Bringing child to the US

[MarriedtoBrit 0]

Hi,

I've found this forum to be really useful while my husband was going through the immigration process, so I hope that you can help answer some questions.

We are interested in sponsoring my step-daughter, who is 22 and lives in the UK, to live in the US. It seems that it's a two-step process: we file the I-130 to get a visa number and then we file the I-485 to actually get the visa. Is that right? Can we file for her while she's here on a tourist visa? (I assume not.)

The latest visa bulletin says that the processing time is 4-5 years, depending on whether my husband files now as a permanent resident or in a year or two, when we expect that he'll become a US citizen. During that 4-5 year period, can she travel to and from the US as usual on a regular tourist visa? What if a company separately sponsors a work permit to allow her to work in the US - does that affect her immigration application?

Thanks for your help!

[HaigDB 0]

Hi,

I've found this forum to be really useful while my husband was going through the immigration process, so I hope that you can help answer some questions.

We are interested in sponsoring my step-daughter, who is 22 and lives in the UK, to live in the US. It seems that it's a two-step process: we file the I-130 to get a visa number and then we file the I-485 to actually get the visa. Is that right? Can we file for her while she's here on a tourist visa? (I assume not.)

The latest visa bulletin says that the processing time is 4-5 years, depending on whether my husband files now as a permanent resident or in a year or two, when we expect that he'll become a US citizen. During that 4-5 year period, can she travel to and from the US as usual on a regular tourist visa? What if a company separately sponsors a work permit to allow her to work in the US - does that affect her immigration application?

Thanks for your help!

Hey .. I am not an expert but let me share with you my experience.

Your husband can apply with his green card and as soon as he gets the citizenship he upgrades the file. The whole thing will take around 5 years. My mom applied for my I - 130 as a permanent resident in March 2005 and back in 2008 she upgraded it as soon as she got the citizenship. At the moment My file is completed at the NVC and i am waiting for my interview to be scheduled.

hope this helps, and good luck