Does my girlfriend need a K-1 visa?

[jacky1284 0]

My girlfriend is from Hong Kong and we intend to get married in the USA. Does she need a K-1 or can she come over on a regular visa? I have heard of stories where people from countries that can enter the USA easily, doing it this way instead of going through a K-1 visa. Anyone with experience doing it without a K-1 visa?

Edited February 24, 2013 by jacky1284

[rm love dc 10]

YES! K1 visa. Edited February 24, 2013 by rmcollins

[agrabs 252]

If your intent is to marry when she enters the US, then yes, she will need a K1 visa.

[canadian_wife 1,831]

Actually, is your intent to STAY in the US once married? If she intends to immigrate and live in the US (we should not assume, perhaps they are going back to Hong Kong or to a 3rd country) then she needs an immigrant or dual intent visa (such as a K-1)

Do not have her come to the US on a tourist visa or Visa Waiver Program if you intent to have her immigrate, it is visa fraud

good luck

[agrabs 252]

Actually, is your intent to STAY in the US once married? If she intends to immigrate and live in the US (we should not assume, perhaps they are going back to Hong Kong or to a 3rd country) then she needs an immigrant or dual intent visa (such as a K-1)

Do not have her come to the US on a tourist visa or Visa Waiver Program if you intent to have her immigrate, it is visa fraud

good luck

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

There are no girlfriend visas. Do not let your fiancee know about your girlfriend.

Your FIANCEE, if she intends to marry you and REMAIN in the United States after marrying you, needs a K-1 FIANCEE visa.

[Done--Really 331]

There is no upside to visa fraud, and K-1 is easy to come by and doesn't take forever, so start the paperwork now, and when the K-1 is granted, everything else will fall into place.

Alternatively, if she needs to be in HK for an extended period, an alternative would be for her to visit you here, get marreid, file for CR-1 immediately, and then she returns to HK to wait out the CR-1 process, after which she will have a green card and can come and go at will (within some restrictions).

Either works, and it has more to do with how much she needs to be in HK over the next year or so as to which is the better path, so don't potentilaly screw up your life over something that can be risk free, easy, and that doesn't take so long in the big scheme of things.

[jacky1284 0]

Thanks for all the quick replies, I guess its time to start completing the forms.

[Justine+David 218]

If your intent is to marry when she enters the US, then yes, she will need a K1 visa.

Nope. It's perfectly legal to get married in the USA without a K1 visa. It's not if you intend to get married and STAY (i.e. apply for AOS)

[AZRG <3 13]

Thanks for all the quick replies, I guess its time to start completing the forms.

K1 is probably one of the easiest and fastest visas there is, as long as you read form instructions carefully and have met in the last 2 years from the date you send in your forms, everything should go smoothly.

Good luck on your new journey!

[Miss_September 1]

My girlfriend is from Hong Kong and we intend to get married in the USA. Does she need a K-1 or can she come over on a regular visa? I have heard of stories where people from countries that can enter the USA easily, doing it this way instead of going through a K-1 visa. Anyone with experience doing it without a K-1 visa?

Since you want to marry her in USA, you have to let your girlfriend come to USA through K1 visa.

[Xanax 349]

Actually, is your intent to STAY in the US once married? If she intends to immigrate and live in the US (we should not assume, perhaps they are going back to Hong Kong or to a 3rd country) then she needs an immigrant or dual intent visa (such as a K-1)

Do not have her come to the US on a tourist visa or Visa Waiver Program if you intent to have her immigrate, it is visa fraud

good luck

This ^^