Please advise...

[Strangest 0]

Thank you guys on how you assist in solving people's problem. May the good lord bless you all. I am male, 33 and a Nigerian about to marry my fiancee, 31 and a US citizen(father is nigerian and mother is US). My fiancee was born in America but the whole family came back to Nigeria when she was a year old. They have been living in Nigeria since then. Of recent, i assisted her to renew her passport and she is yet to get a social security number because she has not travelled back to the States. We are getting married soon and we intend to travel back to the state together because she is pregnant at the moment. We both have families in the states that we can stay with. I have a registered company here in Nigeria and i have handled some contracts in the past. Please advice on how best to proceed with the application and costs too. THANKS for your prompt replies.

[kzielu 1,149]

Start with silly things like domicile in US or verifying if she had been filing tax return with US IRS which every citizen has to do, regardless of place of residence...

Than just use the guides at the top of the page.

[DanTes 21]

As a "natural born" U.S. citizen your wife can sponsor you, BUT there a several major hurdles to jump. The affidavit of support (I-864) being the foremost. Your wife must obtain a SSN. My two daughters got their SSN's at the U.S. Embassy in Manila when they obtained their CRBA's. Check this out with your U.S. Embassy. Also, see if you can line up any co-sponsors in the U.S. Hopefully, others in this forum will chime in with more advice. Best of luck. It is possible; just take it one step at a time. It may take awhile.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

A resident visa will take you about a year and you must file after the marriage. To visit you can aplly for a visitiros visa but those are hard from NIgeria especially with a USC wife

[LoveNigarmostyle 164]

Thank you guys on how you assist in solving people's problem. May the good lord bless you all. I am male, 33 and a Nigerian about to marry my fiancee, 31 and a US citizen(father is nigerian and mother is US). My fiancee was born in America but the whole family came back to Nigeria when she was a year old. They have been living in Nigeria since then. Of recent, i assisted her to renew her passport and she is yet to get a social security number because she has not travelled back to the States. We are getting married soon and we intend to travel back to the state together because she is pregnant at the moment. We both have families in the states that we can stay with. I have a registered company here in Nigeria and i have handled some contracts in the past. Please advice on how best to proceed with the application and costs too. THANKS for your prompt replies.

Since you indicated that both of you have relatives who are in the US, If I were you, I would talk to them about sponsoring you, once your fiancee, soon to be wife gets her legal paperwork taken care of. Have her contact the embassy in Lagos or go in to take care f the passport issue and find out how to file from abroad for a SS number.

It would be best to get married first and then file for you as a relative which would enable you to come to the US with a green card. But she will need to obtain her legal documents taken care of first, so she can file for you. Since she has not worked here in the US and has not filed for tax returns and has no employment to support you once here in the US, then a relative will need to take the responsibility.

You have a long road ahead of you. Best place to start is checking with the US Embassy in Lagos and then ask for their advice before moving forward. A visitor's visa is very difficult to obtain and you are marrying a US citizen, the chances that you will be granted one is very slim. Also, if you come to the US, you would need to wait a long time to obtain a legal status which will grant you a permanent residency. Good luck!

Edited January 21, 2014 by LoveNigarmostyle

[Strangest 0]

Thanks guys for your responses

@kzielu dont actually understand what you meant by domicile in US, she has been in Nigeria for the past 29 years +, she was born in the US though and she has not been filing tax return with US IRS.
I cant really see the guide at the top of the page. Thanks


@Dan Tes, Thank you, will definitely check with the embassy to see if she can obtain her SSN at the embassy here in Nigeria. Thanks



@NigeriaorBust Thanks, guess I have to focus on the marriage for now. Thanks



@LoveNigarmostyle Yeah, our relatives in the US are ready to co sponsor, which legal paperwork are you refering to? The marriage certificate? Will definitely contact the embassy, guess I have to focus on the marriage now. Like how long will it take me to get a legal status that will grant me permanent residency? and hope I will be able to be working legally then? Thanks

[kzielu 1,149]

Thanks guys for your responses

@kzielu dont actually understand what you meant by domicile in US, she has been in Nigeria for the past 29 years +, she was born in the US though and she has not been filing tax return with US IRS.

I cant really see the guide at the top of the page. Thanks

What I mean she has to have either domicile in US or intent to establish it to make it possible for spouse to receive immigrant visa. The fact she has not been filing tax returns is quite a problem because she was supposed to and will have to prove it.

Guides are here : http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

[LoveNigarmostyle 164]

In order for you to obtain legal permanent residency you will need to marry first, then your wife will need to petition for you as a relative, file CR1 or equivalent to be able to bring you into the US as a permanent resident. This requires her to bring her status up to date, so she can file for you with your relatives as sponsors. Look into the sponsorship requirements and how it works in your case.

Once you are married and you are ready to file, it will take anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 yrs to get your petition started, approved, you interviewed. But as I said you will need to get your fiancee's status up to date before any of your paperwork can start and move forward.

[Strangest 0]

Thanks Guys... Marriage was successful, wife is back in the states... SSN received... Will be filing petition soon

Edited September 19, 2014 by Strangest

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Which country was the baby born in ?

[Strangest 0]

Which country was the baby born in ?

Sad... Had a miscarriage...

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Indeed it was sad. Thing happen for reasons that are beyond the comprehension of human minds.

[Strangest 0]

Guys, I need another answer to these questions, wanted to open another thread for it but decided to keep everything in one place. My wife is back in the States, she also participated in the last election. She is currently looking for a job and this is her third month. An attorney that we had a free chat advised that she get a job before filing I130 for me.

1. Considering the fact that the processing time is long, can she go ahead and file the I130 form even though she has no job yet but we have cosponsor that can sign an affidavit of support.

2. Does she need the original wedding certificate to file?

Please advise. Thanks, in anticipation.

[Ryan H 3,812]

1. Considering the fact that the processing time is long, can she go ahead and file the I130 form even though she has no job yet but we have cosponsor that can sign an affidavit of support.

2. Does she need the original wedding certificate to file?

Answers:

1. She can file the I-130 without having a job. Furthermore, since you have a joint sponsor (joint sponsor is the proper term when referring to the Affidavit of Support {I-864}, not co-sponsor) who is willing to sign the I-864, then her not being employed is not an issue.
2. Photocopy only for both USCIS and the NVC. The original is to be brought to the interview.

[Strangest 0]

Thanks Ryan... I do appreciate...