Expiry date for i-130?

[theanimaster 0]

I'm a US citizen and my children didn't qualify for US citizenship through me, as they were born abroad and at the time I was non-domiciled.

I'm about to submit 3 i-130's -- for my wife and two sons. HOWEVER my wife seems reluctant to come to the US as she already lives comfortably in Thailand. She wants to be able to maintain the quality of life she has in Thailand when she comes over here to the USA.

I'm not too sure I can accomplish that within the next year. Maybe in 4-5 years, yes -- but I miss my kids and I want them to grow up here and decide whether they want to stay or go back to Thailand. I want the best for them -- in terms of education and freedom of expression.

SO here's my question: DOES the i-130 have an 'expiration' date? My understanding of the i-130 is that it is simply to establish the RELATIONSHIP between the petitioner and the beneficiary. So my understanding is that it doesn't -- once it is established that I am _indeed_ the father of my two sons and the husband of my wife -- that _establishment_ is final and concrete, because it doesn't make sense for a father to stop becoming a father does it? I can see the concern with husband-wife relationship though.

So if and when the i-130 is approved, and I'm not ready to get my family over in the 6 months after their VISA is approved --what happens then? Do we start all over from the i-130? Or do we just start over from the VISA stage?

I really need to know if I should submit the application now, or hold onto the documents a little longer. If there is no expiration I would like to get the i-130s submitted right away so that my family can apply for the VISA as soon as possible in case Thailand has one of those political or natural disasters. I don't want to be away from my family long, and either they come here or I move back.

[Zyryab 12]

The best thing you can do, is actually file the I-130 for them, wait to get an approval (6-7 months), then, when the petitions go through the NVC (1 month after approval until the process begins here) you have 1 year to pay the fees and submit the documents, I don't think the I-130 expires actually, what do expires is any documents and fees you submit to the NVC without finishing the process within that year.

If I'm not miscalculating, that gives you approximately 20 months if you decide to postpone the process in the NVC stage.

[theanimaster 0]

Thanks... over where I'm at the process can take from as little as 3-6 months for the i-130 to get approved.

So what if it gets to the NVC (I believe that's the visa stage?) -- can we delay the visa application entirely? I'm talking about a 2-3 year delay, maybe even longer if I decide to head back to Thailand and work there (as I may actually be able to strengthen my finances quicker).

[Zyryab 12]

Thanks... over where I'm at the process can take from as little as 3-6 months for the i-130 to get approved.

So what if it gets to the NVC (I believe that's the visa stage?) -- can we delay the visa application entirely? I'm talking about a 2-3 year delay, maybe even longer if I decide to head back to Thailand and work there (as I may actually be able to strengthen my finances quicker).

I think you can, but from what I've read on travel.state.gov about the NVC, you must contact them at least once a year, or your documentation will expire.