Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the CR-I or the IR-1 Visa. We are specifically discussing this in the context of an Immigrant Spouse and I am going to do it from the context of an Immigrant Spouse of an American citizen although it could be the Immigrant Spouse of a lawful permanent resident in the United States but most of our cases, generally speaking, are spouses of American citizens so I am just going to make this video from that context; a lot of information for spouses of LPRs as well.

In K categories, you get a package like this. This is actually an issued K-1 visa package. For those who are unaware, Yes, they are re-scheduling interview appointments at the US Embassy here in Bangkok. I stress, as of the time of this video, “Re-scheduling”. They are not scheduling new cases yet. They are simply clearing their backlog of cases that got cancelled when the lockdown which was the reaction to the COVID-19 phenomenon came online. So they are dealing with re-scheduling of cases of now. We will keep you updated as to the circumstances involving the scheduling of cases but for now they are simply rescheduling cases that were previously that were previously canceled in their interview.

Generally speaking this is what is issued for a K Visa. With an Immigrant Spouse Visa at least over the course of the past year with some exceptions most notably, locally filed I-130s that were processed through the USCIS Office here in Bangkok, that office is now closed but there are cases which are still processing through mostly as a result of the COVID shutdown.  For the most part though these kind of packages are not issued any longer with respect to Immigrant Spouse Visas. They are only issued with respect to Ks right now because most of the documentation associated with an Immigrant Spouse Visa is uploaded digitally and that whole file is transmitted digitally upon the IR-1 or CR-1 visa holder going to the United States. They just will get their passport back in the mail with their Visa in their passport, they use that to go to the US.

The question arises “What do we do after the Visa is issued?” Well you make travel arrangements like you otherwise would. You have a Visa now; you make travel arrangements and get a flight to the United States. Upon arrival in the USA one will be processed through US Customs and Border Protection at an Immigration checkpoint. Upon admission in an IR-1 or CR-1 Visa, at that moment, through their I-551 stamp, that person is a Lawful Permanent Resident from that moment forward. Now depending on one's status, if you are a CR-1 you may be a Conditional Lawful Permanent Resident at entry; if you are an IR-1 you may an Unconditional Lawful Permanent Resident at entry but that may depend on the duration of your marriage at the time of your entry.

For those of you who are a little bit worried about how to deal with things when travelling to the United States after visa issuance, it is a lot like just travelling anywhere. Now that you have the visa, you can make travel arrangements to go to the United States and take up your residence therein.