E2 Status and a Bahamas Vacation

[Arthur Mo]

Hi
does anyone know of the situation in which a couple on E2 status can go to the Bahamas for a vacation and then return back on E2 status with no visa (not even a B1/B2)

Can you get a E2 stamp at the US Embassy in the Bahamas or is this just gossip

I have a friend that is leaving next week and was told he will have no problems on re-entry by a VC

Thanks

[DEE F]

No sorry Arthur and Mo dont think the E2 is one of the visa you can get in Bahamas, but I am sure if I am wrong someone will correct me, take care.

Dee xxx

[Susie]

Hi
does anyone know of the situation in which a couple on E2 status can go to the Bahamas for a vacation and then return back on E2 status with no visa (not even a B1/B2)

Can you get a E2 stamp at the US Embassy in the Bahamas or is this just gossip

I have a friend that is leaving next week and was told he will have no problems on re-entry by a VC

Thanks


Hi

I think I need to clarify

If the applicant got an approval from a service centre in the USA, this is NOT a visa and if that is the case they cannot just pop to the Bahamas or anywhere else and re-enter the USA on E visa

If the applicant has an approval from the service centre and been back to home American consulate for an interview and has a visa in their passport then yes this would be possible

[Arthur Mo]

Thanks for that.
The couple just have approval from the Texas service center and an I-94 for E2 but they do not have any VISA issued by a consulate.

They are leaving late next week so I will let you know the outcome

[jon06]

If they leave they will only get VW on way back! If they have been in US a while they may not get that!

I know of someone who was denied re-entry and had to go back to UK without returning to US soil - not pleasant.

What visa did they originally enter the US on if they were able to adjust status to E2?

[peter gold]

Put simply dont do it

[InnVic]

I believe they will have to surrender their I-94 when they leave - I wouldn't risk it.

[peter gold]

They do not have a E2 visa. They would be best advised to return to the UK wait three months and come again on 1-94
If they have purchased business already then they have created there own landlocked problem

[Arthur Mo]

They originally had an E2 Visa issued in London but when that expired they went to E2 Status in the US as Orlando incorrectly admitted them only till the end of the visa which was only a week

[peter gold]

Same advice applies
No visa merely acquired status
Big gamble I would not take

[anniefromessex]

Please please please don't do it. My son was refused entry from the Bahamas back into America and it is not a very nice thing to happen, believe you me!!! The flights alone cost a fortune, plus if there isn't one on that day you have to spend even more money for a hotel room for another night. It really isn't worth the risk.

Annie

[lorraine]

I agree with annie a friend of our friend went to mexico had I94 approval from Texas and tried to get visa in Mexico was denied and couldnt get back in ended back in the UK be very careful.. It says that they look upon you as suspicious if you dont go back to your country of origin to renew your Visa this is quoted from immigration made easy illona Bray and also on the uscis it says that port of entry dont like it either ...

[Jax]

I agree our visa has expired but our I-94 in date and i understood we are land locked until our visa is renewed

[InnVic]

Is it "next week" yet? What did they decide to do?

[Arthur Mo]

It appears that they have read "Immigration made Easy by Iona Bray" ? and it says in there that so long as they have a visa even if it is expired they can visit the Bahamas for 30 days or less provided they have a valid I-94.

The question is that is the I-94 on the visa entry white card or on the USCIS I-94 card indicating change of status or is there no difference

[SHEILA 13]

I didnt think you could travel out and come back in on a I-94.

[SarahG]

This was our experience when going to the Bahamas.

When we went on a cruise to the Bahamas last March they ship DO take your passport off your (for safekeeping and ID) and then on the last day you have to collect it.

When we picked it up they had left our old I94 in it - I said that I wanted to get a new one and they said that people who have an E2 Visa and white I94 doesn't have to get a new one and that we can keep the one in the passport.

I said we really wanted a new one and the woman said that when we get to immigration they will just wave us through with the old in intact but that if I want to try it I can - at which point she gave me blank white I94 forms to complete.

When we got to immigration I handed over our passports with new I94 forms and the guy didn't ask any questions - he just stamped new ones for 2 years.

So we could have kept our old (but valid) I94s if we wanted but we didn't. I think its all to do with whether, in our case, the ship hands out blank forms or not.

Sarah

[lorraine]

Hi Arthur Mo wish them good luck and lets hope they get it and then others will follow. Page 21/10 of immigration easy quote says Applying in some other country creates suspicion in the minds of the consular officers there about your motives for choosing their consulate. Often, when an applicant is having trouble at a home consulate, he or she will seek a more lenient consular office in some other country. This practice of consulate shopping is frowned upon by officials in the system. Unless you have a very good reason (such as a temporary job assignment in some other nation) it is smarter to file your visa application in your home country.

We have a friend of friend who went to Mexico and got turned away at port of entry as they didnt like the fact that they didnt return to the UK.

All that said fingers crossed and let us know as soon as you know. Kindest regards Lorraine

[lorraine]

Hi Sarah when you went how much longer did you have on your E2??? You probably didnt need new I94 you can travel on your visa if its in date and in your passport.

You cant travel on 194 in and out of America unless you have a valid visa in your passport.

If I am wrong I am sure someone here will correct me.

My essex boy friend will know come on Peter lol

[SHEILA 13]

I thought the same ,you beat me to it Lorraine !!!! and I dont think you can work on just the I 94 ????

[lorraine]

Hi Sheila I dont know about the work one... I do know quite a few people here on only 194 renewal still running there businesses. ie they came on E2 got say 2 years then did I94 renewals through Texas and havnt gone back to UK to get the Visa (so they are landlocked here and running their business) if you see what I meanx

[SHEILA 13]

I'm getting confused here:confused: so what you are saying is there E2 visa expired or the change of status ???

[lorraine]

Friends of our who came here on E2 when there visa expired they put in to Texas for 194 renewal which they got however they never have gone back to the Uk to renew the E2 visa therefore they are landlocked if they leave America they cant get back in as the I94 has to be handed in when they leave (however if you have a valid visa in passport you can go back and forth) quite a few people on E2 are choosing not to go back to the UK for the interview as they are too scared of being turned down so they stay here on valid I94 which gives them legal status here in America but not to travel in and out. I dont know about the people in this thread that are planning to go to bahamas, I think from what has been said they dont have a valid Visa so therefore it could be very dodgy going to bahamas as they will surrender their I94 when leaving , where as Sarah in the post before seems like she had valid visa in passport.

(I am not a Lawyer, dont really know a good lawyer, havnt slept with one (Kriz) and dont plan on becoming one. However I would like to earn the same money as one:rolleyes:

[chris]

E2 Visa (in the passport) is only a travel document and allows multiple attempts of exits/re-entries into the USA during it's period of validity. The reason I say that is because they now state that any visa does not guarantee you automatic entry into the US.
So if you are allowed entry by USCIS on a valid E2, your status is E2 and that what the I-94 is issued on the basis of.
Some enter on a B2 and then 'change status' with USCIS to E2. If granted they hold E2 status whilst in the US and the I-94 reflects that.
However, for the latter, when you leave you hand in the I-94 and you hand in your E2 status. If you try to re-enter, you could only really apply on VWP. BUT USCIS POE would check the records, see that you were in on E2 change of status and more than likely not allow you to come back in, as VWP is temporary and non-working.
Is that any clearer or still mud like?

[Arthur Mo]

The Info for a trip to the Bahamas is in the Immigration made easy book on page 337 111/7.

The couple are leaving in on Thursday and have just emailed me this page of the book and it does say it is ok.

Well they are going to put it to the test anyway !!!!1

[lorraine]

Fingers crossed for them let us know how they get on. take care kind regards Lorraine

[InnVic]

unless "immigration made easy" was written by the State Department I wouldn't risk my status! The've probably just gone through months of hell and a not insignificant sum to get the I-94 - why would they surrender it just for a vacation when if you live in Florida you have access to everything that you can get in the bahamas - without the risk!

[lorraine]

I agree with you totally maybe they havnt got much to loose who knows but I know for sure most people would not risk it.. Good luck to them fingers crossed they get the nice guy at port of entry back into America

[DEE F]

Totaly agree with Lorraine and Innvic, we had the same dilemma of whether or not to go to Bahamas to get our L1 put in passport, after getting a two year extension on I94,the risk was just too big to take,but I would be very interested to see how they get on, the best of luck to you both,in the meantime we will all stay landlocked grrrrrrrrr


Dee xx

[peter gold]

I know a good bail bondsman when they get lifted

[Arthur Mo]

Hi
well the couple have returned and upon entry they had to explain to the
officer that they had no visa so they showed them a copy of the old I-94 and was admitted for another 2 years.

Looks like they got the officer in a good mood !!

[SHEILA 13]

I think they were VERY lucky.

[lorraine]

Excellent news well they were lucky indeed.

[peter gold]

But please dont let others think it is wise to do this as it is NOT

[DEE F]

Hi Artur and Mo,I am really confused now, did your friends go to the embassy in the Bahamas to get e2 visa in passport,or did they just leave America so they could come back in and get an extension of 2 years on their I94 We got an extension in our L1 for 2 years a while ago,but was strongly advised by everyone not to leave US, as we to were going to go to Bahamas Embassy for visa to be put in passport,but as I say was advised against it,so we are now landlocked,could you please enlighten me as to what they did exactly,I am curious,and also thinking is it worth going after all,many thanks.

Dee xx

[Arthur Mo]

Hi Dee
they had no visa or appointment for the visa they just went to see friends that are staying there for 2 weeks.

Although they got back in and got a two year I-94 from what they told me it
is a risk and they did have to go in a seperate room to answer a few questions

[DEE F]

H Arthur Mo thanks for promt reply, yeh it still seems a bit of a risk,doesnt it,got far too much to lose if we where to go then god forbid got turned away at POE,aw well never mind it was just a thought,good for your friends though,I am really pleased for them,wish we were as brave lol Take care.

Dee xxx

[InnVic]

Legally you should surrender your 1-94 (record of arrival and departure) when you leave the US. If they were not asked to and did not surrender the form then there was no record of them leaving - and fortunatly for them that meant they still had proof of legal status in the US. They were fortunate to have these cirucstances working in their favor and be interviewed by a sympathetic officer. I don't think it was brave - it was reckless - luckily for them it worked out okay - it could so easily have gone horribly wrong.