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For some of you vets out there......my friend has been married to his colombian wife now for two years, living together in the US, and they recently applied to change her resident status.  When can she or her husband request to bring a family member over to the US?  Either on a short visit or perm. status?  Gracias!

... in response to INS Question, posted by Sam Club on Mar 22, 2003

parts of these international marriages is the inability of the parents or other family members of the ladies being able to come to visit their daughters and sisters and yernos here in the U.S.  Many times people ask me when my wife's family is going to come and visit us.  They assume is it as simple as buying a plane ticket.  We were in CA. for Xmas with all of my family and my sister thought how nice it would be to have my wife's parents and sisters there.  They are a little shocked when you tell them that it is not possible.  In lieu of tourist visas, which are almost impossible to acquire, about the only other avenue is for the parents to apply to immigrate here after your wife becomes a citizen.

Be aware that this is one of the hardest burdens on the women in my opinion.  They become lonely for their families.  My family will never have the opportunity to know her family, what great people they are.  My sister-in-law has a tourist visa because she has a good job as a systems engineer so she came to visit last year.  It was great and you could see that my wife enjoyed having her here.  But the other family members don't have a chance.  It sure would be nice if they could.  It would make it easier to really become a family.

It is somewhat ironic that a country like ours that preaches "family values" so ardently cannot find a way to allow family members to visit.  Maybe if the men were held responsible?  Where there is a will there should be a way.

... in response to One of the saddest..., posted by Edge on Mar 23, 2003

I agree that there ought to be a way to allow visitors from countries that have high rates of overstaying their visas, to come here for visits.

One idea to make this work would be to require the US sponsor of the visitors to put up a performance bond of $10-$50K+, based upon risk factors, such as age, family ties, previous visits, etc.  

With a bond, you don't put up the full amount in cash. If your visitors overstayed their visa you would forfeit the bond to the government to help pay the expenses of apprehension and deportation.

... in response to One of the saddest..., posted by Edge on Mar 23, 2003

Darn it, Red Clay agreed with you first, so I'll have to second his agreement. I can tell you first hand that they REALLY want their family around when the babies come.

... in response to One of the saddest..., posted by Edge on Mar 23, 2003

N/T

... in response to INS Question, posted by Sam Club on Mar 22, 2003

My wife got her permanent residency in Sept.2002,9 months after we applied,30 months after she first came here on a spousal visa.I asked the INS guy that very question.She can apply and become a citizen in 2-3 years.After that she can sponsor family members on a relative visa,the same one used for a spousal visa.The problem is there is right now a 10 year wait for a brother or sister to get an interview.Parents are less,I'm not sure how long.The other person that can be sponsored is an adult child.chilren under 18 can come in with the wife on a spousal visa.Thats it,no extended family,aunts,ect.My wifes brother wants to come,her parents do not.
Another option is the tourist visa,almost impossible to get now unless the person is older,like a parent.Then there are student and work visas,not impossible but difficult.

Pete

... in response to INS Question, posted by Sam Club on Mar 22, 2003

I believe she must be a citizen to do this.

... in response to INS Question, posted by Sam Club on Mar 22, 2003

Go see www.immigration.gov. They explain all that stuff.