Visiting fiancé on ESTA while we wait for K-1?

[Banjomonkey 0]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here, so I don't know whether I've posted to the right place. Sorry if I haven't!

I'm British and live in England and my fiancé is American. I travel to see him when I can and I'm using my ESTA to gain entry to the USA at the moment. I've visited 4 times this year (March, April, May and September - each trip lasted 5-7 days each time) and the guy at border control said things will start to look "weird" if we don't get the visa soon. We have just submitted the application this week.

Our question is this: can I still travel to the USA to visit him, while the visa is being sorted? I work in a job where I get 7 weeks' vacation time per year, which means I can visit him frequent (thank goodness).

Although this isn't the norm, I am worried I'm going to cause problems if I keep going to see him. It costs him an absolute fortune to come to England, so he can only come every 3 months. Surely, it would look weirder if we didn't see each other?!!

I can prove my ties to the UK with employment details, etc., but I'm wondering whether I should supply anything else - or if any of you lovely people have any advice for me. I'm suppose to be going back to see him in October, so I'd really appreciate your help!!!

[Pitaya 2,576]

~Moved from Introducing our Members to K1 Process Forum~

~Inquiry about K1 visa and visiting~

(organizer hat off)

Welcome to the forum.

You asked a very good and actually one that is asked by many folks. For more info, check out the pinned thread at the top of this K-1 forum page, Yes You Can Visit.

Good luck on your visa journey.

[Cody and Daisy 373]

You don't need to visit tens of times to prove your relationship for a k1.

I only saw my husband three times in total each a weeks visit and I was approved and now I'm happily married and living with him.

You can still visit with Esta, just bring any ties you have to the uk that could help, notice from your job stating when you are returning to work, bills, your house/flat agreement that shows you still live there.

But at the end of the day it just depends on the Poe officer who decides if you can enter the us or not.

It's a gamble everyone faces.

Just be honest, being anything you have just in case.

The uk isn't a high fraud country, I had never shown anything to tie me back to the uk apart from my return flight ticket.

You have visited a lot this year, so if I were you is cut back a bit on that. I know it's tough not seeing each other but going so often will make them question it, having 7 weeks holiday a year isn't normal.

Like I said though, bring ties to the uk, even if you get denied at Poe it won't affect the k1 application.

[Ontarkie 13,883]

~~Duplicate threads merged. Please do not make multiple threads for the same or similar topic.~~

[wbeem 567]

Banjomonkey, we are in a similar situation. It is simply not cost effective to buy airline tickets from the USA to here when it can be done the other way around. My latest ESTA expired a month ago and I will need to apply for a new one to visit the US in October/December. Yesterday we sent an online query to the US Embassy in London via their website, posing the same question you did. The gist of the query was:

Can I apply for a new ESTA while the K1 is being processed?

Will this have any impact on the K1 application?

What proof of ties are recommended, if required? (I will be taking these regardless, but it's always good to hear it directly from the source).

They responded to a previous query submitted in this manner within a few days, so as soon as they respond, I will share the information with you.

[lindajosh 5]

absolutely you can visit, just buy a return ticket and be smart. i visited a month ans while i was with him we received the approval letter for our i-129f noa2. so YES YOU CAN VISIT AND PLEASE DO. I thought i couldn't for 8 months and if i knew earlier that i could i would have saved myself soooo much heartache. so please visit!!

and YES you can apply for a new ESTA. no problem. just come with proof to the border that you are going back if they do ask, which in my cause they didn't ask for any of my 20 page proof of return to sweden.

[lindajosh 5]

nothing is required but maybe recommended: flight ticket back, letter of employer/teacher that you have ties to go back to Etc. don't worry!! Just go !

[Anna Grant 169]

Banjomonkey, we are in a similar situation. It is simply not cost effective to buy airline tickets from the USA to here when it can be done the other way around. My latest ESTA expired a month ago and I will need to apply for a new one to visit the US in October/December. Yesterday we sent an online query to the US Embassy in London via their website, posing the same question you did. The gist of the query was:

Can I apply for a new ESTA while the K1 is being processed?

Will this have any impact on the K1 application?

What proof of ties are recommended, if required? (I will be taking these regardless, but it's always good to hear it directly from the source).

They responded to a previous query submitted in this manner within a few days, so as soon as they respond, I will share the information with you.

We applied for the K1 in July 2012. I needed a new ESTA in October 2012 as I had to renew my passport. The ESTA was approved instantly as before.

Take plenty of ties to show you need to return to the UK (well, it may be the UK for the next week :-)).

I visited the US about 6 times in just over 15 months - the shortest time for 6 days - the longest time for 90 days. I only ever needed to show my return ticket once - I never had to show anything else.

[REHollier0626 4]

Hi Ross here from the UK end of our K1.

I am in a very similar situation as i get about 7 weeks holiday/vacation time a year due to my job.

I am slightly different to you as instead of a lot of short trips i tend to stay in the USA for two to three weeks at a time.

The upcoming trip i am planning to spend approximately 6 weeks in the USA in the run up to christmas.

At present i have yet to need any ties to the UK except my return ticket, however after reading the forums here I am more inclined to take paperwork to show my ties this time round.

As others have said the UK is not deemed a high risk fraud country so i don't envisage any issues, but it will put me at ease knowing i have the paperwork in my pocket.

I think it boils down to, if you are worried that they may deny you entry due to your frequent trips then take some kind of proof of ties so they can beyond doubt be certain that you are returning.

Good Luck to all in the process your in we hope it all goes well for you.

[wbeem 567]

Thank you to everyone here who has posted personal experiences. It sounds like it won't be a problem for a short trip then. My concern was related to applying for a new ESTA (as opposed to making further trips on an existing one), however that does not appear to be an issue.

[Banjomonkey 0]

Phew! Thank you for all your help, guys! I have been stressing out about it SO much. I'm flying via Dublin, so I'll do preclearance there and hope they're ok with me. You all have helped me stop panicking - so thanks again! Xxx

[enis 0]

Phew! Thank you for all your help, guys! I have been stressing out about it SO much. I'm flying via Dublin, so I'll do preclearance there and hope they're ok with me. You all have helped me stop panicking - so thanks again! Xxx

So at the end was it all good for you? I am also now thinking about going to the US from the UK with an ESTA for my Hungarian passport, while waiting for NOA2 and K1 Visa for my Romanian passport.

I hope double citizenship will be fine with them, too!

[Banjomonkey 0]

Enis - I'm sure that would be no problem, so long as your ESTA has been approved!

[Shannenwvd 0]

Hi everyone,

I hope this thread is still active. I am English, engaged to an American and we have a 3 month old son. I'm still waiting for my NAO2 (it's been 2 and a half months). I'm thinking of taking my son to the states to see his daddy, nana and aunt. I know you can travel but I have a few issues.

First, I'm still on maternity leave (until December) so I can't get a letter from work. I am the chair person of a (mostly family-run) charity, so I can get a letter from them saying I need to return.

I live with my grandparents so the only bills I have is my phone bill, car insurance and tax but my car tax and insurance run out in October.

My son might have medical appointments so I can take those letters but can anyone think/or knows anything else I can take?

Also, last time I went I was pregnant (and had baby brain) so I overstayed my visa by one day.

My fiancé was deployed and missed most of my pregnancy, he's only seen our some for 2 weeks of his life. I am desperate for them to see each other again. Can anyone please offer advice?

Edited August 5, 2016 by Shannenwvd

[MacUK 983]

Hi everyone,

I hope this thread is still active. I am English, engaged to an American and we have a 3 month old son. I'm still waiting for my NAO2 (it's been 2 and a half months). I'm thinking of taking my son to the states to see his daddy, nana and aunt. I know you can travel but I have a few issues.

First, I'm still on maternity leave (until December) so I can't get a letter from work. I am the chair person of a (mostly family-run) charity, so I can get a letter from them saying I need to return.

I live with my grandparents so the only bills I have is my phone bill, car insurance and tax but my car tax and insurance run out in October.

My son might have medical appointments so I can take those letters but can anyone think/or knows anything else I can take?

Also, last time I went I was pregnant (and had baby brain) so I overstayed my visa by one day.

My fiancé was deployed and missed most of my pregnancy, he's only seen our some for 2 weeks of his life. I am desperate for them to see each other again. Can anyone please offer advice?

You overstayed your VWP 90 day allowance?

Unfortunately that means you can never use VWP again. You're not barred from the US as it was only by a day but to travel there again you will need to get a B2 tourist visa.

They may be lenient with you as it sounds like an honest mistake.

VWP is a privilege that is very easily lost.