How long will the petition process take for me if my parents have been residents for three years? 7 Answers as of December 06, 2011

IT will be about 6 year process before you would be eligible for an immigrant visa. However, if you are in the US and not lawfully present you will not be eligible for the visa even when the turn for you comes. You have to maintain status within the US at all times or you need to leave the US and wait for the priority date to become current outside the US.

Depends on what country you are from and whether they will be filing for citizenship at their soonest opportunity (see the chart at the link below - this changes every month). They should file an I-130 petition for you to get you a place in line. Currently this would be in the FB-2b category. Once the petitioner naturalizes (both parents can file an I-130 for you) then you will move to the FB-1 category. http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html

Have they already filed for you to get you a FB-2B priority date? If not, the worldwide backlog on FB-2B is August 2003. If your parents naturalize in 2 years, you move to the FB-1 which is about a year faster.

Technically, your parents could petition for you now as permanent residents. The length of time this will take depends upon visa availability. Visa availability fluctuates each month. The petition itself will likely be approved within 6-8 months. However, you will then have to wait for a visa, which is can be about 4 years or more. In the meantime, if your parents become U.S. citizens, your petition will be upgraded due to their change in status. It is important that you speak to an immigration attorney in person before taking any action. If you are in the United States without lawful status, you will likely be unable to adjust your status unless you qualify for very specific benefits.

It depends on many things like whether you came with a visa, whether you plan on living the US to get your immigrant visa in your country, whether the 10-year bar will come into play (and it will outside the US), etc. You can always look up your position in the visa bulletin published by the State Department. All I can say is that it will take a long time. Good luck!

This will depend on your nationality. Except for Mexico and the Philippines, USCIS is currently working on cases filed in August 2003 so there is an approximate 8 year wait. For Mexican nationals, USCIS is working on cases filed in November 1992 and on cases for Philippines nationals filed in November 2001. There may be a slightly shorter wait if your parents become citizens. You can view the visa bulletin on the Department of States website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5603.html.

While they could file a family-based 2-B petition on your behalf, that visa category is significantly backlogged. They may qualify for Naturalization in another two years, and any approved petition under the 2-B category could be upgraded to family first preference.