Bring Mother to US but not permanently?

[SAMyTAM 0]

Hi Guys,

My wife will be a US Citizen next year and her mother comes to visit on a 6-month tourist visa every year. As she gets older, we would like the option of her being able to come and stay in the US as a permanent resident while also being able to return to Argentina.

Does a parent of a US citizen need to reside inside the US to become a permanent resident? Is there any form other than the I-130 that gives her more permanent status than the tourist visa while not needing to reside in the US?

[aaron2020 11,651]

If she wants to be a permanent resident, then she must live here.

She either reside (live here) or she visits. There is nothing that will give her an in between.

She either lives in the US and visits other places, or she lives abroad and visits the US.

When she is ready to come and live here, you can file for her permanent residency. If she wants to visit the US and live in Argentina, then she sticks with the visitor visa.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

Above answer is correct.

How long do you think she will want to stay in the USA vs abroad? That will guide you as to the visa you need. She can totally be a greencard holder and spend a couple of months a year abroad, but she must live in the USA the majority of the time.