Petition for mother-in-law

[beagle 13]

I'm an american citizen with a colombian wife. I successfully went though the whole immigration process to bring my wife to the US. We are now thinking about bringing her mother to this country too. When I petitioned for my wife I had to show to the immigration service that I own a certain amount of assets. 

My question is the following: may I use the same assets that I used for my wife to bring my mother-in-law to this country? Or the immigration service will ask me to show a different set of assets (which I don't have)?

Please help.

Thank you.

[cd37 229]

11 minutes ago, beagle said:

I'm an american citizen with a colombian wife. I successfully went though the whole immigration process to bring my wife to the US. We are now thinking about bringing her mother to this country too. When I petitioned for my wife I had to show to the immigration service that I own a certain amount of assets. 

My question is the following: may I use the same assets that I used for my wife to bring my mother-in-law to this country? Or the immigration service will ask me to show a different set of assets (which I don't have)?

Please help.

Thank you.

You cant petition your monther in law, your wife can and she needs to be a US citizen in order to do that. Just saying this bcoz you didnt mention if your wife is US citizen.

Edited May 4, 2018 by cd37

[beagle 13]

2 minutes ago, cd37 said:

You cant petition your monther in law, your wife can and she needs to be a US citizen in order to do that. Just saying this bcoz you disnt mention if your wife is US citizen or not.

My wife is a US resident, she recently got her green card. 

But even if my wife (when she becomes a citizen) petitions for her mom, can the same assets that were used to bring my wife to this country be used to bring her mom too?

My wife doesn't have any assets of her own. The only assets that we jointly have are the ones that I used to bring my wife to the US, which at that time were barely enough to bring her here, and since then they haven't increased one bit. 

[JFH 12,191]

Well first your wife needs to be a USC so that's three years away. Between now and then your financial situation may improve anyway. You mention "assets". Income is counted too. Does your wife not have an income? If what you have was barely enough to bring your wife then it won't be enough for the sponsorship of her mother. But, as said, that's three years or more away and a lot can change. 

[beagle 13]

Just now, JFH said:

Well first your wife needs to be a USC so that's three years away. Between now and then your financial situation may improve anyway. You mention "assets". Income is counted too. Does your wife not have an income? If what you have was barely enough to bring your wife then it won't be enough for the sponsorship of her mother. But, as said, that's three years or more away and a lot can change. 

Can my wife petition for her mom as a permanent resident (she recently got her green card)?

My wife currently doesn't work (actually she's going to school). She's planning to get a job as soon as she graduates (about two years from now).

Yes when we went to the interview the immigration agent told us that we barely made it with my assets (income and savings).

So we basically need my wife to become a citizen and get a job, otherwise the petition won't go through.

We are also planning to have a child in the near future (certainly before three years). In that case would we need to show even more assets to bring her mom to the US?

 

[Mollie09 1,543]

Just now, beagle said:

Can my wife petition for her mom as a permanent resident (she recently got her green card)?

My wife currently doesn't work (actually she's going to school). She's planning to get a job as soon as she graduates (about two years from now).

Yes when we went to the interview the immigration agent told us that we barely made it with my assets (income and savings).

So we basically need my wife to become a citizen and get a job, otherwise the petition won't go through.

We are also planning to have a child in the near future (certainly before three years). In that case would we need to show even more assets to bring her mom to the US?

 

 No, your wife can't petition her mother as an LPR. She needs citizenship.

Sponsorship for immigration is determined by your number of dependents - so yes, a child will mean you need more assets.

[beagle 13]

ok perfect.

thanks for all the information people.

my wife will be disappointed to hear this, but it is what it is

thanks again

[JFH 12,191]

I don't know why she'd be disappointed. Most adults move away from their parents and cope just fine without living with them. I just don't see why people feel the need to move their parents here. 

 

But this is something to consider. If you barely made it through the AOS based on your income, then you must be earning somewhere around $20,500 a year. That's the requirement for a household of 2 (you didn't say whether you had any other children so I'll assume not). And now you want to have a child too? And your wife is not planning on going to work for 2 years? If you do bring her mother then you will be a household of 4 (3 plus the immigrant) so will need (currently) just over $30,000 a year. 

 

I wouldn't get too involved with the financials just yet anyway. There's every chance this category could be removed in the next round of immigration reform because the current administration has made no secret of their desire to reduce or stop chain migration. 

[beagle 13]

23 minutes ago, JFH said:

I don't know why she'd be disappointed. Most adults move away from their parents and cope just fine without living with them. I just don't see why people feel the need to move their parents here. 

 

But this is something to consider. If you barely made it through the AOS based on your income, then you must be earning somewhere around $20,500 a year. That's the requirement for a household of 2 (you didn't say whether you had any other children so I'll assume not). And now you want to have a child too? And your wife is not planning on going to work for 2 years? If you do bring her mother then you will be a household of 4 (3 plus the immigrant) so will need (currently) just over $30,000 a year. 

 

I wouldn't get too involved with the financials just yet anyway. There's every chance this category could be removed in the next round of immigration reform because the current administration has made no secret of their desire to reduce or stop chain migration. 

She will be disappointed because she wishes to live close to her mom. She doesn't have any family in the US, so I understand her desire to bring her mom here.

After her mom we won't be bringing anybody else in the country, so we won't start any chain immigration. In our plans her mom will also help us raise our future child, as both my wife and I will be busy with work. I also get along very well with my mother-in-law, so I support my wife idea 100%. It just won't happen any time soon, as she was hoping, but it can work in the future. 

[geowrian 22,338]

Another concern with sponsoring a parent is if they are not in working age or don't have a reliable working history, the CO will likely want to see how healthcare costs will be covered since she won't qualify for most public aid for at least 5 years. Healthcare / insurance is very expensive, especially if not obtained via your employer or subsidized on the market (and most plans don't cover a parent as a beneficiary).

[bad4tatt 168]

Just now, beagle said:

She will be disappointed because she wishes to live close to her mom. She doesn't have any family in the US, so I understand her desire to bring her mom here.

After her mom we won't be bringing anybody else in the country, so we won't start any chain immigration. In our plans her mom will also help us raise our future child, as both my wife and I will be busy with work. I also get along very well with my mother-in-law, so I support my wife idea 100%. It just won't happen any time soon, as she was hoping, but it can work in the future. 

Chain migration is what you are trying to do just an FYI. 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

12 minutes ago, beagle said:

She will be disappointed because she wishes to live close to her mom. She doesn't have any family in the US, so I understand her desire to bring her mom here.

After her mom we won't be bringing anybody else in the country, so we won't start any chain immigration. In our plans her mom will also help us raise our future child, as both my wife and I will be busy with work. I also get along very well with my mother-in-law, so I support my wife idea 100%. It just won't happen any time soon, as she was hoping, but it can work in the future. 

Just wanted to point out that yes, technically that is exactly what you’re planning on - if your wife is the first migrant, your mother in law the second link in the chain - and if she in due course sponsors other children of hers those are further links, but just your mom in law is indeed considered chain migration already.

 

Irrespective of the number of links in your particular “chain”, if the law changes it will be according to category not according to how many people end up coming in because you sponsored your wife. So if parents of citizens get chopped as a category - that will completely close off that avenue.  Hopefully your wife will be ok with that if that is the situation by the time she naturalizes.

 

(i know there’s nothing quite like hindsight, and nothing to be done about it now, but if having your mom in law around to be close and to look after kids is important, it’s kind of strange that you didn’t research this before bringing your wife over?)

[beagle 13]

14 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

Just wanted to point out that yes, technically that is exactly what you’re planning on - if your wife is the first migrant, your mother in law the second link in the chain - and if she in due course sponsors other children of hers those are further links, but just your mom in law is indeed considered chain migration already.

 

Irrespective of the number of links in your particular “chain”, if the law changes it will be according to category not according to how many people end up coming in because you sponsored your wife. So if parents of citizens get chopped as a category - that will completely close off that avenue.  Hopefully your wife will be ok with that if that is the situation by the time she naturalizes.

 

(i know there’s nothing quite like hindsight, and nothing to be done about it now, but if having your mom in law around to be close and to look after kids is important, it’s kind of strange that you didn’t research this before bringing your wife over?)

My mother-in-law has only two children, my wife and her sister who already lives in the US. 

So the chain will end with my mother-in-law.

Bringing my mother-in-law in the country wasn't a topic of discussion when my wife and I got married five years ago. At first we considered my parents to help us raise our future child, but as of lately their health has gone down south, while my mother-in-law is still fairly young and strong as a horse, so she would be more suitable to help us with the child. 

Edited May 4, 2018 by beagle

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

2 minutes ago, beagle said:

My mother-in-law has only two children, my wife and her sister who already lives in the US. 

So the chain will end with my mother-in-law.

Doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a chain!

is the other daughter a citizen yet? If so she can sponsor her.... 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

7 minutes ago, beagle said:

Nannys are expensive and unreliable.

Grandmothers are loving and inexpensive.

Not when you’re responsible for their healthcare costs in the US system.... doesn’t sound like your mom in law plans to work = no social security contribution = no social security or Medicare benefits ...getting old is an expensive business in the US when the healthcare is all privately funded 

Edited May 4, 2018 by SusieQQQ