When can i leave the USA

[zorzor 7]

Good day! I got my CR-1 (Spouse of US citizen) visa and am going to fly to the USA for the first time soon. And I have a question. Can I fly in for 1 week and then return back to my country for 2-3 months?Or do I need to wait for the receipt of the green card and only then fly away? As I understand it, I will not have time to receive my green card by mail in 1 week, so I am worried whether I can simply fly from the USA using a travel passport and then return back using it? And I also want to buy a ticket in both directions at once, and therefore another question. Will the officer at the border have questions about why I bought a ticket to the USA and back? Thanks!

[Unlockable 7,315]

Hi,

 

You will be fine. When you enter on your spousal visa, your passport will be stamped with a I-551 which is an indication that you are a legal permanent resident. This can be used in lieu of the physical green card. So you can travel back home and return as long as you have that stamp in your passport.

[Dashinka 24,747]

I agree, with the endorsed CR1/IR1 visa, you can exit and re-enter the US using the endorsed visa as a Green Card assuming a stay outside of less than 12 months (some say 6 months).

 

The only other thing I would add is depending on the airlines, you may want to research the CBP carrier guide (page 32) in case you need to educate an airline clerk that an endorsed visa is in fact a temporary GC.

 

Good Luck!

 

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2019-Mar/2019 Carrier Information Guide - ENGLISH.pdf

Edited March 2, 2021 by Dashinka

[zorzor 7]

32 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

Hi,

 

You will be fine. When you enter on your spousal visa, your passport will be stamped with a I-551 which is an indication that you are a legal permanent resident. This can be used in lieu of the physical green card. So you can travel back home and return as long as you have that stamp in your passport.

 

8 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

I agree, with the endorsed CR1/IR1 visa, you can exit and re-enter the US using the endorsed visa as a Green Card assuming a stay outside of less than 12 months (some say 6 months).

 

The only other thing I would add is depending on the airlines, you may want to research the CBP carrier guide (page 32) in case you need to educate an airline clerk that an endorsed visa is in fact a temporary GC.

 

Good Luck!

 

 Thank you so much!