katrinacov

Hi,

I recently found this site, and it is so helpful. My fiance is from Manchester England, I am the US citizen, and originally I was going to move over there but we hve recently decided to apply for the K1 visa and get him over here.

Our situation is complicated and I am getting down about the enormous 8-10 month wait we have and missing him. Background info: met online, he came and visited, then used the Visa Waiver Program to visit 3 months at a time, but he came over 3 months...waiting a week...came over again...third try he was denied entry then applied for a B2 tourist visa and was denied. So now hw has lost all hope of getting a B2 visa even for a week to visit. I have a complicated situation and cant get over until a while.

We havent sent the I-129 packet yet (still waiting on some things), and I was wondering what is the longest you went without seeing each other? What helps? I am TRYING to plan a trip for several days in April since it seems cheap, i hope.

Did the process take 8-10 months really? Can he still apply one more time for the B2 visa while we have the K1 being processed? I dunno bout his chances.

Just feeling down.

Noorah101

My husband isn't from the UK, so ours took quite a while. The longest we went without seeing each other was the 14 months it took to get his K-1 visa. Saw him in Turkey in February 2003. Filed the I-129F in March 2003. Saw him again in Turkey in April 2004 for his K-1 interview, he got approved, and we returned together to the USA a week later. Your case, going through London, should not be anywhere near this long.

It helped that we had not lived together at all yet, so we were used to living alone. It helped that we both had jobs, friends, family, and lives apart from each other and apart from immigration. It helped that we were philisophical about the whole thing, we knew he'd GET the visa, just a matter of time. We just led our lives as usual while waiting. We both had productive, busy lives before we met, so we continued those lives until he got his visa.

As you can see, ours took longer, but for a *normal* K-1 through London, it should take around 6 - 8 months. Your mileage may vary.

He can apply for a B2 as much as he wants, but it's a waste of money. He is not likely to get a B2 approved.

Don't feel down. Just file the I-129F when you have everything ready, and then live your life as you have been, for the next 6 to 8 months.

Rene

S Folinsky

Sorry to say, you give no indication of anything "complicated" in your case. [Although each case is different]. Processing times are simply the nature of the beast. If it helps at all, you might want to think that you are a military wife and other half is on deployment. What you CAN is to handle the things that are in your control. Try and anticipate what you will need for when "the ball is in your court" the next time. That way, there will be less delay on your part.

agentpeppermint

Hey hon... My story is pretty known on here and isn't unique to any one of us... but heres mine.

I met my (now) husband online as well... we spoke every day for 6 months before he decided to fly me to england ( My husband is from St Helens, your fellow will know where this is!) James had all ready asked me to marry him before I met him in person I flew to Manchester leaving behind my 2 6yr old twins for 5 weeks. James asked me to marry him again and again.

I came home in Aug 07 and did not see him again til April 2008. We had broken up in between and I flew back to England to get him back and it worked. I came home after two weeks.... the beginning of May i discovered I was pregnant and panic set it. It was too costly to get me into England with 2 kids, we finally decided he would come here.

From April til November we were seperated. He flew over in November and stayed for 89 days. He was here for the birth of our son. We had filed our i29f back in July 08 so while he was here, we got his approval. When he flew back on Feb 13th 2009, 5 days later he was there for his medical. The beginning of April 09 he went for his interview and it was suspended because our sponsor didnt meet thier guidelines. We rounded up a new sponsor and overnighted the paperwork...He was in my arms again on April 21st 2009 and we married May 6th. We've almost been married a year.

It is NOT easy. It is really hard to cope with the distance and all the waiting and patience you shall learn.

The best advice I can give you... honestly, go old fashioned, send each other love letters, little trinkets, little things that mean nothing to someone outside of your world, but mean a lot to you. Send emails, chat online often... Get a MAGIC JACK for the both of you if you send him one and you have one, you two can call each other ALL day long. We have one to call family back home.


You can PM me if you like and we can chat about the distance and the whole k1 process... BE is a great place to meet awesome people. and just remember, we have all been through or are going through this with you. You have loads of support here!


PS fly over there on the VWP and visit, you can stay there for up to 6 months as well!

jeffreyhy

kc,

Good info for the people who think they can use the VWP to wait out the immigration process as long as they don't overstay. Reinforces the advice to stay out for as long as you stay in.


6 months. Twice. With a visit inbetween.

The internet - did a lot of chatting over those 6 month periods.

Regards, JEff

Rete

I understand that your complication has nothing to do with the K-1 visa but to do with your traveling to the UK to spend time with your fiancee. it is unfortunate that he abused the VWP. It is meant for tourism or brief business trips not for living in the US.

As for the wait apart, it is something that has to be done and endured. Love will not dwindle and die nor will you or he. It does die, then it wasn't love was it.

Being an adult is a PIA at times.

meauxna

And, the K-1s through London are generally completing faster than 8-10 months.

Oh, he should probably not apply for another B visa; his circumstances have not changed other than to disfavor his application.

S Folinsky

LOL -- I've heard those exact words from my 26 year old.

ian-mstm

Does it help, I wonder, to know that some couples have been apart for months... others for years?


I'm surprised neither of you has thought of the third alternative... meet someplace else - like Canada. Getting into Canada would be relatively easy for both of you.


Sometimes it takes less... sometimes it takes more.


He has abused the VWP and he has been denied a visa... and that denial will need to be disclosed on any subsequent visa for which he applies. It is unlikely that he will get one.

We've got several members here from Ohio... I live a bit south of you!

Ian

cosmicjunkie

I met my partner online in 2006. We chatted daily and did the webcam thing nearly everyday for a whole year. Summer 2007, I went to the USA to meet him. I stayed for three weeks and romance blossomed. We then spent our first Christmas together 2007 . Summer 2008, we spent nearly two months together then one year apart. I went there again for two months in the summer of 2009 and again for nearly three weeks at Christmas. As you can see, I spread my visits out. The border officials have always been very nice and have not asked too many questions. Only once one gave me a funny look when I told him I was going to stay for two months, but seemed to be satified when I told him I worked in a school, therefore I have long holidays.
Obviously, being in a long distance relationship can be difficult at times. Thank God for Skype! You just have to get on with your own life and go with the flow. Keep focused on the goal and not the obstacles. I think Noorah's philosophy on this subject is pretty much intune with mine. My partner and I will be starting the visa process in July when I go and see him. We have taken our time over this as I wanted to be sure that it was the right thing to do. I have worked very hard to get where I am in my life at the moment and now I will need to start from scratch in another country. I needed to get used to this idea. My partner is also alot older than me, so you see, I needed to take the time to psychologically charge myself for the upheaval. I wish you the best of luck. Be strong and keep calm. Everything will run it's course.

BubbleChog

Have to agree Skype is just about saving my sanity. plus theres something quite sweet about every conversation beginning with "can you hear me?!" longest me and my OH have had between visits is 5 months, and now we are saving money for when I cannot work after I arrive on my K1 so after my next trip I don't think we'll see each other in real life until I have my visa. Nearly everyone here knows what it feels like to have that vast expanse of atlantic ocean between you and the person you miss but as I keep reminding my self patience is av irtue

Madelina

For me, last i saw my man was at the beginning of August 2009... it's incredibly tough to be sure, but necessary for us to get a final conclusion to our respective circumstances, but End of April beginning of May, is our target for him to come over to see me. SO thats what, 8, 9 months.... Gosh its so tough some days i want to scream... thank God for Skype, cheap international phone rates and online shopping!

One thing i think is a big plus in these types of online relationships is the opportunity to simply talk, endlessly, into the night... watch Youtube, listen to music, discuss books, films, politics... I think we've talked more and learnt more about eachother than some married couples do in a lifetime together - certainly more than i ever did with my ex, whom i was with for 17 years in total

You can make it work, you WILL make it work.... smile wide and tell yourself that in the mirror, every day!

LBJR07

Ah hearing other peoples experiences are so reassuring! Me and my fiance have been doing the back and forth for over 2 years and it doesnt get any easier but like others have said, you find you may actually become closer as the relationship becomes all about communication and strengthening trust and skype is amazing. I wish you best of luck!

Noorah101

Actually, I take that back. The longest we went without seeing each other was 22 months. I saw him in April of 2001, which is when we decided to get serious with each other. Then didn't see him again until we decided to get make our relationship permanent, so I saw him again in February 2003 to get formally engaged.

After THAT it was another 14 months until I saw him again in April 2004 for his K-1 visa interview!

Rene

cindyabs

Cheapest time to fly there is Nov-Mar, summer most expensive. Longest DH and I went without seeing each other was 5 months. We didn't live together until over 3 years after we were married.

Do what you have to do to be together for good, and do it the right way. You don't want him to be barred from visiting.