Going to the US: I-130 Petition (Spouse/Immediate Relative)-Part 2

[jaymien]

hello mga sisters! ok,feb. is fast approaching! let's all ask God for a wonderful news in march 2011 VB! i know this is a roller coaster ride for us,but let's not lose hope! yes,i do get depressed and disappointed and all,but looking on the bright side,parang nagugustuhan ko yung thrill kasi there's always something to look forward to every month.God is good and i think He is just preparing us for something.i mean,america yun,not all things are good things there so we have to be prepared...so,ok,let's start our predicting game and i say MARCH2011 VB MOVE FORWARD!!! =)

[septembernine]

i agree sis. what happened was really disappointing but there really is no other way but to wait.. wala pa rin tayong magagawa kung mag whine man ng mag whine. so we rather spend our energy on positive things.
lets go march 2011 vb! hehe

[ato]

So sis, nandito pa sa Philippines yung bf mo? at hindi pa naapprove petition nya?  pls correct me If I'm wrong.... sino ang nagpetisyon sa kanya? I mean what category ba siya?

hi sis, oo nandito pa si bf ngayon. nasa step4 na sya ng pag process ng paper nya, yung mail na nya yung biographic ba yun.  mama nya ang nag petition sa kanya sis.

[misao]

@ato - hi! naiinitindihan ko yung gusto mong sabihin, sisingit lang ako hehe. kung nag-mail na yung bf mo ng papers nya, 6-8 weeks lang may result na yun. ganun kasi sa kin dati, after 2 months may schedule na ko for interview. yung medical and interview after a month pa naman. after the interview, yung visa ko dumating after 2 days. 6 months lang valid yung visa. so sa case ng bf mo, kung walang delay, let's say by april may sched na sya for interview on may or june.

so hindi kayo pwedeng magpakasal kasi yung catergory nya unmarried. dapat pag dating nya sa u.s. single pa rin sya. mabilis naman yung green card pagdating nya dito, kahit after 1-2 months pwede na syang bumalik dyan basta may green card and ssn na sya. pwede na kayong magpakasal by that time. balik sya ulit dito para i-file yung petition. yung citizenship kasi after 5 years pa pwede yun. dapat dito sya nakatira at least 3 years out of 5 years of residency.

tama yan, konting research and tanong ka lang dito. mahirap mag-rely sa sabi-sabi. siguro mas ok i-move nyo muna yung wedding. sayang kasi yung magagastos nyo. ok rin try mo mag-apply ng tourist visa. basta wag mong sasabihin na may bf ka na resident o balak nyong magpakasal. good luck.

[ato]

@ato - hi! naiinitindihan ko yung gusto mong sabihin, sisingit lang ako hehe. kung nag-mail na yung bf mo ng papers nya, 6-8 weeks lang may result na yun. ganun kasi sa kin dati, after 2 months may schedule na ko for interview. yung medical and interview after a month pa naman. after the interview, yung visa ko dumating after 2 days. 6 months lang valid yung visa. so sa case ng bf mo, kung walang delay, let's say by april may sched na sya for interview on may or june.

so hindi kayo pwedeng magpakasal kasi yung catergory nya unmarried. dapat pag dating nya sa u.s. single pa rin sya. mabilis naman yung green card pagdating nya dito, kahit after 1-2 months pwede na syang bumalik dyan basta may green card and ssn na sya. pwede na kayong magpakasal by that time. balik sya ulit dito para i-file yung petition. yung citizenship kasi after 5 years pa pwede yun. dapat dito sya nakatira at least 3 years out of 5 years of residency.

tama yan, konting research and tanong ka lang dito. mahirap mag-rely sa sabi-sabi. siguro mas ok i-move nyo muna yung wedding. sayang kasi yung magagastos nyo. ok rin try mo mag-apply ng tourist visa. basta wag mong sasabihin na may bf ka na resident o balak nyong magpakasal. good luck.

hi sis misao, thanks a lot for your reply.  Naku na sad ako, ganun ba?  So sis sa tingin mo, sa case ni h2b, within the year kaya e safe na sabihin na push na namen yung wedding?  MGa kailan kaya safe and best ilipat yung schedule? Ang akala kasi niya, base sa sinusundan niya sa processing ng petition ng parents niya before, after nya maipasa yung biographic, by march mabibigyan na siya ng schedule ng interview.  (Ilang beses ba ang interview sis?)  Tapus medical na siya.  After niya makuha visa niya, lipad agad siya dun for 2-3 weeks lang daw siya dun para lang daw ma test ba niya o talagang i validate yung status nya dun as immigrant.  After so, balik na siya dito which really ang target namen talaga ma push yung june 4 wedding.  Why?  KAsi 32 na ako sa august  and really wanted to have a baby na, alam mo naman sis yung risk pag nag 30 na ang babae, ang talagang gusto na namen.  Linawin ko lang sis, pasensiya na, hirap na hirap kame talaga kumuha ng sagot sa mga tanung namen, I hope ma tulungan ako ng mga sis dito with the same case o kaya naman may knowledge on this.

1.  pag dating na pagdating nya ng US can he file na agad yung green card application nya at ssn? kaya nya ba yun maayos at makuha in 3 weeks?  Or pwede ba na dito na niya sa manila antayin yung pag grant nung green card at ssn nya? 

2.  Sabi mo sis, 6 months ang validity ng visa niya,  so meaning dapat lipad siya within the validity period,  e kung 3 weeks lang muna siya dun at babalik siya ule ng manila, gaano katagal siya pwede mag stay dito sa manila bago uli pumunta dun? sorry sis a, I feel so stupid, talagang wala akong alam po e.  MAlaki kasi ang responsibility ni h2b sa office, siya kasi ang general manager so hindi rin ok na basta niya iiwan. 

3.  So meaning sis pwede lang niya i file ang spouse petition niya after nya makuha yung green card at ssn niya?  Hinde uubra na pag lipad niya dun nung 3 weeks e i file na din niya agad yung petition?

4.  Sis, gaanu po ba katagal ang processing ng spouse visa petition kung immigrant o green card holder lang ang petitioner?  MAy nabasa ko 4-6 years daw, tama ba yun?  Is there anyway mapabilis ang processing?

5.  Last po for now, sorry talaga.  Kung immigrant siya, pwede naman siya na mag work sa us, anung allowed months of stay niya sa us at sa manila if ever gusto niya mag uwian muna habang inaantay namen na makasama na ako sa kanya.  Tapus if ever pagbigyan kame ni Lord na magka baby agad, hiwalay pa ba yung petition ko at ng bata?

Thank you so much sis, well appreciated po talaga sa mga magiging sagot niyo.  Bahala na po si Lord mag sukli sa kindness niyo.        

[misao]

mahirap kasi masabi yung exact timeline. i just shared my experience kasi medyo sakto yung sinasabi ng papers ko na after ilang weeks ganito, ganyan. pero it does not apply to all cases, yung sa ibang kilala ko may delay, o may additional requirements na hiningi. so hindi sya pwedeng magpakasiguro na by march may interview date na sya.

medical muna before interview sa embassy, once lang yung interview. minsan may delay pa sa visa, lalo ngayon may retrogression daw so merong may nagsasabi na nainterview sila pero ilang weeks na wala pa rin yung visa. yung sa mother ko after 2 months dumating yung visa nya instead na within a week lang. so depende talaga. kaya mahirap sabihin.

basta ang priority lang muna nya dapat yung makarating sya dito na single sya. madali na magpabalik-balik basta may plane ticket hehe.

1.  when i got here, inayos ko muna yung ssn ko. wala pang one month nareceive ko na sa mail yung ssn and green card. di naman required ata yung ssn pag umalis ka ng u.s. and may temporary green card (i-551) na naka-stamp sa passport na good for one year. sa kin lang mas ok pa rin siguro mag-travel with the green card. mahirap na ma-question sa immigration eh.

2. para di masabi sa immigration na inabandon mo yung residency mo, sabi nila safe yung up to 5 months. ok pa rin naman 6-12 months kaya lang mas madami na questions nun sa immigration. sa experience lang ng kilala ko yan na nag-stay ng 2 months. meron nag-stay ng 12 months, dami din daw questions tapos tinawagan pa yung mga relatives dito sa u.s. buti nakapag-present sila ng medical certificate so nakaalis sila sa immigration office.

3.  kasi yung pag-file ng petition, dapat married na kayo. kasamang isa-submit yung marriage certificate nyo. i hope someone can help me here kasi single pa rin ako hehe.

4.  sabi sa pre-departure seminar, 3-5 years daw. pero last year, bumilis meron 2 years lang ata nakuha na yung spouse nya. bumibilis naman, kaya dami ditong hoping na malaki ang leap sa visa bulletin next month.

5. pwede na syang magwork as soon as may green card at ssn na sya kasi required lagi yun sa job apps. pwede syang umuwi anytime basta yung stay nya hindi lalampas ng 12 months. kung gusto nya umuwi sya for 2 years, apply lang sya ng re-entry permit kaya lang mapuputol yung residency nya kung target nyang mag-citizen someday. tsaka dapat nasa u.s. din sya kasi makaka-receive sya ng mga notices from nvc regarding your petition at pag dumating yung time na malapit ka na nyang makuha, mas maganda kung may work sya. alam ko masasama mo sa petition yung magiging baby nyo.

[jaymien]

hi sis ato! makikisingit na din ako.i understand ur situation. just my two cents,if you really want to have a baby,then have one.kasi i think it won't affect naman yung petion ni hubby mo eh.tama yung isang sis natin,kailangan yung hubby mo,basta nagpoprocess palang ang papers,dapat single pa din siya ti; he gets to the u.s. and get his green card.halos ganyan din situation namin ng mahal kong asawa.ang difference lang is may choice kami magkababy pero d namin tinuloy since i was still in college.if you feel na kailangan niyo na talagang magkababy,do it.may friend din ako na ganyan situation,actually 2 na baby nila.yung hubby ko naman went back after 2yrs. when he could have after a month na nakuha na niya ang green card,pero sabi ko sakanya,ok lang ako na mag antay and mag ipon ng kahit konti for the wedding.thank God everything worked out almost according to what we have planned =)

[ato]

hi sis ato! makikisingit na din ako.i understand ur situation. just my two cents,if you really want to have a baby,then have one.kasi i think it won't affect naman yung petion ni hubby mo eh.tama yung isang sis natin,kailangan yung hubby mo,basta nagpoprocess palang ang papers,dapat single pa din siya ti; he gets to the u.s. and get his green card.halos ganyan din situation namin ng mahal kong asawa.ang difference lang is may choice kami magkababy pero d namin tinuloy since i was still in college.if you feel na kailangan niyo na talagang magkababy,do it.may friend din ako na ganyan situation,actually 2 na baby nila.yung hubby ko naman went back after 2yrs. when he could have after a month na nakuha na niya ang green card,pero sabi ko sakanya,ok lang ako na mag antay and mag ipon ng kahit konti for the wedding.thank God everything worked out almost according to what we have planned =)

hi sis jaymien,  natuwa ako sa reply mo, you really have a point.  Okay din sana yung ganun, actually yung mama ni h2b binibigay yung option na mag live in muna kame but hindi okay kay h2b ang ganung set up, besides mahirap din yun sabihin sa parents ko kasi syempre ako yung babae so baka ma feel bad lang sila so for now wala yun sa option namen.  So ang hubby ba sis o bf mo nasa US? how often sya umuuwe dito? ang status niya sis ay green card holder?

[jaymien]

sis ato,i'm turning 29 this august din.hehe.yung bf ko,naging husband ko na actually.naka survive kami sa long distance relationship na to,maybe because i'm praying too hard to God na sana everything will work out even if we're so away from each other.but still,d naman kami "perfect" couple,nagaaway din kami pero we never let the sun go down without saying sorry and i love you's to each other,sounds cheesy but it's keeping us together.we have a daugther na and she's turning 5 this june.actually,pumunta si hubby sa u.s. as single,and bumalik siya after 2 long years at syiempre,constant ang communication namin nuon.wala pa ngang mga live chat na ganito eh,puro fone calls and cards and pictures lang.by cellfphone,i taught him basics about computers kaya ayun,natutong mag chat.so he went home dahil nagbigyan siya ng 2mos vacation.we got married sa church and sa loob ng vacation nya,i got pregnant.what a miracle!we planned to get pregnant talaga so ginawa ko,after i finished schooling,i enrolled sa gym at nag aerobics para magnormalize bodily functions ko para sure na magkakababy kami - conditioning kung baga.so,yun,nabiyayaan kami.nung nag ka baby kami,siya na ngayon ang umiiyak sa airport pabalik sa amerika hehe.pag dating nya dun,he filed for our petition na at ngayon pasunod na kmi sa kanya.still praying for God's favor.he comes home pala every 1 or 2 yrs.yung baby namin kilalang-kilala siya kasi she's growing up na nakikita nya si daddy nya sa cam.i din't even ask hubby to go home nung nanganak ako kasi d kami mageenjoy,he went home nung mahigit 1 yr old na si bebe para di na din masyadong fragile yung baby pag jan na si daddy nya.o,kaw nyan,mag baby ka na din,para by the time na ikakasal kana,may flower girl or ring bearer na kayo =)

[ato]

sis jaymien, am so glad to know your love story sis, very inspiring esp yun nagka baby kayo agad.  actually nasa gym ako right now hehe.  We are still expecting that inspite of my age being 32 on august e bigyan pa din kame ng baby.  so nag file na siya ng petition? anung status ng hubby mo, us citizen o permanent resident?  how long yung processing sis?  sabi mo kasi pasunod na kayo.   
Sis sana naman matuloy yung kasal namen this year para naman maka move on na kame sa mga susunod na plans.  Sobrang tagal na namen at ng pagaantay sa petition nya, kakapasa lang nya ng biographics nya last week so sabi ng isa sa mga sis natin dito baka by may o june pa siya mabibigyan ng  visa which sobrang na upset ako kasi june4 2011 ang scheduled wedding date namen.  Oh well, ganun talaga.  We will pray to God, baka may milagrong mangyari at ma push thru pa din namen yung set date namen.  Kung hindi naman ganun talaga, all in His time talaga, but i know He knows what our hearts desire.  Naku maiiyak pa ako.  Sige sis, hoping to hear from you regarding sa duration ng processing ng papers ninyo ng baby girl mo at ng status ni husband.  tnx so much.

[aien]

^don't lose hope sis, I gave birth when I was 33 almost 34 and my baby girl is healthy naman.   stop worrying and start hoping

[jhez]

mga sis, from LPR to US Citizen (right after makuha ang green card) gano katagal ang process?

[lyn]

sis ato, agree ako kay sis misao at sis jaymien.

Kaya nasabi nila na kailangan single pa yung h2b mo pag patung nya dito sa US kasi if hindi ma vo-void yung petition ng mama nya since when he was petition he is single. And since na submit na nya yung biographics nya, malapit na yung process nya. It's just that yung scheduling kung when makuha nya visa nya and what all you plan for your wedding is very tight schedule especially na unpredictable ang scheduling lalo na may retrogression. You also need to anticipate delays and the time process sa USCIS/NVC. When they send you letters or emails and says you need to wait this certain amount of time most of the time kasi ganun talaga ang waiting period. Sometimes nga over pa sa estimate time na binigay nila. Sometimes din earlier than the time they specify.

So the best option talaga nakikita ko for you is yung suggestion ng mga sis natin. If you want to have a baby na, pwede na kayong mag make. Your h2b can even bring your baby with him sa US but he has to stay single when he arrived. Then when he has his GC and SSN, he can go back and marry you.

Another option is if di nyo na talaga ma wait na magpakasal. Magpakasal kayo, and let the petitioner (his mother) call NVC na his status change instead of single, married na. They will change his category then and the waiting will be much longer na. He won't be coming sa US pa.

Anong status ng mama nya? US citizen na ba or LPR palang? Kasi iba yung preference/category if her son marries you, it will change. Ito yung categories:

Family First Preference: A category of family immigration (F1) for unmarried sons and daughters of American citizens, and their children. Visit our Family Based Immigration webpage for more info.

Family Second Preference: A category of family immigration (F2) for spouses, children and unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents. Visit our Family Based Immigration webpage for more info.

Family Third Preference: A category of family immigration (F3) for married sons and daughters of American citizens and their spouses and children. Before 1992 this was known as fourth preference (P-4). Visit our Family Based Immigration webpage for more info.

Family Fourth Preference: A category of family immigration (F4) for brothers and sisters of American citizens and their spouses and children. The American citizen must be 21 years of age or older before he/she can file the petition.  Before 1992 this was known as fifth preference (P-5). Visit our Family Based Immigration webpage for more info.

The links are here:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary/glossary_1363.html#family

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1306.html

It looks like F3 yung category and kailangan US citizen yung mama nya not LPR. If LPR lang mama nya and he marries you, it looks like walang category (correct me if I'm wrong mga sis) for that, so ma vo-void talaga yung petition nya. So he has to wait for his mom to be a US citizen then and petition him again and that will take a long time bec the waiting will start from scratch. But if you look on the bright side, the good thing will be together kayo and can try having your baby.

But if yung mama nya eh, US citizen then pwede magpakasal kayo and kailangan before NVC made a decision matawagan ng mama nya that her son got married and his category for his petition should be change accordingly. Kailangan na before NVC made a decision ma update yung status kasi if not, ma vo-void yung petition kasi the decision was made when they thought the son was still single. So sayang yung petition, babalik kayo sa unang step na naman if ganun.

Visa Bulletin link is this:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5212.html

So F2B (Unmarried sons and daughters of an LPR) pinaprocess na PD is 15MAY99.
For F3 (Married sons and daughters of a US citizen) ang pinaprocess na PD is 22OCT91.

Good luck sis.

[lyn]

mga sis, from LPR to US Citizen (right after makuha ang green card) gano katagal ang process?

Do you mean how long magiging US citizen ang LPR? It depends kasi. If the LPR comes here bec he/she married a US citizen he/she can apply for a US citizenship after 3 years of marriage of that same person provided you are also LPR for 3 years. So if out of the country ka it will affect the 3 years stay mo dito sa US.

Another waiting is 5 years if ang pag punta mo didto is thru work and gain your LPR status like that or by petition from your family (siter/brothers/parents). Yung 5 years din depende kung how many time na out of the country ka kasi it will affect yung residency stay mo before you are eligible to apply for US citizenship.

If for example you are eligible to apply for US citizen, the process is only 3-5 months. So if straight waiting at hindi ka umuuwi sa atin (PI) or nagbabakasyon sa Canada/Mexico/UK or any other countries na lagpas 6 months. Then the waiting time to become from LPR to US citizen is 3 years and 5 months or 5 years and 5 months.