Going on a cruise ship with i-130 pending?

[Martyna 6]

My husband (US) and I(Poland) met while working on a cruise ship. We got married (outside US)and filed i-130 for CR-1 visa may 2013.
Plan was for me not to take another contract and sail with my husband as a wife on board (passenger status)so i will be available (not bound with contract) for an interview.
It was not a problem in summer when ships are mostly in Europe, but now all of them have one or two American ports on the way.
He moved his joining date to march 2014 witch is really pushing it with the company(itinerary still including US Ports) in hope that we will be close to end of the process by March/April. Lately it seems that estimated processing times for i-130 filed by US citizens have doubled. We are afraid that he would have to go on ship without me.

Is there any way i can join my husband on the ship that sails in US ports? Any kind of transit visa not conflicting with i-130 pending?If I join the ship outside US and not disembark in US ports does it change anything? We just want to be together.

I have only C1/D1 visa, and i am afraid that applying for tourist visa now, if denied can harm CR-1 process. What are the chances of that happening?
I wrote to US embassy in Poland and their answer was, that it is up to me if i apply for non immigration visa or not...

Thank you for your help
Martyna

[Blueberry Pancake 311]

B-2 visa denial will not affect your CR-1 process.

[cappucino boy 29]

Martyna,

That time line for doing everything seems risky at best when dealing with USCIS. You should definitely consider your options and I don't think it will be easy to get a tourist visa. I don't understand why Polish tourist visas are so hard to get. I have a friend who applied for her daughter several times only to get denied again and again. I think that if you don't disembark the ship in the US you could probably travel with your fiance and not have any problems. Just my 2 cents.

bernie

My husband (US) and I(Poland) met while working on a cruise ship. We got married (outside US)and filed i-130 for CR-1 visa may 2013.

Plan was for me not to take another contract and sail with my husband as a wife on board (passenger status)so i will be available (not bound with contract) for an interview.

It was not a problem in summer when ships are mostly in Europe, but now all of them have one or two American ports on the way.

He moved his joining date to march 2014 witch is really pushing it with the company(itinerary still including US Ports) in hope that we will be close to end of the process by March/April. Lately it seems that estimated processing times for i-130 filed by US citizens have doubled. We are afraid that he would have to go on ship without me.

Is there any way i can join my husband on the ship that sails in US ports? Any kind of transit visa not conflicting with i-130 pending?If I join the ship outside US and not disembark in US ports does it change anything? We just want to be together.

I have only C1/D1 visa, and i am afraid that applying for tourist visa now, if denied can harm CR-1 process. What are the chances of that happening?

I wrote to US embassy in Poland and their answer was, that it is up to me if i apply for non immigration visa or not...

Thank you for your help

Martyna

[Martyna 6]

Martyna,

That time line for doing everything seems risky at best when dealing with USCIS. You should definitely consider your options and I don't think it will be easy to get a tourist visa. I don't understand why Polish tourist visas are so hard to get. I have a friend who applied for her daughter several times only to get denied again and again. I think that if you don't disembark the ship in the US you could probably travel with your fiance and not have any problems. Just my 2 cents.

bernie

Thank you

I asked ships Port and Paper officer about staying on the ship in US ports, and his answer was - quote "ha ha, if it only would be that simple" and he thank me for brightening up his day...We have immigration on the ship when we sail in to US waters.

We recently called USCIS for latest processing NBC Times info, they told us they are on 1 of October 2012 case, so our application is within normal processing time....

9 FAM 41.31 N17 AUTHORITY TO CLASSIFY CERTAIN VISAS “B-1/B-2” AND AMOUNT OF FEES TO BE COLLECTED (CT:VISA-1034; 09-24-2008) a. You may properly issue B-1/B-2 visitor visas to aliens with immigrant visa (IV) applications pending with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You must be satisfied that the alien’s intent in seeking entry into the United States is to engage in activities consistent with B-1/B-2 classification for a temporary period and that the alien has a residence abroad which he or she does not intend to abandon. While immigrant visa registration is reflective of an intent to immigrate, it may not be proper for you to refuse issuance of a visa under INA 214(b) solely on the basis of such registration, unless you have reason to believe the applicant’s true intent is to remain in the United States until such a time as an immigrant visa (IV) becomes available.

so there is a Chance....

[Shamroz Kadiwal 4]

I believe your I-130 will be approve before March but not sure whole immigration process would be done by March 2014. I was a March 1st filer and just got approval. So seems like after workload transferred to local service centers, people are getting responses very quickly.

[NikLR 13,227]

There may be a few Oct 2012 files they are working on but in general it will be after Jan filers. I was Oct and have been in the USA since June.