Visiting during pending K-1 from a VWP country

[Meg112 0]

My fiance is French, and since they are part of the VWP, he doesn't need a tourist visa to come visit me. I am about to file the I-129F petition and he is planning on visiting within the next month or two. I've been told he shouldn't have a problem visiting but also that he could be denied at the POE. Does anyone have any experience w/ this?

[~Laura and Nick~ 5]

Hi and welcome

This is a FAQ. Yes, he can visit you if he shows strong ties to France. Such as a letter from his employer stating he's returning back to work, bank statements, property he owns and is still paying for, etc. etc.

Ties that show he's planning on returning home.

If he has this evidence he should have no problem but there could be the chance that the officer denies him simply because now that you have filed for a K1, he has intent to stay in the U.S.

Just make sure he brings the evidence and he should have no problem.

Best of luck to you

Edited January 15, 2008 by ~Laura and Nick~

[Converse34 1]

My husband came to visit me while his K1 was in process. No problems - best to have strong ties with you in case you arouse suspicion, but they let most people through without question if they say they are on holiday visiting friends/family. He purposely did not mention gf or fiancee.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

My fiance will be visiting soon on a VWP for 80 days. She wants to answer everything very upfront, but on the first round of questions I'm trying to convince her to be less then open whilst being 100% accurate. When they ask her what the reason she is visiting is she wants to openly admit that she's meeting me her fiance.

I've suggested to her that she first says that she is meeting with friends that she met at Uni. Then if they ask for more details then say our relation when describing me as one of her many friends in the USA.

The likelyhood is that when she says friends (multi) they'll probably move on. She's also traveling with parents for the first couple weeks. I warned her that if she's upfront she'll be pretty much guaranteed to be taken to an interrogation room.

[Ralph and Joanna 0]

My situation is a little different: My country still needs tourist visa and i applied for one after we were engaged and knew we will go for K-1 process; but didnt want to separate for so long. So I entered US on tourist visa and soon after that my fiancee filled I-129F.

Entering on tourist visa I've just said I am visiting a friend, didn't say that friend is my fiancee, the officer was suspicious anyways when I say I want to stay 4 months, seemed like he didn't belive I am not gonna work,I feel like if I said I have fiancee in US would be even worst and he wouldn't belive I am gonna go through K-1 process and go back t my country to get this visa. That is my experience, but depends on officer and unfortunetly I like I feel what country You from ( they more suspicious for aliens from countries have a high rate of illigal immigration)

My fiance is French, and since they are part of the VWP, he doesn't need a tourist visa to come visit me. I am about to file the I-129F petition and he is planning on visiting within the next month or two. I've been told he shouldn't have a problem visiting but also that he could be denied at the POE. Does anyone have any experience w/ this?

[Jeraly 4]

Yeah - bring strong ties - I am about to take my chances next month but am going to bring a letter from my employer, rental agreement and NOA1/2 to show I am going through the legal procedures The other main point is to not offer any information that is not specifically asked for and answer all questions honestly

[missing.my2angels 0]

Yeah - bring strong ties - I am about to take my chances next month but am going to bring a letter from my employer, rental agreement and NOA1/2 to show I am going through the legal procedures The other main point is to not offer any information that is not specifically asked for and answer all questions honestly

MMM I wonder what crazy fool give you them instructions hehehe. As for the receipt we just wrote something up on the computer showing that I confirm that >>>> has paid x amount in rent znd is now paid up to whenever. Both sign it and then you are sorted

[Jeraly 4]

Cool - I'll try and get something that looks formal and impressive and see how that fares

[KimandRuss 0]

It is very important to be honest...without offering more than what they ask. If he brings enough eveidence to ties at home he shouldnt have a problem but it is at the discretion of the poe officer who has the power to deny him entry. Good luck to you!

My fiance was denied entry but it was after several visits to the u.s. on the VWP. He can no longer use it to travel here.

[KimandRuss 0]

My fiance will be visiting soon on a VWP for 80 days. She wants to answer everything very upfront, but on the first round of questions I'm trying to convince her to be less then open whilst being 100% accurate. When they ask her what the reason she is visiting is she wants to openly admit that she's meeting me her fiance.

I've suggested to her that she first says that she is meeting with friends that she met at Uni. Then if they ask for more details then say our relation when describing me as one of her many friends in the USA.

The likelyhood is that when she says friends (multi) they'll probably move on. She's also traveling with parents for the first couple weeks. I warned her that if she's upfront she'll be pretty much guaranteed to be taken to an interrogation room.

If you've already filed for the K1 they may already have it in their system so to say that she is here in the states visiting friends and not her fiance may actually set off a red light for them. It would for me.

I think they understand the process is long and that you want to see each other. But it is their job to keep an eye out for fraud and illegal immigration so not being honest with them would not be wise, IMO.

Best of luck to you both!

[Jeraly 4]

I'm going to phrase it that I am visiting my boyfriend for Valentine's day It's kinda true and I always refer to Jeremy as my boyfriend rather than fiance anyway - I feel like it sounds a bit pretentious sometimes If they have any questions then they can ask them and I will answer them honestly and hope they let me in... *nervous still*

[gwenneh 7]

When we went through the K-1, my then-fiance visited me three times without a problem. On the last time, he was asked to show ties to the UK, which he had (because we knew about it beforehand) in the form of a tenancy agreement and bank statements.

While we've had some nervous flights dreading whether or not he'd get in, we've never had a problem, either through the K-1 or the CR-1 process.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

My impression was that the databases were not tied together. ie. the I/O has no clue if you have a pending k1

[a-jeanne 2]

As I came in to LA from Figi - I asked the Immigration Officer after he scanned my passport if he can see that I'm going through a K-1 visa and he said "no". I was curious.

[Jeraly 4]

Kewlies - I didn't think they tied those two together but it is nice to have that confirmation