I live in China with my Chinese wife and we are looking to move back to the US this year - the original plan was to do DCF, etc. in what has been a fairly quick few months from application to interview schedule for my friends. But seems we cannot submit the I-130 in Beijing any longer (as I was told by USCIS office there by email this week), so I assume we should apply on-line or paper to the USCIS but then set for Consular processing in Bejing, and still get quick processing, i.e. not 12+ months common in the USA.
But if this will drag on for many months or longer, we can of course move to the US as my wife has a B1/B2 and to AOS there easily, but seems that's less desirable due to the need to ensure she's not entering on the B1/B2 intending to stay permanently, i.e. she probably should return to China and go back & forth before or perhaps even during processing (as we have businesses & things in China to deal with anyway). It's unclear the best strategy (made worse by COVID travel limits), with options:
1) DCF for Beijing via USCIS and hope it's fast, wait in China
2) Move to US this summer with her on B1/B2 and do AOS, perhaps with quarterly China travel to manage affairs
3) Leave her in China as son & I move to US this summer; somehow apply from there or wait out DCF process, with me returning to China for interview
4) Wait in China longer for non-DCF or slow process, which might push us into next year, missing US school year, etc.
Thanks!