Parent's GC from India or from US

[Dhinv]

I and a US citizen and want to file Green Card for my parents who are in India currently. I have heard that GC can be filed while they are in India (through counselor processing) or while they are here in U.S.

My Questions:

1. What is the process of filing through either one of the methods?

2. What are pros and cons, of one vs other. Does the counselor processing take more time?

3. Also heard that travel while GC application is in process may raise questions, although I don't understand the rationale behind it.

Thanks for your help in advance. For some reason I am not able to find a side by side comparison of both the methods.

[pontevecchio]

https://www.uscis.gov/i-130

CONSULAR processing is very quick and efficient once all the documents are in. AOS is fraught with danger especially when they have entered as tourists with presumably would leave after their trip.

The process from start to finish provided you provide all required documents needed is about a year for CP. The rationale for no travel is that the Tourist visa is issued only in the absence of Immigrant intent and filing the I-130 is evidence of Immigrant intent. Those who already have a tourist visa have generally been able to visit though YMMV. 

 

Edited July 30, 2019 by pontevecchio