Looking to file I-130 for pregnant wife. Questions on the visa itself and seeking advice on having baby in the States after arriving 7 months pregnant

[Transborderwife 4,666]

It all depends on the timing of DCF should you go that route. The regional forums here are very helpful for that!

[J / A 0]

It all depends on the timing of DCF should you go that route. The regional forums here are very helpful for that!

DCF definitely seems the quickest and best route for us. We'll get in contact with them as soon as possible and hopefully have the application out by the end of the week!

Thanks for all of your help. Now for positive thoughts on getting a teaching job squared away for back home in the States. This is a nerving process all on its own!

[Darnell 8,478]

contacting 'them' is a waste of time... I wish you well with that effort, though !

[NikLR 13,227]

~~moved to process and procedures from progress reports. - OP if you indeed are going to the DCF route we can move the thread to that location as well. Please "report" your thread to request the move~~

[asraa 0]

1. No. It ranges from 8-12 months unfortunately. The "6" months you were reading online is the time the petition is approved, not necessarily when you get your visa.

So 6 months petitioning + 2-3 months transfer to nvc+ 1-3 months interview and visa retrieval.

2. Obamacare is for USA residents ONLY. And yes, she has to be a legal resident to qualify.

3. The process for her visit visa is pretty much 8-12 months too so theres no point.

4. You cannot expedite the application because she is pregnant.

5. Better option is to wait until she gives birth and apply for her and your baby. If you apply now and don't make it by the time the baby comes, you really cant change your application from 1 person to 2 people. Therefore, you cant bring your baby to the states.

6. Or.. If she can come in the USA without a visa, depending on her passport, she should come around due date and your baby with will be an automatic citizen. As for medical bills, you can apply for her after shes legal and they'll pay any medical fees you had in the past.

[JRF 117]

1. No. It ranges from 8-12 months unfortunately. The "6" months you were reading online is the time the petition is approved, not necessarily when you get your visa.

So 6 months petitioning + 2-3 months transfer to nvc+ 1-3 months interview and visa retrieval.

2. Obamacare is for USA residents ONLY. And yes, she has to be a legal resident to qualify.

3. The process for her visit visa is pretty much 8-12 months too so theres no point.

4. You cannot expedite the application because she is pregnant.

5. Better option is to wait until she gives birth and apply for her and your baby. If you apply now and don't make it by the time the baby comes, you really cant change your application from 1 person to 2 people. Therefore, you cant bring your baby to the states.

6. Or.. If she can come in the USA without a visa, depending on her passport, she should come around due date and your baby with will be an automatic citizen. As for medical bills, you can apply for her after shes legal and they'll pay any medical fees you had in the past.

I assume you are suggesting she use the VWP. Traveling late in a pregnancy is dangerous, and flying to the US simply to have the baby on American soil to seems a bit sketchy to me.

Most importantly, are you sure about the comment "...and they'll pay any medical fees you had in the past"? I've worked in the insurance business for almost 30 years (Personal Lines, not health, but still) and have never heard of a consumer insurance policy that provides coverage before the policy term. <I am almost certain that in order for her to be covered on her husband's policy, she needs to be a resident of the US. Her presence here as a tourist won't allow her to be covered>. Maybe you can show me I am wrong. OP, if you get this far, do a lot of homework.

I also have experience with children (fourth on the way) and it's expensive. What you are suggesting could potentially be financially ruinous.

Edited January 24, 2016 by JRF

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

5. Better option is to wait until she gives birth and apply for her and your baby. If you apply now and don't make it by the time the baby comes, you really cant change your application from 1 person to 2 people. Therefore, you cant bring your baby to the states.

You are aware that the baby would be eligible for citizenship, even if born abroad, and therefore ineligible for an I-130, right?

[asraa 0]

I assume you are suggesting she use the VWP. Traveling late in a pregnancy is dangerous, and flying to the US simply to have the baby on American soil to seems a bit sketchy to me.

Most importantly, are you sure about the comment "...and they'll pay any medical fees you had in the past"? I've worked in the insurance business for almost 30 years (Personal Lines, not health, but still) and have never heard of a consumer insurance policy that provides coverage before the policy term. <I am almost certain that in order for her to be covered on her husband's policy, she needs to be a resident of the US. Her presence here as a tourist won't allow her to be covered>. Maybe you can show me I am wrong. OP, if you get this far, do a lot of homework.

I also have experience with children (fourth on the way) and it's expensive. What you are suggesting could potentially be financially ruinous.

I'm talking about government medical care. Available in all states to low-income families. I work with them.

Why is it sketchy? You ARE American and that IS your child..your baby has full rights to be born here.

If born in the UK, contact the local US Embassy to schedule an appt and have the birth certificate ready. Your baby can get Nationality under your name. That leaves you with petitioning only your wife.

[asraa 0]

On another note, travelling late in pregnancy is not dangerous at all if the mother is at no risk of (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc)

I travelled to Australia from the states at 36 weeks and came home at 38 weeks. I just had a written doctors approval that I gave the flight attendant. My baby loved it and was kicking her way the whole flight home.

[caliliving 606]

The timeline for a IR1 should be about a year. If you get it sooner, that should be an added bonus. I would rush and try to apply for it in Feb, but I wouldn't expect your wife to get it before then. This is immigration and you are dealing with the government lol nothing goes as planned and it is a waiting game.

Say you get everything off Feb 1 and you dont get any RFE (which last time, it seemed as though you got a few of those). Then you can expect next Feb 1 to get her visa to come here.

1-come to the US before her and find a job and a place to live and try to set up your life.

2-get the visa and wait until you can both come here (i think she a few months after she gets it to come here)

Another thing, as you are married for 4+ years, do you still have to do an interview? maybe that could speed it up?

Regardless, i would not expect to have a Visa for your wife in your hand before Feb 1 2017.

Luckily, i am not a 'planner' type person in my life:/ bc this immigration thing will be your nemesis.

[jjbandero 39]

I'll let the more experienced members comment on your immigration matters, I'll share some thoughts on the pregnancy.

- For travel later during pregnancy, you definitely should get a doctor's note clearing your wife to travel, I was told some airlines have concerns if you were past 32 weeks, others are not as strict, so if you do travel, you should find out the policy for the particular airline you will use

- you should have a back up plan in case your wife cannot come to the US on time, in my case, I unexpectedly had to be induced, it was both complicated (even though we pre-registered at the hospital) and stressful, make sure she is well-supported if it happens

- Check out the hospital in the US, while you can get great insurance, you may have a choice of hospitals and they are not equal, getting the best service for the lowest cost (in-network hospitals and doctors) will make things easier, especially considering the big move you're making

- Find out the paternity leave policies at your new employer, you will want to take some time off to be with your family

Best

[JFH 12,190]

It is likely that the OP's wife will have her visa in hand before the summer if they go down the DCF route in London. This is currently taking around 4 or 5 months, not the 12 months that the rest of us have to endure.

I certainly wouldn't travel late in a pregnancy. However, I have never had a pregnancy go further than 19 weeks so I would naturally be more cautious. My nephew was born at 25 weeks 2 days. It's a very precious gift. Take no risks. British Airways, for example, will not let you fly beyond 36 weeks for a single pregnancy or 32 weeks for a multiple.

[awaywego 28]

As I think is clear by now, DCF would be faster than filing with the lockbox. I don't know the time London is taking, but you could check in the DCF forum or in the VJ stats (data only as good as that entered).

A couple links for you:

One of the London DCF alumnae maintains a VJ wiki page on their process.

A previous poster mentioned that you will need to address domicile if you live abroad when filing the I-864 (not sent with I-130). London discusses how they approach this in their FAQ pages.

[mallafri76 1,012]

Another thing, as you are married for 4+ years, do you still have to do an interview? maybe that could speed it up?

Yes, everyone applying for a CR/IR-1 visa has an interview regardless of how long they've been married.

OP, check out the UK forum for DCF in London. If you want your wife to be in the US by the timeframe you gave, DCF is your best option. Average waiting time for a regularly filed CR/IR-1 is around a year, some are done faster and some, like ours, takes longer.

[awsome ali 0]

well..

congrats you guys going to become mom and dad..

you really need to understand that dont mix your baby birth with moving to US

the procese is estimated to be 5-6 months ,,every case is differnt Every case

what you do is apply for it and get into the processes ,,,

immigration things are tiersomes and frustrating,,, it might give both of you stress,,when she is in her late months,,,

I suggest to get into the proceses but dont expect that you going to have your baby and everything will happen within the time frame,,,

DSF can help in your plan,,,

which you all the luck