immigration on spousal basis

[abq215]

Hi all,

I am new to this group. I have a querry and I will appreciate if someone can help me out with it. My fiance'e is US citizen by birth but she is living outside of US since more than 20 years in saudi arabia. She is not working and plans to be a housewife after I get married in the end of this year, Dec 2011.
Please help/suggest/guide me the shortest way/procedure to get US citizenship if I want to apply on spousal basis.

I have a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering and currently working as a Radio Frequency Engineer in the leading telecom wireless company called Mobilink in pakistan, karachi. I have a total job experience of 4 years in various capacities in telecom industry of pakistan.

[nwctzn]

The typical route is that you first apply for a greencard based on marriage to a US citizen. You can then apply for US citizenship after you have been a greencard holder for 3 years. However, to follow this route, once you get your greencard, you have to reside and work in the US for most of the time to meet the continuous residence and physical presence requirements .

[abq215]

just wanna confirm to this... if my US citizen spouse is living outside US for a long time i.e. 20 yrs and is not doing any job, does it cause much delay my procedure for a spouse visa? i've visited uscis website... but i wud appreciate if someone who has already been to this procedure can help me out so that i do not get confused?

BTW thank you nwctzn for the reply..

[abq215]

immigration on spousal basis (request for urgent reply)

My wife will be leaving for US within 9 days and from there she will be filing for spouse visa I-130 for me after establishing her residence. She will be staying at her aunty's who is living in New Jersey. At this moment I am the applicant, my wife is the petitioner and her aunty will be the co-sponsor. Following required documents I will be handing over to her to file for my procedure:

1) Filled forms I-130
2) My Birth certificate (certified copy)
3) Our marriage certificate (original + copy)
4) Marriage photo album
5) My 2 photographs

Please let me know whether I (being the Applicant) have missed out any other required document which has to be arranged from Pakistan for applying for I-130. Your valuable suggestions are requested.

Please also let me know how much time it is taking for spouse visas nowadays.


TY - BR,
ABQ

[osweiti50]

I think you need to fill out at this moment G-325 Biographic Forms as well for both yourself & for your wife. see http://www.uscis.gov/g-325a

Also you need to send photos for your wife as well (Petitioner and beneficiary).
The fee is $420.00. that will be by check or money order to the order of Dept of Homeland Security.

Just at this time send copies of birth, marriage, previous marriage divorce ....certificates . You don't need to send albums, that might be needed later on and during the consulate interview phase.

Remember you need a good address for correspondence.

Good luck.