I-130 Approved! Is there a Time limit to complete the rest of the process??

[Charles & Ai 0]

This sounds like a weird question but our I-130 was approved and that is great news but long story short - my father just died and things at my home are a mess as I still live at home. It seems as if I turned in all paperwork we could have our Visa in just 4 more months maybe but I would like to delay this some (I know this is weird) as I would like to purchase a house before my wife comes back with our baby.

I know after the visa is granted, we have up to 6 months to enter the United States or the Visa becomes invalid. With this same thinking, I am not sure when I will purchase a house, but it will be sometime before October I believe. Is there a time limit that I must complete the I-130 process in? If not, I would like to delay each step a month or so (the I-864 I would like to delay 3 months before turning in). If we were to get our visa in April or March then my wife would just be stuck in Japan waiting for me to get things ready for her here in the States and I am not sure if I could get all things ready in just 6 months.

[YuAndDan 153]

You can delay on the I-864 response, and then delay again when answering the DS-230 with required foreign docs (NVC Packet 3) visa fee bill. NVC should hold the case up to a year until your respond to these steps.

Your best option is to contact NVC and ask about how long do you have to reply to the NVC processing steps.

[geezer 1]

This sounds like a weird question but our I-130 was approved and that is great news but long story short - my father just died and things at my home are a mess as I still live at home. It seems as if I turned in all paperwork we could have our Visa in just 4 more months maybe but I would like to delay this some (I know this is weird) as I would like to purchase a house before my wife comes back with our baby.

I know after the visa is granted, we have up to 6 months to enter the United States or the Visa becomes invalid. With this same thinking, I am not sure when I will purchase a house, but it will be sometime before October I believe. Is there a time limit that I must complete the I-130 process in? If not, I would like to delay each step a month or so (the I-864 I would like to delay 3 months before turning in). If we were to get our visa in April or March then my wife would just be stuck in Japan waiting for me to get things ready for her here in the States and I am not sure if I could get all things ready in just 6 months.

Yes, just delay sending in the paperwork each step along the way a few months and keep a eye on the processing times for when you want to complete the process. Its really not that wierd a question. I rushed through the process after we married in 2005, but the little wifey was not ready to come here so I basically ended up wasting two grand. I ended up going there every 4 months for 8 or 10 weeks which isnt so bad...

[YuAndDan 153]

One benefit of delaying is that when the visa eventually is used to enter the USA more than likely it will be after 2 years of marriage, this will get you a 10 year un-conditional green-card.

When was marriage?? It is not in your timeline.

[jm&mcs 2]

If you contact NVC, you have one year from the contact. If you need more time, all you have to do is contact them again. NVC will keep everything "active" for a year as long as you keep in contact with them.

In my case, I called in May about my stepdaughter. The supervisor said I am good until May 2009. If I happen to call now, then it is extended to December 2009.