Travel to the US while IR-1 in process & potential change of Embassy for the interview

[Tim4 1]

Hi VJ members,

Since I am a newbie here with VJ and do not know to get specific help with our case, I thought it's wise to start by asking for some insights from you VJ members. Hopefully you guys can point me to how I should prepare for my case. Thank you in advance.

 

So, here is our case: I am Vietnamese and my wife is American. We have been married for over 6 years and have 2 children. Since getting married, we have been living in South Korea (third country).

We began our application with my wife as the petitioner and I  the beneficiary. We paper-filed our I-130 / I-130A and mailed them to the Lockbox location last September. We already have our NOA1 dated 09/18/19. Our service center is Nebraska and our case receipt starts with IOE. We are still waiting for the approval. Background: I have a B1/B2 visa and have been using this visa to travel to the US for about 8 times in the past 10 years. Never overstayed my visa. I have two questions as follow:

 

1. Does it complicate the case if I visit the US with my B1/B2 visa while my IR-1 is under processing? (Just for a short trip visiting my wife's family in case of a special event.)

2. Since we filed I-130 from South Korea, our physical and mailing address, we indicated Seoul US Embassy in our form I-130. In case we move to Vietnam in March next year, can we then update our Vietnam address to USCIS (perhaps during NVC stage) and ask for the interview at the US Embassy in Vietnam instead of the one in Korea? I guess the same question with where to to have the medical vaccinations. Thanks for your insights! I appreciate your time and your wisdom. Tim

[JFH 12,190]

1. Not an issue at all. Same procedures apply as before - you present your passport to the CBP officer and he/she will decide whether you are admitted. Having an I-130 in process does not change anything. 

 

2. If you move, you update the NVC with the new embassy. Medical is done at a hospital approved by the embassy you are interviewing at. You cannot do the medical in South Korea and interview in Vietnam. 

[Tim4 1]

11 hours ago, JFH said:

1. Not an issue at all. Same procedures apply as before - you present your passport to the CBP officer and he/she will decide whether you are admitted. Having an I-130 in process does not change anything. 

 

2. If you move, you update the NVC with the new embassy. Medical is done at a hospital approved by the embassy you are interviewing at. You cannot do the medical in South Korea and interview in Vietnam. 

Thank you so much, JFH, for answering my questions.

So with # 1, do I need to prove to CBP officer that it is just a visit and I intend to return to my country of residence to complete my IR-1 process? If so, you have some tips in doing so?

 

With #2, I guess medical is done before coming to the interview right? You have any idea how long does it take to finish all the vaccinations?

 

[LilyJ 1,258]

57 minutes ago, Tim4 said:

Thank you so much, JFH, for answering my questions.

So with # 1, do I need to prove to CBP officer that it is just a visit and I intend to return to my country of residence to complete my IR-1 process? If so, you have some tips in doing so?

 

With #2, I guess medical is done before coming to the interview right? You have any idea how long does it take to finish all the vaccinations?

 

Yes, you can bring things like a letter from an employer of when you are expected back, a lease agreement, school schedule, things of that nature that prove you still have ties to home.

You actually don't need all 12 vaccines. Which ones you need, is based off your age. Assuming you're between the ages of 19-59, you only need varicella (chicken pox), Td/Tdap, MMR, and the seasonal flu shot (if your medical takes place between flu season Oct 1-Mar 31). You probably have at least a couple of these already if not most/all of them, but even if you have none of them, it should be fairly easy to get them. You can get them ahead of time before the medical for any you don't already have, just make sure you have your vaccine records kept of them to bring to the medical exam, as well as bringing your previous vaccine records as well

[Tim4 1]

26 minutes ago, LilyJ said:

Yes, you can bring things like a letter from an employer of when you are expected back, a lease agreement, school schedule, things of that nature that prove you still have ties to home.

You actually don't need all 12 vaccines. Which ones you need, is based off your age. Assuming you're between the ages of 19-59, you only need varicella (chicken pox), Td/Tdap, MMR, and the seasonal flu shot (if your medical takes place between flu season Oct 1-Mar 31). You probably have at least a couple of these already if not most/all of them, but even if you have none of them, it should be fairly easy to get them. You can get them ahead of time before the medical for any you don't already have, just make sure you have your vaccine records kept of them to bring to the medical exam, as well as bringing your previous vaccine records as well

Thank you, LilyJ,

Those are supper helpful.
Regarding what you said about getting vaccination ahead of time, I understood that medical exam doctor (assigned by the Embassy) will have to verify my vaccination records before giving the approval/ result for me to bring to the interview?

[JFH 12,190]

15 minutes ago, Tim4 said:

Thank you, LilyJ,

Those are supper helpful.
Regarding what you said about getting vaccination ahead of time, I understood that medical exam doctor (assigned by the Embassy) will have to verify my vaccination records before giving the approval/ result for me to bring to the interview?

You just need certification from the healthcare provider that you have received the vaccines. Usually (at least in my home country anyway) there is a label on the vial of the vaccine they give you. They remove this label and attach it to a certificate which is then signed and dated by the doctor or nurse who vaccinated you. Provided you have been vaccinated by a qualified health care practitioner and you have proof of that, you are fine. 

 

At the medical they will review the vaccines and complete a worksheet that has everything on that they test at the medical and whether you passed or not. Kind of like a driving test score sheet. 

Edited December 9, 2019 by JFH

[Tim4 1]

2 minutes ago, JFH said:

You just need certification from the healthcare provider that you have received the vaccines. Usually (at least in my home country anyway) there is a label on the vial of the vaccine they give you. They remove this label and attach it to a certificate which is then signed and dated by the doctor or nurse who vaccinated you. Provided you have been vaccinated by a qualified health care practitioner and you have proof of that, you are fine. 

Got it now. Much appreciated, JFH!

[Tim4 1]

On 12/8/2019 at 11:02 PM, JFH said:

1. Not an issue at all. Same procedures apply as before - you present your passport to the CBP officer and he/she will decide whether you are admitted. Having an I-130 in process does not change anything. 

 

2. If you move, you update the NVC with the new embassy. Medical is done at a hospital approved by the embassy you are interviewing at. You cannot do the medical in South Korea and interview in Vietnam. 

Hi JFH,

You know of any IR-1cases with couples married for over 2 years and with kids (my case is 6 years with 2 kids) are considered as "advantages" by USCIS? Then a faster processing...

I am just being hopeful, but would like to know any there are any statistics on that. Thanks.

[LilyJ 1,258]

11 hours ago, Tim4 said:

Hi JFH,

You know of any IR-1cases with couples married for over 2 years and with kids (my case is 6 years with 2 kids) are considered as "advantages" by USCIS? Then a faster processing...

I am just being hopeful, but would like to know any there are any statistics on that. Thanks.

Nope, processed just the same as someone who got married yesterday, no advantages

[Tim4 1]

18 hours ago, LilyJ said:

Nope, processed just the same as someone who got married yesterday, no advantages

:-) okie, thanks for the confirmation, LilyJ.