Green card overseas?

[BC]

So..

Preparing for an upcoming trip back to the US, we applied for B2 tourist visas for wife and daughter here in Italy.

After arriving at the consulate were told they would have to do the interview alone so I quickly explained the ppwk to my wife and sent them on the way. I waited nearby and could see/overhear a good bit. First interview was to review the paperwork with a clerk and make sure all the basic docs were in order. Took about 15 minutes then she was told to wait for an interview with the CO.

I figured they would be a bit wary of a AM/RW application, maybe trying to get around a K3 so had prepared a 3 inch stack of substantiating documents.. the same that would be required for a K1 or K3 without the telephone bills and photos.

The male CO,(guess male CO's get the hard cases) asked wife and daughter many questions similar to those reported by other K1/K3 interviews.. very complete and certainly no rubber stamp. Even asked about my other grown kids. Said that children under 14 were not required to be present but was glad we brought our daughter along. Chinchers seemed to be that we both have permanent resident status here, a business, own our house/property, a young child together and that our daughter speaks perfect Italian. Interview was in English with some Italian thrown in and took around 20 minutes.

Towards the end of the interview the CO asked for how long    we wanted the visa.  My wife answered for as long as possible, that even though this would be a short trip we would like to visit family etc again and for future contigencies/emergencies..  The CO then said he could only approve a 2 year B1/B2 the first time and then asked her "Why doesn't your husband simply apply for a Green Card for you? It only takes a bit more time for the application."  She answered that since we weren't considering immigration, quite content here and don't have any plans to move to the US a GC was not necessary.. all this of course quite obvious to the CO from their conversation before.

The 2 year visa was approved, but seems the CO's green card question was either a 'trick' question to see if she was GC oriented or a 'hint' to check into DCF possibilities and at least not have to worry about new visas when these expire.

If it was a 'trick' question she obviously gave the right answer.. but what if he really was 'hinting' instead?..

We never really considered a GC but since we now have a couple years to work on it and if DCF is possible here, what would be the implications for those like us who are not interested in catching the 'first flight out'?.

Feasible?.. or was the CO blowing smoke?

btw.. did not see anyone carrying around chest xray sized envelopes... and there was a BCIS / Dept of Homeland Security immigration office present in an adjoining room.  Even though masses of beautiful women were walking around town in short skirts the lights were turned off in there.

[ConnerVT]

btw.. did not see anyone carrying around chest xray sized envelopes... and there was a BCIS / Dept of Homeland Security immigration office present in an adjoining room. Even though masses of beautiful women were walking around town in short skirts the lights were turned off in there.

 

Perhaps that room has a different purpose, and the chest examinations don't go as far as an x-ray.  :cool:  (Anyway, the xray is yours.  You never give it to anyone).

AFA Green Cards.  A short name for Permanent Resident Alien identification card.  The working word in your case is 'Resident'.  The USCIS only likes to issue these to people who actually will reside in the US for some time.  I forget the actual amount of time, but if you are not in the US at least half of the time the Temporary card is valid, USCIS isn't likely to renew it into a 10 year card.

[jb]

Yes, Conner is correct. The green card holder is required to spend at least 6+ months per year living in the USA.  If not they will consider the process towards citizenship to be abandoned and you'd have to start the whole thing over when you did finally decide to move back to the States.  Your wife cannot be considered to be a candidate for citizenship unless she actually resides in the USA, however your baby daughter is automatically granted her citizen's status.  I hope you went down and registered her birth with the Embassy.

The form I-130 is the correct application you'd need to file in case this ever came to pass.

[BC]

Conner,
jb,

Thanks.. Guess we will have to live with reciprocity fees for a while Maybe after a couple of trips back and forth under their belt they could get a longer visa. Then again maybe a GC would be cheaper in the long run(400 bucks + travel+overnite all in all around 1k spent this trip).. and who knows what the future holds.. even if we had to reapply after 10 years.

I guess the CO was thinking along the lines of a green card being workable as 10 year visa. Interesting that he told my wife it was not that difficult and 'quite doable'..

Daughter is 10 and son almost 2 years old.. Yes he does have a 'true blue' passport via Report of Birth Abroad - which was simple and painless.

It's at least nice being able to consider all this without being in a crunch or trying to push a last minute rush job.

Did have a great time with the in-laws visiting Rome.

[Jet]

BC,

In your case, if you're happy where you are, go the visa route. After she complies with the terms of the 2 yr she will most probably have the option of a 10 yr multi-entry available to her next time...

[BC]

Jet,

Thanks.. Thought the longest was 5 years but 10 would work out fine.. wonder what the reciprocity fee would be for a 10 year?  1000 bucks? LOL