Brining parent after suspension of immigrant visa processing

[Clong 1]

Hello all, 

 

I was planning to apply for my mother to get a green card, and have been planning this for a long time.  But I found out last week that the US government has suspended processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries.

 

I am wondering whether it is worth it to still submit an application, and get her in line for processing?  Maybe they will keep them in the order that they received the applications, and when/if processing is resumed, we will be better off for having submitted it?

 

Or should I just forget about it until they resume processing?

 

Are there any exceptions or ways around this suspension of processing?

 

I could have her apply for a B1/B2 visa, but she has a job that she can't afford to give up by leaving the country.

 

Thank you for any of your responses!

Edited Friday at 04:38 PM by Clong

[Boiler 48,617]

I would file now, might as well get in line.

[appleblossom 5,722]

2 hours ago, Clong said:

I could have her apply for a B1/B2 visa, but she has a job that she can't afford to give up by leaving the country

 

A B visa is only for visiting, so she wouldn't have to give her job up for that as she'd be returning to Cambodia. Off topic, but if she has a job that she can't afford to give up, can she afford to move to the US and pay for healthcare? It's something to carefully consider if money is tight for her. 

 

But another vote to for just applying now, the I-130 alone will take at least a year or so, by the time she's at the visa stage the ban may have been lifted.

 

Good luck. 

[Clong 1]

On 1/23/2026 at 2:30 PM, appleblossom said:

 

A B visa is only for visiting, so she wouldn't have to give her job up for that as she'd be returning to Cambodia. Off topic, but if she has a job that she can't afford to give up, can she afford to move to the US and pay for healthcare? It's something to carefully consider if money is tight for her. 

 

But another vote to for just applying now, the I-130 alone will take at least a year or so, by the time she's at the visa stage the ban may have been lifted.

 

Good luck. 

Hi, the B1/B2 visa is actually pretty long stay.  She could stay a while and see what it's like to live here.  So it could involve leaving her job if it was a fairly long visit.

 

We'll have to pay for her healthcare while she is here.  

 

So are you saying that the I-130 processing will still continue despite the suspension of processing?  I guess I don't totally understand the process.  Need to read up on it.  It sounds like I-130 is still going on, it's just the next phase of the process that has been suspended?

[Boiler 48,617]

She does not have a B

 

Begs the question how likely someone who will leave their job for a long visit is likely to get one.

[appleblossom 5,722]

1 hour ago, Clong said:

Hi, the B1/B2 visa is actually pretty long stay.  She could stay a while and see what it's like to live here.  So it could involve leaving her job if it was a fairly long visit.

 

We'll have to pay for her healthcare while she is here.  

 

So are you saying that the I-130 processing will still continue despite the suspension of processing?  I guess I don't totally understand the process.  Need to read up on it.  It sounds like I-130 is still going on, it's just the next phase of the process that has been suspended?

She’d be better off just visiting for a couple of weeks and keeping her job. She’s not likely to get a B visa anyway but saying she’ll stay for months and has no job to return to would make it even less likely. 
 

The I-130 is just a petition, the actual visa application comes after that. And it’s the visa she can’t get. 

[northusa44 6]

To my understanding, once she files for an immigrant visa, and based on long-standing policy, she would be very unlikely to receive a non-immigrant visa in the near future (even if the immigrant visa doesn't get processed because of the ban), since she would then have established the intent to immigrate. So there might be some sense in trying for the tourist visa now so that you can see her before the later immigrant application is filed , especially if you feel that you won't be able to go back and see her in the near future.

 

(as a note, however, there are other factors involved here that complicate this--for example, I'm not clear as to how a possible rejection on the B visa would affect an immigrant visa application? And I suppose it is possible that the ban could make it more likely for those waiting in line for immigrant visas to actually be granted non-immigrant visas since I think the ban takes the AOS in-US option off the table (or am I wrong there)? And, of course, you are probably delaying the immigrant visa application by 6 months once you take into account the non-immigrant application, travel, and return.  So others more knowledgeable than I might be able to help assess whether what I wrote makes any sense)

[Clong 1]

On 1/23/2026 at 11:51 AM, Boiler said:

I would file now, might as well get in line.

Thanks for your reply!

[Clong 1]

On 1/25/2026 at 12:37 PM, appleblossom said:

She’d be better off just visiting for a couple of weeks and keeping her job. She’s not likely to get a B visa anyway but saying she’ll stay for months and has no job to return to would make it even less likely. 
 

The I-130 is just a petition, the actual visa application comes after that. And it’s the visa she can’t get. 

So I guess its better to at least try for the B1/B2 visa first, it will be decided fairly quickly.  Assuming she doesn't get the B1/B2, do the immigrant visa petition after that?  

 

I'll look up the process to understand.  I think what you mean is that they process the I-130 petition first.  This part is not suspended by the recent announcement.  After the petition is approved, then the visa is processes after that.  This is the part that is currently suspended.

 

Thanks for your help!

Edited 22 hours ago by Clong
thanks

[Clong 1]

On 1/26/2026 at 12:14 AM, northusa44 said:

To my understanding, once she files for an immigrant visa, and based on long-standing policy, she would be very unlikely to receive a non-immigrant visa in the near future (even if the immigrant visa doesn't get processed because of the ban), since she would then have established the intent to immigrate. So there might be some sense in trying for the tourist visa now so that you can see her before the later immigrant application is filed , especially if you feel that you won't be able to go back and see her in the near future.

 

(as a note, however, there are other factors involved here that complicate this--for example, I'm not clear as to how a possible rejection on the B visa would affect an immigrant visa application? And I suppose it is possible that the ban could make it more likely for those waiting in line for immigrant visas to actually be granted non-immigrant visas since I think the ban takes the AOS in-US option off the table (or am I wrong there)? And, of course, you are probably delaying the immigrant visa application by 6 months once you take into account the non-immigrant application, travel, and return.  So others more knowledgeable than I might be able to help assess whether what I wrote makes any sense)

So it sounds like it makes more sense to apply for a non-immigrant visa first, if there's little chance to get one after the immigrant visa is applied.

 

thanks for all your notes on possible different scenarios!  Very helpful

[appleblossom 5,722]

3 hours ago, Clong said:

So I guess its better to at least try for the B1/B2 visa first, it will be decided fairly quickly.  Assuming she doesn't get the B1/B2, do the immigrant visa petition after that?  

 

I'll look up the process to understand.  I think what you mean is that they process the I-130 petition first.  This part is not suspended by the recent announcement.  After the petition is approved, then the visa is processes after that.  This is the part that is currently suspended.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Exactly that, yes. And yes, I think that's the best thing to do, give the B visa a try first and then at least you know. 

 

Good luck. 

[TBoneTX 49,051]

Be sure to return here and let us know how you've proceeded, and the results.