CR1 Visa to visit only

[Hoosier81 270]

So I have a Missionary friend who is married to an Indonesian they have two kids who have their US Passports. He needs to come back to the USA for a speaking tour however the embassy will not allow his wife a tourist visa because they assume immigrant intent. 

How do you complete a CR1 visa without a US address or what alternatives do they have for a visit that would be under 6 months? 

Thanks for your advice! 

[Roel 7,192]

None. Torusit visa only option. 

 

Need to have some US stress for filling for cr1. And cr1 is for people who want to pernamently move to the USA. Unless you really want to waste 12 to 14 months waiting for visa, waste money and then just throw the green card away. 

 

Not to mention is not guarantee she'd get 6 months permitted stay. For example I just got 2 months on my torusit visa few years back. Might as Well be 2 weeks. 6 months is the usual time not in all cases. 

Edited March 22, 2018 by Roel

[YecaCruz 379]

If they aren't planning on living in the US, then pursuing a green card which is the end product for a CR1 or IR1 would be a waste of both time and money as mentioned above

 

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Agree with both. A CR-1 visa is ment to immigrate to the US and get a green card. PRocess itself is 12-14 months. No point in that honestly if not intending to live here. Tourist visa is best option.

[Crazy Cat 41,894]

Ask him to check out R visas.  I'm not sure it would be appropriate, but you might take a look.

[jesserz 73]

This speaking tour perhaps is part of her job? Because business visas exist and, so long as she can prove that she has ties to Indonesia, it shouldn't be a problem. But that's only if she has a business to sponsor her/recommend her. But it sounds like it's not her job but his?  

[Roel 7,192]

If you tall about work visa Then it's not a right type of visa either. 

 

And b1 business visa requires the same ties as b2 tourist visa. 

[Hoosier81 270]

Thanks for the replies! She just interviewed for Tourist visa yesterday and was denied on the spot without them looking at paperwork showing 30k in bank and property owned there. I'm thinking its due to the embassy automatically assuming immigrant intent since she's married to American citizen. She works with her husband in the ministry maybe I can see if the church here can sponsor for speaking has anyone here had any experience with that? 

[YecaCruz 379]

Does she have pastoral credentials of some kind within the denomination they are associated with? I would assume for a religious visa or even for a church to sponsor a minister that would be a requirement. Don't quote me though, best resource would be USCIS official website where instructions for the different forms and visas are listed

Edited March 22, 2018 by YecaCruz

[usmsbow 801]

One of the pastors at my (Indonesian) church originally came here on a a R visa. Don't know if it is an option in this case, but you might want to look into it. 

 

Edited to add: we also occasionally have visiting pastors from Indonesia and other spots in Southeast Asia. Don't know if they came here on tourist visas or something else though. 

Edited March 22, 2018 by usmsbow

[Unlockable 7,314]

I agree with @missileman and @usmsbow to look into the R visa. It is a visa specifically for religious purposes.

 

Otherwise, she can try for a business visa.