Sponsor for US Immigration VISA for Bride...

[vacationhopeful]

A person who I regularly work with, has an adult step-daughter who recently sponsered her half-brother's GF for a fiancee VISA. Arrived Thursday and married on Tuesday within the last 30 days. Groom was told he did not make enough money to sponsor (SS disability) her/bride. My friend convinced his wife NOT to sponsor the fiancee for her 33 yo son. This is his stepson's 2nd marriage in less than 4 years - first one lasted less than 4 months; emailing/Skyping this GF/wife for 2.5 years with one 2 week vacation together.

Seems to be a very fluid "facts" on what is the responsibilities and lenght of time the sponsor is on the hook. And terms that the "bride" has to be around.

So basic answers needed for the Step-father (who works with me):Medical insurance/medical costs for this bride?
Car accident with her at fault (has never driven a car; he barely drives due to illness)?
Length of marriage before her family starts arriving legally? What happens if they just never go home after getting VISAs to visit their daughter here?
What if he dies or she visits her out-of-state GF for several months?
Earliest she can get citzensonship; if he dies beforehand?
If she has a baby, but baby is by another man (groom's illness makes it unlikely for him to father a child) and he is very, very unlikely to go along with using donor sperm.
She is NOT looking for a job here, but plans to go back in 3 months to her old job (with him) for 90 days to train her replacement. (She works/worked as an ex-pat/guest worker in this 3rd country where she is supplied with apartment and car service by her employer). She is 27 and has done this job since 18yo making $90K US yearly - according to her (she has lived in that country since she was a child of 8).

TUGGERs are a wealth of information on so many topics .... TIA by the bunches!

 

[pjrose]

What a confusing situation.
I have no answers, but it'll be interesting to read if anyone does!

 

[MommaBear]

There is a great website called www.foreignborn.com that really helps spell out length of time that the fiance(e) visas are in effect, when to apply for green card status, how long that person can go back out of the country, how long the paperwork is in effect. It sounds like all paperwork is temporarily approved for two years and only at the two year mark can the foreign born spouse apply for permanent resident status. There are lots of regulations about whterh the family can then be sponsored. What isn't spelled out are the other issues of financial responsiblities, etc.

The official government website is www.uscis.gov. Depending on where your friend lives, there should also be lawyers in the area who specialize in immigration law.

If the (now) wife has a child, as long as the father claims the child as his own, most states acknowledge that as paternal rights/responsibility. That issue is different than the immigration issues...

I will be interested to hear what the issues end up being for this family. It certainly sounds like she has money of her own so hopefully this is a marriage of love.

 

[dioxide45]

Your coworker likely needs the advice of an immigration attorney. However here are a few answers from my own experience. NOT LEGAL ADVICE.

A person who I regularly work with, has an adult step-daughter who recently sponsered her half-brother's GF for a fiancee VISA. Arrived Thursday and married on Tuesday within the last 30 days. Groom was told he did not make enough money to sponsor (SS disability) her/bride. My friend convinced his wife NOT to sponsor the fiancee for her 33 yo son. This is his stepson's 2nd marriage in less than 4 years - first one lasted less than 4 months; emailing/Skyping this GF/wife for 2.5 years with one 2 week vacation together.

Seems to be a very fluid "facts" on what is the responsibilities and lenght of time the sponsor is on the hook. And terms that the "bride" has to be around.

How did she get sponsorship if the son couldn't and the coworker convinced his wife not to sponser her?

So basic answers needed for the Step-father (who works with me):Medical insurance/medical costs for this bride?

I would think they would need an individual policy. I don't think insurance through your company would cover the step sons bride.

Car accident with her at fault (has never driven a car; he barely drives due to illness)?

Fault shouldn't matter unless it is determined that she committed a crime. She could be deported for crimes, not sure if vehicular manslaughter would be one of them. She obviously needs to get a drivers license for the state she is living in. Depending on what country she came from and if she had a license there would determine what she has to do to get a license here.

Length of marriage before her family starts arriving legally? What happens if they just never go home after getting VISAs to visit their daughter here?

Probably many years, she can't start the citizenship process until at least three years after she becomes a permanent resident.

What if he dies or she visits her out-of-state GF for several months?

If he dies while she is still a conditional permanent resident, I think she can file to have the conditions removed right away. Once she is an unconditional permanent resident, she can stay indefinitely on that.

Visiting an out of state friend shouldn't be a problem. Visiting one out of the country is. She would need advance parole.

Earliest she can get citzensonship;

Three years after becoming a permanent resident

if he dies beforehand?

I think she may then need to wait five years.

If she has a baby, but baby is by another man (groom's illness makes it unlikely for him to father a child) and he is very, very unlikely to go along with using donor sperm.

Getting conditions removed from the permanent resident status at after three years may be difficult if there is infidelity. If it happens before the interview for permanent resident status, it is doubtful she would get that status.

She is NOT looking for a job here, but plans to go back in 3 months to her old job (with him) for 90 days to train her replacement. (She works/worked as an ex-pat/guest worker in this 3rd country where she is supplied with apartment and car service by her employer). She is 27 and has done this job since 18yo making $90K US yearly - according to her (she has lived in that country since she was a child of 8).

Would she be working in another country? At a consulate or embasy? If yes. It is possible that this could be considered abandoning her permanent resident status if she leaves the country for an extended period of time.

TUGGERs are a wealth of information on so many topics .... TIA by the bunches!

Once again this is from experience and reading a usenet newsgroup back when I immigrated to the US in 2000. Waiting times and other things may have changed since then.

 

[Passepartout]

Holy Smokes! Talk about drama. I don't detect any answerable questions, just a bunch of 'what if's'. Perhaps an immigration lawyer of one of the aforementioned websites can help. I'd suggest prioritizing the need-to-knows and asking a trained professional for solutions one-at-a-time.

Much will depend on where the principals live, as there may be State programs as well as US departments with applicable resources. From your description, it appears that these folks are pretty dependent on the good graces of the taxpayers for someone with neither long work history nor a rosy outlook to be productive in the society in the future.

Good Luck and best wishes!

Jim Ricks

 

[vacationhopeful]

....

How did she get sponsorship if the son couldn't and the coworker convinced his wife not to sponser her?

His older half sister - who works and also FORGOT to tell her husband of 25+ years that she was sponsoring the bride.

I would think they would need an individual policy. I don't think insurance through your company would cover the step sons bride.

I don't think there is any medical insurance for bride. Wondering IF sponsor was going to be held accountable for the bills.


Fault shouldn't matter unless it is determined that she committed a crime. She could be deported for crimes, not sure if vehicular manslaughter would be one of them. She obviously needs to get a drivers license for the state she is living in. Depending on what country she came from and if she had a license there would determine what she has to do to get a license here.
She has NEVER driven a car. Husband is judgment proof. Sponsor has assets.


Probably many years, she can't start the citizenship process until at least three years after she becomes a permanent resident.



If he dies while she is still a conditional permanent resident, I think she can file to have the conditions removed right away. Once she is an unconditional permanent resident, she can stay indefinitely on that. Every time the mother sees her 34yo son, he sits down and falls dead asleep. mom is very concerned about his state of health.

Visiting an out of state friend shouldn't be a problem. Visiting one out of the country is. She would need advance parole.

Three years after becoming a permanent resident I think she may then need to wait five years.



Getting conditions removed from the permanent resident status at after three years may be difficult if there is infidelity. If it happens before the interview for permanent resident status, it is doubtful she would get that status. He is on very toxic medicine and has been for years.



Would she be working in another country? At a consulate or embasy? If yes. It is possible that this could be considered abandoning her permanent resident status if she leaves the country for an extended period of time. She is still employed but on vacation from her private job in a foreign country she has lived in since 8yo. He was told he could NOT join her in that country because of his health. She is going back for 90 days in March to finish her contract and train replacement; he sounds like he will be staying with her then.



Once again this is from experience and reading a usenet newsgroup back when I immigrated to the US in 2000. Waiting times and other things may have changed since then.

Thank you for the info. I answered your questions in BOLD TYPE.

 

[vacationhopeful]

Holy Smokes! Talk about drama. ...Left most of the drama out.

Much will depend on where the principals live, as there may be State programs as well as US departments with applicable resources. From your description, it appears that these folks (Husband had worked in the computer field til his degenerative nerve disease and medicine got too advanced)are pretty dependent on the good graces of the taxpayers for someone with neither long work history nor a rosy outlook to be productive in the society in the future.
Good Luck and best wishes!

Jim Ricks

Jim,
Thanks for posting.

His mom (the wife of the guy at work) is getting concerned and does not like the double talk she is getting from her step-daughter (whom she raised after her mother died while a young girl) and her son who is parroting info from the bride. The step-daughter did have an immigration lawyer who process the fiancee visa for $2,000 (seem low to me).. But this is not a group of people who know foreigners or these type of government issues. The only time any of them have left the country was to go to an All-Inclusive 2 summers ago in the D.R.

The bride has a girlfriend who moved to the US several years ago on a fiancee visa but lives in DE - about an hour away. She started immediately going to DE to visit her (twice in the first 10 days) and telling everyone they will be selling his very modest home to move there. But the GF did NOT come up here for the wedding.

The other problem is he shares his home with his disabled 60 yo aunt (whom he lived with at her residence after he was thrown out of his house by 1st wife). She pays most of the bills and buys all the food; new wife expects aunt to wait on her like a maid; disabled aunt is not too swift but cooks and cleans; she has never driven either. Mom has already been in her son's face about the aunt's being badgered and hounded in their shared home. The aunt and the son have been living together for 4+ years.

 

[vacationhopeful]

.....I will be interested to hear what the issues end up being for this family. It certainly sounds like she has money of her own so hopefully this is a marriage of love.

This is looking more and more like a marriage to bring her extended family here. The word "FREEDOM" to do whatever she wants and go where ever, was a common line she repeats over and over. She is/was a foreign worker (as is/was her father) in Saudi Arabia - arriving there when she was 8 yo. He works in the transportation department and provided with housing on the top floor in a highrise condo building in a foreigner worker compound. She has a separate apartment next door to his. Her mother/his wife lives in a 3rd world country with an adopted 7 yo sister - they visit Saudi Arabia sometimes. Fiancee has not been back to her country of residence for multiple years.

 

[Ridewithme38]

Freedom is one of the Mantra's of America...Odds are good that she is talking about that so much because she believes that is what America is all about...As for the family, alot of foreign families are very very close and do end up immigrating when one member gets married, not getting married to immigrate, but immigrating because of the marriage...

I'm sure there is nothing to worry about, 99.9% of the time everything works out fine and that .01% odds of it not, those odds are lower then getting injured in a car crash...so unless your scared to drive....

 

[dioxide45]

His older half sister - who works and also FORGOT to tell her husband of 25+ years that she was sponsoring the bride.

I don't think there is any medical insurance for bride. Wondering IF sponsor was going to be held accountable for the bills.

If the GF utilizes any government programs to obtain health care (ie Medicaid or other state programs) then the person who is on the hook with the Affidavit of Support (sponsor) is responsible. The Affidavit Of Support is to protect the American taxpayer from the immigrant becoming a burden on the system.

If it is just a matter where a medical provider is trying to collect, they would have to go through civil channels to collect those funds. I don't think the sponsor is responsible.

She has NEVER driven a car. Husband is judgment proof. Sponsor has assets.

Once again, I don't think the sponsor is on the hook. The AOS is just to protect the American taxpayer, not provide a means for civilians to go after the sponsor.

She can't drive

Then she better not be driving until she has a state drivers license and acceptable insurance.

She is still employed but on vacation from her private job in a foreign country she has lived in since 8yo. He was told he could NOT join her in that country because of his health. She is going back for 90 days in March to finish her contract and train replacement; he sounds like he will be staying with her then.

She needs to talk to an immigration attorney. Leaving the country after entering on a single entry fiancée visa may require advance parole. Leaving for 90 days is a long time and may mean they have to start the process all over again for her to return.

 

[chellej]

Jim,
The step-daughter did have an immigration lawyer who process the fiancee visa for $2,000 (seem low to me).. But this is not a group of people who know foreigners or these type of government issues. The only time any of them have left the country was to go to an All-Inclusive 2 summers ago in the D.R.

We had to go through an attourney for my DIL and the charge was $6000. This included an extra $1000 to the govt because she had entered the us when she was 2. $2000 seems very low unless that does not include the filing fees

 

[isisdave]

On the one hand, my brother-in-law found a bride in Russia this way. She came, and they've been married ten years. Everyone's happy. So it can work.

On the other hand, if I were making $90k in Saudi Arabia, why would I want to come to the US? If I didn't want to stay there, there are plenty of places with easier immigration and lower taxes. So I'd be suspicious. Has anyone checked that the GF is not actually a BF?

 

[vacationhopeful]

Update:
Step-sister, who is the sponsor, decided to try to ditch this role over the weekend. Is this something she can do?

Continuing DRAMA.

 

[chellej]

We had to sign for our DIL as my DS doesn't make enogh $$. After the initial paperwork was sent in, she had to go through several interviews and we had to provide tax returns and w-2's. If she hasn't already submitted those things she could refuse to submit them

 

[vacationhopeful]

We had to sign for our DIL as my DS doesn't make enogh $$. After the initial paperwork was sent in, she had to go through several interviews and we had to provide tax returns and w-2's. If she hasn't already submitted those things she could refuse to submit them

I believe step-sister has submitted all those records for her to get the initial fiancee visa. Step-sister has now refused (or is refusing) to sign for the "advance parole" application for her to leave in March for 60 days (not the 90 days which is the maximum days to be out of the country) to go back to Saudi Arabia.

 

[dioxide45]

Update:
Step-sister, who is the sponsor, decided to try to ditch this role over the weekend. Is this something she can do?

Continuing DRAMA.

She really can't ditch it once it is submitted and accepted. The Step sister should have thought about these issues before signing the affidavit of support. However, unless the bride becomes a drain on the American tax payer, the step sister probably has little to worry about. Though she may have to step in to support the bride should the need arise.

 

[vacationhopeful]

She really can't ditch it once it is submitted and accepted.

I figured that was the likely answer. Thanks again for posting answers to my questions.

And I thought a mate/spouse found on a domestic dating site had its issues and drawbacks; this drama is 10 steps above and beyond that.