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I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

226 points proberts | 4 comments | 05 Dec 25 16:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.823s | source

As usual, there are countless immigration topics and I'll be guided by whatever you're concerned with. Please remember that I can't provide legal advice on specific cases for obvious liability reasons because I won't have access to all the facts. Please stick to a factual discussion in your questions and comments and I'll do the same in my answers!

Previous threads we've done: https://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=proberts.

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jacobmartinez3d ◴[05 Dec 25 21:45 UTC] No.46167802[source]▶
I am a native citizen currently watching my first child grow up without me while my wife waits in line for her nearly 2-year-long immigration process. Every attempt to expedite her processing has been denied, even during Typhoons where she loses power and access to hospitals. I feel forgotten, and cast aside by the system - like my family situation is inconsequential and undeserving.

Is there really nothing native citizens like me can do to get our family here outside waiting in a generic line with everyone else in the world?

replies(3): >>46167858 #>>46168849 #>>46175758 #
1. proberts ◴[05 Dec 25 21:51 UTC] No.46167858[source]▶
That doesn't make any sense. I'd need to know all the facts to advise. Please send me an email to schedule a call (proberts@robertsimmigration.com). Which Consulate is she applying through?
replies(1): >>46171456 #
2. fantod ◴[06 Dec 25 07:44 UTC] No.46171456[source]▶
Isn't 1-2 year wait time standard for spousal immigration?
replies(2): >>46173470 #>>46201330 #
3. nasaeclipse ◴[06 Dec 25 14:07 UTC] No.46173470[source]▶
No. My spouse and I came here together and we applied for her green card in Japan. It took about 2 months.
4. justinram11 ◴[09 Dec 25 04:49 UTC] No.46201330[source]▶
This was around 2020-2022 during COVID, but the whole process from start to finish from Taiwan took a little over two years for us (we had issues with the financial supporting documents that took 3 months round trip twice to get resolved -- so potentially would have been closer to 18 months had we done everything correctly).

Extremely frustrating process to say the least (my Taiwan resident card was sorted in less than a month).