Marry, Apply for Visa, Travel

[Nic Miller 0]

Hello Everyone,

 

My girlfriend (British), and I (American), are planning to get married in the U.S in a few months. She will be on a tourist Visa. Is it possible to file for the SR-1 visa after we get married and then leave the country together to travel while we wait for the process to play out? I guess we would come back whenever the interview is set. I just realized it is ok and not visa fraud to actually get married on a tourist visa, so my research is all new at the moment. What would the timeline be for the SR-1 to be completed and she can become a permanent resident? Since she can't work during that time, I think it would be cheaper to do some Southeast Asia travel while we are waiting rather than stay in the U.S. 

 

Thanks!

[proudtobabritgirl 126]

Me and my husband planned to do this, but we got married at the end of our travels instead! Spending six months together all day every day and now we are looking at the same amount of time apart! It's vey hard! 

If I could go back, I would of done exactly what you guys are planning to do! 

I would definitely say get married and process it all first! Seeing as you don't really hear anything for months whilst it is being processed, you might as well go and have some adventures together! Then when they contact you for interview, come back and sort it! 

 

[geowrian 22,339]

Just to be clear, you're talking about applying for an SR-1 visa (special immigrant: religious workers) and not a CR-1 visa (spouse of a US citizen)? This is posted in the IR-1/CR-1 forum and you're talking about getting married, so I'm going to assume you meant CR-1...correct me if I'm wrong.

An SR-1 would be initiated via the US-based religious organization filing an I-129 petition for you, which could be started at any time.

 

You can start the CR-1 visa process while in the US. She must still interview abroad at an US embassy or consulate in a country where she has legal residence. She cannot enter on a tourist visa with intent to stay, and must still leave before her I-94 expires.

She is permitted to work during the process...just not in the US (obviously). You're free to travel anywhere you want while waiting for the process to go through. It is currently taking about 12-14 months on average from I-130 filing to interview.

Edited December 3, 2017 by geowrian