Family member ( Sister or Daughter ) visiting or Immigrating to USA

[Michael-Sean]

I was wondering about having my Wife's Sister or daughter come to Visit Us how fast can we get the Visitor Visa and how long can she stay
Then Have my Wife's sister come live with US . I guess I would sponcer her ? what would be the the best way to go forward .

Michael_Sean

[dnoblett]

1) A visit visa would be applied by her, the DS-160 is filled out on a website, and then printed out, then schedule an appointment at nearest US Consulate. Typically a B-2 visitor can visit for up to 6 months, after which would need to either leave the USA or file for a visit extension.

 

http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/non-immigrant-visa-section.html

 

2) As for immigration, a US Citizen cannot petition for an in-law, your spouse will have to do that after first becoming a US Citizen (can apply for citizenship after 3 years of residency when continuously married to same US Citizen) After becoming a new US Citizen she can then file an I-130 for her sister, however, the waiting time for a Visa number for a sibling is very long, near 10 years or so, the plus side is if sister were married, the petition would also allow for sister's family to immigrate at same time, the petition would get numbers for her spouse and children, the added cost would be added visa fees.

[True Blue]

My opinion only and my story:

 

My wife's unmarried daughter was 26 and it seemed impossible for her to get a tourist visa to USA (unmarried female - no way to vosit at the time- now perhaps coming with an organized tour group may be possible). So we bit the bullet and my wife applied for the immigration Visa. 2 years later, we now have about 7 more years to wait. Though IMHO this could turn into 9 or 10 more years if rumors of the big "immigration reform" illegal alien processing backlog hit as this may tie up those working on legal immigration. In the meantime, my stepdaughter cannot visit us in America (hard to show she does not plan to stay if there is an immigration petition outstanding. Perhaps 1 or 2 here have done it, but for an unmarried female under 40, the vast majority (e.g. 99.5%) applying for a visitor tourist visa who have an immigration petition outstanding will get rejected.

 

So you have to think if there is a chance your female relative can come on an organized tour, perhaps it is better to get the visitor visa and visit first before waiting the decade plus for immigration. Then at least the female relative will have some small basis to see if they actually want to immigrate here. That would be my advice because while almost every Chinese woman loves vacation travel, there is an increasingly strong chance that they really won't want to live here.

 

We heard from one young Chinese student friend who studied in USA and returned - "USA is beautiful country to visit but to live there is not a good thing as life in USA is way too expensive and way too boring. There is literally nothing to do" My wife (who is now in China now for 2 months for CNY) agrees and is already planning her own all return trip to China from beautiful boring America.

 

My stepdaughter really does not mind a less exciting pace of life in the USA and would welcome the clean air and water. But the 9 year waiting period. political turmoil and lack of jobs in America have already soured her on coming to America whenever a Visa slot is finally available. We are just keeping it open for now in case my wife or I get sick or pass away in 8+ years or so. Then she can come care for us and go to the funeral. Stepdaughter talked to a dozen friends who went to school in USA, Europe, Australia and Canada. The number who are interested in coming to America besides her --none. So perhaps the demand for visa slots is going down now.

 

True Blue

[Fu Lai]

Interesting True Blue. Knowing kids today, I have a few plus students, boring is their favorite word (including in China). Leaving friends and their language behind is almost too much to seriously consider. Now if it were for love... different story.

 

Parents I know in China want their kids to get a rounded USA college education. In the USA I think the organized arts (theater, galleries, music, poetry, etc.) are better done and more diversified but if grown kids are from China they really don't immediately latch onto it. So it's BORING. Just a cultural difference. Things are different in the USA, not more boring IMO. Anyway... off-topic finished.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Fu Lai (see edit history)