@Abigail *******

can't recall exactly. You have to book an appointment online for an interview at the embassy. Thats the determining factor and will be approved at that time.

Filling out the application online is quick and easy. I believe the earliest appt was something like 3 months out at the time. Once you book the appt though you can go back in and check if any earlier spots open up. I believe she was able to move it up a couple of months that way.

@Abigail *******

yes, you need to live in the US the way I understood it. I would definitely apply for a tourist visa after you are married since you plan on living here. My wife had a tourist visa denied before we were married but approved after. I used one of the free form answers on the application to explain that I had retired and moved to Thailand with no immediate plans in the future to move back. That the tourist visa was really the only option for her to be able to travel back to the states with me to meet friends and family 1-2 times a year for 3-4 weeks at a time.

@Wayne *******

the op also doesn't explicitly say they will marry outside the US so could apply for the K1 fiance visa to get married in the US. Although that likely wouldn't be approved in time to get married this year.

@Wayne *******

yes, I forgot about that one. Not a bad option.

Once you are married, but less than 2 years, she needs to apply for the CR1 visa. IR1 if longer than 2 years.

@Brandon ***********

I believe in order to start that process though she will need to apply for the CR1 visa first.

@Paul ******

renew it before and save yourself the trouble.

"There is no limit on how early you can renew your passport, but the U.S. Department of State suggests renewing it nine months before the expiration date."

@Joe ********

not once did you say the agent accompanied you at the border. That is a completely different story and quite and important part you left out. Interesting that after all this back and forth you finally decide to mention that. If you had then I would have actually agreed with you.

Please also quote my exact words on which comment I have backtracked on. My stance all along has been using an agent to GET the visa does not help you at the border. Now you're changing the story to include the agent accompanying you.

@Joe ********

dude, you need to learn some reading comprehension. Not once have I stated that using an agent may make things easier to GET the visa. An agent can even help make things go easier if you are doing a border bounce. I am not disagreeing with either of those points.

What I have said repeatedly is using an agent to get the visa does absolutely nothing to help you when you are standing in front of the IO at the border. Which was the point you were trying to make in your original comment. The officer has no clue whether or not you used an agent to get the visa, nor do they care. The issue you had at the border was because education visas are an automatic red flag, especially when returning on a tourist visa. Seriously, get a clue you clown.🤡

@Joe ********

what the hell are you arguing about then? You're initial comment recommends getting an agent to prevent issues with authorities and then you go on to give an example of issues that an agent can do absolutely nothing about. No agent could solve the issues you had so why even mention them as if it applied?