Jump to content
tachi88

Boyfriend come visit me in USA for Christmas? B-2 visa...

 Share

52 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Filed: K-1 Visa Country: United Kingdom
Timeline

Thank you HFM181818, no fake docs, CO did ask is she ur Gf witch i answered no

Do You think if this comes up, I should honestly explain what happened?

I intend to have my fiancé present for the interview, does this help?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Timeline

the first CO obviously saw through the 'friend' 'strategy'...now, you might have to explain the miraculous transition from friend to fiancé that took place...probably it won't matter too much, but all you did was improve the CO's judgment in the future when he or she asks the next applicant who they are visiting, hear 'friend' ,but are much more sensitive to the body and facial expressions that gave away the show.


It is usually helpful to have the USC present during a K1 interview...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember, the CO must be convinced that the applicant will RETURN as promised, and is not concerned (for the most part) about why the applicant wants to GO to the US...time of year means nothing...but a lot of would-be applicants believe otherwise....no doubt, some newer COs caved when they should not have...the standards for overcoming immigrant intent remain the same year round....some of the worst cases I ever dealt with took place during the holiday season, with applicants hoping for a soft touch...I saw all sorts of nonsense being tried before Xmas or New Year's....

bottom line: be truthful, do not try to be more clever than the CO....especially now, with heightened security thanks to all of the recent issues in Europe....a CO can never be taken to task for saying 'no.'

Good thing I mentioned the return ticket then before you said this! :luv:

As for the holiday thing, I have heard differently from others who have worked in airport security and customs as opposed to at a consulate, but I guess everyone's experiences are different.

~*INTENT IS DETERMINED AT POE*~

 

Forever wishing for an eye-roll reaction.

 

 

K-1 Visa~
9/28/2015 - I-129f Packet Mailed to Texas Lockbox
10/1/2015 - NOA 1 Email - I-129f sent to California Service Center
10/8/2015 - NOA 1 Hard Copy
10/27/2015 - NOA 2
11/21/2015 - Packet 3 Received
1/08/2916 - Medical! Lots of jabs >.>
2/23/2016 - APPROVED!
6/20/2016 - POE
7/29/2016 - Married ❤️

~*Approval 146 Days from NOA1*~


AOS ~
9/9/2016 - AOS/AP/EAD packet mailed to Chicago Lockbox
9/11/2016 - Delivered to Chicago Lockbox
9/20/2016 - Received Text/Email NOA1
9/23/2016 - Hard Copy NOA1s
10/12/2016 - Biometrics Appointment
11/04/2016 - AP Status "Approved" EAD "Date of Birth Updated"
11/18/2016 - Received EAD/AP Combo Card!
12/23/2016 - Received Green Card

~*Green Card 95 Days from NOA1*~

 

ROC~

10/12/2018 - Mailed ROC Packet

11/8/2018 - NOA-1 

7/5/2019 - Biometrics

~*STILL WAITING 607+ Days since NOA*~

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Timeline

Thanks! This has really helped me figure out what to do and hopefully for others as well.

He does still have the round trip ticket...whether is helps or hurts, that's the ticket he's got. Didn't really know that would be considered a potential hit against! :(

But luckily we can use that ticket at a later date so at least it wasn't a total waste of money if it doesn't work out this time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree, but some consuls outright deny applicants wrongfully. In Trinidad at the US Embassy Port of Spain some years back this was a huge problem. Discrimination, wrongful denials. I know one guy who got denied wrongfully since his job was sending him on a job reward on a cruise. Two weeks later he tried back and got it. They rotate consuls every three years. Some of those consuls got sent quite Iraq and Saudi Arabia. They are trained to understand what good visa clients are in terms of Salaries, job profession to name a few. Each country is different. Read the daily newspapers articles on denials for example. Here for example, http://www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=4179 http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,102712.html

HFM181818
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Timeline

and your assessment of 'wrongful denials' is based on your direct observation of how many interviews? You would not know a wrongful decision from a pile of road apples. Please enlighten all of us with your 'vast' knowledge of consular skills and abilities, your considerable experience interviewing applicants and your in-depth understanding of US immigration law.

Many applicants make a mess of their interviews the first time, without even knowing how they failed. You mention one case, in which a person was denied, but later received a visa...just because some employee wins a trip or is asked to attend some business meetings does not, repeat, does NOT overcome the presumption of immigrant intent....were you present at his first interview? (no)...so how do you KNOW what took place....did he return from his trip or is he still in the US???...how many people who were issued visas failed to return to Trinidad? Or will you claim that everyone of them came back, because you met each and every one of them at the airport?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like you're on the right path here. We had the same issue (lots of people do) but knew that it was better to be forthright-- that the "friend" claim is pretty transparent, that it could make it then look like the K1 is a scam (maybe) and on top of it I've known many COs over the years, and on checking with some of them, they said exactly what HFM is saying AND went further in saying that sometimes they believed people when they said "visiting my girlfriend, but plan to return because XYZ". Sometimes, you just have gut instincts about people, or they give you no reason to doubt their credibility etc and hope for the best. If someone starts out the interview with an obvious lie...you're not giving them any benefit of the doubt.

Our own story ended with not even making it to the B2 visa interview (a matter of bad timing and logistics) and by the time the interview was rescheduled, we were ready for the K1. That's just us though. we'll never know if he'd have gotten it, and I do wish that we'd been able to go that route, but whatever. Our life is fine. No regrets.

RE: his past tourist visa.... I was under the very strong impression that they are good for multiple entries, 6 months at a time for 10 years (which is one reason why they're hard to get-- anyone could get into a relationship serious enough to warrant their girlfriend supporting/lobbying for a visit and then change their minds/ it was a scam the whole time but be able to come and go for 10 years, working etc the whole time). You may want to check on his tourist visa. Could still be good for all you know.

Marriage/ AOS Timeline:

23 Dec 2015: Legal marriage

23 Jan 2016: Wedding!

23 Jan 2016: "Blizzard of the Century", wedding canceled/rescheduled (thank goodness we were legally married first or we'd have had a big problem!) :sleepy:

24 Jan 2016: Small "civil ceremony" with friends and family who were snowed in with us. December was a bit of a secret and people had traveled internationally and knew we *had* to get married that weekend, and our December legal marriage was nothing but signing a piece of paper at our priest's kitchen table, without any sort of vows etc so this was actually a very special (if not legally significant) day. (L)

16 Apr 2016: Filed for AOS and EAD/AP (We delayed a bit-- no big rush, enjoying the USCIS break)

23 Apr 2016: Wedding! Finally! :luv:

27 Apr 2016: Electronic NOA1 for all 3 :dancing:
29 Apr 2016: NOA1 Hardcopy for all 3
29 Jul 2016: Online service request for late EAD (Day 104)
29 Jul 2016: EAD/AP Approved ~3 hours after online service request
04 Aug 2016: RFE for Green Card (requested medicals/ vaccination record. They already have it). :ranting:
05 Aug 2016: EAD/AP Combo Card arrived! (Day 111)
08 Aug 2016: Congressional constituent request to get guidance on the RFE. Hoping they see they have the form and approve!

K-1 Visa Timeline:

PLEASE NOTE. This timeline was during the period of time when TSC was working on I-129fs and had a huge backlog. The average processing time was 210+ days. This is in no way predictive of your own timeline if you filed during or after April 2015, unless CSC develops a backlog. A backlog is anything above the 5-month goal time listed on USCIS's site

14 Feb 2015: Mailed I-129f to Dallas Lockbox. (L) (Most expensive Valentine's card I've ever sent!)

17 Feb 2015: NOA1 "Received Date"
19 Feb 2015: NOA1 Notice Date
08 Aug 2015: NOA2 email! :luv: (173 days from NOA1)

17 Aug 2015: Sent to NVC

?? Aug 2015: Arrived at NVC

25 Aug 2015: NVC Case # Assigned

31 Aug 2015: Left NVC for Consulate in San Jose

09 Sep 2015: Consulate received :dancing: (32 days from NOA2)

11 Sep 2015: Packet 3 emailed from embassy to me, the petitioner (34 days from NOA2).

18 Sep 2015: Medicals complete

21 Sep 2015: Packet 3 complete, my boss puts a temporary moratorium on all time off due to work emergency :clock:

02 Oct 2015: Work emergency clears up, interview scheduled (soonest available was 5 business days away--Columbus Day was in there)

13 Oct 2015: Interview

13 Oct 2015: VISA APPROVED :thumbs: (236 days from NOA1)

19 Oct 2015: Visa-in-hand

24 Oct 2015: POE !

15 Dec 2015: Fiance's mother's B-2 visa interview: APPROVED! So happy she will be at the wedding! :thumbs:

!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks, some of the best advice that all of us could follow is to heed HFM181818 and everything that he says. It's a true boon to have a retired CO on this site, willing to offer accurate, real-world insights about issues that the rest of us could otherwise only guess at.

The consulates, and CBP, thrive on the truth. Withholding or obfuscating information leads only to a spiraling situation of trying to remember what (and how much) you said to whom and when. It can become a miserable scene quite rapidly.

Remember that some people's "delivery styles" are more direct than others'. In the current situation, view this as intensity in wanting to help all of us out.

I agree that honesty is the best policy, but such delivery style seems more like bullying than wanting to help out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

B2 visas arent generally one time use. Get him to check it.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There were a lot of replies here. Honestly I didn't read them all, and I'm not an expert but... I can tell you about our experience.

When my husband and I were dating he came to the US once for 2 weeks and told the officer he was coming to meet me (romantic interest) for the first time. He was pulled aside and questioned extensively but eventually between his job of 34 years and his ownership of a home they let him stay for his 2 week visit.

At the time I was clueless and had no idea why he was so extensively questioned.

A year later he came back and went through the extensive questioning again. But this time they asked "are you planning on marrying her?" he answered "I hope so. Eventually." and that was that. No entry.

I understand the reasons now. I was just woefully ignorant of the whole international travel/immigration business. The important thing is that he was completely honest about everything they asked and didn't try to argue or backtrack about anything.

At the time I was very disappointed that he was denied entry. But I found out it could have been SO MUCH WORSE! He was not banned, or anything else that might have happened. He did get a stamp on his passport and a mark on his record saying he's not allowed to enter the US on the Visa Waver Program again so we need a visa. But we were told that this mark on his record won't affect his ability to get an immigrant visa (though a non-immigrant visa is probably just a "nope").

If he had lied, it's possible he could have been banned and had a permanent blotch on his us immigration record. We were uneducated, but eventually we will have our happily ever after! :)

The moral of the story 1. always tell the truth (don't even bend it a little!) 2. Never tell anything but the truth.

Married in Barbados: June 10 2015

***USCIS***

Jul 20 2015: Lawyer Mailed I-130 Packet to Chicago lockbox

Aug 7 2015: I-130 NOA1 (California!!!)

Nov 17 2015: I-130 approved (102 days since NOA1)

***NVC***

Nov 25 2015: NVC received our file

Dec 11 2015: NVC case # assigned

Dec 14 2015: AOS & IV billed (same time as we have lawyer)

Dec 14 2015: Received email with case number and invoice number

Dec 15 2015: Paid AOS & IV Fees

Dec 20 2015: Fees show as "paid".

Dec 20 2015: Email expedite request (financial & medical)

Dec 31 2015: Email from NVC. EXPEDITE APPROVED!

Jan 8 2016: Mailed AOS & IV packets

Jan 11 2016: Packets delivered to NVC & marked "in transit" to consulate!

Jan 12 2016: CEAC status "READY"!

Jan 14 2016: DHL tracking shows file" delivered"

Jan 16 2016: Appointment letter (pkt4) Feb 16!!!

Feb 9 2016: Medical

Feb 16 2016: Interview/Approved!!!!

Feb 17 2016: Issued!

Feb 29 2016: POE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Together! <3

************

ROC

Feb 22 2018: ROC packet sent

Feb 26 2018: USPS confirmed delivery

Mar 10 2018: NOA1 dated March 6 2018

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When it boils down to it, whether you tell the truth or not, it is up to the officer to believe you. I've seen what happens when people don't tell the truth and then wonder why they were sent on the next plane home, and what happens to people who do tell the truth but failed to convince. The burden of proof seems to be on if whether the officer believes that you are going to return home. I think many of us have experienced the fear that our loved ones will be denied by admitting the truth - that they are visiting someone they love here. Every time my husband (first friend, then boyfriend, then fiancé) came to visit me that anxiety would weigh on me. But he was always honest, even when he was grilled. That anxiety was worse, because of my own personal experiences with IOs in the UK, but in the end it turned out to be nothing to worry about. No matter what our status was relationship wise, no matter if he was or wasn't employed, or even if he was a student mattered little... all you can do is state your case and provide your proof. In some regard I do feel it is a tiny bit unfair, afterall, how does one prove to 100% satisfaction that you won't overstay when you visit a loved one? It may put a great deal of anxiety on someone that no matter what they say won't be good enough. I would assume the burden of proof will be higher on people from fraud countries.

Always tell the truth though, you'll be better off for it.

Our Journey Timeline  - Immigration and the Health Exchange Price of Love in the UK Thinking of Returning to UK?

 

First met: 12/31/04 - Engaged: 9/24/09
Filed I-129F: 10/4/14 - Packet received: 10/7/14
NOA 1 email + ARN assigned: 10/10/14 (hard copy 10/17/14)
Touched on website (fixed?): 12/9/14 - Poked USCIS: 4/1/15
NOA 2 email: 5/4/15 (hard copy 5/11/15)
Sent to NVC: 5/8/15 - NVC received + #'s assigned: 5/15/15 (estimated)
NVC sent: 5/19/15 - London received/ready: 5/26/15
Packet 3: 5/28/15 - Medical: 6/16/15
Poked London 7/1/15 - Packet 4: 7/2/15
Interview: 7/30/15 - Approved!
AP + Issued 8/3/15 - Visa in hand (depot): 8/6/15
POE: 8/27/15

Wedding: 9/30/15

Filed I-485, I-131, I-765: 11/7/15

Packet received: 11/9/15

NOA 1 txt/email: 11/15/15 - NOA 1 hardcopy: 11/19/15

Bio: 12/9/15

EAD + AP approved: 1/25/16 - EAD received: 2/1/16

RFE for USCIS inability to read vax instructions: 5/21/16 (no e-notification & not sent from local office!)

RFE response sent: 6/7/16 - RFE response received 6/9/16

AOS approved/card in production: 6/13/16  

NOA 2 hardcopy + card sent 6/17/16

Green Card received: 6/18/16

USCIS 120 day reminder notice: 2/22/18

Filed I-751: 5/2/18 - Packet received: 5/4/18

NOA 1:  5/29/18 (12 mo ext) 8/13/18 (18 mo ext)  - Bio: 6/27/18

Transferred: Potomac Service Center 3/26/19

Approved/New Card Produced status: 4/25/19 - NOA2 hardcopy 4/29/19

10yr Green Card Received: 5/2/19 with error >_<

N400 : 7/16/23 - Oath : 10/19/23

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Jordan
Timeline

DO NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE ABOUT TELLING THEM HE IS VISITING HIS GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Other members who say that are giving you bad advice. Simply let him say he is visiting for business or tourism or if he has any other relatives, put their address or male friend. If they know he will be visiting his girlfriend they will promptly deny. That means weak ties and he might me going to get married in their eyes. Do not do it. If he has to be honest with them, best he save his money and you can apply for a fiance visa for him.

I have my sister, brother and mother living in the USA AND GOT Denied 5 times being very honest. I am now in the process of getting my green card waiting to be interviewed.

Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. US law places the burden on nonimmigrant visa applicants (except for H-1B and L-1s) to show that they are not intending immigrants. Nonimmigrant visitor visa applicants (B) must show that they have a foreign residence that they have no intention of abandoning and are visiting the US temporarily for business or pleasure.

You are a US citizen in love and in a relationship. The consular officer would quickly deny and put that on his rejection notes and he will always be rejected after that.

Good luck.

you have no clue, usIng a visitor visa for business is 100% PROHIBTED


Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand you're here to help HFM181818 - however perhaps your method of writing also leaves something to desire. Perhaps typing in a more professional manner, using proper punctuation, complete sentences, and paragraphs, may endear you to our fellow forum members.

Of course I understand that you may not particularly care if people can read what you're writing; by all means continue on as you have if that's the case.

In my opinion, which I'm sure counts for moot but is given anyhow, it's hard to take you seriously as a "retired CO" when you type in the manner that you do. Also, you're belittling people, which is actually against the TOS regardless whether some of the mods want to take action against it or not. In this forum you cannot call people names or take away their enjoyment of the forums.

Edited by NLR

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Lift. Cond. (apr) Country: China
Timeline

~Four posts removed for Terms of Service (TOS) violations and quoting/referencing removed posts~

~Post constructively, or do NOT post~
TOS violated:
  • Publish, post, upload, distribute, disseminate or offer to disseminate any inappropriate, offensive, defamatory, infringing, obscene or unlawful/illegal material, information or content.
  • Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, harass, insult, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.
~Everyone is strongly encouraged to read and heed the VJ TOS. Further TOS violations will result in administrative actions for all involved parties.~
PItaya
VJ Moderation
Edited by Pitaya

Completed: K1/K2 (271 days) - AOS/EAD/AP (134 days) - ROC (279 days)

"Si vis amari, ama" - Seneca

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...