On H1 - filing GC - getting married

[GC_subsc]

Hello everyone,
Can you please advise what the order of events should be. I am a current H1b holder, and my company has decided to sponsor my Green Card, but we haven't really moved forward on that front.
My 3 year period expires next year, and I am also getting married next year. I was wondering if anyone had advice on what I should do wt regard to the GC -
1) Get married and file jointly with my spouse?
2) File jointly now with my fiance (who is in India at this point)?
3) What time frames am I looking at under each option?

Thank you very much.
Nayantara

[ari4u]

Originally Posted by GC_subsc

Hello everyone,
Can you please advise what the order of events should be. I am a current H1b holder, and my company has decided to sponsor my Green Card, but we haven't really moved forward on that front.
My 3 year period expires next year, and I am also getting married next year. I was wondering if anyone had advice on what I should do wt regard to the GC -
1) Get married and file jointly with my spouse?
2) File jointly now with my fiance (who is in India at this point)?
3) What time frames am I looking at under each option?

Thank you very much.
Nayantara

Hi. This forum is mainly for people who have applied for family based green cards . For employment based green cards, you may want to ask here. http://www.immigrationportal.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190
http://www.immigrationportal.com/forumdisplay.php?f=191

[GC_subsc]

Dear Ari4u:

Thanks so much for pointing me to the right place. I am so new to all this and there are so many forums going on wt so many different topics - i almost feel lost! My case is an employment based GC but my fiance's case I assumed would be family based - so i thought would post here for the do's and dont's as far as my application goes in light of filing for my fiance as well.

By the way, the timeframe for your H1 - GC seems superfast just looking at the dates - except i still am not yet familiar with any of those abbreviations u used. Would you mind expanding on those please so i know for future reference?

Thanks for your prompt help again and wish you the best for your GC, which seems like its round the corner.
Nayantara

[ari4u]

Originally Posted by GC_subsc

Dear Ari4u:

Thanks so much for pointing me to the right place. I am so new to all this and there are so many forums going on wt so many different topics - i almost feel lost! My case is an employment based GC but my fiance's case I assumed would be family based - so i thought would post here for the do's and dont's as far as my application goes in light of filing for my fiance as well.

By the way, the timeframe for your H1 - GC seems superfast just looking at the dates - except i still am not yet familiar with any of those abbreviations u used. Would you mind expanding on those please so i know for future reference?

Thanks for your prompt help again and wish you the best for your GC, which seems like its round the corner.
Nayantara

Like i said, this forum is for people who are applying for family based green cards. People who are eligible for family based green cards are spouses, parents, children, brothers/sister of US citizens, and spouses, children of permanent residents. Family based green cards have a different process and timeline compared to employment based green cards.

As for the abbreviations in my signature,
RD: Receipt date. The date USCIS received the application
ND: Notice Date: The date the application was entered in their system.
FP: Fingerprinting date.

You may want to check here for more information.
http://uscis.gov/graphics/faqsgen.htm#greencard

and Good Luck!

[e17345]

I was in the absolute the same situation. However, I chose a family based route - I did nto want to depend on my company anymore.

Plus, the upside of going through your spouse is that you can get citizenship in 3 years and not 5...

Plus, I think it is the safer route to follow. Marriage based applicaitons are definite (if you, of course, married for love and not for citizenship). So it was a no brainer to me.

Yes, it might more money that you would have to pay out of your pocket (my co. was willing to pay for the GC process) but it is YOU who is in charge and not your co. that can change their mind any minute...

[amishah]

Originally Posted by e17345

I was in the absolute the same situation. However, I chose a family based route - I did nto want to depend on my company anymore.

Plus, the upside of going through your spouse is that you can get citizenship in 3 years and not 5...

Plus, I think it is the safer route to follow. Marriage based applicaitons are definite (if you, of course, married for love and not for citizenship). So it was a no brainer to me.

Yes, it might more money that you would have to pay out of your pocket (my co. was willing to pay for the GC process) but it is YOU who is in charge and not your co. that can change their mind any minute...

His wife is not a GC Holder or a USC. His wife is a Indian Citizen. So all this doesn't apply to him.

[GC_subsc]

Hi all,
I too am an Indian citizen - here on H1, filing GC and abt to be married. My fiance is in India and also an Indian citizen. Given how hard it is to get a H1 from India (becoz he is not a programmer), I was exploring the option of filing our GCs together - though mine is through my employer.

Since neither of us are US citizens, I guess I am in the wrong forum like Ari4U suggested. I probably need to explore the employment route more thoroughly.

Thanks Ari4u for expanding those abbrevs. Now i know what to look out for.
I am still very new to all this and found this forum for the first time yesterday, so as I read more I hope to learn more from all of you. Thanks for those links too - I am going to read up on them now.

Best to you all.
Nayantara

[ari4u]

Originally Posted by GC_subsc

Hi all,
I too am an Indian citizen - here on H1, filing GC and abt to be married. My fiance is in India and also an Indian citizen. Given how hard it is to get a H1 from India (becoz he is not a programmer), I was exploring the option of filing our GCs together - though mine is through my employer.

Since neither of us are US citizens, I guess I am in the wrong forum like Ari4U suggested. I probably need to explore the employment route more thoroughly.

Thanks Ari4u for expanding those abbrevs. Now i know what to look out for.
I am still very new to all this and found this forum for the first time yesterday, so as I read more I hope to learn more from all of you. Thanks for those links too - I am going to read up on them now.

Best to you all.
Nayantara

There are many options to get your spouse here and since you are on H1B, easist for you is to get your spouse on H4 (Dependent visa) and then add your spouse to your green card application.

Green card through employment is a very long process and pray that the immigration lawyer who represents your company is very competitive.

Good Luck to you.

look here for more info
http://uscis.gov/graphics/faqsgen.htm#employment-based
http://uscis.gov/graphics/faqsgen.htm#iw
http://uscis.gov/graphics/services/r...employment.htm

[GC_subsc]

Hi again,
Unfortunately, I think i have the worst lawyer on the planet. Its taken us since Jan this year to only finalize my job description until now! Thats why I joined the forum to figure out next steps and possible options becoz this lawyer is taking me nowhere and I have to basically do all the work myself to push my case forward.

Whats worse is my employer doesnt want to switch to anyone else becoz of the relationship b/w the 2 organizations!

Thanks for the heads up ari4u - i guess now i know all the more what im up against!

Ari4u and anybody else - what were your experiences like?
Thanks
Nayantara

[ari4u]

Originally Posted by GC_subsc

Hi again,
Unfortunately, I think i have the worst lawyer on the planet. Its taken us since Jan this year to only finalize my job description until now! Thats why I joined the forum to figure out next steps and possible options becoz this lawyer is taking me nowhere and I have to basically do all the work myself to push my case forward.

Whats worse is my employer doesnt want to switch to anyone else becoz of the relationship b/w the 2 organizations!

Thanks for the heads up ari4u - i guess now i know all the more what im up against!

Ari4u and anybody else - what were your experiences like?
Thanks
Nayantara

Sorry to hear about your situation. Hope things work out well for you. Since you are filing for a GC through your employer, I hope you are aware that you cannot change jobs without letting go of your GC application.

Well, i filed the forms myself and did not need a lawyer. As my wife is a USC, i applied for a family based GC. Like i said earlier, the process, requirements, eligibility criteria and timeline for family based GC is different from employment based GC.

Take care and Good Luck.

[GC_subsc]

I am really grateful for all the leads and pointers you have given me and for sharing your research and knowledge of the subject. I didnt get a chance to post anything on the employment-based GC forum yet because I am trying to read up on so many things, but i will do so now.

There are lots of people in the forum that depend on others like you to learn from other peoples mistakes etc.

If all goes smoothly with my case (dont know how long in the future!), I will write back and let you know..
Thanks,
Nayantara

[ari4u]

Originally Posted by GC_subsc

I am really grateful for all the leads and pointers you have given me and for sharing your research and knowledge of the subject. I didnt get a chance to post anything on the employment-based GC forum yet because I am trying to read up on so many things, but i will do so now.

There are lots of people in the forum that depend on others like you to learn from other peoples mistakes etc.

If all goes smoothly with my case (dont know how long in the future!), I will write back and let you know..
Thanks,
Nayantara

Good Luck to you.