Question Concerning R-1 Visa

[Mike Hendrick]

Hi There:

I am a Canadian Citizen first of all.

I work with a church down in San Francisco and was issued an R-1 Visa last January. The port of Entry in Calgary issued the visa and gave me the white I-94 Card in my passport. They issued the visa for 6 months. I left the departure date of the visa which was in July as requested by law. When I went back through the port of entry the US immigration officials refused to renew my R-1 Visa. Secondly, it's now on my record as a refused entry.

I was wondering what I can do about this. I don't want to have the same issues again. Also because of the job I am doing for the church down there, we will be doing a lot of travel in the job into other countries. I am wondering what type of options I have. I don't want to run into trouble every time I leave the US for reentry. Also I was wondering...Do I always have to surrender the I-94 form every time I leave the country on an R-1 Visa? I am contemplating applying for a Green card when I return in January.

Can anyone help me on this?

Thanks:

Mike Hendrick

 

[Karlshammar]

You are required to surrender your I-94 every time, except for some very short visits where you stay close to the border.

If you tried to enter illegally even though you know your visa was expired, you do have, as you say, a record of an attempted and refused entry. Why on Earth would you try to enter without a valid visa? Only consulates and embassies can give you new visas or renew your old visa. Oh well, that's old stuff now...

If you re-apply for a non-immigrant visa, and are approved, and then go to the US to apply for a green card, you violated immigration law because you are not allowed to apply for a non-immigrant visa that bars immigrant intent when you do have immigrant intent. If they find out, you will most likely be deported and barred from the USA for many years, if not forever.

It sounds to me like you're doing (or planning to do) pretty much everything wrong. Go hire a lawyer to help you, because you definitely need help to work this out.

Hi There:

I am a Canadian Citizen first of all.

I work with a church down in San Francisco and was issued an R-1 Visa last January. The port of Entry in Calgary issued the visa and gave me the white I-94 Card in my passport. They issued the visa for 6 months. I left the departure date of the visa which was in July as requested by law. When I went back through the port of entry the US immigration officials refused to renew my R-1 Visa. Secondly, it's now on my record as a refused entry.

I was wondering what I can do about this. I don't want to have the same issues again. Also because of the job I am doing for the church down there, we will be doing a lot of travel in the job into other countries. I am wondering what type of options I have. I don't want to run into trouble every time I leave the US for reentry. Also I was wondering...Do I always have to surrender the I-94 form every time I leave the country on an R-1 Visa? I am contemplating applying for a Green card when I return in January.

Can anyone help me on this?

Thanks:

Mike Hendrick