Visiting Home After Wedding

[EvilTrace 4]

Hi All,

I am not sure where to put this, so I am going to ask a few questions here. I have tried to look for similar topics, however there are so many out there and I wanted some specific advice here for my situation.

I am currently going through a K1 Visa. I am about to have my interview and shortly after given an approval, I want to book my ticket to fly back with my Fiancee in January. We plan on marrying some time in March and my question is...Should I buy a return ticket? I would like to as it is my little nephew's 1st birthday in June. I would love to be able to be in Australia for it. I know it then poses the same issue of having to buy another return ticket, though I do not mind. It just seems so much more worthwhile and to have a reason for wanting to have a quick trip back and surprise my family would be great.

What is the process like to enable me to travel once entering the US and how long does the process take before you do not have the same issues?

Hope this post makes sense.

Thanks, Trace

[Anitafeliz 1,133]

I made the great mistake of purchasing a non refundable ticket for my fiancee before visa inhand. This was to save cash ? and i had to cancel. And wait to rebook ap took 32 days. I was approved and thought i has it in the bag.

What if you are denied or in ap?

And the you have the AOS.

You have to marry and file it may take longer then your projected dates to receive.

Nothing about this journeys predictable

[millefleur 5,034]

Why not see if you can get travel insurance for your ticket in case you need to cancel it and get a refund? Sometimes when I'm buying tickets online, they offer some kind of "insurance" in case you need to cancel. I think I saw it on Expedia. I've never used it before but seems like it might be a good idea in your case.

Ah, just found it here: Travel Protection Plan via Expedia

Also, Southwest Airlines sometimes allows you to change your travel date/ticket free of charge online or they charge a very minimal fee, like $5.00 or $10.00 bucks. They only offer domestic flights though. Still might be worth checking out.

Edited September 25, 2016 by millefleur

[p-ana 933]

If you get married in march and file for Aos and ap right away it may be possible to get the Ap by June, but I wouldn't make any plans until having it in your hand.

If you get married in march and file for Aos and so right away it may be possible to get the Ap by June, but I wouldn't make any plans until having it in your hand.

Edited September 25, 2016 by p-ana

[Unlockable 7,306]

Too far out to know how fast or slow the process will be next year. AOS or AP could be more that 3 months.

I agree to either buy insurance on the ticket or wait.

[lacolinab13 86]

Once you have gotten married, you can get permission to travel (people call it "AP" or advance parole, or a travel document) within about 90 days of filing your paperwork for adjustment of status. If you leave before filing for adjustment of status, or before receiving this travel document after you have applied for adjustment of status, you will have abandoned your green card process and will have to start over abroad with a spousal visa.

Since it takes about 90 days to receive a travel document, if you wanted to have your travel document in hand by June 1st, you would want to file the paperwork at the very least 90 days ahead of time - though 120 days would be much safer as the process can take longer than 90 days if USCIS is just slow, or you can get a request for initial evidence or additional evidence that will delay your process, etc. (My husband just got a request for additional evidence, even though I had already sent literally all the documents the letter is asking for, so even making sure your package is 100% perfect isn't a guarantee that USCIS won't find some sort of issue with it!).

Counting back then, to have your travel document by June 1st, you should really apply no later than February 1st, in my opinion. That means you would need to be married and have your marriage certificate in hand - a process that can take a while in certain states, do some research as it can really vary - and all your papers ready to go by February 1st. If, as you're planning, you get married sometime in March, then that gives you only between 2-3 months to receive your EAD. If you're super lucky you might just get it in time, but if you're not, you'll be stuck here at the last minute and will have wasted the money on the ticket and will have a disappointed family.

As I see it, your choices are to push forward your timeline to marriage, and get married shortly after arriving so that you can apply for adjustment of status as quickly as possible - we filed 5 days after my husband arrived and you could even do it faster - or to keep your original timeline for marriage and miss your nephew's birthday this year.

On the subject of buying your ticket to go TO the US, I personally would feel very comfortable buying a flight in January with an interview scheduled in September (for an Australian K-1). It's absolutely true that nothing is guaranteed until you have the visa physically in hand, but a more than three-month gap between interview and leaving the country is giving you quite a lot of wiggle room, and Australia is not known for long AP. However, buy at your own risk, and if you can make the ticket refundable somehow just in case, then that would be perfect.

[usmsbow 795]

Hi All,

I am not sure where to put this, so I am going to ask a few questions here. I have tried to look for similar topics, however there are so many out there and I wanted some specific advice here for my situation.

I am currently going through a K1 Visa. I am about to have my interview and shortly after given an approval, I want to book my ticket to fly back with my Fiancee in January. We plan on marrying some time in March and my question is...Should I buy a return ticket? I would like to as it is my little nephew's 1st birthday in June. I would love to be able to be in Australia for it. I know it then poses the same issue of having to buy another return ticket, though I do not mind. It just seems so much more worthwhile and to have a reason for wanting to have a quick trip back and surprise my family would be great.

What is the process like to enable me to travel once entering the US and how long does the process take before you do not have the same issues?

Hope this post makes sense.

Thanks, Trace

1. Process: send in your green card application (adjustment of status) along with application for advanced parole (ability to leave USA and return) and employment authorization document (ie work permit). Costs $1070.

2. The wait for advanced parole and work authorization is up to 3 months for the vast majority people. If you get married in March, and send in your application right away, you're likely to get your AP before going to Australia in June, but that is far from 100% certain. If I were you, I'd try to get married in February and send in your AOS then.

[Amadia 711]

Hi,

The visa process is very unpredictable and no person can determine how fast or slow a process will take. Always expect the unexpected.

In any event, should you want to buy the ticket, try getting travel insurance.

[Boiler 43,363]

Insurance in case you do not get AP in time, who offers that?

You can buy a refundable ticket, at a cost.

[Rc123rc 528]

My advice is don't book any flights until you have Visa in hand. I can't tell you how many people have done it and regretted it.

After you arrive, marry and file for AOS, EAD, AP and receive your AP you can then book a flight to visit. It's nice that you want to visit for your nephew's birthday but I'm not sure that is doable under the circumstances. Do not travel out of country without that AP in hand. I know there are some emergencies that come up, like a death in the family God forbid, but even that might have to be put aside unless you want to lose out on your GC and have to start all over again. This time with a CR-1 which is even longer than a K-1.

[Dan and Radinka 11]

Hi All,

I am not sure where to put this, so I am going to ask a few questions here. I have tried to look for similar topics, however there are so many out there and I wanted some specific advice here for my situation.

I am currently going through a K1 Visa. I am about to have my interview and shortly after given an approval, I want to book my ticket to fly back with my Fiancee in January. We plan on marrying some time in March and my question is...Should I buy a return ticket? I would like to as it is my little nephew's 1st birthday in June. I would love to be able to be in Australia for it. I know it then poses the same issue of having to buy another return ticket, though I do not mind. It just seems so much more worthwhile and to have a reason for wanting to have a quick trip back and surprise my family would be great.

What is the process like to enable me to travel once entering the US and how long does the process take before you do not have the same issues?

Hope this post makes sense.

Thanks, Trace

The K1 Visa is a one entry Visa, so once you have used it to enter the US, that's it. You'll have to get AoS (Adjustment of Status) after marriage and get a green card (or apply for advance parole "AP") before you can travel outside US again (unless, you don't want to come back and just waste all your K1 filing efforts).

[Pitaya 2,576]

~Moved from K1 Process to Working & Traveling During US Immigration Forum~

~Similar topics are often discussed at this forum~

[Excited 1]

I married my fiance in Feb 2016, files AOS a month later, did not have interview for CGC until Aug 26. I had one RFE which delayed case for almost 4 weeks. Do not buy ticket until you have Green card, combo card in hand. You must have travel doc ( or combo card) to be allowed back in USA.FYI, a combo card is given when you file I 485, I 765 and I 131 together. A no brainer because it cost less.

[TBoneTX 42,991]

A hijack post and reply to it have been split from this thread and merged with the thread that the author of it started.

[EvilTrace 4]

Thank you These were the exact responses I was looking for.

1. I am not buying a ticket until my Visa has been issued. I just wanted to jump on that ASAP since I have an exact date in which my Fiancee is travelling back to the states that I want to join him on.

2. If I have to miss the birthday then so be it. I do not want to have anything mess up or delay this. I have already spent too much time away from my fiancee. So thank you for the warning advice.

3. My ticket will come with travel insurance and I would purchase a changeable ticket as my credit card offers that service. Which is great. I would just have to buy a higher tier ticket to allow it to be refundable/changeable.

It is great to hear from others what your actual experiences have been vs. what they say. I did think about having a quicky marriage before the real thing..but there is just some part of me that wants the tradition of the big day. God I am hopeless! I went from not wanting a proper wedding to wanting all the frills and spills that go with it!

I will have a long hard think about things and discuss them with my family before any decisions are made.

Thanks again!