be honest and don't want to jeopardize our future K1 visa.. looking for suggestions. If she puts me down as a US contact, is her tourist visa going to be automatically declined? If she doesn't put me down on the tourist visa application, will that cause issues if we file for K1 visa later?

Thanks in advance!

I hope that agency didn't show her as married on that tourist visa application.  If so, you are headed for big, big trouble.

[Crazy Cat 41,829]

13 minutes ago, TimInDonesia said:

They also suggested for the K1 visa app, we not say we met until she visited the US.

I would run...not walk..away from that agency.  They are advocating lying to US immigration.  That will end in tragedy.

[TimInDonesia 2]

She has not submitted the tourist visa application, yet.

We also believe honesty is the best way to approach this. It would be awful to take a shortcut to better her chances of visiting with tourist visa only to have it negatively impact the K1 process in the future.

[Boiler 45,463]

Usually this is a bit of a long shot, single females do not have a good record of returning. no harm trying as long as she is honest.

 

And remember the Consulate have heard it all, she is not their first.

[Crazy Cat 41,829]

23 minutes ago, TimInDonesia said:

She has not submitted the tourist visa application, yet.

I thought she was denied in 2018. 

[Crazy Cat 41,829]

24 minutes ago, TimInDonesia said:

She has not submitted the tourist visa application, yet.

We also believe honesty is the best way to approach this. It would be awful to take a shortcut to better her chances of visiting with tourist visa only to have it negatively impact the K1 process in the future.

She is a prime candidate for a denial due to immigrant intent.  But, she can apply. It will not affect a K-1 or CR-1 later.

[TimInDonesia 2]

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

I thought she was denied in 2018. 

She was, but it was also a tourist visa application. Denied because they didn't feel she had proven strong enough ties to go back.

 

🤞hopefully this application will get approved.

[Crazy Cat 41,829]

10 minutes ago, TimInDonesia said:

She was, but it was also a tourist visa application. Denied because they didn't feel she had proven strong enough ties to go back.

 

🤞hopefully this application will get approved.

I know that.  My point was that if she or an agency falsely indicated she was married on that tourist visa application in 2018 (which has been known to happen), it is going to present a big, big problem for the K-1 or a CR-1. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[TimInDonesia 2]

7 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

I know that.  My point was that if she or an agency falsely indicated she was married on that tourist visa application in 2018, it is going to present a big, big problem for the K-1 or a CR-1. 

Ohhh, I see! No, I don't think that was the case, thankfully.

[Crazy Cat 41,829]

3 minutes ago, TimInDonesia said:

Ohhh, I see! No, I don't think that was the case, thankfully.

OK.  That is great.  We have seen a history of some agencies lying on a tourist visa to "enhance the chances of approval".....then USCIS asking for evidence that the "marriage" was terminated.  I have not seen a single case resolved.  I would run from any agency which suggests untruthfulness. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[TimInDonesia 2]

2 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

OK.  That is great.  We have seen a history of some agencies lying on a tourist visa to "enhance the chances of approval".....then USCIS asking for evidence that the "marriage" was terminated.  I have not seen a single case resolved.  I would run from any agency which suggests untruthfulness. 

Yikes! That's awful! Thank you for the warning!

[usmsbow 801]

Tourist agencies in Indonesia are useless for that kind of thing, yet so many Indonesians use them. Boggles my mind. Basically those agencies either give general advice that is helpful for other visas like Schengen and Japan (such as letter of recommendation),  or shady advice like the OP's partner received.

 

Anyway, she should just be honest. Putting you down may or may not hurt you, none of us know. Her age, occupation, etc are more relevant anyway. She should just be truthful, that way she will avoid any problems down the road.

 

And tourist visa applications have no bearing on K-1 applications. Good luck to you both!

[martinzl 91]

On the one hand, advising someone to lie to USCIS in order to get a visa is not a good idea.  It's a bad idea.  On the other hand, telling them that she wants a tourist visa in order to visit her boyfriend will probably make it even harder to get the tourist visa.  Best to forgo the tourist visa but if she still wants to try then always tell the truth.