Can wife's orphaned niece visit US? Immigrate?

[No name 88 48]

I have a two part question as I'm just looking out into the future. My wife has an orphaned 7 year old niece that is adorable and has been taken in by my wife's parents and lives with them. I do help support them as all three are great people. I do have concerns as my wife's parents are not in the greatest of health and this girl is undocumented which is not uncommon in Vietnam.

Assuming a year from now the wife has a green card and is living in the US:

1. Can the wife's niece visit on a tourist visa for a few months after we take care of her Vietnamese documents?
2. If the wife's parents pass away can the wife and I adopter her and bring her to the US without much fuss?

I'm looking for a plan B if my wife's parents pass away. Very bad things happen to orphaned girls in this region that don't have an attentive family.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

As the child is an orphan your path is easier than for people trying to sneak relatives in around the law. However it seems there is some issue with adopting there at the moment . See here http://www.uscis.gov/adoption/country-information/adoption-information-vietnam Hopefully it si tempory

[JRF 117]

Todd,

I understand the situation in VN and I also understand the legal issues with trying to bring your niece here to the US. I don't have many good suggestions for you, other than maybe thinking about finding a Buddhist pagoda where she could live and go to school in the event your wife's parents are not able to take care of her.

Good luck...I know it is not easy.

[No name 88 48]

As the child is an orphan your path is easier than for people trying to sneak relatives in around the law. However it seems there is some issue with adopting there at the moment . See here http://www.uscis.gov/adoption/country-information/adoption-information-vietnam Hopefully it si tempory

That complicates things. It sounds like if needed the wife will have to adopter her.

[No name 88 48]

Todd,

I understand the situation in VN and I also understand the legal issues with trying to bring your niece here to the US. I don't have many good suggestions for you, other than maybe thinking about finding a Buddhist pagoda where she could live and go to school in the event your wife's parents are not able to take care of her.

Good luck...I know it is not easy.

I didn't think of that. If needed I could relocate to VN for a while. I kinda like Saigon.

Too often girls in my wife's niece's position end up being trafficked. I couldn't live with myself if that occurred. If you know the region you know what I'm talking about. It never "officially" happens but I keep hearing the stories. I didn't put much stock into it until the wife's neighbor had their now pregnant 14 year old daughter returned to them by an NGO. The girl went missing when she was 6 years old while the mother was in the hospital and the father was returning from a work assignment. The missing girl had been in a Cambodian brothel since 2 weeks after she disappeared and reportedly had given birth several times since she was 10 years old. They now know the girl was sold by a relative who's now dead so no justice there and the family won't even acknowledge she went missing. The wife gets really spun up on stories like these but I don't blame her.

[Boiler 45,519]

Student Visa?

[No name 88 48]

Student Visa?

That hadn't even occurred to me to look at. I'll check it out but I always assumed that was for college age students.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

You could only get it for one year if the student is less than college age

[No name 88 48]

Thanks guys I think I got my answer.

[aaron2020 11,651]

When there is no obvious solution to bring a niece or nephew, someone always throws out the student visa without explaining the potential complications.

There is the hurdle that the student has proof that she intends to return home after completing her course of study.

A 7 years old cannot come here for public school in a student visa; this is strictly prohibited. The 7 years old must go to a private school which would cost $10,000 to $40,000 in tuition annually.

[aaron2020 11,651]

You could only get it for one year if the student is less than college age

One year of public high school. That's not going to help a 7 years old.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Thanks guys I think I got my answer.

Go see an immigration attorney who is familiar with adoptions.

You have a chance here with a truly orphan child to bring her over as an adopted child.

[No name 88 48]

Thanks for the help people but I've figured out my solution with a little collaborative brain storming. On a side note I don't need a lawyer to file paperwork.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Thanks for the help people but I've figured out my solution with a little collaborative brain storming. On a side note I don't need a lawyer to file paperwork.

What is your solution? The answer may help many other people.

[Boiler 45,519]

Also wondering.

There is no one year limit for a student visa.