July Filer wishing for advice

[livingwell 0]

Hi there,

Apologies if this has been answered before however I'm a UK citizen wishing to visit my American Fiancee for 2 1/2 months, so we can spend some time together while our K1 Visa is pending .....as you must be aware its a lengthy process.

Anyway my question is whether any of you have experienced much trouble in visiting the US while its pending, I have read some people were denied for lack of strong ties to their home country e.t.c Though it seems bizarre that the fact that you have filed for a K1 visa makes them suspicious about your intentions when you are goind down the correct legal route !!

[RosemarieL 0]

I visited for 2 months last year but that was before we applied for the K1. I have visited again 6 months later for 2 weeks and was asked a lot of questions at the Point of Entry but was allowed to visit. I am due to visit again on 24th August and this time I am bringing a lot of evidence of ties such as tenancy agreement, pay slip, annual leave details from my company's web site, car park ticket and return flights. A lot of people have had no problems visiting their partner and others have so it seems a bit of a lottery. I am just hoping that it will be ok this time. There are no guarantees.

[livingwell 0]

I visited for 2 months last year but that was before we applied for the K1. I have visited again 6 months later for 2 weeks and was asked a lot of questions at the Point of Entry but was allowed to visit. I am due to visit again on 24th August and this time I am bringing a lot of evidence of ties such as tenancy agreement, pay slip, annual leave details from my company's web site, car park ticket and return flights. A lot of people have had no problems visiting their partner and others have so it seems a bit of a lottery. I am just hoping that it will be ok this time. There are no guarantees.

Many thanks, ironically I am also travelling out on the same date, fingers crossed !! I'm trying to take as much info along with me as possible, can you remember what sort of questions they asked, and did you offer the fact that you have a K1 visa pending or did they bring it up first ? I do appreciate your response, I suppose everyone is very much in the same boat here, anxious to be with the person they love yet held up by the proverbial red tape !!

[English Muffin 59]

Hi there,

[rakkaus 0]

Though it seems bizarre that the fact that you have filed for a K1 visa makes them suspicious about your intentions when you are goind down the correct legal route !!

Same thing I thought. If I were trying to sneak into a country illegally, I don't think my first step would be to notify its government of the exact address where they could go to arrest me! Nonetheless, that's apparently the border guards' attitude -- on the grounds, I guess, that love is a strong reason to stay.

If you haven't read through it yet, don't miss the "Yes, you can visit; not guaranteed you'll get in" thread for more info and people's experiences. It's at http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67796

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Bring as much evidence as you can to prove you have many strong ties to your country and that you will return.

[Jaseball 0]

Every time I see threads like this I get sort of jealous. For certain countries like China getting a tourist visa and having my fiancee come here to visit isn't even an option on so many levels, but the main one is she'd never get a tourist visa in the first place.

If she were from a more 'acceptable,' country that the US had friendly relations and issued tourist visa's on a regular basis I'd love for her to come and stay for a few weeks/months and would definitely encourage her to do so.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Every time I see threads like this I get sort of jealous. For certain countries like China getting a tourist visa and having my fiancee come here to visit isn't even an option on so many levels, but the main one is she'd never get a tourist visa in the first place.

If she were from a more 'acceptable,' country that the US had friendly relations and issued tourist visa's on a regular basis I'd love for her to come and stay for a few weeks/months and would definitely encourage her to do so.

I know what you mean. Sasha is from Russia and its nearly impossible for her to come here and visit me on a tourist visa. Actually, it is impossible. So, I need to keep going there. It sucks that she doesn't have the same liberty.

[livingwell 0]

Same thing I thought. If I were trying to sneak into a country illegally, I don't think my first step would be to notify its government of the exact address where they could go to arrest me! Nonetheless, that's apparently the border guards' attitude -- on the grounds, I guess, that love is a strong reason to stay.

If you haven't read through it yet, don't miss the "Yes, you can visit; not guaranteed you'll get in" thread for more info and people's experiences. It's at http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67796

Wow - All that info certainly helped, though one thing which i'm still not clear on is why you need evidence relating to the K1 visa application, I mean surely the assumption is they have that info on their computer that you're applying, thus why the need to prove it ??

[RosemarieL 0]

Many thanks, ironically I am also travelling out on the same date, fingers crossed !! I'm trying to take as much info along with me as possible, can you remember what sort of questions they asked, and did you offer the fact that you have a K1 visa pending or did they bring it up first ? I do appreciate your response, I suppose everyone is very much in the same boat here, anxious to be with the person they love yet held up by the proverbial red tape !!

I didn't mention the K1 visa at all. I told them I was staying with a friend, which is he . They asked me about my previous trips, whether he had made a trip to see me, which he had, and about my job. If they had asked me about whether we were engaged I would have given them an honest answer but it didn't come up. They also asked 'You are not going to get married while you visiting are you?'. This has been asked a couple of times so it might be a standard sort of question. They didn't ask for any evidence that time but I will be prepared with it this Friday just in case. Good luck with your trip

[ddkm 0]

I think it depends very much upon the border patrol officer that you go with...when in line i try to look for the nice-looking people and join their lines!

I just entered POE through Houston with my K1 pending and was asked fewer questions than before we even started the whole process. They didnt even ask to see a return ticket, which is rare because i have been asked that everytime before. Also, my main piece of advice - dont tell them anything unless they ask. I just answer the questions asked with the most simple response. And when asked who I am visiting, just say friends. If they want to know more they will ask.

Try to stay calm too, im sure they can tell if theres something up if you act all nervous. Definitely is a bonus coming from UK though - VWP is a lifesaver!

Good Luck

[RosemarieL 0]

Well I arrived at the airport yesterday and because my seat was toward the back of the line I was near the back of the line at the immigration booth. When I got to the immigration officer he was interested in getting people through as quickly as possible so he just asked whether it was business or not and who I was visiting (I said a friend) and didn't ask anything else. :dance: So I am here for 2 weeks with my fiance The icing on the cake would be an NOA2 so we could go out and celebrate. It's been a long 4 months since we filed.