This is a thought that I've been pondering....

I am a travel addict. I m.u.s.t. fly to new places, internationally.

As a US citizen it is relatively easy to obtain tourist visas to countries that requires them.

However, my question is... as my fiance is Jordanian -- it is difficult for him to obtain a tourist visa to come here (believe me, we tried), and I'm sure it's the same for other countries. I just wonder, once we marry, he has AP, etc etc... would that change for him somehow? I would want him to be able to travel easily along with me....

Some countries (such as Canada, Australia, etc) make it easier to US permanent residents to enter to their territory more easily than based on their country of origin.

Complex answer:

• Yes, AP does make it easier to return to US
• AP is not recognised to be equivalent to a GC for travel to Canada; the holder must (if from a country where visa required for Canada) get a Canada visa; for other countries requiring visa, status-quo
• GC makes it easier to travel to Canada, but not Europe (if you need a visa to visit a European country before getting GC, you'll still need one)

The reason it is hard for him to get a tourist visa to come to the US is because they know he is engaged to a US citizen and they don't want him here until all of the proper paperwork has been filed and approved. You know the government...they have to make sure he is all registered for tax reasons really. And if he came over before the paperwork was done you two could get married and he would not have to return...and they just could not have that without their blessing first......

I know we come from a free country but going through this process has made me feel like a prisoner...even though I can travel my husband cannot come and even visit me fora week with the promise to return...just because we are married. It makes no sense at all. It has been killing us to be apart for so long.....in a week it will be 4 months since we have seen each other. And because I have a real job and home to support...I can't just take off whenever to go and see him. By the time he gets here, which I estimate will be sometime in August or early September we will have been married almost a year and out of that year only spent 7 weeks together...due to the US government and their quirky immigration rules and delays. I understand about keeping the country safe, etc...but really...almost a year???????

Anyway...sorry to get off topic...but its sort of related...like my husband is not allowed here....same for your fiance....because of your relationship. The US embassy is very hard on anyone that wants to come here for anything other than like a 2 week vacation and if you are engaged or married to a US citizen, forget it. You will not be allowed to enter the country until you jump through all the hoops. My brother in law wants to come here to study english for about 20 weeks and he cannot get a visa approved because he doesn't have some kind of tie in Jordan...he is young...no wife, doesn't own a house, no business...he has a job but that doesn't count. You know what they told him...they told him to get married...in Jordan to a Jordanian woman and reapply and they will approve his visa....the very thing they preach that they don't want people to do here...get married for purposes of entering a country and they tell him to do that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So he can leave his wife and come here for extended time?? Plus, he doesn't have anyone there in mind he wants to marry. Its very sad. Anyway, I hope that helps you understand a little more about the US embassy in Jordan and the strange rules they put on people that want to visit the US. You have to have strong ties in Jordan and it cannot be family or a job. It has to be significant ties. It really irks me, to be honest.

I cannot comment on the other embassies in Jordan, i.e., Canada, etc. but I would bet that they are not nearly as difficult as US. The whole US visa policies are twisted and tear families apart for no good reason. Maybe someone can give you advice on traveling from Jordan to other countries...and what the rules are on travel from the US with a green card (once you are married). I could be wrong but I believe you have the right to travel in and out of the country as you please, just like a US citizen.

Deb

That is correct.... you are wrong. CherryXS pretty much gave the correct response. A traveller needs to check the visa requirements for the country they are visiting.

Actually just to clarify, we were NOT engaged at the time he applied for a tourist visa (B1). He got denied on grounds of "strong ties" -- which is nearly impossible unless coming from a wealthy family, own a house, etc.





Sorry... who is "wrong"? here? I do realize that visa requirements need to be checked anywhere I go. This I know (I am a traveler). I just wonder how much more hassle my fiance (who will be my husband by the time we start traveling) would have to go through being from the Middle East but married to an American? Would like him to have the opportunties that I also can have. He loves traveling but hasn't really gone to a lot of places yet.

Thanks for your answers... I'm still unclear on things. No offense, but I don't count Canada as "international" (just my personal thing) -- I love Canada, but I'm thinking - Estonia, Spain, China, India, Japan, etc, etc.

Thanks.

I think a lot of it might also depend on who you get at the US embassy to do the Visa interview when coming to the US from Jordan. My brother in law has traveled here for a visit....but they won't let him come here for school. They let him come for one month with no problem and he has absolutely no ties in Jordan. There is no consistency with the US government on these types of things. Thats part of the problem.

I am sure if you call the Department of State...and ask them this question they can answer you. If you look up the info on their website it tells that once you have the green card that you can come and go with no problem. (perhaps they are talking about to and from your home country)...so I am not sure who to look for to the right answer. My husband and I will only be going back and forth to Jordan for a while to visit his relatives after he gets here and don't plan on going anywhere else that is not a US territory. He will need to go back once or twice a year at least for a couple of years to stay close to his family...and I miss them a lot too so I am sure we will use up our vacation time on family vacations...as opposed to being tourists.

If you find out the answer...can you let us know here? Just in case we need the info for future....it would be nice to know for sure. Thanks!

CherryXS was just saying that Canada accepts the greencard. If there is no greencard, then a visa has to be applied for if you're from a specific group of countries. Having a greencard will allow him access to Canada without a visa. Having no greencard will require a visa.

The same applies when anyone is visiting any country. You check that government's travel page to see if you require a visa. An American citizen will have a different set of restrictions than someone from Jordan. Being married to an American has no bearing whatsoever on travel. The regulations are enforced by citizenship. If he were to naturalize, he would have the same restrictions/non-restrictions as an American.

Hope this is a little clearer.

Yes, actually it does matter if you are married to a US citizen....it makes it much faster to be naturalized....

I am not sure if your husband is interested in becoming a US citizen or not...but he is eligible to apply for naturalization after just 3 years of being a legal permanent resident (as your spouse). This will allow him to apply for a US passport and be eligible to travel as a US citizen just like you.

Hope this helps.
Deb

http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf - Link to guide to naturalization...it has all the details.

THANK YOU! This is the type of response I was looking for. Mucho appreciated.

... general rule in issuing tourist visas is that country's consulat has to be convinced that person applying for visa will leave the country after a visit.
So where one is living permanently has a huge bearing... I am sure that the fact that your husband will be living in the USA while applying for tourist visa as Jordanian citizen, will give him a huge advantage compared to other Jordanians living in Jordan.

Probably, judging by my mum's pre-1988 experiences with Britain (she was naturalised as Canuck in 1989) compared to those visiting directly from India.