Visiting my spouse in the US while waiting for the CR1-Spouse VISA

[MetalCarrot 1]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post on the forum but i´ve been visiting it for quite some time now to get information. It's a really helpful community and i'm really glad this forum exists so thank you all!

 

I need some advice on how to proceed to visit my wife in the US.

 

I've been visiting my now wife in the US for some time now, i have an ESTA visa (I'm from Europe, Portugal) and my visits have always been on my work vacations, never more than 15 days each, with a couple of months in between them (3 or 4 months).

 

We got married in March 2024, and i'm planning to go visit her in July, and i know that the customs officers know everything about the traveller, including if he has a pending CR1-spouse visa in process.

 

I've always been honest with my intentions of visiting my girlfriend (now wife) in the US, i had a return plane ticket, never overstayed, always told it was to visit my girlfriend at her house, i even had an official work document proving that i was to return to work in my country at the end of my vacations, and never had any problem with the customs in the airport.

 

But since this is my first visit since we got married, and since they can see that i'm waiting for a CR1 spouse visa, i'm worried they might think i want to stay permanently, which i don't, me and my wife are following the rules and want to do everything according to law and the visa process.

 

I'm planning to go bring with me as proof the following documents:

- Printed flight itinerary (with the return dates, and even the email of the purchase)

- Work document signed and stamped by the company i work at

- My work wage receits (with the latest payments from my company)

- A bank statement/document proving i have a bank account in my name in my country

 

I don't own a house, i live in a rented house and the rent is under my mother's name, any more advice on what kind of proof i might be able to show at the customs so that i don't have any kind of issue? 

 

Thank you all in advance!  

 

[Barson 4]

Happened to me, they actually didn’t know about my pending CR1. But I mentioned it as the customs when they asked my reason to stay 2 months, i got pulled aside and spend 1,5 hour in the booth explaining and trying to proof my intention to return home. Flight tickets, with my wife and son also returning was sufficient but I didn’t have hers at hand which caused the delay 

this was in Detroit for my layover.

whenever I fly through Atlanta, I’ve never had any issue.

 

I’m not sure if just not mentioning it unless they do is the better answer, but I wouldn’t lie and risk the visa.  

Edited June 11 by Barson

[MetalCarrot 1]

7 minutes ago, Barson said:

Happened to me, they actually didn’t know about my pending CR1. But I mentioned it as the customs when they asked my reason to stay 2 months, i got pulled aside and spend 1,5 hour in the booth explaining and trying to proof my intention to return home. Flight tickets, with my wife and son also returning was sufficient but I didn’t have hers at hand which caused the delay 

 

I’m not sure if just not mentioning it unless they do is the better answer, but I wouldn’t lie and risk the visa.  

 

From what i read and what i know, it's advisable not to be on vacations for more than two or three weeks.

Two months is way to close to the ESTA VISA limit, and that is why you probably got stopped and delayed!

 

I intend to be honest (as i always was) if they ask for anything though since i've got nothing to hide about our process and etc!

Thank you for the reply!

Edited June 11 by MetalCarrot

[Barson 4]

23 minutes ago, MetalCarrot said:

 

From what i read and what i know, it's advisable not to be on vacations for more than two or three weeks.

Two months is way to close to the ESTA VISA limit, and that is why you probably got stopped and delayed!

 

I intend to be honest (as i always was) if they ask for anything though since i've got nothing to hide about our process and etc!

Thank you for the reply!

You are probably right, since they were wondering how I could stay so long financially and with my work.

 

im sure you’ll be fine, return ticket and proof of employment as you mentioned is enough.

 

goodluck 🎉💪

[Dashinka 24,654]

Generally shorter visits with enough time in between are better and less of a hassle than long visits nearing the authorized limits.  Also, not bringing all or most of your worldly possessions is advisable on a B2/ESTA.  Additionally, you are not required to add any information when talking to the CBP officer, you are only required to answer their questions truthfully.

 

Good Luck!

[MetalCarrot 1]

1 hour ago, Dashinka said:

Generally shorter visits with enough time in between are better and less of a hassle than long visits nearing the authorized limits.  Also, not bringing all or most of your worldly possessions is advisable on a B2/ESTA.  Additionally, you are not required to add any information when talking to the CBP officer, you are only required to answer their questions truthfully.

 

Good Luck!

 

I always do short visits like 2 weeks, and this one will be 10 days only! The only things im planing to bring is a gift to my wife and some t shirts and shorts to go to the beach! Thank you!

[JD2 84]

You have more than enough.  My wife visited multiple times and was never asked for anything except once a verbal question of where she lives.  If you fly through Dublin, you can do Preclearance and customs and immigration will be done there in Dublin before departure.

[MetalCarrot 1]

8 hours ago, JD2 said:

You have more than enough.  My wife visited multiple times and was never asked for anything except once a verbal question of where she lives.  If you fly through Dublin, you can do Preclearance and customs and immigration will be done there in Dublin before departure.

Good to know and it is a relief for me to know that!

 

I always do the international flight to the US at Lisbon's airport, they do small preclearence before the flight, but i always go through customs when arriving in the US where they always do a couple of normal questions and never had a problem and hopefully it won't be a problem this time either just because we're in the process of a CR1-spouse! Thank you!