Visa Extension While Visiting U.S.

[amm7s@mtmail.mtsu 1]

Hello all,

 

I hope this is the most appropriate section for this question. All information I am providing is to the best of my understanding, as I am certainly not an expert on immigration law or processes, so I am hoping it is all accurate.

 

I live in the United States, and recently met a young woman my age (37), we began dating and have decided to enter into a relationship together. She lives in The Philippines, and is currently here on a tourist visa to visit family. She had originally planned to return home in March, but obviously the world events with COVID-19 postponed that, and she had to push her flight back. Her visa was good until May, and so she filed for an extension.

 

To this point, she has not received a decision about her extension one way or another. She is planning to leave in either October or November, before her extension would expire, but she is starting to stress out a little bit about what may happen in the future if her extension ends up being denied. From my understanding of the law, if an extension is filed for properly and on time, she is allowed to stay legally pending the decision. However, if her extension is denied, she will be seen to have been here illegally, even tho she was considered legal at the time, and need to leave immediately. She is worried that if that is the case, she might not be allowed to come back here in the future. Again, from my understanding, it seems as tho the time spent here while awaiting a decision are not held against you for purposes of re-entry, but even then she is still worried about the process of having to get a new visa, and how long that process might take.

 

While understanding that nobody can give definitive answers about her specific situation, I was wondering if anyone might be able to offer some clarity on the most likely results of her situation, and her future ability to return to this country. Obviously on a personal level, I have an interest in her returning since we are in a relationship together, and I would like for her to be here so we can be together. But beyond that, she has a lot of reasons to want to return here anyways, family, generally just liking it here to begin with, etc.