Travel to the USA for 2 weeks to activate visa.

[Nyoks]

Hi everyone,
I am new in the forum but I find it very informative.
I am a 2012 DV winner and I got my visa already.However I am currently living in a foreign country and it will take me a while to clear before relocating.What I want to know is;
1.Can I travel to the USA together with my family for 2 weeks only and activate our visas and then come back and clear up a few things then relocate permanently in 4-5 months time?
2.How would I be able to travel back again to the USA as I doubt if I will have received my green card in two weeks time?Are there forms I need to fill or any re entry permit before leaving the USA?Or can the card be mailed to me by my host?
3.Will these have any negative implication in future in case I decide to apply for naturalization?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Centrino]

1.Can I travel to the USA together with my family for 2 weeks only and activate our visas and then come back and clear up a few things then relocate permanently in 4-5 months time?

Yes. This is what I did (but without a family).

2.How would I be able to travel back again to the USA as I doubt if I will have received my green card in two weeks time?Are there forms I need to fill or any re entry permit before leaving the USA?Or can the card be mailed to me by my host?

You can use the immigration visa that is in your passport to re-enter the US, so you don't need your plastic green card. Of course you can also arrange for your green card to be sent to you. I did this by courier.

3.Will these have any negative implication in future in case I decide to apply for naturalization?

Well, as soon as you leave the US for 6 months or longer, your 5 years waiting time is "reset". So if you stick to what you wrote at the beginning, "4-5 months time", I see no problem, and the 5 years would count from the date of activation of your green card.

 

[Nyoks]

Thanks.

Thanks Centrino for your reply.
I would also like to know if its possible for my spouse and I to travel to different states.Of course I being the principle applicant would travel to the USA first and my spouse can follow later but go to a different state if that is permissable.

 

[Qewty]

I thought all the dependents had to accompany the principal when they first entered the USA to activate the process.

Hopefully someone else can confirm this

Q

 

[ferdiii]

I thought all the dependents had to accompany the principal when they first entered the USA to activate the process.

Hopefully someone else can confirm this

Q

Not really! The derivatives can not do the activation. The principal winner must be the one to do that.

 

[Qewty]

Ah you misunderstand me, I know the principal must activate, but I thought they had to be there at the same time to enter for the first time with the principal, and there after may travel separate

Warm wishes

 

[Sm1smom]

This is how I understand the process to work too. But then, I could be wrong!

I thought all the dependents had to accompany the principal when they first entered the USA to activate the process.

Hopefully someone else can confirm this

Q

 

[Djack]

Thanks Centrino for your reply.
I would also like to know if its possible for my spouse and I to travel to different states.Of course I being the principle applicant would travel to the USA first and my spouse can follow later but go to a different state if that is permissable.

The principal applicant can go alone to activate is green card and the family can join later. However the family members also have to enter the US in the 6 months timeframe. There is no requirement for the family members to use the same POE as the principal applicant.

 

[Ash 2013]

I thought all the dependents had to accompany the principal when they first entered the USA to activate the process.

Hopefully someone else can confirm this

Q

Hey Q, in form 230, one has to fill in either 'traveling together' or 'family to join later.' The latter means that the principal applicant can go alone, get the social security number and GC then the family flies seperately to join him or her later. Actually, if one has a big family like mine (7 people) that is advisable since it is more relaxed financially rather than traveling together in a hurry. I understand you can inform the CO that family will join you later if at all you had initially filled that you will travel together. Cheers!

 

[Qewty]

Thanks so much for the info Ash - great to know!

All the best

Q

 

[giouli]

does the dv lottery visa once awarded expire?

I was recently selected in dv lottery program and have a scheduled interview. My question is
1) if sb gets the visa does he have to travel to activate it?
2) if he travels to activate it but then decides he doesnt want to move to the states permanantely yet or maybe never, does the dv lottery visa expire or is it valid if he decides after many years to relocate to the US?
any answer would be valuable
thx

 

[Obeezyb]

De-bunking misconceptions.

I was recently selected in dv lottery program and have a scheduled interview. My question is
1) if sb gets the visa does he have to travel to activate it?
2) if he travels to activate it but then decides he doesnt want to move to the states permanantely yet or maybe never, does the dv lottery visa expire or is it valid if he decides after many years to relocate to the US?
any answer would be valuable
thx

1) The visa on ur passport is only valid for 6months max or less if ur medicals were done much earlier."Activation" is for the actual GC that u will receive once u land in the US & u r processed @ the P.O.E.The GC can never be activated if u never set ur foot to the US.

2) U can apply for a re-entry permit if u need to stay out fo the US for a lengthy period of time(during which u must have activated ur GC).If the visa on ur passport expires before u set foot to the US,ur guess is as good as mine as to what will happen!!!

Ur GC may be rendered null & void if they do perceive that u r not interested in settling in the US.

Check out the links below;

http://forums.immigration.com/showt...ates-for-30-months-Need-Help&highlight=mika84

http://forums.immigration.com/showthread.php?548555-SB-1-denied-need-help&highlight=mika84