GC for parents: I-130 approved, few questions

[Ven]

Hello,

My brother has taken up US citizenship 2 years ago. Six months back, he applied for our parent’s green card and received approval for I-130. Presently, we are preparing for the NVC visa process (submitting paperwork to visit the consulate for green card) and have few questions:

• After visiting the consulate for approval (assuming they are approved), how later can they come over to US?
• Assuming the approval of green card, what procedures are available to keep the green card valid living more than six months outside of US?
• They are retired and do not intend to work, how are the taxes filed when in US on green card or living outside on green card? Can they be claimed as dependents on the sponsor’s tax returns?
• While on green card, would they be eligible for benefits such as Medicare, social security, or any others? Not sure, how different these benefits are by state - but the three most likely states they would be living in are MA, PA and NC.

Thank you,
Ven

 

[fjelltronen]

After visiting the consulate for approval (assuming they are approved), how later can they come over to US?

I believe the immigrant visa put on their passport expires in 6 months (or sooner if the medical exam expires sooner). But I think it's possible to delay the coming to the US if they inform the consulate -- in that case, no visa is put on their passports, even if they are approved; when they're ready to come, they need to get a new medical exam if the old one expired and then send their passports in to be stamped with the immigrant visa so that they can come to the US within 6 month of getting the visa in their passports.

Assuming the approval of green card, what procedures are available to keep the green card valid living more than six months outside of US?

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/after-green-card-granted/maintaining-permanent-residence

The 6-month requirement is needed if they intend to apply for citizenship in 5 years, which requires them to have a considerable physical presence in the US in the past 5 years.

 

[Ven]

Thanks for your reply. I have a couple more questions: for informing the consulate of the delay in coming to US, is there a formal procedure? If so can you please direct me to a resource to learn more about it? If not, do you know of any old thread/resource to understand the experience? I appreciate your time in replying. Thanks again! Have a great weekend!