We aren't ready to relocate yet...

[Gadobot3000 0]

I'm a US Citizen sponsoring my wife and stepson through the process. The NVC has just notified us that our interview with the embassy is being scheduled which is GREAT but....

We aren't ready to go just yet. As I understand it, if my wife / stepson pass the interview, they have six months to go to America and activate their Green Card. My current employer isn't ready for me to relocate until a bit later than that (maybe fall of next year).

Do we have any good options besides trying to go in/out of the US every five months to keep the GC "Fresh" until I can get approved to move? or what if I quit my job and take a new one?

[Ulrica&Jesse 39]

If you were not ready to relocate just yet, you should have postponed their process after they got NOA2..You have about a year for that. But right now, the best decision would be to start preparing for relocation asap, if not, your wife and stepson might face a risk of loosing their GC.

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

When will you know how much time you need?

As mentioned above, this would have been easier to delay before you got NOA2, but you may be able to talk to the embassy... which one are you going through?

[Gadobot3000 0]

I'm not sure - I honestly haven't broached this discussion with my employer in so long we both forgot about it. We also have a new baby which has the missus a bit spooked about moving so soon.

No appt has been scheduled - is it possible to try and slow things down still? and we have six months from passing the interview to relocate, right?

[JFH 12,191]

I'm not sure - I honestly haven't broached this discussion with my employer in so long we both forgot about it. We also have a new baby which has the missus a bit spooked about moving so soon.

No appt has been scheduled - is it possible to try and slow things down still? and we have six months from passing the interview to relocate, right?

She would need a new medical. And depending how long you wait her police clearance may also expire. Which country are we talking about?

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

Yeah you can definitely delay some, ask for an interview far out. Many embassies are fine with that, but it does depend on the country, hence us asking.

Also, a few months should be no problem (other than having to re-do and pay again for the medical), but if it is a year or more, that could be an issue.

[Gadobot3000 0]

thank you both. We are coming from Japan so need some time to work out how the heck we balance new-baby (wife is scared of American childcare options...) / work / school for older kids...

[Gadobot3000 0]

Double thanks for the answers - the police certificate is good for one-year. So we'd have to renew and re-submit that to the NVC or the embassy?

Looking at the data, we are trying to ask the Japan embassy to move the interview to march of next year...

We got our second NVC notification today saying that within 60 days an appt will be scheduled with one-months notice. So I think we are talking between Oct and Nov already... so really we are talking about 4-month delay. That doesn't seem so horrible, right?

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

I would wait till your case is at the embassy, and then you, as the USC, contact the embassy and ask for a March interview.

[Gadobot3000 0]

Thank you everyone who responded. For posterity purposes - I don't think I can "debump this."

 

The process in Japan was surprisingly easy / painless.  While not transparent, we were able to easily reschedule our interview twice from the embassy website. The Visas were approved at the first interview, and we are now stamped up in our passports. Way too much stress for an easy case (married w/ kids).

 

Thanks again!