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a.reece

Spouse visit usa without immigrating

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Hello,

 

I am an American citizen with a foreign spouse. We would like to visit my family in the United States this summer, but we do not wish to immigrate to the United States. Is a tourist visa the only visa we can apply for? Is there an option for multiple entries over a multiple-year period, in the event we wanted to visit twice per year?

 

Thank you for your guidance.

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
Timeline

Unfortunately the tourist visa is pretty much the only option.

 

The duration of a tourist visa depends. Most people here usually get one for three years but this is specific to Russia. The duration of stay will be determined by the customs office at the port of entry.

 

Just a warning, since your spouse is married to you, a US citizen, the visa may end up being rejected. This happened to me and apparently it's common for spouses of USC's to have tourist visas rejected.

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Info about my DCF Moscow* experience here and here

26-Jul-2016: Married abroad in Russia 👩‍❤️‍👨 See guide here
21-Dec-2016: I-130 filed at Moscow USCIS field office*
29-Dec-2016: I-130 approved! Yay! 🎊 

17-Jan-2017: Case number received

21-Mar-2017: Medical Exam completed

24-Mar-2017: Interview at Embassy - approved! 🎉

29-Mar-2017: CR-1 Visa received (via mail)

02-Apr-2017: USCIS Immigrant (GC) Fee paid

28-Jun-2017: Port of Entry @ PDX 🛩️

21-Jul-2017: No SSN after three weeks; applied in person at the SSA

22-Jul-2017: GC arrived in the mail 📬

31-Jul-2017: SSN arrived via mail, hurrah!

 

*NOTE: The USCIS Field Office in Moscow is now CLOSED as of February 28th, 2019.

 

Removal of Conditions - MSC Service Center

 28-Jun-2019: Conditional GC expires

30-Mar-2019: Eligible to apply for ROC

01-Apr-2019: ROC in the mail to Phoenix AZ lockbox! 📫

03-Apr-2019: ROC packet delivered to lockbox

09-Apr-2019: USCIS cashed check

09-Apr-2019: Case number received via text - MSC 📲

12-Apr-2019: Extension letter arrives via mail

19-Apr-2019: Biometrics letter arrives via mail

30-Apr-2019: Biometrics appointment at local office

26-Jun-2019: Case ready to be scheduled for interview 

04-Sep-2019: Interview was scheduled - letter to arrive in mail

09-Sep-2019: Interview letter arrived in the mail! ✉️

17-Oct-2019: Interview scheduled @ local USCIS  

18-Oct-2019: Interview cancelled & notice ordered*

18-Oct-2019: Case was approved! 🎉

22-Oct-2019: Card was mailed to me 📨

23-Oct-2019: Card was picked by USPS 

25-Oct-2019: 10 year GC Card received in mail 📬

 

*I don't understand this status because we DID have an interview!

 

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Filed during Covid-19 & moved states 1 month after filing

30-Mar-2020: N-400 early filing window opens!

01-Apr-2020: Filed N-400 online 💻 

02-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received online 📃

07-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received via mail

05-May-2020: Moved to another state, filed AR-11 online

05-May-2020: Application transferred to another USCIS field office for review ➡️

15-May-2020: AR-11 request to change address completed

16-Jul-2020: Filed non-receipt inquiry due to never getting confirmation that case was transferred to new field office

15-Oct-2020: Received generic response to non-receipt inquiry, see full response here

10-Feb-2021: Contacted senator's office for help with USCIS

12-Feb-2021: Received canned response from senator's office that case is within processing time 😡

16-Feb-2021: Contacted other senator's office for help with USCIS - still no biometrics

19-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice - canned response from other senator's office 🌐

23-Feb-2021: Interview scheduled - notice to come in the mail

25-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice arrives via mail

01-Mar-2021: Interview notice letter arrives via mail  ✉️ 

29-Mar-2021: Passed interview at local office! Oath Ceremony to be scheduled

13-Apr-2021: Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

04-May-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 Unable to attend due to illness

04-May-2021: Mailed request to reschedule Oath to local office

05-May-2021: "You did not attend your Oath Ceremony" - notice to come in the mail

06-May-2021: Oath Ceremony will be scheduled, date TBA

12-May-2021: Oath Ceremony re-scheduled for June 3rd, then de-scheduled same day 😡 

25-May-2021: New Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

16-Jun-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 - DONE!!

17-Jun-2021: Certificate of Naturalization issued

 

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28 minutes ago, a.reece said:

Hello,

 

I am an American citizen with a foreign spouse. We would like to visit my family in the United States this summer, but we do not wish to immigrate to the United States. Is a tourist visa the only visa we can apply for? Is there an option for multiple entries over a multiple-year period, in the event we wanted to visit twice per year?

 

Thank you for your guidance.

Submitting the application with flight information (especially return date) might increase your chance of being approved because it shows intent to visit as tourists. And include as much documents as you can in your application/interview to prove your ties to your current country of residence (employment papers, properties, etc). 

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Filed: Timeline
1 hour ago, purplepretzel said:

Submitting the application with flight information (especially return date) might increase your chance of being approved because it shows intent to visit as tourists. And include as much documents as you can in your application/interview to prove your ties to your current country of residence (employment papers, properties, etc). 

Sorry, but flight information really means nothing at the interview.  Flight plans can always be changed.  Even a ticket (which should not be purchased until visa is in hand) is irrelevant, as everyone knows that round trip tickets are almost always cheaper than one-way, so even if there is an intent to stay in the US, a traveller is likely to have a return ticket.  Best advice is the last sentence -- you need to show strong reasons to return to your current home instead of staying in the US.

Edited by jan22
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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

The norm for a tourist visa is 10 years multiple entry, most B2's are admitted for a max of 6 months.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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