Info Needed - Bringing Family over

[sonson]

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!

 

 

[Randy W]

from USCIS

 

Bringing Parents to Live in the United States as Permanent Residents

 

To petition for your parents (mother or father) to live in the United States as green card holders, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Green card holders (permanent residents) may not petition to bring parents to live permanently in the United States.

 

[dnoblett]

First thing she will have to naturalize and become a US Citizen, after which she can then file an I-130 petition for her mother.

 

My wife did the same thing a few years ago, and we have her living with us on a green card.