Can husband enter on VWP?

[Nicole Chris 0]

My husband is a Greek citizen and wants to visit me here in the USA on VWP/ESTA. We have not applied for I-130/K-3 visa, as of yet. Well he have any problems entering the USA since he is visiting his US wife? How will the Border Customs know that we are married if we wed in Greece, not in the USA? He plans on visiting for under the 90 days allowed and has no intentions on staying. What "proof" would hold good weight that he has full intentions on returning home? Any information would be very appreciated. Thank you.

[Ryan H 3,812]

CBP will not know that you two are married unless they specifically ask your husband if he is married to a US Citizen (in which case he must truthfully answer).

Examples of evidence he can carry with him (in addition to a return ticket) in case it is asked for include but not limited to: letter of employment, apartment lease or home ownership deed, any family ties he may have in Greece.

FYI: The visa your husband will ultimately apply for as a result of you filing the I-130 petition is a CR-1.

[Sheri R 0]

My husband is a Greek citizen and wants to visit me here in the USA on VWP/ESTA. We have not applied for I-130/K-3 visa, as of yet. Well he have any problems entering the USA since he is visiting his US wife? How will the Border Customs know that we are married if we wed in Greece, not in the USA? He plans on visiting for under the 90 days allowed and has no intentions on staying. What "proof" would hold good weight that he has full intentions on returning home? Any information would be very appreciated. Thank you.

I had a friend whose fiance was from Brazil. when she came through customs for a visit, she revealed that she had an American fiance. they denied her entry and told her if she wanted to come back she had to get a proper K1 visa. My advise is that he comes in on vwp as a tourist. Just be sure he has a round trip ticket, has enough money to not have to work while here, and plans to just holiday here. Of course he shouldn't lie but he shouldn't offer up this information unless they ask., which they likely won't. They also won't have any idea that he is married to an American citizen either.

[Noah Lot 391]

and if they ask who he plans to visit, does he respond with the ever popular..'family friend..?'

[Nicole Chris 0]

Wow!! Thank you all of my VisaJourney friends for your promptness and taking the time to help. This information has been very helpful.

[jaycali 415]

I visited my wife before on VWP without any trouble. (We'd gotten married in the US, and I subsequently left the US)

The conversation with the CBP officer went like this:

CBP: "Good evening, what will you be doing in the US?"

me: I got a month off work, so I'm here for a 3 week vacation.

CBP: "Friends? Family?"

me: Wife actually, we're going on a road trip, then back to Norway.

CBP: "Wife, huh? Where is she now?"

me: She's been working here this summer (She had just finished her summer internship), I'm meeting up with her in the arrivals hall!

CBP: "Alright *STAMP*, enjoy your stay. NEXT!"

I don't know if he fully understood that my wife was a US citizen, but he never asked. She was coming to Norway with me after the trip, and she HAD been working in the US in the summer.. So.. That's what I told him. Had he asked if she was American, I would have for sure said yes, and probably faced some more questions, but overall it's probably the smoothest entry I've ever had. This was at Washington Dulles.

Good luck to you!

P.S. A good piece of advice, what your husband PACKS can be a deciding factor in whether he's allowed entry or not. I knew people who've come to the US, and brought into secondary, only to be rejected based on their luggage.. One thing the CBP like to do (and rightfully so if in doubt) is go through your bags. If you say you're visiting, and you bring a resume, 5 photo albums, your cat and a book totled "How to find jobs in America" it doesn't matter how good your story is, you'll be on the next flight home. Likewise, if you say you're staying for a week, and they check your bags to make things clearer and all you have are 7 pairs of underwear, 4 shirts, two jeans and a camera, you'll probably be cleared without any further questions. Moral: if he's visiting, make sure he packs accordingly.

[jaycali 415]

Just to add: I actuallly spoke to an immigraion attorney before I left. He advised me not to go because i'd for sure have "a difficult time getting through CBP." He also said that if I did want to gamble my money and go anyway, I should stock up on evidence that I was returning to my country. At that time I had a signed work contract for my new job starting a month later, and I would have told him honestly that we did intend to file I-130 at a later point in time, but that filing back then was out of the question due to my job, and her lack thereof.