Fabian Behague

Brussels July 25,2002

Hi there !

I'm a belgian citizen living in Brussels. Last year I met a girl from Miami who's a
US citizen. I went to see her in April 5, 2002 - May 18,2002 and June 28,2002. I stay
almost 1 or 2 weeks every time. Now I already plan to see her again on August
14,2002. We don't like to be separated of course that's why I fligh so many times to
meet her. Anyway, we already plan to get married on January 4,2003 in Miami. I have a
B2 visa (visiting US citizen for fiancee). It's a multiple entries.She will come back
in Belgium on January 5,2002 to live here with me. We don't plan to stay now in US
because of my job. So, every time I arrive to the POE I worry and I stress a lot. I'm
scared to be denied and to be obliged to come back on the first flight in Belgium. I
also brought all the papers which proof I will come back to Belgium and that I don't
intend to stay in US. She plans also to move in Belgium after the wedding and to live
here. Anyway I'm also obliged to marry her in Belgium (civil wedding) in November
before our wedding in Miami (church). The wedding certificate of US is not recognized
buy the Belgium adminisatration.

Can you tell me if they can denied me at the POE if I want to see her so many time ?
(they can see each stamp on the visa) If they ask me, do I need to tell them why I
travel a lot in Miami? Do I need to bring some pictures to of us and the family and
the bill phone ??

Thanks a lot for all the informations ....

Ingo Pakleppa

On Thu, 25 Jul 2002 15:53:30 -0700, Fabian Behague wrote:

    > Brussels July 25,2002
    >
    > Hi there !
    >
    > I'm a belgian citizen living in Brussels. Last year I met a girl from Miami who's a
    > US citizen. I went to see her in April 5, 2002 - May 18,2002 and June 28,2002. I
    > stay almost 1 or 2 weeks every time. Now I already plan to see her again on August
    > 14,2002. We don't like to be separated of course that's why I fligh so many times
    > to meet her. Anyway, we already plan to get married on January 4,2003 in Miami. I
    > have a B2 visa (visiting US citizen for fiancee). It's a multiple entries.She will
    > come back in Belgium on January 5,2002 to live here with me. We don't plan to stay
    > now in US because of my job. So, every time I arrive to the POE I worry and I
    > stress a lot. I'm scared to be denied and to be obliged to come back on the first
    > flight in Belgium. I also brought all the papers which proof I will come back to
    > Belgium and that I don't intend to stay in US. She plans also to move in Belgium
    > after the wedding and to live here. Anyway I'm also obliged to marry her in Belgium
    > (civil wedding) in November before our wedding in Miami (church). The wedding
    > certificate of US is not recognized buy the Belgium adminisatration.
    >
    > Can you tell me if they can denied me at the POE if I want to see her so many time
    > ? (they can see each stamp on the visa) If they ask me, do I need to tell them why
    > I travel a lot in Miami? Do I need to bring some pictures to of us and the family
    > and the bill phone ??
    >
    > Thanks a lot for all the informations ....

Travelling to the US that frequently can indeed be a problem; I've heard of people
having problems after five or six visits in as many months. If you mention the word
"girlfriend" or, worse, "fiancee" you won't help your case, but rather be almost
guaranteed denied admission. Basically, US immigration law takes the position that
you cannot be with your partner unless you get married - and then you have to move to
the US, not travel regularly.

Basically, my best advice is to continue what you are doing until you start having
a problem. If you can, try to travel less frequently but stay longer each time -
for instance, instead of coming for one week every four weeks, come for two weeks
every eight.

Most likely, you actually do NOT need to marry in Belgium - of course, if you want
to, you are free to do so. The reason is twofold. For one, virtually any country
recognizes legal marriages from any other country. So once a marriage is valid in the
US, Belgium should recognize it regardless of where the wedding was. More
importantly, church weddings in the US *are* also civil weddings; the minister
conducting the ceremony has been given the authority to wed people by the state. So
from a legal perspective, it's actually the same as a civil ceremony, where the
person officiating simply happens to also be a religous minister. Incidentally, in
some parts of the country, anybody can also apply for permission to perform a
wedding. Some couples use that to have a particularly important friend or relative
perform their ceremony.

Ingo

Steve Darrall

On Fri, 26 Jul 2002 00:53:30 +0200, "Fabian Behague"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Brussels July 25,2002
    >
    >Hi there !
    >
    >I'm a belgian citizen living in Brussels. Last year I met a girl from Miami who's a
    >US citizen. I went to see her in April 5, 2002 - May 18,2002 and June 28,2002. I
    >stay almost 1 or 2 weeks every time. Now I already plan to see her again on August
    >14,2002. We don't like to be separated of course that's why I fligh so many times to
    >meet her. Anyway, we already plan to get married on January 4,2003 in Miami. I have
    >a B2 visa (visiting US citizen for fiancee). It's a multiple entries.She will come
    >back in Belgium on January 5,2002 to live here with me. We don't plan to stay now in
    >US because of my job. So, every time I arrive to the POE I worry and I stress a lot.
    >I'm scared to be denied and to be obliged to come back on the first flight in
    >Belgium. I also brought all the papers which proof I will come back to Belgium and
    >that I don't intend to stay in US. She plans also to move in Belgium after the
    >wedding and to live here. Anyway I'm also obliged to marry her in Belgium (civil
    >wedding) in November before our wedding in Miami (church). The wedding certificate
    >of US is not recognized buy the Belgium adminisatration.
    >
    >Can you tell me if they can denied me at the POE if I want to see her so many time ?
    >(they can see each stamp on the visa) If they ask me, do I need to tell them why I
    >travel a lot in Miami? Do I need to bring some pictures to of us and the family and
    >the bill phone ??
    >
    >Thanks a lot for all the informations ....

Hi,

I've been to the US (I'm a UK citizen) around 20 times in the last 8-9 months to see
my girlfriend. I've never been denied entry, but I do usually get asked questions
about my work (it doesn't help that I work for a US company in the UK), my planned
return date, and what I'm planning to do while I'm there. I've always been honest
about why I'm entering the US (especially when visiting for 24 hours at a time), as
I'm an awful liar, and wouldn't want to get caught out.

I've always entered the US at either Washington, Dulles, Baltimore or Newark.
Baltimore seem to be more interested in me, but maybe that's down to the lack of
international arrivals at BWI, and the INS inspectors needing something to do?

Steve