IR-1 Visa Validity related question

[sridhy_ny 0]

Hi,

Planning to send Packet 3.0 shortly. Assuming, interview process goes fine and I heard they will issue IR-1 visa on the same day or in 3 to 4 days from the date of interview in Mumbai, India. However, I don't have plan to travel till March 31st, 2011. So, If IR-1 visa is granted, then for howlong it will be valid ? If the date expires, can I renew that again ? If yes, what is the procedure ?

Note : My wife is carrying and I don't want the interview later (i.e near pregnancy date or after that ). Am ok to renew with additional $400 if that is possible.

Thanks

Sridhar

[Darnell 8,478]

Really? March 2011? WOW.

You have some slush time - no need to send in that P3 immediately.

You can hold off on it. Suggest 4 months before sending it off.

AND

Once you get 'interview date set' - you can request an interview for March,2011.

The bad part, is that the police certificates and the medical exam will need to be redone (I'm guessing you've not done the medical yet, right? )

Good Luck !

and...

The VISA STAMP in the passport has a validity of 6 months. But - Once the foreign spouse crosses into a USA POE, the new timetick starts for the Green Card, itself, AND there is I-551 stamp put in the passport, that validates the VISA STAMP to be used as a temporary green card, for a year from POE date.

So, if you DON'T want to delay the interview for March, 2011, and let it all take its natural course -

Then after the VISA is granted - go to the USA together, get the stamp at POE, then turn around and return to India. Be wary though - after the first POE date, you will get 'looked at, hard' if yer out of the USA for more than 6 months.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Darnell

[sachinky 465]

IR-1s are valid for 6 months to travel.

So hold off on the paperwork for now.

[sridhy_ny 0]

Really? March 2011? WOW.

You have some slush time - no need to send in that P3 immediately.

You can hold off on it. Suggest 4 months before sending it off.

AND

Once you get 'interview date set' - you can request an interview for March,2011.

The bad part, is that the police certificates and the medical exam will need to be redone (I'm guessing you've not done the medical yet, right? )

Good Luck !

and...

The VISA STAMP in the passport has a validity of 6 months. But - Once the foreign spouse crosses into a USA POE, the new timetick starts for the Green Card, itself, AND there is I-551 stamp put in the passport, that validates the VISA STAMP to be used as a temporary green card, for a year from POE date.

So, if you DON'T want to delay the interview for March, 2011, and let it all take its natural course -

Then after the VISA is granted - go to the USA together, get the stamp at POE, then turn around and return to India. Be wary though - after the first POE date, you will get 'looked at, hard' if yer out of the USA for more than 6 months.

Thanks for your reply.

Initially I thought of delaying the interview process by holding Packet 3 with me for another 4 months. But,my wife's expected due date will be around Sep 15th. I don't think she will be able to perform medical/interview process for another 3 months. Already, I've applied for police certificates for her and we got them. They will expire by Jan 10th, 2011. I filed IR-1 visa in New Delhi on Jan 4th, 2010. I heard, if we don't respond to pakcet 3.0 in 1 year's time, the application may be cancelled. So, I thought of asking my wife to attend the interview and take the IR-1 visa. After, 6 months, ask for renewal of that visa at Mumbai Consulate with additional fee of 16,000 INR.

So, is is really possible to extend the expiry date ?

Thanks

Sridhar

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

It is not normally possible to extend the visa, though with your wife being pregnant, they may allow it. It would probably be easier for her to do the medical after she gives birth anyway though (in case vaccinations are needed), which would also suit your plans.

[hisokajp 0]

Really? March 2011? WOW.

The VISA STAMP in the passport has a validity of 6 months. But - Once the foreign spouse crosses into a USA POE, the new timetick starts for the Green Card, itself, AND there is I-551 stamp put in the passport, that validates the VISA STAMP to be used as a temporary green card, for a year from POE date.

So, if you DON'T want to delay the interview for March, 2011, and let it all take its natural course -

Then after the VISA is granted - go to the USA together, get the stamp at POE, then turn around and return to India. Be wary though - after the first POE date, you will get 'looked at, hard' if yer out of the USA for more than 6 months.

Hi,

We are thinking about immigrating to the US with my wife but there are other possibility up in the air as well so I am trying to understand how "flexible" this process can be.

Looking on how this process cost around ~$800 I would rather not do it and have it expires on us while we are waiting to see if other possibility arise.

I understand once you get your VISA STAMP at the end of the DCF process it is valid six month. However, I am a little unclear on what happens once you get to the US and receive I-551 while waiting for your green card.

What if we decided to stay where we are for another year, could we wait 5month+ to go to the US, get the I-551 on our passport then go back to our country a week later? Then we might stay another 6 month+ and finally move to the US? Is that a possibility? Is there any official text on the validity/duration of the I-551? Do you require a re-entry permit? I thought I read somewhere you could be out of the US for up to 2 years with a re-entry permit in this case?

And of course, the tricky question, when do you have to start filling tax for the IRS? At the moment I am a NRA (Non-Resident Alien) under my wife tax paper but in the scenario above when would I need to start filling tax? Once I get the VISA STAMP or the I-551 or only when we actually "move" to the US?

Thanks a lot for your help!