Question about immigration from Israel

[Mrs Tams 5]

You should also take a look at the government's website for more information. www.uscis.gov ~~~

[himher 634]

Thanks, can we refer to guide1 even if my wife is not residing in the US right now? We are both living in Israel right now.

Also, thanks for clarifying that about the green card being issued after I get an immigrant visa.

I saw there is also K-3 visa, is this a possible path we can take to get a non-immigrant visa, enabling us to move the US, finding work, then waiting for the immigrant visa process to complete? Does anybody have any experience with a K-3 and why did he go through that path?

Thanks!

K3 is an old visa that only applied when the USC spouse and immigrant spouse were in separate countries. K3 was for quick reunification of families and a work-around for the pre-2008 immigrant visa processing times, which used to exceed a year or more.

Your wife will need to file an I-130 for you through the Chicago lockbox if the US embassy in Israel does not have a USCIS office. You will need to attach everything that the instructions direct you to attach.

The big hurdle for couples immigrating from overseas is the Affidavit of Support and US residency. Your wife needs to demonstrate some sort of US residency by the time it is time to submit the affidavit I(drivers license/vehicle and banking in the US did the trick for us but usually assets in the US are all filers have to demonstrate. Your family can immigrate on assets alone (3X the listed 125% poverty rate is the minimum) or absent that she needs to show US income above the minimum (usually impossible for a USC abroad unless they work for a US company who is transferring them back) or you need to have a co-sponsor based in the US. Once signed the co-sponsor is on the hook until you gain 40 quarters of SS credit (10 years working), die (hopefully this won't happen!), or become a USC (eligible within 3 years).

Self-translation is OK, but we always used a translator from the embassy's list and got them to stamp it. The only "evidence of marriage" we provided our first trip through the immigration process was our marriage books. The second trip through it was our marriage books and our daughter's birth certificate (she has immigrated twice LOL). Anything that shows your marriage history like joint leases, or joint assets, or drivers licenses that have the same address, is good at the interview but we never sent anything like that with either I130.

Hope that helps.

Edited July 27, 2013 by himher