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Originally Posted by NickN
Shameel great read mate!!!
Just one question, I hope you don't mind me asking....
Why aren't you allowed to leave the US for 2 years? That seems really strict and to be honest unfair in my opinion. Is that what every person who migrates to the US has to abide by?
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No problems with the question Nick, I anticipated that someone would eventually stick their neck out and ask it.
I successfully applied for a Fiance' Visa so as to move to America, and one of the key conditions of this visa is that I am not allowed to leave the United States for approximately 2 years. Apparently this time-restriction used to only be about 3-6 months not too long ago, but many petitioners of this sort of visa (predominantly from Mexico) were abusing this visa by successfully gaining an immigrant visa to USA, and then after that 3-6month period they would go back to Mexico and keep working there....something along those lines. So the government increased the travel-restriction time to approximately 2 years now to try and deter 'un-true' migrants (for lack of a better term to describe those migrants who abused this visa).
I don't think this 2-year rule applies to ALL visa's to the USA, but it may apply to all immigrant visas. Thing is, once you migrate to The States, you have to apply to have your status as an 'alien' changed. For me, it will take approximately 2 years to gain my 'Green Card', so in that time I cannot travel out of the United States otherwise I would have voided my current Fiance visa since it is a one-entry-only visa. I'm sure in emergency situations (probably strictly family-related emergency) they will grant you a waiver, but you have to apply for that waiver.
In my opinion, yeah it is a bit unfair because 2 years is a lot more than the previous 3-6 month restriction that was inplace, but I'm not mad or anything because I understand why they increased it to 2 years. Just makes it hard for me because I said good-bye to a lot of family and friends, 2 cute dogs of mine, and of course the country I still call home (Australia), so it's difficult to accept the fact that I won't be back in Australia for a couple years....but that's the sacrifice I've had to make so my Fiance and I can now live a normal life together rather than one based on daily phone calls, internet messaging and webcamming (not to mention the endless COSTLY flights between SYD and LAX/SFO). Sacrifices, Sacrifices aye.