Ngashanews

Hello,
Does anyone know: My husband's brother in Cambodia, after a wait of 12
years, has been told an immigration number should be current for him soon. 12
years ago, he was not married & no children, now he's married and has 3.
Here's the question: Is it possible for him to immigrate first, get a job and
get settled, before the wife & kids come? NVC says yes, just pay for him
first, bring him, then he can apply for his family (but no idea how long this
process would take). Immigration says NO THEY HAVE TO COME AS A "PACKAGE"
<CLICK> no explanations, ifs, ands or buts...
Who is right? Any immigration attorneys on this list? Or someone else
knowledgeable? Post here or privately to NgashaNews (at) aol (dot) com.
Thanks,
Ngasha

Sylvia Ottemoeller

"NgashaNews" <> wrote in message
news:...

    > Does anyone know: My husband's brother in Cambodia, after a wait of 12
    > years, has been told an immigration number should be current for him soon.
12
    > years ago, he was not married & no children, now he's married and has 3.
    > Here's the question: Is it possible for him to immigrate first, get a job
and
    > get settled, before the wife & kids come?

Yes. An immigrant visa interview can be arranged at the U.S. consular post,
and he can get an immigrant visa and immigrate to the U.S. The other family
members can arrange for an immigrant visa at a later date, on a
follow-to-join basis, and then they can immigrate.

There may be problems not with the law, or with regulations, but with the
practical procedures that are going on. If the family can work closely
with the consular post, and the consular post can keep on top of the
situation and respond properly, this can be done.

However, if for example the delay after the principal alien's immigration
and the arrangement for the follow-to-join interviews gets too long, the
consular post may discard the paperwork.

NVC says yes, just pay for him
    > first, bring him, then he can apply for his family (but no idea how long
this
    > process would take).

Well, this is incorrect. He will not "apply for his family." (That would
take an extra 5 or 6 years.) The rest of the family will "follow to join"
in the same category in which the brother immigrated, Family 4.

Immigration says NO THEY HAVE TO COME AS A "PACKAGE"
    > <CLICK> no explanations, ifs, ands or buts...

To which entity was a question addressed? What was the question, exactly?
How was the answer given?

    > Who is right? Any immigration attorneys on this list? Or someone
else
    > knowledgeable?

In general, it is best to hire a good immigration attorney to find out
things like this. Individuals at the government agencies who are
responsible for providing information vary greatly in training and
expertise. Some give information which is flatly wrong. Some ruin people's
lives when they give wrong information, and the person depends on that
information.

Also, many questions cannot be answered in a quick and simple way. The
whole situation, with many different relevant factors, must be analyzed
before an answer can be given that is actually useful.