Which way is better anbd faster,.

[Vegabond 0]

Hi guys,

I am a US citizen and my wife just got a 10 year GC on Feb 14th.

We have a single 31 year old son in the Ukraine.

And we also have a 22 year old in the US that will have the permanent GC in June.

My question is - do i file for my step son? Does my wife file now or wait till she becomes a citizen?

Would adopting my stepson help?

Should his Brother file in the Summer?

I know it more then likely has been asked before.

But here we go again.

BTW... this site has worked flawlessly for us. I trust it more then any lawyer :-)

[Penguin_ie 5,986]

Unless you married the son's mother before he turned 18, you cannot petition for him, and adult adoption doesn't count for immigration.

Your wife can file for her son, it will take about 8 years for him to come over on that visa and he must remain unmarried, you can shorten that by a year if she becomes a US citizen.

Once his brother is a US citizen, he can file for his sibling, and thee wait time for that is about 12 years- don;t ignore this option, many people have two petitions going at the same time just in case something hapens to one of the petitioners.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Unless you married the son's mother before he turned 18, you cannot petition for him, and adult adoption doesn't count for immigration.

Your wife can file for her son, it will take about 8 years for him to come over on that visa and he must remain unmarried, you can shorten that by a year if she becomes a US citizen.

Once his brother is a US citizen, he can file for his sibling, and thee wait time for that is about 12 years- don;t ignore this option, many people have two petitions going at the same time just in case something hapens to one of the petitioners.

For an adult child or sibling (over age 21) "faster" is a relative term. Penguin is correct with her answer.