Can true love survive years of waiting, legal hurdles, and the fear of being separated after more than two decades together?
For one couple in Bronx, New York, it did. Their journey—filled with deep commitment, setbacks, and sacrifice—finally led to a green card after 23 years of living in the U.S. without status.
Our 42-year-old Honduran client entered the United States without inspection in April 2002. He’s been together with his U.S. Citizen wife for over a decade, living as a blended family without children of their own. In 2018, determined to bring stability to their life together, they reached out to our firm after finding us on Facebook.
We filed the I-130 petition in July 2018 and by November 2019, it was approved. But we knew that the road ahead wouldn’t be easy—he would need a waiver to overcome his unlawful presence in the U.S. before he could apply for an immigrant visa abroad.
Because our client entered the United States without inspection, our immigration laws required him to finish his process at the U.S. embassy in Honduras. In other words, he was ineligible for adjustment of status.
In 2020, we filed the I-601A waiver, laying out in detail the extreme hardship the U.S. petitioner would face if her husband’s visa were denied. To protect our clients, we also submitted a FOIA request in 2021 to confirm there were no hidden issues in our client’s immigration history.
After years of waiting, the waiver was finally approved in April 2024. That approval came with a heavy reality: after 23 years living in the U.S., he would have to return to Honduras for his visa interview.
We guided the couple every step of the way, ensuring that all documentation was submitted. The case was documentarily qualified at the National Visa Center in September 2024. Still, delays followed, as the NVC repeatedly rejected the Honduran birth certificate. When the interview was finally scheduled for June 2025, both he and his U.S. citizen wife flew to Honduras.
Then came one of the most stressful moments in the case: during the pre-interview check-in, they realized they had forgotten to bring the original copy of her divorce decree. Without hesitation, the U.S. petitioner boarded a flight back to New York, retrieved the document, and returned to Honduras—just in time.
After a successful interview, his immigrant visa was approved! He re-entered the U.S. on June 2025, as a lawful permanent resident.
Their love and dedication carried them through one of the longest and most emotional immigration journeys we’ve seen. Today, they’re together, no longer living in fear, and finally home—for good.
Need help navigating your green card challenges? Call us at (914) 898-9488 or click here to schedule a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney.
P.S. Every case is unique. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Always consult a licensed immigration attorney about your specific situation.
