What is the difference between filing a petition and sponsoring?

Question

I am an American citizen and I want to bring my bf, who is in India, to America so we can get married. So how can I bring him here?

a) Should I file a petition or sponsor?

b) What's the difference between the two?

c) Whatever I do (file a petition or sponsor), what's

the procedure and what's the legal age?

Answer 1

You are the sponsor that is petitioning your boyfriend.

Answer 2

a) You are the sponsor by filing petition for his immigrant visa.

b) So basically same thing different terms

c) 1. before marriage, K-1 Fiance visa, bring him as fiance to US and get married and change his status to Permanent Resident

2. after marriage in India, either K-3 Spouse non-immigrant visa or CR1/IR1 Spouse Immigrant Visa

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index....

Answer 3

It's the same thing.  The only time another person gets involved is as a cosponsor for the affidavit of support.  You must earn enough to file a petition for an immigrant ($17,500 a year for just 2 of you).  If you don't earn enough you can get a cosponsor who does earn enough.

Have you been to India to meet your boyfriend?  This is a requirement.  If not, this is the first step.

If yes, you file I-129F, I-864 and G-325A with the USCIS.  Expect it to take over a year.

Once he gets here you've got 90 days to get married.  After you're married he must file I-485, I-131 and I-765.

You can find the forms here....

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/m...