Freshies in USA

[Paki girl 0]

 

I have received my visa from Islamabad Pakistan embassy (category: spouse of US citizen).

 under new policy with no visa packet is given to me and this system is digitalized i guess. If anyone experienced same pls share your experience.

Other than that my visa is expiring in september and due to some pending things I can travel like a week before visa expiry is it okaay? Or whatt i am so confused.

[Liam2021 583]

My best advise: travel ASAP to the state, and then you can come back. We never know what's going on for the next day.

[Paki girl 0]

Thank you. But I want to permanantly go now. Its not easy to go n come back and then go. So, is it okay that I go a week before my visa expiry?

[Paul & Mallory 1,398]

An expiration date is an expiration date - no more, no less. All anyone will probably tell you here is that it is strongly recommended that you travel to the US with your VISA as soon as possible, and not wait until the last minute (i.e. right before the visa expires). Things happen and you don't want to risk something taking longer than necessary and effecting your visa status.

 

In my opinion - the grace period between visa in hand and the expiration date is not so that you can wait until the last minute to take care of personal business. Personal business is something you should be wrapping up while you were waiting for the visa to be approved/issued. The grace period is to allow you ample time to travel to the US and complete whatever requirements for your particular visa (sounds like CR1 in your case) in order to move forward with adjustment of status.

[Triple28 65]

On 7/10/2018 at 6:02 AM, Paki girl said:

 under new policy with no visa packet is given to me and this system is digitalized i guess. If anyone experienced same pls share your experience.

You can read an experience here.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/677166-new-process-no-sealed-packet-received/

 

Please note that some CBP officers do not know about new process.

So you should prepare all of your documents and a letter from Embassy noted about digital visa packet, and show them to CBP officer and explain.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

12 hours ago, Triple28 said:

You can read an experience here.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/677166-new-process-no-sealed-packet-received/

 

Please note that some CBP officers do not know about new process.

So you should prepare all of your documents and a letter from Embassy noted about digital visa packet, and show them to CBP officer and explain.

Poster said in another thread she was asked to tell embassy of her travel plans when she has them, I assume that is to forewarn the POE. 

[TBoneTX 45,303]

On 7/12/2018 at 11:18 AM, Paul & Mallory said:

Personal business is something you should be wrapping up while you were waiting for the visa to be approved/issued.

In partial and pleasant clarification, lest the above by this excellent poster be taken out of context:  most instructions have made it very clear that visa applicants are NOT to quit their jobs, etc. until the visa is in hand.  Obviously, one's experience might vary.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

9 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

In partial and pleasant clarification, lest the above by this excellent poster be taken out of context:  most instructions have made it very clear that visa applicants are NOT to quit their jobs, etc. until the visa is in hand.  Obviously, one's experience might vary.

Agree. I think a 6 month period is precisely to give people enough time to wrap things up, though I’d agree waiting till the last few days to travel is risky in case of travel delays etc. 

 

On 7/12/2018 at 9:18 AM, Paul & Mallory said:

The grace period is to allow you ample time to travel to the US and complete whatever requirements for your particular visa (sounds like CR1 in your case) in order to move forward with adjustment of status.

Immigrant visas don’t require adjustment of status, only K1. Yet all immigrant visas still have the 6 months (from medical) expiry. If you have a decent job, a house to sell, a family with kids in school etc, moving “as soon as possible “ when you’ve been told not to make irreversible changes before visa in hand is simply not practical. Sure it’s much easier if you’re a young fiancé or spouse with nothing much to wrap up before you move. 

[Paki girl 0]

Now I have made plan to travel and reach almost 25 days prior of expiry. But being student I had to wait till my final exams to finish n go. Yes definetly its mention into their process that do not quit your things before visa in hand so ofcourse thats right to wrap up into these 6 months.

Edited July 15, 2018 by Paki girl