Green Card Holder to Petition Filipina Girlfriend

[ayuntalo 0]

hi, i am a permanent resident here in the US for 2 years now.

i have a long time girlfriend in the Philippines and we want to be together as soon as possible.

which do you think is the easiest/fastest way for me to bring her here.

should i wait 3 years and adjust my status to an American Citizen and file a Fiance visa for her?

should i come to the Philippines marry her and petition her as a permanent resident's spouse?

or is there any other way that i am not aware of?

thanks in advance, i will gladly appreciate all the help i can get.

i am really lost right now on how to get this done.

PS if i posted this on a wrong part of the forum, kindly move it for me please. thanks!

[milimelo 4,259]

Moving to bringing family members of permanent residents forum.

[aleful 1,905]

hi, i am a permanent resident here in the US for 2 years now.

i have a long time girlfriend in the Philippines and we want to be together as soon as possible.

which do you think is the easiest/fastest way for me to bring her here.

should i wait 3 years and adjust my status to an American Citizen and file a Fiance visa for her?

should i come to the Philippines marry her and petition her as a permanent resident's spouse?

or is there any other way that i am not aware of?

thanks in advance, i will gladly appreciate all the help i can get.

i am really lost right now on how to get this done.

PS if i posted this on a wrong part of the forum, kindly move it for me please. thanks!

I'd suggest marry her and file for her being a resident. Currently, the wait is over 2 years, but you never know, it can be less.

but if you wait, you have 3 years until you can be a USC and then file a K1 fiance visa, it could take up to 4 years in all.

[ekto 4]

Marry her and file the petition as LPR.

If you become a citizen and the petition is not yet current,

you can upgrade it to speed up the process.

[Harsh_77 716]

you can file as LPR and then update it to USC when you become USC.

[PD is Current. 50]

even if you marry her back home, you can't just bring her over as a LPR without the long wait for your priority date to be current. yup, stupid law. right now they're doing cases filed in July 2008, so a long wait.

but if she's the one you want to be with, marry her now, and file F2A for her as soon as you can then wait for 3 years to become a USC then upgrade your case so PD is not a concern to you anymore...

hope this helps.

Edited July 25, 2011 by PD is Current.

[ayuntalo 0]

thanks for all the reply!

i see its unanimous, that i should marry her and start a petition and just have it adjusted when i become USC.

but what if i tell, you guys that i wont be able to marry her until next year? does that change things?

also i just want to know, what will i need to file the said petition as a LPR's spouse?

will they need to check on my credit scores, housing, bank accts etc.?

and how much should money should i prepare for this petition?

again, thanks a lot. im really loving this forum, lots of good information from good people that are all willing to help.

God bless you all with your petitions and also in you everyday life. thanks!

[bloveb 2]

thanks for all the reply!

i see its unanimous, that i should marry her and start a petition and just have it adjusted when i become USC.

but what if i tell, you guys that i wont be able to marry her until next year? does that change things?

also i just want to know, what will i need to file the said petition as a LPR's spouse?

will they need to check on my credit scores, housing, bank accts etc.?

and how much should money should i prepare for this petition?

again, thanks a lot. im really loving this forum, lots of good information from good people that are all willing to help.

God bless you all with your petitions and also in you everyday life. thanks!

As a LPR you should file I-130 petition.They dont need your credit scores,bank a/c.it will cost you abt $380, i think for the application.however if you wanna marry her next year you cannot file for her prior to marriage as a LPR.

YOU can file as a LPR now if you marry her and you can update your status after you became a USC providing them your neutralization certificate(copy).

[aleful 1,905]

thanks for all the reply!

i see its unanimous, that i should marry her and start a petition and just have it adjusted when i become USC.

but what if i tell, you guys that i wont be able to marry her until next year? does that change things?

also i just want to know, what will i need to file the said petition as a LPR's spouse?

will they need to check on my credit scores, housing, bank accts etc.?

and how much should money should i prepare for this petition?

again, thanks a lot. im really loving this forum, lots of good information from good people that are all willing to help.

God bless you all with your petitions and also in you everyday life. thanks!

still the same answer. the i130 now costs $420

marry as soon as possible and file the i130.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

The fee for I-130 is $420.

File as soon after you're married as you can, that way you'll get the jump on having the I-130 approved instead of waiting 5 months after you naturalize for the approval.

NVC stage currently costs $492 ($88 for Affidavit of Support, $404 for Immigrant Visa Application Fee)

Before the consulate stage she'll need a passport, CEMAR and NBI Clearance. Don't forget to have her get multiple NSO copies of your Marrige Contract (Certificate) and her Birth Certificate since she'll already be at NSO.

Consulate stage in Philippines cost varies but the fixed cost is the Medical at SLMEC which is about $215 (but paid in Php). Of course there is the cost of travel to Manila for the Medical & Interview at USEM. Then she'll need the CFO Clearance before she can leave the Philippines.

Finally there is the cost of the airplane ticket, travel tax (1,600Php) & terminal fee (750Php).

[ayuntalo 0]

i just found out on the forum that if i file for a petition for her as my wife (f2a i think)

that she wont be able to get a student or a tourist visa because there will be an intent to stay here. and we will just have to wait for the entire process be done

now if i go this route,

#wait for me to be eligible to be USC

#file a fiance visa once i get my status adjusted

#have her apply for a tourist or a student visa while we are waiting

will it be harder/longer for us?

and also how long can she stay here if she is under student visa?

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

For the Student Visa idea, can you afford to pay out of state tuition for her?

For the Tourist Visa, as a young single female from the Philippines she is very unlikely to get approved.

[ayuntalo 0]

The fee for I-130 is $420.

File as soon after you're married as you can, that way you'll get the jump on having the I-130 approved instead of waiting 5 months after you naturalize for the approval.

NVC stage currently costs $492 ($88 for Affidavit of Support, $404 for Immigrant Visa Application Fee)

Before the consulate stage she'll need a passport, CEMAR and NBI Clearance. Don't forget to have her get multiple NSO copies of your Marrige Contract (Certificate) and her Birth Certificate since she'll already be at NSO.

Consulate stage in Philippines cost varies but the fixed cost is the Medical at SLMEC which is about $215 (but paid in Php). Of course there is the cost of travel to Manila for the Medical & Interview at USEM. Then she'll need the CFO Clearance before she can leave the Philippines.

Finally there is the cost of the airplane ticket, travel tax (1,600Php) & terminal fee (750Php).

very detailed even with the plain ticket

thanks!

hmm.. what does NVS stage mean bu the way?

and how long will it take before you get to that stage after filing the I-130?

because i remember when i was petitioned, my mother had to have my grandmother as a co-sponsor for my sister and I, maybe because they feel that she will have a hard time supporting us at that time with her income, im not sure if thats the case though, but as i recall my grandmother was a co-sponsor

[rahulv 4]

Bottom line is that there is a wait process in all the cases and she will not be here with you until the process completes.

Best option as suggested by most of VJers is to

i. Marry her whenever you can, today tomorrow next year ....

ii. File for I-130 as soon as you get married.

iii. If she gets approved before you are a USC cool , if not then upgrade the petition and she would get a Visa number ....

I am not in support of applying for F-1 or tourist visa to bring her in US sooner while you become USC, as those are non-immigrant visas and clearly you and your girl-friend / wife have immigration intent.

[bloveb 2]

Bottom line is that there is a wait process in all the cases and she will not be here with you until the process completes.

Best option as suggested by most of VJers is to

i. Marry her whenever you can, today tomorrow next year ....

ii. File for I-130 as soon as you get married.

iii. If she gets approved before you are a USC cool , if not then upgrade the petition and she would get a Visa number ....

I am not in support of applying for F-1 or tourist visa to bring her in US sooner while you become USC, as those are non-immigrant visas and clearly you and your girl-friend / wife have immigration intent.

NVC stage means,after your petition is approved by USCIS,(normally five months depends on which centre you file)your application will be forwarded to National Visa Centre(NVC)where your application will be further processed.There as a LPR you will find this forum more interesting reading the prediction and comments of our experts about Visa Bulleitin and other useful stuffs every day while waiting for your application priority date....Priority Date= Date your petition recieved by USCIS.

Edited July 26, 2011 by bloveb