Courtesy of Jon Walters/Instagram
’90 Day Fiance’ Stars Jon and Rachel Share Spousal Visa Update, Reveal If They’ll Return to the Show
Nearly there! 90 Day Fiancé stars Jon Walters and Rache Walters shared a major update on their spousal visa process with fans, and they also revealed whether or not they’ll be returning to the show.
In their 90 Day Fiancé: What Now? episode, which aired in April, the long-distance couple revealed their visa was at risk of being denied because Rachel, 35, was the U.K. native’s sponsor, which means she would be financially responsible for the 36-year-old once he arrives in the United States. If the USCIS saw that she did not have a job, they would have deemed her financially unfit to be a sponsor which would have resulted in an automatic denial.
“It took a very long time to get to where we are now but I have been offered a job and I have had a job for quite a few months,” Rachel said in a YouTube video on Saturday, September 19. She explained she wanted to wait until her probationary period at her new company was over before revealing the news to her fans.
“I am working from home permanently, which has been something I’ve always wanted to do. That is an amazing update for Jon and I, because that means our visa is no longer in jeopardy,” she continued. “I make enough [money] and everything is golden on that end.”
“The second part that we actually want to share is our visa is not behind like we thought. We thought our visa would end up being eight months behind because of the pandemic. But what’s actually happened is they got through their paperwork quicker. So, our visa application is moving along and our visa is currently just about ready for an interview,” Jon said. The interview is the last step in the visa process, after which a USCIS agent will decide whether to approve or deny the visa.
Rachel explained she was previously told USCIS wouldn’t even “look” at their application until the end of 2020 because of the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic. But their visa case was officially opened about five or six months ago and officials started to request information. As the couple sends their documents, USCIS responds in a timely matter which was surprising to Jon, Rachel and their lawyer.
The Albuquerque, New Mexico resident speculated the paperwork may have been completed faster because USCIS officials are not able to schedule in-person visa interviews due to social distancing measures set in place. They expect to receive a date for Jon’s interview once the U.S. embassy in the U.K. lifts the suspension. Rachel added their lawyer also told her applications for visas involving married couples take priority when it comes to scheduling interviews.
According to an update posted on the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom’s official website, as of July 27, 2020, the United States Embassy in London are resuming certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services. Included in those services are immigrant visas for the spouses of U.S. citizens, which is the type of visa Jon and Rachel applied for. So they may receive an appointment sooner rather than later.
If Jon does receive his interview and it is approved, he may or may not need a waiver because of his criminal history in his native country of England. If he does need a waiver, it would add one more year to their visa journey. If they don’t need the waiver, then Jon can book a ticket to the United States as soon as he gets his visa. With or without the waiver, they are already father along in their visa process than they anticipated by about six months.
The third update the couple had to share with fans is whether they’ll be returning to the 90 Day Fiancé franchise. Rachel and Jon announced they will finally reunite again in May 2021, which will be the first time the couple has seen each other since January 2020.
“We are probably are not gonna be filming the next trip when Rachel comes,” Jon said. Rachel explained there may be a chance they’ll return to the show in the future, but they will not film their upcoming trip because she got approval from the father of her eldest daughter, Ella, to travel with her to England. This would mark the first time Jon meets Ella in person since he and Rachel tied the knot in May 2018. Since Rachel’s ex does not want Ella on TV, TLC camera crews will not be allowed to film.
The couple was excited to spend time together as a family of four, along with Rachel’s youngest daughter, Lucy. “I cannot wait. I’ve known Ella since she was 6 and now she’s 10. She’s coming and we’re gonna do stuff, we’re gonna go to fun places. We’re going to be together,” Jon gushed.
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