I-130 question 51a work or retired that is the question (merged)

[shaung 4]

I am an American and my wife is Chinese.  She is 56 years old.  She works and collects government retirement.  Question 51a asks to name the current employer.  I say tell them she says report retired to keep things uncomplicated.  Which way is better when consulate looks at the question?

[SalishSea 17,829]

5 minutes ago, shaung said:

I am an American and my wife is Chinese.  She is 56 years old.  She works and collects government retirement.  Question 51a asks to name the current employer.  I say tell them she says report retired to keep things uncomplicated.  Which way is better when consulate looks at the question?

The only correct answer is the truth.

[shaung 4]

Let me rephrase this a little.  Both are true.  There is only one thing we can report.  Do you list her current  employer or do we say she is retired since she officially collects a retirement salary?  Again both are true statements.  We are only concerned with which will fare the best with the consulate.

[shaung 4]

What is the minimum time one can legally say they lived together?  What exactly constitutes living together in the consulates eyes?

[Pengunista 221]

@shaung my husband who is the petitioner works and is retired from Air Force. He put his current work and his past work in the Air Force.

[SalishSea 17,829]

1 hour ago, shaung said:

Let me rephrase this a little.  Both are true.  There is only one thing we can report.  Do you list her current  employer or do we say she is retired since she officially collects a retirement salary?  Again both are true statements.  We are only concerned with which will fare the best with the consulate.

"We are only concerned with which will fare best with the consulate"????    

[aaron2020 11,651]

1 hour ago, shaung said:

Let me rephrase this a little.  Both are true.  There is only one thing we can report.  Do you list her current  employer or do we say she is retired since she officially collects a retirement salary?  Again both are true statements.  We are only concerned with which will fare the best with the consulate.

What's best is the truth.

She works.  She has an employer.  Q51 ask to name her current employer.  By your own words, you used "current employer."  So, put the name of the current employer down as required. 

Lying or omitting facts makes things MUCH MORE complicated and that would not be best with the consulate.

Edited December 12, 2018 by aaron2020

[pushbrk 12,883]

3 hours ago, shaung said:

What is the minimum time one can legally say they lived together?  What exactly constitutes living together in the consulates eyes?

You "live together" when you have authorization to "reside" in the same country and also actually live together.  Unless you on an extended tourist or visitor visa, you are simply "visiting" not "living" together.  

[pushbrk 12,883]

2 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

"We are only concerned with which will fare best with the consulate"????    

You aren't following.  You tell the truth.  She can be both retired and employed.  Enter both. (one as current and the other in the next place for employer information) Enter correct dates.  If you need more room to explain, do it on the last page of the form.

[Ontarkie 14,221]

~~Related threads merged. Please keep all questions to the same thread.~~

[SalishSea 17,829]

1 hour ago, pushbrk said:

You aren't following.  You tell the truth.  She can be both retired and employed.  Enter both. (one as current and the other in the next place for employer information) Enter correct dates.  If you need more room to explain, do it on the last page of the form.

Did you quote me by mistake?  I'm not the OP.

[pushbrk 12,883]

2 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Did you quote me by mistake?  I'm not the OP.

Yes.  I responded to those words, whomever wrote them.

[gregcrs2 1,778]

If she is still working, she is employed.  If she retired from her previous job, then she is collecting pension.  

[shaung 4]

Thanks for most of the responses.  Many of you were helpful.