2 Year Residency Requirement Proof

[qatariwife 0]

Hello, I have a question for you all. I am a USC married to a man with Jordanian citizenship, but permanent residence in Qatar. He came on a J-1 visa 8 years ago with his Qatari school but funded by the US government, and now he has returned to Qatar to fulfill his 2 year residency requirement. However, if you know how things work in the Gulf, you know it's difficult for Jordanians to get work in Qatar. So he has been living with his parents. So here is my question: what is sufficient proof of residency? Are entry and exit stamps and a drivers license enough? Because he lives with his parents, he has no proof of lease agreements or bills. Because he can't get work, he has no pay stubs. He's been spending all of his time studying for an entrance exam and looking for work (with no luck). 

Also, how long are the 2 years? Must it be exactly 24 months, or would 22 months suffice?

 

I appreciate any insight you all have.

[payxibka 10,044]

1 minute ago, qatariwife said:

Hello, I have a question for you all. I am a USC married to a man with Jordanian citizenship, but permanent residence in Qatar. He came on a J-1 visa 8 years ago with his Qatari school but funded by the US government, and now he has returned to Qatar to fulfill his 2 year residency requirement. However, if you know how things work in the Gulf, you know it's difficult for Jordanians to get work in Qatar. So he has been living with his parents. So here is my question: what is sufficient proof of residency? Are entry and exit stamps and a drivers license enough? Because he lives with his parents, he has no proof of lease agreements or bills. Because he can't get work, he has no pay stubs. He's been spending all of his time studying for an entrance exam and looking for work (with no luck). 

Also, how long are the 2 years? Must it be exactly 24 months, or would 22 months suffice?

 

I appreciate any insight you all have.

2 years means two years or more.  The requirement isn’t almost two years

[Coco8 1,039]

So the 2 years don't have to be consecutive.

 

Has he been on J1 for the past 8 years? Or was he on J1 8 years ago and he then changed to another visa or left the US? This is very important.

 

He can get a bank account in Qatar. That would be something extra. But entry/exist stamps work well. I recommend scanning the passport and keeping proof just in case it gets lost. You can also keep a spreadsheet counting the days.

 

It has to be 2 years. But you can start applying for the spousal visa now. The 2 years have to be met at the time of the consulate interview and once your paperwork is approved by UCSIS and sent to the consulate, you can get an interview that works with the 2 year timeline.

 

 

Edited June 10, 2018 by Coco8

[qatariwife 0]

1 minute ago, Coco8 said:

So the 2 years don't have to be consecutive.

 

Has he been on J1 for the past 8 years? Or was he on J1 8 years ago and he then changed to another visa or left the US? This is very important.

 

He can get a bank account in Qatar. 

 

It has to be 2 years. But you can start applying for the spousal visa now. The 2 years have to be met at the time of the consulate interview and once your paperwork is approved by UCSIS and sent to the consulate, you can get an interview that works with the 2 year timeline.

 

 

He was on a J-1 visa for a year, and then an F-1 visa for 7 years while he did his undergrad and masters in the US. Can you elaborate more on the spousal visa? His 2 years will not be completed for at least another year and a half, maybe more. Should we apply when he's about 6 months away from being done?

[payxibka 10,044]

4 minutes ago, qatariwife said:

He was on a J-1 visa for a year, and then an F-1 visa for 7 years while he did his undergrad and masters in the US. Can you elaborate more on the spousal visa? His 2 years will not be completed for at least another year and a half, maybe more. Should we apply when he's about 6 months away from being done?

Since a spousal visa is taking 12 - 14 months just submit the petition accordingly.  In the event the petition is approved prior to two years then you can slow it down so it meets the needed timeline

[Coco8 1,039]

24 minutes ago, qatariwife said:

He was on a J-1 visa for a year, and then an F-1 visa for 7 years while he did his undergrad and masters in the US. Can you elaborate more on the spousal visa? His 2 years will not be completed for at least another year and a half, maybe more. Should we apply when he's about 6 months away from being done?

 

When he was on F1, did he travel to Qatar to visit his family? I'm guessing he did because 7 years is a long time. Any time he visited, it counts towards the 2 year residency requirement because the 2 years do NOT need to be consecutive. 

 

A spousal visa is when you, the US citizen, apply for your spouse to allow him to enter the US and receive a green card. Because he has already been there for half a year, you should put that together and apply now because it takes 12-14 months. There are guides on VJ on what you need to fill out and put together; there is no need of lawyers. Everyone on VJ does everything on their own.

 

To apply, he does not need to have the 2 years served. The 2 years have to be over by the end of the process, after 10-12 months, when he goes to the consulate. The date of the consulate interview is something he schedules so you can move the date so that the 2 years are over. But it is best to start the application now because it will take you a while to put together the application (probably 2 months if you have a job and are busy), and then it takes a while to get approved (bureaucracy).

 

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2018 by Coco8