travel during conditional residency

[guerita7 0]

My husband and I live and work in Mexico with a non-profit US-based religious organization. I am a US citizen. We sent in an I-130 to Mexico City for initial processing, and they then sent all our paperwork on to Ciudad Juarez for the next stages of processing. We received, filled out, and sent back the packet of forms they sent us just two weeks ago (I-184A and DS-230,along with a list of documents he must take to his interview appointment). We were told the current wait time for an interview appointment in Ciudad Juarez is between 4 and 6 months. If his application gets approved, how soon after his interview will we need to travel to the US? Will he be allowed to travel outside the US as a conditional permanent resident or is there a certain amount of time he must remain in the US without leaving in order to not lose his status as a conditional permanent resident?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[YuAndDan 153]

1) CR-1 or IR-1 is valid for 6 months after they are issued, so you have only 6 months to enter the USA. Upon entry, you will have I-551 stamp which is Green-card which allows re-entry from a trip out of the USA.

2) About CR-Green-card:

Maintaining Permanent Residence

You may lose your permanent residence status if you commit an act that makes you removable from the United States under the law in section 237 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If you commit such an act, you may be brought before the immigration courts to determine your right to remain a Permanent Resident.

You may be found to have abandoned your permanent resident status if you:

• Move to another country intending to live there permanently.

• Remain outside of the US for more than one year without obtaining a reentry permit or returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.

• Remain outside of the US for more than two years after issuance of a reentry permit without obtaining a returning resident visa. However in determining whether your status has been abandoned any length of absence from the US may be considered, even if it is less than one year.

• Fail to file income tax returns while living outside of the US for any period.

• Declare yourself a “nonimmigrant†on your tax returns.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=48002

Similar posted not long ago: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...=121653&hl=

Edited April 16, 2008 by YuAndDan

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

The good thing about going to CDj is that you can go to the bridge and that can be your entry. Then you have to follow the rules required to keep your greencard.

So you filed DCF in Mexico City?

[guerita7 0]

The good thing about going to CDj is that you can go to the bridge and that can be your entry. Then you have to follow the rules required to keep your greencard.

So you filed DCF in Mexico City?

Yes, we filed in Mexico City initially but then everything was forwarded on to Ciudad Juarez once they sent us the NOA. Ciudad Juarez is the only consulate in Mexico that processes fiancee and spousal visas. We started the process in February and are currently waiting for his interview.

So if he gets approved we can go across the bridge to get his stamp and then come back to pack up everything and have him quit his job? We don't want to go ahead with all of that before his interview in case for some reason he gets denied.

[YuAndDan 153]

The good thing about going to CDj is that you can go to the bridge and that can be your entry. Then you have to follow the rules required to keep your greencard.

So you filed DCF in Mexico City?

Yes, we filed in Mexico City initially but then everything was forwarded on to Ciudad Juarez once they sent us the NOA. Ciudad Juarez is the only consulate in Mexico that processes fiancee and spousal visas. We started the process in February and are currently waiting for his interview.

So if he gets approved we can go across the bridge to get his stamp and then come back to pack up everything and have him quit his job? We don't want to go ahead with all of that before his interview in case for some reason he gets denied.

That is exactly what you can do, The visa is valid 6 months, but the I-551 stamp is valid 1 year, however LPR Status can be considered to be abandoned in less than a year.

Again you will have 6 months to get affairs in order before using the CR-1 visa.

[DerZinker 4]

My husband and I live and work in Mexico with a non-profit US-based religious organization. I am a US citizen. We sent in an I-130 to Mexico City for initial processing, and they then sent all our paperwork on to Ciudad Juarez for the next stages of processing. We received, filled out, and sent back the packet of forms they sent us just two weeks ago (I-184A and DS-230,along with a list of documents he must take to his interview appointment). We were told the current wait time for an interview appointment in Ciudad Juarez is between 4 and 6 months. If his application gets approved, how soon after his interview will we need to travel to the US? Will he be allowed to travel outside the US as a conditional permanent resident or is there a certain amount of time he must remain in the US without leaving in order to not lose his status as a conditional permanent resident?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Usually for any of the immigrant visas, they are valid for up to 6 months. After that they expire. That happened to us with the K1

As long as you enter before the 6-month deadline you should be fine

Actually I have been looking all over for someone who has filed DCF in Mexico... Could you please check my post at:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=118357

Any advice you could give me as far as how to go about it and who is qualified would really help me out!! Thanks!