6 months to use the green card after interview???

[connormaria 1]

Don't know how I missed this prickly detail. I thought it was 1 year. My wife has her interview in 2 days and we are not prepared to leave within the 6 months. We had been planning to leave in 9 months or so. Is this 6 month rule really true??

Thanks

[dwheels76 5,466]

Don't know how I missed this prickly detail. I thought it was 1 year. My wife has her interview in 2 days and we are not prepared to leave within the 6 months. We had been planning to leave in 9 months or so. Is this 6 month rule really true??

Thanks

Yes its 6 months usually from the date of medical. If you aren't ready I would ask for a later date. Move your interview. (of course I would want it done).

Can you do interview and come over than go back? Some embassies may extend Visa But that's under extreme situations. Usually best to just move your date. I would send email today so they can have tomorrow.

Edited December 25, 2013 by dwheels76

[kzielu 1,147]

Don't know how I missed this prickly detail. I thought it was 1 year. My wife has her interview in 2 days and we are not prepared to leave within the 6 months. We had been planning to leave in 9 months or so. Is this 6 month rule really true??

Thanks

Very true.

[NikLR 13,227]

You can also POE then go back to finish up any unfinished business. You do not have to move and immediately stay as long as you're not out of the USA for more than 6 months at a time. Anything after 6 months may require a reentry permit.

What you were thinking of as being a year is the temporary green card which is the combination of the visa and the entry stamp in her passport after she enters the USA for the first time.

So you can wait 4-5 months, POE, then go back her home country and do what you need to do for another up to 180 days, then make your final move to the USA.

[connormaria 1]

Hi NLR and dwheels76,

I am a legal resident of Spain, where I currently live with my wife. I understand that POE refers to Port of Entry but I'm a bit unclear on the rest. Maybe the best bet would be to try to reschedule the interview for a later date. If they don't reply in time, then I have no idea what we will do.

Is it six months from the date of the medical or six months from the date of the interview? This is crucial as well because we were planning on doing the medical tomorrow as well.

Thanks

[dwheels76 5,466]

Hi NLR and dwheels76,

I am a legal resident of Spain, where I currently live with my wife. I understand that POE refers to Port of Entry but I'm a bit unclear on the rest. Maybe the best bet would be to try to reschedule the interview for a later date. If they don't reply in time, then I have no idea what we will do.

Is it six months from the date of the medical or six months from the date of the interview? This is crucial as well because we were planning on doing the medical tomorrow as well.

Thanks

If you reschedule when were yuou hoping to have an interview? You should be scheduling your medical closer to your interview date?

But you said tomorrow you were getting medical. Do you mean you have not even had a medical yet and your interview is tomorrow?

You have a 6 month window to enter the US from time of medical.

I hope you already emailsed or called the embassy to reschediule. You need to move fast if you are having an interview tomorrow.

[NikLR 13,227]

It is 6 months from medical normally which is why your medical should be as close as possible to the interview.

After your wife has her interview and is approved she has 6 months from medical date to use the visa and enter the USA. This is called her POE (point or port of entry.) When she enters the USA the CBP will stamp beside the visa in her passport and date an expiration. She is now a permanent resident, and the combination of the visa and stamp gives her a temporary green card valid for 1 year. She can spend up to 6 months out of the USA per year without a reentry permit. So you two can enter the USA and turn around to leave the same day to go back to Spain and finish up your business then make the final move to the USA.

Does that make more sense?

Edited December 26, 2013 by NLR

[Chrys and Dave 1]

Six months out of country concurrently or six months in a given calendar year? I have a similar situation and we are planning to have my wife return to her country post-receipt of her GC for 'x' time period due to parental health problems BUT I do not want to overstay her absence from the USA.

Thanks

[NikLR 13,227]

Six months out of country concurrently or six months in a given calendar year? I have a similar situation and we are planning to have my wife return to her country post-receipt of her GC for 'x' time period due to parental health problems BUT I do not want to overstay her absence from the USA.

Thanks

per calendar year.

[connormaria 1]

OK. Thanks for your advice. We have the medical in a few hours and the interview scheduled on Monday morning. Ive emailed the embassy to reschedule but if they dont get back to us in time we are jut going to go through with the medical and interview, POE and return until we can get everything in order. I didnt realize that this was an option. Thank you again for your advice NLR. Can`t tell you how helpful you have been.

per calendar year.

[NikLR 13,227]

You're welcome. Remember you can leave the POE for up to 6 months and then after you enter and leave, you have another 6 months to move... So that gives you up to a year really.