I have a greencard and i like to apply for I130 for my wife do you know how long it takes

Question

( she is in different country)

Answer 1

Once your I-130 is approved, about 3-10 months more or less these days, she will be given Priority Date (PD). She can only file I-485 when her PD becomes on or before the cutting date of Department of State Visa Bulletin. (VB) VB is updated every mid months for the coming month. She will be Family Based 2A, Spouse and Childern of PR.

As of August, people with PD either on or before October 3, 2003 can file I-485 except Mexico which is Unavailable. So you are looking at about 3-4 years of waiting time.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bullet...

If you become US Citizen after I-130 PD, you can expedite your wife's case by informing USCIS of your change of status, to Spouse of USCitizen which has no need of waiting for PD.

Answer 2

Agreeably, you should go to www.uscis.gov and click on the Immigration Forms section to fill out an N-400, Application for Naturalization.  After you are approved, you can upgrade the previous filing of your Form I-130 that you did when you were a lawful permanent resident (green Card holder).