CR-1 or tourist (when still working abroad and might continue)

[barcman 2]

Hello everyone,

I have tried to research this but haven't found anything similar to my situation. I have contacted immigration services and lawyers and have 2 recommendations for CR-1 and 2 for B2 tourist visa. My filipina wife and I got married a week ago via Utah Zoom. Thank you to this site for this recommendation.

 

We love teaching abroad. I save a lot and enjoy teaching in Thailand compared to USA, where it is difficult to make ends meet. 2 of our consultations insist she will probably never be granted the tourist visa because neither of us are Thai so hard to prove our strong ties here except for 4 years currently teaching at our school. Just getting a tourist visa would solve a lot of problems. CR-1 could help her enter USA for visiting. How unfavorably would immigration look if she were granted CR-1 and for the first year we finished our contracts in Thailand? Then visited USA within the first 12 months, then in year 2 of our CR-1 we resided and worked in USA until she got her citizenship? Abruptly leaving mid contract in Thailand and missing the hiring season for USA schools causes further issues. Moving as teachers is really dependent on the time of the year.  My main question, how will permanently residing in USA starting in year 2 and just visiting the US in year 1 of the CR-1 be viewed? Thanks in advance. 

[appleblossom 2,434]

1 minute ago, barcman said:

Hello everyone,

I have tried to research this but haven't found anything similar to my situation. I have contacted immigration services and lawyers and have 2 recommendations for CR-1 and 2 for B2 tourist visa. My filipina wife and I got married a week ago via Utah Zoom. Thank you to this site for this recommendation.

 

We love teaching abroad. I save a lot and enjoy teaching in Thailand compared to USA, where it is difficult to make ends meet. 2 of our consultations insist she will probably never be granted the tourist visa because neither of us are Thai so hard to prove our strong ties here except for 4 years currently teaching at our school. Just getting a tourist visa would solve a lot of problems. CR-1 could help her enter USA for visiting. How unfavorably would immigration look if she were granted CR-1 and for the first year we finished our contracts in Thailand? Then visited USA within the first 12 months, then in year 2 of our CR-1 we resided and worked in USA until she got her citizenship? Abruptly leaving mid contract in Thailand and missing the hiring season for USA schools causes further issues. Moving as teachers is really dependent on the time of the year.  My main question, how will permanently residing in USA starting in year 2 and just visiting the US in year 1 of the CR-1 be viewed? Thanks in advance. 

What’s your timeframe for wanting to actually live in the US, when do your contracts finish? 

[pushbrk 12,867]

38 minutes ago, barcman said:

Hello everyone,

I have tried to research this but haven't found anything similar to my situation. I have contacted immigration services and lawyers and have 2 recommendations for CR-1 and 2 for B2 tourist visa. My filipina wife and I got married a week ago via Utah Zoom. Thank you to this site for this recommendation.

 

We love teaching abroad. I save a lot and enjoy teaching in Thailand compared to USA, where it is difficult to make ends meet. 2 of our consultations insist she will probably never be granted the tourist visa because neither of us are Thai so hard to prove our strong ties here except for 4 years currently teaching at our school. Just getting a tourist visa would solve a lot of problems. CR-1 could help her enter USA for visiting. How unfavorably would immigration look if she were granted CR-1 and for the first year we finished our contracts in Thailand? Then visited USA within the first 12 months, then in year 2 of our CR-1 we resided and worked in USA until she got her citizenship? Abruptly leaving mid contract in Thailand and missing the hiring season for USA schools causes further issues. Moving as teachers is really dependent on the time of the year.  My main question, how will permanently residing in USA starting in year 2 and just visiting the US in year 1 of the CR-1 be viewed? Thanks in advance. 

Your wife is not going to get a visitor visa, so forget about that.  If and when you are ready to live together in the USA, start a spouse visa process.  Think in terms of an 18 month process, so plan ahead.

[JayFromTexas 69]

Upon receiving a CR1 visa, you must enter the US within 6 months. Once you enter, you need to live in the US a minimum of 6 months per year in order for your wife to not lose her greencard. Like @pushbrk said, it currently takes around 18 months to get a CR1.

Edited March 28 by JayFromTexas

[Troy B 223]

9 hours ago, JayFromTexas said:

Upon receiving a CR1 visa, you must enter the US within 6 months. Once you enter, you need to live in the US a minimum of 6 months per year in order for your wife to not lose her greencard. Like @pushbrk said, it currently takes around 18 months to get a CR1.

 

correction,  normally it is 6 months from the medical before you go to the interview for the CR1 visa.

[JayFromTexas 69]

1 hour ago, Troy B said:

 

correction,  normally it is 6 months from the medical before you go to the interview for the CR1 visa.

You are correct. I was speaking in general terms. The medical is usually conducted near the time of the interview, but not always.

[Redro 4,611]

If you want to live in the US eventually, file I130 and I130a now and then delay at NVC until you decide you want to move. 

Post about that process here:

Your plan most likely won’t work- especially if you move to the US and your wife has a conditional green card- they’ll be confused when you file I751 and she has a foreign address, paying foreign taxes, with bonafide marriage evidence from Thailand. 
 

Easier to complete the IV process when you decide you no longer want to live Thailand and want to live in the U.S. 

 

The green card is for living in the US and the family based green card is for reuniting families. If you (the USC) have no intention of moving to the US after she receives her GC- you’ll probably get a request to show proof you’ve quit your job in Thailand or made moves to live in the U.S. without your spouse…so plan accordingly. 

Edited March 28 by Redro

[Redro 4,611]

22 hours ago, barcman said:

Abruptly leaving mid contract in Thailand and missing the hiring season for USA schools causes further issues. Moving as teachers is really dependent on the time of the year.  My main question, how will permanently residing in USA starting in year 2 and just visiting the US in year 1 of the CR-1 be viewed? Thanks in advance. 

Want to add: we were in a similar situation to you. My husband and I were both teachers in Korea. We loved our life in Korea but decided we would move to the US when I received my visa. My husband quit his job 2 months before my interview because we knew if he was still employed I would most likely not receive the visa.

Our experience here: 

 

There is a massive teaching shortage in the US. We were both offered 3 or 4 teaching positions early September when we arrived. I started teaching 2 or 3 weeks after I moved here (mid September). 
You’ll probably want to research how to convert your wife’s teaching certificate/ license in the US before you move here. Depending on the state it could be extremely easy or she might want to change careers. But, it really doesn’t matter when you arrive because teaching jobs are plentiful. 

Edited March 28 by Redro

[barcman 2]

19 hours ago, JayFromTexas said:

Upon receiving a CR1 visa, you must enter the US within 6 months. Once you enter, you need to live in the US a minimum of 6 months per year in order for your wife to not lose her greencard. Like @pushbrk said, it currently takes around 18 months to get a CR1.

Thank you. This is very helpful. 

[barcman 2]

22 hours ago, appleblossom said:

What’s your timeframe for wanting to actually live in the US, when do your contracts finish? 

Normally i sign a new contract 5-6 months before it finishes so that makes it about 18 months in total before it finishes.It would be helpful if i knew a CR-1 would be approved so then i dont sign the next contract but you never know what can happen.

[barcman 2]

7 hours ago, Redro said:

If you want to live in the US eventually, file I130 and I130a now and then delay at NVC until you decide you want to move. 

Post about that process here:

Your plan most likely won’t work- especially if you move to the US and your wife has a conditional green card- they’ll be confused when you file I751 and she has a foreign address, paying foreign taxes, with bonafide marriage evidence from Thailand. 
 

Easier to complete the IV process when you decide you no longer want to live Thailand and want to live in the U.S. 

 

The green card is for living in the US and the family based green card is for reuniting families. If you (the USC) have no intention of moving to the US after she receives her GC- you’ll probably get a request to show proof you’ve quit your job in Thailand or made moves to live in the U.S. without your spouse…so plan accordingly. 

Ok thank you. This is very informative. What if we waited to apply after 2 years of marriage, then the green card would automatically be for 10 years? Correct? That would help us settle our affairs abroad and move to usa with less of a time crunch. 

[Redro 4,611]

22 minutes ago, barcman said:

Normally i sign a new contract 5-6 months before it finishes so that makes it about 18 months in total before it finishes.It would be helpful if i knew a CR-1 would be approved so then i dont sign the next contract but you never know what can happen.

This couple lived and taught in Thailand together and the wife moved to the US before the I-130 was approved/ visa was issued. 

You might have to come to terms with the fact that moving to the US isn't going to be an "easy" process that allows you to plan your life around approvals. This is why I suggest pausing at the NVC level. 

But, NVC processing can take between 1-3 months. Then wait from DQ to interview can be anywhere from 2 months to over a year.  @Dewald & Brittney were DQ'ed December 9, 2022 and he had his interview February 15, 2023... 

There is a thread you can read here: 

Okay! I think I'm done sharing links. Just wanted to note the immigration process to the US is really quite tedious and the US isn't really interested in helping out couples who are in a third country together. Why give your spouse a reunification visa if you are already together.... and then they won't give your spouse a tourist visa because they think she won't ever leave. 

Final suggestion is for you and the wife to travel to several countries together and then see if she can get a tourist visa on her third try... I have a friend who was refused twice when just dating his US girlfriend but received a tourist visa after they married... 

 

Edited March 29 by Redro

[Redro 4,611]

7 minutes ago, barcman said:

Ok thank you. This is very informative. What if we waited to apply after 2 years of marriage, then the green card would automatically be for 10 years? Correct? That would help us settle our affairs abroad and move to usa with less of a time crunch. 

Yep! This is also what we did. We got married a few years before we decided to move to the US. Then when we were ready to move to the US, my husband petitioned me. 

[barcman 2]

7 hours ago, Redro said:

If you want to live in the US eventually, file I130 and I130a now and then delay at NVC until you decide you want to move. 

Post about that process here:

Your plan most likely won’t work- especially if you move to the US and your wife has a conditional green card- they’ll be confused when you file I751 and she has a foreign address, paying foreign taxes, with bonafide marriage evidence from Thailand. 
 

Easier to complete the IV process when you decide you no longer want to live Thailand and want to live in the U.S. 

 

The green card is for living in the US and the family based green card is for reuniting families. If you (the USC) have no intention of moving to the US after she receives her GC- you’ll probably get a request to show proof you’ve quit your job in Thailand or made moves to live in the U.S. without your spouse…so plan accordingly. 

Wow this is very promising. This looks like a good plan of doing a little delay at NVC. Thank you for your time and input.

[barcman 2]

1 hour ago, Redro said:

Want to add: we were in a similar situation to you. My husband and I were both teachers in Korea. We loved our life in Korea but decided we would move to the US when I received my visa. My husband quit his job 2 months before my interview because we knew if he was still employed I would most likely not receive the visa.

Our experience here: 

 

There is a massive teaching shortage in the US. We were both offered 3 or 4 teaching positions early September when we arrived. I started teaching 2 or 3 weeks after I moved here (mid September). 
You’ll probably want to research how to convert your wife’s teaching certificate/ license in the US before you move here. Depending on the state it could be extremely easy or she might want to change careers. But, it really doesn’t matter when you arrive because teaching jobs are plentiful. 

We would move to Florida. They need teachers there. The process for her to switch is pretty easy. Thank you for your input and linking your past journey. It is quite helpful. It’s unfortunate that i might need to resign before the interview to prove we will move. We have to do what we must to get the results we desire. Thanks again