Best way to time Spouse Visa application

[eraja]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on applying for Spouse Visa (I-130) for my wife. I am a US Permanent Resident and I am two years away from applying for my Citizenship. I recently got married in India and my wife is a Canadian Citizen living in Canada. If I applied for a Spouse Visa for my wife now, it appears to be taking more than 5 years for the visa to be granted. But if I waited for me to become a Citizen (2 to 3 years away) and then applied, my wife still would be getting the visa around the same time (around 5 years from now). It looks to me that there is no point in applying for Spouse Visa for my wife until I become a Citizen of USA. I have the following two questions:

1. Are any benefits to apply for I-130 right away while I am still a permenent resident?
2. Would a pending Spouse Visa (I-130) create any problems for my wife while entering US as a visitor from Canada?

Thanks!

 

[PraetorianXI]

1.- Some say there are some say there are not.
2.- Yes, it probably will, since he has demonstrated immigrant intent.

If you apply for her I-130 when you become a citizen it will NOT taken 5 years for her to get a visa. It should be under 1 year. Which makes it a 3 year total wait vs 5-6 years if you file as an LPR.

 

[LucyMO]

however, if you file it as LPR and then become a citizen and upgrade your petition - it would still only take about 3 years ->> time until you become a citizen+visa processing time.