appleblossom

I'd go as soon as possible then. I moved with teens, it's much harder for them to adjust and the older they get the more reluctant they'll be to give up friends/hobbies/boyfriend/girlfriend. Also, if you move when they're older be prepared that they might want to come back to the UK to work or study. Both of mine are at uni in the UK (at vast expense, as they're now classed as international students!). It's just something else to factor in, again the earlier you move the more likely they are to want to stay in the US long term. Good luck.

If the OP does that, then his spouse can't use the Follow to Join benefit. He'd have to petition him/her instead and it would take much longer.

I'd be gobsmacked if they asked you anything about your marriage. I entered on E11 status, it took 2 minutes and the only thing I was asked was the address I wanted the GC sent to. You've already got the visa, entering the US is purely administrative at that point. But if asked, you just tell them the truth. There's no obligation on you to update your marital status and you've not done anything wrong. It would have been easier for you to married prior to the visa being issued (if I were you, I'd have postponed the interview until after the marriage, so your wife could have become a LPR at the same time) but it's no biggie. There are other visa classes where it would be an issue, but EB1A isn't one of them. Good luck.

How old are the children? Easily done on your own, no need for a lawyer.

Yes, they'll email to tell you you missed your appointment and ask you to reschedule, if you don't respond or do that then they'll email again and eventually cancel your application. I'd go to the interview, get the visa, and then go down the re-entry permit route personally. Far less risky.

OK, so for London you need to wait until the date has passed and then reschedule, follow their instructions - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Supplements/Supplements_by_Post/LND-London.html I think the most you're going to be able to reschedule is a year max, they don't open them up that far ahead and you can normally only reschedule a couple of times. Maybe consider a re-entry permit instead? I assume you're the primary visa beneficiary, not a derivative? And are you a British citizen?

If you wanted to delay it then really you should have done so at the visa application/NVC stage. It's going to be very tricky to reschedule the interview that many times, normally after the second time of doing so you get a warning. What's the reason for waiting another 2 years? Procedure will depend on the consulate, so which one is it? And which visa class?

I’m afraid the wait has lengthened considerably since this thread was started. When were you DQ’ed? It’s now approx a 2 year wait from DQ date. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/iv-wait-times.html I’d have an honest conversation with your employer to set timing expectations and make sure the job will still be there for you. You also might want to enquire about switching your consulate to Madrid. Good luck.

OK, so a couple of months longer, but still pretty quick. Good luck.

As said above, that will depend largely on consulate, but also how quickly you do everything. Once it's been transferred to NVC, you can check processing times here for how long it'll take you to receive the Welcome Letter - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/nvc-timeframes.html Only a week or so. Then it's up to you in terms of paying the fees, completing the DS-260, and submitting documents. Make sure you have them all ready to go if you want to minimise wait time. Once you've done all that, as you can see from the link above it's about 2 weeks for them to review everything and DQ you. Then from that point, it can be between a couple of months to a couple of years (or even more) to get an interview depending on the consulate you're interviewing at. Assuming yours is Helsinki, then it's one of the quickest ones - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/iv-wait-times.html Good luck.

Neither of those help, plenty of people who don't live in the US have those. So think of what you could bring to show you have always considered the US your permanent base, the obvious one would be your home - what evidence can you show of that? 2 trips in 6 months doesn't seem much to me, it's possibly you just got an officer in a bad mood. But definitely bring as much evidence as you can of the US remaining your home and as said above, stay in the US for much longer next time. Good luck.

Are you following the official website guidance? Do make sure you read that super carefully so you don't make any mistakes. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-10-prepare-for-the-interview.html Police certs are valid for 2 years. And your child will need a medical but isn't likely to need to be at the interview (generally only those age 14 or over are). But your IL will tell you exactly who is expected. And as above, PLEASE fill in your timeline to 'pay it forward' and help others. Thanks and good luck.

Congrats!

Yes, I suggested a week ago you contact NVC. Just checking but are they aware you're a dual citizen, you used your Canadian citizenship on the application and gave those passport details? Can you please fill in your timeline? So people can see when you were DQ'ed. It makes it much easier to help you rather than having to search through your posts, and also 'pays it forward' to help others too. Thanks.

A lawyer will often delay the process, simply because it's an extra step that adds time. Example - you get your Welcome Letter once the case reaches NVC. If you receive that directly, you probably log on and start the visa application process the same day, pay the fees immediately, etc. If the lawyer gets the letter, it may take them a few days to let you know it's arrived and forward it on to you, and then again a few days to tell you the payment has cleared and you can start the next step. So that thing that would have taken one week if you did it, potentially takes 2 or 3 weeks. I would just submit your I-130 asap (it's not complex, you could get it submitted this week with the help of VJ on anything you're not sure of), then that starts the clock ticking. Then once that's in, you can start reading up on the rest of the process and understanding the next steps, and start gathering the documents you'll need to avoid any delays at the NVC stage. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition.html Best of luck.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-april-2026.html So hopefully if she gets back now, and establishes her life in the US again, by the time the priority date is current she’ll have enough evidence to definitively prove her place of domicile is the US. And btw, your brother shouldn’t proceed with the NVC process until she is back, and has been back for a while. If he starts that now, chances are the visa will be refused. Good luck, and do let us know what happens when she enters the US.

No, they can't refuse her entry with a valid green card. As said above, she may get in without any issue, or she may be referred for an immigration hearing for a decision on her status. But either way she'll be allowed in to the country, she has a right to a hearing (whatever you do, make sure you tell her NOT to sign a I-407 if the officer suggests she should!). She should take evidence of why she had to be outside the US for so long, and any evidence she can possibly find of any ties to the US - even something as simple as her keeping her bank account open will help. If she doesn't want to lose her LPR status, just get her back on the earliest possible flight, then once she's in the country get her to start building evidence of the US being her permanent home. Good luck.

One other thing to add to the excellent advice above, do keep an eye on the wait for an interview at Montreal. They've caught up on the backlog now, but it's not that long ago that spouses were having to wait well over a year for an interview once DQ'ed. So just check on that occasionally in case it increases again and becomes a factor in your decision on when to push the button and apply for the visa. Good luck.

So she has a decision to make. She either goes back asap and hopes she can keep her LPR status, but commits to living in the US. Or if she doesn't want to live in the US, she forgets the idea, gives up her GC and pulls the petition for her son. Her call, but she'll need to decide quickly.

So why hasn’t she returned already if her mother passed away in 2025? She’s either playing with fire and risking her status, or she’s not bothered about returning to the US - either way that’s not good for your sibling if he wants to try and pursue the F2B. She needs to just get on a plane (URGENTLY) and enter the US. She’ll either be admitted without issue, or she’ll be referred for an immigration hearing. But the longer she leaves it, the more likely the latter is to happen.

That makes it even more odd that the new WH ballroom will be built using foreign steel. Why not pay an American firm for it instead?

Evidence of family sickness isn’t relevant, any expat will have that at some point but most don’t leave their new country for 3 years. No income at all anywhere in that 3 years? Not just no income in the US? When is she planning on moving back? She needs to get back urgently if she has already been out for 3 years and has no evidence at all of ties to the US - it doesn’t look like her move to India was temporary if she didn’t keep a home etc in the US. Has she taken any trips at all to the US during that time? Even short ones will help. If she loses her LPR status then your sibling will have to wait for the F4. So if your family want to still try for the F2B your mother needs to move back to the US as a matter of urgency and hope she’s let in to the US without any issues (then stay there!). Does she have Global Entry? I assume her GC is still valid?

That's Table A on the Visa Bulletin, but Table B is what matters for the NVC process. Hence the letter you've received.

Where is your mother right now, and if she's outside the US, does she intend to try and return anytime soon? Why didn't she file taxes, and what other ties did she keep to the US during that time to show her intention was to return permanently (i.e. a home, a car, etc)?

This forum is invaluable. But as said above, if you can follow basic instructions and have a straightforward case, there’s really no need to use a lawyer. The whole process is set out step by step on the government website and if you follow that and read it all super carefully, I’m sure you’ll be just fine. Have a read of it and see what you think - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition.html Good luck.