CR-1 Beneficiary Digital Nomad impact on case?

[ElGrandeDoodel 37]

Hello VisaJourney folks.

Me and my fiancée are due to get married in September this year. Shortly after, we'll be filing the forms to kick off the CR-1 visa process with the following basic details:

• Petitioner (F, 29yo) US citizen
• Beneficiary (M, 32yo) UK citizen
• Simple case - no crim record or historic US immigration/visa problems

 

I'm employed in the UK by a fully remote company that allows me to work from anywhere. While waiting the many months for the CR-1 to be processed, I intend to work as a digital nomad, probably staying and working for most of the year in Mexico and Central America, with occasional trips to the US to visit my fiancée and to the UK to see family and friends. I will remain throughout a UK resident, but will be out of the UK for much of the year. 

 

Should I anticipate questions about how and where I am working (in the eventual consular interview or at any other stage) and is working as a digital nomad likely to prejudice my CR-1 application in any way? I'm aware that in some cases, the DS-260 will require the beneficiary to submit their international travel history, and if I were subject to that requirement, the fact that I had been out of the UK for much of the time the CR-1 was pending would be clear to the USCIS.

 

Many thanks in advance for your help!

[mushroomspore 3,044]

30 minutes ago, elgrandedoodel said:

Hello VisaJourney folks.

Me and my fiancée are due to get married in September this year. Shortly after, we'll be filing the forms to kick off the CR-1 visa process with the following basic details:

• Petitioner (F, 29yo) US citizen
• Beneficiary (M, 32yo) UK citizen
• Simple case - no crim record or historic US immigration/visa problems

 

I'm employed in the UK by a fully remote company that allows me to work from anywhere. While waiting the many months for the CR-1 to be processed, I intend to work as a digital nomad, probably staying and working for most of the year in Mexico and Central America, with occasional trips to the US to visit my fiancée and to the UK to see family and friends. I will remain throughout a UK resident, but will be out of the UK for much of the year. 

 

Should I anticipate questions about how and where I am working (in the eventual consular interview or at any other stage) and is working as a digital nomad likely to prejudice my CR-1 application in any way? I'm aware that in some cases, the DS-260 will require the beneficiary to submit their international travel history, and if I were subject to that requirement, the fact that I had been out of the UK for much of the time the CR-1 was pending would be clear to the USCIS.

 

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Your time outside of the UK doesn't matter all that much to the US government (it's not really in their jurisdiction to care about that unless that travel was somehow connected to you doing illegal things inside the US). Your job (so long as it's legal, of course) also does not matter that much. HOWEVER, you should be aware that you are not allowed to work in the US until and unless you have employment authorization.  And yes, this applies even if you are working remotely for a non-US company and the money is going into a non-US bank account. Work of any kind done inside the US is considered "working in the US". Tourists are not allowed to work, which would be your status during your visits while your CR1 visa is pending. In your case, you will have employment authorization after you enter the US with your CR1 visa.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

3 hours ago, elgrandedoodel said:

Should I anticipate questions about how and where I am working (in the eventual consular interview

A London interview is best described as a “friendly chat” standing at a window much like the post office. You’re going to be surprised at how short and easy it is. The questions are simple like— How did you meet?, Have you met the parents yet?, What does your spouse do for a living? One Brit on VJ described it with something like “The dinner lady at my work cafeteria has asked me more questions about my spouse than the interviewer did.”

 

The immigrant’s employment (or lack of) doesn’t matter unless the income is needed because your spouse doesn’t earn enough to sponsor you (125% of the poverty level). With a job that will continue in the US, it could be added to the support (only if needed).