During AOS interview do they look at your passport?

[daviddelen 34]

My fiancee is going back to Hong Kong to work perhaps until September after she gets her K1 visa. I'm concerned the officer might wonder why she didn't go straight to America calling into question our relationship. Does the AOS officer look at your passport stamps? Does anyone have any experience with this? Lastly, do they have all the documentation from the K1 visa at their disposal or do we get a clean start? I just want everything to go smoothly. We were put in administrative processing because of carelessness during the K1 visa process so we want to be hyper vigilant this time.

[a+j 77]

As long as the K1 is still valid when she enters the US, she can go anywhere prior to POE. Just answer truthfully in case she's asked about it.

Make sure she has the 'do not open' folder to hand over to the immigration officers at the airport. She should also bring with her all the documents she will need for AOS. Check the guides: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos and http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1aos

Good luck!

[subwayguy 100]

She could enter with her HKSAR Passport or british passport , or HKID . HK doesn't stamp on SAR passports or British passports (overseas) upon entry or departure.

[subwayguy 100]

Even if she doesn't have HK passport or british passport (overseas) , it shouldn't concern you because the immigration department stopped stamping passports, they give you a sheet of paper upon entry , so if you don't show anybody that sheet of paper, there's no record entering HK.

[greenalien 3]

My fiancee is going back to Hong Kong to work perhaps until September after she gets her K1 visa. I'm concerned the officer might wonder why she didn't go straight to America calling into question our relationship. Does the AOS officer look at your passport stamps? Does anyone have any experience with this? Lastly, do they have all the documentation from the K1 visa at their disposal or do we get a clean start? I just want everything to go smoothly. We were put in administrative processing because of carelessness during the K1 visa process so we want to be hyper vigilant this time.

My interviewer definitely cared about my passports, he even made me count the stamps in my passport to tell him how many times I had entered the US, it was really weird...Like he took my passport at the start of the interview, asked me how many times I had entered the US, and I was like "I don't remember can I just have my passport back and I can count the stamps and tell you" and he let me take back my passport?

I did my AOS from an F1 visa and the IO definitely had all my F1 documents sitting in front of him during the interview, so I'm pretty sure they would have your K1 documentation right in front of them during the AOS process. I was questioned during the interview about my F1 visa stuff too.

If it helps, here's my interview transcript.

[kitthekat 1,317]

My fiancee is going back to Hong Kong to work perhaps until September after she gets her K1 visa. I'm concerned the officer might wonder why she didn't go straight to America calling into question our relationship. Does the AOS officer look at your passport stamps? Does anyone have any experience with this? Lastly, do they have all the documentation from the K1 visa at their disposal or do we get a clean start? I just want everything to go smoothly. We were put in administrative processing because of carelessness during the K1 visa process so we want to be hyper vigilant this time.

lots of people continue working for a few months before immigrating (i did, for 5 months). it's a good way to save some extra money, plus serve any notice you might need to. some people maybe just want to spend extra time with family. that is why visas have a validity period of a few months. the interviewing officer will understand that not everyone can just pack up their lives two days after receiving their visa and fly off across the ocean. there is no need to conceal her passport stamps nor the fact she returned to Hong Kong to work for a few months before immigrating. btw, if you AOS from a K1, there is a 50% chance you will not even get an interview.

they will have the documentation from the K1 visa process. it's all in the "do not open" envelope that she will be hand carrying to POE.

[daviddelen 34]

I think i need to clarify my initial posting. My main concern was that the interviewer would consider her stay in HK odd and a red flag. If it's common for the beneficiaries passport to be scrutinized we may have to alter our plans.

[daviddelen 34]

lots of people continue working for a few months before immigrating (i did, for 5 months). it's a good way to save some extra money, plus serve any notice you might need to. some people maybe just want to spend extra time with family. that is why visas have a validity period of a few months. the interviewing officer will understand that not everyone can just pack up their lives two days after receiving their visa and fly off across the ocean. there is no need to conceal her passport stamps nor the fact she returned to Hong Kong to work for a few months before immigrating. btw, if you AOS from a K1, there is a 50% chance you will not even get an interview.

they will have the documentation from the K1 visa process. it's all in the "do not open" envelope that she will be hand carrying to POE.

Thanks. That is exactly the answer I was looking for.

[Fan_Dancer 171]

I think i need to clarify my initial posting. My main concern was that the interviewer would consider her stay in HK odd and a red flag. If it's common for the beneficiaries passport to be scrutinized we may have to alter our plans.

No. As long as the visa is still good when she enters the US, she doesn't have to justify why she went to HK. A lot of people use their visa after several months of getting it.

[M and C 32]

As long as the K1 visa is still valid upon POE to the US, she should be fine. Going to HK or anywhere else before her POE is irrelevant as far as the AOS process is concerned,

[KayDeeCee 4,891]

I think i need to clarify my initial posting. My main concern was that the interviewer would consider her stay in HK odd and a red flag. If it's common for the beneficiaries passport to be scrutinized we may have to alter our plans.

She can continue to work and whatever she needs to do to tie up all the loose ends of her life before entering the US with the K-1. The expiration date on the K-1 visa is exactly for that purpose. It gives you some time to prepare for your move to a new country. It would not be a red flag for AOS. It is nothing bad to use the K-1 as intended and you do not need to be together immediately after the K-1 visa is issued. There is no reason to try and hide any entries or departures from other countries in her passport. I have also not seen reviews from those adjusting from a K-1 that mentioned the IO scrutinizing their passports or the stamps in them. A lot of people adjusting from a K-1 never even have an interview.