Am I the only one in this situation ?

[Sego 31]

Hello everyone,

 

I am posting to share some of my current thought process to see if anyone is in a similar situation and have advices.

 

I am a french citizen and my fiance and I filed for our K1 visa. Our petition was approved and I was supposed to have my interview in march and then may but both got cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis. It is now rescheduled for July 1st but until I am in the office interviewing I am thinking it might be cancelled again depending on the coronavirus situation, travel ban, EO etc.

 

My fiance and I are facing a dilemma because the more the situation is lasting, uncertainty of when I will be able to move, and then potential back logs to have a green card and work, the more we are thinking maybe it is not the best option for us to settle in the US right now. Given the recents events in the States I have to admit it feels a little scary to me to move. 

Also, I am pregnant so dealing with the uncertainty of all of this plus where I will deliver is adding more stress. It is also adding a deadline on until when I can flight as airlines have their own restrictions for pregnant women. 

So we are now starting considering settling in France instead so I can have some peace of mind to finish this pregnancy and deliver at home BUT because I was supposed to go to USA in March I am now unemployed, I do not have my own place anymore (staying with family) and chances to have a job while pregnant are very slim. My fiance do not speak french so he will not be able to find a job right away. Our financial situation should be ok thanks to family support but still far from idea until I find a new job after my pregnancy.

 

So I wonder if some of you are in a similar situation meaning hesitating and considering changing plan and settling in the other partner country because of all the delays on visa ? Or if you have any advices as an external viewer even though you are not going through something similar.

 

I do not entend this post to start a polemic whatsoever I am just seeking for external opinions as I feel me and my fiance are pretty biased and kinda emotional about the situation as it is bringing us quite a lot of stress. 

 

Thank you for your help!

[Greenbaum 12,258]

5 minutes ago, Sego said:

Hello everyone,

 

I am posting to share some of my current thought process to see if anyone is in a similar situation and have advices.

 

I am a french citizen and my fiance and I filed for our K1 visa. Our petition was approved and I was supposed to have my interview in march and then may but both got cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis. It is now rescheduled for July 1st but until I am in the office interviewing I am thinking it might be cancelled again depending on the coronavirus situation, travel ban, EO etc.

 

My fiance and I are facing a dilemma because the more the situation is lasting, uncertainty of when I will be able to move, and then potential back logs to have a green card and work, the more we are thinking maybe it is not the best option for us to settle in the US right now. Given the recents events in the States I have to admit it feels a little scary to me to move. 

The events in the US will go on for another mouth and then life will return. I was home all weekend and none of the riots affected me nor most people. If you went to most of the "inner cities" then you may have been exposed to the turmoil if not, you wouldn't even know that anything was transpiring.

 

5 minutes ago, Sego said:

Also, I am pregnant so dealing with the uncertainty of all of this plus where I will deliver is adding more stress. It is also adding a deadline on until when I can flight as airlines have their own restrictions for pregnant women. 

One of the best places to have a baby morn is under the medical system here in the US. You and your baby would be well cared for. Yes, airlines do have their rules, but they are there for the safety of the passengers, you, and your baby. I'd recommend contacting the airlines, start with their website to see what their rules are. 

5 minutes ago, Sego said:

So we are now starting considering settling in France instead so I can have some peace of mind to finish this pregnancy and deliver at home BUT because I was supposed to go to USA in March I am now unemployed, I do not have my own place anymore (staying with family) and chances to have a job while pregnant are very slim. My fiancé do not speak French so he will not be able to find a job right away. Our financial situation should be ok thanks to family support but still far from idea until I find a new job after my pregnancy.

 

Many here will advocate and the embassies on their website as well as USCIS state not to quit your job, sell your real estate or make purchase airfare prior to receiving your passport/visa.

 

5 minutes ago, Sego said:

 

So I wonder if some of you are in a similar situation meaning hesitating and considering changing plan and settling in the other partner country because of all the delays on visa ? Or if you have any advices as an external viewer even though you are not going through something similar.

 

You can buy some time by requesting an NOA2 extension as the embassy is responsible for this and delay your interview for up to a year. 

5 minutes ago, Sego said:

 

I do not entend this post to start a polemic whatsoever I am just seeking for external opinions as I feel me and my fiance are pretty biased and kinda emotional about the situation as it is bringing us quite a lot of stress. 

 

Thank you for your help!

 

I wish you the best but as I see it, each point you are making can be overcome with additional research. Good luck and stay engaged. 

[Jonny_43 5]

1 hour ago, Sego said:

Hello everyone,

 

I am posting to share some of my current thought process to see if anyone is in a similar situation and have advices.

 

I am a french citizen and my fiance and I filed for our K1 visa. Our petition was approved and I was supposed to have my interview in march and then may but both got cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis. It is now rescheduled for July 1st but until I am in the office interviewing I am thinking it might be cancelled again depending on the coronavirus situation, travel ban, EO etc.

 

Hi Sego - I'm sorry to hear about the stress you are going through! We are in a slightly similar place with the interview - my interview was scheduled for March, but the embassy in London closed due to Covid-19 the day before the interview!! It still hasn't been rescheduled as the embassy is still closed, with no sign of reopening yet. Did you have to ask to reschedule your interview once the original one was cancelled? Or did they give you a date automatically? We are getting anxious having no further information from the Embassy - although trying to stay positive. 

 

We are still planning to settle in the US - we think things will improve in the coming months. 

 

Best of luck with everything! It will all be okay in the end

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

There are many things to think of which clearly you are doing. 

If your fiancé goes to France I would presume it would be on a tourist visa so he wouldn't be able to work and only can stay 90 days.

 

Would you get married in France? If so; and you expect to move to the USA; you would need to file a CR1 and would be able to work upon arrival to the USA (this would be well after baby is born). Your husband would only be able to stay with you as long as his visa is valid for and would have to have proof of income in the US and show how he will provide your health insurance etc. He would now have to show support for a family of 3. 

 

If you plan on your husband moving to France (obtaining residency/ability to work) well this is a US immigration site and you would have to look elsewhere... and he would now go through the French immigration process. https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/long-stay-visa Would your family accept him into their home for an indefinite period of time?

 

You can delay your k1 until after you give birth. If you already had the medical you would need a new one. If you delay it you would have to file a CRBA to obtain the baby's US birth certificate and passport. Again, he would now have to show income for 3 people. 

 

You didn't say how far along you were in your pregnancy. Yes there are restrictions on how far along you can travel not just by airlines but by your health provider as well. Is your apprehension you mentioned talking about the riots/protests due to police shootings of black people? Out of curiosity are you both white? Does he live in a city? These things go on and off here in the US unfortunately. But I also heard there were many protests/riots in your country last year as well. No one can predict the stability of a country. We are a large country. 

 

 

[Boiler 43,392]

The riots to me are an interesting news story as 99.9999999% of Colorado is unaffected.

 

I would assume you will receive better care in France than the US for your pregnancy.

[user555 195]

These are my views on your two questions:

 

1. Am I the only one in this situation?

 

Are there other French women who are pregnant, unemployed, and engaged to Americans? Yes. Are they on this forum. I doubt it. 

 

2. So I wonder if some of you are in a similar situation meaning hesitating and considering changing plan and settling in the other partner country because of all the delays on visa?

 

Have you looked into what it would require to have your fiancé move to France? He's not married to you, so he would have to get a visitor's visa if he intends to stay more than three months. There is a lot of paperwork he needs to provide to the French consulate including proof of financial earnings and medical insurance. It may take 1 month for his French visa to process. I moved to my wife's country to be with her during the year long process for her spousal visa. We intend to move back to the States this year, so we are not considering changing our plan.

[CMT 39]

Hi Sego,

 

I'm sorry to hear you're going through all of this. I also had my interview schedule for the end of March and it was cancelled. I lost my job due to covid and also moved in with my family. I can't imagine going through this while being pregnant.

I don't have a date or any news on when the embassy will reopen in Japan (like most of us).

 

Like you, I have been thinking about each and every option I have to be with my fiancé.

He is in the military so he just can't move here just like that (though I wonder how difficult it would be for him to transfer to Japan since there are so many military bases here).

We applied for an emergency interview for some personal reasons and with a supporting letter from his command, yet we were denied it.

 

It's agonizing, but I think the only people who can judge the situation is you and you fiancé. And of course you have to think about the bureaucracy in France. 

As for now, I'm trying (VERY hard) to stay calm and hoping that the embassies will resume soon (though most of the time I think I'm just fooling myself  ).

But that's the only option most of us have left...

 

Stay safe!

 

 

[Sego 31]

2 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

The events in the US will go on for another mouth and then life will return. I was home all weekend and none of the riots affected me nor most people. If you went to most of the "inner cities" then you may have been exposed to the turmoil if not, you wouldn't even know that anything was transpiring.

 

One of the best places to have a baby morn is under the medical system here in the US. You and your baby would be well cared for. Yes, airlines do have their rules, but they are there for the safety of the passengers, you, and your baby. I'd recommend contacting the airlines, start with their website to see what their rules are. 

Many here will advocate and the embassies on their website as well as USCIS state not to quit your job, sell your real estate or make purchase airfare prior to receiving your passport/visa.

 

You can buy some time by requesting an NOA2 extension as the embassy is responsible for this and delay your interview for up to a year. 

I wish you the best but as I see it, each point you are making can be overcome with additional research. Good luck and stay engaged. 

Thank you for your reply and point of view.

 

I am not worried about the care itself either in France or US but about the last minute registration if I cannot flight before the end of the summer. I've already found an hospital in both countries but once I move to USA there will be several administrative steps to take before being fully covered and it might take some time.
I am not challenging the airlines rules and I have done the research. I am aware of different airlines rules but it just gives a hard deadline on when I can fly at the latest (mid september in my case if my pregnancy goes well). 

I didn't quit my job, I was on a short term contract that ended in January and they didn't wanted to extend my contract as I was supposed to fly in March and they were not interested in extending for only a month. Since March and being unable to travel I am looking for a job in France but given the actual situation worldwide and my pregnancy you can imagine not many companies are interested to hire me. 

 

But again, thank you for sharing your views.

 

[Sego 31]

1 hour ago, Jonny_43 said:

Hi Sego - I'm sorry to hear about the stress you are going through! We are in a slightly similar place with the interview - my interview was scheduled for March, but the embassy in London closed due to Covid-19 the day before the interview!! It still hasn't been rescheduled as the embassy is still closed, with no sign of reopening yet. Did you have to ask to reschedule your interview once the original one was cancelled? Or did they give you a date automatically? We are getting anxious having no further information from the Embassy - although trying to stay positive. 

 

We are still planning to settle in the US - we think things will improve in the coming months. 

 

Best of luck with everything! It will all be okay in the end

 

For the first cancellation, the embassy rescheduled it and for the second cancellation as soon as I got my cancellation notice I was able to rebook an appointment on the website. I am not sure if this website is used only by French embassy or not.

 

I wish you good luck too! Thanks for your reply

[Sego 31]

1 hour ago, Luckycuds said:

There are many things to think of which clearly you are doing. 

If your fiancé goes to France I would presume it would be on a tourist visa so he wouldn't be able to work and only can stay 90 days.

 

Would you get married in France? If so; and you expect to move to the USA; you would need to file a CR1 and would be able to work upon arrival to the USA (this would be well after baby is born). Your husband would only be able to stay with you as long as his visa is valid for and would have to have proof of income in the US and show how he will provide your health insurance etc. He would now have to show support for a family of 3. 

 

If you plan on your husband moving to France (obtaining residency/ability to work) well this is a US immigration site and you would have to look elsewhere... and he would now go through the French immigration process. https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/web/france-visas/long-stay-visa Would your family accept him into their home for an indefinite period of time?

 

You can delay your k1 until after you give birth. If you already had the medical you would need a new one. If you delay it you would have to file a CRBA to obtain the baby's US birth certificate and passport. Again, he would now have to show income for 3 people. 

 

You didn't say how far along you were in your pregnancy. Yes there are restrictions on how far along you can travel not just by airlines but by your health provider as well. Is your apprehension you mentioned talking about the riots/protests due to police shootings of black people? Out of curiosity are you both white? Does he live in a city? These things go on and off here in the US unfortunately. But I also heard there were many protests/riots in your country last year as well. No one can predict the stability of a country. We are a large country. 

 

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

I am very aware of all the steps if we choose to settle in France (mariage, work authorisation for my fiance and all) and that we will have to file for a CR1 visa if we decide to come back to USA later.My fiance will be able to get a residence permit and work authorisation in France fairly easily if we settle there and I was not asking so much about this as I know this website is about us immigration .

 

I mentioned it in a previous reply but basically I need to fly out by mid-september at the latest, some airlines might be ok until the end of september but few knowing I will start my last month of pregnancy at this stage. 

 

Yes my apprehensions are about the protests and we will live in a city in California and no we are not both white. If as you said things go on and off I guess I will have to just get used to it but it just seems a little scary from afar when you still have other options to consider. I wasn't in France during all the protest and riots so I am not used to that at all anymore and it feels different when it is your own country I guess because you know things better. Moving abroad is a big step (I have done it before) but when there is those type of events happening while you move it just adds a little worry, at least that's how I feel!

 

 

[Sego 31]

1 hour ago, user555 said:

These are my views on your two questions:

 

1. Am I the only one in this situation?

 

Are there other French women who are pregnant, unemployed, and engaged to Americans? Yes. Are they on this forum. I doubt it. 

 

2. So I wonder if some of you are in a similar situation meaning hesitating and considering changing plan and settling in the other partner country because of all the delays on visa?

 

Have you looked into what it would require to have your fiancé move to France? He's not married to you, so he would have to get a visitor's visa if he intends to stay more than three months. There is a lot of paperwork he needs to provide to the French consulate including proof of financial earnings and medical insurance. It may take 1 month for his French visa to process. I moved to my wife's country to be with her during the year long process for her spousal visa. We intend to move back to the States this year, so we are not considering changing our plan.

Yes I've looked into it a while ago before we filed for our K1 and I aware of all the steps. Moving to the US just seemed the best option for us at that time. We are just wondering if it's still is. Thanks for sharing your personal experience.

[Sego 31]

57 minutes ago, CMT said:

Hi Sego,

 

I'm sorry to hear you're going through all of this. I also had my interview schedule for the end of March and it was cancelled. I lost my job due to covid and also moved in with my family. I can't imagine going through this while being pregnant.

I don't have a date or any news on when the embassy will reopen in Japan (like most of us).

 

Like you, I have been thinking about each and every option I have to be with my fiancé.

He is in the military so he just can't move here just like that (though I wonder how difficult it would be for him to transfer to Japan since there are so many military bases here).

We applied for an emergency interview for some personal reasons and with a supporting letter from his command, yet we were denied it.

 

It's agonizing, but I think the only people who can judge the situation is you and you fiancé. And of course you have to think about the bureaucracy in France. 

As for now, I'm trying (VERY hard) to stay calm and hoping that the embassies will resume soon (though most of the time I think I'm just fooling myself  ).

But that's the only option most of us have left...

 

Stay safe!

 

 

I've applied for an emergency interview explaining my situation and i was denied as well.

I do agree with you, all we can do is hope for the best and stay strong during this hard time. Just makes us double think when you can have other options to consider. I guess things will not change tomorrow so it will give us time to reflect more  .

 

Being positive is all we can do but somedays are harder than others! Thanks for sharing you view and good luck! 

[NikLR 13,220]

Tbh, i think having the baby in France will be a much better option for you.  It is less expensive and plus you have have the dr that did all your pre-natal care. You can certainly work, and it's likely  illegal in France not to hire you just because you're pregnant. 

 

Discuss with your fiancé the pros and cons of both directions.   The protests mainly affect downtown areas and are really only a concern when it turns into riots and looting. 

[Sego 31]

1 hour ago, NikLR said:

Tbh, i think having the baby in France will be a much better option for you.  It is less expensive and plus you have have the dr that did all your pre-natal care. You can certainly work, and it's likely  illegal in France not to hire you just because you're pregnant. 

 

Discuss with your fiancé the pros and cons of both directions.   The protests mainly affect downtown areas and are really only a concern when it turns into riots and looting. 

You are correct, it is illegal but as an employee you legally have to let your employer know when you reach 3months pregnancy. I am already above the 3 months so it means it will have to let the recruiter know I am pregnant at some point of the recruitment process and it might be a turn off (I work in HR so luckily I know labor laws quite well but also that recruiters can work around it without having any way to prove it). They do not have to give me the job as long as the reason why is not my pregnancy but in really it happens, it is jut not verbalize to avoid lawsuit. 

 

And thanks for your advice, we will work on a pros and cons list to decide whats best even given the actually circumstances! 

[XavierFR 38]

6 hours ago, Sego said:

Hello everyone,

 

I am posting to share some of my current thought process to see if anyone is in a similar situation and have advices.

 

I am a french citizen and my fiance and I filed for our K1 visa. Our petition was approved and I was supposed to have my interview in march and then may but both got cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis. It is now rescheduled for July 1st but until I am in the office interviewing I am thinking it might be cancelled again depending on the coronavirus situation, travel ban, EO etc.

 

My fiance and I are facing a dilemma because the more the situation is lasting, uncertainty of when I will be able to move, and then potential back logs to have a green card and work, the more we are thinking maybe it is not the best option for us to settle in the US right now. Given the recents events in the States I have to admit it feels a little scary to me to move. 

Also, I am pregnant so dealing with the uncertainty of all of this plus where I will deliver is adding more stress. It is also adding a deadline on until when I can flight as airlines have their own restrictions for pregnant women. 

So we are now starting considering settling in France instead so I can have some peace of mind to finish this pregnancy and deliver at home BUT because I was supposed to go to USA in March I am now unemployed, I do not have my own place anymore (staying with family) and chances to have a job while pregnant are very slim. My fiance do not speak french so he will not be able to find a job right away. Our financial situation should be ok thanks to family support but still far from idea until I find a new job after my pregnancy.

 

So I wonder if some of you are in a similar situation meaning hesitating and considering changing plan and settling in the other partner country because of all the delays on visa ? Or if you have any advices as an external viewer even though you are not going through something similar.

 

I do not entend this post to start a polemic whatsoever I am just seeking for external opinions as I feel me and my fiance are pretty biased and kinda emotional about the situation as it is bringing us quite a lot of stress. 

 

Thank you for your help!

Bon courage :(