xavierr

I'm a US dual-citizen. My wife and I got married mid-2009. We DCF'd for a CR1 at the end of the year. During the process I quit my job in anticipation of my wife getting the Visa and planning to travel and stay in the US. I also applied locally to a job just in case the petition took too long or was denied.

In March the Visa was approved and the day we received the passport with the visa I had an interview for the job. It turns out the job was very appealing and worth staying for to put on my resume. A few weeks later they offered me the position to begin a month later. Since I didn't have a job yet in the US, I accepted.

So, since the job doesn't start until a few more weeks, we decided to travel to the US to use the Visa, as to avoid passing the 6-month deadline. The address I have used for our US domicile is my parent's address. So the plan is to arrive, get her SSN card and green card and return. Hopefully that will arrive in less than 3 weeks. I have read that staying more than 6 months outside the US could risk her permanent residence, although officially you cannot stay more than a year without a permission to return.

Here are my questions on our situation:

1.Does it risk my wife's visa to return to live in the country we DCF'd?

2.Must we visit the US together within 6 months of returning?

3.If so, would it be ok if she traveled alone to the US?

4.Would we be missing possible visits from immigration?

5.Once she arrives in the US, from that date when should we have returned to the US to stay?

6.If the Green Card doesn't arrive in the mail before we leave the US, is it a problem to leave the country?

7.Is it possible to stay in the foreign country until it is time to apply to lift the Visa conditions?

8.What can we do to minimize the risks involved in staying outside the US?

9.When can we start counting the 3 years for citizenship?

Thanks for your help!!

Similar situation for me. I'm thinking of doing the tax calculations and sending a payment for whatever I owe, while asking for an extension so that I can then file with the SSN. Once she has an SSN then I can file as Married.