Does K3/4 visa needs travel document to go abroad?

[tina4211]

Hi,everyone

 

I am here on a K3 visa and I have not filed for AOS yet, and I am thinking to go back to China after few months. I am not sure if I need a travel document to leave and come back. According to what I read on USCIS website,it seems I do not need anything but this valid visa.I also called USCIS ,they told me not.

 

But the day we went to Seattle immg. office,and we talked with the officer,he told us I need to file for the I-131 form to get the re-entry permit. I am now so confused,and we are afraid if I do not get one,could I come back again? Anyone has experience with K3,PLEASE give me a correct answer!!!

 

Please help!

Thanks a lot!

 

Tina

[tywy_99]

A K3/4 visa is valid for two years from issue date. Your I-94 may or may not reflect the same date since it shows good for two years from the date you enter at one of the Ports Of Entries.

 

You were misinformed. The K3/4 visa can be used for multiple entries into the US. A k3/4 visa holder needs not apply for Advance Parole.

 

Another point about the K3/4 visa is that it can be extended at two-year increments if it is about to expire and you need to travel.

 

Make sure your I-94 is with your passport/visa to be handed over to the Immigrations Agent when you leave the country.

[tina4211]

A K3/4 visa is valid for two years from issue date. Your I-94 may or may not reflect the same date since it shows good for two years from the date you enter at one of the Ports Of Entries.

 

You were misinformed. The K3/4 visa can be used for multiple entries into the US. A k3/4 visa holder needs not apply for Advance Parole.

 

Another point about the K3/4 visa is that it can be extended at two-year increments if it is about to expire and you need to travel.

 

Make sure your I-94 is with your passport/visa to be handed over to the Immigrations Agent when you leave the country.

183326[/snapback]

Thank you very much for you info. I am glad that I would not need anything else.So I could go and come back freely.

 

But I wonder why he told me that? Did he not know it?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

Tina

[tywy_99]

In order to keep from undue stress, we need to remind ourselves that they are only human too.

 

They make mistakes, and plenty of them too because many of them just simply don't know and don't care.

[mercator]

That is good news to me too because I like to ride my moto up into Canada and now I know my wife and I can share that.

 

I had hoped we could honeymoon in Rome as well (I wanted to do it before we had kids).

 

Does the K3 allow you to come and go between the US and China only, or between US and any other country? Of course, I know she may need a visa to get into some countries because she'd be travelling on a Chinese passport... Hmm I wonder how that would work...

 

EDIT -

 

Italy actually has on their website situations where the person lives in one country and is a citizen of another, which is what a K-3 would be until they change status.

 

Canada doesn't but it is based on citizenship. I think it is going to be a huge pain to go to a third country, so we'll just wait until she gets her US Passport as a permanent resident. Means we'll be staying stateside for a while I think! Oh well. Lots of interesting places to go in the US...

Edited January 17, 2006 by mercator (see edit history)

[frank1538]

That is good news to me too because I like to ride my moto up into Canada and now I know my wife and I can share that.

 

I had hoped we could honeymoon in Rome as well (I wanted to do it before we had kids).

 

Does the K3 allow you to come and go between the US and China only, or between US and any other country?  Of course, I know she may need a visa to get into some countries because she'd be travelling on a Chinese passport...  Hmm I wonder how that would work...

 

EDIT -

 

Italy actually has on their website situations where the person lives in one country and is a citizen of another, which is what a K-3 would be until they change status.

 

Canada doesn't but it is based on citizenship.  I think it is going to be a huge pain to go to a third country, so we'll just wait until she gets her US Passport as a permanent resident.  Means we'll be staying stateside for a while I think!  Oh well.  Lots of interesting places to go in the US... 

183345[/snapback]

Be careful about using the K-3. It is true that a K-3 is a multi-entry visa, but it's multi-entry into the US, not other countries. I believe Canada requires a green card or at least an I-551 stamp in the passport. Absent that, Canada and most other countries will look at your wife as a Chinese citizen and may require a visa.

 

One side note about the misinformation coming out of USCIS. An LPR may require a re-entry permit in order to re-enter the US if gone for a long time. I want to say it's a year of absence from the US. Maybe the USCIS rep was thinking about this.

[Dean Hall]

Tina,

 

You can go back to China as many times as you want as long as you remain in the two year time limit of your visa.

 

My wife has gone back to China several times on her K3.

 

Of course, the first time that you take that trip, it is kinda scary because you don't know what to expect.

 

Here's what will happen.

 

Lets pretend that you will fly from Chicago to Beijing on United.

First, you cannot do automated check in, but must check in with the ticket agent. So allow yourself enough time for those lines.

 

The ticket agent will swipe your passport through a bar code reader, then remove the I-94 paper from your passport. You will then procede as normal with your gate passes, boarding, ect.

 

When you leave China, it will be just like the first time you came to the States. They will just look at your K3 visa, stamp your passport, and you do the 12 hr back to the states.

 

When you go through immigration, they will put a new I-94 back in your passport.

 

Before leaving, we always make 2 photocopies of her passport. We leave one photo copy with a family member in the states, and carry a copy with us. If anything should happen on re-entry, we have evidence of our first and original I-94. I personally would not leave home without a backup.

 

Anyway, travel has been pretty painless.

 

Dean

[tina4211]

Tina,

 

You can go back to China as many times as you want as long as you remain in the two year time limit of your visa.

 

My wife has gone back to China several times on her K3.

 

Of course, the first time that you take that trip, it is kinda scary because you don't know what to expect.

 

Here's what will happen.

 

Lets pretend that you will fly from Chicago to Beijing on United.

First, you cannot do automated check in, but must check in with the ticket agent.  So allow yourself enough time for those lines.

 

The ticket agent will swipe your passport through a bar code reader, then remove the I-94 paper from your passport.  You will then procede as normal with your gate passes, boarding, ect.

 

When you leave China, it will be just like the first time you came to the States.  They will just look at your K3 visa, stamp your passport, and you do the 12 hr back to the states. 

 

When you go through immigration, they will put a new I-94 back in your passport.

 

Before leaving, we always make 2 photocopies of her passport.  We leave one photo copy with a family member in the states, and carry a copy with us.  If anything should happen on re-entry, we have evidence of our first and original I-94.  I personally would not leave home without a backup.

 

Anyway, travel has been pretty painless.

 

Dean

183353[/snapback]

Hi,Dean

 

Thank you very much for sharing the details with us,it is such a great family here where you can find help and feel at home,even if we have never seen each other.

Thanks to all of you.

Now I am feeling a lot better!

 

Tina