DS-230 Form and Later Steps

T

ttunlin

Registered Users (C)
Hi,
My sister already filled out I-130 form for my wife, my self and our 2 kids (aged 7 and 4). She said she is waiting to fill out DS-230 for us. How long should we have to wait to get a green card? I personally would prefer to come to the US alone first since my wife and kids speak no English, but does the 2-year-immigrate-for-good apply to the kids as well? Since they are too young and I am not a professional who can make a good money right away, I intend to bring them later.
Thanks,
Tun Lin
 
Tun Lin, let me ask you couple of questions because your question is little vague. Please answer these questions so senior member can answer your question.
1) Is you sister US citizen
2) Is you I-130 approved and if so, under what category (Since it's filed by US Citizen sister, then assuming it's F4)
3) What is your priority date?
4) Did you guys request Consulate processing? (assuming since you guys are not in US)

Please answer these questions so we can help better.
 
personally would prefer to come to the US alone first since my wife and kids speak no English,
Click to expand...
since it takes about 10 years to immigrate through a US citizen sibling, it would give you and your entire family sufficient time to learn English
 
Thanks for your posts, da1980 and LucyMO.
Here are my answers to your (da1980) questions.
1) Yes, she is a US citizen
2) I believe it is also F4
3) I do not have one
4) We have not requested consulate processing (it would be helpful if you could elaborate further on what you mean by "consulate processing".) Yes, we are not in the US.
For DS-230 form, I believe (from what my sister said) we have to pay $500 per person. Please correct me if I am wrong and if you need more information.
Of course, LucyMO, 10 years should be more than enough. I previously thought it would be faster than that.
Looking forward to your reply.
 
Tun lin, Here is the problem. If you're in a F4 category and if your I-130 was recently filed by the petitioner, then you have approx 10 years to wait before you can file DS-230.
Once you apply I-130, it gets sent to service center which approved the petition (I-130) and forward the file to NVC for consulate processing. The file either remains in the NVC office or gets sent to local consulate until your priority date becomes current.

Once the priority date becomes current, then you can file DS-230 and try to immigrate to US.

If I understand the situation correctly, then you have at least 10 years before you can immigrate to US. I know it's pretty rough, but thats how back-logged US immigration is; as everyone wants to immigrate to US (including myself...LOL)
 
Also try to find out your priority date. It would be sent along with I-130 receipt notice. Look carefully on that I-797C (notice of action) form.
 
Thanks da1980, I will ask my sister for that priority date. Actually, she applied for all 4 of us in 2005/2006. If I check my status online, I usually see this:
Go to www dot imagebam dot com/image/71d91e85418374
(Instead of dot use . and open in a browser)
I post my screenshot link this way since I got an error message (like #
# You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites after you have made 15 posts or more.) when I post it as a link.
So we are at the penultimate step (at post-decision activity). I want to know if 2-year-immigrate-for-good applies to my children as well, since I need to find money for them (including my wife) as well in the 2-year time before they come.
Thanks for any ideas you may have.
 
I was unable to see the image. Nonetheless, did notice the "post-decision activity". That's fine. If the petition was filed in 2005-06, then still you have more than 4 year before you can immigrate to US. I-130 approval doesn't make you eligible to immigrate. It's a petition filed upon your behalf. Once it's approved, you're in the line to immigrate. US Dept of state allocates only 65000 visas in F4 category. There may be million or ten million people who may have applied. You just have to stand in line and wait for your turn. That I-130 makes you eligible to stand in line. In reality and in USCIS eyes, having an approval of I-130 means nothing. In fact, USCIS doesn't like it because if you try to enter US on a visit visa and if immigration finds out that you have an I-130 filed, then they will reject your visitor's visa.

Trust me bro, you have may be more than 5-6 years before you will be able to immigrate to US based on that petition. You may read this visa bulletin to gather more information : http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5019.html

Also please read this to clarify any doubts: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1306.html
 
Thanks da1980, it is okay. We are willing to wait another 4-5 years or even more since we are not really ready, both financially and personally. And we have never been to the US before.
My main question is: do my children need to come with me, say in 4-5 years or even longer period of time, when we are approved to get GCs? I personally prefer to come first since I need to save money for them as I cannot make a good money right away. I would also prefer that they come only when they come of age.
 
Follow-to-join benefits can only be reaped within 1 year. Now there are couple of strategies 1) You immigrate to US alone and then file I-130 for them. This might allow you 2-3 year before that priority date becomes current (supposedly it would be under 2A category).
2) Once you become a US citizen file a petition for them as Immediate relative. However, mind you we're talking at least 10 years down the road. Your kids may be over 21 by that time.

Anyway, this is way far fetched in the future. In short, follow-to-joint benefits must be reaped within a year.

Wish you all the best!!!
 
Thanks to da1980 for your replies.
One question: how many years do we have to stay in the US consecutively to become citizens after receiving our GC's? Can we travel in and out frequently in the mean time?
Thanks once again
 
Thanks to da1980 for your replies.
One question: how many years do we have to stay in the US consecutively to become citizens after receiving our GC's? Can we travel in and out frequently in the mean time?
Thanks once again
 
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