Opinions Needed: Wife is coming to America, but Pharmacy School still left.

[Vik1992 12]

Hello, once again, VJ Family! 

 

I will begin by stating our case history/ facts below:

• Visa Type: CR-1 
• Medical completed: Feb 19th, 2019
• First Interview: March 4th, 2019
• Second Interview: July 17th, 2019
• Visa Result: Approved on July 17th, 2019

 

• By gazing at the timeline above, you can see that my wife's visa is only valid until August 18th, 2019 (or 6 months after she completes her medical exam.) 
  • Since her visa is only valid until August 18th, my wife and I are flying to the US the first week of August
• During this duration of 7 months, my wife will travel back and forth from India to the US multiple times
  • I will also go and visit her once (or twice) during this time period

 

My wife and I are stuck in a bit of a sticky situation and I need your guys' help:

• Currently, my wife is a Pharmacy student, in India, and she has ~7 months of studies left to get her Bachelor's Degree
  • If my wife decides to come to America, for good, right now and foregoes her Indian education, she will only be considered a High School graduate. 
• My wife's dream is to complete her studies and obtain her Pharmacy degree
  • I will try my best to help her achieve her dream. But I do not want to face any troubles with immigration.
  • I figured I have managed to be away from her this long, I can be patient for the next 7 months.
• My wife's college is trying to assist us in this situation
  • They will give about around 2 weeks off this next month AND around 3 weeks off in November 
  •  Her college has provided a letter, for immigration, detailing my wife's exam dates and expected graduation date (April 2020)
     

In regards to the issue at hand, I have a few questions: 

1) I am wondering, will this create a problem in the eyes of CBP (Customs and Border Protection)?

2) What is the best solution -- Should we visit the local USCIS and get a Re-entry Permit? Or do you think we will be fine without the permit? 

3) My wife's Green card might not arrive on time, before she heads back to India mid-August, will this cause an issue? 

 

• I am freaking out because I have had a rough journey, so far. I do not want to prolong our process, any further. 
• I do not want to get on the CBP Agent /US Immigration's wrong side and have this affect us during our interview ~2 years down the road. 
• I understand my wife must spend more time in the US than overseas during this ~2 year conditional period.

 

Please help me out, VJ Family!!

[Crazy Cat 42,215]

She can enter the US,  where she will receive an endorsement stamp on her CR-1 visa, then return to her country to complete her studies.....The endorsed visa serves as a Green card until the plastic one arrives.....as long as she is out of the US less than a year, she should be fine........I don't see any need for a re-entry permit....especially since she will make multiple trips back and forth during the 7 months....

Edited July 28, 2019 by missileman

[Nitas_man 3,100]

14 minutes ago, missileman said:

She can enter the US,  where she will receive an endorsement stamp on her CR-1 visa, then return to her country to complete her studies.....The endorsed visa serves as a Green card until the plastic one arrives.....as long as she is out of the US less than a year, she should be fine........I don't see any need for a re-entry permit....especially since she will make multiple trips back and forth during the 7 months....

This^^^

 

We entered in March last year to activate the visa, weren’t finished with the school year overseas, left and re-entered end of June.

A travel document is suggested but not required.  It creates a de facto assumption that the immigrant has no intention to abandon residency.

[databit 328]

It's always nice to have a college degree, as long as your wife knows that she cannot work as a pharmacist in any capacity in the US. Not only does the US require a doctoral degree, universities may not recognize an Indian pharmacy degree, and she may need to start over completely----with a US bachelors, then a masters, then a doctorate, then an internship....

[Vik1992 12]

2 hours ago, missileman said:

She can enter the US,  where she will receive an endorsement stamp on her CR-1 visa, then return to her country to complete her studies.....The endorsed visa serves as a Green card until the plastic one arrives.....as long as she is out of the US less than a year, she should be fine........I don't see any need for a re-entry permit....especially since she will make multiple trips back and forth during the 7 months....

Thank you very much! This was very helpful and calmed my nerves down. 

 

Does the CBP give the "endorsement stamp" upon our arrival? Or will we have to go to the local USCIC office to attain this? 

[Vik1992 12]

2 hours ago, Nitas_man said:

This^^^

 

We entered in March last year to activate the visa, weren’t finished with the school year overseas, left and re-entered end of June.

A travel document is suggested but not required.  It creates a de facto assumption that the immigrant has no intention to abandon residency.

Ahh! Thank you! Your time period was shorter than ours, but it is good to see someone who did something similar without any issues! 

 

One more thing, I am sorry to be a nuisance... but by "travel document" do you mean a Re-entry permit? Or is there another travel document we can get? 

[Vik1992 12]

34 minutes ago, databit said:

It's always nice to have a college degree, as long as your wife knows that she cannot work as a pharmacist in any capacity in the US. Not only does the US require a doctoral degree, universities may not recognize an Indian pharmacy degree, and she may need to start over completely----with a US bachelors, then a masters, then a doctorate, then an internship....

Thank you for your sound advice!  

I  have planned this for over a year now, and have contacted the California Board of Pharmacy to get proper guidance. Otherwise, if I knew there was NO possible way, my decision would have been easy peasy. 

It is possible, BUT she will have to:

1) Attend an International Post-Baccalaureate PharmD program (there is one in Florida and one in California)

2) Take a series of exams (FPGEE, TOEFL, FPGEC, NAPLEX

3) Do "x" amount of Internship hours

4) Take the Pharmacy Law Test

In the end, it is a long and hard journey. It will take 4-5+ years, but I am very patient and want to see my wife succeed. 

After all...."happy wife, happy life", right? 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

27 minutes ago, Vik1992 said:

Ahh! Thank you! Your time period was shorter than ours, but it is good to see someone who did something similar without any issues! 

 

One more thing, I am sorry to be a nuisance... but by "travel document" do you mean a Re-entry permit? Or is there another travel document we can get? 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-131  <——this

[Crazy Cat 42,215]

1 hour ago, Vik1992 said:

Thank you very much! This was very helpful and calmed my nerves down. 

 

Does the CBP give the "endorsement stamp" upon our arrival? 

Yes.......and your wife IMMEDIATELY becomes a legal resident of the US......😊

Edited July 28, 2019 by missileman

[Vik1992 12]

9 hours ago, Nitas_man said:

https://www.uscis.gov/i-131  <——this

Awesome!!!

Thank you so much! You have been very helpful, my friend!  

[Vik1992 12]

8 hours ago, missileman said:

Yes.......and your wife IMMEDIATELY becomes a legal resident of the US......😊

  FANTASTIC news!!! 

 

Thank you for all of your help. Now I know who to reach out to in case I have any questions.