Scandinavians Part 2

[Simon Pacis 6]

17 hours ago, stuckonyou said:

I'm just curious... Those of you who are doing CR1/IR1 and have had your interviews recently, have your cases been expedited or is the embassy working on all of those cases?

No expedition from my part, I think they're working on all CR1/IR1 as usual, but with limited capacity, so it's going more slowly. Completely ordinary application. Was DQ'ed 8th of September and received Appointment Notice on 25th of November. Good luck!

[stuckonyou 75]

2 hours ago, Simon Pacis said:

No expedition from my part, I think they're working on all CR1/IR1 as usual, but with limited capacity, so it's going more slowly. Completely ordinary application. Was DQ'ed 8th of September and received Appointment Notice on 25th of November. Good luck!

 

Okay, thank you for the info. ☺️

We're K1, but we're considering if we should join the lawsuit or not and one thing I was thinking about was if the embassy would even continue to process K1's when the travel ban is lifted or if there would be delays after that as well. Like "how much open" the embassy is, if that makes sense, because I've heard a lot of embassies are only processing expedited cases.

[Simon Pacis 6]

1 hour ago, stuckonyou said:

 

Okay, thank you for the info. ☺️

We're K1, but we're considering if we should join the lawsuit or not and one thing I was thinking about was if the embassy would even continue to process K1's when the travel ban is lifted or if there would be delays after that as well. Like "how much open" the embassy is, if that makes sense, because I've heard a lot of embassies are only processing expedited cases.

Yeah, makes sense. I mean, only one consular officer worked, and only I and another lady was in the 50-person waiting room at the embassy, so I think they're processing in a very limited capacity.

[Scandi 4,166]

2 hours ago, stuckonyou said:

 

Okay, thank you for the info. ☺️

We're K1, but we're considering if we should join the lawsuit or not and one thing I was thinking about was if the embassy would even continue to process K1's when the travel ban is lifted or if there would be delays after that as well. Like "how much open" the embassy is, if that makes sense, because I've heard a lot of embassies are only processing expedited cases.

Question is, if the people in the lawsuit do get their K-1 visas processed and approved and they live in one of the counties with a travel ban, what use do they have of those visas? They're not allowed to travel into the US with the K-1 visa from those countries. So I assume they would have to spend 14 days elsewhere before trying to enter the US, or the visa is useleass right now? 

 

Or does the lawsuit also include to make K-1 visas an exemption to the travel ban?

[stuckonyou 75]

2 hours ago, Scandi said:

Question is, if the people in the lawsuit do get their K-1 visas processed and approved and they live in one of the counties with a travel ban, what use do they have of those visas? They're not allowed to travel into the US with the K-1 visa from those countries. So I assume they would have to spend 14 days elsewhere before trying to enter the US, or the visa is useleass right now? 

 

Or does the lawsuit also include to make K-1 visas an exemption to the travel ban?

Yeah, that's right. You'd pretty much have to be willing to spend 14 days in a non travel ban country before travelling to the US. Unless you're just afraid that processing of K1 visas is going to take a considerable amount of time even after the ban lifts and just want to have it ready in case that happens, and then do the 14 days in another country only if the visa is about to expire. But I believe at least a majority of the people in the lawsuit are more than willing to travel through another country and stay there 14 days considering how long this has been going on for, and especially since some people do this just for a visit these days.

 

I did read in the FAQ for new plaintiffs that the lawyers are arguing for a national interest exemption for K1's, which if granted would mean that you could travel directly to the US. But as it is right now this has not yet been granted and isn't something you can rely on will happen either. But it is a possibility, and if granted might only apply to plaintiffs since that has been the case with everything so far in this lawsuit. They also asked about converting it to a class action, but instead the judge allowed them to add new plaintiffs.

[Caroline.B 0]

Hey everyone!

 

Background info:

I’m really new to this visa process with the CR-1 and just sent in the application. My husband is an American citizen. I’m from Sweden.

 

Questions:

1. Am I allowed into the US during this visa process?

2. Which visa do I need?

3. How do I apply for it?

4. Is their any risks that it could effect my CR-1 visa process negatively?

5. For how long can I stay in the US during this temporarily visa?

6. Any restrictions now during COVID-19?

7. Some other tips or good information?

 

thank you so much for your input!

Edited December 8, 2020 by Caroline.B
Added a question

[stuckonyou 75]

4 hours ago, Caroline.B said:

Hey everyone!

 

Background info:

I’m really new to this visa process with the CR-1 and just sent in the application. My husband is an American citizen. I’m from Sweden.

 

Questions:

1. Am I allowed into the US during this visa process?

2. Which visa do I need?

3. How do I apply for it?

4. Is their any risks that it could effect my CR-1 visa process negatively?

5. For how long can I stay in the US during this temporarily visa?

6. Any restrictions now during COVID-19?

7. Some other tips or good information?

 

thank you so much for your input!

I'm doing the K1, but I think I might be able to help anyways. ☺️

 

1. Yes, but it's always up to the immigration officer at the port of entry to let you in or not. But it's definitely allowed. You might need to bring proof that you're going back home again after the visit, though. A letter from your boss, for example, stating that they expect you back at work at a certain date and stuff like that.

 

2 and 3. You don't need a visa. You can travel on ESTA.

 

4. No, not as long you leave when you're supposed to and go back home to continue the wait.

 

5. With ESTA it's 90 days at the most.

 

6. I don't think there's any restrictions that would apply to you since you're married to a US citizen. Just bring your marriage certificate to prove that.

 

7. Not that I can think of right now.

[Ali & Alex 0]

My husband has not received an interview date yet, and we DQ'd 06.10.2020. I am wondering because he is traveling from Denmark to Stockholm will he have to quarantine for 14 days in Stockholm before he can attend his appointment? 

 

We just want to be prepared if this will be the case, but know we have awhile to go.  

[isamanda 4]

3 minutes ago, Ali & Alex said:

My husband has not received an interview date yet, and we DQ'd 06.10.2020. I am wondering because he is traveling from Denmark to Stockholm will he have to quarantine for 14 days in Stockholm before he can attend his appointment? 

 

We just want to be prepared if this will be the case, but know we have awhile to go.  

We have been DQ on the 3rd of October and still no interview date ☹️ 
you do not have to quarantine in Sweden. 

[LilyJ 1,258]

11 hours ago, Caroline.B said:

Hey everyone!

 

Background info:

I’m really new to this visa process with the CR-1 and just sent in the application. My husband is an American citizen. I’m from Sweden.

 

Questions:

1. Am I allowed into the US during this visa process?

2. Which visa do I need?

3. How do I apply for it?

4. Is their any risks that it could effect my CR-1 visa process negatively?

5. For how long can I stay in the US during this temporarily visa?

6. Any restrictions now during COVID-19?

7. Some other tips or good information?

 

thank you so much for your input!

1. Yes just bring proof of sufficient ties to back home and be prepared to be asked a lot of questions

2. you only need to apply for an esta, you

4. if you get rejected from entering the US, your esta will become invalid and you will have to put on your DS260 at the NVC stage that you have been denied entry to the US before, but it won’t affect your chances of getting your CR1 approved. don’t overstay your 90 days 

5. 90 days but I wouldn’t push it that long, CBP officers get suspicious if you are planning a long visit during a visa process when you’ve got a US spouse

6. Yes but spouses of US citizens are exempt so bring your marriage certificate 

7. keep in mind you are not allowed to work while in the US on your ESTA, not even remotely. So make sure you keep your job back home to go back to and that your visit isn’t so long that it compromises your job, if you have one. If you have a job you’ll also want to bring a work note saying when you’ll be coming back to work to show to CBP as proof you’re not gonna overstay your ESTA

[isamanda 4]

Is there someone who got DQ in October and received the appointment letter?

Any ideas what month Embassy is working on?

[Jasmina Menicutch 1]

4 hours ago, isamanda said:

Is there someone who got DQ in October and received the appointment letter?

Any ideas what month Embassy is working on?

We got DQed no September 21st and still haven't heard anything  I think one or two in this thread got DQ around one or two weeks before us, and they received their interview dates like two weeks ago or so.. Fingers crossed we hear something soon! 

[isamanda 4]

33 minutes ago, Jasmina Menicutch said:

We got DQed no September 21st and still haven't heard anything  I think one or two in this thread got DQ around one or two weeks before us, and they received their interview dates like two weeks ago or so.. Fingers crossed we hear something soon! 

Ok, well please update! 🤞🏼 
i hope it goes fast ! 

[Ali & Alex 0]

5 hours ago, isamanda said:

Is there someone who got DQ in October and received the appointment letter?

Any ideas what month Embassy is working on?

I wrote to the US Embassy in Sweden on November 12, 2020. They wrote back that, "We are currently scheduling IR1/CR1 cases from the National Visa Center that were documentary qualified for an interview in July 2020." 

[Simon Pacis 6]

6 minutes ago, Ali & Alex said:

I wrote to the US Embassy in Sweden on November 12, 2020. They wrote back that, "We are currently scheduling IR1/CR1 cases from the National Visa Center that were documentary qualified for an interview in July 2020." 

We got DQ'ed 8th of September, and received appointment notice 25th of November, so they're further along than July, I think. They might be slowing down a little bit due to the many COVID cases in Stockholm, but I don't know.

Edited December 10, 2020 by Simon Pacis