K1 Visa Validity and Expirations from Moscow

[TomZ 0]

Hi, I was just researching the state department website and wanted to know if someone can confirm the process that they use at the Moscow embassy. We have our interview in a couple months, and are planning our timelines. It seems to me that when a visa is granted, it will have a 6 month valid date from when it was created--seems like a couple days after the interview, if all goes successfully. Does that mean that when she arrives in the US her I94 will be stamped with her arrival date and she will have 90 days from that date--regardless of when she received her visa? Spasibo

Tom

[mox 298]

You are correct.

The visa is good for 6 months from the time it is issued. "Good" means that she needs to travel on this visa by then, or it will become invalid. Once she enters the US, the visa will be canceled at the port of entry (canceled meaning that she can no longer travel on this visa) and from that point you will have exactly 90 days to marry or she will have to leave the country.

So the 90 days starts when she enters the country, and has nothing to do with the date the visa was issued or expires.

Hope that helps and best of luck to you Tom!

[payxibka 10,047]

I agree with Mox... as with most visas there are two "clocks" that are mutually exclusive of each other that you will need be aware of.

The first is the visa validity "clock" which for a K-1 is 6 months and starts the day the visa is issued and ends the day the visa expires or is used for entry. The second is the authorized stay period "clock" which for a K-1 visa is 90 days and begins the day the alien is granted entry to the USA. The authorized stay period "clock" is also the clock that governs the date by which you are to marry if you wish to adjust the alien's status directly from "K-1" to permanent resident.

Edited January 27, 2010 by payxibka

[Bernie C 24]

You are correct.

The visa is good for 6 months from the time it is issued. "Good" means that she needs to travel on this visa by then, or it will become invalid. Once she enters the US, the visa will be canceled at the port of entry (canceled meaning that she can no longer travel on this visa) and from that point you will have exactly 90 days to marry or she will have to leave the country.

So the 90 days starts when she enters the country, and has nothing to do with the date the visa was issued or expires.

Hope that helps and best of luck to you Tom!

Well kind of sort of true. The typical time stated is 6 months from day of issue however you will need to check the actual date stamped in the visa. When my fiancee received hers it was actually only 5 months until the expiration date. Always best to double check the actual date when you receive the visa just in case you are planning to wait so time before entering the US. As far as the other, yes, 90 days from POE to marry (however give yourselves some padding - dont wait until the 90th day to marry). I think a good rule of thumb is to complete the marriage with a few weeks to spare - you never know when "something" can happen. Best be on the safe side.

[payxibka 10,047]

Well kind of sort of true. The typical time stated is 6 months from day of issue however you will need to check the actual date stamped in the visa. When my fiancee received hers it was actually only 5 months until the expiration date. Always best to double check the actual date when you receive the visa just in case you are planning to wait so time before entering the US. As far as the other, yes, 90 days from POE to marry (however give yourselves some padding - dont wait until the 90th day to marry). I think a good rule of thumb is to complete the marriage with a few weeks to spare - you never know when "something" can happen. Best be on the safe side.

Some people have also translated 90 days to be equal to 3 mos. (when it is not) and then discovered later that when they thought they had a couple more days, the time had actually expired.

Also, not sure why you had a 5 mos. expirey... if you look at the DOS reciprocity table for Vietnam it lists the K-1 as 6 mos.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciproc...ocity_3705.html

Edited January 27, 2010 by payxibka

[SMR 368]

Some people have also translated 90 days to be equal to 3 mos. (when it is not) and then discovered later that when they thought they had a couple more days, the time had actually expired.

Also, not sure why you had a 5 mos. expirey... if you look at the DOS reciprocity table for Vietnam it lists the K-1 as 6 mos.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciproc...ocity_3705.html

When you say 5 months validity, is that from the time you got it or the time that it was issued. Usually the 6 month clock starts ticking as soon as the visa is issued. You usually receive it within a couple days but circumstances may make it more. The visa is still good for 6 months. The embassy just had it for a month.

If this isn't the case, I would be confused as to why the visa was only for 5 months. Also, as was mentioned, it's 180 days, not 6 months, technically speaking.

[TomZ 0]

Thanks everyone for your insight and quick responses. This site is awesome!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi, I was just researching the state department website and wanted to know if someone can confirm the process that they use at the Moscow embassy. We have our interview in a couple months, and are planning our timelines. It seems to me that when a visa is granted, it will have a 6 month valid date from when it was created--seems like a couple days after the interview, if all goes successfully. Does that mean that when she arrives in the US her I94 will be stamped with her arrival date and she will have 90 days from that date--regardless of when she received her visa? Spasibo

Tom

Yes, exactly. She has 6 months to enter the US at which time the visa is cancelled and replaced by the I-94 which is valid for 90 days.

[slim 1,530]

Thanks everyone for your insight and quick responses. This site is awesome!

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