Possible ways of bringing spouse to US for a GC holder

D

depuabraham

Registered Users (C)
My spouse is in India and I'm an immigrant. What are the chances of bringing my spouse over to the U.S like? How long is it going to take? If it takes long what are the other options which I should look into to bring her over? Please advice.
 
1) The first option depends upon how long you have to qualify for your U.S citizenship. It normally takes 1 yr. to get the citizenship. After that you can sponsor your wife & she can get her GC thru consular processing within 9-12 mos. If she visits you on a tourist visa, then you can sponsor her (I130/485) & this process takes anytime between 1 & 2 yrs, but she will be able to live and work in the U.S even before she gets approved for her GC.

If you are some time away from qualifying to apply for the U.S citizenship, you can apply for the Canadian GC & include her in your application. This takes about 9-12 mos. You will've to go to Canada to get the GC (after approval) & she can land there at the same time. A Canadian GC holder is eligible to LIVE in the U.S (but not work or study).

Hope that helps.
 
Canadian GC

Thanks for the reply. That was some good piece of information. How do I apply for the canadian GC? When I apply for the canadian GC, is it possible for me to add her name also in there? How easy is it to get a canadian GC?
What about the H1 option, Is it possible for me to bring my spouse over on an H1? Is that a safe step to follow?
 
Originally posted by Indousa
1) The first option depends upon how long you have to qualify for your U.S citizenship. It normally takes 1 yr. to get the citizenship. After that you can sponsor your wife & she can get her GC thru consular processing within 9-12 mos. If she visits you on a tourist visa, then you can sponsor her (I130/485) & this process takes anytime between 1 & 2 yrs, but she will be able to live and work in the U.S even before she gets approved for her GC.

If you are some time away from qualifying to apply for the U.S citizenship, you can apply for the Canadian GC & include her in your application. This takes about 9-12 mos. You will've to go to Canada to get the GC (after approval) & she can land there at the same time. A Canadian GC holder is eligible to LIVE in the U.S (but not work or study).

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Canadian GC holders CANNOT *live* in US indefinitely. And they now need visas to enter USA, just like anyone else.
You are better off trying to bring your spouse in H1 or L1 if she qualifies.
 
Originally posted by Indousa
1) The first option depends upon how long you have to qualify for your U.S citizenship. It normally takes 1 yr. to get the citizenship. After that you can sponsor your wife & she can get her GC thru consular processing within 9-12 mos. If she visits you on a tourist visa, then you can sponsor her (I130/485) & this process takes anytime between 1 & 2 yrs, but she will be able to live and work in the U.S even before she gets approved for her GC.

If you are some time away from qualifying to apply for the U.S citizenship, you can apply for the Canadian GC & include her in your application. This takes about 9-12 mos. You will've to go to Canada to get the GC (after approval) & she can land there at the same time. A Canadian GC holder is eligible to LIVE in the U.S (but not work or study).

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Another incorrect info in this posting is that your wife can continue to live in US after she comes in on a tourist visa and her I-130/485 is applied. She will have to maintain a valid non-immigrant status until I-130 is approved and her priority date is current. She can get EAD to work only after I-130 is approved. There is currently a backlog of around 5 years for I-130 for GC holders' spouses. Your wife needs to maintain valid status for 5 years.
 
dependent Visa

When we apply for a dependent visa for your spouse what are the forms which we should submit. Are those the I130 and G325a forms?
 
I would love to see what INS office or processing center gives you a citizenship after 1 year.

If you are a GC holder, you need to wait for FIVE (5) years before you can file for N400 (US Citizenship). Once you file N400 it might take you 8 moths to 2 - 3 years depending on what Service Center you fall into to get your Citizenship.

Indousa, please think before posting. Both the suggestions you gave were incorrect.

Originally posted by Indousa
1) The first option depends upon how long you have to qualify for your U.S citizenship. It normally takes 1 yr. to get the citizenship. After that you can sponsor your wife & she can get her GC thru consular processing within 9-12 mos. If she visits you on a tourist visa, then you can sponsor her (I130/485) & this process takes anytime between 1 & 2 yrs, but she will be able to live and work in the U.S even before she gets approved for her GC.

If you are some time away from qualifying to apply for the U.S citizenship, you can apply for the Canadian GC & include her in your application. This takes about 9-12 mos. You will've to go to Canada to get the GC (after approval) & she can land there at the same time. A Canadian GC holder is eligible to LIVE in the U.S (but not work or study).

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
 
How does the procedure change if you are a USC? If your spouse enters with a tourist visa(married abroad)..can you petition for her here.

thanks
 
DV Patel, I encourage you to read the first line of the first para in my posting.....my timeframe of getting the GC within 9-12 mos is made presuming the questioner met the qualifying period for applying for the citizenship (which you correctly pointed out to be 5 yrs). I know of numerous people (myself included) who got their citizenship within 9-12 mos after the 5 yr qualification period.

I stand corrected regarding the Canadian GC issue.....Post 9-11, things seem to have changed & I reported based on my knowledge of conditions existing prior to that event.
 
I also got my citizenship in 9 months. But at the same time, I saw a bunch of people who had been waiting for like 3 years and this was before 9/11/2001. Things have gone way downhill from there. So I would not tell anyone that it takes approx 1 year to get citizenship coz I have been waiting for almost two years to get my parents' I-130 approved. Priority date is 9/5/2001 and then 9/11 happened and TSC is moving slower than a snails pace.

Hence my post. I had read your first line but you should have been clear about the Citizenship qualificaiton period. It was 3 years + 9 months for me coz my wife is a USC. :)

Originally posted by Indousa
DV Patel, I encourage you to read the first line of the first para in my posting.....my timeframe of getting the GC within 9-12 mos is made presuming the questioner met the qualifying period for applying for the citizenship (which you correctly pointed out to be 5 yrs). I know of numerous people (myself included) who got their citizenship within 9-12 mos after the 5 yr qualification period.

I stand corrected regarding the Canadian GC issue.....Post 9-11, things seem to have changed & I reported based on my knowledge of conditions existing prior to that event.
Click to expand...
 
I would not encourage that. Post 9/11, they are very strict. So, if you came here on Tourist Visa after getting married back home, then tried to change your category, that is called intent to stay here while on Tourist Visa which is a big no no these days.


Originally posted by jerseyguy
How does the procedure change if you are a USC? If your spouse enters with a tourist visa(married abroad)..can you petition for her here.

thanks
Click to expand...
 
thanks for the response...
one more question.
someone mentioned that ins would not recognize the marriage abroad and that I could marry here and then petition for her. is this correct? during the petition process would they see that we were married abroad..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DVPatel, I think if a US Citizen sponsors his/her spouse who is on a tourist visa, they usually do not reject on the basis of the 'intent to immigrate' clause. This may not be the case if a GC holder sponsors his/her spouse. Again, you may have more up-to-date info. (post 9-11) on this, but this was my understanding.

I too have been waiting for my parents' approval for I130/485 for almost 18 mos now (with no end in sight). They waited for their AP for over 4 mos & had to leave the U.S (without AP approval). I am hoping that they can return to the U.S after the AP is approved (I will mail the approved AP to them).
 
canadian GC

Applying for canadian GC is that a good way to go with? What other suggestions for bringing my spouse faster?
 
Is F1 a good option

Is bringing your spouse on F1 after marriage to a GC holder a good option. Given the job market in US maintaining a H1B is difficult.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top