Can my wife visit me as a Green Card Holder on visa?

[ali.jr0 3]

Hello

I am a green card holder, and i got married in my home country.

I live and work in the US, but My wife doesn't want to live in USA yet because she has family buisness that she runs over there and she's going to need time to settle everything before she comes to USA for good, but she's definately going to be coming in 1-3 month visits back and forth. She already has a valid US Visitor visa which is expiring next year and she will renew it, she has been to USA many times before.

the questions i have are::

- Can she come to US and go back using her visitor visa with no problems? (Provided that she will not stay more than the allowed time which i think is 6 months for every visit, and that her visa is ,of course, valid) ?

- Do i HAVE TO apply for a green card for her?

- Do i need to register my marriage here?

Thanks guys

Edited May 29, 2014 by ali.jr0

[apple21 953]

Hello

I am a green card holder, and i got married in my home country.

I live and work in the US, but My wife doesn't want to live in USA yet because she has family buisness that she runs over there and she's going to need time to settle everything before she comes to USA for good, but she's definately going to be coming in 1-3 month visits back and forth. She already has a valid US Visitor visa which is expiring next year and she will renew it, she has been to USA many times before.

the questions i have are::

- Can she come to US and go back using her visitor visa with no problems? (Provided that she will not stay more than the allowed time which i think is 6 months for every visit, and that her visa is ,of course, valid) ? Yes.

- Do i HAVE TO apply for a green card for her? Yes. To begin the process, you initially file the i130. http://www.uscis.gov/family/family-us-citizens/spouse/bringing-spouses-live-united-states-permanent-residents

- Do i need to register my marriage here? No.

Thanks guys

[JohnR! 5,495]

Hello

I am a green card holder, and i got married in my home country.

I live and work in the US, but My wife doesn't want to live in USA yet because she has family buisness that she runs over there and she's going to need time to settle everything before she comes to USA for good, but she's definately going to be coming in 1-3 month visits back and forth. She already has a valid US Visitor visa which is expiring next year and she will renew it, she has been to USA many times before.

the questions i have are::

- Can she come to US and go back using her visitor visa with no problems? (Provided that she will not stay more than the allowed time which i think is 6 months for every visit, and that her visa is ,of course, valid) ?

- Do i HAVE TO apply for a green card for her?

- Do i need to register my marriage here?

Thanks guys

Can she come to US and go back using her visitor visa with no problems? (Provided that she will not stay more than the allowed time which i think is 6 months for every visit, and that her visa is ,of course, valid) ? - Yes. She can visit.

- Do i HAVE TO apply for a green card for her? - No. You do not have to apply for a greecard if she does not want to live here.

- Do i need to register my marriage here? - No. There is no such thing as registering your marriage in the US, although your marriage, regardless of where it took place is valid in the US.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Gegel

[cathy2904 97]

With regard to your second question, if she is not planning to live here then you do not have to apply for a green card for her but the process takes some time, especially for spouses of permanent residents so you should plan ahead and make sure you petition for her well enough in advance so that she has her green card when she is ready to make the move.

If she visits she may incur extra scrutiny now that she has an LPR spouse so she should bring evidence of her ties to her home country. Documents relating to her business would be good for that.

[apple21 953]

If and when you decide to file i130, bear in mind that the entire process from filing to visa issuance will take approximately a year or more because spouses of green card holders are restricted by visa quotas (Visa Bulletin).

[JohnR! 5,495]

With regard to your second question, if she is not planning to live here then you do not have to apply for a green card for her but the process takes some time, especially for spouses of permanent residents so you should plan ahead and make sure you petition for her well enough in advance so that she has her green card when she is ready to make the move.

If she visits she may incur extra scrutiny now that she has an LPR spouse so she should bring evidence of her ties to her home country. Documents relating to her business would be good for that.

If and when you decide to file i130, bear in mind that the entire process from filing to visa issuance will take approximately a year or more because spouses of green card holders are restricted by visa quotas (Visa Bulletin).

True. The application process takes a year and the USCIS pushed back the F2A date to June 2012, which means the entire process would take 3 years. There is no wait - other than the process itself - if you are a USC, so you may consider taking US citizenship when you become eligible.