Visiting U.S. while I-130 is pending

[jklein 1]

My wife has a tourist visa and is coming to the U.S. I know she can come to the U.S. to visit and must leave within 180 days. My question is, what if the file opens up early? Essentially at what point must she leave before the 180 days, is it when we get notified of an interview?

[Devonian 20]

If you and she can complete the IV paperwork in the US (meaning she'll have to bring out the relevant copies of documents before she leaves for the US) then theoretically she could remain in the US until her medical date ( which must be done before the interview but to get one you need your case number).

The tricky thing is buying a return ticket for her home country and gambling that the interview date that's assigned isn't whilst she's still in the US - unless you or she have no problems with the expense of changing her return ticket or trying to change the interview date (again, gambling that you could do it without encountering problems)

[jklein 1]

I don't mind changing the plane ticket, although, I prefer not to. What's the likelihood that the interview would happen within 180 days? For your reference, I just got my case number yesterday.