Marriage while on B1 and then petition for CR1

[IrinasMan 2]

I have been searching on this forum, and can't quite find my exact situation., so any hrlp would be appreciated.

 

I have met a wonderful Russian woman online. Common story, I know. She already has her B1 visa, and would like to come and stay with me for a few months to see if we click as well in person as we do in video chat. If so, then we will almost certainly get married while she is here. Our plan from there is to have her return to Russia and settle her affairs,  and apply for a CR1 visa. I think we will be following all the correct procedures if we follow this plan, so here are my questions:

 

1) When she arrives, how long should she state as her intended length of stay?

 

2) Will it matter that she will be staying with me, as far as the border guard allowing her to have the full 6 months?

 

3) Can we apply for the CR1 while she is still here, and have it processing while she is back in Russia?

 

If there are any concerns that I should know about, I would rather know now, rather than after she gets here.

 

Thanks is advance for any advice.

[gregcrs2 1,777]

Why don't you go visit her where she lives first? 

[Boiler 43,583]

1. Her intended length of stay, presumably the date of her return flight.

 

 2. B1 is for Business trips so yes.

 

3. Yes

 

VAWA?

[IrinasMan 2]

She has corrected me. Her visa type is B1/B2.

 

Also should she say that she's staying with a friend,  or will that make a difference to the border guard z m

 

 

Thanks

Edited April 16, 2017 by IrinasMan
Added more detail

[IrinasMan 2]

13 minutes ago, Boiler said:

 

"VAWA?"

?

[IrinasMan 2]

25 minutes ago, gregcrs2 said:

Why don't you go visit her where she lives first? 

This is a possibility, but since she already has her B1/B2, we might as well use it

[gregcrs2 1,777]

Violence Against Women Act

 

 

[gregcrs2 1,777]

 

 

There are reasons why you should visit her first.  One of them being that you are not being scammed. 

 

 

[IrinasMan 2]

4 minutes ago, gregcrs2 said:

Violence Against Women Act

 

 

Ok. I understand 

[ASMS 86]

1 hour ago, IrinasMan said:

I have been searching on this forum, and can't quite find my exact situation., so any hrlp would be appreciated.

 

I have met a wonderful Russian woman online. Common story, I know. She already has her B1 visa, and would like to come and stay with me for a few months to see if we click as well in person as we do in video chat. If so, then we will almost certainly get married while she is here. Our plan from there is to have her return to Russia and settle her affairs,  and apply for a CR1 visa. I think we will be following all the correct procedures if we follow this plan, so here are my questions:

 

1) When she arrives, how long should she state as her intended length of stay?

 

2) Will it matter that she will be staying with me, as far as the border guard allowing her to have the full 6 months?

 

3) Can we apply for the CR1 while she is still here, and have it processing while she is back in Russia?

 

If there are any concerns that I should know about, I would rather know now, rather than after she gets here.

 

Thanks is advance for any advice.

Just make sure to understand all the process before start it, you can find interesting and helpful information in VisaJoourney, and great support from other users. Take in count that you will need to provide all the necessary evidence of bona fide marriage, but also to meet the requirements for the affidavit of support.

 

The decision of getting marriage is very personal, and it will depend not just about the love that you have for each other, but also the absolutely trust and confidence that making this it would be the bet for both of you.

[Unlockable 7,306]

2 hours ago, IrinasMan said:

She has corrected me. Her visa type is B1/B2.

 

Also should she say that she's staying with a friend,  or will that make a difference to the border guard z m

 

 

Thanks

Never lie or hide the truth. If asked, she should tell the officer exactly the reason for her trip. 

[JFH 12,189]

I think a good test to make sure you are not being scammed is to suggest to the foreign fiancé that you want to move to their country to live with them. If the reaction is "great! Can't wait to be with you all the time! Let's research what visa you need" then there's a good chance it's genuine. If the reaction is "absolutely not! I am moving to America" then you know where the priorities lie. 

[millefleur 5,038]

2 hours ago, JFH said:

I think a good test to make sure you are not being scammed is to suggest to the foreign fiancé that you want to move to their country to live with them. If the reaction is "great! Can't wait to be with you all the time! Let's research what visa you need" then there's a good chance it's genuine. If the reaction is "absolutely not! I am moving to America" then you know where the priorities lie. 

I second this. 

 

And she should absolutely tell the truth at the border the reason for her visit.

[geowrian 22,336]

11 hours ago, IrinasMan said:

Also should she say that she's staying with a friend,  or will that make a difference to the border guard z m

She should tell them wherever she is staying. Never lie to anybody in immigration...the consequences are severe. Also, when she says "with a friend", they will probably follow up with "boyfriend?".

Edited April 17, 2017 by geowrian

[Thesmiths2016 117]

5 hours ago, JFH said:

I think a good test to make sure you are not being scammed is to suggest to the foreign fiancé that you want to move to their country to live with them. If the reaction is "great! Can't wait to be with you all the time! Let's research what visa you need" then there's a good chance it's genuine. If the reaction is "absolutely not! I am moving to America" then you know where the priorities lie. 

Agreed. I hope for your sake she in genuine, but making sure she is comfortable with you visiting is a good test.   My husband (then boyfriend in the early stages after meeting for only a week) and I were doing long distance, and he didn't even book a flight to move to Australia with me until I'd flown there to meet his family and friends.  Even though I'm not from a scam country, he was cautious, and rightly so.  It's best you are the same.

Now onto your questions...

 

14 hours ago, IrinasMan said:

I have been searching on this forum, and can't quite find my exact situation., so any hrlp would be appreciated.

 

I have met a wonderful Russian woman online. Common story, I know. She already has her B1 visa, and would like to come and stay with me for a few months to see if we click as well in person as we do in video chat. If so, then we will almost certainly get married while she is here. Our plan from there is to have her return to Russia and settle her affairs,  and apply for a CR1 visa. I think we will be following all the correct procedures if we follow this plan, so here are my questions:

 

1) When she arrives, how long should she state as her intended length of stay?

 

2) Will it matter that she will be staying with me, as far as the border guard allowing her to have the full 6 months?

 

3) Can we apply for the CR1 while she is still here, and have it processing while she is back in Russia?

 

If there are any concerns that I should know about, I would rather know now, rather than after she gets here.

 

Thanks is advance for any advice.

1)  She can stay as long as her visa allows. The B1/B2 ensures she's not in the USA more days in the calendar year than she is out of the country... so one day less than 6 months.  Her intended stay should be the date of her return ticket, which she should have a record of printed out with her. 

 

2)  She should be honest, because if she's not and she's detained then it can cause problems later.  Are you actually boyfriend and girlfriend?  If so she should say she's visiting her boyfriend as you're doing long distance.  If you're not yet officially together then she is being honest by saying she's visiting a friend to see America. Immigration may look at the explanations on the system about her previous visits when it gets to the interview stage for her greencard, so she should be honest.  HOWEVER, visiting with intent to get married is fraud as the B1/B2 visa is not for this purpose, she would want a fiancé visa for this.  What reason did she give when she had her interview for her B1/B2?  (I have one so I'm aware of the process)
 

3)  You are best for her not to be in the USA when you get far into the process. The first stage is you petitioning for her to be allowed to apply for a greencard, I don't see any risk in this occurring while she's still there.  But the next stage which is the NVC stage it would probably be advisable to do when she's back home. In saying this ... it'll probably take til then to get to that stage anyway, the first part takes 5-6 months at the moment.

 

All the best!