Planning our Wedding while waiting for the Interview. K1 & K2 Visa

[AnselyGierel 3]

 

My fiance and I finally received our NOA2 letter of approval yesterday. Now we need to wait for the second half of the process. At least now we have a better visual, which allows us to plan better for the wedding. I live in Florida, but I am from Puerto Rico. I would love to be able to get married by the court here and then have our religious ceremony in Puerto Rico.  Would he be able to travel to PR, since it is a US territory and fly back to Florida? It would cost us a lot less to do it over there and would be way more beautiful! If he can travel to PR within the 90 days of his visa, would he be able to go to any other state taking a plane? We would love to go and visit my other family members and his friends since he will be arriving during the summer God willing.

[Ontarkie 14,282]

~~Moved to Working &Traveling, from CESHT- The OP is asking about traveling~~

[Dashinka 24,609]

I found this and though a bit dated, it seems to say no.  What I would do is get legally married soon after arrival, file the AOS package along with the AP (I131) and plan a trip to PR once the AP is received which lately is taking 4-6 months.  No sense risking it.

 

Good Luck!

 

https://tingenwilliams.com/2015/honeymoon-k-1-travel-restrictions/2445

[FaithProfessoR 171]

On 1/30/2019 at 1:10 PM, AnselyGierel said:

 

My fiance and I finally received our NOA2 letter of approval yesterday. Now we need to wait for the second half of the process. At least now we have a better visual, which allows us to plan better for the wedding. I live in Florida, but I am from Puerto Rico. I would love to be able to get married by the court here and then have our religious ceremony in Puerto Rico.  Would he be able to travel to PR, since it is a US territory and fly back to Florida? It would cost us a lot less to do it over there and would be way more beautiful! If he can travel to PR within the 90 days of his visa, would he be able to go to any other state taking a plane? We would love to go and visit my other family members and his friends since he will be arriving during the summer God willing.

Wepa!  My fiancee is also from Ecuador and I am from Puerto Rico. I live in Maryland and have the same mind set as you. I have ask this same question couple of times around. Last time I went to visit my fiancee for a couple of weeks and returned I ask at Fort Lauderdale POE to one of the officer and they stated that Puerto Rico is a domestic flight so you should not have any problems, however in the situation that for anyreason the plane must land elsewhere during the trip. The K1 is unvalid for re-entry. 

 

The answer is Yes you can go. But beware of any landing elsewhere. 

 

Congrats on your NOA2 I am still waiting for that.

 

Is good to know that more Boricuas are in this as well✌🏻 

[AnselyGierel 3]

Hola mamma!!! Yes thank you so much!!! It is great to know I can relate to someone here, too. The difference is that my fiance is Venezuelan and lives in Ecuador. It's too bad you are so far away in Maryland we could meet up and talk about our experiences. Jajaja Did you file with a lawyer or doing it all on your own? We went ahead and did it all ourselves. It is a lot of work and time, but it truly is worth it now that the hardest part of this process is over and approved. Woohoo!

 

Regarding my question, so what can he use as an ID for a direct flight? Could he still use his passport? I mean even to NJ or California or Hawaii as well? So you mean direct flights within the US shouldn't be a problem?

 

I am asking because if he comes to FL we can do the court marriage and then do the ceremony and everything in PR! It's cheaperfor us I think and we can honeymoon there for sure. No? What do you think?

[FaithProfessoR 171]

On 2/3/2019 at 7:32 PM, AnselyGierel said:

Hola mamma!!! Yes thank you so much!!! It is great to know I can relate to someone here, too. The difference is that my fiance is Venezuelan and lives in Ecuador. It's too bad you are so far away in Maryland we could meet up and talk about our experiences. Jajaja Did you file with a lawyer or doing it all on your own? We went ahead and did it all ourselves. It is a lot of work and time, but it truly is worth it now that the hardest part of this process is over and approved. Woohoo!

 

Regarding my question, so what can he use as an ID for a direct flight? Could he still use his passport? I mean even to NJ or California or Hawaii as well? So you mean direct flights within the US shouldn't be a problem?

 

I am asking because if he comes to FL we can do the court marriage and then do the ceremony and everything in PR! It's cheaperfor us I think and we can honeymoon there for sure. No? What do you think?

Sorry!!! That I answering know kind late, Ibtry not log in a lot because this waiting is killing me.

 

I did file by myself, your fiancee may use the passport for domestic flights and yes it shouldn’t be a problem. Puerto Rico is way cheeper and beautiful as well so is a great idea but just remember the risk is if the plane lands in other place K1 is not good to get back. Be mindful of that. 

 

I would love to live in FL because of the weather will see what happens, good luck. 

[Mike E 11,741]

The information on USA territories as it relates to single entry visa holders is decidedly murky.  My read is that I am 99.99 percent certain that travel to PR and USA Virgin Islands is fine but beware of unplanned flight diversions to a third country. 

 

I am 100 percent that travel to Ametican Samoa is not fine.  

 

For the remaining territories I am 50/50 certain.  

 

As for the referenced web site, that lawyer also recommends against flying to Alaska and Hawaii.  I actually get his point about Alaska (he is worried about an unplanned diversion) but as for Hawaii he should look at a map.  There is no third country diversion option. The aircraft is going to divert to Hawaii or the west coast of the USA or ditch. There is a very small chance that ditched passengers would be rescued by Canadian or Mexican boats/helicopters and taken to either country. That small chance exists with any flight out of an airport near the border either country.  

 

Also I believe some domestic lower 48 flights overfly Canada (which runs further south than the northern border of California).  So his advice to not fly to Alaska makes no sense in that regard.  And good lord what does a K-1 visa holder who plans to live in Hawaii or Alaska do? Live in a card board  box near LAX while waiting for the AP.  

 

There is a chance I will be going to PR for business before the AP arrives, and if so my K-] wife is coming with.   With a copy of the AOS NOA just in case. 

[Mike E 11,741]

On 2/3/2019 at 4:32 PM, AnselyGierel said:

Regarding my question, so what can he use as an ID for a direct flight?

He should use his state ID to fly to PR. I worked very carefully to get my K-1 wife a California state ID (REAL ID of course) so that she did not need to present a passport to the TSA.  This way overly curious security screeners don’t find her expired K-1 visa and then get CBP involved.  

 

If the airline clerk at Check-in demands a passport then that is a sign to not fly to PR.