First entry to US with CR1 visa

[sarahkmm 0]

My husband has received his immigration visa CR1 on the 24th of Feb and it expires on the 11th of May, this is sooner than we expected as he still has to resign from his current job, pack up everything, and have my son at least complete half a semester at school. So we were planning for him to travel before the 11th of May and stay in the US for a couple of weeks do job interviews, house hunting and such, come back finish things here and then travel back all together then we came across this and we dont quiet understand it.

When You Have Your Immigrant Visa - What You Should Know

If you are issued an immigrant visa, the consular officer will give you your passport containing the immigrant visas and a sealed packet containing the documents which you provided. It is important that you do not open the sealed packet. Only the DHS immigration official should open this packet when you enter the U.S. You are required to enter the U.S. before the expiration date printed on your visa. When traveling, the primary (or principal) applicant must enter the U.S. before or at the same time as family members holding visas.

Does that sentence mean I (US citizen spouse who has applied for husband) be in the US before him or with him?

Also how long does it take to receive the greencard?

[UKGirl123 24]

From posts Ihave read over the last few days. Immigration at the border are telling cr-1 holders on entry that it can take several months to recieve a green card. One person was in fact told 6 months.

Is there anyway he can get everything done before May?

[YuAndDan 153]

From posts Ihave read over the last few days. Immigration at the border are telling cr-1 holders on entry that it can take several months to recieve a green card. One person was in fact told 6 months.

Is there anyway he can get everything done before May?

Nope, the visa WILL be coded I-551, this means the visa will act as a temporary green-card typically the stamp will indicate that it is good for upwards of 1 year. So once enter the USA you will essentially have green-card status, and can travel back home and then later use the visa/temp green-card to return to the USA.

SEE:

Note what the visa says at the bottom?

Anyway for most the actual card tends to show up a couple weeks after arrival.

Sounds like your plan is quite sound.

And yes that notation about petitioner arriving at same time or before means that petitioner needs to be in the USA before or at same time as immigrant.

Edited March 8, 2011 by YuAndDan

[Markieboy 104]

Nope, the visa WILL be coded I-551, this means the visa will act as a temporary green-card typically the stamp will indicate that it is good for upwards of 1 year. So once enter the USA you will essentially have green-card status, and can travel back home and then later use the visa/temp green-card to return to the USA.

SEE:

Note what the visa says at the bottom?

Anyway for most the actual card tends to show up a couple weeks after arrival.

Sounds like your plan is quite sound.

And yes that notation about petitioner arriving at same time or before means that petitioner needs to be in the USA before or at same time as immigrant.

[sarahkmm 0]

Thank you for your replies