Info Needed - Bringing Family over

[I was Xiaoli's Stephen]

Hi to any old-timers here, it has been 8 years since I was here last. After losing my Xiaoli I moved away from my home town and got a new career, but no luck on the personal front. But that's not why I am here; I came here to seek advice and information for a coworker. I work with a sweet little Chinese bride who has her green card, is working on citizenship, and just had a new baby with the man she loves. And before anyone here gets the wrong idea, I'm not envious of her husband (she's barely half my age) I actually envy her father.

 

She has her younger sister here attending university on a student visa, and her mother is here on a visitors visa to help with the new baby. Her question to me was "is there any easy way to get her mother here permanently as part of her family?" I have no idea as that was not something I had researched in the past. And all her Google searches turn up sites and publications that neither she nor her husband can understand. But then I remembered how much help and guidance I had received here and thought how could it hurt to ask. Her mothers visitor visa probably doesn't last much longer (I didn't ask) and she is OK with her going home to China for now. But she would really love to get her here permanently to help with the baby as she and her husband both work fulltime and once her sister graduates she will be going back to China, so no one will be left to help with the baby. Since I'm not asking this for myself, but for her and her husband, please don't be offended if I don't promptly acknowledge any posts or advice offered. I will need to either tell them what I have received here, or, ask them for further info you all may need. And since I know probably the first suggestion will be to get one or both to sign-up here, yes I will try.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!

[dnoblett]

She needs to apply for and become a US Citizen, and once holding her naturalization paper, she can then file an I-130 immigrant petition to get an IR-5 immigrant visa for her mum. My wife did the same thing a couple years ago and her mum is now living here full time with a green-card.

 

If her mother recently got a visit visa it should allow multiple visits and be valid for 10 years, however, the actual visits tend to be set to no more than 6 months at a time and no more than 6 months in a year. He mother should avoid overstaying her allowed time.

[I was Xiaoli's Stephen]

Thanks dnoblet, it sounds like sound advice and I will gladly pass it along. The only new info I got today was that she is about 3 years married here in the US and that they have obtained the paperwork and forms to request an extension to her mothers visitors visa. It sounds like it involves a $500 fee. Since I know so little about these aspects of visas I can't say if requesting an extension now would help or hurt her future prospects of coming here permanently. Any insights anyone? Oh, I did want to ask you, when you say "the actual visits tend to be set to no more than 6 months at a time and no more than 6 months in a year" do you mean once she goes back it would be about 6 months before she can return again? Thanks again for the excellent reply and advice. I have it printed and will give it to her tomorrow morning.

[dnoblett]

An extension should not hurt any prospect on an immigrant visa, intent is not an issue wolf a parent visa, the interview is mostly a formality, just looking for inadmisibility issues.

 

Three years of marriage to a U.S. Citizen is earliest can file the application for citizenship, the process takes 6 months to a year, after which a visa petition may take another 6 months to a year to process.

 

What I mean first visit tends to show 6 month allowed stay, if for example they stay 2 months, head home for a couple months, the POE may set the resulting stay allowed to 4 months. Or if stay 6 months, then head to China, it may be 6 months before they would allow another 6 months. I have seen situations where a Canadian is dating or courting an American, they visit the states 6 months, cross into Canada then back and are denied entry. This is all a mark of residency, where do you reside US or China?...

[I was Xiaoli's Stephen]

Thanks again! Your first post did a lot to put my coworkers mind at ease and this should do even more. I'm buying lunch for her, her husband, and her mother tomorrow (to celebrate and wish good luck to the new baby) and will give this to her then. Having lost my Xiaoli these many years makes me want to do everything I can to make this sweet little girls' dreams of a happy future here in the US with her loving husband and sweet new baby come true. I appreciate all your help and info on this issue and I am sure she does as well. I am glad your dream with your sweet girl came true and I sincerely wish both of you a very long and happy future together!

[I was Xiaoli's Stephen]

To dnoblett, It has been three years since you gave me the advice listed above, which I passed along to my co-worker. I felt I owed you an update just to let you know that you were 100% right on the money. My co-worker did indeed take her US citizenship, she did work as you outlined and take the steps necessary to get her mom a green-card, and it all worked perfectly! She now has mommy living with her along with her husband, her three-year old baby boy, her sister (here on a student visa), and assorted chickens and ducks! 😊 I am greatly blessed in that her little boy has adopted me as his YeYe since he doesn't have a grandfather here in the US and the two girls (my co-worker and her little sister) are as close as I will ever come to having daughters. I came back because all too often good hearted people like you offer suggestions and advice but never know how things have turned out. Well my friend, it turned out very well for her and her family and I am here to say thanks! I hope your life still goes well and that you have found your happy future!