Hello,
I hope somebody can help me with the questions I have here. I am new to this particular forum, so please forgive me if these questions have been answered before.
I am an asylee, but my sister is an American citizen (through marriage). She wants to file a petition for my father, but we have some questions. My sister is actually my father's sister whom he adopted when she was 5 years after their father died (I was 1-year old at that time). She grew up with us since then. I didn't even know she was not my biological sister until I was a teenager. I know one can petition for an adoptive parent, but the problem we are having is that all our documents were lost when my father left our COP (country of persecution) and now lives in a third country. I am an asylee due to the persecution we all experienced in our country. My father couldn't get any of our belongings (documents or any other properties) when he left the country. We can't get any official documents from COP because the current govt doesn't recognize us as its citizens anymore.
Now, how can we prove that my father is her adoptive parent and that he raised her? What documents can we show other than an official adoption decree (which we don't have)? Will 2-3 signed affidavits be enough?
Also, if she can petition for him successfully, how long does the process take? I know that as a parent, he doesn't have to wait for a visa number to be available. So does that mean we can file I-130 and I-485 together? What are the exact steps (most of the info I found about this mainly talks about people who have to wait for a visa # to be available)?
I appreciate all your help.
I hope somebody can help me with the questions I have here. I am new to this particular forum, so please forgive me if these questions have been answered before.
I am an asylee, but my sister is an American citizen (through marriage). She wants to file a petition for my father, but we have some questions. My sister is actually my father's sister whom he adopted when she was 5 years after their father died (I was 1-year old at that time). She grew up with us since then. I didn't even know she was not my biological sister until I was a teenager. I know one can petition for an adoptive parent, but the problem we are having is that all our documents were lost when my father left our COP (country of persecution) and now lives in a third country. I am an asylee due to the persecution we all experienced in our country. My father couldn't get any of our belongings (documents or any other properties) when he left the country. We can't get any official documents from COP because the current govt doesn't recognize us as its citizens anymore.
Now, how can we prove that my father is her adoptive parent and that he raised her? What documents can we show other than an official adoption decree (which we don't have)? Will 2-3 signed affidavits be enough?
Also, if she can petition for him successfully, how long does the process take? I know that as a parent, he doesn't have to wait for a visa number to be available. So does that mean we can file I-130 and I-485 together? What are the exact steps (most of the info I found about this mainly talks about people who have to wait for a visa # to be available)?
I appreciate all your help.