# Immigrant Visa to the US **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271 "2015-12-24T16:34:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/81 "2016-09-30T15:54:23Z")
Hopefully the Siam Sams have been too busy unpacking to update! :fingers crossed: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/82 "2016-09-30T19:07:02Z")
Good morning, all. Friday in the US, and the wife arrived right on time yesterday morning. She was admitted to the US and is now officially a Permanent Resident. The wait is over. She should receive her green card in three months. And she has started to mull full citizenship, which she’ll have to wait awhile to try for. She was not grilled too hard upon arrival. Apparently, the Immigration official was new and had not experienced first-time immigrants before, so he took a little while, having to consult his superior from time to time. But the most difficult question she was asked was her local address. She gave our address here in Waikiki, didn’t even have to prove it, although she had a copy of our lease with her just in case. So we’re all set now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/83 "2016-09-30T19:21:10Z")
Hooray for safe arrival! And you two are already acquainted w/ tropical storm season, so that won’t be any big scary deal. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/84 "2016-09-30T19:23:27Z")
We were here for Hurricane Iniki. (Which was also on 9/11, just like the overthrow of Allende. What is it about that date anyway?) ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/85 "2016-10-01T15:42:42Z")
Congratulations! I hope you two are happy in Hawaii. StG ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/86 "2016-10-01T18:16:11Z")
Congrats! Glad you are where you wan to be! And the pigeons will be fine. they are survivors. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/87 "2016-10-01T18:20:46Z")
_throws confetti_ Congratulations!! ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/88 "2016-10-03T14:56:13Z")
Congrats!!! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2016, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/89 "2016-11-22T05:23:20Z")
Update: The wife received her green card today (Monday). It took just 7-1/2 weeks from her arrival here, less than two months, compared with the three months we were told to expect. She was planning to be in Thailand for two months next March and April to collect data for the project she’s working on, but she’s looking at January now, to get it over with. January and February. She was thinking March-April before to give the green card time to arrive – she could not leave the country before she got it, or else she’d have lost her Immigrant Visa – but that’s not an issue anymore. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/90 "2016-11-22T19:09:15Z")
After so many immigration horror stories, it is nice to hear from someone who was treated well by the system. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/91 "2016-11-23T03:22:05Z")
Yes, I have to say everything went pretty smoothly. Of course, the Bangkok operation has a well-deserved reputation for efficiency. I was wrong about the wife could not have left the country before receiving her green card. That’s what I thought, but now I know she could have traveled abroad for up to a year without her green card having been issued. She said she just didn’t want to take the chance. She’s also been told she can apply for citizenship in three years from her arrival since she’s married to an American instead of the normal five years. However, any time spent outside the US such as trips back to Thailand or, say, a vacation in Japan will extend that period by the same amount. She has to spend a total of three full years here. Today she applied to update her Social Security card. She has one from back in her student days here, with her maiden name and “Not Valid for Employment” stamped on it. Her new one, with the same number but her present name and okay for employment, should arrive in the mail in a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/92 "2016-11-23T03:45:27Z")
One more note: Looking back, I’m reminded we filed for her Immigrant Visa in Bangkok on January 20, and her green card arrived yesterday, November 21. The entire process from filing for visa to green card in hand took precisely 10 months and a day. And it would have been much quicker still if we’d had a US address at the time of her interview back in April. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/93 "2016-11-23T04:37:31Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > She’s also been told she can apply for citizenship in three years from her arrival since she’s married to an American instead of the normal five years. However, any time spent outside the US such as trips back to Thailand or, say, a vacation in Japan will extend that period by the same amount. She has to spend a total of three full years here. Nope, that’s not entirely correct. There are physical presence and continuous residence requirements, but they don’t mean that any time spent outside the U.S. delays your wife’s ability to apply for citizenship. Check out the [Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet.](https://www.uscis.gov/n-400) And she should keep track of any time she spends outside the U.S. anyway, because the information will be requested on the citizenship application form. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/94 "2016-11-24T00:35:43Z")
Congratulations! My wife was officially approved for her change of status just a week ago today. Hopefully the green card will arrive after the holiday weekend, and then we can get an SSAN for her, and then open some bank and brokerage accounts for her in short order. It took from the end of July until just last week to make all of this happen. I, uh, did this in the fast past with a previous wife (yeah, I’m a serial foreigner-marrier, I suppose). Back then it took only a few days for her green card, but she had to wait in her home country for nine months before arriving, so I suppose things are better today. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2016, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/95 "2016-11-24T23:38:16Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Nope, that’s not entirely correct. There are physical presence and continuous residence requirements, but they don’t mean that any time spent outside the U.S. delays your wife’s ability to apply for citizenship. Check out the [Naturalization Eligibility Worksheet.](https://www.uscis.gov/n-400) And she should keep track of any time she spends outside the U.S. anyway, because the information will be requested on the citizenship application form. Thanks. Good to know. > [@Balthisar](#): > > Congratulations! My wife was officially approved for her change of status just a week ago today. Hopefully the green card will arrive after the holiday weekend, and then we can get an SSAN for her, and then open some bank and brokerage accounts for her in short order. > > It took from the end of July until just last week to make all of this happen. > > I, uh, did this in the fast past with a previous wife (yeah, I’m a serial foreigner-marrier, I suppose). Back then it took only a few days for her green card, but she had to wait in her home country for nine months before arriving, so I suppose things are better today. Congrats to you. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/96 "2016-11-27T02:22:14Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Congrats to you. Thanks, and welcome back from Asia again to you. We celebrated the arrival of her green card yesterday by immediately satisfying her bucket list item of visiting Canada _today_. :rolleyes: (You know, the card that grants you permission to live and stay in the USA, and she immediately wanted to _leave_ and visit Ontario. Granted, it’s only 25 minutes, but geesh!) ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/97 "2016-11-27T02:50:49Z")
a girl I know wants to come here from south Africa and study nursing and possibly stay with me … how hard is that to do ? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/98 "2016-11-27T16:18:15Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > a girl I know wants to come here from south Africa and study nursing and possibly stay with me … how hard is that to do ? That will depend on a number of factors. Has she started the application process? Will it be a Student Visa? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2020, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/99 "2020-11-01T03:34:32Z")
Bumping this thread to say the journey is over. Last December, the wife formally submitted her application for US citizenship. Two days ago, she had her citizenship interview here in Honolulu, passed it and was sworn in that day as a US citizen. Thanks to all who gave advice in this thread, especially **Eva\_Luna.** ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2020, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271/100 "2020-11-01T06:06:30Z")
Hurrah! Now go vote, Mrs Siam\_Sam! It’s your right! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/immigrant-visa-to-the-us/741271.md?page=6)