My fiancee wants me to do the K1, but would like to return to her home country until green card is issued.

[Ryan H 3,892]

On 6/6/2025 at 9:22 AM, OldUser said:

I don't know laws in China, but quick search revealed foreigner may need to be a resident in order to marry in China?

 

Granted that things may have changed between the time I married over there and now; however, there is no residency requirement for a foreigner to marry in China.  This is the 'but', the couple may have to travel to a different location in order to register the marriage because the local bureau may not do it if one of the parties is a foreigner.

[Geeman111 0]

On 6/5/2025 at 3:48 PM, Boiler said:

Has she applied for a visa to visit the US?

I had told her to, but she is hesitant to apply for a tourist visa.   She had researched and the approval rate is around 35-40% for Chinese citizens (even those who own a house and have good income).  She can up her chances to 50-55% by enrolling in a "visa interview coaching" class.  (I don't even know something like that existed).  I'm still trying to weight my options now that I have a little idea on how to approach this. 

[Boiler 47,446]

18 minutes ago, Geeman111 said:

I had told her to, but she is hesitant to apply for a tourist visa.   She had researched and the approval rate is around 35-40% for Chinese citizens (even those who own a house and have good income).  She can up her chances to 50-55% by enrolling in a "visa interview coaching" class.  (I don't even know something like that existed).  I'm still trying to weight my options now that I have a little idea on how to approach this. 

Where is she getting those numbers from, not from official sources.

[appleblossom 4,386]

26 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Where is she getting those numbers from, not from official sources.

I’m guessing the ‘visa interview coaching’ company are making them up to try and get more business. 
 

It was ~75% approval rate last year. https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY24.pdf

[Ryan H 3,892]

12 hours ago, Geeman111 said:

"visa interview coaching" class.  (I don't even know something like that existed)

 

11 hours ago, appleblossom said:

‘visa interview coaching’ company

 

Such "coaching companies" can cause so many problems for visa applicants because they have been known to advise people to no tell the truth about certain aspects in their life (e.g. saying they are married when they are not).  This haunts people because they are denied the visa anyway and then if they apply for a spousal visa at a future date, they will be required to show documentation pertaining to something that never happened.  Using the example I gave, the applicant would have to provide documentation showing that the marriage they claimed to be in has ended.  That would be impossible because it said marriage never was.

[Crazy Cat 44,410]

2 minutes ago, Ryan H said:

 

 

Such "coaching companies" can cause so many problems for visa applicants because they have been known to advise people to no tell the truth about certain aspects in their life (e.g. saying they are married when they are not).  This haunts people because they are denied the visa anyway and then if they apply for a spousal visa at a future date, they will be required to show documentation pertaining to something that never happened.  Using the example I gave, the applicant would have to provide documentation showing that the marriage they claimed to be in has ended.  That would be impossible because it said marriage never was.

Yes.  Good points....

[Geeman111 0]

15 hours ago, appleblossom said:

I’m guessing the ‘visa interview coaching’ company are making them up to try and get more business. 
 

It was ~75% approval rate last year. https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY24.pdf

 For business (B-1) or tourism/pleasure (B-2).  The 75% is probably correct, but of that 75%, 9 out of 10 are approved for B-1/business.  This number was from the Chinese business that offer interview coaching.

[Lemonslice 5,237]

14 minutes ago, Geeman111 said:

 For business (B-1) or tourism/pleasure (B-2).  The 75% is probably correct, but of that 75%, 9 out of 10 are approved for B-1/business.  This number was from the Chinese business that offer interview coaching.

This does not make sense.  

Anyway, no point in discussing hypotheticals.  Not too expensive to apply and see what happens. 

[Geeman111 0]

16 hours ago, Boiler said:

Where is she getting those numbers from, not from official sources.

from the Chinese business that do visa interview coaching.  Official sources tally up the B1 along with B2.  Most if not all fall into the B-1 for merchants coming to the US to do business deals.  Tourist visas have few approval reserved for the very rich with lots of assets in China.

[Boiler 47,446]

How would they know?

 

B’s are usually issued 1/2 anyway, your money, well hers.

[Geeman111 0]

4 hours ago, Ryan H said:

 

 

Such "coaching companies" can cause so many problems for visa applicants because they have been known to advise people to no tell the truth about certain aspects in their life (e.g. saying they are married when they are not).  This haunts people because they are denied the visa anyway and then if they apply for a spousal visa at a future date, they will be required to show documentation pertaining to something that never happened.  Using the example I gave, the applicant would have to provide documentation showing that the marriage they claimed to be in has ended.  That would be impossible because it said marriage never was.

She said, they coach the applicant to say they don't know anyone in the US during the interview.  This tend to let them believe that the applicant would return to China after touring the US.  If applicant such as my girlfriend answered that she has a boyfriend in the US (which is myself), they tend to think that she would either overstay, or get married and not return.    BUT, my thinking is to be truthful.  "Yes, I have a boyfriend in the US, and I'm visiting".  If I get denied, he will fly here to China to marry me, and I would be back to apply for a spousal visa.  If I want to leave China, it would happen sooner or later".  Not sure if this is better, but its the truth.

[Geeman111 0]

7 minutes ago, Boiler said:

How would they know?

 

B’s are usually issued 1/2 anyway, your money, well hers.

Not too sure.  I was thinking wouldn't it make sense to allow 50 B-1s and 50 B-2s?  I think these coaching companies are just saying this so that she would enroll in their coaching?

[Boiler 47,446]

As has been said they are there to cause issues and make money.

[Lemonslice 5,237]

31 minutes ago, Geeman111 said:

from the Chinese business that do visa interview coaching.  Official sources tally up the B1 along with B2.  Most if not all fall into the B-1 for merchants coming to the US to do business deals.  Tourist visas have few approval reserved for the very rich with lots of assets in China.

Where's that source?

[Dashinka 25,843]

2 hours ago, Geeman111 said:

She said, they coach the applicant to say they don't know anyone in the US during the interview.  This tend to let them believe that the applicant would return to China after touring the US.  If applicant such as my girlfriend answered that she has a boyfriend in the US (which is myself), they tend to think that she would either overstay, or get married and not return.    BUT, my thinking is to be truthful.  "Yes, I have a boyfriend in the US, and I'm visiting".  If I get denied, he will fly here to China to marry me, and I would be back to apply for a spousal visa.  If I want to leave China, it would happen sooner or later".  Not sure if this is better, but its the truth.

So in effect they are coaching people to lie under oath?  You are right, it is best to be truthful, but that does not mean she has to include information not asked for.

 

 As to a B2 application, the consulate officer is to assume an applicant will overstay by law.  It is up to the applicant to overcome this assumption.  Now an applicant is not required to supply evidence not asked for, and to my knowledge the DS160 only asks about family members in the U.S. (I could be wrong), but consulates do their homework, and they will know if an applicant is communicating with someone in the U.S.  back in 2013 my now wife applied for a B2, and even though she did not mention me, the consulate knew about me probably from our communications.

 

I agree, applying for a B2 is not expensive, so go forward.  Just make sure she does not materially lie under oath at the interview.  If the CO asks about you, she needs to acknowledge you.

 

Good Luck!