lifegoeson123

@Marieke H You meant she needs to live in the US for at least 5 years to be qualified for a basic naturalization process. And then if she doesn't wanna take the civic questions in English, she must prove that she has medical conditions diagnosed by the psychiatrist that prevent her from understanding and answering any questions in English, right? If so, you are right! I don't think she has lived in the US longer than 2 years. I think it has been only 15 months in total so far.

@OldUser, @appleblossom Thank you for being so kind and asking me the thoughtful questions. My mother has held a 10-year green card since 2022. She lived in the United States from Oct 2022 to July 2023, then returned to Vietnam when my brother and his family—including his wife and two children—came to visit us in the U.S. She came back to the US on July 2024 and left to Vietnam in Jan 2025. Because she has not lived in the U.S. long enough, she is not eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship through the standard naturalization process. I applied for a re-entry permit on her behalf, which was approved. Since Jan 2025, she has been residing in Vietnam. Her re-entry permit will expire at the end of April 2026, which is why she plans to return to the United States before that date. I fully understand and agree that she cannot continue traveling back and forth between the two countries, even every six months, as excessive travel could lead to issues at the port of entry. My children and I are her only ties to the United States. She does not own a home here and lives with us, but she files U.S. tax returns every year, even when her income is zero. I also filed an I-130 petition for my brother in 2019. Based on current processing times, I understand that the wait may be approximately 15 to 17 years. I have been considering whether to hire an immigration attorney to explore the possibility of applying for her citizenship through a waiver-based approach. Another option would be apply for a tourist visa when she visits us in the future in case, although that would mean she would not have access to U.S. health insurance benefits. She truly enjoys living in Vietnam, and as you know, many elderly people find it difficult to adjust to life in the United States. However, I also worry that if my brother and his family eventually move away, or as her siblings and friends grow older and pass on, she may become very lonely there. If that happens, I would need to file an I-130 petition for her again. I'm not sure how it goes

Happy New Year, everyone! Has anyone here successfully applied for Form N-648 (medical certification for disability exceptions) without an attorney? We were quoted $5,000–$7,000 by an attorney, which is quite expensive for our family. If you’ve gone through this process, could you please share: How long it took from submission and payment until approval and interview scheduling? Or how long does the whole process take? Whether you felt an attorney was truly necessary? Will she need to be in the US all the time for this process? A little background: My mom currently holds a 10-year green card. She is living in Vietnam now but plans to return to the U.S. in April. She is 61 years old. Medically, she suffers from insomnia, sleep apnea, depression, and anxiety. Her depression began after my father tragically committed suicide several years ago. In Vietnam, she has been treated by multiple doctors, formally diagnosed, and prescribed medication. However, she has never been formally diagnosed with depression in the U.S. We are considering pursuing the N-648 medical waiver so she can eventually become a U.S. citizen. That said, she does not truly want to live permanently in the U.S. at this time—she does not drive and does not speak English well. I am her only daughter in the U.S. My brother and his family still live in Vietnam, and she has much stronger ties there. Our main concern is her immigration status. With the current climate, we worry that she could be considered to have abandoned her green card due to extended stays abroad. A tourist visa feels risky and offers no health insurance coverage, which is especially concerning given her medical conditions. Our hope is to maintain her lawful status so she can travel back and forth, visit me and her grandchildren, and have access to health insurance and potential senior benefits if she eventually decides to live in the U.S. In the longer term (perhaps in 10 years), my brother’s family may immigrate through an I-130, and she may then choose to relocate permanently. If anyone has experience with N-648, similar medical situations, or navigating this without an attorney, I would deeply appreciate your guidance and support. Thank you so much 🙏

Dear VisaJourney Community, I opened the I-130 since Dec 2019 for my brother (born in 1992) and his family (his wife-born in 1992, his daughter born in 2018, his son born in 2022). His family except his son travelled to the US in 2023. Now his whole family (all 4 members) is granted travel visa renewal. Today I saw in the online account, USCIS updated "Estimated time until case decision 16 months". Does it mean they are reviewing his case and will give the decision within 16 coming months? Anybody has experience regarding this notice? I have heard that is not good news since they will start counting the age of his children. And his case will still take 12-15 years more to process before his family can move to America. Thank you so much for your help!