Visiting Visa While IR1-CR1 Is Pending

[Nmaem 1]

Has anyone from Egypt or Saudi Arabia tried visiting spouse on tourist visa while I-130 was pending?

[Mister Keys 0]

hey folks!
 

i really like this forum and i am glad i found this thread.

 

so just to make sure: i have heard that trying to enter the US to visit my american wife while my CR1 is still pending can make them cancel the whole CR1 process and make us start the whole process again! so i guess that is not true?

 

 

so i can visit my wife on the ESTA visa, correct? or do i need a different kind of visa?

 

looking forward to answers!

 

all the best,

 

axel

[Jens79 64]

That rumor is 100% untrue. Even if you would be turned away at the border it will NOT affect your visa application.

 

Lots of people visits on ESTA. I did it 8 times over two years and never had any problems. Just try to make the visits relatively short and bring evidence on ties to your home country, like copy of a contract for your apartment, letter from your employer stating that they expect you back at work or papers from a university if you are a student. Anything that indicates that you plan to go back and not stay illegally in the US is good to have with you. Just in case. 

 

And don’t lie to the immigrations officer! Just tell him/her what you’re going to do and it will be all good.

[Mister Keys 0]

hello jens!

 

thanks for the info!

 

my esta is only valid until march 2018, will the pending cr1 make it more difficult to obtain my esta?

 

how long is relatively short? 4 weeks, 3, or 2?

 

all the best, axel

[Michael2017 368]

7 minutes ago, Jens79 said:

That rumor is 100% untrue. Even if you would be turned away at the border it will NOT affect your visa application.

 

Lots of people visits on ESTA. I did it 8 times over two years and never had any problems. Just try to make the visits relatively short and bring evidence on ties to your home country, like copy of a contract for your apartment, letter from your employer stating that they expect you back at work or papers from a university if you are a student. Anything that indicates that you plan to go back and not stay illegally in the US is good to have with you. Just in case. 

 

And don’t lie to the immigrations officer! Just tell him/her what you’re going to do and it will be all good.

How short were your 8 visits? 2 to 4 weeks?

[Jens79 64]

10 minutes ago, Mister Keys said:

hello jens!

 

thanks for the info!

 

my esta is only valid until march 2018, will the pending cr1 make it more difficult to obtain my esta?

 

how long is relatively short? 4 weeks, 3, or 2?

 

all the best, axel

Shouldn’t be any problem to get a new ESTA. 

 

I stayed 10-11 days per trip usually. But 2-4  weeks is usually OK too. You have to stay outside of the US significantly longer than inside (on ESTA), that’s the rule of thumb. 

[NSB 1]

In my experience there is no problem at all to visit US while your immigration Application is under process I travelled two time this year April '17 and Sept '17, both the time it was very smooth with the officers at the Airport..During my visit the officer asked why am i in US and i simply said that i am there to visit my wife and there was a cross question what is my wife doing there to which I answered she is a LPR , no  further questions...

Edited December 15, 2017 by NSB

[Michael2017 368]

Hi,

 

I have been visiting several times for 2 months each visit and never had a problem. In fact never a CBP officer asked me anything about an I-130 or immigration. My purpose of visit was vacation which is true. Anyhow, now once my file reaches NVC,  I read that CBP officers will automatically know that someone is on the way to immigrate. Can anyone confirm that CBP get such "alert" or do they need to dig into your information before finding that?

[msohyun 1]

My wife will visit the U.S. using the ESTA. Does she need to bring anything in addition to her passport?

 

She quit her job and lived with her family. The only reason I know of why she has to return is because they have to celebrate lunar new year and she will do a final family vacation with her family. Other than that, no solid empirical evidence that she will not say in the U.S. illegally. 

 

Is she safe to travel here?

[Boiler 45,525]

35 minutes ago, msohyun said:

My wife will visit the U.S. using the ESTA. Does she need to bring anything in addition to her passport?

 

She quit her job and lived with her family. The only reason I know of why she has to return is because they have to celebrate lunar new year and she will do a final family vacation with her family. Other than that, no solid empirical evidence that she will not say in the U.S. illegally. 

 

Is she safe to travel here?

99% of the time she will not be asked for anything beyond the very basics.

[NSB 1]

15 hours ago, Michael2017 said:

Hi,

 

I have been visiting several times for 2 months each visit and never had a problem. In fact never a CBP officer asked me anything about an I-130 or immigration. My purpose of visit was vacation which is true. Anyhow, now once my file reaches NVC,  I read that CBP officers will automatically know that someone is on the way to immigrate. Can anyone confirm that CBP get such "alert" or do they need to dig into your information before finding that?

HI Michael,

 

My Case was already with NVC since August 2016 (For me USCIS took only 5 month to approve), my last visit in September was even after confirmation of receipt of all the necessary documents from NVC, if you are frequent traveler ..I dont think they dig into any further info 

[WiscoMegs 0]

Hello fellow VJers

 

This wednesday, my husband and I are going to the states to visit my family for the holidays (3 weeks). The last time the both of us have been back was July of 2016, so it's been a while. We recieved our NOA2 a few months ago, but we are still nervous about Matias crossing through immigration. Below we have the following paperwork but we were wondering if they might hassle us even though I'm coming back to Argentina to live until our Green card is approved. 

 

Paperwork: Property deed of business, NOA1, NOA2, Flight itinerary, Car rental, travel insurance showing dates of travel, Argentine tax reciept for this month. 

 

We are living with our in-laws so we don't have a lease or deed and we are staying with a friend while in Wisconsin. 

 

Thank you so much!

[Boiler 45,525]

51 minutes ago, WiscoMegs said:

Hello fellow VJers

 

This wednesday, my husband and I are going to the states to visit my family for the holidays (3 weeks). The last time the both of us have been back was July of 2016, so it's been a while. We recieved our NOA2 a few months ago, but we are still nervous about Matias crossing through immigration. Below we have the following paperwork but we were wondering if they might hassle us even though I'm coming back to Argentina to live until our Green card is approved. 

 

Paperwork: Property deed of business, NOA1, NOA2, Flight itinerary, Car rental, travel insurance showing dates of travel, Argentine tax reciept for this month. 

 

We are living with our in-laws so we don't have a lease or deed and we are staying with a friend while in Wisconsin. 

 

Thank you so much!

Let us know how it goes.

[Nattie_Bry 102]

On 12/18/2017 at 12:32 AM, WiscoMegs said:

Hello fellow VJers

 

This wednesday, my husband and I are going to the states to visit my family for the holidays (3 weeks). The last time the both of us have been back was July of 2016, so it's been a while. We recieved our NOA2 a few months ago, but we are still nervous about Matias crossing through immigration. Below we have the following paperwork but we were wondering if they might hassle us even though I'm coming back to Argentina to live until our Green card is approved. 

 

Paperwork: Property deed of business, NOA1, NOA2, Flight itinerary, Car rental, travel insurance showing dates of travel, Argentine tax reciept for this month. 

 

We are living with our in-laws so we don't have a lease or deed and we are staying with a friend while in Wisconsin. 

 

Thank you so much!

Hi! I think you are well prepared on the paperwork. I visited last month (Nov 17) when my case was a "case complete" at NVC and i had an interview date assigned.

They did not even look at any paper work they just let me through.

 

On 12/16/2017 at 2:25 PM, Michael2017 said:

Hi,

 

I have been visiting several times for 2 months each visit and never had a problem. In fact never a CBP officer asked me anything about an I-130 or immigration. My purpose of visit was vacation which is true. Anyhow, now once my file reaches NVC,  I read that CBP officers will automatically know that someone is on the way to immigrate. Can anyone confirm that CBP get such "alert" or do they need to dig into your information before finding that?

It does not appear so as i was only asked one question: How long are you planning to stay", i answered and off i go.

So i assume the officer was looking at the my passport profile front page and it doesnt say anything.

But with one click they can probably see it in the second layer of the profile. 

[Boiler 45,525]

Year or so