IR-1 vida DCF in London - visa issued and valid for less than 1 month :(

[Mark Weston 3]

I was wondering if anyone had come across this?

 

I had my medical in early march for an IR-1(via DCF) interview originally booked for March 17th.  Thanks to COVID, that was cancelled of course and after a couple of rebookings and cancellations, I finally had the interview on August 10th.  My visa was approved, and the final packet arrived yesterday with my passport and the Big White Envelope.  Cue celebration and much quaffing of ale (well, G&T...)

 

So, today, I was scanning the visa page in my passport to send to a potential employer.  And read the small print for the first time.  The issue date is August 12 and the expiry date is September 9th.  I had gone through the whole process on the understanding that the visa would be valid for six months.  It turns out we have less than a month to move our household (me, wife, daughter, 2 large dogs and a bunch of stuff) and I have no idea why.

 

1.  Has this happened to anyone else?

 

2.  Does anyone know if there's a phone number for the immigrant visa unit?  (I have of course already asked this question via the online contact form, but have no confidence in getting a quick reply).

Edited August 14, 2020 by Mark Weston

[milimelo 4,477]

It’s based on your medical exam as it’s valid for 6 months only. 
 

Time to at least hop over to activate the visa with spouse by the deadline indicated. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

11 minutes ago, Mark Weston said:

Does anyone know if there's a phone number for the immigrant visa unit?  (I have of course already asked this question via the online contact form, but have no confidence in getting a quick reply).

The IVU in London does not talk on the phone. The online contact form is the only way.

 

The embassy website has FAQs about the entire visa process. Of interest to you are these two:

 

How long will I have to travel to the U.S. once the immigrant visa is issued?

Immigrant and fiancé(e) visas are normally issued for the validity period of the medical examination, the maximum validity of which is six months.  K3 & K4 visa holders are issued a visa valid for travel for two years

 

What if my medical runs out before I travel to the United States?

The validity of the visa is linked to the validity of the medical report.  If your visa has been issued and you will not use the visa before the expiry date, you are required to return your passport and visa package to the Embassy for cancellation with a covering letter explaining why you did not use the visa once the visa expires .  If you wish, you may request that the visa is re-issued.  If the Consular officer determines that the reason for not traveling was due to circumstances beyond your control, you will be required to attend a new medical, obtain a new UK police certificate (if the previous certificate was issued more than 12 months ago) and pay new visa issuance fees

 

You may prefer to physically enter with wife (required) and kids (optional if they are Americans, no visa), then go back by yourself to tie up ends in the U.K.  Otherwise if you’re in no hurry, you can get a reissue who knows when. The medical redo is cheaper by maybe £100 because they are mostly validating tuberculosis. The visa fee redo is the same. The wait is unknown. 

 

 

 

[TaKane 53]

The immigration visa is valid 6 months from the date of the medical exam; not the date of interview or date of issue. 

[Crazy Cat 41,842]

42 minutes ago, Mark Weston said:

I was wondering if anyone had come across this?

 

I had my medical in early march for an IR-1(via DCF) interview originally booked for March 17th.  Thanks to COVID, that was cancelled of course and after a couple of rebookings and cancellations, I finally had the interview on August 10th.  My visa was approved, and the final packet arrived yesterday with my passport and the Big White Envelope.  Cue celebration and much quaffing of ale (well, G&T...)

 

So, today, I was scanning the visa page in my passport to send to a potential employer.  And read the small print for the first time.  The issue date is August 12 and the expiry date is September 9th.  I had gone through the whole process on the understanding that the visa would be valid for six months.  It turns out we have less than a month to move our household (me, wife, daughter, 2 large dogs and a bunch of stuff) and I have no idea why.

 

1.  Has this happened to anyone else?

 

2.  Does anyone know if there's a phone number for the immigrant visa unit?  (I have of course already asked this question via the online contact form, but have no confidence in getting a quick reply).

As stated by others, your visa expires normally expires 6 months after the medical.  I have seen some cases, such as my wife's visa, which was set to expires in less than 6 months after the medical.  Your best option, as stated by @milimelo, is to travel to the US prior to the expiration, "activate" your Green Card, then immediately travel back to your country to tie up loose ends.  Your endorsed visa in your passport will act as a valid Green Card until your plastic one arrives.  Good Luck.

[os306 103]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

You may prefer to physically enter with wife (required) and kids (optional if they are Americans, no visa), then go back by yourself to tie up ends in the U.K.  Otherwise if you’re in no hurry, you can get a reissue who knows when. The medical redo is cheaper by maybe £100 because they are mostly validating tuberculosis. The visa fee redo is the same. The wait is unknown. 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Lucky Cat said:

As stated by others, your visa expires normally expires 6 months after the medical.  I have seen some cases, such as my wife's visa, which was set to expires in less than 6 months after the medical.  Your best option, as stated by @milimelo, is to travel to the US prior to the expiration, "activate" your Green Card, then immediately travel back to your country to tie up loose ends.  Your endorsed visa in your passport will act as a valid Green Card until your plastic one arrives.  Good Luck.

If one were to do this, is there a hard and fast rule regarding the duration of time you are allowed to be outside of the US before being at risk of losing your LPR? I have seen 6 months being mentioned a lot, but if you are out of the country for a relatively long period of time but still under 6 months (e.g. 4 months) in order to tie up loose ends, are you also at risk of losing your status?

Edited August 14, 2020 by os306

[Lil bear 4,198]

19 minutes ago, os306 said:

 

If one were to do this, is there a hard and fast rule regarding the duration of time you are allowed to be outside of the US before being at risk of losing your LPR? I have seen 6 months being mentioned a lot, but if you are out of the country for a relatively long period of time but still under 6 months (e.g. 4 months) in order to tie up loose ends, are you also at risk of losing your status?

Many people need to do it this way. I was out of the US for 10 weeks soon after entering on the IR visa. 4 months will not  be a problem. You will have good reasons for it .. I suggest making sure you enter the US before the current visa expires .. getting it extended or reissued is going to be much more of a problem than reentering the  US after a 4 month absence 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Lil bear

[Wuozopo 4,293]

18 minutes ago, os306 said:

 

If one were to do this, is there a hard and fast rule regarding the duration of time you are allowed to be outside of the US before being at risk of losing your LPR? I have seen 6 months being mentioned a lot, but if you are out of the country for a relatively long period of time but still under 6 months (e.g. 4 months) in order to tie up loose ends, are you also at risk of losing your status?

Read how the USCIS answers this question,

 

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-we-grant-your-green-card/international-travel-as-a-permanent-resident

[Crazy Cat 41,842]

30 minutes ago, os306 said:

 

If one were to do this, is there a hard and fast rule regarding the duration of time you are allowed to be outside of the US before being at risk of losing your LPR? I have seen 6 months being mentioned a lot, but if you are out of the country for a relatively long period of time but still under 6 months (e.g. 4 months) in order to tie up loose ends, are you also at risk of losing your status?

The rule is one year.  Personally, I would make a quick trip to the US rather than have to get the visa re-issued.  As @Lil bear stated, 4 months outside the US will not be an issue.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

@Mark Weston

 

I think you need to evaluate how much transatlantic flights are and if that Sept deadline would work. Is there somebody to keep the kids here or there if you can’t afford everybody going back and forth. How much will it cost to go back to London for a medical revalidation, the medical cost, and the visa fee. I would guess London would reissue your visa within 3 weeks now that they have reopened, then you have  six months from the medical re-do.

 

And on the other side, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, meaning do you want to press on and get that LPR status asap because the embassy could close again, or travel restrictions, or some other hindrance. We surely know things can change quickly for immigrants. 

[Stuwoolf 44]

Whilst the OPs angst concerning the short validity is appreciated, as stated here the solution is to get to the US and cash it in.

 

Believe me, there are a few on here who would give so much just for a visa regardless of how much time it had on it.

 

Good luck how ever you proceed.

Edited August 14, 2020 by Stuwoolf

[os306 103]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

@Mark Weston

 

I think you need to evaluate how much transatlantic flights are and if that Sept deadline would work. Is there somebody to keep the kids here or there if you can’t afford everybody going back and forth. How much will it cost to go back to London for a medical revalidation, the medical cost, and the visa fee. I would guess London would reissue your visa within 3 weeks now that they have reopened, then you have  six months from the medical re-do.

 

And on the other side, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, meaning do you want to press on and get that LPR status asap because the embassy could close again, or travel restrictions, or some other hindrance. We surely know things can change quickly for immigrants. 

 

Exactly this. In my own case, it's a trade-off between getting LPR status as soon as possible, travelling to the US and returning to the UK to tie up some loose ends vs holding off on the interview until these matters are in order. The big downside of the latter option is the unpredictability of the world right now and the possibility of the embassy closing again.

 

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

33 minutes ago, Stuwoolf said:

 

get to the US and cash it in.

 

I like your terminology 😂🤣

[Lil bear 4,198]

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

@Mark Weston

 

I think you need to evaluate how much transatlantic flights are and if that Sept deadline would work. Is there somebody to keep the kids here or there if you can’t afford everybody going back and forth. How much will it cost to go back to London for a medical revalidation, the medical cost, and the visa fee. I would guess London would reissue your visa within 3 weeks now that they have reopened, then you have  six months from the medical re-do.

 

And on the other side, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, meaning do you want to press on and get that LPR status asap because the embassy could close again, or travel restrictions, or some other hindrance. We surely know things can change quickly for immigrants. 

It’s a difficult choice for sure .. the one bit that pushes me to travelling now is that these parameters are known even if just for right now .. the parameters for other options are unknown and at the best speculative and hopeful 

[Stuwoolf 44]

12 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

I like your terminology 😂🤣

😂😂😂 seemed the most clear and appropriate phrase 😂😂😂