CRBA concurrent with I-130 ?

[chn89 10]

25 minutes ago, Gawain said:

Thanks.  I will bring what I have, plus two "Buddy O' Mine" affidavits swearing to the fact that she has never been in the United States.  Maybe I will even make one for myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"My thoughts "-> if she has or has not been to USA, they should already know. So just make sure you are taking the right decision. 

Submit different pictures of the child (mostly birthdays, 1 year, 2 years...).

If the child has started schooling, include documents that would show it.

Also include any significant events. 

 

Write a letter addressing to the embassy or consulate stating things you don't have and reasons you don't have them.

[Gawain 23]

"Submit different pictures of the child (mostly birthdays, 1 year, 2 years...)."

 

Not going to happen, unfortunately.  The ex would not let me have contact with my child, who is now 18 years old.

[chn89 10]

1 minute ago, Gawain said:

"Submit different pictures of the child (mostly birthdays, 1 year, 2 years...)."

 

Not going to happen, unfortunately.  The ex would not let me have contact with my child, who is now 18 years old.

Interesting! 

Did you verify that you can do/get CRBA for child 18 years and older? 

 

🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️I think you the right process is i-130. 🤔🤔🤔

[Gawain 23]

We will be applying for her first United States passport for a person over the age of 18.

Thanks.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

51 minutes ago, chn89 said:

Interesting! 

Did you verify that you can do/get CRBA for child 18 years and older? 

 

🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️I think you the right process is i-130. 🤔🤔🤔

You can’t  do an i130 if she was in fact a citizen at birth.

 

Doesn’t have to be a CRBA if that wasn’t obtained in time, as long as you have sufficient proof the child obtained citizenship at birth . See for example https://mh.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/derivative-u-s-citizenship-for-adults/

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

1 hour ago, Gawain said:

"Submit different pictures of the child (mostly birthdays, 1 year, 2 years...)."

 

Not going to happen, unfortunately.  The ex would not let me have contact with my child, who is now 18 years old.

This may actually be why they are asking for proof of her residence - so you have a reason that you don’t have photos etc  (see the link I posted above, where it is usually asked for). I think, worst case outcome is that they’d ask for a dna test.

[Gawain 23]

Thanks.  I was trying to avoid a DNA test.  More hassle. 

[Gawain 23]

I got:

1) Transmission - Tons of evidence.

I think I got:

2) Legitimation - I was married to the mother but when we were divorced (sadly) we were not married.  In the divorce papers it states, "The wife is pregnant, child is expected on or about Month xx, Year xxxx"

3)   Filiation – "The applicant must establish a biological and legal relationship with the claimed U.S. citizen parent."  This one throws me off.  What exactly is a "legal" relationship between a father and his 18-year old daughter?

 

I still send her money.  Must I provide proof of the money I send her?

 

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

49 minutes ago, Gawain said:

I got:

1) Transmission - Tons of evidence.

I think I got:

2) Legitimation - I was married to the mother but when we were divorced (sadly) we were not married.  In the divorce papers it states, "The wife is pregnant, child is expected on or about Month xx, Year xxxx"

3)   Filiation – "The applicant must establish a biological and legal relationship with the claimed U.S. citizen parent."  This one throws me off.  What exactly is a "legal" relationship between a father and his 18-year old daughter?

 

I still send her money.  Must I provide proof of the money I send her?

 

I’d say bring proof of anything you can, the more the better.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

As for legal relationship- I think what they mean is that the legal relationship has not been severed by, for example, you giving up parental rights and the child having been adopted by someone else.

[Gawain 23]

No, never.

[Gawain 23]

Well, in about 2 weeks, God willing, I will be with my daughter at a US embassy - submitting for her first United States passport application.  This has been a long, hard ride.  I trust it will go smoothly from here on out.  I feel pretty good about the embassy and they have been communicating with me.  I'm bringing everything, plus the kitchen sink.

 

 

 

[Reds89z 5]

Good luck with the CRBA process.  Praying it goes smoothly and effortlessly for you.

[Gawain 23]

We went to the embassy.  I was questioned if I supported her.  Thank GOD that 15 years ago I wrote to Western Union and asked for a copy of all transactions that I sent to XXXXXXX.  Although it was a copy of the letter, I had it and I showed them the copy.  I was asked if I have a relationship with my daughter.  I introduced her in Russian and the clerk said, "...you speak Russian..." (as if she was amazed at this).  I replied, "a little."

 

I had 2 piles of evidence one for me and one for my daughter.  I brought documents from 20 and 25 years ago to prove that I've been a United States citizen for 5 years.  All they cared to look at was the old passports (I'm glad I saved them).  At one point in the conversation I even asked if they wanted to see more and she said, "I'm not concerned about you - I've got all your old passports right here..."

 

We had a certified copy of my daughters birth certificate and the copy was made in 2019.  My daughter also managed to find another one that was made in 2011.  Both had my name listed on them as father.  They seemed still concerned though - that these were copies (but they were certified and had the official stamp).  I'm not sure why all the fuss.  They questioned me about it and I was able to produce the ORIGINAL birth certificate that showed my name.  Any remaining doubts seemed to instantly evaporate.

 

The consular officer had some kind of prepared statement...something to the effect of, "Since your father was a United States citizen you were a United States citizen AT BIRTH."  I almost lost it and broke down at that point.  The culmination of my efforts, which collectively took more preparation, time, and planning than "Ocean's 11" and "Ocean's 13" combined...had suddenly come to fruition.

 

On the application, we ordered the passport and passport card and I was informed that it takes longer for the card.  So I'm going to have to come back to the embassy to pick them up when they are ready.  They are letting me come back by myself to pick it up and she doesn't have to be there.

 

I think this forum has been quite invaluable.  I didn't know about it all those years ago - I kind of stumbled upon it.  If I had to think up some of most important tips that helped me it was this:

 

1. Ask a lot of questions on VISAJOURNEY.  Some of the replies will come from people that have no idea, but just weed through the responses and look for the people that have been here for some time and are following the post.  It's easy to tell who was following the post.

 

2.  A visa is not necessary for someone who had a claim to citizenship AT BIRTH.  A United States passport is faster, and easier.  It can be obtained for someone who is over 18.  It can be obtained for a child who at the time of birth, the parents were divorced (like me).  It's important that the parents were married.

 

3.  ! BRING EVERYTHING !  I'm sure that not all consular officers were created alike.  They will each have their own style and their own line of questioning.  Take time to think about what you are bringing, and if you are leaving anything out.  Take quiet time to do absolutely nothing, with no distractions, and meditate on what papers you are bringing and if you can somehow improve the evidence in any way.  You never know what they may ask for.

 

4.  Don't give up.  This took me 18 years.  I had a bitter ex-wife that who threw just about every roadblock in the way that could be thrown in the way.  Don't give up.  Do whatever you can do for your child.  Start whatever process you can start.  LOOK for alternatives, and back up plans, and back up plans for the back up plans.  TIME is actually your friend if you find yourself in the same boat as me.  In an ironic twist of fate - I was given the original, certified birth certificate by a Russian court, because of due process there.  My bitter ex tried to do something to me in Russian court.  As a matter of procedure and process, the Russian court had to supply me with a bunch of documents.  It was THIS document (the original birth certificate) that sealed the deal.  Her bitterness - in the end - produced the very document for me that allowed my daughter to be a United States citizen.

 

Love to all,

T H A N K Y O U

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Reds89z 5]

@Gawain I'm really happy to hear of your outcome.  Now your daughter has another world of options in her life that she didn't have before.  You've also helped out the few of us in similar boats.  I can't thank you enough for continuing to document your journey.

 

Relating your experience at the interview to what I might go through in the future, I think everything will be very similar except for the fact that my ex wife listed her current husband as the father on the birth certificate.  That could totally wreck my chances of doing the CRBA, unless they accept the DNA test we did as a trump over what her mother listed on the birth certificate.