Previously denied entry to US on ESTA applying for B2. Advice?

[JD2 217]

There's a service called Argo Visa if you have money to burn.  They are former consular officers do consults.  They may be able to help him prepare.  But, now he has a previous denied entry and he's married to a US citizen.  What is your plan for his green card?

[SweetKuri 2]

On 11/29/2025 at 1:15 PM, JD2 said:

There's a service called Argo Visa if you have money to burn.  They are former consular officers do consults.  They may be able to help him prepare.  But, now he has a previous denied entry and he's married to a US citizen.  What is your plan for his green card?

We aren't married? We would like to get married but we wanted him to visit here to see if he would like it here before that. 

[SweetKuri 2]

On 11/29/2025 at 12:11 PM, JeanneAdil said:

With a USC gf and no job to prove for the ESTA,  it would have been assumed by immigration u would AOS in US and remain here

 

For Tourist visa, u can still be denied (or refused entry at POE) as with USC gf , ties are strong to remain here

Yeah, it was unfortunate timing. We are aware that he could still get denied either for the b2 application or at POE. The point of the post was to ask if there was anything we could prepare to make our case stronger such as utility bills, lease agreement for his tenature, letter of employment etc. We thought about him getting a b2 to visit before marriage but I wonder if we should just skip the b2 and attempt the k1. 

[JeanneAdil 7,356]

On 11/30/2025 at 10:09 PM, SweetKuri said:

Yeah, it was unfortunate timing. We are aware that he could still get denied either for the b2 application or at POE. The point of the post was to ask if there was anything we could prepare to make our case stronger such as utility bills, lease agreement for his tenature, letter of employment etc. We thought about him getting a b2 to visit before marriage but I wonder if we should just skip the b2 and attempt the k1. 

if he is native born UKC , i would carefully consider going the K1 

[OldUser 11,033]

1 hour ago, JeanneAdil said:

if he is native born UKC , i would carefully consider going the K1 

Why K-1 and not CR-1?

[SweetKuri 2]

9 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

if he is native born UKC , i would carefully consider going the K1 

Yeah I think that is what we are going to do instead

[SweetKuri 2]

8 hours ago, OldUser said:

Why K-1 and not CR-1?

Well biggest thing is we aren't already married which is the main requirement of the CR1. K1 suits what we want to do which is get married in the US and have him stay afterwards. My income meets the requirements for the k1 and I do not mind supporting during the wait for the work permit. The processing time being somewhat faster is a bonus. 

[OldUser 11,033]

2 minutes ago, SweetKuri said:

 The processing time being somewhat faster is a bonus. 

What do you include in processing time? Initial entry to the US maybe slightly faster by few months. Time to green card is almost guaranteed faster on CR-1. Don't underestimate AOS time, there's threads of people waiting for 12+ months for GC after entering on K-1 and filing for adjustment.

[SweetKuri 2]

1 hour ago, OldUser said:

What do you include in processing time? Initial entry to the US maybe slightly faster by few months. Time to green card is almost guaranteed faster on CR-1. Don't underestimate AOS time, there's threads of people waiting for 12+ months for GC after entering on K-1 and filing for adjustment.

Yup, I'm aware of both, that AOS will take time and that is fine with the both of us. That far outways being apart for the total processing time for CR1.

[yuna628 9,920]

As a young man clueless about immigration matters, my husband was certainly thoroughly grilled on his first time to the US. And he was just a student at the time, no home ownership or job yet. Still they were satisfied with the answers given. He did pay for his own tickets, he had travel insurance, and money. There was never an issue for any of the years afterwards. I can't say if the B2 will be accepted or not. If he cannot come to the US, then you're going to need to figure out the next steps.

 

K1 will certainly work and that is what we used, but the long wait time for the EAD and green card in the face of not being able to work was a drain of finances. It is certainly worse now.

 

You could marry in the UK, but that will require going through the UK fiance/marriage visa process, and there is the financial requirements that would need to be met for that. Afterwards you'd return home and go through the CR1.