Green card holder want to bring wife to US

[claudius 0]

Hello all,

This is such a great forum I just registered here and got few answers already

Here is my story: I have a green card and plan to marry my g/friend soon and bring her to the US.

I have 2 questions:

1. If I marry her January 1st, 2011, when can I hope she can get here?

2. Is the I-130 process same as for US citizens? I have already read the guides here on VJ, that applies to both citizens and green card holders?

If anyone here is or has been in my situation (green card holder who tries to bring or has brought spouse to the US), please share your experience.

Best regards and thank you.

[starpower00 0]

I was in the same situation as you. I filed my I130 in Feb 2009, and finally received the visa today. Having said that, these days there is hardly any backlog of F2A category. If you are lucky you may get your visa as quickly as 6-9 months.

Yes the I-130 process is same. Sometimes if there is huge backlog in visa category, USCIS may choose not to process it. That use to be the case for F2A category until recently. But with elimination of backlog, the official wait time for I130 is 5 months.

Hope that helps.

Edited December 3, 2010 by starpower00

[claudius 0]

Congratulations to you! Happy to hear that.

Thank you for your answer. Even though it will be a few months until I apply, I will start getting all the necessary data for the file.

Here's what I found on the guide:

I-130 Packet

a. Completed and signed form I-130

b. I-130 filing fee ($420)

c. Completed and signed form G-325A and photograph (petitioner)

d. Completed and signed form G-325A and photograph (beneficiary)

e. Proof of petitioner's U.S citizenship

Copy of U.S Passport OR Copy of Naturalization certificate

f. Proof of Relationship

Primary evidence - Copy of marriage certificate

Secondary evidence - Bottom of the page to see the detailed list

g. Copy of divorce decree of petitioner and/or beneficiary, if applicable

h. Completed form G-1145 for email/phone notification

Is this everything?

Somneone told me I will need a declaration from a third party that witnessed our marriage...but I can't find that on the list.

[claudius 0]

Ok, I found that under the secondary proof of marriage.

[pepper 34]

As a GC holder yes you can petition for your wife.She will get the immigrant visa when the visa number becomes current and sometimes it takes 3-5years also depending on what country she came from. The priority date takes long time to become current. And in the meantime the green card holder becomes US citizen and can upgrage the petition category. Once the green card holder petitioner spouse becomes citizen, the visa number is immediately available and spouse can get immigrant visa immediately subject to processing time delay.And she has to be in her own country while waiting for it.

Goodluck!

Edited December 3, 2010 by earp

[claudius 0]

That's confusing. Now I have heard many opinions, processing time ranging from less than a year to 5 years. Our colleague starpower00 got the visa for his wife in 1 year and 8 months and said that now it goes even faster. On the other hand, you say it can take 3-5 years. Now I am really confused.

Starpower00, do you have a green card of are you an american citizen?

Edited December 3, 2010 by claudius

[Boiler 46,176]

It used to be 5 years, much quicker currently.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5145.html Look for yourself.

My guess, about 15 months ish.

[starpower00 0]

Sorry I may have confused you. Please see the Current December 2010 Visa Bulletin at http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5197.html. Your category is Family Based F2A. Depending on your country, your dates will vary. If you are from Mexico your wait time is approx. 9 months. Other countries wait time is approx 6 months.

You can also check how bad situation was in 2008. There use to be 4-5 years wait time. You can find the official visa bulletin of December 2008 at http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_4384.html

Let me know if you still have any confusion.

Edited December 4, 2010 by starpower00

[twulf 0]

It used to be 5 years, much quicker currently.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5145.html Look for yourself.

My guess, about 15 months ish.

I'd second that. Apply first.

[starpower00 0]

Since I have been in same situation, I can tell you wait time is minimal for Green Card Spouses. Things will move at same speed as if you were US Citizen. Having said that, please DON'T assume it will remain like that in coming months. My guess is wait time will increase significantly again in coming months for Green Card Holder Spouses.

So bottom line -- as soon as you get married file for I-130. Start collecting all paperwork and you can file I130 immediately after marriage. That way you can be the Wait Line.

And YES, I am US Green Card Holder.

Edited December 4, 2010 by starpower00

[Mrs Green 6]

The sooner you can possible submit application the better as we dont know how long this fast track period will last. I know that if u just migrated u might have to wait a year before getting married (that is if u were asked to sign some form in that regard at your interview)

I got married in July 2010 and has received by I-130 approval which was submitted in September so u can see the process is much faster than 4-5 years ago.

Wish u all the best in the process

[sabeeh 0]

Hi,

Can anyone help me please?

I applied for my wife on Green card and i have filed everything in National Visa centre and now waiting for the interview. My pirority day on I-130 says May 14th, i looked at the cut off date for F2A on Natinal visa site, it says June 6th(i think). Does it mean that i can have an interview anytime.

I sent my DS-230 form on Nov 22nd.

Please advice

Thanks

[crissy ♥ 0]

I am a f2a beneficiary, my husband filed I-130 april 2008 and we started getting notices from Uscis December of 2009, around June 2010 we were asked to pay for the visa fee, then print the coversheet then you will pass all the ds230 forms, AOS, photocopy of id's, itr/w2, passports, certificates, and other civil docs to NVC then wait after a month til your case will be complete, then wait few more weeks til they can give you interview appointment. As with my case, we were 4 months delayed in paying the visa fee coz of some unexpected expenses and he also just had his vacation last september but it was fast in completing my case coz i made sure all the necessary docs were mailed so i had no RFE so far, i am still waiting for our visa interview, praying it will come soon. Goodluck on your journey! And other vj's are right, it depends on what country are you in, and really nowadays F2a visas are faster like how it was before...

[claudius 0]

Thank you all so much for your help

I forgot to ask you something, if I submit the I-130 after we get married, and my wife gives birth to a baby before getting the Visa, what's going to happen? Will I have to submit I-130 for the baby also?

[milimelo 4,568]

Thank you all so much for your help

I forgot to ask you something, if I submit the I-130 after we get married, and my wife gives birth to a baby before getting the Visa, what's going to happen? Will I have to submit I-130 for the baby also?

Yes.