Rtd

ve_blur

Registered Users (C)
Currently I'm waiting to get my RTD. It is my first time applying for one so I hope everything goes smoothly *fingers crossed*
When I applied for it, I mentioned I was going to go to France, Germany, Italy and Spain. However, I'm thinking of going to other places if I can. Would this be a problem? I thought they just gave you the RTD for the days you said you wanted to travel, but now I know that they give it to you for one year. Which leaves many possibilities for many trips, right?
Also, I was wondering if anyone has even gotten a visa to visit Taiwan, Korean, or India. My friends are going back this summer and they are inviting me! I would love to go.. Is it relatively easy to get a visa to those countries with just a RTD and no GC?
I know that we do not need a visa for Germany with a RTD. I just read Ireland is the same. Is this true? What other countries are nice to us?? :) ;)

Thank you!
 
Hi there,

It shouldn't be a problem if you visit nations - other than those you listed on your I-131 application. The reason why your RTD may be taking longer is that since it is your first time, they will conduct a name check/background check. (There was a memo out there listing which applications go through which type of checks...)

The RTD if it is a refugee travel document will be valid for one year and the only restriction would be using it to return to the COP (country-of-persecution).

As for the countries you asked about - regarding visas - I'm afraid I don't have any experience.

Regards.
 
forget india

their consulate folks told me it takes 6 months to get a visa on rtd, same for morroco and about 3 months for new zealand. it took me 65 days for australia. But experiences are different for different people. I think WMGCN had a great experience with australian visa. Mine was pretty bad - twice, two years in a row.
 
ve_blur said:
Currently I'm waiting to get my RTD. It is my first time applying for one so I hope everything goes smoothly *fingers crossed*
When I applied for it, I mentioned I was going to go to France, Germany, Italy and Spain. However, I'm thinking of going to other places if I can. Would this be a problem? I thought they just gave you the RTD for the days you said you wanted to travel, but now I know that they give it to you for one year. Which leaves many possibilities for many trips, right?
Also, I was wondering if anyone has even gotten a visa to visit Taiwan, Korean, or India. My friends are going back this summer and they are inviting me! I would love to go.. Is it relatively easy to get a visa to those countries with just a RTD and no GC?
I know that we do not need a visa for Germany with a RTD. I just read Ireland is the same. Is this true? What other countries are nice to us?? :) ;)

Thank you!

I believe Croatia does not require a visa for RTD holders. Also, the reason why they ask you about countries you intend to visit is to make sure that US does not have any kind of travel restrictions to these lands (i.e. Cuba, Iran, etc.)
 
LolaLi said:
Hi there,

It shouldn't be a problem if you visit nations - other than those you listed on your I-131 application. The reason why your RTD may be taking longer is that since it is your first time, they will conduct a name check/background check. (There was a memo out there listing which applications go through which type of checks...)

The RTD if it is a refugee travel document will be valid for one year and the only restriction would be using it to return to the COP (country-of-persecution).

As for the countries you asked about - regarding visas - I'm afraid I don't have any experience.

Regards.

I'm wondering about this FBI check thing. We all know we get our fingerprints taken everytime they want us to! I did it last year before my case was approved by an immigration judge (April). The FBI name check is different from this or the same thing? I would imagine they look your history under magnification X100000 before they even grant you the benefit of staying in this country. How can it be that some people are waiting years for this??
I'm hoping to get my RTD in May (I just applied Dec 08, 2006). I want to travel before I said I will. I was planning going to France in June, but now I want to go to Germany in May :p Thoughts?
 
vdostoi1 said:
I believe Croatia does not require a visa for RTD holders. Also, the reason why they ask you about countries you intend to visit is to make sure that US does not have any kind of travel restrictions to these lands (i.e. Cuba, Iran, etc.)

I guess going to Lebanon would be a bad idea :(
 
ve_blur said:
I'm wondering about this FBI check thing. We all know we get our fingerprints taken everytime they want us to! I did it last year before my case was approved by an immigration judge (April). The FBI name check is different from this or the same thing? I would imagine they look your history under magnification X100000 before they even grant you the benefit of staying in this country. How can it be that some people are waiting years for this??
I'm hoping to get my RTD in May (I just applied Dec 08, 2006). I want to travel before I said I will. I was planning going to France in June, but now I want to go to Germany in May :p Thoughts?

Hi,
You are not yet in position to worry about name check and that stuff. It normally takes about 70 days( some times earlier or later) to process the document you are talking about. You should consider name check and that stuff after that period has passed. Also, on the USCIS website they have updates on which you can track your priority date. The dates on the website are accurate. They are now processing sept. 14. They have not yet got to Dec. 08, 2006. Watch their dates, partucularly when they to your date...good luck
 
ianyu said:
their consulate folks told me it takes 6 months to get a visa on rtd, same for morroco and about 3 months for new zealand. it took me 65 days for australia. But experiences are different for different people. I think WMGCN had a great experience with australian visa. Mine was pretty bad - twice, two years in a row.

Indian Embassy has changed their rules. Now if you show a RTD/RP/NP with a valid GC & few more items like enough money in your bank account etc, they will issue you a visa the same day.

And Australian embassy was the nicest ever. I didn't have a GC in my hand but they issued me a visa I think in a week if I remember correctly. The officer emailed me once asking me for faxing her a copy of my house title & my recent bank statements..

Very good experience...
 
wantmygcnow said:
Indian Embassy has changed their rules. Now if you show a RTD/RP/NP with a valid GC & few more items like enough money in your bank account etc, they will issue you a visa the same day.

And Australian embassy was the nicest ever. I didn't have a GC in my hand but they issued me a visa I think in a week if I remember correctly. The officer emailed me once asking me for faxing her a copy of my house title & my recent bank statements..

Very good experience...

I don't have GC in hand :( I will be able to apply for it this April and it will probably take years before I can actually be a permanent resident. I wonder if India still takes forever in cases such as mine.
I'm just a student. I'll be starting Dental School this Fall, maybe that sounds more promising than just undergrand :)
I'm just very impatient about getting my RTD!
 
oz?

my experience with oz visa was tough. they treated me as a suspect (had no GC then) and since I don't own a house it was even harder. Last time I was in Fiji they rejected my visa application. They gave no clear reason but said I was suspicious because I never declared I had two travel documents ( I showed my old passport, expired years already, when I entered Fiji alongside RTD just to show I don't need a visa) and they had that info from Fiji immigration system. weird!
 
ianyu said:
my experience with oz visa was tough. they treated me as a suspect (had no GC then) and since I don't own a house it was even harder. Last time I was in Fiji they rejected my visa application. They gave no clear reason but said I was suspicious because I never declared I had two travel documents ( I showed my old passport, expired years already, when I entered Fiji alongside RTD just to show I don't need a visa) and they had that info from Fiji immigration system. weird!

From what I have read in this forum, people without GC have a hard time getting visas. It sucks! My national passport expired like 4 years ago and I won't even take it to my trip. I don't think we have to since it is not valid anymore. Did you show your old passport because citizens of your original country don't need a visa when visiting Fiji?? I have the same dilema, but I was thinking I should just ask for the visa on the RTD and don't even mention that with my nationality I can travel without one. I think since we are asylees we pretty much renounced to be associated with our COP. I'm not sure about this.
I know I'm going to have a hard time getting a visa to France because I have no GC. I'm just going to pray and try :o
 
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