Marry now or later?
May 17th 2004, 1:12 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 15
Marry now or later?
My father, whose father was a US citizen, is about to receive his first US passport at the age of 60. I am over 21 and understand that he can petition for me to receive a green card through I-130 form... is that right?
Anyway, I am engaged and get the impression that whether I am married or not will affect which category I go into and therefore how long I would have to wait...
Does anyone know, would the wait be shorter if we marry now (presumably my then-wife and I would both receive green cards... is that right?) or if I am sponsored unmarried and then marry my fiancee after getting a green card? And would that entitle her to come over to the US?
Anyway, I am engaged and get the impression that whether I am married or not will affect which category I go into and therefore how long I would have to wait...
Does anyone know, would the wait be shorter if we marry now (presumably my then-wife and I would both receive green cards... is that right?) or if I am sponsored unmarried and then marry my fiancee after getting a green card? And would that entitle her to come over to the US?
May 17th 2004, 1:16 am
#2
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Marry now or later?
Originally posted by gobofraggleuk
My father, whose father was a US citizen, is about to receive his first US passport at the age of 60. I am over 21 and understand that he can petition for me to receive a green card through I-130 form... is that right?
Anyway, I am engaged and get the impression that whether I am married or not will affect which category I go into and therefore how long I would have to wait...
Does anyone know, would the wait be shorter if we marry now (presumably my then-wife and I would both receive green cards... is that right?) or if I am sponsored unmarried and then marry my fiancee after getting a green card? And would that entitle her to come over to the US?
My father, whose father was a US citizen, is about to receive his first US passport at the age of 60. I am over 21 and understand that he can petition for me to receive a green card through I-130 form... is that right?
Anyway, I am engaged and get the impression that whether I am married or not will affect which category I go into and therefore how long I would have to wait...
Does anyone know, would the wait be shorter if we marry now (presumably my then-wife and I would both receive green cards... is that right?) or if I am sponsored unmarried and then marry my fiancee after getting a green card? And would that entitle her to come over to the US?
http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/child.htm
May 17th 2004, 1:29 am
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 15
Re: Marry now or later?
so it would be quicker if married, right?
1997 instead of 1995 - for category 3 instead of 2B...
Thanks.
1997 instead of 1995 - for category 3 instead of 2B...
Thanks.
May 17th 2004, 1:41 am
#4
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Marry now or later?
Originally posted by gobofraggleuk
so it would be quicker if married, right?
1997 instead of 1995 - for category 3 instead of 2B...
Thanks.
so it would be quicker if married, right?
1997 instead of 1995 - for category 3 instead of 2B...
Thanks.
May 17th 2004, 2:08 am
#5
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 15
Re: Marry now or later?
Originally posted by ray6
Looks likes unmarried first preference would be quicker to me.
Looks likes unmarried first preference would be quicker to me.
You're right! I was looking at 2B for 'permanent resident' instead of 1 for citizen... the jargon is new to me - I only started looking for information yesterday... thanks for your help...
So 2000 for 1st pref, instead of 1997 for 3rd...
But, I still would need to bring my fiancee with me - and so now I need to find out about that - because the time it takes for that would have to be added on to the time it takes for me to get a green card... probably a lot more complicated to get a GC holder's wife recognised than would be the case with a citizen's wife... if it takes longer than 3 years, 3rd pref would still be faster...
May 17th 2004, 2:14 am
#6
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Marry now or later?
Originally posted by gobofraggleuk
But, I still would need to bring my fiancee with me - and so now I need to find out about that - because the time it takes for that would have to be added on to the time it takes for me to get a green card... probably a lot more complicated to get a GC holder's wife recognised than would be the case with a citizen's wife... if it takes longer than 3 years, 3rd pref would still be faster...
But, I still would need to bring my fiancee with me - and so now I need to find out about that - because the time it takes for that would have to be added on to the time it takes for me to get a green card... probably a lot more complicated to get a GC holder's wife recognised than would be the case with a citizen's wife... if it takes longer than 3 years, 3rd pref would still be faster...
May 17th 2004, 6:24 am
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Marry now or later?
gobofraggleuk <member24584@british_expats.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> so it would be quicker if married, right?
How?
> 1997 instead of 1995 - for
> category 3 instead of 2B...
>
> Thanks.
See http://travel.state.gov/visa_bulletin.html to know which way is
faster.
Definitely, unmarried son (of US citizens) gets priority over married
son of us citizens.
It seems that PR cannot even sponsor married son. PR sponsoring for
for unmarried sons over 21(2B), takes longer than citizens sponsoring
married son (3A).
Two choices: stay unmarried and get 1st preference, then call your
fiancee
OR
get married and get 3rd preference.
--------------------------------------------------------------
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400 plus any
numbers not required for fourth preference.
Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of
Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the
worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, and any unused
first preference numbers:
A. Spouses and Children: 77% of the overall second preference
limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
B. Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older): 23% of the
overall second preference limitation.
Third: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400, plus any
numbers not required by first and second preferences.
Fourth: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens: 65,000, plus any
numbers not required by first three preferences.
> so it would be quicker if married, right?
How?
> 1997 instead of 1995 - for
> category 3 instead of 2B...
>
> Thanks.
See http://travel.state.gov/visa_bulletin.html to know which way is
faster.
Definitely, unmarried son (of US citizens) gets priority over married
son of us citizens.
It seems that PR cannot even sponsor married son. PR sponsoring for
for unmarried sons over 21(2B), takes longer than citizens sponsoring
married son (3A).
Two choices: stay unmarried and get 1st preference, then call your
fiancee
OR
get married and get 3rd preference.
--------------------------------------------------------------
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400 plus any
numbers not required for fourth preference.
Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of
Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the
worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, and any unused
first preference numbers:
A. Spouses and Children: 77% of the overall second preference
limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
B. Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older): 23% of the
overall second preference limitation.
Third: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400, plus any
numbers not required by first and second preferences.
Fourth: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens: 65,000, plus any
numbers not required by first three preferences.
May 17th 2004, 8:00 am
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Marry now or later?
"gobofraggleuk" <member24584@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My father, whose father was a US citizen, is about to receive his first
> US passport at the age of 60. I am over 21 and understand that he can
> petition for me to receive a green card through I-130 form... is that
> right?
Yes, in the Family 1 category if you are unmarried and in Family 3 if you
are married.
> Anyway, I am engaged and get the impression that whether I am
> married or not will affect which category I go into and therefore how
> long I would have to wait...
> Does anyone know, would the wait be shorter
> if we marry now (presumably my then-wife and I would both receive green
> cards... is that right?)
Yes.
or if I am sponsored unmarried and then marry
> my fiancee after getting a green card?
Then you would have to sponsor her in a separate Family 2A process, which
would take 6 to 7 years (beyond your obtaining PR status) at the current
rate.
And would that entitle her to
> come over to the US?
No. She would have to have her own nonimmigrant status to enter the U.S.,
like F-1, J-1, H-1B, and the statuses which require temporary intent would
be difficult to get because of the marriage.
news:[email protected]...
> My father, whose father was a US citizen, is about to receive his first
> US passport at the age of 60. I am over 21 and understand that he can
> petition for me to receive a green card through I-130 form... is that
> right?
Yes, in the Family 1 category if you are unmarried and in Family 3 if you
are married.
> Anyway, I am engaged and get the impression that whether I am
> married or not will affect which category I go into and therefore how
> long I would have to wait...
> Does anyone know, would the wait be shorter
> if we marry now (presumably my then-wife and I would both receive green
> cards... is that right?)
Yes.
or if I am sponsored unmarried and then marry
> my fiancee after getting a green card?
Then you would have to sponsor her in a separate Family 2A process, which
would take 6 to 7 years (beyond your obtaining PR status) at the current
rate.
And would that entitle her to
> come over to the US?
No. She would have to have her own nonimmigrant status to enter the U.S.,
like F-1, J-1, H-1B, and the statuses which require temporary intent would
be difficult to get because of the marriage.
