Travelling to see Fiance during K1 VISA PROCESS!

[Oliverpb 2]

When my fiancee comes to the US she tells them she is just here to visit her fiance and shows them her ticket home, they just ask a few questions and she goes through with out an issue. She has come and gone 3 times already. Once before the K1 and 2 times after. Just be honest, but you dont have to tell your life story.

[Kelly C 16]

as in banned from coming back to the USA? so say if i said i was coming to see friends, got pulled for secondary screening, they asked about the visa and i told the truth about filing. would i then be banned because i didn't mention the visa? because haven't people been denied entering before for not telling the truth but weren't banned? i would not be happy if i got turned away, but i don't think i would even risk it if it's possible i could be banned...

Tell the truth! Its that simple. You will not get any reputable answer on VJ, that says different.

[theCook 0]

I just visited My Fiancee and told them upfront and honest....I had my noa1 etc and other documents to prove I had ties in UK ....but only wanted To see Noa1....so no issues just few more questions thats all

[Kazulie 132]

thanks for the reply, we also filed in December. we are just very worried because i feel like if i say i am going to see my fiance, they are going to look at the past visits where i said friends and deny me. then again if i say friends, what if they can see the K-1 visa and deny me for that? kind of tempted to just cancel the tickets and wait until she is done with school to have her come visit me. please keep me updated on how his POE goes! x

Why can't it be that.....you met your fiancé the last time you were here "visiting friends". And since your last visit ( as long as it was before December when you filed) you asked her to marry you and now you have a fiancé. Life changes. I think you are making a bigger deal about that one part of this than the border control will.

[orangedesk 27]

I just visited My Fiancee and told them upfront and honest....I had my noa1 etc and other documents to prove I had ties in UK ....but only wanted To see Noa1....so no issues just few more questions thats all

My response is a two parter, haha.

To the posting above that I'm quoting and said they just visited their fiancee - how long were you staying for. Did you say fiancee right away or did you say vacation? My guy's plan is to say "vacation to visit my fiancee."

To the OP, I definitely think you're worrying a bit about the past visits compared to the current visit. My guy said he was visiting friends the first time he came here. Actually, he said the conversation went like this:

Customs: Purpose for visit? Business or Pleasure?

My guy: Pleasure

Customs: OK, you visiting friends or something?

My guy: Yep.

Customs: And what do you do for work in the UK?

My guy: Work in a warehouse, just got licensed as a truck driver.

Customs: OK, great, enjoy your stay *stamp stamp*

I think the fact that someone said they were visiting friends before and NOW visiting a fiancee is fine. Customs isn't going to ask questions about who the person was you visited before, it's a very good chance that someone could be a friend and now a fiancee as is the normal course of relationships. I think since you've filed for a K1 now you should definitely say fiancee.

Good luck and I can't wait to hopefully share the good news of a drama-free visit on Wednesday night haha

[Martin_Jana 0]

thanks everyone for the replies. I wasn't overly worried about it until being banned got mentioned, then that kind of made me second guess the trip and all my other trips before. i am glad to hear people have been able to get through pretty easily, i will have my fiance mail me the NOA1 ASAP do you need to show the original though or will a copy be ok?

[K&E2009 71]

I am currently on my SECOND Visa Waiver visit to the States while waiting for the K-1.

First time, I was asked business or pleasure. I replied; 'Pure pleasure'. No problem.

Second time, I was asked who I was visiting. I replied; 'My fianceé, she lives over there'. No problem.

Was never asked anything other than the above. Was never asked for proof of anything (even though I did bring our entire copy of the I-129f and NOA2 with me, just in case!)

Moral of the story; Answer their questions truthfully and you will have NO PROBLEMS!

[bigdog 377]

I would not lie, you have a K1 pending, have her visit you. Keep it straight and legal.

[LSnBigBear 61]

how would i be banned? if i get turned away i don't think i will get a ban from coming back, just a ban from using the VWP....

the whole reason i started this thread was to get FIRST HAND experience of someone not mentioning they were going to see their fiance, and if the officer KNEW they filed the K-1 visa, or if they just didn't mention it...

i am NOT coming there on a tourist visa

i have NOT told them i filed for the K-1 or that i even have a girlfriend there

all i want to know is if the border control officers can see on their little passport info screens that i have filed for K-1? does it show up VERY clearly right there, or would they have to search for it or put in a request blah blah. i really don't feel like straight out announcing i am going to see my fiance, since i mentioned before i have never said that before. so i think my best bet would be to just say friends again...somehow i think i will have a way bigger chance than saying yes i've been coming here for 2 years to visit my friends now i am coming to see my fiance.

so again, my question is this.

CAN the border control officers see that we have filed for K-1 visa? I know someone said that they do know about it, but does anyone have any EXPERIENCE with going there and being denied because they did not mention it?

and no more rude replies please...thanks.

From a basis of 3 years ago I understand the boarder patrol did not have access to your Visa filing as long as your requirements are met upon entry. This may have changed in 3 years so don't quote me. What I would do is request permission ahead of time. There is no rule that one cannot see their fiancee if they are in the country legally. However, I am attaching some guidelines you will want to follow.

As others mentioned... Be Honest is the best as you only get one chance at this if you falsify anything....

http://www.visapro.com/Immigration-Articles/?a=1252&z=36

[orangedesk 27]

do you need to show the original though or will a copy be ok?

I think a copy will be fine - I'm the petitioner so I'm keeping all of the original copies. I just made a physical photocopy of the document and gave it to my fiance. You could even have your fiancee take a picture of it with her phone and then email it to you so you could print it. My guess is that they just want to see the evidence and if the names/addresses match up, you should be OK.

[jhonscotland 2]

I travelled to USA during the K1 process and had to go for second screening. I had a copy of the filing to prove that we were doing things properly and that I was just visiting and had full intentions of returning. At that time, I didnt have any ties to the UK.

When asked, I told the Border gentleman that I was visiting my Fiance for 6 weeks. I think I was selected for second screening because in the previous 2 years, I had spent a lot of time in the USA. I had never exceeded the 90 days in accordance with the visitor waiver program, we would nip on a long weekend somewhere.

In the second screening, I was asked a lot of questions and they searched my bags thoroughly. I showed the K1 packet and explained where we were in the process. This took sometime as the female border officer couldnt speak English very well. My passport was stamped shortly afterwards and I was told to enjoy my vacation.

[Shenzhen 34]

You could get banned for material misrepresentation i .e. lying to the CBP, and that doesn't matter if you are using tourist visa or VWP.

You are going there to see your fiancee, are you not? you are not going to see your friends this time. So if you tell the CBP you are here to visits friend, that is lying and if they bust you, there is likely to be consequences.

Not sure what exactly they can see on their little screen but I read several places that people with immigration visa pending got pulled for secondary screening. I can tell from my own experiences that they can see your family travel history to the USA for sure. I was questioned about my dad's frequent trips on one occasion.

edited. I also read a lot of people with immigration visa pending got through without any problem with the usual question business or vacation, no secondary screening. So chances are that you are over worrying about things that you could very well breeze through it. But be aware that though, if you do get pulled for secondary screening, you are definitely going to get turned away if you don't have any strong ties to show.

I'm going to visit my fiancee on the 1st of march myself, will report back how it goes at the POE.

I am the USC I was interrogated and my luggage searched everything in my wallet, for visiting my Chinese wife in China. That is when I got back from China I was detained 2x. They know you have a visa filed for you. My wife and I went to Canada together to Toronto for a weekend, got questioned and our car searched. LOL I am a human trafficker LOL.

[Alex B 9]

If you're worried you could also travel via Dublin or Shannon which are CBP pre-clearance locations.

Just bring lots-o-ties back to Blighty like bills/pay stubs/mortgage or rent etc. and you'll be fine.

Finally, make sure you have a copy of all correspondance with USCIS and later Dept of State to show that you're following the process to the letter.

You'll be fine. Just tell the truth, ALWAYS! Misrepresentation is the one thing that can be impossible to beat.

Remember, even if you are turned away it's because in the CBP officers opinion you are at risk of staying. Provided there is no misrepresentation it will remain just that, his/her opinion. Your K1 will not be affected. My wife was turned down for a tourist visa to the US once because she had insufficient ties. We disclosed this to dept of state and didn't even hear about it at interview. It was a complete non-issue.

Good luck.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

how would i be banned? if i get turned away i don't think i will get a ban from coming back, just a ban from using the VWP....

You are correct. Getting turned away would not prevent you from getting a K1 visa if that is your concern.

the whole reason i started this thread was to get FIRST HAND experience of someone not mentioning they were going to see their fiance, and if the officer KNEW they filed the K-1 visa, or if they just didn't mention it...

Here's my first hand experience. I asked CBP officers on two occasions at the airport "So what do you have on that computer screen? Do you know I have a K1 petition filed?" the answer was "NO. They have dates of previous entries, overstays. list of bad guys and terrorists."

I seriously doubt they have a journal detailing what you said each time you entered on VWP.

2-12-2010 -He's going to his friends wedding in Dallas

9-19-2011 -He's going to Disneyland to ride the Dumbos

I also had a long conversation with a CBP infomation officer once. He said it's just a subjective decision sometimes whether they think a person is a risk of not leaving the US. His example was of creepy looking people who don't look like they can buy a cup of coffee coming for a 90 day holiday. How are they affording a long holiday to the US? They have no job to report, not in school, have no money with them or credit card. That person would be someone questioned because there's nothing to indicate he won't just remain in the US illegally. Other persons are suspicious because they bring in their luggage what appears to be everything they own and not appropriate packing for a two week holiday.

The more often you come and the longer your trips (two months instead of two weeks) the more you might raise suspicion. It's always a decision made by the officer on duty that day.

i really don't feel like straight out announcing i am going to see my fiance, since i mentioned before i have never said that before. so i think my best bet would be to just say friends again...somehow i think i will have a way bigger chance than saying yes i've been coming here for 2 years to visit my friends now i am coming to see my fiance.

I don't think they record your answers but even if they did, you may over-thinking this. In two years of visits to friends, isn't it possible you might fall in love and that former friend becomes your girlfriend or even fiance? Friend, girlfriend, fiance could be a logical progression over years of visits.

[orangedesk 27]

Hi! OK, so my guy just got here a few hours ago and will be here for 87 days We have a pending K1, obviously, but there were no problems at customs! I was definitely super nervous these past few days about him getting refused at the airport.

From what he told me, the customs process wasn't bad at all... here's the exchange as he's describing to me:

Customs: Business or Pleasure?

My guy: Vacation

Customs: Who are you visiting?

My guy: Fiancee

Customs: Is she American

My guy: Yes

Customs: How did you meet

My guy: online

Customs: have you met in person before

My guy: Yes, I visited her in November and she's visited me loads of times

Customs: Do you have a return flight?

My guy: Yes would you like to see it?

Customs: Yes

*then he shows the return flight*

Then I guess there were a few supplemental questions about who paid for the flight (didn't expect that one), why he was staying for so long (to meet my family, see the sights of america, etc.) and how much money he was bringing. He didn't have to show any other ties back to the home country or the NOA1 but I'm definitely glad we were so prepared and he brought it. They didn't ask about the K1 but there were a few extra questions.

So we're all good as we wait for the NOA2. YAY!!!! :)

Good luck to all the other travelers