Can Permanent Reside file CR1 for wife?

[IndigoSkies 168]

Can Permanent Resident file CR1 for wife? One of my friend is a permanent resident. He's been in US for 2 years now. He's got the 10 years green card. We were just talking and he asked he cannot get married now. Because he cannot bring his wife until he becomes a citizen. Someone told him that he has to live in America for 5 years before he can become a citizen. So I have the following questions.

1. Can a PR apply for CRI visa for wife? If yes, how long will this whole process take?

2. Can a PR apply for citizenship after living in US 2 years? If yes, how long does this process take?

Thank you for your replies.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

He can apply for citizenship after 5 years of residing in the US. He can, however, petition for his wife now. He can also upgrade the petition once he becomes a US citizen and this will substantially cut down on the wait time

Good luck

[payxibka 10,044]

Can Permanent Resident file CR1 for wife? One of my friend is a permanent resident. He's been in US for 2 years now. He's got the 10 years green card. We were just talking and he asked he cannot get married now. Because he cannot bring his wife until he becomes a citizen. Someone told him that he has to live in America for 5 years before he can become a citizen. So I have the following questions.

1. Can a PR apply for CRI visa for wife? If yes, how long will this whole process take?

2. Can a PR apply for citizenship after living in US 2 years? If yes, how long does this process take?

Thank you for your replies.

1) Yes, about 2.5- 3 years except for residents of DR & Mexico which adds another year or so (preference category F2A)

2) No, must be a resident for 5 years before sligibility is attained.

[Deep2009 18]

Can Permanent Resident file CR1 for wife? One of my friend is a permanent resident. He's been in US for 2 years now. He's got the 10 years green card. We were just talking and he asked he cannot get married now. Because he cannot bring his wife until he becomes a citizen. Someone told him that he has to live in America for 5 years before he can become a citizen. So I have the following questions.

1. Can a PR apply for CRI visa for wife? If yes, how long will this whole process take?

2. Can a PR apply for citizenship after living in US 2 years? If yes, how long does this process take?

Thank you for your replies.

1. He can apply for his wife's and it will be in a line for the I130 approval and NVC processing... NVC processing will be slow because in this category, there is a cap on number of visa issued.

2. No, he has to stay in 5 years to apply for US citizen?

[payxibka 10,044]

He can apply for citizenship after 5 years of residing in the US. He can, however, petition for his wife now. He can also upgrade the petition once he becomes a US citizen and this will substantially cut down on the wait time

Good luck

In many cases yes, but not "substantially" in this case... the 2 year alien plus 2.5 - 3 year wait for an available visa number, puts him/her right on the citizenship appliation "bubble"... In this case, applying for citizenship would virtually have zero positive impact.

[IndigoSkies 168]

I'm sorry to have taken away your time. Had I read the instructions pages of N400, I would've known from the very first page that he had to wait 5 years before he can apply for citizenship to US. What's more is that I found CSC takes about 27 months to process CR1/IR1 of a permanent resident.

Lessons learned. Will convery to friend. He won't be happy.

[Indy90 21]

I'm sorry to have taken away your time. Had I read the instructions pages of N400, I would've known from the very first page that he had to wait 5 years before he can apply for citizenship to US. What's more is that I found CSC takes about 27 months to process CR1/IR1 of a permanent resident.

Lessons learned. Will convery to friend. He won't be happy.

I think that its pretty ridiculous that permanent residents and children of permanent residents cannot bring their children to the US faster...I mean everyone knows that it is going to happen once a green card is given out. Allowing spouses and children of permanent residents to move to the US faster will lesson hardship, increase assimilation and help keep money in the US because the amount of money being sent overseas will probably diminish.

[Darnell 8,478]

Pardon, why can he NOT get married now? Is some barrier to marriage? Woman's parents against him ?

[IndigoSkies 168]

Pardon, why can he NOT get married now? Is some barrier to marriage? Woman's parents against him?

He lives in America alone and he cannot marry in America. He'd have to marry in Bangladesh. He would like to get married soon but his parents are telling him to not marry now. Wait till he gets his citizenship in 3/4 years. Then he can bring his wife within a year of marriage to America. As a PR, if marries now it will take him 3 years to bring his wife. I feel for him. He's lonely. Most girls who live in America are marriable, won't marry him. Though he's highly qualified, he works at a gas station. Sad that an engineer has to work at a gas station. He can't any job with his Bangladeshi engineering certificate. He has to certify in America.

[john_and_marlene 162]

1. Can a PR apply for CRI visa for wife? If yes, how long will this whole process take?

2. Can a PR apply for citizenship after living in US 2 years? If yes, how long does this process take?

Thank you for your replies.

1. It would be an IR-1 rather than a CR-1 as they would certainly be married for over 2 years when the visa was finally issued.

2. No. In this case the application for citizenship can be made 90 days prior to the 5th anniversary of his permanent resident status.

[Boiler 43,592]

He lives in America alone and he cannot marry in America. He'd have to marry in Bangladesh. He would like to get married soon but his parents are telling him to not marry now. Wait till he gets his citizenship in 3/4 years. Then he can bring his wife within a year of marriage to America. As a PR, if marries now it will take him 3 years to bring his wife. I feel for him. He's lonely. Most girls who live in America are marriable, won't marry him. Though he's highly qualified, he works at a gas station. Sad that an engineer has to work at a gas station. He can't any job with his Bangladeshi engineering certificate. He has to certify in America.

Why does he have to stay in the US?

Sounds like he would be better going home?

[Darnell 8,478]

Check this out, if you haven't, yet.. --> http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/205062-anyone-lpr-who-file-i-130-for-spouse/

Good Luck !

[IndigoSkies 168]

Why does he have to stay in the US?

Sounds like he would be better going home?

He came to America to earn more money. Even a low level engineer in America earns more money than a senior engineer in Bangladesh considering the ungodly exchange rate of 1 USD = 68.55 BDT. He's working at a gas station and studying to re-certify in America. It will take couple of years and meanwhile he has to work very hard. Maybe having a wife would be beneficial to his moral. I don't know.

[Boiler 43,592]

From a practical point of view importing a wife is not cheap and in this case very lengthy. Sounds like he would be much better waiting until he is earning decent money and benefits.