applying for both immigrant and non-immigrant visas

[JeanneAdil 6,511]

19 hours ago, glenn0 said:

We were in US for 120+ days.  Because there were zero flights from Puerto Rico during COVID, she got an extension to 120 days.  We were told there was no possibility for a further extension, but now an agent told us it was possible.  The flights kept getting cancelled until the last possible time, but then we had one on the last day.  There were big storms in NY which made us miss the connection.  Later immigration didn't care at all about those troubles, only that she overstayed.  Evil system!!!

We have such good weather reporting and radar (with news of expected storms) that people should be able to plan ahead and change flights especially when it would involve issues such as hers  /like we just did when a storm hit Chattanoogna and Adil could not fly from here/  i drove him to Atlanta (2 1/2 hours ) to catch what would have been his connecting flight

 

 

March  17th was the day international airports closed because of covid/ we flew out of Paris one and a half hours before Charles deGaule closed  (along with all the US citizens studying in Paris)

 

u blame weather,   CBP,  covid ,   instead of looking to "what can i do in future to fix this?"

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, Dewald & Brittney said:

So I have actually applied and received a B1 visa after filing for an I-130. I did this in Johannesburg and was also worried about the possible denial since I was obviously immigrating in the future. I'm not sure why the CO approved my application, but I was very upfront and honest with him during the interview. I also had proof of ties to a 3rd country, being back on my way to Thailand in May to wait out my I130, I had a contract for hire in hand and past work visas for Thailand in my passport (I applied for the B1 in March). I think the fact that both my wife and I being teachers played a role in the decision as you can't really teach without a EAD in the US so the risk vs reward of staying illegally on a B1 was low. At the time of writing, I am visiting the US for the second time this year, each time being granted 6 months stay and leaving after 1 month (leaving again tomorrow morning, sadly).

 

This long winded reply is just to say that it is possible to get a B1 visa while already processing an I130, but it is up to the CO in the end. I might have just gotten lucky.

No one gets “lucky” when applying for a B visa with an immigrant petition in process! Your ties would have been what made the difference. 

[pushbrk 12,898]

6 hours ago, Dewald & Brittney said:

So I have actually applied and received a B1 visa after filing for an I-130. I did this in Johannesburg and was also worried about the possible denial since I was obviously immigrating in the future. I'm not sure why the CO approved my application, but I was very upfront and honest with him during the interview. I also had proof of ties to a 3rd country, being back on my way to Thailand in May to wait out my I130, I had a contract for hire in hand and past work visas for Thailand in my passport (I applied for the B1 in March). I think the fact that both my wife and I being teachers played a role in the decision as you can't really teach without a EAD in the US so the risk vs reward of staying illegally on a B1 was low. At the time of writing, I am visiting the US for the second time this year, each time being granted 6 months stay and leaving after 1 month (leaving again tomorrow morning, sadly).

 

This long winded reply is just to say that it is possible to get a B1 visa while already processing an I130, but it is up to the CO in the end. I might have just gotten lucky.

That's not luck.  That's having a believable story backed by evidence.