Best way to get a resident visa, work permit

[fogdogs11 0]

My husband, from Saudi Arabia, and I, a US citizen, married in 1999, 12 years ago. We now have three children and have lived 7 of those years in Saudi Arabia. The children and I spend our summers in America. He travels to America using a tourist visa. He has never been denied a tourist visa, nor delayed.

I do not know the best way to precede with his green card application. We did apply for his green card back in 2002, but he left due to unemployment in America. He was in the airline industry and from Saudi Arabia, after 9-11. Go figure the trouble he had! So, I formally cancelled his application.

So, the kids and I are going to move from the West Coast to the East Coast after this school year ends in June. What we want is that my husband can travel to his job in Saudi, and come to Washington, where we will be living, freely. He can't stay in the US right now while his application is pending, but he doesn't want to be away from us for a super long time if he applies in his own country.

So, help! I have read about the k-3 visa, about the IR1 and the CR1 visa. What process should we start, and when? Should we start something up at his Consulate, or do it here in America? He wants to come for a visit, and can take work vacation, in April, but will it be long enough if we file something in April? I mean, he needs to go back to work in his country, for the time being. So, what should we do so that we can get the ball rolling wit his green card application, but still be able to enter and leave the US? HELP! I hope I am telling the right information for some good feed back. I just can't get anyone at uncis to answer the phone!

[Ning 619]

My husband, from Saudi Arabia, and I, a US citizen, married in 1999, 12 years ago. We now have three children and have lived 7 of those years in Saudi Arabia. The children and I spend our summers in America. He travels to America using a tourist visa. He has never been denied a tourist visa, nor delayed.

I do not know the best way to precede with his green card application. We did apply for his green card back in 2002, but he left due to unemployment in America. He was in the airline industry and from Saudi Arabia, after 9-11. Go figure the trouble he had! So, I formally cancelled his application.

So, the kids and I are going to move from the West Coast to the East Coast after this school year ends in June. What we want is that my husband can travel to his job in Saudi, and come to Washington, where we will be living, freely. He can't stay in the US right now while his application is pending, but he doesn't want to be away from us for a super long time if he applies in his own country.

So, help! I have read about the k-3 visa, about the IR1 and the CR1 visa. What process should we start, and when? Should we start something up at his Consulate, or do it here in America? He wants to come for a visit, and can take work vacation, in April, but will it be long enough if we file something in April? I mean, he needs to go back to work in his country, for the time being. So, what should we do so that we can get the ball rolling wit his green card application, but still be able to enter and leave the US? HELP! I hope I am telling the right information for some good feed back. I just can't get anyone at uncis to answer the phone!

Because you are a legal resident of the USA you can not file a DCF with the embassy in Rihyad. You will want to file the 130 to begin the process of getting a C R 1 visa I think. Where he is isnt relevent at the time of that filing.

His job , history of former tourist visas may help him in getting a future tourist visa. For many this is very difficult because anyone with a visa is considered to be an intending immigrant. This means he could use his tourist visa to enter & then file for AOS ( adjustment of status ). That would be fraud & a bad idea. IMO because of his job he may get the tourist visa because he can demonstrate the need to be outside the USA to maintain his job. I have to assume that job pays very well so there is no reason to fear he would give it up to reamin in the USA.

The actual answer to your question wont be known until he is interviewed for a tourist visa. They will ask if he has a petition pending & it will show in the computer data they review. If he obtains a tourist visa he will still be subject to the officers discression at the POE. That is where they determin entry & lenght of stay. The difficulty begins when they realise he has a pending petition to immigrate & a family inside the USA. He will have to be ready to explain why he doesnt want or need to stay in the USA after a visit. USCIS views his " strongest ties" are to you, his spouse upon entry & not to his own country. He must overcome that critera.

Even if you get a human at the USCIS office you will not get credible, usable, usefull info about the situation. In the end you will get a dial tone followed by confusion.

Others will add perspective here that can be of help to you.

[Wayne and Claudia 40]

My husband, from Saudi Arabia, and I, a US citizen, married in 1999, 12 years ago. We now have three children and have lived 7 of those years in Saudi Arabia. The children and I spend our summers in America. He travels to America using a tourist visa. He has never been denied a tourist visa, nor delayed.

I do not know the best way to precede with his green card application. We did apply for his green card back in 2002, but he left due to unemployment in America. He was in the airline industry and from Saudi Arabia, after 9-11. Go figure the trouble he had! So, I formally cancelled his application.

So, the kids and I are going to move from the West Coast to the East Coast after this school year ends in June. What we want is that my husband can travel to his job in Saudi, and come to Washington, where we will be living, freely. He can't stay in the US right now while his application is pending, but he doesn't want to be away from us for a super long time if he applies in his own country.

So, help! I have read about the k-3 visa, about the IR1 and the CR1 visa. What process should we start, and when? Should we start something up at his Consulate, or do it here in America? He wants to come for a visit, and can take work vacation, in April, but will it be long enough if we file something in April? I mean, he needs to go back to work in his country, for the time being. So, what should we do so that we can get the ball rolling wit his green card application, but still be able to enter and leave the US? HELP! I hope I am telling the right information for some good feed back. I just can't get anyone at uncis to answer the phone!

Since you are a USC you should go the IR-1 route...k3 is non-existent for all intents and purposes so don't even waste time researching that. You will go the IR-1 route because your marriage is more than 2 years. The good news is he will be granted a 10-yr greencard after POE. If he is in the US currently as a tourist you can still file. Remember, it is you, the USC, who is requesting a visa for him. The bad news is there is really no way to speed up the process...it will be a normal timeline for SA.

[sarah et luc 7]

Are you in SA now or the US? If you think you can spend more time in SA you can do Direct Consular Filing for your husband bc you are a US citizen and the process is rather quick (for must countries I don't know the statistics for SA though). If you really want your children to be in the US for the summer and start the school year in Sept in the US you must file the i130 (forget the K3) to the Chicago Lockbox from the US (or from SA using an American forwarding address). This process is appx a year long sometimes shorter sometimes longer depending on the Embassy the interview will take place in. This process also means you will be separated from your husband and he will only be allowed to visit on a tourist visa. Good luck.

[Darnell 8,479]

suggest the I-130, filed to the lockbox in chicago -

read the Guides section here, (train yer eyeballs up, find the word 'Guides' , click it) then find the guide you need.