length of validity of visa

[Candace 2]

Hello, I'm a British citizen living in Germany with my USC husband. We're going to be filing DCF Frankfurt and are just about ready to get the ball rolling.

We are not going to be leaving the US until either March 2007 or December 2007. If we go through the DCF route now, how long is the visa valid for once granted?

[zyggy 9]

Hello, I'm a British citizen living in Germany with my USC husband. We're going to be filing DCF Frankfurt and are just about ready to get the ball rolling.

We are not going to be leaving the US until either March 2007 or December 2007. If we go through the DCF route now, how long is the visa valid for once granted?

6 months... however, you could activate it at any time and then return to Germany. As long as it is not more than a year.

[YamSam 0]

Yeah, as Zyggy said. Visa's are valid for 6 months only...

[Candace 2]

6 months... however, you could activate it at any time and then return to Germany. As long as it is not more than a year.

Thank you very much for your replies - is it possible then to enter the US and activate my visa, leave for Germany again (so long as it is not for 12 months or longer) and then re-enter with it when we permanently move to the US?

[meauxna 15]

6 months... however, you could activate it at any time and then return to Germany. As long as it is not more than a year.

Thank you very much for your replies - is it possible then to enter the US and activate my visa, leave for Germany again (so long as it is not for 12 months or longer) and then re-enter with it when we permanently move to the US?

Yes, many people have done what you describe. Make sure that you have a valid US mailing address--that is where your Green Card and Social Security card will be mailed to within about a month of your entry. You do not need the Gren Card to re-enter the US; your endorsed visa in the passport will be enough.

The advantage to doing this is that it starts your 'clock' for I-751 and Naturalization asap, and gets your GC and SS# into production. Those 2 documents will make the rest of getting settled in the US much easier (driving license etc).

[Candace 2]

Thanks Meauxna! Another different but slightly related question:

We were married in June 2005. I understand from the information I have that there is a difference in having conditions dependent upon the length of your marriage at the time of your entry to the US, and if it is longer than 2 years there are not conditions. In view of this, would it be better for me to wait until after June 2007 to activate my visa? (it looks more likely we will be here in Germany until December 2007, not March 2007.)

Edit: Re-reading that, I apologise for the mile-long sentences and hope it makes sense!

Edited March 6, 2006 by Candace

[meauxna 15]

Thanks Meauxna! Another different but slightly related question:

We were married in June 2005. I understand from the information I have that there is a difference in having conditions dependent upon the length of your marriage at the time of your entry to the US, and if it is longer than 2 years there are not conditions. In view of this, would it be better for me to wait until after June 2007 to activate my visa? (it looks more likely we will be here in Germany until December 2007, not March 2007.)

Edit: Re-reading that, I apologise for the mile-long sentences and hope it makes sense!

hi Candace,

That's a call for you to make---there can be downsides to waiting as well

Since you are a way off yet, I'd wait to make that decision; lots of things can happen and you'll be able to fine tune it when you get closer. The important thing is that you are aware of the 'conditional' part of the status.

Filing I-751 is not a big burden and costs about $205 right now.

You might want to go ahead and do your forms and make yourself a checklist while this is all fresh in your mind. You will be amazed at how quickly it all vanishes from your mind in a few months! You can update your forms when it is closer to time to file, but if you make a practice packet now, your filing might seem easier to you then!