Travel after receiving CR-1 visa

[deidivine 0]

Hi

I just received my CR-1 Spouse visa yesterday and I hope to join my husband at the end of the month. I would like to know if I can travel with him to Guam and Singapore one week after my arrival in the USA?

How would this affect my green card status. The Visa issued is not a multiple entry visa.

[Marilyn. 340]

when you activate your visa at the border you will get a stamp in the visa, that stamp is basically like your green card.... the stamp is good for a year but you should get your Green Card a few weeks after you activate your visa.... you should have no problems travelling , but you would have to check the travel requirements for the countries you plan to visit.....

[Cmguy 0]

So is it basically the same as a multiple entry Visa?

Isnt their a time requiremnt to physically stay in the US on a CR-1??

[aussiewench 9]

From USCIS

CONDITIONAL RESIDENTS

Permanent Resident rights apply equally to you while you are in conditional resident status. The difference between you and an unconditioned permanent resident is that your permanent resident status will expire in two years from when it was given, unless you successfully petition to have the condition removed.

International Travel

A Permanent Resident of the United States can travel freely outside of the US. A passport from the country of citizenship is normally all that is needed. To reenter the US a Permanent Resident normally needs to present the green card (Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551) for readmission. A reentry permit is needed for reentry for trips greater than one year but less than two years in duration.

In the case of a conditional resident they would need to present the Conditional Resident Card.

Hope this helps

Lorelle

[Marilyn. 340]

So is it basically the same as a multiple entry Visa?

Isnt their a time requiremnt to physically stay in the US on a CR-1??

once you get the stamp/green card you will be a permanent resident of the United States..... the CR1 visa no longer comes into play, it is basically obsolete.... you can come and go as you please but like I mentioned before different countries might have different regulations about entering their country as a permanent resident rather then a citizen... I hope that makes sense....

I think there is some kind of time period , but i am not sure and I think it is just if you want to become a citizen which you can't do anyways for 3 years....

maybe someone who has better info can better answer that question....

Edited February 19, 2006 by MarilynP

[tom&tata 2]

On my CR-1 visa, it says" Serves as temporary I-551 for 1 year upon endorsement".

Endorsement is done when I made the 1st entry on the visa 2 weeks ago and according to the officer, the visa with endorsement stamp will be my green card for the moment as green card may take up to 6 months to arrive.

[aussiewench 9]

So is it basically the same as a multiple entry Visa?

Isnt their a time requiremnt to physically stay in the US on a CR-1??

once you get the stamp/green card you will be a permanent resident of the United States..... the CR1 visa no longer comes into play, it is basically obsolete.... you can come and go as you please but like I mentioned before different countries might have different regulations about entering their country as a permanent resident rather then a citizen... I hope that makes sense....

I think there is some kind of time period , but i am not sure and I think it is just if you want to become a citizen which you can't do anyways for 3 years....

maybe someone who has better info can better answer that question....

From a US Embassy site.

(Q) HOW LONG MUST I REMAIN IN THE U.S. AFTER I HAVE ENTERED ON THE IMMIGRANT VISA?

(A) U.S. law does not specify how long one must remain in the U.S. after first entering. Immigration officials, at the time of your return to the U.S., will look very closely at the amount of time spent away from the U.S. If they determine that you have been spending more time out of the U.S. than in the U.S., they are empowered to revoke your lawful permanent resident status. You would then have to re-qualify for permanent resident status.

(Q) I AM A U.S. PERMANENT RESIDENT. I HAVE BEEN (OR WILL BE) OUT OF THE U.S. FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS. HOW CAN I EXTEND MY GREEN CARD?

(A) Unfortunately, it is not possible to extend the 12-month limit. You must return to the U.S. within 12 months of your last U.S. departure. If you don't, you will be deemed to have abandoned your U.S. resident status. It is possible to apply to have your residency reinstated, though this process is costly and requires a showing that the absence was due to compelling reasons beyond your control. Statistically, very few cases succeed.

[deidivine 0]

Thanks for the info