raining_at_sunset

Hi everyone,
I live in England and proposed to my fiancee last summer. I going over to visit her in March under the visa waiver program but I am really worried about going through the immigration line because of my status. I'm worried that when they ask what I'm there for and I say 'visiting my fiancee' that alarm bells are going to go off in their head and they're going to think I'm going to stay there illegally. When I went there last summer they seemed slightly uneasy about me having a girlfriend in America...but thankfully they didn't have a problem with it and let me through.
When my fiancee came to visit me in England last spring she had so much trouble getting in. The immigration officer seemed certain she was not here for a visit and she basicly got detained, questioned about everything to do with us (I was interviewed too). Thankfully she was let in but because of this I am so worried about visiting the states. Are they likely to think something fishy is going on because we're engaged? Is there anything I can bring with me to prove that I'll be going back? I'm currently on job seekers allowance at the moment and so I wouldn't be able to prove that I have a job to come back to.

Sorry if this isn't really the right place for it, I'm just worried about the whole scenario and just need to know if I'm worrying over nothing or if I could be sent back. I can't face the thought of already not seeing my fiancee for 7 months...but to face a 10 hour trip and then be questioned and turned away breaks my heart. We don't plan to get married for another couple of years because of how much the visa requirments have changed with all the saving up we have to do.

Noorah101

There is no way of knowing for sure what will happen at the POE for you. But with the problems you both had last time, I'd say something might be flagged in the system, and you should be prepared to face a potential turn-around at the POE.

With you not having a job, that works strongly against you. Do you own property? Can you think of any other reason you MUST return to the UK?

The only way to know is to try. The good news is that even if you get turned away on the VWP, it does not count against you for any future marriage-based visa you want to do (when you do decide to marry).

If you don't want to take the risk, then try meeting each other in a 3rd country, where you will both most definitely be tourists.

Rene

raining_at_sunset

Many thanks for the reply Noorah101 :-) that doesn't sound overly promising...I know that my fiancee was on file for 6 months when she came to England and that although the immigration officer did seem a bit dubvious about me having an American girlfriend when I visited the US I wasn't detained or anything. I'm hoping that because I'm engaged that it will seem an official thing and that I'm less likely to stay in the country illegally if i've proposed. I'm just trying not to worry and just hope that if I prove that I'm going back that it may be good enough *sigh*.

As for me proving I have to go back to England...I don't really have anything as I'm currently not working and I live with my parents. The only thing I have is that I'm applying for a holiday work visa for Canada but I don't know if that will come thorugh in time to have an official email to print out.

Noorah101

Unfortunately, this is not the case, and having a USC fiancee actually works against you. It gives the POE officer more reason to suspect you might just get married and stay in the USA, without going back home. Especially if you have nothing to really go back home for...no job, no school, no property to sell, no loose ends to tie up...see what I mean?

Yes, if you can prove you're going back to the UK, you have a better chance....but...

,....this doesn't sound like much proof.

But you never know until you try, maybe you'll get a nice POE officer on a good day and he'll wave you right in. But you should realize you probably won't be getting away with it too much longer.

Rene

meauxna

How long are you planning to visit for?

ian-mstm

Why do you think it's necessary to tell the officer that you're engaged and visiting your fiancee? You don't need to unless you really want to shoot yourself in the foot! If the officer asks why you want to enter the US, you tell him the truth... you're here on holiday and visiting friends in whatever city. If he asks whether or not you're engaged, you say "yes" of course... but you are not obligated to volunteer information not specifically asked for. When dealing with US immigration at the POE... less is more!

Ian

agentpeppermint

My thoughts exactly, When i went to the UK the 1st time, I hadnt even met my fiance in person yet! I told the IO at the POE in England I was there visiting his mother ( as she was the one who invited me! ) and had a letter from her just in case, I rattled off her address and phone number and I was let in. Fiance, came here to the US and we were smack in the middle of our K-1 visa process and he had a brand spanking new passport with no stamps. The IO was dubious at first, but saw our NOA for the K-1 and when my fiance said "Were doing this the legal way" He was stamped and let in no problem. He has MORE trouble getting in on his actual VISA than with the VWP

raining_at_sunset

Noorah101 - I can see how that may look to the immigration officer :-s all I have to prove I'm going back will be my return flight intinery sheet. I guess it really is just down to who I have and how trusting they are of me.

Meauxna - I'll be going for 8 weeks :-)

Ian-mstm - good point :-) this is mostly because when my fiancee came over she said she was her for vacation...and from then on things went very pear shaped from then on. So I didn't know if it was best to say from the start that I'm visiting a partner...mostly because I won't have that much money with me as her parents will be paying for food and stuff. So if I say I'm staying there for 8 weeks with, say, £300 it might make things worse.

agentpeppermint - glad things went without a problem when your fiance come over :-) I'm really hoping that if I'm honest saying that shes my fiance, and if they ask more uestions, I can just say that we hope to get married in the next couple of years as we want to save up before applying for a visa as we want to do it the right way. But I may just go with the 'vacation' reason first and then if they ask more I can explain.

agentpeppermint

If your food and accomodations are taken care of 300 quid is a good amount of cash. Bring any credit cards you have even if they dont have money on them...hubby did this when asked how much money he had....he said he had credit cards too..i shoulf also add when he came over on the vwp i was 8 months pregnant with our son....he left that snippet of info out of the convo....one thing we both learned is be honest but dont offer up info they dont ask for. You just have to do what you think is right and get on the plane. Good luck!

penguinbar

My husband and I went back and forth several times when our K1 was being processed. We both just said we were on holiday which was the truth. Never had a problem .

meauxna

Did you go for months at a time?

Rete

Why do you have to use the word "fiancee"??????

Girlfriend, boyfriend, friend, works just as well.

After reading a bit more of your subsequent posts, it would appear thatyou are no longer in school, not working, apparently being supported by your parents and have little, or nothing, to show that you are not an immigration risk. An application for a temp job in Canada won't cut it. Don't know what else to suggest but if you fly through Dublin, Ireland, you will be examined before getting on the plane and then won't lose your ticket since you can pay to reschedule it.

penguinbar

No. Just weeks at a time. I have gone to the UK and Ireland for 2 months at a time before I met my husband which was not that long ago. Always said I was on holiday or visiting friends (which was true)and still never had a problem.

p.blow

I was also worried about visiting my us fiance. When i arrived in the us and approached the POE they did ask me a quite a few questions like how long i was staying? they wanted to see my return ticket, they also wanted to know how much money i had in my UK account, i did bring statements to show them, they wanted to know how much us currency i had with me.

I also had two previous visa's the j-1 and the K-1 so they were asking about them. after about 4-5 minutes of answerinf questions he told me to take a seat.

I then had to go into a security room and have an interview with two people, asking me pretty much the same questions, but they recorded the "conversation" and entered what i was saying on the computer. This took around 20 minutes.

They did finally let me through, If you have never had any problems before entering you should be fine, but you may have to answer a load of questions. And be sure to bring proof of any property you own and bank statements and so on.

One last thing i missed my connection flight becasue 1st my plane was delayed and 2nd all the questions, so make sure you leave yourseld enough time if you have a connecting flight

hope this helps

meauxna

Exactly. That's probably why you didn't have any problems.