Entry window after Visa approved

[Alexsea 45]

Hello! I've been trying to find the info via Google, but can't seem to get an exact answer so thought I would ask here. Apologies in advance if I've missed something totally obvious!

 

Once you get the CR1 Visa, how much time do you have to enter the US before it expires? I understand that the CR1 Visa is good for two years, but I have also seen that the CR1 Visa's validity is 6 months from issue. A friend of mine who is also going through this process seems to believe that you must enter the US within 3 months (not 6) after receiving the CR1 approval. 

 

Also, on the actual Visa, will it have 2 expiration dates (2 years for duration of Visa / 6 months for entry date validity)? 

 

Thanks for any help!

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

You’re confusing the visa with the green card. The visa will have an expiry, 6 months from date of medical, you have to enter before that date. 
The conditional green card you get will be valid for 2 years from date of entry.

[Crazy Cat 39,430]

Once a CR-1 visa is issued, it is valid for 6 months from date of the medical exam......so up to 6 months maximum...You must enter the US prior to the expiration date printed on the visa. Once you enter the US, the visa is voided as it is a single entry visa.  Once the visa holder enters the US, the visa will be endorsed (stamped).....at that time the new immigrant has status as a legal resident......if the marriage is less than 2 years old at time of entry into the US, the new immigrant will receive a conditional 2 year green card.  If the marriage is 2 years or older at the time of entry into the US, the new immigrant will receive a 10 green card.

Edited January 4, 2020 by missileman

[Alexsea 45]

Thanks to you both for the clarification!! Makes sense.

 

Just one last question... when do you usually do the Medical exam? Is it generally pretty close to the date you receive your CR1 visa, or is it something you have to do beforehand, and then have to keep waiting X amount of weeks/months until you actually receive approval/the visa?

 

Just curious, because if the medical exam is something you have to do in the last stages of the process, and then you have to wait 4 months (for example) to actually get the visa, then I suppose you have to haul butt over to the US because technically you'd only have about 2 months left, correct? Or is the medical exam something you do when everything is pretty much approved, and usually you get the Visa within just a couple weeks after? 

 

Thanks again!!

[Crazy Cat 39,430]

6 minutes ago, Alexsea said:

Thanks to you both for the clarification!! Makes sense.

 

Just one last question... when do you usually do the Medical exam? Is it generally pretty close to the date you receive your CR1 visa, or is it something you have to do beforehand, and then have to keep waiting X amount of weeks/months until you actually receive approval/the visa?

 

Just curious, because if the medical exam is something you have to do in the last stages of the process, and then you have to wait 4 months (for example) to actually get the visa, then I suppose you have to haul butt over to the US because technically you'd only have about 2 months left, correct? Or is the medical exam something you do when everything is pretty much approved, and usually you get the Visa within just a couple weeks after? 

 

Thanks again!!

My wife was not allowed to make an appoint for her medical until she had received the interview date letter.  

 

The medical is not something you should rush since it limits the time you have to enter the US......correct.

Edited January 4, 2020 by missileman

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

As above, other than London (at least as it was a few years ago) I understand no panel doctor will make an appointment for your medical before you have an interview letter. From our own experience and reading others, the doctors are aware of the time issue and generally seem to try arrange the appointment for within 1-3 weeks before the visa interview  (some countries take longer to process medicals than others). 
 

Of course, complications can arise; example the applicant has TB and needs some months of treatment before a clear medical and therefore visa can be issued, or the applicant undergoes prolonged administrative processing and does indeed only get a one month to expiry visa, or has to redo the medical. But probably the vast majority of immigrant visa applicants are smooth sailing medical/expiry wise.

Edited January 4, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Letspaintcookies 2,224]

Self deleted

Edited January 5, 2020 by Letspaintcookies

[Nitas_man 3,100]

19 hours ago, Alexsea said:

Hello! I've been trying to find the info via Google, but can't seem to get an exact answer so thought I would ask here. Apologies in advance if I've missed something totally obvious!

 

Once you get the CR1 Visa, how much time do you have to enter the US before it expires? I understand that the CR1 Visa is good for two years, but I have also seen that the CR1 Visa's validity is 6 months from issue. A friend of mine who is also going through this process seems to believe that you must enter the US within 3 months (not 6) after receiving the CR1 approval. 

 

Also, on the actual Visa, will it have 2 expiration dates (2 years for duration of Visa / 6 months for entry date validity)? 

 

Thanks for any help!

The visa expiration date is 6 months from the date of the medical.  The beneficiary has to enter the US before the visa expires.

 

The green card (CR1) expires 2 years after entry.  IF:  you have been married for at least two years at US entry, the green card will expire 10 years, not 2 years, after entry.

 

After entry and visa activation, the visa itself serves as proof of legal status (travel, work, etc) for one year, to give them time to issue and send the green card.  This will be written on the bottom of the visa and references the entry date which will be stamped by the admitting officer.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by Nitas_man