urgent help/advice needed

[newbie0482 1]

Hello guys,

I'm a Permanent Resident and i'm planning to bring my spouse from overseas along with our daughters aged 3 and the other one a 7month old. I came here last year and after taking care of my papers and exams(for my profession), I just started working full time as a nurse last January. I just heard that family petition for PR has been improving and i'm very hopeful for it. Now that I heard about this retrogression thing, now i'm very worried. I don't know where to begin with since i spent nearly all my time just work and work and taking overtime. So I really need all the advice and help i can get. I just started reading last night on what i need to do but i'm still not sure at some things. I am hoping to do this myself if I can without the aid of an attorney.

Aside from the advice and help, i have some question and clarifications:

I only need to fill out only 1 i-130 form to start my petition together with the $420 fee?

Do I need a sponsor since I just started working in January. If I do, my mother is a US citizen and is also a nurse so I am thinking she can fill this role. Do we need to send the affidavit of support together with the form i-130 in 1 package?

I browsed the i-130 form/instruction and found something there about G-325A for me and my wife. Do my wife need to sign and fill the form by herself and have it mail here in the US?

Aside from the passport style color photo of me and my wife, our marriage certificate and the birth certificates of our children, do I need to prepare more supporting documents?

[Boiler 46,152]

Current income is what counts for sponsorship.

How come your wife and children did not get their GC's when you did?

[calvm 10]

I am confused? How come your wife and children didn't get the gc with you? Did you marry before you got your GC or after? Which category did you get your gc in?

Edited April 21, 2014 by calvm

[justgotlucky 0]

Hello guys,

I'm a Permanent Resident and i'm planning to bring my spouse from overseas along with our daughters aged 3 and the other one a 7month old. I came here last year and after taking care of my papers and exams(for my profession), I just started working full time as a nurse last January. I just heard that family petition for PR has been improving and i'm very hopeful for it. Now that I heard about this retrogression thing, now i'm very worried. I don't know where to begin with since i spent nearly all my time just work and work and taking overtime. So I really need all the advice and help i can get. I just started reading last night on what i need to do but i'm still not sure at some things. I am hoping to do this myself if I can without the aid of an attorney.

Aside from the advice and help, i have some question and clarifications:

I only need to fill out only 1 i-130 form to start my petition together with the $420 fee?

Do I need a sponsor since I just started working in January. If I do, my mother is a US citizen and is also a nurse so I am thinking she can fill this role. Do we need to send the affidavit of support together with the form i-130 in 1 package?

I browsed the i-130 form/instruction and found something there about G-325A for me and my wife. Do my wife need to sign and fill the form by herself and have it mail here in the US?

Aside from the passport style color photo of me and my wife, our marriage certificate and the birth certificates of our children, do I need to prepare more supporting documents?

Before July 2013, the F-2A category was taking around 2 years but in Aug 2013 it became current for all countries to "generate an increased level of demand". Because of this, there was a great influx of petitions so in just two months, in the Visa Bulletin for October 2013 it quickly retrogressed to Sept 8, 2013. All filers after this date suddenly found themselves in a limbo not knowing when it will move forward. I was lucky that I was not hit by this retrogression, and hoping that I can finish before another retrogression hits, if any. This priority date remains until today, with hints that it may retrogress further in the coming months. It may only move forward again on October 2014 when the new fiscal year starts. Check out peoples' timelines to get an estimate. It also varies by country or consulate.

For F-2A category (and other family-based petitions), priority date is very critical. Don't worry about retrogression as there is nothing you can do about it. You just need to file as soon as you can. Don't waste any time. When you submit make sure everything is correct. Double check the entries as even a single mistake could cost you weeks in delays. You've got to do it right the first time. You only need to file a single I-130 for your wife as your children qualifies as derivatives. You do not need an attorney to do this. I've seen many people wasting thousands of $$$ with incompetent lawyers just sitting on their paperwork. With the help of VJ members and many guides here you will be guided every step of the way. Some of the respected VJ members who can help you are, among others, Kaylara for the USCIS I-130 stage (I'm not sure if she maintains as I-130 thread), Saylin and her monthly NVC thread, and dwheels76 with her monthly NVC interview threads. These guys are awesome, of course there are many others members who can give you advice based on their personal experiences. You just need to find the right threads.

You will need a co-sponsor if your annual income does not meet the current poverty guideline http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-864p.pdf. For a household of 4, the current level is $28,312. You will need to prove this with paystubs, employment certificates, etc. But you don't need this yet in the I-130 stage. For I-130 you need to establish your bona-fide relationship with your spouse. The financial proof is needed at the NVC stage on the affidavit of support (AOS).

The G-325A MUST be personally signed by your spouse.

Aside from marriage certificates, you also need to submit any proof that you financially support your family such as money remittance receipts, etc. Other proofs of contacts such as phone call logs, your previous travels to visit them will help your case.

So sit back, relax, search and read as much as you can. Most of your questions may have already been answered. But don't believe everything you read. Procedures and processes change and some advices or guides might already be obsolete.

I hope this answers your question. Good luck on your journey. You have a long way to go so hang on, VJ community is here to help.