Partner traveling on tourist visa while waiting for interview?

[Angell Beal 4]

Hi everyone,

 

Anyone here going through the CR1 Visa and waiting for an interview? If your spouse has a US tourist visa (prior to the whole immigrant visa process), has he or she visited you during the interview waiting process? Can you share your experiences with me? We are considering that my husband visit me from Colombia on a tourist visa for 6 months while we wait for our interview at the Embassy at Bogota, Colombia.

 

Thank you.

[Crazy Cat 41,857]

Visiting is not prohibited.  However, he should be prepared to show strong ties to his country in order to convince CBP that he, in fact, return to Colombia after his visit.  6 months would be quite an extraordinary length for just a visit. He would be a prime candidate for staying and adjusting status.   It would better to make short visits.  

 

[Angell Beal 4]

2 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

Visiting is not prohibited.  However, he should be prepared to show strong ties to his country in order to convince CBP that he, in fact, return to Colombia after his visit.  6 months would be quite an extraordinary length for just a visit. He would be a prime candidate for staying and adjusting status.   It would better to make short visits.  

 

Thank you for your advice. Yes, you made me realize that a shorter visit would be wiser. Thank you again. 

[majm 20]

My wife did this last October. She is currently still here in the US on her tourist visa and she will leave by April.

 

Like everyone, we are waiting for the embassy in Bogota to re-open and begin scheduling appointments... but it will be a long time. Visiting on a tourist visa while waiting for an immigrant visa is definitely possible (and a nice option if you can arrange it) but as noted above: be ready to show CBP strong proof that you will return, if asked. My wife was NOT asked any questions about where she was staying, why she was visiting, etc (just what city she was going to) but she was 100% prepared with lots of documentation from our pending visa process and a letter from her employer in Colombia (she works remotely). She has been GRILLED by immigration in the past in ATL and MIA, so we were surprised how simple it was this time (and we realize she may have just been lucky that morning). This was at DFW at 5:00am. Good luck!

[Angell Beal 4]

On 2/9/2021 at 6:05 PM, majm said:

My wife did this last October. She is currently still here in the US on her tourist visa and she will leave by April.

 

Like everyone, we are waiting for the embassy in Bogota to re-open and begin scheduling appointments... but it will be a long time. Visiting on a tourist visa while waiting for an immigrant visa is definitely possible (and a nice option if you can arrange it) but as noted above: be ready to show CBP strong proof that you will return, if asked. My wife was NOT asked any questions about where she was staying, why she was visiting, etc (just what city she was going to) but she was 100% prepared with lots of documentation from our pending visa process and a letter from her employer in Colombia (she works remotely). She has been GRILLED by immigration in the past in ATL and MIA, so we were surprised how simple it was this time (and we realize she may have just been lucky that morning). This was at DFW at 5:00am. Good luck!

Thank you!!!!! Did you know Bogota started the immigrant interviews on March 1st?!?!?!? Huzzah! I know it will be some more time until we get scheduled since they will start with cases who got their interviews cancelled due to covid and we are planning that my spouse visit me for just 3 weeks im the coming month. I will keep your reaponse in mind to get documentation fpr my spouse! Good luck to you. 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Angell Beal

[majm 20]

19 minutes ago, Angell Beal said:

Thank you!!!!! Did you know Bogota started the immigrant interviews on March 1st?!?!?!? Huzzah! I know it will be some more time until we get scheduled since they will start with cases who got their interviews cancelled due to covid and we are planning that my spouse visit me for just 3 weeks im the coming month. I will keep your reaponse in mind to get documentation fpr my spouse! Good luck to you. 

Yes, finally some progress! 🙂 Good luck to you as well!

[Angell Beal 4]

On 2/9/2021 at 6:05 PM, majm said:

My wife did this last October. She is currently still here in the US on her tourist visa and she will leave by April.

 

Like everyone, we are waiting for the embassy in Bogota to re-open and begin scheduling appointments... but it will be a long time. Visiting on a tourist visa while waiting for an immigrant visa is definitely possible (and a nice option if you can arrange it) but as noted above: be ready to show CBP strong proof that you will return, if asked. My wife was NOT asked any questions about where she was staying, why she was visiting, etc (just what city she was going to) but she was 100% prepared with lots of documentation from our pending visa process and a letter from her employer in Colombia (she works remotely). She has been GRILLED by immigration in the past in ATL and MIA, so we were surprised how simple it was this time (and we realize she may have just been lucky that morning). This was at DFW at 5:00am. Good luck!

Hello Majm,

I was just wondering if your partner's letter from her employer was translated or notarized? (How do we prove to CBP that those documents are authentic?) What kinds of documentation did she bring when she entered the US? What documents do you recommend my partner bring when he visits me in the US?

 

Thank you.

[JKLSemicolon 413]

Just posting this here once again...this is a document that someone shared here on VJ that came directly from CBP and might help.

 

CBP.Evidence.of.ties.to.home.country.pdf

[majm 20]

13 hours ago, Angell Beal said:

Hello Majm,

I was just wondering if your partner's letter from her employer was translated or notarized? (How do we prove to CBP that those documents are authentic?) What kinds of documentation did she bring when she entered the US? What documents do you recommend my partner bring when he visits me in the US?

 

Thank you.

Hey! The letter from my wife's employer was not translated or notarized, it was just a basic statement about her employment contract (she works for a bank) and a copy of her work ID card and some insurance info. She also brought paperwork from her university (she is finishing her masters degree, all online now due to Covid) which I think showed something about tuition paid, current class schedule and degree progress. She also had copies of our "NOA" letters from USCIS and an email from NVC saying our case is DQ. All of that plus the itinerary of her return flight back to Colombia... which was originally scheduled for right after Christmas, but extended to March.

 

As mentioned before, she may have just been lucky that morning... she ended up not needing any of this, but certainly better to be extra prepared if you need to show some suspicious passport control officer that you are NOT a risk of overstaying (I'm sure we all know it would be crazy to do this with a pending immigrant visa nearly complete!) My wife has also been to the US at least 10 times in the past, so her history may have helped. I can only recommend that you be prepared with whatever you have, be honest, and be as calm and polite as possible 🙂 Best of luck to you!