Living and working in Kuwait

[JakeH 0]

I am a us citizen from Texas, but I am currently working in Kuwait. I met my wife here in Kuwait and we also got married in Kuwait. Now she is on a family visa and living with me in Kuwait under my sponsorship. I have already sent in the I-130 form and packet to get her spousal visa for the states but it would put my mind at ease if someone could tell me if I am doing this all right... Was there any other way I could get her visa for the states? We are both living in Kuwait and I am hoping that everything will go accordingly to have the interview here in Kuwait at the us embassy. I was jut hoping someone could give me details on how they would have done the process of they were in me and my wife's situation. She is from the Philippines.

[TeapotGirl 66]

That's fine..if you mail your application from Kuwait.

She needs CENOMAR here in the Philippines, NBI and Cert True Copy of BC.

Was she married before?

Why did you file for K-3 instead of CR1? How long more you intend to stay in Kuwait?

Edited November 23, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

Sounds like you did everything right.

One thing: the K3 is obsolete, and is usually closed at NVC stage anyway. You want the CR-1 spousal visa, which leads to immediate greencard upon entry to the USA. Check out the guide here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide1

[Zharren Young 32]

Sounds like you did everything right.

One thing: the K3 is obsolete, and is usually closed at NVC stage anyway. You want the CR-1 spousal visa, which leads to immediate greencard upon entry to the USA. Check out the guide here: http://www.visajourn...tent/i130guide1

i think it could have been faster if you did DCF, direct consular filing. but since you already filed she will be needing these from philippines for her interview at the US embassy in Kuwait. CENOMAR, NBI, police clearance from Kuwait and Cert True Copy of BC.

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

i think it could have been faster if you did DCF, direct consular filing.

Kuwait doesn't have a USCIS office, therefor they could not have done DCF.

[himher 634]

We are not far from you - Dhahran. Did you file through the embassy or through the lockbox (US)?

I am a us citizen from Texas, but I am currently working in Kuwait. I met my wife here in Kuwait and we also got married in Kuwait. Now she is on a family visa and living with me in Kuwait under my sponsorship. I have already sent in the I-130 form and packet to get her spousal visa for the states but it would put my mind at ease if someone could tell me if I am doing this all right... Was there any other way I could get her visa for the states? We are both living in Kuwait and I am hoping that everything will go accordingly to have the interview here in Kuwait at the us embassy. I was jut hoping someone could give me details on how they would have done the process of they were in me and my wife's situation. She is from the Philippines.

[himher 634]

I think it will be processed at the embassy / consulate so it should be a little faster. Instead of the K3 visa- you will likely get an IR1 or CR1 if you have been married less than 2 years.

First thing you should expect is for the NVC to assign a case number after the petition is approved 5-6 months after you filed it. You should get a packet III from the embassy, probably mailed. Packet III will have a list of documents to gather + an application form called a DS-230 and a form that basically says "yes I have all these documents I am ready for my interview".

The hardest and longest document for us was the Saudi police certificate, you wife will have to get a similar one from the kuwaitis and it is a cast iron ####### to get it as the govt officials are slow and the certificate has to go from department to department (ours had no fewer than 11 stamps) then you have to get it translated LOL.

For her she will also need a filipino police certificate - the rest of the documents like divorce decrees if she or you were married before + birth certificate for her (original) plus any court documents for anything criminal (unusual but they will ask for them) plus your marriage cert (original and translated original) plus your ID documents etc etc. It might be good to gather these together now. The embassy is not too hard on "proving the marriage" in the mideast - just need the marriage book and your/her iqamas/residence documents. They gave everything else back to me LOL.

After you mail in the DS-230 Part I and the document list sign-off they will schedule your interview and send you a notice with the interview date and the medical forms. Your wife will need to get her medical exam and you will send the medical exam results (sealed), all the documents, and the DS-230 Part II back to the embassy at least 2 weeks before the interview. The fees are paid at the interview, at least they were for us. Dont send in originals (personal documents) - send copies in case they get lost. Bring every single thing they ask for to your interview and make sure they are original including divorce decree if either of you were married before and things like that.

Good luck

[JakeH 0]

Wow. That is alot of information I appreciate all of the help. I know a guy from work who's wife is from Ethiopia and he processed her visa the same way but they did not require any police check or anything like that. I have my wife police background check from the Philippines but I'm not sure that will work.

In order to process th cr1 do I have to submit another packet and send it off or will they automatically process the I-130 as a cr1?

When we do finally recieve her green card with the cr-1 will we be able to travel immediately? I have plans tk work in Kuwait for a couple more years. And her first time in the states will be on my two week vacation.

[JakeH 0]

Is everyone sure that we will need all of these documents from the Philippines? And Kuwait? Most of those documents are the same as the ones we needed to get married in Kuwait.... Is there anywhere I can search to find out more information on that?

(she will be needing these from philippines for her interview at the US embassy in Kuwait. CENOMAR, NBI, police clearance from Kuwait and Cert True Copy of BC.)

[beejay 123]

Is everyone sure that we will need all of these documents from the Philippines? And Kuwait? Most of those documents are the same as the ones we needed to get married in Kuwait.... Is there anywhere I can search to find out more information on that?

(she will be needing these from philippines for her interview at the US embassy in Kuwait. CENOMAR, NBI, police clearance from Kuwait and Cert True Copy of BC.)

She will need police cert from Kuwait. She will need the NBI clearance from Philippines. The CENOMAR is for unmarried applicants in the Philippines. The CEMAR is for married applicants in the Philippines. Chances are you will not need it. You are in Kuwait and have your marriage certificate to show your marriage.

In our case we interviewed in Dubai and were not asked about CENOMAR but we did need NBI clearance and Dubai police clearance. If your wife has lived anywhere else she will need police clearances from there too.

Here's the VJ guide for CR1/IR1. Scroll down for interview information.

I should note that when your wife receives her CR1/IR1visa she will be expected to maintain her residence in the US, not Kuwait. I believe there are exceptions for those in the military who are living overseas with their spouses but I don't know the details on that.

[JakeH 0]

So when we get her cr1 we will have to stay in the states? I was under the impression that she would only have to be in the states a certain number of day in order to keep her status.

[beejay 123]

The CR1 is an immigrant visa. Once your wife enters the US after receiving the visa she will be admitted as a Legal Permanent Resident and eventually receive her greencard in the mail. In order to maintain her status as LPR she will need to be regarded as residing in the US.

There are other people on this board that know more about this than I do but I believe the general rule is that trips outside of the US longer than 6 months could be regarded as suspicious and longer than a year your residence is considered abandoned. I'm sure there are people that abuse/take advantage of the system but it is not without great risk if you care about eventually living in the US. If your intention is just to try and bring your wife to the US for a visit, and believe me I understand, then I suggest you forget about the CR1/IR1 until you are ready to relocate to the US.

[beejay 123]

Here's some more info

USCIS info on maintaining permanent residence

Legal website with info on maintaining LPR status.