Hi there! I am from the Philippines (as you all know, "one of the most difficult to apply" US embassy in the world), married to a US permanent resident for 6 months, who is only on his 3rd year of straight residency. I know that we have to wait 2 more years before my husband can be naturalized & some people said that I still have to wait 2-3 years more before my husband can petition me & have this petition approved. Is this true? We have already asked an Immigration lawyer regarding this & she said that I have to wait until 2010 before we can really be together. Please give us advice regarding this...I know you guys are real PRO. Are there other options for us? I must admit that I've been having separation anxiety for the past 3 years being away from my loved one. Thanks in advance.

Once your husband is eligible to apply for naturalization, it will take a while for that process to complete. Then, once he is naturalized, he can apply for you immediately, as far as I am aware. Applying for you, of course, will take some time as well.

I suspect that the lawyer that you talked with was giving you a rough idea as to when you can realistically expect to be together in the USA. Given your facts, I think 2010 is a reasonable guess.

Mid-2006 now, plus 2 years to apply for citizenship, plus 1 year (may be more, may be less) to be naturalized, plus 1 year to get your visa. That takes you to mid-2010.

Since your husband is a permanent resident, he can apply to bring you here now, but that process does take a long time (I'm not sure how long). But, there is nothing to lose by having him file now (Form I-130 I believe). At least if you get a good result in less than 4 years, you'll have gained.

G

hetty,
Contrary to what you've heard, you should know this.

Previous residency time does not count toward eligibility to naturalize. Your husband is not eligible to become a citizen until he has been a US Permanent Resident for 5 years.
He can apply a few months early, and the process may take another year from then. To me, that sounds like he can be a citizen 5 years from now, at the earliest.

He can file a petition I-130 for you now. This can be a protection in case something stalls in his naturalization process--at least you will have a place in line. When he becomes USC, he can 'upgrade' his petition & you will have a visa *number* available immediately. It will then take another (approximate) year before you can move to the US.

You can explore other otpions for you to come to the US on your own, not on his petition. This is through work or education opportunities. If you are a registered nurse, that is the fastest way.

Sorry that the news is not great. Best wishes.

meauxna,
How did you read the OP's statement "who is only on his 3rd year of straight residency"? I read this to mean that he has been here for 3 continuous years.

The OP goes on to say "for the past 3 years being away from my loved one", which indicates to me that her husband has been living in the USA as a permanent resident for that time.

Doesn't that mean that he only has another 2 years to go?

G

gag, duuuh, "Today, 09:53 AM". All answers posted before 10 am qualify for the early-morning-caffiene-deficiency-error-factor (west coast time zones only).

<g> I got that six months stuck in my head and was reading it as if her hub had been resident in the US before being PR.
OP should investigate having husband file an I-130 now, as you suggested and look at routes to the US herself.

Good catch, thanks!

Thanks so much for your time & your advice. I really appreciate it.

It took my husband about 4 months to get his Citizenship (after he was a LPR for 5 years), but it really depends on where in the United States you live. But seems like they are improving, and 6 months is a reasonable time.

Also, many US Citizens are able to bring their spouses in less than one year. So don't be upset!

Thanks timelena! Another hope just flourished. Your message is relieving.