US Immigrant Visa validity is calculated from the date of visa issue or from the date of medical exam?

Syed Akram

Syed Akram

New Member
I would like to brief a bit. My interview happened on 3rd Jan 2019 and i got a blue form says temporary refusal from consular section saying to submit more documents.

On the bottom of the form it is written “ The validity of visa is limited to the validity of the medical exam which will not exceed six months”
So my medical was done on 8th Dec 2018. So when i submit the further documents requested by consular section and hopefully visa got approved. My question is
  1. The validity of visa will be calculated from my date of medical 8th Dec 2018 ? if you calculate six months it is coming to 8th June 2019. So the immigrant visa stamped on my passport have expire date of 8th June 2019 only?
  2. Or it is from the date of issue. For example if visa get issue on 1st April 2019 the expiry date on visa will be 1st Oct 2019 ?
My intent to travel to us is in July end due to work (job) here. In this case i can do the medical again and have the new reports before travel as the medical done on 8th Dec 2018 expire on 8th June 2019. Or Should i do the medical now and send the new medical report’s with other requested documents to consular section. So they can issue visa based on new medical exam date ?


Awaiting reply. Thank you
 
Validity is calculated from the medical exam date. You can’t submit a new medical exam unless the embassy has requested it.

Plus you’re currently on AP now, no guarantee as to whether your visa approval will come through. So don’t start making travel plans until you actually get your passport back with the visa in it.
 
Thanks for the reply.
If i submitted the the documents requested and passport to the embassy and get the passport back with the visa stamp on it and if the expiry date of visa written will be on or before 8th June 2019. It will be very difficult to go before expiry date to US. And my company also releasing me in July end.

Is there are any other options?
 
Syed Akram said:
Thanks for the reply.
If i submitted the the documents requested and passport to the embassy and get the passport back with the visa stamp on it and if the expiry date of visa written will be on or before 8th June 2019. It will be very difficult to go before expiry date to US. And my company also releasing me in July end.

Is there are any other options?
Click to expand...

You can contact the embassy and ask if they will accept a new medical for a later expiry date. If they won’t do that, your only other option will be to make a short trip to the US to enter before the visa expires, then return to finish your job contract before making your permanent move.
 
The visa is issued as single-entry with an expiration date 6 months from the medical.

Either request the embassy if they'll accept a new medical that allows a visa with a later expiration date. Else make a short trip to the US and the endorsed visa makes it a temporary green card valid for 1 year.
 
SusieQQQ said:
You can contact the embassy and ask if they will accept a new medical for a later expiry date. If they won’t do that, your only other option will be to make a short trip to the US to enter before the visa expires, then return to finish your job contract before making your permanent move.
Click to expand...

Ok i will check with embassy on this.
If this didn't worked i will make a short trip to US before visa expiry and come back here to finish job contract

But will there be any issues going back to US with your temporary green card stamp the I-551 on visa?? Beacuse I'm not carrying the actual plastic green card with me.
 
Syed Akram said:
Ok i will check with embassy on this.
If this didn't worked i will make a short trip to US before visa expiry and come back here to finish job contract

But will there be any issues going back to US with your temporary green card stamp the I-551 on visa?? Beacuse I'm not carrying the actual plastic green card with me.
Click to expand...

No issues from the US side for entry.
Very occasionally, people have reported being refused by airline personnel who don’t understand that the expiry date on the visa foil is no longer relevant. If that happens to you insist on a supervisor who can call the 24hr CBP line to confirm you can travel. This kind of problem is less likely to happen if you come from a country that has a lot of immigrants to the US.
 
Syed Akram said:
Ok i will check with embassy on this.
If this didn't worked i will make a short trip to US before visa expiry and come back here to finish job contract

But will there be any issues going back to US with your temporary green card stamp the I-551 on visa?? Beacuse I'm not carrying the actual plastic green card with me.
Click to expand...

The actual plastic green card IS the i-551 card. By (US) law, the endorsed visa and card are one and the same.

This is not an official link, but this explains it very well.
 
There is an official link showing it is one of the acceptable documents for travel to the US, but the url changed when it updated and I lost it. It is in the CBP manual/information for carriers, which all airlines that fly to the US should have a copy of.
 
Thank you for the link of the guide. Much appreciated.
So there will no issue travelling back to US. The immigration officer will not ask question why you went back ? or its look you abandon your residency because you went for work? etc.
 
The immigration officer can ask any question(s) related to overseas travel. You just need to be honest with the CBP officer as you are here.. and usually no issues.
 
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