I understand that after applying and being granted a visa we would have 6 months to move to the US. What if we need longer or circumstances change? Is there a way to lengthen the time, can you apply for an extension? If so is there a limit to the number of extensions? With such a long wait on the visa it is really hard to time things.

Thanks in advance

No extensions. Timing is reasonably predictable. Plan accordingly.

You would have 6 months to enter the USA and establish the USA as you new place of permanent residence. (note the lower case 'p' and 'r'.) You can then leave again to take care of open issues back where you lived before immigrating.

Do you have any specific issues that you'd like comment on?

Regards, JEff

Lately, from what we've seen on here, it's 6 months from the date of the medical, not the visa interview...so in reality it's about 5 months from the interview date.

If you need longer, you will have to enter the USA using your Immigrant Visa and then return home to tie up loose ends. Don't stay outside the USA on that trip for more than a few months. If you can't tie everything up within a few months, then come back to the USA and make another trip later on, or get someone's help back home (for example, to sell property or something).

No.

What are the things you are needing to time? Maybe we can help you brainstorm. The one thing most people have difficulty resolving before moving is the sale of a home. But that can be accomplished by a third party while you are in the USA. If it involves giving notice at work, I would say 5 months is plenty of time to give notice and wrap up work affairs. What is it you need to plan?

Rene

Need to sell a house and a business before we move once the business is sold half our income is gone it would be nice to move as soon as we sell but selling in this economy could take awhile and if we wait we are using up cash that really is needed to move. It just makes it more difficult but nothing is impossible I guess

Your visa cannot be extended beyond it's validity. If you can't use it in time you have to return it to the issuing office.

You can reapply, however, your visa may only be reissued as per your original priority, if you establish that you could not travel for reasons beyond your control.

I wonder what reasons could possibly be beyond someone's control. None come to mind except an unusually long hospitalization and travel AMA.

Ian

So on the other side of things if you intend to have duel nationality. Say you get the visa and go to the states even buy or rent a property. How long then are there conditions on you as to where you must be, when can you just go back and forth between the two countries as you please?

Dual nationality. Duel nationality would be something quite different, I imagine!

Renting or buying property is irrelevant to the equation.


The restriction on going back and forth "as you please" lasts only until you are a citizen of both countries. For a couple to be able to go back and forth "as [they] please", both of them must have dual citizenship. Until both have dual citizenship, one of them is always at risk for losing their status if they stay out of that country for too long. How long is too long? ... How long is a piece of string?

Ian

Ok so if I first obtained UK citizenship which I can do and and as my husband is a UK citizen and as I am also a US citizen if we were to get my husband a visa and go to the US how long or what would he have to do to obtain US citizenship?

There's my runon sentence of the day

Time for some reading:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Now_Th...anent_Resident

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Natura...ship_Resources

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Green_Card_Abandonment

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Pros_a...US_Citizenship

The short answer is 3 years until eligibility, 3.5-4 years to actually obtain it.

Subject to the caveats in the above posted links, however.

He can apply for US citizenship 3 years (less 90 days) after he becomes a US permanent resident (= green card). It takes about 6 months or so to process the N-400 citizenship application. In the grand scheme of things... it's a drop in the bucket.

Ian

I am in the same kind of situation. I have my visa and am flying out next Friday. However, we have planned to do a 3 mouth round the trip honeymoon as we didnt have a chance when we first got married. Is that going to be a problem? I can enter the US on the Friday, and then we are planning on leaving 12th Oct I think. We'll be back in the US mid Jan. I take it that is ok?

Only reason I ask is that on the paperwork it says tell the immigration officer if you are planning on leaving the United States?

Cheers

On the assumption that you received a CR-1/IR-1 visa, it won't be a problem. You'll only be out of the US for 3 months... it won't be an issue.


Despite what you've read, you aren't obligated to tell the officer that you'll be leaving the US.

Ian