Australian in Singapore with US "missionary" wife - can I use I-130->IR1->IN-319B to expedite US Citizenship?

[pngmk 0]

My wife of 7 years works for a bonafide US mission organisation in Singapore - we are trying to determine if she is actually a 'missionary' (note - she is paid about 50% of what she should be as it's a mission group so we believe she is effectively a missonary but we are checking on whether we can get written proof). We are looking at options for me to quickly obtain US LPR/citizenship for the following reasons: I'm 50 and I want to pay into the US SS for 40 quarters as I have a snowballs chance of getting an OAP in Australia thanks to the new 35 year residency and secondly I may lose my job this due to the oil price collapse. HOWEVER the trap is I don't want to LEAVE my well paid job in Singapore for the 3 years residency in the USA to get LPR / USC (IF I lose my job - well all bets are off - I understand that with only a Green Card [LPR] I can't really work in Singapore fulltime as I risk losing the LPR).

As I understand the process I should;

1. File I-130 ASAP via Chicago lock box (any chance as all of a DCF - seems very hard to do now?).

2. Obtain a IR1 immigrants visa in <15 months hopefully (We should be able to avoid the CR1 AFAIK).

3. Travel to the US and apply immediately for a IN-319B with supporting paperwork. I believe I can leave while the paper work is being processed and return for the swearing in later.

4. My current employer is a US listed company - once I'm a US citizen they need to then start paying SS contributions and I'd need to file with IRS - pay tax in the USA (separate discussion really).

Does anyone see any points or stumbling blocks I've missed?

FYI 1. My wife owns a house (i.e. domicile in the USA) but has not lived in the USA for 15 years - always filed taxes tho and we have the wherewithal for her to sponsor me no issues. 2. We married in Australia - all paperwork is in English thank God. 3. We have an adopted daughter who we successfully put through the N-600K visa / citizenship route last year.

This website and the immigration subreddit has been very helpful but there's not much on there about the 319B. See this to understand it and why it applies to me;

http://www.andersonvisa.com/blog/tips/us-immigration-challenges-when-a-missionary-marries-abroad

[Hypnos 6,576]

1) There is no DCF in Singapore.

2) If you've been married for eight years then it would be an IR-1, not a CR-1, as you say.

[pngmk 0]

I-13O posted yesterday. Thanks for the assistance to a former school mate who is a patent attorney and immigration lawyer.

My wife is now officially a missionary and her group is correctly registered in the US as such.

It looks like IN-319B should work and my plan to retire with her to the US is slowly changing shape.

You may ask - why the US and not Australia for retirement? My path to US citizenship and retirement is obvious and obtainable. I no longer have an guarantee of an OAP in Australia and my wife wouldn't (*you need 35 years of post-16 years residency in Australia now to qualify for the OAP).

[apple21 953]

A green card holder gets SS and pay taxes too. Why do you think its only for US citizens?

Edited April 24, 2015 by apple21

[pngmk 0]

A green card holder gets SS and pay taxes too. Why do you think its only for US citizens?

From my first post:

HOWEVER the trap is I don't want to LEAVE my well paid job in Singapore for the 3 years residency in the USA to get LPR / USC (IF I lose my job - well all bets are off - I understand that with only a Green Card [LPR] I can't really work in Singapore fulltime as I risk losing the LPR).

I need to rotate ASAP to USC so I can continue to work overseas full-time. I can't afford to live in the US without a decent job for 3 years waiting to go from LPR to USC.

[NikLR 13,227]

Maybe scale down how you live? You can get a decent job here.

[pngmk 0]

There are other reasons I wish to stay in Singapore while I pay SS and work towards retirement.

[pngmk 0]

i-130 processed in 3 weeks! Now waiting for the NVC paperwork to start.