jahjahwarrior

For tourist visa, you have to fill out a DS-160 and go for biometrics appointment. For CR1 you fill out DS260, but I cannot find anything about making a biometrics appointment for CR1 visa, only medical appointment. 

Does CR1 visa not have biometrics appointment? Or is there some process to make biometrics appointment that I cannot figure out? We have the interview date December 30 in Santo Domingo. 

Our process started in May of 2018, CC date 8/1, IL today with interview December 30. 

It will be another Christmas in DR for me. That's not too bad, but my work will be pretty sore about me taking the time off. Family first :) DR is amazing, and it will be great to see family there. We have a niece who is just starting to talk and it is adorable. And every city in DR has jumped on the bandwagon of giant letters, so we have to revisit a bunch of places for new photos. If it's a little warm, I would love to go to Bahia de las Aguilas. 

I've written here before about my wife visiting US multiple times on a B1/B2 visa, with a mix of short and relatively longer trips. For me, the risk is worth it if the flight is affordable and short. That is, getting denied entry after a $300, 2 hour flight is far different than a $1200, 14 hour flight. The joy of being together with someone you love is hard to put into dollar value, but at some point, you do run out of money... Be careful not to lie to CBP, bring proof that you are likely to return, and don't bring anything that looks like you are moving. And don't overstay your visa! That will not only impact your immigrant visa, but it also impacts the tourist visa process for future applicants.

Best of luck in your travels,

People are probably right that the odds are slim, but all I heard from people was "never going to happen." I took the risk because I didn't like being apart and$160 is not much to pay in the grand scheme of things. And for me, it worked well. We have spent much more time together than otherwise we would have gotten. 

I spent a week putting together a solid case. Work obligations in the country, car, apartment, utilities, and a support letter showing similar details as required for CR1 visa at the NVC level, plus an itinerary and invitation letter from family for a November thanksgiving get together for the first trip. 

It took roughly 1 month to get an appointment at the embassy, maybe 6 weeks. There were 2 parts, fingerprints and roughly 2 weeks later, the appointment. One trick I learned is, check every day because sometimes people cancel and newer appointments open up. In our case, no, but in others, I have seen it happen. They spent only a few minutes with her. They never opened the well put together documents, asked her a few questions and said she was approved... 

So many people are negative, but I say go for it. 

They didn't look in detail at her finances. 

At the border, they have never asked her much questions, just stamped and entry, always given 6 months on the I94...

Noa1 5/31/18 noa2 4/26/19 notified by email 2am Sunday 4/28 and by mail 4/30

Best of luck for the rest of you, this has been a long wait! 

I say try! We got ours no problem from Dominican Republic, they only warned her not to overstay. She's entered us twice with that visa through Florida without any issues. It's only $160 if you don't get it, but it's priceless memories if you do. Better than playing the lottery! 

Noa1 may 31 2018, noa2 April 26 2019. Alerted by email at 2am on Sunday April 28, letter delivered April 30.

This terrible and unfair process seems to finally be moving...

Thanks, Aware that no attorney can help sway CBP in any direction, 

just looking for a professional to tell me "denial of entry at the airport on a B1/B2 visa won't impact the CR1 visa process"

I've gotten responses from Frankel and Scott. 

I don't think these complaints take away from the agents processing the case, but it's important that they get the message: Hire more people so they can process cases in a humane timeline! 

As you all know, the I-130 processing time is currently absurd. Longer than standard, longer than anyone should have to wait. Meanwhile, we are trying to minimize time spent apart. 

My wife has B1/B2 visa, granted after the I-130 process had started. The original idea was a short trip here, and we assumed the I-130 would be adjudicated and we could take a few days off, travel back for the interview, wrap the whole thing up. We ended up extending her stay here, have been having fun traveling, visiting with family, and every day I am very conscious of how lucky we are to have spent this time together when so many on this forum cannot get that visa while they are waiting. But we are about to leave the country for a week and wanted to consult with an immigration attorney about the prospects and impact of re-entering the US on the B1/B2 visa again before the interview for the CR1 visa. 

My understanding is there is a high chance they will deny her entry, but that being denied entry has 0 impact on the pending CR1 visa. I also understand that the 6 month max clock re-starts when she re-enters, but that the CBP agent can give any limit--for example, he could limit it to the return date on her return ticket.  But I'd like to confirm with an immigration attorney first, without paying for too many hours of attorney work but no issue to pay something. Anyone here have a recommendation for a good attorney? 

I am at a loss for words for those long this process is...it just doesn't make sense to me why they won't hire more staff to process these applications faster, since we are paying dearly for the service. 

And the worst is that there is nothing you can do, no tracking, no info, just waiting...