not quite a USC, but looking ahead

[maya62 7]

My husband will be eligible to apply for US citizenship in August of this year. I understand from reading the guides and USCIS info that as a USC, he will be eligible to bring his siblings and/or his parents here, but not any other relatives. Is that correct?

We are returning to Nepal in June for a visit. One of the challenges we face will be explaining to relatives that, while Nepali culture says that all your cousins (near and distant) are your brothers and sisters, and they are called "brother" and "sister", the US govt does not share that view. Same with "mother" and "father" and "son" and "daughter". Add to that that it would be impolite (or even offensive) to tell a relative "you're not really my brother/sister/mother/father/son/daughter". Oy... we gots a lot of 'splainin to do...

We are interested in figuring out the best way to get two individuals here. One is my husband's nephew (his brother's son). I'm thinking we would first have to sponsor my brother-in-law (the boy's father), then he would have to become an LPR and sponsor his son himself. Is that correct? And based on the priority ranking system, which I find confusing, how long is that likely to take? This boy is current 14 or 15. Is there any way to bring the nephew without his father (we love them both, of course, but the nephew is young, doing well in school, and has good English, while his father left school at a young age and has very little English).

I'll leave the question about the distant cousin for later (I think she needs to be "playing" the DV lottery myself, and studying English).

Thanks for any insight anyone can offer... and I apologize for the length of this post!

Maya

[TayRivers 4]

My husband will be eligible to apply for US citizenship in August of this year. I understand from reading the guides and USCIS info that as a USC, he will be eligible to bring his siblings and/or his parents here, but not any other relatives. Is that correct?

We are returning to Nepal in June for a visit. One of the challenges we face will be explaining to relatives that, while Nepali culture says that all your cousins (near and distant) are your brothers and sisters, and they are called "brother" and "sister", the US govt does not share that view. Same with "mother" and "father" and "son" and "daughter". Add to that that it would be impolite (or even offensive) to tell a relative "you're not really my brother/sister/mother/father/son/daughter". Oy... we gots a lot of 'splainin to do...

We are interested in figuring out the best way to get two individuals here. One is my husband's nephew (his brother's son). I'm thinking we would first have to sponsor my brother-in-law (the boy's father), then he would have to become an LPR and sponsor his son himself. Is that correct? And based on the priority ranking system, which I find confusing, how long is that likely to take? This boy is current 14 or 15. Is there any way to bring the nephew without his father (we love them both, of course, but the nephew is young, doing well in school, and has good English, while his father left school at a young age and has very little English).

I'll leave the question about the distant cousin for later (I think she needs to be "playing" the DV lottery myself, and studying English).

Thanks for any insight anyone can offer... and I apologize for the length of this post!

Maya

You can not sponsor a cousin. If you were to sponsor his Father (your Brother) if would take many many years (over 10 years) then the father would have to sponsor the child, who by that time would not be a child (over 21) so again it would be at least another 8+ years before the son could come.

You are looking at about 20 years to get the cousin here. No chance for a Distant cousin.

[maya62 7]

Thanks for your response TayRivers. How discouraging! I was afraid of that. I think this young man better keep studying his English and try for a student visa... that's really the goal anyhow... for him to study here.

As for the distant cousin, I think she needs to start applying for the DV lottery.

This is difficult... they all seem to be under the impression that my husband can just point and say "OK, I'll take you, you, you and you" and we can all just jump on a plane and come to the US.

*off to research diversity and student visas*

Maya

[TayRivers 4]

Thanks for your response TayRivers. How discouraging! I was afraid of that. I think this young man better keep studying his English and try for a student visa... that's really the goal anyhow... for him to study here.

As for the distant cousin, I think she needs to start applying for the DV lottery.

This is difficult... they all seem to be under the impression that my husband can just point and say "OK, I'll take you, you, you and you" and we can all just jump on a plane and come to the US.

*off to research diversity and student visas*

Maya

Do they not know that your marriage to your USC husband was because you love "him" and not a free ticket for your entire family to come to the USA.

[maya62 7]

I am the USC, my husband is the soon-to-be USC, and yes, I am sure they do know he married me because he loves me.

I have met all of these people and they are all very sweet, but also fairly naive in general, and some have very little formal education or worldly experience. They have no idea how US immigration works (which should come as no surprise seeing as how most Americans don't know either). Only a couple have actually asked, I am just anticipating having to clarify if others ask while we're there.

The distant cousin is trying to earn more money because she is faced with helping her younger siblings go further in school than she was able to go, and supporting her parents as they approach old age. Unfortunately in Nepal, there is no such thing as SS, and most people don't even have pensions.

My nephew hasn't asked at all, but his father (my husband's brother) has, wanting a better education for his son.

I see all of this as perfectly natural and something that I would certainly ask about if positions were reversed. I am not at all offended by it. What person in this world does not want to help their family have a better life?

Maya