How long have you been away from your loved ones?

[zenje]

In the pursuit of a green card or citizenship... how long have you stayed away from your family?

In 2010, I was away from my wife and children for about 8 months, when I got my citizenship. Now I'm at it again, applying a green card for my wife. I have passed my previous record, and am currently well into being 9 months away from my family. It looks like I still have a few months to go, and I'm starting to question myself if it's worth it. I will have to stick it out at this point, since I've already been here so long, but it doesn't make things any easier.

So I'm just asking people in my situation... how long have you had to be away. Or even, how long do you think you can stay? Is there a point where you would draw the line? A point where you would say, I don't care any more...?

 

[dhlunar]

One of the hardest things for my wife was she was separated from her parents for about 5 years to visa issues. My wife now uses Skype a lot lately to contact her parents, in fact calls them several times a day on video chat now, but before Skype the only form of communication was an email now and again or a telephone lasting only a couple minutes made via calling card every couple of weeks.

My wife didn't see her mom from 2004 till 2007, and her dad from 2002 till 2007. My wife was on a F-1 student visa at the time and the State Department was only issuing one-year visas for people from her birth country. She had to travel to Canada in order to get new student visas and after 9/11 didn't want to risk it anymore since her status would be lost if her visa was denied. Her mom was able to come in 2004 for her graduation from college (however, it basically took the interest of the Congressman of the area in order for her mom to be approved). She did travel to Canada during the time due to the visa re-validation rules. She spoke with her parents on Skype for the first time in 2006, and I still remember her dad crying because it was the first time that he saw her live in four years. After she graduated from grad school she got a job with a international organization that sponsored her for a G-4 visa. Once she got the G-4 she went home for the first time in 2007.

 

[zenje]

Wow. Thanks for sharing. The same thing happened to my wife, she lived away from her family for 6 and a half years. Her mom was the only one who was able to visit once in that time when we had our son, otherwise she had not seen her dad or brothers for all that time also. Does your wife feel that it was worth it, though?

A lot of people keep telling me, its just a few more months, or "it's just a year", it's worth it for the citizenship! I don't know sometimes. Especially when it involves young kids. That time can never be gotten back...

Again, thanks for sharing, and if anyone else is in the same situation, please tell us your experience.