Bringing Foreign Relatives to Live

[shikarnov 7]

I'm a USC, and my wife is a Permanent Resident from Russia. Her mother and brother would like to come to visit, and maybe to live someday. I realize the former is at least possible if they apply themselves and demonstrate reasons to return home. But I promised to ask about the latter, so here I am. Is there any avenue, circumstance, or loophole -- however remote -- by which my Russian mother-in-law and/or brother-in-law might be able to legally immigrate to the United States to live?

Thanks in advance,

ZS

Edited September 5, 2009 by shikarnov

[payxibka 10,047]

I'm a USC, and my wife is a Permanent Resident from Russia. Her mother and brother would like to come to visit, and maybe to live someday. I realize the former is at least possible if they apply themselves and demonstrate reasons to return home. But I promised to ask about the latter, so here I am. Is there any avenue, circumstance, or loophole -- however remote -- by which my Russian mother-in-law and/or brother-in-law might be able to legally immigrate to the United States to live?

Thanks in advance,

ZS

not until your wife becomes a citizen.... then I-130's need be submitted... parent gets an immediate visa number, brother waits several years

[aaron2020 11,651]

I'm a USC, and my wife is a Permanent Resident from Russia. Her mother and brother would like to come to visit, and maybe to live someday. I realize the former is at least possible if they apply themselves and demonstrate reasons to return home. But I promised to ask about the latter, so here I am. Is there any avenue, circumstance, or loophole -- however remote -- by which my Russian mother-in-law and/or brother-in-law might be able to legally immigrate to the United States to live?

Thanks in advance,

ZS

There is absolutely nothing you can do to help them get an immigration visa. Your wife as an LPR cannot petition them for immigration visas. Your wife can petition for them only after she becomes a USC. If your wife is a USC, she can petition for her mom which would take about a year to process. Under no set of circumstances will her brother get a visa if her mother gets one through a petition filed by your wife. It does not matter if he is a minor. If your wife is a USC, she can petition for her brother and that will take 11 years.

If your wife petitions for them, only mom gets to stay in the US. Under no circumstances does a filing by your wife allow her brother to stay in the US to wait for a visa. He is stuck in Russia for at least 11 years after your wife can petition for him.

[shikarnov 7]

Eleven years? Why in the world would anything take that long to process? Is it simply the government's way of saying-but-not-saying "never gonna happen?" Or is there some other reason for it?

[aaron2020 11,651]

Eleven years? Why in the world would anything take that long to process? Is it simply the government's way of saying-but-not-saying "never gonna happen?" Or is there some other reason for it?

It takes 11 years because family based immigration is about reuniting spouses, their minor children and dependent parents - people that you as an individual are generally responsible for in one way or another. There group of people have priority in getting visas. Generally, an individual is not responsible for his/her sibling - even when that sibling is a minor. "I am not my brother's keeper."

Under the scenario that you would like for your family, a person who marries a USC would be able to bring their entire family to the US in a very short time. So a foreign person who marries a USC can be a USC in 3 years. Immediately after that her/his entire family is eligible for immigration visas. What happens if that person has parents who are divorced and have new spouses and the new USC has 10 brothers and sisters? This would overwhelm the system. People need time to establish themselves. The reason your wife married you is because she loves you and wants to be with you. The immigration system provides for this. It does not provide for her to bring her entire family to the US in a short time. This could be an invitation towards more marriages for green card if green cards were easy to get.

[shikarnov 7]

Thanks for the explanation.