How long do we have to officially move to US after entry stamp?

[themandalorian 1]

My wife received her IR1 visa back in June. She had until Dec 25 to go to USA to get the entry stamp and 'move'. We went together before that date.  We visited for 10 days and are preparing to move officially because the local embassy in Hong Kong said that is fine if we need a bit more time before the actual move.

 

My questions are:

 

1) How long do we have to officially 'move' with the current visa she has? The border agent said 6 months. The local embassy said 1 year. I'm not sure what to believe.

 

2) She received a new social security card in the mail at the address we are moving to. Does this mean the green card process is starting and in the system or is that separate?

 

Thanks for the information in advance!

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

The faster you wrap it up the better. While she can stay out of the country up to a bit under a year she'll have to deal with less scrutiny when coming back if y'all keep it a bit under 6 months. So embassy was speaking in legal terms while the border agent was speaking in experience how they handle things terms.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Letspaintcookies

[pushbrk 12,876]

1 hour ago, themandalorian said:

My wife received her IR1 visa back in June. She had until Dec 25 to go to USA to get the entry stamp and 'move'. We went together before that date.  We visited for 10 days and are preparing to move officially because the local embassy in Hong Kong said that is fine if we need a bit more time before the actual move.

 

My questions are:

 

1) How long do we have to officially 'move' with the current visa she has? The border agent said 6 months. The local embassy said 1 year. I'm not sure what to believe.

 

2) She received a new social security card in the mail at the address we are moving to. Does this mean the green card process is starting and in the system or is that separate?

 

Thanks for the information in advance!

For the USA, there really is not such thing as an "official move", because we don't have "home books" or official registered addressed other than registering to vote, which non-citizens cannot do anyway.  My advice is to do it within six months of when you exited.

[Lil bear 4,189]

1 hour ago, themandalorian said:

 

Does this mean the green card process is starting and in the system or is that separate?

 

Thanks for the information in advance!

The “ green card process” is completed .. apart from receiving the physical card in the mail  

 

According to USCIS you are both now residing  in the US. 

 

 Her stay outside the US should be short enough to be explainable as a temporary stay overseas and not able to be construed as “living and working” overseas. Less than 1 year most definitely… less than 6 months is better.. as short as necessary is preferable  Unfortunately absences overseas are always assessed at the discretion of the CBP officer when she reenters 

 

 I hope that

1. She has paid the $220  card fee after receiving her passport back from the consulate. 
2. The address she gave for postal delivery of the card is current and being checked by someone whom you trust 

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from IR1/CR1 Process & Procedures to Moving to the US forum -- OP's wife is done with the visa process ***