Lottery Winner

[Marry American 0]

I am asking for a friend of my husband. He won the lottery and has been in America for two months. His girlfriend lives in Morrocco. He already received the welcome letter and is expecting his green card any day.

How soon before he could bring his girlfriend here?

What would be the easiest way (130 + 864)?

Will he have to go back to Morocco to marry?

Thank you in advance for all of your informative advice!

[doodlebug 3]

Don't you have to be a us citizen to petition for a relative to come here?

[Lance27 19]

nope, I believe LPRs can sponsor their spouses but it takes a heluva lot longer to get then here... I think more on the lines of 5-7 years?

[Boiler 45,579]

A USC can petition a fiancee.

A PR can only petiton a Spouse, and has a long wait. 5 or 6 years.

[Dakine 26]

Don't you have to be a us citizen to petition for a relative to come here?

LPR can petition a spouse or child. Takes over 5 years tho. Usually faster to get USC first and then petition.

LPRs can't petition fiance. You have to be USCs to do so.

[kitkat1 5]

I am asking for a friend of my husband. He won the lottery and has been in America for two months. His girlfriend lives in Morrocco. He already received the welcome letter and is expecting his green card any day.

How soon before he could bring his girlfriend here?

What would be the easiest way (130 + 864)?

Will he have to go back to Morocco to marry?

Thank you in advance for all of your informative advice!

Only US Citizens can petition for a fiance. That's why the form says "You may file this petition if: 1. You are a U.S. citizen and that's why you have to prove that you are a USC.

Legal Permanent Residents can petition for a spouse. Spouses of LPRs are second priority for family based petitions. The current Visa Bulletin shows they are processing petitions for spouses of LPRs filed in October, 2002.

[Nancy2015 2]

Had they married before he won the lottery, they would have been able to immigrate together...

[Marry American 0]

Thanks for your answers.

He plans on going back soon to marry her. Will he be able to apply for her to come after that? I checked the www.uscis.gov website and the spousal petitions are dated January 2007 (at least one anyway). Do you really think it will take 5+ years?

[kitkat1 5]

Thanks for your answers.

He plans on going back soon to marry her. Will he be able to apply for her to come after that? I checked the www.uscis.gov website and the spousal petitions are dated January 2007 (at least one anyway). Do you really think it will take 5+ years?

He's an LPR - therefore no spousal visa is immediately available and the processing times listed on the website do not refer to him.

Check the Visa Bulletin (google: Visa Bulletin)

Currently processing petitions for spouses of LPRs filed in October, 2002.

[Curious_Immigrant 0]

Thanks for your answers.

He plans on going back soon to marry her. Will he be able to apply for her to come after that? I checked the www.uscis.gov website and the spousal petitions are dated January 2007 (at least one anyway). Do you really think it will take 5+ years?

He's an LPR - therefore no spousal visa is immediately available and the processing times listed on the website do not refer to him.

Check the Visa Bulletin (google: Visa Bulletin)

Currently processing petitions for spouses of LPRs filed in October, 2002.

Hi,

Just to give you a realistic time frame. I applied for my spouse back in June of 2004. The USCIS I-130 was just approved back in July so it took exactly 3 years for USCIS to approve the application. Now that the application is approved, I have to wait for a visa number to become available which according to the speed they are currently processing petitions, it might take up to a year from now (At the end of the day, a total of 4 years and couple of months assuming that they process two months worth of petitions every month now onward)

Good luck!