Complicated Nationality Questions

[Daddy's Dream]

Over the years I have considered a Fiipina wife. But OH NO I to plan to cruise and would prefer to take the wife with me. From what I've learned it takes about 5 years for a Filpina to get her US Citizenship and it is spendy. A US Passport sure does open a lot more doors than a Filipina one. Right now, I have mixed feelings bout it and have been setting on my thumbs and needless to say, after reading this thred I think I will sit a little while longer before makng any decission.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Daddy's Dream

Over the years I have considered a Fiipina wife. But OH NO I to plan to cruise and would prefer to take the wife with me. From what I've learned it takes about 5 years for a Filpina to get her US Citizenship and it is spendy. A US Passport sure does open a lot more doors than a Filipina one. Right now, I have mixed feelings bout it and have been setting on my thumbs and needless to say, after reading this thred I think I will sit a little while longer before makng any decission.

Not quite on the time line. For a foreign born spouse of a US citizen getting a "green card" - averages about two years. The processing is only a few months, but the rest of the time is consumed getting all the proper documents and putting together the submission packages.
- - Once the spouse has a "green card" then it is only 3 years until they are eligible to apply for naturalization (citizenship). For somebody who is not married to a US citizen the time is 5 years.
- - During the 3 years between getting a "green card" and taking the naturalizaton (citizenship) you can travel outside the USA for only half (18 months) of that time. However, each trip cannot be longer than 6 months without applying for "permission" to be aboard. That is the simplified version but there are other restrictions about how much time they can be outside the USA. But remember the purpose of the "resident alien visa, a.k.a - green card" is to be able to live and work inside the USA. If you do not intend to do that then don't go for the "green card."
- - The 3 years the spouse has to reside in the US can be rapidly consumed by cruising the coast lines of the USA or even "land-cruising". Or they can work to build up the cruising kitty.
- - If you want the benefits of a foreign born spouse and also want the benefits of them getting a US Passport, then you have to do the work and time. There is no simple way around that. Other countries will sell you a citizenship if you have the money, but not the big 1st world countries.