How do you file your green card documents?
OK my wife is from the UK and Im a naturally born US citizen. We got married a couple months ago and thought that would take care of her status in the US, however turns out it doesnt. Also shes pregnant and were expecting next year, thought that would take care of her status, turns out it doesnt. (So as a side not to anyone reading this who is with someone from another country, just because you are married and/or pregnant DOES NOT mean he/she can be comfortable in thinking their status is safe in the US) Im sorry to vent here, this just all came as a major shock and has caused non-stop problems for both of our families, jading the wonderful experience of the wedding and our first child. But I digress..
Her visa runs out here in less than a year so were trying to get in all the paperwork so she can get her green card. Again totally blindsided its a LOT more expensive than we thought to have a lawyer do it, so were trying to do it ourselves. From what I understand she has to file an i-130 and i-485, than we wait for for interview and the whole process takes several months. One form is $400 and the other is $1000 so I want to make sure I get this right. Are those the only forms she needs to file, and can/should I mail both forms in one envelope? Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks!
Those two forms will suffice, there will be two other forms that you can file, one for Employment authorization if she seeks one and the second one if she intends to travel in the near future, these forms are filed if need to be and are not required.
Do not sweat about her Visa running out as once you file the I-130 and I-485 and if her visa runs out that overstay is protected by virue of those two forms in processing.
OK my wife is from the UK and Im a naturally born US citizen. We got married a couple months ago and thought that would take care of her status in the US, however turns out it doesnt. Also shes pregnant and were expecting next year, thought that would take care of her status, turns out it doesnt. (So as a side not to anyone reading this who is with someone from another country, just because you are married and/or pregnant DOES NOT mean he/she can be comfortable in thinking their status is safe in the US) Im sorry to vent here, this just all came as a major shock and has caused non-stop problems for both of our families, jading the wonderful experience of the wedding and our first child. But I digress..
Her visa runs out here in less than a year so were trying to get in all the paperwork so she can get her green card. Again totally blindsided its a LOT more expensive than we thought to have a lawyer do it, so were trying to do it ourselves. From what I understand she has to file an i-130 and i-485, than we wait for for interview and the whole process takes several months. One form is $400 and the other is $1000 so I want to make sure I get this right. Are those the only forms she needs to file, and can/should I mail both forms in one envelope? Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks!
Dont sweat on this issue at all. Its not that complicated as lots of us imagine ( I used to do too before ). Now that I have successfully did it & can tell you right now that you yourself can file it all yourself without waisting a dime on an attorney. My wife was out of status for the last eight years & that issue was not even brought out by the interviewing officer one time. All IO asked if her entry to US was legal or not. You being a US citizen by applying for her can easily adjust her status in here.
Trust me, been there & done it therefore Im telling you from my own experience. I filed for my wife back in April this year & within four months everything is over & I received approval letters along with the USCIS E-mail saying GC has been mailed already. Hopefully GC arrive in another week or two or even earlier.
If you need any further assistance please feel free to ask me & Id be more than happy to assist you.
Atique.
Her visa runs out here in less than a year ...
Note that her period of legal stay is not determined by when the visa expires. The visa expiration determines the last day she can enter the US, not the last day she can leave the US without violating her status. Look at her I-94 to determine when when her legal stay expires.
See this other thread for the complete list of forms: http://forums.immigration.com/showth...17#post1975217