lme30005

After our F3 visa is granted, how long do we have to actually get to the US before it expires? And can we go there, get the visa stamped and come back to the UK if we are not ready to go straightaway? We are trying to time the move to ensure the kids start school at the start of the school year, to minimise disruption, but that might not work out timing wise with the visa.

steph0scope

The visa is valid until 6 months after the date of the medical. So you usually have a good 5 months to move once you receive your passports back from the embassy. You must enter before the expiration date on the visa.

Yes, you can enter and leave to wrap up things back home.

lme30005

Great, thanks. Do you know how long you could return back to the UK for, before emigrating properly?

scrubbedexpat099

No set time but a few months should not be an issue.

civilservant

That's not really the right way to look at it, and certainly not the right way to describe it to a CBP officer.

When you enter the US you are a Permanent Resident. While you are allowed to return home for a certain period to 'tie up lose ends' you still, as a matter of fact, are a Permanent Resident of the US. Do anything to make it seem like you never took up that PR and you can run into problems down the line.

No more than 6 months out would be my recommendation, and you still have to ave a US address for your physical Green Card to be sent too and then forwarded on to you.

Pulaski

I am not sure why anyone would need more than 3-4 months really. And there is no need to be there to sell a house - I set everything up with an estate agent and my solicitor, ahead of leaving, so I didn't need to return to the UK to complete the sale of my home, and I even fired one estate agent and hired another while living in the US.