Planning on trying a DCF

[AmberF 0]

I am a american, married to a Moroccan in January. I stayed the 3 months allowed by a tourist visa, and then got my passport stamped again for another 3 months. I would like to try for a DCF in Casablanca. What would be the best way to start? Any advice would be much appreciated? How important is it to have employment back in the States? And do I need to have a house, or can we live with relatives to start with?

[geowrian 22,336]

DCF is generally unavailable in Morocco. There needs to be a USCIS field office in the country (https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-uscis-office/international-immigration-offices).

 

There are exceptions for exceptional circumstances, but these are incredibly difficult to get - examples include things like military and medical emergencies.

See https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2012/May/DOS-I130May1412.pdf.

[Roel 7,191]

Sounds like you need to go with a regular cr1 visa route. 

[nastra30 2,041]

There is no USCIS office in Morocco to do DCF. You'll have to file your petition through the USA. In extreme situations you may be to file through the Italy-Rome USCIS office which has jurisdiction over Morocco but I doubt they'll even accept your petition.

[millefleur 5,039]

Most likely you'll have to file for the CR-1 via the Chicago lockbox stateside like everyone else. Unless you meet the exceptional circumstances as @geowrian mentioned, there is no regular DCF processing in Morocco. 

[Roel 7,191]

4 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Most likely you'll have to file for the CR-1 via the Chicago lockbox stateside like everyone else. Unless you meet the exceptional circumstances as @geowrian mentioned, there is no regular DCF processing in Morocco. 

Well he said she's unemployed so military DCF is out of question already. 😛

 

OP, I hope that you didnt quit your job just to spend 6 months in the country and do DCF... you need to do a lot of research. You will probably need to go back to the US to establish domicile and find a job so you can sponsor your spouse. 

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

No DVC

yes,  important to return to the US and have a job

need at NVC level to show IRS transcripts (Morocco embassy accepts only them)

 

BTW  No visa required / you are limitted as a tourist to stay 90 days 

but after marriage anyone planning to stay over 90 days should apply for a residency permit and have an interview at the local police station

 

another thing is any USC traveling should enrol in STEP for support abroad 

 

https://ma.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

 

As for case i hope you took the application papers with you to Morocco as part of it has to be filled out in Arabic (use google translate if you didn't)

but it is so much easier to do the paperwork before you leave

get at least 2 originals of marriage and his birth certificate and have them translated by a ceritfied translator into English (one for immigration and one for your records)

 

https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/AFM/HTML/AFM/0-0-0-1/0-0-0-2061/0-0-0-2253.html

 

All documents submitted in support of an application or petition must include complete translation into English. In addition, there must be a certification from the translator indicating that the translation is complete and accurate and attesting to his or her competence as a translator. See8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) .

 

it is a good idea to have your spouse give u a POA to do any further documents needed for immigration (like applying for ITIN and adding him to tax returns and then a bank account here)

 

 As to living with parents no problem unless you use assests because you do not meet poverty level guidelines /you need to meet the 125% for CR1 spouse visa and this should be no problem as the interview will take 12 to 14 months from application PD

 

https://www.masslegalservices.org/content/federal-poverty-guidelines-2019

[payxibka 10,044]

8 hours ago, AmberF said:

I am a american, married to a Moroccan in January. I stayed the 3 months allowed by a tourist visa, and then got my passport stamped again for another 3 months. I would like to try for a DCF in Casablanca. What would be the best way to start? Any advice would be much appreciated? How important is it to have employment back in the States? And do I need to have a house, or can we live with relatives to start with?

Even if you were present in a DCF eligible location, 6 mos.  as a tourist does not fulfill the residence requirement 

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

And the OP is gone. Probably realizing she made a terrible mistake or just went to another site to find the "answers" she wants to hear...

[geowrian 22,336]

1 hour ago, payxibka said:

Even if you were present in a DCF eligible location, 6 mos.  as a tourist does not fulfill the residence requirement 

Generally.

Mexico has accepted some DCF filers on a tourist visa with 6+ months of physical presence.

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

1 hour ago, Ben&Zian said:

And the OP is gone. Probably realizing she made a terrible mistake or just went to another site to find the "answers" she wants to hear...

hard to help someone sometimes

I keep trying

[Jorge V 195]

4 hours ago, payxibka said:

Even if you were present in a DCF eligible location, 6 mos.  as a tourist does not fulfill the residence requirement 

As @geowrian mentioned, it is possible to qualify for DCF as a tourist. I did this in Mexico 2 years ago. I had been living in Mexico for 4 years as a tourist (Mexico allows visa runs, so I just kept renewing my tourist visa every 6 months). When I initially inquired about DCF, the local USCIS field office in Mexico City told me they would possibly accept my case as a tourist even if I had only only been residing there for 3 months, and definitely would for 6 months. They didn't seem to care too much about the type of visa I had.

[Dar Lynn 0]

On 4/29/2019 at 7:50 AM, AmberF said:

I am a american, married to a Moroccan in January. I stayed the 3 months allowed by a tourist visa, and then got my passport stamped again for another 3 months. I would like to try for a DCF in Casablanca. What would be the best way to start? Any advice would be much appreciated? How important is it to have employment back in the States? And do I need to have a house, or can we live with relatives to start with?

How did you get your passport stamped? Were you able to go to the police station or did you have to leave and come back?

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

4 hours ago, Dar Lynn said:

How did you get your passport stamped? Were you able to go to the police station or did you have to leave and come back?

people who want to stay longer pass into Spanish territory of Ceuta and Melilla  in the north and get the new passport stamp

he is from Fes so easy for her to do this 

 

Being married she didn't have to do this/  she only needed to go to local police and register as married to a Moroccan 

 

Depending on the vagaries of the local police station, you should be able to extend it (once, for another 3 months) or apply for residency. A residency card (carte de séjour) is normally granted for the first time for one year.

From https://marocmama.com/applying-for-a-carte-sejour-residency-in-morocco/

 

BTW OP  if you come back to read any of these , he will be asked at interview to fill out the ds5535 and you need to look at this form and read here from others who painfully go thru an extended (1 year or longer) time to get any visa approved / that makes the wait time for a visa (if approved )   over 2 years .   all applications from Fes seem to be getting this form to fill out because of the terrioists group arrested in 2017 from Fes

So you may want to think about staying there permanent 

[George & Richelle 5]

On 4/29/2019 at 11:46 PM, payxibka said:

Even if you were present in a DCF eligible location, 6 mos.  as a tourist does not fulfill the residence requirement 

I was able to do the DCF process in the Philippines with a tourist visa. Granted, I have been here quite a bit longer, but ultimately it was a tourist visa.