Hello friends at visajourney - been lurking for a little while and starting my own K1 journey... Curious to hear everybody on the viability of this situaton.
I (Chinese Citizen) met my partner(USC) in fall of 2025 and we quickly understood that each other the person we'd like as a life partner. I was working on an O-1 visa in NYC. All was good and lovely. then...
When I left during the holidays to visit family this past December, the embassy refused my visa stamp renewal under 214(b). I tried again, and they refused again. O1 visas are single entry, 90 day for Chinese citizens ironically similar to K-1. I quickly realized that I might not be able to come back on an O-1. It was somewhat understandable - I had been in the US for more than a decade first as a student then as a professional, but wasn't expecting this as I had an O-1 stamp approved already... Anyway-
We decided very easily that this is worth it that we'd like to file a K-1 and get married. We had already met multiple times in person but she's flying out for an emergency visit to China later this month. I'm working on on finding a job in the EU in the meantime and hoping to file K-1 as soon as I establish residency there. We plan to visit each other multiple times (most likely in EU) before the final interview. It will have been more than a year since the initial visa refusal if we succeed in filing our K1, by the time of the interview, with multiple records of visiting each other.
We understand that K1 has disadvantages against the CR1 but would like to marry in NY where our friends are and think the faster timeline of the K-1 is worth it. I my biggest concern is if this would look like visa shopping (it is certainly not in our intentions) to a consul but I'm hoping my established new life in Europe and consistent visit records would dissolve those concerns.
I'd love your thoughts, especially if you see any potential concerns and things we might not be thinking about... Thank you so much. 😃
Hello friends at visajourney - been lurking for a little while and starting my own K1 journey... Curious to hear everybody on the viability of this situaton. I (Chinese Citizen) met my partner(USC) in fall of 2025 and we quickly understood that each other the person we'd like as a life partner. I was working on an O-1 visa in NYC. All was good and lovely. then... When I left during the holidays to visit family this past December, the embassy refused my visa stamp renewal under 214(b). I tried again, and they refused again. O1 visas are single entry, 90 day for Chinese citizens ironically similar to K-1. I quickly realized that I might not be able to come back on an O-1. It was somewhat understandable - I had been in the US for more than a decade first as a student then as a professional, but wasn't expecting this as I had an O-1 stamp approved already... Anyway- We decided very easily that this is worth it that we'd like to file a K-1 and get married. We had already met multiple times in person but she's flying out for an emergency visit to China later this month. I'm working on on finding a job in the EU in the meantime and hoping to file K-1 as soon as I establish residency there. We plan to visit each other multiple times (most likely in EU) before the final interview. It will have been more than a year since the initial visa refusal if we succeed in filing our K1, by the time of the interview, with multiple records of visiting each other. We understand that K1 has disadvantages against the CR1 but would like to marry in NY where our friends are and think the faster timeline of the K-1 is worth it. I my biggest concern is if this would look like visa shopping (it is certainly not in our intentions) to a consul but I'm hoping my established new life in Europe and consistent visit records would dissolve those concerns. I'd love your thoughts, especially if you see any potential concerns and things we might not be thinking about... Thank you so much. 😃