Immigrant Visa | Imamother

amother

Coffee

Mon, Oct 08 2018, 5:08 am

It's a long hard process so get ready. I work in this field so I know a lot about it. You're going to find of incorrect outdated information online. Your sources for information should be uscis and the US embassy in Israel.

My real advice is to start looking into the forms needed for the green card process (I-130, I-130a and I-864) and read the instructions to the forms very carefully. If your happy to lay out the money then get a lawyer in Israel or the US who will do the whole process for you.

amother

Pearl

Mon, Oct 08 2018, 7:14 am

amother wrote:

Hi,
I am an american citizen who married an Israeli.
We are relocating to the US and are looking into immigrant visa for my husband.
Does anyone have any info on the process?
Any help would be appreciated!
TIA

I've been through the process and don't feel qualified to give significant advice, but rough overview is he would first become a Lawful Permanent Resident and after some period of time (3-5 years) he could naturalize and become a US citizen, assuming no complications (criminal issues, problematic other citizenships, etc)

I just want to say before you start, make sure you're certain that
1- DH is okay with his tax obligations in both countries should he become a citizen. Some countries have treaties with the US, some don't and the dual citizen might have to pay taxes in both countries. Depending on income and the relevant laws, this can be a deal breaker for some.
2- Make sure you both truly intend to live in the USA. If you leave for too long a period when you're a permanent resident but before you naturalize, you can be considered to have abandoned your application. It's an expensive and tedious process to go through to just "abandon". Additionally, before he naturalizes he will have to show that he was physically present in the US in the past few years for more time than he was outside of the US.

You can probably find out more information on USCIS's website about the physical presence requirement and not abandoning residence status.

If you're okay with those two factors, hatzlacha!

chatz

Mon, Oct 08 2018, 10:44 am

I filed the forms for my husband about ten years ago. I do remember it being very detailed but not crazy difficult. I don't know if the process changed since then but everything was online then on the USCIS website and we did not use a lawyer. You do have to read a lot of detailed instructions though.

He needs to become a permanent resident (green card).

From my memory (dated ten years and things may have changed):
* It costs $$$
* Green cards are good for ten years (unless married less than 2 years). You don't have to become a citizen (naturalization) but you do have to go through the process again to renew.
* You need to show support. Ie, either you make enough money or you will need a sponsor
* Normally, there are quotas, etc on eligibility. As the spouse of a citizen- he "skips the line"
* You can do this either in the US or abroad. If you're in the US, you have to stay here during the process and you have to be here legally when you file. The standard visitor's visa is risky if it seems you entered the US to stay long term. Can he get a student visa in the interim? Or can you stay in Israel during the process? It takes time.