F2A for children.

[SYED001 0]

Hi, 

I am a permanent resident and living in USA for several years. I am applying for US citizen ship in November 2018. I have three kids, 12,17 and 18 years old and a spouse. I would like to know, if I should apply for their immigration based on my permanent resident status or should I wait to become US citizen first. If I apply for their immigration now, Can I upgrade their application after becoming US citizen? Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks much. 

[Khallaf 650]

8 minutes ago, SYED001 said:

Hi, 

I am a permanent resident and living in USA for several years. I am applying for US citizen ship in November 2018. I have three kids, 12,17 and 18 years old and a spouse. I would like to know, if I should apply for their immigration based on my permanent resident status or should I wait to become US citizen first. If I apply for their immigration now, Can I upgrade their application after becoming US citizen? Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks much. 

if you apply now as a LPR I have heard once you become a USC you can change and upgrade it after you have gotten the citizenship. 

[Boiler 46,119]

5 years presumably, how did you immigrate to the US?

[Jovic 8]

Yes you can apply as an LPR and upgrade it when you get your citizenship. My wife also apply for me as an LPR while she wait for her citizenship, though the waiting time is really tiring. 

Edited March 7, 2018 by Jovic

[SYED001 0]

My brother sponsored me several years ago. So Is it better to wait for Citizenship. Because I might need to pay for changing the status of my application. 

 

[geowrian 22,338]

The sooner you file, the sooner than will be able to come. That's true for being a USC or LPR or switching between those statuses (unless maybe if one were to naturalize right when the PD becomes current then there might be a delay while the petition is being upgraded).

There is no charge/fee to change the category of a petition.

[SYED001 0]

Thanks Geowrian for reply. If I apply now, how long do you think will it take to get interview on an average. What form should I use to change the category of petition. Thank.s 

 

[geowrian 22,338]

35 minutes ago, SYED001 said:

Thanks Geowrian for reply. If I apply now, how long do you think will it take to get interview on an average. What form should I use to change the category of petition. Thank.s

The I-130 is taking anywhere from 6-12 months right now, depending mostly on case details and service center.

 

If you remain an LPR, the PD won't be current for about 18-24 months from I-130 filing. So even if the I-130 is approved sooner, it would just sit waiting for the PD to become current. If you become a USC, you can upgrade each petition to IR-2...I'm not too familiar with how long that piece takes, but I would guess a few weeks to a couple months tops.

 

A big question in the mix is how long it takes to naturalize. Assuming your naturalization takes ~8 months from N-400 filing to oath ceremony (rough estimate!), that means the PD would become current around July 2019. Then add about a month to upgrade the petition. Then add like 5-6 months for NVC + embassy processing. So a very rough estimate based on current timelines (which change fairly often) would be early 2020.

For reference, if you remained an LPR, the PD (if you filed today) would likely not be current until early 2020 anyway...then add the 5-6 months for NVC + embassy processing.

 

There's no form to upgrade the petition (weird with immigration, right?!). Just call NVC and tell them, and they will require sending proof of your US citizenship (i.e.a copy of the naturalization certificate, or US passport).

[Boiler 46,119]

1 hour ago, SYED001 said:

My brother sponsored me several years ago. So Is it better to wait for Citizenship. Because I might need to pay for changing the status of my application. 

 

I assume there was a reason your spouse and children did not come to but you can sponsor them anytime after you had your GC, as others have said quicker when you are a USC but you can upgrade when that happens.

[SYED001 0]

Thanks Geowrian for detailed reply. So what would you do if you would be in my situation ?

 

 

[geowrian 22,338]

File the I-130s for each of them. If you naturalize, upgrade them. If you don't, you already waited the bulk of the time anyway so it's just ~6 months or so longer to wait. There's no advantage in waiting right now.

[SYED001 0]

Thanks a lot. I really appreciate your prompt response. 

[NikLR 13,232]

Is your spouse a USC?

[SYED001 0]

Hi, 

I am a US permanent resident and filing I-130 for my children. I cant find out my mother birth certificate and her date of birth. What should i mention in I-130 form for it. Can I put approximate date. I know my father date of birth. 

 

Thanks. 

[Ryan H 3,834]

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