Work or Family based Green Card

[dirty_valera 0]

I really need help on this one because it's the biggest decision in my life

A little background: I am Russian citizen (not in US), recently received a job offer from US based company, but wasn't selected in H1B lottery. The company has an office in UK and I will be moving there.

I have an option of getting GC through work, however I don't have enough information about timelines. For this option, my steps would be: apply for H1B/L1B next year, right after transfer to US employer will file AOS to get GC. This is the part where I'm confused. I'm eligible for EB3 as a professional worker (I have only Bachelors, no Masters or previous work experience), but I have no idea how long the processing time is and I heard that for EB3, the whole process usually takes unbelievably long, around 5-10 years. Is it true? If not, what are actual processing times for applications in the same category?

The second option is marrying a US citizen (it's not a fraud marriage, everything is bona fide), however I would prefer not to rush things up. I would like to go the first option for obvious reasons, however if waiting time is actually this inadequately long, I would have to consider the second option.

Thank you!

[kris&me 572]

The employer should apply for your work visa and green card

the expense of the visa (usually done by immigration attorney) is rather high

[dirty_valera 0]

The employer should apply for your work visa and green card

the expense of the visa (usually done by immigration attorney) is rather high

I know that, please re-read the question. I need to know estimates for eb3 processing

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

L1 visa is dual intent and gives you a lot of freedom. You can file for AOS based on marriage from your L1 if it seems like a good time or whatever, even if you had already applied through work. I would take the L1 to the US and take it from there. See how life goes.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Harpa Timsah

[Boiler 45,525]

I like moving on a work visa, Company pays.

[dirty_valera 0]

Can anyone give me an estimated processing time to get a GC for EB3 ROW? This is my main concern. Marriage based GC (not conditional) takes around 4 years to get (including processing time for CR-1 and removal of conditions). What about work based? Time frames are my main concern

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

If you would read my post you would see that you can avoid CR-1. But your understanding of your paths are too rigid so you are missing the plot.

[Boiler 45,525]

EB 1 and 2 are quicker than 3.

[dirty_valera 0]

If you would read my post you would see that you can avoid CR-1. But your understanding of your paths are too rigid so you are missing the plot.

I understand that I can use L1 instead of CR-1 and marry later, but the question is still the same, is getting married the only realistic way to get a GC? Is it true that I'd have to wait 10 years to get GC through work?

[dirty_valera 0]

EB 1 and 2 are quicker than 3.

I know, but I'm eligible for eb3 only. What would be a processing time in my case? Does it mean that marriage based GC is way faster than work based?

[HollywoodNorth 22]

EB-3 category for Russian .. priority dates seem to be almost current.. they are currently running Feb 2016 EB3 applications.

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/bulletin/2016/visa-bulletin-for-june-2016.html

It's been stuck there for 3 months, before that it was Jan 2016.. assuming you get to the NVC stage in a timely matter, you are looking at [n] months x 3 if things remaining advancing at the current rate and that there is no regression. I'm not sure how long it takes to get from the filing stage to that final stage, but the NVC stage would seem to indicate roughly 9 months after USCIS approval.

Fortunately you are not in a oversubscribed country [india, china, etc] so you'll be a bit faster processing. So take whatever steps to initialize your EB-3 process and then add 9 months?

I found a few numbers online but they were mostly Indian applicants who have a much longer wait than everyone else.