Visa says IR-1 visa expires after five months?

[J Laredo 25]

We’ve been married for 12 years.  I lived in Mexico the first 8 of them and have a well-documented marriage with him on my US taxes the last three years. He received his visa in early December and entered the country. when I saw it I see it says IV expires May 25, 2020. I had to call US CIS about something else so I asked them about that and she maybe we would need to do a 751 to remove the conditional status. I assumed he would get a 10 year visa, but this is only 5 months!  i’m hoping this is a mistake or it’ll be different when he receives his green card in hand, because it’s about another $600 to do this if we have to. Why would they only give him a visa for five months, or is this something different? 

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

The expiration date on the visa itself is totally irrelevant..pay no attention to it now that he has entered the US.....wait for the actual Green card to check the expiration date.  It should (and likely will be) be a 10 year card.

Edited December 27, 2019 by missileman

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

The expiration date on the visa, itself,  ONLY dictates the last date he could enter the US via that visa......nothing else.

Edited December 27, 2019 by missileman

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

One last thing:  My wife's visa, itself, had an expiration date of 5 months also.  Her actual card had the correct 2 year expiration date on it.

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

30 minutes ago, J Laredo said:

Why would they only give him a visa for five months, or is this something different? 

The visa is used on the first time he enters the country only. The green card will come in the mail and should be a 10-year green card. Wait for the actual green card to come.

[JeanneAdil 6,498]

visa usually expires 6 months from the date of medical exam so i would say her medical was a month old by time of the visa issue

[Dashinka 24,492]

1 hour ago, J Laredo said:

We’ve been married for 12 years.  I lived in Mexico the first 8 of them and have a well-documented marriage with him on my US taxes the last three years. He received his visa in early December and entered the country. when I saw it I see it says IV expires May 25, 2020. I had to call US CIS about something else so I asked them about that and she maybe we would need to do a 751 to remove the conditional status. I assumed he would get a 10 year visa, but this is only 5 months!  i’m hoping this is a mistake or it’ll be different when he receives his green card in hand, because it’s about another $600 to do this if we have to. Why would they only give him a visa for five months, or is this something different? 

As others have said, the visa expiration date is now irrelevant since he has entered the country.  Simply look at the IV Category on the actual visa and it should show “IR1” meaning he should get a 10 year GC based on your years of marriage and you should have no reason to complete the I751/ROC.  Additionally, the endorsed visa now functions as a temporary GC for up to a year or until the physical card arrives, again, the visa expiration date is irrelevant as to that function.

 

Good Luck!

[Just Paul 4,595]

3 hours ago, J Laredo said:

I assumed he would get a 10 year visa, but this is only 5 months!

The visa is a single (entry) use visa and in only good for 6 months after the medical.   Once he enters the US and it is stamped, he becomes a permanent resident.  The visa with the stamp become his green card and is good for a year.  We even traveled back to Mexico 5 days after entering and had no problems returning.

 

 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

3 hours ago, J Laredo said:

We’ve been married for 12 years.  I lived in Mexico the first 8 of them and have a well-documented marriage with him on my US taxes the last three years. He received his visa in early December and entered the country. when I saw it I see it says IV expires May 25, 2020. I had to call US CIS about something else so I asked them about that and she maybe we would need to do a 751 to remove the conditional status. I assumed he would get a 10 year visa, but this is only 5 months!  i’m hoping this is a mistake or it’ll be different when he receives his green card in hand, because it’s about another $600 to do this if we have to. Why would they only give him a visa for five months, or is this something different? 

LOL
 

He had 5 months (up to the expiration date) to enter the US.

Once activated at entry, he can work and travel on the visa for up to a year but he should receive a green card in the next few weeks.

 

Make sure you pay the green card fee for him or they won’t mail it.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Nitas_man

[Amadia 711]

13 hours ago, J Laredo said:

Why would they only give him a visa for five months

As others mentioned, this visa expiration date is solely the expiration date for when he does his POE...they gave him the amount of time that would have been left for the validity of the medical as well. For example, I got my visa approved in June 2016 and had until November 2016 to enter the US. My medical was valid for 6 months and it would have expired in November. Don't stress because your spouse would not have to endure ROC or any of the nonsense that others like me have gone through. 

Best of luck on your new life in the US together