Wife just got Green Card, how to bring her family?

[Azagarth 0]

My wife just received her conditional green card last month. We are now trying to figure out how to bring her family of 5 to the states from argentina. I am a US citizen.

Can my wife start the process now, or is it better to wait 3 years until she has citizenship?

All her siblings are under 18, except for her sister who just turned 18. What do we do about her? Can she still immigrate with her family or is she separate now that she is an adult?

What is the best way to go about this? We are very confused and would like to start asap as to not waste time. I Also don't know what costs I am looking at needing to save up for. Do we have to pay like 1500 per person, or since they are coming as a family is it just one payment of 1500? Any help is appreciated!!!

[jyaku 138]

A green card holder can only file for his/ her non green card holder spouse.

So your wife has to wait for her citizenship to file for her parents and siblings. (3 years if she stays married to you)

Read this:

http://www.uscis.gov/family/family-us-citizens/parents/bringing-parents-live-united-states-permanent-residents

http://www.uscis.gov/family/family-us-citizens/siblings/bringing-siblings-live-united-states-permanent-residents

That said she better get her tax documents and income requirements in order since she will need to be able to support them on paper with enough income.

[Boiler 43,401]

Well parents say 4 or 5 years away, siblings so many variables, 10 plus anyway.

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

3 years later then she can do it. She has to file one I-130 for each person in family.

[Ronny_Cari 8]

Correct me if I am wrong. His wife still has to file for ROC when her conditional greencard expires, right? And when she gets the 10 yr GC after filing forROC she can then file for citizenship after 3 yrs that she gets the 10 yr. GC, it's until then that she can petition her relatives. Am I correct? Pls correct me if I am wrong. :-)

[aleful 1,905]

Correct me if I am wrong. His wife still has to file for ROC when her conditional greencard expires, right? And when she gets the 10 yr GC after filing forROC she can then file for citizenship after 3 yrs that she gets the 10 yr. GC, it's until then that she can petition her relatives. Am I correct? Pls correct me if I am wrong. :-)

hi

wrong,she is LPR even if she has a 2 year card, for citizenship, the time counts since she became a resident with her 2 year card, so if she removes conditions and she is married for at least 3 years and has been a LPR for 3 years, she can file for citizenship

[N&S 32]

Correct me if I am wrong. His wife still has to file for ROC when her conditional greencard expires, right? And when she gets the 10 yr GC after filing forROC she can then file for citizenship after 3 yrs that she gets the 10 yr. GC, it's until then that she can petition her relatives. Am I correct? Pls correct me if I am wrong. :-)

Incorrect - the three years count from "Resident since" date of the first green card, but are depending on her staying married to her husband.

-- aleful beat me to it

Edited March 8, 2015 by N&S

[Ronny_Cari 8]

hi

wrong,she is LPR even if she has a 2 year card, for citizenship, the time counts since she became a resident with her 2 year card, so if she removes conditions and she is married for at least 3 years and has been a LPR for 3 years, she can file for citizenship

Thank you so much for correcting me. :-)

Incorrect - the three years count from "Resident since" date of the first green card, but are depending on her staying married to her husband.

-- aleful beat me to it

Thank you for the correction. :-)

[Azagarth 0]

so basically for family members (parents and siblings) she has to be a citizen to ask for them? I have been told that LPR are able to ask for parents though immediately after getting their green card, was i misinformed?

[Boiler 43,401]

Who told you that?

[Darnell 8,478]

Correct me if I am wrong. His wife still has to file for ROC when her conditional greencard expires, right? And when she gets the 10 yr GC after filing forROC she can then file for citizenship after 3 yrs that she gets the 10 yr. GC, it's until then that she can petition her relatives. Am I correct? Pls correct me if I am wrong. :-)

no.

the 3 year mark is determined by the first date on the first green card, not what you said.

[Azagarth 0]

small chat with other green card holders in person. Not from credible sources by any means, but it got us excited thinking that in a short time her family could be here with us. It sucks to think we have to wait 3 years to even start the process, and then what ever time it takes for them to actually get the visa.

when she applies for her parents and siblings is it the same time frame waiting on the papers, etc as when I did her papers for immigration? or do they end up waiting years to even get the visa after we have started the process?

also she is able to ask for her sister who will be 22 at that point? and will she have to for her siblings that will be 16 and 3 yrs old? or do the parents just bring them as they come over with legal residency?

[aleful 1,905]

so basically for family members (parents and siblings) she has to be a citizen to ask for them? I have been told that LPR are able to ask for parents though immediately after getting their green card, was i misinformed?

yes

only USC can file for parents and siblings, and also married children

LPR can only file for spouses and unmarried children

the person or people who told you that have no clue about immigration

[Boiler 43,401]

small chat with other green card holders in person. Not from credible sources by any means, but it got us excited thinking that in a short time her family could be here with us. It sucks to think we have to wait 3 years to even start the process, and then what ever time it takes for them to actually get the visa.

when she applies for her parents and siblings is it the same time frame waiting on the papers, etc as when I did her papers for immigration? or do they end up waiting years to even get the visa after we have started the process?

also she is able to ask for her sister who will be 22 at that point? and will she have to for her siblings that will be 16 and 3 yrs old? or do the parents just bring them as they come over with legal residency?

Her parents do not need a visa number, so a year or so, siblings do, 15 years or so.

Presumably the parents would not leave a 7 year old anyway.

[Darnell 8,478]

Don't forget about the EB-5 visa ! Sure, it requires money, but this is really a time vs money situation, right there !