barcman

1 hour ago, appleblossom said:

It’s 2 years or more of marriage when she enters on the immigrant visa, not when she applies. 

Even better. Thank you

31 minutes ago, Redro said:

This couple lived and taught in Thailand together and the wife moved to the US before the I-130 was approved/ visa was issued. 

You might have to come to terms with the fact that moving to the US isn't going to be an "easy" process that allows you to plan your life around approvals. This is why I suggest pausing at the NVC level. 

But, NVC processing can take between 1-3 months. Then wait from DQ to interview can be anywhere from 2 months to over a year.  @Dewald & Brittney were DQ'ed December 9, 2022 and he had his interview February 15, 2023... 

There is a thread you can read here: 

Okay! I think I'm done sharing links. Just wanted to note the immigration process to the US is really quite tedious and the US isn't really interested in helping out couples who are in a third country together. Why give your spouse a reunification visa if you are already together.... and then they won't give your spouse a tourist visa because they think she won't ever leave. 

Final suggestion is for you and the wife to travel to several countries together and then see if she can get a tourist visa on her third try... I have a friend who was refused twice when just dating his US girlfriend but received a tourist visa after they married... 

 

That was our initial plan, now we are expecting our kid when we were planning a greece and new zealand trips. However, i am worried if we apply tourist then maybe CR-1 is harder. I am starting to think this is our plan (assuming tourist visa doesn’t go through)

1. Wait 2 years of marriage and apply for 10 yr green card

2. then pause at NVC until we are closer to ready to leave

3. then finish the process and move to usa

4. we both start teaching in usa at the start of the school year 

2 minutes ago, Redro said:

 

You should really thank @seekingthetruth. He is the one that put together the "Delay at NVC" plan... 

Husband and I just applied when we were ready and decided to "go with the flow". We didn't delay our process once we started our immigration journey. 

Have a great day redro, i will thank seekingtruth

1 hour ago, Redro said:

Want to add: we were in a similar situation to you. My husband and I were both teachers in Korea. We loved our life in Korea but decided we would move to the US when I received my visa. My husband quit his job 2 months before my interview because we knew if he was still employed I would most likely not receive the visa.

Our experience here: 

 

There is a massive teaching shortage in the US. We were both offered 3 or 4 teaching positions early September when we arrived. I started teaching 2 or 3 weeks after I moved here (mid September). 
You’ll probably want to research how to convert your wife’s teaching certificate/ license in the US before you move here. Depending on the state it could be extremely easy or she might want to change careers. But, it really doesn’t matter when you arrive because teaching jobs are plentiful. 

We would move to Florida. They need teachers there. The process for her to switch is pretty easy. Thank you for your input and linking your past journey. It is quite helpful. It’s unfortunate that i might need to resign before the interview to prove we will move. We have to do what we must to get the results we desire. Thanks again 

7 hours ago, Redro said:

If you want to live in the US eventually, file I130 and I130a now and then delay at NVC until you decide you want to move. 

Post about that process here:

Your plan most likely won’t work- especially if you move to the US and your wife has a conditional green card- they’ll be confused when you file I751 and she has a foreign address, paying foreign taxes, with bonafide marriage evidence from Thailand. 
 

Easier to complete the IV process when you decide you no longer want to live Thailand and want to live in the U.S. 

 

The green card is for living in the US and the family based green card is for reuniting families. If you (the USC) have no intention of moving to the US after she receives her GC- you’ll probably get a request to show proof you’ve quit your job in Thailand or made moves to live in the U.S. without your spouse…so plan accordingly. 

Wow this is very promising. This looks like a good plan of doing a little delay at NVC. Thank you for your time and input.

7 hours ago, Redro said:

If you want to live in the US eventually, file I130 and I130a now and then delay at NVC until you decide you want to move. 

Post about that process here:

Your plan most likely won’t work- especially if you move to the US and your wife has a conditional green card- they’ll be confused when you file I751 and she has a foreign address, paying foreign taxes, with bonafide marriage evidence from Thailand. 
 

Easier to complete the IV process when you decide you no longer want to live Thailand and want to live in the U.S. 

 

The green card is for living in the US and the family based green card is for reuniting families. If you (the USC) have no intention of moving to the US after she receives her GC- you’ll probably get a request to show proof you’ve quit your job in Thailand or made moves to live in the U.S. without your spouse…so plan accordingly. 

Ok thank you. This is very informative. What if we waited to apply after 2 years of marriage, then the green card would automatically be for 10 years? Correct? That would help us settle our affairs abroad and move to usa with less of a time crunch. 

22 hours ago, appleblossom said:

What’s your timeframe for wanting to actually live in the US, when do your contracts finish? 

Normally i sign a new contract 5-6 months before it finishes so that makes it about 18 months in total before it finishes.It would be helpful if i knew a CR-1 would be approved so then i dont sign the next contract but you never know what can happen.

19 hours ago, JayFromTexas said:

Upon receiving a CR1 visa, you must enter the US within 6 months. Once you enter, you need to live in the US a minimum of 6 months per year in order for your wife to not lose her greencard. Like @pushbrk said, it currently takes around 18 months to get a CR1.

Thank you. This is very helpful. 

Hello everyone,

I have tried to research this but haven't found anything similar to my situation. I have contacted immigration services and lawyers and have 2 recommendations for CR-1 and 2 for B2 tourist visa. My filipina wife and I got married a week ago via Utah Zoom. Thank you to this site for this recommendation.

We love teaching abroad. I save a lot and enjoy teaching in Thailand compared to USA, where it is difficult to make ends meet. 2 of our consultations insist she will probably never be granted the tourist visa because neither of us are Thai so hard to prove our strong ties here except for 4 years currently teaching at our school. Just getting a tourist visa would solve a lot of problems. CR-1 could help her enter USA for visiting. How unfavorably would immigration look if she were granted CR-1 and for the first year we finished our contracts in Thailand? Then visited USA within the first 12 months, then in year 2 of our CR-1 we resided and worked in USA until she got her citizenship? Abruptly leaving mid contract in Thailand and missing the hiring season for USA schools causes further issues. Moving as teachers is really dependent on the time of the year.  My main question, how will permanently residing in USA starting in year 2 and just visiting the US in year 1 of the CR-1 be viewed? Thanks in advance. 

8 hours ago, carmel34 said:

Timeline for the above statement to be true will take 6 years if all goes well:

1. Get married in Thailand via Utah Zoom marriage, January 2024

2. After marriage certificate arrives, file I-130/I-13A online from Thailand, February 2024

3. I-130 petition approval, approximately May 2025

4. NVC stage, DS-260, August 2025

5. CR-1 visa interview, approximately November 2025

6. Enter the US on CR-1, December 2025, become an LPR (legal permanent resident)

7. File I-751/ROC removal of conditions, September 2027

8. File N-400, naturalization, September 2028, request combo interview with I-751

9. Combo interview, N-400/I-751 maybe September 2029

10. Oath ceremony, receipt of naturalization certificate, November 2029

11. Apply for US passport, November 2029

12. Receipt of US passport, January 2030, then the spouse will have the same status, US citizen with a passport, free to travel/live abroad, visit, etc.

Thank you Carmel. This is very detailed and helpful 

T

8 hours ago, Amunah said:

Another vote for spousal, and in your case zoom through Utah: You are the US citizen and you can use that option, no need to bother with Thailand as both of you being foreigners, also more simple than the Phillipines, since both of you are not there. So use the situation that you can already benefit from, no need for extra steps, expenses. Etc. You are together already so you can file I-130 right right after you get the certificate.The spousal will enable all the unlimited traveling and living abroad, basically your then wife will have the same status as you. Focus on a sponsor for the NVC stage, start now even if it will take a while, since you have been out of the country and confirm your residence etc. 

thank you Amunah. It says sponsors can use assets bc I live abroad and wouldn’t have a job in usa when arriving. My thai job would meet the income requirement but not sure its accepted. I still file US tax returns. Any idea how much assets I would need to disclose if income level is only $24,000 yearly to sponsor 1?

Marrying is quite difficult in Thailand when neither is thai. Utsh zoom that is recognized by US is much better. We can still have wedding party in Thailand.

Boiler, i can do a zoom wedding through utah so we dont have to get into US but can start our marriage timeline which help in the future if we apply for spousal visa. 

Thank you bear for your input. All things I have been considering. Trying to determine the most likely outcome . Cheers

I want to keep it brief, so it is not too confusing. My filipina fiance and I have been living and teaching together in Thailand for 4.5 years. She has twice been turned down for tourist visas. I have a few coworkers that can't even get their thai wives tourist visas. My fiance has never met my family bc my parents are not healthy enough to travel 24 hours on planes.  What is the best way to get her a visa into the US when we don't want to move there? Can she get a fiance visa and marry within 90 days and leave? Then be able to come back on holidays? The fiance visa says its for coming to USA to marry and another form to see green card. We have already been visiting as many countries as possible to make her tourist visa approval more likely, but the wait list is 7 months in Bangkok to get an interview. 

The options: 

1. Keep trying and probably unsuccessfully tourist visa.

2.  Come and marry on fiance visa (then leave after wedding)

3.  Marry via Utah Zoom wedding and try and get spouse visa (to visit)

4. Anyone have  recommendations for cheap, effective basic immigration lawyer websites that would work?