Travelling within 6 Months

[cbro 59]

So my spouses IR1 interview is tomorrow in Hong Kong, we only had about 3-4 weeks from the notice and kind of rushed with the medical so we'd make it in time. 

 

Our plan is for our kids to finish school here...  We don't mind making a trip early next year for a week or two to activate her visa,  she could then come back to HK until late June, early July (I'm assuming that is fine as well).  However at the moment any incoming travelers from USA need to spend 2 weeks in a hotel here to self quarantine (regardless of a negative covid test on arrival)...  Obviously not ideal and hard to say if it will change next year... 

 

Anyone else have any experience with this?  If she doesn't travel before 6 months, would we need new medical check?  New interview and fees, etc?  Any other ideas?  I have also gotten in touch with consulate here.  Thanks!!

[payxibka 10,045]

14 minutes ago, cbro said:

So my spouses IR1 interview is tomorrow in Hong Kong, we only had about 3-4 weeks from the notice and kind of rushed with the medical so we'd make it in time. 

 

Our plan is for our kids to finish school here...  We don't mind making a trip early next year for a week or two to activate her visa,  she could then come back to HK until late June, early July (I'm assuming that is fine as well).  However at the moment any incoming travelers from USA need to spend 2 weeks in a hotel here to self quarantine (regardless of a negative covid test on arrival)...  Obviously not ideal and hard to say if it will change next year... 

 

Anyone else have any experience with this?  If she doesn't travel before 6 months, would we need new medical check?  New interview and fees, etc?  Any other ideas?  I have also gotten in touch with consulate here.  Thanks!!

Yes. To all documents, applications and fees.  In addition,  no guarantee a visa would be reissued 

[cbro 59]

9 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Yes. To all documents, applications and fees.  In addition,  no guarantee a visa would be reissued 

Thanks for the reply.  What if we held back something like a birth cert or even the medical check and just said we don't have it.  We could get "temporarily refused" and then send over whatever missing document a few months later and then get the visa, pay the fees, etc ?  So minimum we would need is maybe a new health check??  

[payxibka 10,045]

2 minutes ago, cbro said:

Thanks for the reply.  What if we held back something like a birth cert or even the medical check and just said we don't have it.  We could get "temporarily refused" and then send over whatever missing document a few months later and then get the visa, pay the fees, etc ?  So minimum we would need is maybe a new health check??  

Why not reschedule the interview?

[cbro 59]

Well the consulate said "The visa appointment cannot be re-scheduled unless the failure to appear for the interview is due to reasons beyond the applicant’s control.  Such reasons might include serious personal illness."

[cbro 59]

So, my spouse got approved and we should be getting the passport back this week with expiration of April 23rd.

 

Can we make a trip before then, stay for a week or so and then come back to Hong Kong for a few months before moving back for good?  She'll get this i551 stamp on the way in that's good for 6 months generally for travel and is basically a "temporary green card" until the real one comes in the mail?

 

thanks!

 

Colin

[Stein 276]

1 hour ago, cbro said:

So, my spouse got approved and we should be getting the passport back this week with expiration of April 23rd.

 

Can we make a trip before then, stay for a week or so and then come back to Hong Kong for a few months before moving back for good?  She'll get this i551 stamp on the way in that's good for 6 months generally for travel and is basically a "temporary green card" until the real one comes in the mail?

 

thanks!

 

Colin

I went through the exact same thought process as you did.  I mean exactly.  Right down to the "forget something to get the blue slip".  Our interview was November 2.  We went ahead and did the interview like you have.  In the end we just decided that we will move in March instead of June.  My wife has a 14 year old daughter.

 

It was also a dilema for us because our two year anniversary is April 28 so we are moving less than two months from our chance to get IR1 instead of CR1 so we will have to adjust status which you won't.  Even then for us it was decided to just move.  Daughter will have two months in school in the small town where I have a house and then we will move to the city over the summer and buy a new house.  This school year will be kind of a bust but she can recover.  There's a lot of Vietnamese in the new city and the school is more geared to ESL for Vietnamese students.  Conversely, she will be absoluely, positively the only non-white in the school district where I have a house now.  But, she will get a chance to improve her English for a couple months and then start fresh the following school year.

 

It's a little easier decision for us because I still maintain a house and all of its costs in US and we are also paying rent and all costs in Vietnam so our total outlay each month will drop several thousand dollars each month which offsets the cost of adjustment of status in two years.  On top of that, I'm just ready to get back home.  Due to COVID I have been stuck in VN since January.  Normally I go back to US two weeks every two months.  That gives me a culture break.  I've beeen going a bit stir crazy being stuck here straight through this year.

 

If you just want to activate since you are in Hong Kong have you looked into a short trip to Guam?  It is considered a POE. I have no idea if you can get flights to and from there but if possible from HK it's a short flight and you can activate the visas and return to HK.

Edited November 9, 2020 by Stein

[cbro 59]

1 hour ago, Stein said:

Guam

Yeah it seems impossible to be able to time this thing ideally....  We are  now trying to decide whether we all move in April or we make the quick trip before.  Guam is an option but either way (there or back to New England where I am from) the real drag is having to spend 2 weeks quarantine upon return to HK.  We also have 2 primary school aged kids keeping it extra fun.

 

Good luck!

[Stein 276]

With primary school kids and I assume they are completely fluent in English if they have been with you all along maybe just make the move.  They will have a month or two of school to at least meet some kids from their class which may make their summer transition better.  Plus not a huge risk from an interrupted school year at their age.

 

It's worse for my wife's daughter I think just due to higher education but so many of the VN classes will be throw away anyway when we arrive there's no reason for us to belabor the move.  I'm sure HK is worlds better in the school system than VN.