Immigration INFO: Immigration News For Our Community

Jun 15, 2014 News

By Attorney Gail S. Seeram,
[email protected]

Through this “Question & Answer” column, our goal is to answer your immigration questions. We appreciate your comments and questions. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, please email: [email protected].

Question #1: My mother is a US citizen; she applied for me and my family (I’m married). Our priority date is 6th Feb. 2011. Could you please say how long we have to wait?
Answer #1: In response to your question, visas being issued for petitions filed on or before October 2003 – so an 8-year wait.

Question #2: I am a naturalized US citizen, since March 2012. My parents are currently living and working in Jamaica. If I file for them via I-30 Petition for alien relatives will they be required to file yearly taxes on income they are earning in Jamaica? My parents plan on working and living in Jamaica for at least 5 more years. However, in the event that they desire to move to the States or need to seek medical attention, I would love for them to become US citizens.
Answer #2: If you file for your parents and they obtain green cards, they are required to be living in the U.S. (not Jamaica). If they return to Jamaica to work and live with the green cards, they will most likely get their green cards taken away at a port of entry into the U.S.

Question #3: I sponsored my husband since February 8, 2013. Can you give tell me how long more does he have to wait to get a visa.
Answer #3: If you are a U.S. citizen then it takes about 1 year – if you are green card holder it takes
2 years.

Question #4: My daughter’s fiancé is living in the U.S.A. She has a valid visa for the U.S.A. I would like to know if she can go to the U.S.A and marry her fiancé right away and remain until she gets her permanent residence. I would also like to know the procedure to get her married in the U.S.A
Answer #4: She can marry and remain in the U.S. and file for a green card in U.S. if her fiancé is a U.S. citizen. Procedures to get married depend on the State she will be living in.

Question #5: How long does it take when a permanent person files for the wife and kids? How many years?
Answer #5: For the spouse of a permanent resident, right now visas are being issued for petitions filed on or before May 2012 – so about a 2-year wait.

Question #6: My son was born in the U.S., is it possible I can file for citizenship without him sponsoring me or should I just continue to visit as normal and wait until he turns 18 to fully sponsor me?
Answer #6: Your U.S. citizen son has to wait until he is age 21 before he can sponsor you.

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U.S. Passport Card portable alternative to U.S. Passport

U.S. citizens may apply for a U.S. Passport Card for use during certain international travel and as an identity/nationality document. The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The card may not be used to travel by air.
It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the U.S. passport book and will be adjudicated to the exact same standards. The Department of State issues this passport card that is less expensive and more portable alternative to the traditional passport book. The card has the same validity period as a passport book: 10 years for an adult, five for children 15 and younger.
HOW MUCH DOES THE PASSPORT CARD COST?
Adults age 16 and older applying for the first-time will pay $55 and previous passport holders will pay $30 for the passport card. Children will pay $40 for a passport card. The passport card is especially a good idea for minor children since they usually do not a driver’s license or ID card to prove their identity.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A U.S. PASSPORT CARD?
If you are interested in applying for a U.S. passport card and you have a U.S. passport book and are eligible to use Form DS-82, you may apply for the card by mail. If you are interested in applying for a U.S. passport card but you have never had a U.S. passport book, you must apply in person using Form DS-11. All passport cards will be returned using First Class Mail. Passport cards cannot be shipped to you using overnight delivery
HOW SECURE IS THE CARD?
To facilitate the frequent travel of U.S. citizens living in border communities and to meet the Department of Homeland Security operational needs at land borders, the passport card will contain a vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. This chip will link the card to a stored record in secure government databases.
Because the wallet-sized passport card does not offer as many opportunities to embed security features as a passport book, the Department uses laser engraving and state-of-the-art security features to mitigate against the possibility of counterfeiting and forgery. There will be no personal information written to the RFID chip.