I have 3 wks before my husband (US citizen) and I have to move to the states, but my application for a green card is still not complete here. I am also told that I cannot change my immigration status while I am abroad so I have to get it before I travel. Why is this? \nI was under the impression that many people have move to the states then apply for their green card there.\nIt is kind of stressful at the moment, because we have a very limited time and there is still no precise time on when it will be complete. We cant change the dates we need to travel.\nCan someone explain to me, the reasons why I cannot apply while I am in the states or even finish the process there. I am not really getting any information out of the system here.\nThanks
205449
well it's a bit o catch 22. To go to the US you need a visa (nonimmigrant or immigrant). Now to get a non-immigrant visa you need to demonstrate that you don't intend to immigrate there. The moment you apply for any type of immigration you become ineligible for any type of non-immigrant visa and also for the visa waiver program (if you qualify for it in the first place).\n\nNow suppose that you have a tourist visa or are a student and you go to the US and say get married after a few months, then you can file for a change of status there as your original intent was not remain there. Now beware that this could be tricky, if they discover somehow that you lied in the first and you intended to stay all along they could deny your application.\n\nIn your case, since you got married outside US, you must wait for your paperwork to get processed before going there (for reasons described above). If going to the US was so important to you, you should've applied for a K-1 fiance visa and gotten married in the US (that's the purpose of the visa), then, you could've filled for a change of status in the US. If you decided to get married and apply outside US then being there must've not been so important to you.\n\nIt's hard to say how long your application will take (it depends on the country and how busy they are) so the most you can do is keep calling them and hope for the best.\n\ngood luck
526546
I personally had not gotten it, but my close friend did.... it took maybe a year or so, she had to go through the same process like medical exam and interview like everyone else, \nshe is now a US resident, she can live and work here, she has all the rights of a US resident, and eligible to apply for citizenship in 5 yrs if she passes the requirements....\nshe applied when she lived in her own country, and was told she got it when she was the US on a student visa, so she had to go back home and go to the embassy there to do the interview and paperwork so she would not loose her appointment date etc....\nit's nothing fancy to come into the country, just enter with your green card like all the other residents!
409146
It takes a loooooong time. They dont generally exaggerate a whole lot on the websites. That is based on when it is a busy period, but I think it probably takes a little bit less. Good Luck with the immigration process.
460070
I used to be married to an American person and believe me it is not easy to just move here.  You can come here to work if you already have a job guarenteed, especially if it is in a shortage area, or if you are already the spouse of a British citizen.  In order to become a British citizen you have to have lived here for quite a while and be "naturalised" and also pass a citizenship test to show that you understand British history and culture.  There is no "green card" scheme.\n\nYep, everything is more expensive.  My American spouse and other American friends are always shocked and appalled at the price of fuel, houses, food, clothing, etc.
284059
I can tell you 100% you are still an American citizen and you are also a Canadian citizen - you have dual citizenship.  You did not need a green card to go back to the USA to work.  You can freely live and work in either country and will never lose either citizenship unless you officially renounce either one to the government.  \n\nI know this is a fact.  I also was born in the USA with both of my parents being US citizens.  We moved to Canada when I was 10 years old and when I was 21 I took out Canadian citizenship.  I, too, thought that I had lost my American citizenship automatically at the time of becoming a Canadian citizen, until about 10 years later when I was travelling over the border to the USA from Canada and a US customs officer asked me my citizenship when I handed him my driver's license, my US birth certificate, and my Canadian naturalization certificate.  I told him I was Canadian.  He asked my why I said that, since I was born in the USA.  I told him that I thought I had automatically lost my US citizenship when I took my Canadian citizenship.  He told me that unless I have either renounced my American citizenship or have ever received a letter from the US government telling me that I am no longer an American citizen, then I am still American.  He told me to contact the US Embassy in Canada to enquire, but from now on he told me to claim only my US citizenship when I enter the USA.  He said the US does not recognize my Canadian citizenship and so I should only report that I am a US citizen when asked at the border in the future.  However, I need to hand both pieces of ID because they want to see what my status is in Canada, as well.  Ever since then, I hand both pieces of ID and my driver's license and when asked my citizenship, I say, US citizen, when travelling into the USA.  I never have any problem whatsoever and, in fact, I am told, "Ma'am, you can stay in the USA just as long as you want to!"  Ha!  In fact, at the time, I had my 2 children in the car with me who were both born in Canada.  The customs officer also told me to check with the US Embassy regarding them, as well, as they may also have US citizenship.  I did contact the Embassy.  They sent me forms to complete regarding my children and then they sent me a letter stating that my elder child also has US citizenship, based on the citizenship laws at the time of his birth; however, my younger child does not, based on the citizenship laws at the time of her birth.  As well, they sent me a letter stating that I was a US citizen, even though I also now had Canadian citizenship.  \n\nIt is very nice, actually, as you have the best of both worlds.  I never have a problem coming either way over the border and I travel back and forth a couple times a month.  \n\nSo, contact the US Embassy in Canada if you are in Canada now, or the US Immigration if you are presently in the US - they're in the phone book or you can look them up on the internet.  If you have children, also, check out their citizenship status.  If you do not have children yet, but plan to, as soon as they are born, whichever country they are born in, notify the other country of their birth to register it and they will have both citizenships, automatically.  I should have done this with both of my children at the time of their births but, because I didn't know this at the time, I didn't.  Now, my son just has to apply for his US passport and that is what will be his proof of his US citizenship, as he already has his Canadian birth certificate. \n\nThis is not necessarily the case with other countries in the world, but between Canada and the USA, you do not have to renounce one to have the other.  It is a wonderful thing and we are very fortunate.
663404
First try the Green Card Lottery. My wife got her Green Card that way. \n\nBasically you fill out a form online and the gov. chooses 50,000 entries who are given an opportunity to get a Green Card. It has been around for many years.\n\nWhen my wife did it she won it after 3 years of trying. \n\nIf you are married then you can both enter on your own. If one of you wins then both of you (because you are married) are given the chance to get the Green Card.\n\nIt is free to enter the lottery but if you win it costs about $600 to get all the paperwork and stuff together but it sure beats the thousands you might pay a lawyer to do it for you.\n\nIn all I know 7 people who have gotten their Green Cards that way.\n\nIf you choose to try it then DO NOT go through an agency to do it. It if 100% FREE to enter the green Card Lottery so why would you pay someone else to do it for you. It takes abour 10 minutes to fill out the form online.\n\nHere is the link to the details on the US Govt. site. \n\nhttp://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/divlott.htm\n\nOnce again - DO NOT pay someone or some company to do it for you.
499182
Don't get married to this guy just for the green card. The green card is kinda hard to get depending on where you are from. Germany shouldn't bee too much of a problem. My husband is Middle Eastern and some of his family has been waiting for 13 years at the most for the green card. It is a long process and tehy investigate everything. You have to go through interviews and show proof that the marriage is real. Take lots of pictures. It also is faster if you get married in you home country and he files papers here.
145273
Until the visa number becomes available, you can not adjust your status. While the I-130 was filled by your husband, the I-485 should be filled by you (once the visa number is available). You get a letter when the visa number is available.\n\nIf you waited for 2 years then it sounds to me that USCIS screwed up somewhere, the visa number should've been available by now. There is no quota for spouses of US citizens so there is no waiting period (other then processing) for get your green card.\n\nYou need to call USCIS customer service 1 (800) 375-5283 and find out what's going on
450224
Well seeing how there are many people who have waited years before you you it could take a long while. That's if they don't get the ball going and start the process of getting those the green cards they need to become legal. You could always try to get a work visa.
237695
OK listen. i had to track down a friends visa for them.and  this is what i did. i e mailed the embassy that was dealing with the applications. giving them all the details with the application number etc. address. home address. every thing. and within 48 hours i had an e mail back from the embassy telling me how the application was going. but i must admit. normally when you apply for a visa you normaly get a date and a time to go back for a answer to weather the application has been accepted. so if i were you id track it all down. and find out whats happening. e mailing is the quickest way. good luck.
117914
I'm assuming that your talking about your I-130. Well even if the application gets approved that is meaningless for you.\nYou must wait for your green card priority date.\n\nRight now people that applied in October 1994 are receiving their green cards.... so you have a very long wait.\nThe average wait time is at least 10 years for people in your category.\n\nAm I to understand that you are in US right now ? Then you must make sure you depart when you current status expires or you will become illegal...\n\nAlso having an aprooved I-130 does not confer you any rights to live and work in the US. And another piece of advice... do not tell the border official that you have an application pending or you will be denied admission as non-immigrant in the future.
455613
Under Immigration law the US Citizen files the petition for the alien spouse.  The US Citizen can withdraw the petition at anytime prior to the government granting the permanent green card.  A two year card is a conditional (or temporary) green card.\n\nBy him telling the immigration that your marriage was "not in good faith" he has done two things:\n\nHe has withdrawn his petition for you and:\n\nHe has put it on record that you knowingly committed fraud.\n\nWhile the government may not go after you criminally (there is a chance, but a slim one), you do not have status in the US and will be required to return to your home.\n\nIf your new boyfriend marries you, then you will be fighting an uphill battle in proving to the government that this second marriage was NOT in good faith.\n\nAn important factor will be the divorce record.  You "left him" (abandoned your first husband) and you presumably engaged in immoral conduct by having a boyfriend while still legally married.\n\nIn the government's eyes you are NOT a good person.\n\nYou could fight it )request a hearing before an immigration judge), but what PROOF do you have to counter the image the government now has of you?\n\nIf you lose, then you become a "previously deported alien."  Then there is I think a 5 year bar to re-entry.\n\nThe other choice is to go home on your own and after a "respectable" period of time (i.e. AFTER your divorce) you become engaged to #2, marry and then come back on a K visa.\n\nSince your conditional green card has already expired, you are now an illegal alien (an overstay).\n\nYou won't be able to be legally employed.  Your husband can complaint to the government that you are engaged in crimes (crimes other than adultery with boyfriend such as drugs - without proof) and if he convinces an ICE agent to do so, you will be picked up.  Or they could send you a notice to appear.\n\nBy the way, in addition to being out of status (offense #1), if you did not update your address with immigration you have committed offense #2 and possibly more.\n\nThis is time sensitive.  Your decision is go home on your own and return later, or go through immigration procedings and possibly be deported as undesireable.\n\nYour choice.\n\nAnd don't further your image with the government by lying.
548079
I married my husband (now ex) in Jan 98.  He was just visiting the US when we got married and so we had to go through all the immigration stuff to have him stay here.  Did you go to the interview alone?  If you missed the interview as well, the Immigration service will consider that an abandonment of your application.  If your application is no longer in process then your visa status may have expired - you may now be in the country illegally.  I would call an immigration attorney ASAP.
201963
Yes there is a huge difference.  I'm married to a French citizenship and I'm an American citizen.  A Marriage visa is only a visa for a person to come and visit for a period of time, longer than 6 months.  Enough time only to allow the person to get their marriage license.  Then, you have to start your paper process with his green card through the closest INS.  Start the petition process as soon as possible.  Even if you are married, they can still send him away back to his country if he didn't get his green card yet.  If he's in the process of getting a green card, tell him not to travel anywhere.  If he's going to stay longer than 6 months without the marriage visa, then the consequences can be that he gets deported back to his country and banned from the US for 10 years.  I'm listing a website source made by an immigrant lawyer that may help you understand the process a bit.  Don't do anything foolish...my advice!  This is a big issue.
597940
Get married, then he can apply for residency.  When you go through the process there is several things you will need to get in order.  \n\nSince you are sponsoring him, you need to show proof of employment for three years.  They will ask you for the last three income tax returns.  This is to show you are able to support him.  I am not sure, because I don't remember since it has been a couple years, but I believe there is an income limit.  You have to make something like 15k or more a year.  \n\nAlso, once you legally get married and he receives his green card, he cannot leave the US.  If he does during that period he will not be allow to return back to the US, they don't tell you this!.  Sure make sure he doesn't travel back to Mexico during this time.  \n\nIf he must leave the country because of an emergency he will have to obtain special permission from INS.  The whole process will cost you about $2,500 and this is without using an attorney but doing it yourself.   \n\nI hope this helps. Good luck\n\nThis is for all the people who are judgmental due to this poor girls predicament,  show some humanity, as if you NEVER made a mistake, give me a break.....
133457
HE WILL GET THE GREEN CARD BECAUSE HE MARRIED A LEGAL AND HAD TWO CHILDREN WHO ARE LAGAL TOO. HAS TO FILL OUT A PERMINENT RESIDENCE FORM............\nHE SHOULD DO IT SOON........
194905
As a green card holder, you have the right to reside in the US.  You also are allowed to travel anywhere and anytime you want.  The limitations on travel are that you must maintain your residence in the US.  This means you must work here, not work outside the US, pay taxes, and maintain a residence.  If you want to travel, you can generally travel for up to six months without any problems (keeping in mind the other conditions I mentioned earlier).  The only way that travel outside the US would affect your ability to apply for American citizenship is that you have to have a certain amount of physical presence in the US.  I am not sure what those requirements are now, and they are subject to change by the time you area eligible to apply.