I am moving to the United States from India on an L1-A visa. My priority date for obtaining a green card is December 2012, which is based on my previous H1B priority date. This means I should be able to obtain a green card relatively soon.
However, my wife is currently focused on her recently launched business in India, and she, along with our daughter, will not be able to relocate to the US at this time. It seems impractical to include them in my green card application if they are not moving with me immediately.
That said, I want to preserve the option for my wife and daughter to join me in the United States in the future, possibly in about three years. I have a few questions regarding the best approach to ensure this:
I would appreciate any advice or insights on which option might be the most feasible and efficient for our situation. Thank you!
However, my wife is currently focused on her recently launched business in India, and she, along with our daughter, will not be able to relocate to the US at this time. It seems impractical to include them in my green card application if they are not moving with me immediately.
That said, I want to preserve the option for my wife and daughter to join me in the United States in the future, possibly in about three years. I have a few questions regarding the best approach to ensure this:
- Should I apply for my green card without including them as dependents?
- Should I apply for my green card and include them as dependents, allowing all of us to obtain green cards together? This would mean they would need to relocate with me temporarily to complete the process, which is not our preferred option. However, as part of concurrent processing, I could file for a travel permit to allow them to stay outside the US for an extended period.
- Should I apply for my green card now and add them later, after I receive my green card, by filing Form I-130? What is the typical processing time for this, and would it result in a prolonged waiting period?
- Should I apply for my green card now and then for US citizenship as soon as I am eligible? Would it be more advantageous to apply for their green cards after I obtain citizenship?
I would appreciate any advice or insights on which option might be the most feasible and efficient for our situation. Thank you!