TOURIST VISAS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO K-1 VISA

Visa - is permission to apply to enter the United States. Foreign citizens must apply for a visa at an American embassy or Consulate abroad, when desiring to travel to the United States. A consular officer decides whether you are qualified for a visa.

In adjudicating visa applications, the Consul at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate is guided by U.S. laws and regulations and not laws of your Fiancee's home country. The issuance of non-immigrant visas is governed by the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

U.S. immigration law places the burden of proof on the visa applicant to show that he or she is not planning to immigrate to the United States by using a tourist visa. In other words, each non-immigrant visa applicant must prove to the Consul's satisfaction that s/he will NOT travel to the U.S. in order to reside there permanently. Each applicant must demonstrate that s/he is traveling to the U.S. for ONLY a temporary stay and has strong ties to their home country that will compel him/her to return home.

Documents that provide evidence of the applicant's social, economic, and/or family ties to Russia, as well as correspondence from relatives or business associates you plan to visit, may facilitate the consular officer's decision.

Some examples of documents that may be helpful include:

Evidence of employment. A letter from your employer can be useful.
Evidence of income (and in some cases evidence of your spouse's income), such as earnings statements.
Evidence of immediate family (spouse, children) in Russia.
Evidence of ownership of property.
Evidence of ongoing studies if applicant is still a student.
Evidence of ongoing projects for those in entertainment fields.
Your old passport bearing earlier visas and entry stamps indicating the date on which you returned to Russia (for those who have traveled to the U.S. previously).

As from my own experience, I did not have any problems in obtaining a private non-immigrant visa (B-2) when I wanted to check out how my future life would look like before I moved to the U.S. permanently. And there are several reasons for that.

First, it was 1996 when I applied for B-2 visa. Of course, you say, it is a long time ago, when there were different laws, less restrictions and it was way before September 11 catastrophe.

Secondly, at that time I was a third-year student in law school in Moscow, Russia. I was involved in many international projects especially with U.S. attorneys who visited Russia quite often.

Thirdly, I was one of the lucky ones! A lot of people were very surprised when they found out that I obtained my B-2 visa without any problems.

Nowadays, it is almost impossible for a young unmarried lady to obtain this kind of visa.

Helpful Information:

To Contact U.S Embassies and Consulates abroad
Consular Affairs
Visa Services (for Foreigners Traveling to U.S.)
Visitor Visas for Business and Pleasure
Visa Waiver Program
Online Visa Application Form
Nonimmigrant Visa Photo Requirements
Visa Services Fees
K1 Visa Information

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Fiancee Visa
Law Office of
Laurie Wu
(732) 387-3668

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Here are some recent testimonials we have received in reference to our service:

From Dan P. As we all know being separated from a loved one is quite difficult, and every day matters. I have had one experience procuring a visa for my fiance many years ago,(what an exasperating experience) and Laurie was more than twice as fast as doing it on my own. Laurie is extremely responsive, as I can attest to her even working/taking calls on the weekend to make the process go faster.

From Greg A. Laurie was a very helpful Attorney, she helped us get my fiancée visa. We had a couple of potential red flags to deal with and Laurie knew just how to handle them. Laurie's law firm is in a different state into which I live, but this wasn't a problem at all, she kept in contact in all the different ways. Laurie's fluency in mandarin also helped my fiancée feel comfortable. My fiancée and I high recommend Laurie she is very professional and we probably couldn't have done it without her. Thank you Laurie

From Tobi O. Laurie most recently helped my wife and I remove the conditions from my green card. In 2012, she helped us with K-1 fiancé visa and then helped me get my conditional green card. The entire process then and now went smooth without complications. Because of her attention to details, we didn't need to submit any more evidence and didn't have to go for any interview in order to obtain my 10 year green card. We know she has many clients, but she treated our case like we were her only clients. Not only is she hardworking, she is also very professional and reachable. I'm so glad my wife and I found her. Her fees are very affordable, and I highly recommend her to everyone.

From Aurielle C. Laurie is very professional and works very fast. She always helps me with the papers and answers all my questions in a short time. She listens to her customers. It took 5 months for me to have my visa in my hand and I want to say thank you for it. Now my fiancee and I are married. I definitely recommend Laurie and I'll continue to work with her in the future.

From Debasish R. Laurie provided truly outstanding service from start to finish. I was a bit anxious about the outcome of the K-1 visa for my Chinese girlfriend before I had Laurie as my attorney. Once Laurie started the application process I was reassured that I was in the best hands possible. She has intimate knowledge of the application process and how to present the best possible application. Laurie has an incredible attention to detail. She responds to every question in a timely and clear fashion.

From Ken M. My name is Ken and Attorney Laurie Wu prepared a K1 Fiancée Visa application for me and my Chinese fiancée. Laurie also helped me with my K-1 visa application for my ex-fiancée and I withdrew that application. All along, Laurie took time to listen to our concerns and addressed them in a thoughtful, respectful, and caring way. She replied to inquiries promptly, both to me and my fiancée in China. Her advice was both helpful and reassuring.

From Dimitri B. We have been working with Laurie over the past few years and she has provided us great service. Immigrating is very confusing and not always clear what is required. Laurie has shown that she has a comprehensive understanding of the requirements and the system to make the process run smoothly and had confidence in her at each step. In this sort of process communication is very important and she kept us appraised at each stage and in layman terms we could understand. We even rehired her to help us to renew my green card two years after I became a permanent resident.

From Bipasha B. From the very first day I was put in touch with Laurie she was accommodating, understanding and gave me sound advice. I liked her straightforward approach and practical advice. Ours was a unique situation and she expertly guided us through it keeping us on track with what were the next steps and what we should expect. Even at times when we fell behind with the paperwork she checked on us to keep track of our progress. Whether over phone or email she was always readily available and helped us through any doubts we might have or any questions that arose.

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Home Fiancee visa Step by Step Visa Guide Visa Service What is a Fiancee visa (K-1)?
Requirements for K-1 visa Children of Fiancee - K-2 visa Adjustment of Status ("green card") Fiancee visa (K-1) vs. Spousal visa (K-3)
Tourist visas as an alternative to K-1 visa Fee schedule Questions you might have