My boyfriend is a US green card holder since 2005 and we're planning on getting married

[hopeful_usrn 0]

Hi! My boyfriend and I have been together for 4 years. We both recently passed the NCLEX (California license).

He has been a green card holder since 2005 and we're asking for your help.

We want the fastest way to be together soon. He has been away for almost 2 years now. He's planning on visiting next year.

Questions:

Can he, as a PERMANENT resident and not yet a citizen petition me if we get married when he comes for a visit next year?

If YES, How long will I have to wait for my visa?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE WHO WILL REPLY.

[Boiler 46,322]

The time lines have recently reduced to about 2 years for LPR's, but the can go either way.

Best if he gets his Citienship as soon as he can, sounds ike he could apply soon.

[LotofPatience 65]

Hi! My boyfriend and I have been together for 4 years. We both recently passed the NCLEX (California license).

He has been a green card holder since 2005 and we're asking for your help.

We want the fastest way to be together soon. He has been away for almost 2 years now. He's planning on visiting next year.

Questions:

Can he, as a PERMANENT resident and not yet a citizen petition me if we get married when he comes for a visit next year?

If YES, How long will I have to wait for my visa?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE WHO WILL REPLY.

Apply for his US citizenship right now (he is eligible now), get married happily, file your I-130 papers based on his GC, then upgrade your petition after his US citizenship. Sounds good?

Loto

[mustafa1232 3]

Hi! My boyfriend and I have been together for 4 years. We both recently passed the NCLEX (California license).

He has been a green card holder since 2005 and we're asking for your help.

We want the fastest way to be together soon. He has been away for almost 2 years now. He's planning on visiting next year.

Questions:

Can he, as a PERMANENT resident and not yet a citizen petition me if we get married when he comes for a visit next year?

If YES, How long will I have to wait for my visa?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE WHO WILL REPLY.

hi hopeful_usm after 5 year your boy friend is eligible to apply for his citizenship and i think next year your boy friend got his citizenship certificate and usa passport

in other hand your boyfriend also filed cr1 visa petation for you after marriage as a legal perment resident or green card holder and when he got his citizenship he can upgrade your cr1 visa petation as a usa citizen the whole process will take minimum 8 to 10 month and maxmimum 11 to 18 month or more

[hopeful_usrn 0]

The time lines have recently reduced to about 2 years for LPR's, but the can go either way.

Best if he gets his Citienship as soon as he can, sounds ike he could apply soon.

Thank you so much, Boiler for your reply.

Actually, my BF has had greencard since 2005 but since then he has been studying here in the Philippines so he present his re-entry permit everytime.

When is he going to be eligible for citizenship? He left last year 2009.

Thank you again.

[hopeful_usrn 0]

Apply for his US citizenship right now (he is eligible now), get married happily, file your I-130 papers based on his GC, then upgrade your petition after his US citizenship. Sounds good?

Loto

Hello Loto!

Thank for your reply.

Is he eligible to apply for it already? He stayed there only for good since 2009 but since 2005 he got his greencard already. he studied nursing here in the Philippines. In order to file for citizenship, does he need to stay in the US for 5 straight years? Please enlighten me because I am not sure of such policy. Thank you so much!

[hopeful_usrn 0]

hi hopeful_usm after 5 year your boy friend is eligible to apply for his citizenship and i think next year your boy friend got his citizenship certificate and usa passport

in other hand your boyfriend also filed cr1 visa petation for you after marriage as a legal perment resident or green card holder and when he got his citizenship he can upgrade your cr1 visa petation as a usa citizen the whole process will take minimum 8 to 10 month and maxmimum 11 to 18 month or more

Thank you for your reply.

Is it faster to get married, file a CR1 visa as a green card holder or is it faster if he gets his citizenship first then petitions me for fiance visa then get married there?

We're actually trying to rush things because my NCLEX expires in 2013, i wouldnt want to take another exam again :s

Thank you again!

[LotofPatience 65]

Hello Loto!

Thank for your reply.

Is he eligible to apply for it already? He stayed there only for good since 2009 but since 2005 he got his greencard already. he studied nursing here in the Philippines. In order to file for citizenship, does he need to stay in the US for 5 straight years? Please enlighten me because I am not sure of such policy. Thank you so much!

hopeful_usrn, to get US citizenship (assuming he got green card by employment, family based GC situation is different), he has to prove physical and continuous residence in the U.S. 5 years physical presence and 3 years continuous presence after getting Green card.

You guys can choose the path I mentioned above.

Loto

[hopeful_usrn 0]

hopeful_usrn, to get US citizenship (assuming he got green card by employment, family based GC situation is different), he has to prove physical and continuous residence in the U.S. 5 years physical presence and 3 years continuous presence after getting Green card.

You guys can choose the path I mentioned above.

Loto

Hi! He actually acquired his green card through family based GC How is it different from the above mentioned?

[LotofPatience 65]

Hi! He actually acquired his green card through family based GC How is it different from the above mentioned?

Does that mean he was married to the US citizen in the past and got the Green Card, and now he is single after the divorce?

Loto

[LotofPatience 65]

hopeful_usrn, to get US citizenship (assuming he got green card by employment, family based GC situation is different), he has to prove physical and continuous residence in the U.S. 5 years physical presence and 3 years continuous presence after getting Green card.

You guys can choose the path I mentioned above.

Loto

Correction:

Continuous residence - 5 years as permanent resident without leaving the U.S for trips of 6 months or longer

Physical presence - 30 months (2.5 years)

Loto

[hopeful_usrn 0]

Does that mean he was married to the US citizen in the past and got the Green Card, and now he is single after the divorce?

Loto

oh no, his entire family is there already. since the 1990s, his dad and mom were the ones who petitioned him and his brothers

[hopeful_usrn 0]

Correction:

Continuous residence - 5 years as permanent resident without leaving the U.S for trips of 6 months or longer

Physical presence - 30 months (2.5 years)

Loto

for continuous residence since he acquired his green card (5 years) where does a re-entry permit for studying college here in the philippines fall?

does he have to start all over again? back to zero and start counting from 2009 because this was when we parted ways (long distance relationship), after graduating.

thank you. i appreciate it. we're both clueless about this.

[LotofPatience 65]

oh no, his entire family is there already. since the 1990s, his dad and mom were the ones who petitioned him and his brothers

Ok. Then he needs to meet the below conditions to get naturalized.

Continuous residence - 5 years as permanent resident without leaving the U.S for trips of 6 months or longer

Physical presence - 30 months (2.5 years)

Since he came back in 2009 as you told, he would be eligible to get citizenship in 2014.

So, your best bet is:

1) Get married

2) File your I-130 (somebody told now-a-days it takes 2 years, but this timeframe can change based on visa availability)

3) If your I-130 is not approved, apply his U.S citizenship in 2014 and upgrade your petition

4) You will have GC in another 6 months time after the upgrade, based on the current timeline

This immigration process sucks really. If one spouse is in non-immigrant category such as H1B etc., he/she can bring the spouse immediately with him in H4. Best priority for non-immigrants! If he/she is a USC, he/she has to wait at least 6 to 9 months to bring the spouse. If he/she is in GC status, forget about it. Really sucks!

Loto

for continuous residence since he acquired his green card (5 years) where does a re-entry permit for studying college here in the philippines fall?

does he have to start all over again? back to zero and start counting from 2009 because this was when we parted ways (long distance relationship), after graduating.

thank you. i appreciate it. we're both clueless about this.

Yes, he needs to count from 2009 since he had out of U.S status for more than 6 months in re-entry permit.

Loto

[SHELLY-T 1]

yes go ahead and file the wait time could be 2 years or less because i petitoned as a permanent resident for my husbad last year and now hes waiting on an interview date. so the time varies.