Path to US for step-daughter?

[lvjeremylv 10]

I am the US Citizen, and my UK citizen wife and I are close to the end of the IR1 process (my wife's interview is January 8th).  Once the process is over and we move from the UK to the US, is there a path for my wife's daughter to come live with us?  She is unmarried, 24 years old, and has lived in the UK her whole life.

 

What would the possible path(s) be for her to join us down the line?  I know if there's a way it likely will take a long time.

 

Thanks for any guidance!

[milimelo 4,503]

How old was the stepdaughter when you got married? 

If over 18, your wife can petition for her after she activates her immigrant visa. It will be F2b category with about 8-9 years wait for visa number to become available. 

[lvjeremylv 10]

2 minutes ago, milimelo said:

How old was the stepdaughter when you got married? 

If over 18, your wife can petition for her after she activates her immigrant visa. It will be F2b category with about 8-9 years wait for visa number to become available. 

She had turned 18 earlier in the month that we got married (September 2017).  So that's not good, lol.

 

What happens if we get to the US, my wife petitions for her, and during that 8-9 year wait she gets married?  Would she then be ineligible?  Or would it not be applicable since she was unmarried at the time of the filing?

[milimelo 4,503]

24 minutes ago, lvjeremylv said:

She had turned 18 earlier in the month that we got married (September 2017).  So that's not good, lol.

 

What happens if we get to the US, my wife petitions for her, and during that 8-9 year wait she gets married?  Would she then be ineligible?  Or would it not be applicable since she was unmarried at the time of the filing?

If she gets married, the petition is invalidated - she won't get the visa.  So if immigrating to the US is important to her, tell her to not get married until visa in hand, she has come to the US and activated her immigrant visa. After she's done that, she can go back home and get married. 

If she marries an American, easy - he'll petition her just like you did for your wife. 

[lvjeremylv 10]

7 minutes ago, milimelo said:

If she gets married, the petition is invalidated - she won't get the visa.  So if immigrating to the US is important to her, tell her to not get married until visa in hand, she has come to the US and activated her immigrant visa. After she's done that, she can go back home and get married. 

If she marries an American, easy - he'll petition her just like you did for your wife. 

Gotcha, thank you for that.

 

Are there paths for students?  She got her Masters last year - if she were to pursue a doctorate or something in a different field, would that be an option? Or is she too old?

[milimelo 4,503]

1 minute ago, lvjeremylv said:

Gotcha, thank you for that.

 

Are there paths for students?  She got her Masters last year - if she were to pursue a doctorate or something in a different field, would that be an option? Or is she too old?

You're never too old for education, especially in masters, phd area. She can go for that but that's non-immigrant student visa - she'll need to prove to the consular officer she intends to return to her home country. 

[lvjeremylv 10]

5 minutes ago, milimelo said:

You're never too old for education, especially in masters, phd area. She can go for that but that's non-immigrant student visa - she'll need to prove to the consular officer she intends to return to her home country. 

10-4.  Thanks again so much for the information.

 

I'll tell her to get searching for an American to marry 🤣

[Boiler 45,673]

She can marry after her mother naturalises and the petition would still be valid.

 

8 years is extremely optimistic, I would double it.

Edited November 23, 2023 by Boiler