lpdiver

I am not debating the law. However, laws can and sometimes should be reviewed and changed from time to time.

As for the specifics facts in MY situation here you go. I am 47 (no spring chicken) and currently have taken full custody of my 14 year old daughter. Next month I may be awarded full custody and after that my wife will adopt her.

My daughters mother is unfit to parent. Although she is able; she refuses to work and is living off of government resources despite having monies that she is hiding. She chooses to live in homeless shelters and not take responsibility for her life. She is able and capable.

My wife is from Colombia (note the two O's). They have a wonderful welfare system there...work or die. My wife has the best work ethic of any person I have met. She will not be a burden of the system (unlike my USC ex). Additionally, I have a $500,000.00 life insurance policy.

So in two months if things go my way my wife will be my daughters legal parent. If I die shortly after that; my USC daughter and her mother could be faced with some difficult decisions that I feel they shouldn't have to face.

Additionally; as pointed out by MR F. there is a vast difference between having an approved and a pending I-130. I have the worderful distinction of having to utilize the TSC. So my I-130 is way behind others. Due to my place of residence I am being treated unequal to residents in other states. This is not right...period.

343 days to go...hehehe

Have a good evening,

Tony

meauxna

ida, this isn't directed only at you, but I like your question.

For those who are wondering the above, and andrew's questions, here's my reply.

My spouse has not lived in his native country for 10 years. He has no remaining family there, no financial ties, newspaper subscriptions or cravings for home foods. He told me when we first met "Home is where I hang my hat". Even though he had a nice home in Greece, he still considers himself a wanderer.

"Here" is where he hangs his hat now. We own our primary residence together, all his banking and financial investments are in the US and he's finally learned his way around the local Safeway grocery. His family relationships are with my family, sister, parents etc.

He's also a grown man of +50, an ex Royal Navy sailor and 20 year fireman. IOW, he knows how to take care of himself. Obviously, he "can" relocate anywhere and will probably thrive if/when he does so.

We have celebrated 2 years of wedded bliss, so my example is moot for this discussion. And, my Darling Alien Husband entered the US with an Immigrant Visa, so he did not have the lag in status that the woman in the story must be facing, the same lag that the K1ers and AOSing K3ers & VWP entrants face. Namely, the wait of up to three years to have their AOS processed. Had their AOS been processed promptly, the widows of the story would have had their PR status and not be in this situation. The people then left ‘uncovered’ would indeed be newcomers to the US and would not be as established as someone here for 12+ months.

The point came up a few times as “is it impossible for a foreign spouse to return to their home country to start over�? But I really think Patrick hit it on the head with “choice�. I think they should have the choice to stay and throw in some caveats to keep the riff raff out, like self or alternate sponsorship as mentioned earlier. I think there’s a mechanism in place for that already. And hey, we’re really talking about small numbers of people here. 25 cases is all they could dig up? I hardly think we’re going to overwhelm US immigration by letting widow/ers stay here, even if they were married less than 2 years.