Step-children

faysal

Registered Users (C)
Hello forum members,
I have a question regarding my step-children. My wife and step-children are approved for I-130. I am wondering if my step-children can first come without their mother. Any experience please chime in...
 
How long have you been married to their mother? Did you file a separate I-130 for each of the children, or are they derivatives to the I-130 filed for your wife?
 
Thank Jack...Everything is fine. I have filed separate petition for each child. It has been approved. My stepchildren are 18 and 17. My biological children are 3 and 4. So I wanted to bring the stepchildren first, and then the mother and my biological later. All of them have their petitions approved. So my question is can the stepchildren immigrate without the natural mother. The reason i ask this because I saw somewhere that the stepchildren must come with their natural parents....Any experience of stepchildren issued visa while the natural parents out side of the us? Thanks in advace for your responses
 
Thank Jack...Everything is fine. I have filed separate petition for each child. It has been approved. My stepchildren are 18 and 17. My biological children are 3 and 4. So I wanted to bring the stepchildren first, and then the mother and my biological later. All of them have their petitions approved. So my question is can the stepchildren immigrate without the natural mother. The reason i ask this because I saw somewhere that the stepchildren must come with their natural parents....Any experience of stepchildren issued visa while the natural parents out side of the us? Thanks in advace for your responses

How old were the stepchildren when you married their mom and how long have you been married? This may make a difference on their greencard category. CR vs IR (assuming you are a USC) or the LPR petitioner's preference category version for conditional status may apply. I was guessing you are a USC since you file separate I-130's.

Just curious of why you want to stagger their arrivals....is it school related for the older kids or just too darn expensive to move them all at once? This could be of use to somebody in a similar situation (moving a big family overseas).
 
How old were the stepchildren when you married their mom and how long have you been married? This may make a difference on their greencard category. CR vs IR (assuming you are a USC) or the LPR petitioner's preference category version for conditional status may apply. I was guessing you are a USC since you file separate I-130's.

Just curious of why you want to stagger their arrivals....is it school related for the older kids or just too darn expensive to move them all at once? This could be of use to somebody in a similar situation (moving a big family overseas).

Thank big joe....Everything is clear. My stepchildren's visa petition is approved by the uscis processed by NVC and have an appointment in July 30. There is no issue at all with the marriage time I got married before thier 16 th birth day.

The reason I want to stagger is because of school, cost and work. I want my stepchildren first to come. They are 18, 17, 15 and 14. Particularly, I want the 18 and 17 to come first because they can go to college and work right away. I want my bioligical children to stay little longer. They aretoo young to come here. Thanks

My confusion is; some time ago i read somewhere the stepchildren with I130 approved must accompanied by their bioligical father/mother when they are admitted. The stepchildren can not immigrate without them. This is where I need an answer...thanks
 
Even if none of biological parents immigrates to the US at all, even if none of biological parents have I-130 submitted on his or her behalf, step children could enter US on immigrant visas on a petition by a step-parent.
 
Even if none of biological parents immigrates to the US at all, even if none of biological parents have I-130 submitted on his or her behalf, step children could enter US on immigrant visas on a petition by a step-parent.

Right on Raevsky. That is exactly what I was looking for. Is your answer based on gut feeling or you have actual experience...th anks
 
Thank big joe....Everything is clear. My stepchildren's visa petition is approved by the uscis processed by NVC and have an appointment in July 30. There is no issue at all with the marriage time I got married before thier 16 th birth day.

The reason I want to stagger is because of school, cost and work. I want my stepchildren first to come. They are 18, 17, 15 and 14. Particularly, I want the 18 and 17 to come first because they can go to college and work right away. I want my bioligical children to stay little longer. They aretoo young to come here. Thanks

My confusion is; some time ago i read somewhere the stepchildren with I130 approved must accompanied by their bioligical father/mother when they are admitted. The stepchildren can not immigrate without them. This is where I need an answer...thanks


I think you are confusing the I-129F fiancee and his/her kids (they are linked as you describe). [The I-129F also has the almost obsolete function of allowing K3/K-4 spouse and children of a USC w/approved I-130s to enter as nonimmigrants and therein lies confusion.]
 
Even if none of biological parents immigrates to the US at all, even if none of biological parents have I-130 submitted on his or her behalf, step children could enter US on immigrant visas on a petition by a step-parent.

That is not always true. If the marriage is for less than 2 years, the stepchildren's eligibility is dependent on their biological parent's immigration status, and they cannot immigrate independently of the parent.

That's why BigJoe and I were asking about how long the marriage has lasted, which the OP still has not clearly answered ( I see a mention of getting married before "their" 16th birthday but it's not clear exactly whose birthday).
 
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How long have you been married to their mother? Did you file a separate I-130 for each of the children, or are they derivatives to the I-130 filed for your wife?

Guys thanks alot. It is a bit confusing: here are the details.
we married in March 2008 which makes it little bit over 4 years now
my oldest stepdaughter was 14 years
I did the I 130 route. All of them approved. No difference my bioligical children and stepchildren in terms of forms filed

My wife's visa preference category is IR1-spouse of a US citizen
My stepdaughter visa preference category is IR2-Child of a US citizen
my bioligical child visa preference category is IR2-Child of a US citizen

That is the detail. So my question is does my stepdaughter who is IR2 need her mother to accompany her or she can get her own visa indepedent of her mother. Becuase of the cost of everything, I wanted to first bring the stepchildren....by the way my family has its interview on July 30. I will update you guys how it goes...thanks
 
Generally, when the Immigrant Visas are issued, the relative has 6 months to enter the U.S. If that time period is too short, then your relatives need to discuss the matter with the Consular Officer at time of interview in order to work out the logistics of the visa issuance procedures and timing.
 
If the marriage is for less than 2 years, the stepchildren's eligibility is dependent on their biological parent's immigration status, and they cannot immigrate independently of the parent.
That is not true in terms of admission - admission is OK without biological parent.
That is not always true also in terms of condition removal. To clarify further, it is true in the following case:

you must be satisfied that the conditional residence status was not obtained through fraud and that the petition’s approval would not further a fraud scheme
Otherwise it is not true.

Adjudicator's field manual:

(5) Inability of Child to Be Included in Joint Petition .



As a matter of administrative convenience, the regulations allow a conditional resident child who is unable to be included in his/her parents’ joint petition to file an separate Form I-751 . (This could also be thought of as a hardship issue since otherwise the child would be separated from his or her parent, but the child filing such petition need not document extreme hardship.) Circumstances under which this situation might arise include:



· A child whose conditional resident parent has died;



· A child who entered the U.S. more than 90 days after his conditional resident parent and therefore does not have sufficient residence in the U.S. to qualify for removal of conditions on the joint petition (but verify that the parent and step-parent’s joint petition has been granted before approving the child’s petition); and



· Any other circumstances whereby in the determination of the director, the child is prevented from being included in the joint petition of his or her parent and step-parent through no fault of the child or his or her parents.


In adjudicating the separate petition of a child, you must be satisfied that the conditional residence status was not obtained through fraud and that the petition’s approval would not further a fraud scheme. For example, you would not approve a separate petition filed by a child which would enable an otherwise ineligible parent (who obtained conditional status through a questionable marriage) to make a stronger case for an extreme hardship waiver.
I specifically marked in bold the reason why I-751 for such child could be filed for that child alone. If parent is not filing I-751 because she is not an LPR, child does that alone through no fault clause.
 
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OP does not have to worry about any I-751 or conditional status for his spouse or stepchildren but the discussion is worthwhile for others viewing this thread.

OP = Original Poster
 
the OP still has not clearly answered
That was pretty much clear even without further clarification.
OP does not have to worry about any I-751 or conditional status for his spouse or stepchildren .
The results of clarification clearly show that. However, even if the clarification were very much different, the results would be the same provided marriage is genuine
but the discussion is worthwhile for others viewing this thread
Absolutely
 
I wish your statement was correct. My family had their interview, and as it turned out my research was right. Once their processing was complete, my children were told they could not travel without their mother. Their visas are on hold now as I write. The conclusion is step-parents can petition for their step-children but the bioligical parent must either be in the states or must accompany them. Raesky you were very wrong, but I didn't lose anything on your advice.
 
I disagree with what the consular officer said. I encourage you to speak with someone at the State Department about it.

Contacting Visa Services - Information is available to the public by telephone at the Visa Services, Public Inquiries Division at (202) 663-1225. The telephone number provides the caller with a selection of pre-recorded information and the ability to talk to a visa specialist during business hours. Persons desiring information about a specific visa applicant are advised that immigration law provides specific prohibitions about providing case specific information to third parties. Before calling with a visa inquiry, we request that you carefully review this website and also the Embassy Consular Website abroad. NOTE: The Public Inquiries Division is not able to accept visa inquiries by Fax.

FROM: http://travel.state.gov/visa/about/how/how_1463.html
 
Consular officers have been known to misinterpret or sometimes actually be ignorant of the law/rules. Theirs is not necessarily gospel.

I wish your statement was correct. My family had their interview, and as it turned out my research was right. Once their processing was complete, my children were told they could not travel without their mother. Their visas are on hold now as I write. The conclusion is step-parents can petition for their step-children but the bioligical parent must either be in the states or must accompany them. Raesky you were very wrong, but I didn't lose anything on your advice.
 
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