TRAVEL TO THE USA WHILE FILING i-130

[pauliface 0]

Hi,

I was wondering if my wife (the petioner) sends the i-130. Can I travel to the USA in the mean time to attend a friends wedding?

Thank you

[danzz 11]

You can, but be prepared to show strong ties to your home country to border patrol. (Car ownership, job, house, etc...)

[JohnR! 5,495]

Hi,

I was wondering if my wife (the petioner) sends the i-130. Can I travel to the USA in the mean time to attend a friends wedding?

Thank you

Yes, you can travel to the US while your application is being processed. It will be up to the CBP officer to allow you, so be truthful yet generic in your answers as to the reasons you're coming to the US lest if conveys the notion you are trying to get in the country to stay.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Hi,

I was wondering if my wife (the petioner) sends the i-130. Can I travel to the USA in the mean time to attend a friends wedding?

Thank you

Read the the answer London embassy gives here http://london.usembassy.gov/faq-imm-proc.html#iv038

[Harsh_77 718]

As post #3 says you can travel legally and technically there is nothing wrong but to admit you or not is upto the officer at POE.

Be prepared to show your ties to your home and why you would return home and complete your CR1 process.

[Lou29 5]

Hi,

I am currently going through the I-130 process and have so far been approved (2nd August). My application is now with the NVC but I am planning on visiting my husband in the US at the end of September for a month since we have 2 family weddings to attend. I'm planning on just taking as much evidence as I have to show that I will be returning to the UK (approval notice from the USCIS, return flight info, receipt of payment to my lawyer for the I-130 process, my old passport showing all my previous visits to the US which have all been well within the 90 days and also my police certificate which shows a clear record). I hope this will be ok. I'm going to fly through Dublin so if I do get denied then it's just a short flight home. Fingers crossed!

Good luck.

[pushbrk 12,908]

Yes, you can travel to the US while your application is being processed. It will be up to the CBP officer to allow you, so be truthful yet generic in your answers as to the reasons you're coming to the US lest if conveys the notion you are trying to get in the country to stay.

In this case, there's no need to be generic. He can specifically say, he's coming to attend a friend's wedding.

[Sara & Mark 2]

In this case, there's no need to be generic. He can specifically say, he's coming to attend a friend's wedding.

You advice has been extremely helpful to me in the past, not only by your replies to my questions, but also by reading your replies to other questions asked on this forum.

My situation is similar.

I-130 filed, still in review process, no updates so far.

My wife wants to travel to the USA from Sweden so we can vacation together in Mexico.

If I'm understanding the process properly, she needs bring proof of strong ties to Sweden and her intent to return to Sweden after our vacation.

Proof of strong ties can include proof of car and property ownership, current employment, current bank statement, etc......

Just my opinion, but why would anyone jeopardize the I-130 process and forfeit their rights to immigrate to the USA by not returning to the home country?

Is there a phone number or website link, either here in the USA or in Sweden, that my wife can call just to put her mind at ease about this subject?

[lynndy38 64]

My husband and I are dealing with the same issue.......should I travel to the US during the visa process or not?

And you cannot get an absolute answer because it ALL depends on the POE officer you encounter on the day of travel.

Pointless calling anyone in my opinion,some folk say yes travel,others say don't.

Again we're at the mercy of the POE officer,seems a lottery.....you can take the chance with the very real threat that you'll be sent home.

I think we're going to at least try.Good luck guys.

[JohnR! 5,495]

My husband and I are dealing with the same issue.......should I travel to the US during the visa process or not?

And you cannot get an absolute answer because it ALL depends on the POE officer you encounter on the day of travel.

Pointless calling anyone in my opinion,some folk say yes travel,others say don't.

Again we're at the mercy of the POE officer,seems a lottery.....you can take the chance with the very real threat that you'll be sent home.

I think we're going to at least try.Good luck guys.

It is true it all depends on the CBP officer but you can be truthful and give them a generic answer or if such an answer would result in misrepresentation you can always be straightforward. There are stories of success and failures in both cases. In all cases, you can always disclose to the officer that you would not wish to jeopardize your process by attempting to circumvent the necessary steps, and even let them know you know it would be fraud to misrepresent yourself to an immigration office. You can even offer to sign a document to that effect if they deemit necessary. If you're sent to secondary and things are not looking well, you really have nothing to lose at that point.

<div><br></div><div>Good luck!!!!!</div>

Edited August 28, 2012 by Gegel

[Jordandawg05 13]

We recently got married 7/14 and my wife already had a tourist visa that she entered the US on. We used the straightforward honost approach and CBP gave us 6 month visit while i petition CR1. It all depends on the CBP but i won't suggest to misrepresent just be straight forward and show ties back.

[pauliface 0]

Just as I thought, it's a risk for me to be honest. I will be sad to miss the wedding though, however then risking the huge cost of the flight and being denied would be even more so upsetting.

I believe I may just miss the deadline to recieve my Visa.

Thank you for your replies

[RFQ 110]

I had no problems either with my husband coming on a visitor visa. I was well into the I130 process (in fact my approval came while my husband was here). He told the person straight up that he had intentions to immigrate here but he was coming for a 2 month visit. He had the return ticket bought already. He bought a contract from his job at home for the next year but they asked for neither.