How to get a visiting visa

The embassy views persons with US citizen spouses as automatically having an intention to migrate and very rarely grant them first-time, nonimmigrant visas. Such applicants are often told to have their US citizen spouse file for them for immigrant visa status so they can live together in America.

DISCOURAGED PRACTICE

As the spouse of a US citizen, if you are lawfully in the United States as a non-immigrant, your spouse can file for you to change your status to a permanent resident. Although this is perfectly legal, the US government discourages it and when there is an avenue for this to be done, that door is often closed.

All marriages are not always conventional and you appear to be setting up separate households and settling in Jamaica without your husband. You will have to explain your unconventional living arrangements and the reason(s) for them to the US Embassy. But if you think that you can give a plausible explanation, you should go ahead and apply for the nonimmigrant visa. Keep in mind that you may not be asked any questions at the interview, but you should take as much documentation as possible to convince the consular officer that you do not wish to remain permanently in the United States.

If at some time in the future you wish to join your husband in the United States, be reminded that your non-immigrant application will be in your permanent file.