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B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Old Oct 2nd 2012, 7:07 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

What smallprint would that be out of interest? Do you have a link of some sort?
I've gone through the entire visa website (http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html) and can't find anything that refers to this. I'd be very interested if this was legal and possible, but it seems unlikely somehow.
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Old Oct 2nd 2012, 10:06 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Debsr84
Well you should tell that to the embassy because it is in the small print
I really doubt it!

Ian
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Old Nov 4th 2012, 1:10 pm
  #33  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Apologies for resurrecting this thread so long after you posted it but hoping on the off chance you might be able to give me some info re: your visa interview.

Myself and my partner are due to attend our visa interviews this Friday, i'm applying for the B2 cohabiting alongside his J1 visa. If you don't mind me asking... how did your interview go? Were you seen together? I have a good few bits of paperwork together to take to support my application eg rental agreement from the UK, joint bank account, household bills joint in our names, a letter from the job in the UK stating when I am expected back at work, details of my partners income and contract while in the US, evidence of our savings to support us during our stay....

Is there anything you might advise on taking along? I'm soo nervous after reading so many threads on the interview process. Thanks!!
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Old Nov 4th 2012, 6:14 pm
  #34  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by gingersnaps
Apologies for resurrecting this thread so long after you posted it but hoping on the off chance you might be able to give me some info re: your visa interview.

Myself and my partner are due to attend our visa interviews this Friday, i'm applying for the B2 cohabiting alongside his J1 visa. If you don't mind me asking... how did your interview go? Were you seen together? I have a good few bits of paperwork together to take to support my application eg rental agreement from the UK, joint bank account, household bills joint in our names, a letter from the job in the UK stating when I am expected back at work, details of my partners income and contract while in the US, evidence of our savings to support us during our stay....

Is there anything you might advise on taking along? I'm soo nervous after reading so many threads on the interview process. Thanks!!
Hi! As I mentioned previously when we went to the embassy my boyfriend and I had separate appointments, I was half an hour after him. When I went in they gave me a number and it was like sitting in a huge dentists waiting room. The procedure seemed to be that you were seen initially at the first set of windows, where they took finger prints etc, and then waited until you were called to a second set of windows I couldn't see from the waiting room.

So when I was called to the first set of windows I went up, and the lady asked my name and some details about me, took my passport and fingerprints and asked me why I wanted to travel to the states. At this point I said it was to go with my boyfriend who was applying for a H1b visa to work there. She asked if he was doing his application today and I said yes, she asked what number he was and I gave it, and then went and sat back down. When they called my boyfriend up for his second interview, he was there two minutes, then they called my name and number over the tannoy and asked me to go and join him, and the conversation went something like this:

To my boyfriend, "so this is your girlfriend?"
Boyfriend "yes", Me, "Hello"

Agent "so what kind of work are you going to be doing, Mr ZB?"

Boyfriend explains the nature of the job he's been offered and that he'll be doing an introduction first before being assigned to his role.

Some more discussion about the job and the company, and then the agent says, "ok I'm happy to approve your applications, good luck in your new job Mr ZB"

Stamp, stamp, he gave us a receipt to take to the front desk where we paid for the postage for them to send us our passports (we had to pay two lots of postage despite the passports coming to the same address, and they were delivered in one envelope).

He literally just said hello to me, and I was taking the approach that until I was asked a question I wasn't going to say anything. So I just stood there quietly.

I took with me a lot of paperwork, I had a copy of all my boyfriend's visa paperwork, all of mine, bills, insurance and council tax records from our house, photos of us and our families. Driving licence, birth certificate, car insurance with both our names on it, my documents from work confirming that I was expected back and what date. Apart from my visa paperwork and the passport, they didn't look at any of it.

So that was my experience, I wouldn't make any assumptions based on it but they seemed far more interested in what my boyfriend was going to be doing than what I was asking for. We were warned that we could be in the embassy for up to four hours, we were done inside one hour.

Good luck with your application, let us know how it goes!
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Old Nov 4th 2012, 6:23 pm
  #35  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it. You've made me feel slightly more at ease but will definitely be going prepared! I'll let everyone know how I get on later this week. Thanks again & fingers crossed!
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Old Nov 22nd 2012, 12:23 pm
  #36  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Hi Everyone,

My partner and I are a same-sex couple. I will start my PostDoc on a J1 visa, and he will apply for a B2 Cohabiting Partner visa.

I have several questions:
- How easy is it to extend the visa every 6 months?
- My partner is currently in the middle of his PhD in computer science, and needs only a computer and desk - is it possible for him to continue his PhD studies (and receiving his scholarship) while in the US?

Thanks for the help!

Itamar

Last edited by Itamar; Nov 22nd 2012 at 12:26 pm.
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Old Nov 22nd 2012, 4:14 pm
  #37  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Itamar
How easy is it to extend the visa every 6 months?
Fairly easy, and he also might get 12 months to start.


My partner is currently in the middle of his PhD in computer science, and needs only a computer and desk - is it possible for him to continue his PhD studies (and receiving his scholarship) while in the US?
I don't believe he can study while in the US on a B-2 visa. The question then becomes, will he get away with it? Probably, yes!

Ian
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Old Nov 22nd 2012, 7:09 pm
  #38  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Thank you Ian!

Are you sure he can't study?

Thinking of it, every time I have previously been to the US as a tourist on a B1/2, I was still a student back home getting a scholarship (and declared it every time).

Is there a difference between my previous B1/2, and my partners' future 'B2 Cohabiting Partner visa' in that aspect? can you direct me to a written section?

Thanks for the help with this!!

Itamar
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Old Nov 22nd 2012, 9:03 pm
  #39  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Itamar
Is there a difference between my previous B1/2, and my partners' future 'B2 Cohabiting Partner visa' in that aspect?
The difference is that your partner won't be "a student back home getting a scholarship"... he'll be in the US when he's doing his school work.

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Old Nov 23rd 2012, 9:13 pm
  #40  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Itamar
- My partner is currently in the middle of his PhD in computer science, and needs only a computer and desk - is it possible for him to continue his PhD studies (and receiving his scholarship) while in the US?
I have been in a vaguely similar situation, which may shed some light on this. As a PhD student, my supervisor came to the US on sabbatical (6 months) and I applied for a B-2, so I could continue my work with him. I was to continue receiving my Australian scholarship, with no financial support from (or enrolment at) the US institution - their total support was giving me a desk where I could work. Given I was completely off the books at the US school, they were not prepared to support a J-1 application for me.

This situation proved very interesting when it came to a visa. On the one hand, the word 'student' made them immediately say 'J-1'. However, the completely lack of support from the US school precluded this. This provoked much discussion at the consulate - eventually I was granted a B-2 with 12 months validity and a special provision "for independent study". I am very thankful that the ConOff dealing with my case listened carefully to what I said and kept chasing it up the food chain. I know the decision was eventually made in D.C. rather than locally.

Now, your situation is different, in that you have grounds for the B-2 on the cohabiting front - I was using my studies as the basis for my application. I don't know if they would explicitly ask what the partner would be doing during their stay...
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Old Nov 29th 2012, 7:47 pm
  #41  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Hi Ian,
Thanks again for the help!
We finally wrote the embassy, and got a reply there is no problem studying and getting paid - as long as both are based outside the US.
Cheers,
Itamar
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Old Nov 29th 2012, 7:52 pm
  #42  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Itamar
Hi Ian,
Thanks again for the help!
We finally wrote the embassy, and got a reply there is no problem studying and getting paid - as long as both are based outside the US.
Cheers,
Itamar
Studying might be OK, but "getting paid"? Do you mean from scholarship funds? Or do you mean by some kind of employment?

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Old Nov 29th 2012, 10:06 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Itamar
We finally wrote the embassy, and got a reply there is no problem studying and getting paid - as long as both are based outside the US.
Whoever responded to you either didn't fully understand your questions, didn't know any better... or deliberately lied to you. They are allowed to lie to you. If you want legal advice, don't ask a government employee... ask an experienced immigration attorney.

Ian

Last edited by ian-mstm; Nov 29th 2012 at 10:13 pm.
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Old Nov 30th 2012, 9:44 am
  #44  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

Originally Posted by Itamar
Hi Ian,
Thanks again for the help!
We finally wrote the embassy, and got a reply there is no problem studying and getting paid - as long as both are based outside the US.
Cheers,
Itamar
I'd love to see the full text of the letter.
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Old Dec 13th 2012, 12:58 pm
  #45  
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Default Re: B2 Cohabiting Partner visa - questions

The original letter:

Hello,

I have a question regarding B2 status for cohabiting partners. Assuming I'm granted this status and come to the US with my partner for a long-term visit, does the visa permit me to study at a university in Israel, from afar? I was wondering if it would be possible to study towards a degree in the Israeli Open University, which is suited for people who can't attend the lectures physically.


The reply:

Hello,

There is no prohibition for long distance studding while in the US, unless you intend on studding in an American school/college/university. In that case you are required to hold a proper student visa.

Sincerely,

Nonimmigrant visa unit
Embassy of the United States
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