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Married, living abroad with a child in Dubai

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Hi all,

I need help choosing a citizenship path for my husband, we did a lot of research but getting more confused.

We are K, Z and A living in Dubai for the past 6 yrs.

I met A while he was studying in the U.S back in 2009, and we have been together since, got married 2 yrs ago and we had baby Z last year.

he was in the U.S from '05 till 2012 F-1 visa (ESL, B.s and M's) then he left, I followed him 4 months later. We lived together in many countries then we settled in Dubai for the past 6 yrs where we got married and had our baby.

Baby Z is a U.S citizen and finished all his papers and got his passport through the U.S consulate-Dubai.

We finished filling I-130 and I-130A online on  USCIS.com and intended to submit it today until we watched a YT video talking about DCF and how it's faster for out situation!

Questions are: What is the fastest, easiest way for A to get a U.S citizenship? Is it true that there is yet another path (Forums) we could use? A is both a Spouse and a father of a U.S citizens! 

 

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Taiwan
Timeline

DCF is available only for cases with exceptional circumstances (See policy manual below).  Normally, all I-130s must be submitted through USCIS, then NVC prior to consular processing.  This will, eventually, lead to an immigrant visa (IR-1 in your case).  Upon entering the US, he will be a legal resident. Applying for citizenship comes years later.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-b-chapter-3

"The US immigration process requires a great deal of knowledge, planning, time, patience, and a significant amount of money.  It is quite a journey!"

- Some old child of the 50's & 60's on his laptop 

 

Senior Master Sergeant, US Air Force- Retired (after 20+ years)- Missile Systems Maintenance & Titan 2 ICBM Launch Crew Duty (200+ Alert tours)

Registered Nurse- Retired- I practiced in the areas of Labor & Delivery, Home Health, Adolescent Psych, & Adult Psych.

IT Professional- Retired- Web Site Design, Hardware Maintenance, Compound Pharmacy Software Trainer, On-site go live support, Database Manager, App Designer.

______________________________________

August 7, 2022: Wife filed N-400 Online under 5 year rule.

November 10, 2022: Received "Interview is scheduled" letter.

December 12, 2022:  Received email from Dallas office informing me (spouse) to be there for combo interview.

December 14, 2022: Combo Interview for I-751 and N-400 Conducted.

January 26, 2023: Wife's Oath Ceremony completed at the Plano Event Center, Plano, Texas!!!😁

February 6, 2023: Wife's Passport Application submitted in Dallas, Texas.

March 21, 2023:   Wife's Passport Delivered!!!!

May 15, 2023 (about):  Naturalization Certificate returned from Passport agency!!

 

In summary, it took 13 months for approval of the CR-1.  It took 44 months for approval of the I-751.  It took 4 months for approval of the N-400.   It took 172 days from N-400 application to Oath Ceremony.   It took 6 weeks for Passport, then 7 additional weeks for return of wife's Naturalization Certificate.. 
 

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Spouse and father of US citizens doesn’t speed up anything. He has to be green card holder first and he will be able to file for naturalization in 3 years after that. Filing i-130 and wait for it now.

N400

12/06/2014: Package filed

12/31/2014: Fingerprinted

02/06/2015: In-Line for Interview

04/15/2015: Passed Interview

05/05/2015: Oath letter was sent

05/22/2015: Oath Ceremony

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
Timeline
2 hours ago, Kristina.Ely said:

we watched a YT video talking about DCF and how it's faster for out situation!

Be careful about dates of info talking about DCF...back in the day, it used to be a more common option, especially when the USCIS offices abroad were prevalent. Over the last few years though, it's changed a lot. Many USCIS offices abroad have closed permanently and the only DCF option that remains is the "exceptional circumstances" route where you have to ask permission from the Embassy. You must have a specific reason such as a short notice job offer (relocation), medical issues, etc.

🇷🇺 CR-1 via DCF (Dec 2016-Jun 2017) & I-751 ROC (Apr 2019-Oct 2019)🌹

Spoiler

Info about my DCF Moscow* experience here and here

26-Jul-2016: Married abroad in Russia 👩‍❤️‍👨 See guide here
21-Dec-2016: I-130 filed at Moscow USCIS field office*
29-Dec-2016: I-130 approved! Yay! 🎊 

17-Jan-2017: Case number received

21-Mar-2017: Medical Exam completed

24-Mar-2017: Interview at Embassy - approved! 🎉

29-Mar-2017: CR-1 Visa received (via mail)

02-Apr-2017: USCIS Immigrant (GC) Fee paid

28-Jun-2017: Port of Entry @ PDX 🛩️

21-Jul-2017: No SSN after three weeks; applied in person at the SSA

22-Jul-2017: GC arrived in the mail 📬

31-Jul-2017: SSN arrived via mail, hurrah!

 

*NOTE: The USCIS Field Office in Moscow is now CLOSED as of February 28th, 2019.

 

Removal of Conditions - MSC Service Center

 28-Jun-2019: Conditional GC expires

30-Mar-2019: Eligible to apply for ROC

01-Apr-2019: ROC in the mail to Phoenix AZ lockbox! 📫

03-Apr-2019: ROC packet delivered to lockbox

09-Apr-2019: USCIS cashed check

09-Apr-2019: Case number received via text - MSC 📲

12-Apr-2019: Extension letter arrives via mail

19-Apr-2019: Biometrics letter arrives via mail

30-Apr-2019: Biometrics appointment at local office

26-Jun-2019: Case ready to be scheduled for interview 

04-Sep-2019: Interview was scheduled - letter to arrive in mail

09-Sep-2019: Interview letter arrived in the mail! ✉️

17-Oct-2019: Interview scheduled @ local USCIS  

18-Oct-2019: Interview cancelled & notice ordered*

18-Oct-2019: Case was approved! 🎉

22-Oct-2019: Card was mailed to me 📨

23-Oct-2019: Card was picked by USPS 

25-Oct-2019: 10 year GC Card received in mail 📬

 

*I don't understand this status because we DID have an interview!

 

🇺🇸 N-400 Application for Naturalization (Apr 2020-Jun 2021) 🛂

Spoiler

Filed during Covid-19 & moved states 1 month after filing

30-Mar-2020: N-400 early filing window opens!

01-Apr-2020: Filed N-400 online 💻 

02-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received online 📃

07-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received via mail

05-May-2020: Moved to another state, filed AR-11 online

05-May-2020: Application transferred to another USCIS field office for review ➡️

15-May-2020: AR-11 request to change address completed

16-Jul-2020: Filed non-receipt inquiry due to never getting confirmation that case was transferred to new field office

15-Oct-2020: Received generic response to non-receipt inquiry, see full response here

10-Feb-2021: Contacted senator's office for help with USCIS

12-Feb-2021: Received canned response from senator's office that case is within processing time 😡

16-Feb-2021: Contacted other senator's office for help with USCIS - still no biometrics

19-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice - canned response from other senator's office 🌐

23-Feb-2021: Interview scheduled - notice to come in the mail

25-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice arrives via mail

01-Mar-2021: Interview notice letter arrives via mail  ✉️ 

29-Mar-2021: Passed interview at local office! Oath Ceremony to be scheduled

13-Apr-2021: Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

04-May-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 Unable to attend due to illness

04-May-2021: Mailed request to reschedule Oath to local office

05-May-2021: "You did not attend your Oath Ceremony" - notice to come in the mail

06-May-2021: Oath Ceremony will be scheduled, date TBA

12-May-2021: Oath Ceremony re-scheduled for June 3rd, then de-scheduled same day 😡 

25-May-2021: New Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

16-Jun-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 - DONE!!

17-Jun-2021: Certificate of Naturalization issued

 

🎆 Members new and old: don't forget to fill in your VJ timeline! 🎇 https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

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2 hours ago, Kristina.Ely said:

Hi all,

I need help choosing a citizenship path for my husband, we did a lot of research but getting more confused.

We are K, Z and A living in Dubai for the past 6 yrs.

I met A while he was studying in the U.S back in 2009, and we have been together since, got married 2 yrs ago and we had baby Z last year.

he was in the U.S from '05 till 2012 F-1 visa (ESL, B.s and M's) then he left, I followed him 4 months later. We lived together in many countries then we settled in Dubai for the past 6 yrs where we got married and had our baby.

Baby Z is a U.S citizen and finished all his papers and got his passport through the U.S consulate-Dubai.

We finished filling I-130 and I-130A online on  USCIS.com and intended to submit it today until we watched a YT video talking about DCF and how it's faster for out situation!

Questions are: What is the fastest, easiest way for A to get a U.S citizenship? Is it true that there is yet another path (Forums) we could use? A is both a Spouse and a father of a U.S citizens! 

 

Citizenship?  Do you mean a visa?

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4 hours ago, millefleur said:

Be careful about dates of info talking about DCF...back in the day, it used to be a more common option, especially when the USCIS offices abroad were prevalent. Over the last few years though, it's changed a lot. Many USCIS offices abroad have closed permanently and the only DCF option that remains is the "exceptional circumstances" route where you have to ask permission from the Embassy. You must have a specific reason such as a short notice job offer (relocation), medical issues, etc.

Oh ok, thank you so much for the info.

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5 hours ago, NancyNguyen said:

Spouse and father of US citizens doesn’t speed up anything. He has to be green card holder first and he will be able to file for naturalization in 3 years after that. Filing i-130 and wait for it now.

Ok, thank you so much for your info. just gathering stuff from inexperience friends makes it so confusing!

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Taiwan
Timeline
6 minutes ago, Kristina.Ely said:

Ok, thank you so much for your info. just gathering stuff from inexperience friends makes it so confusing!

There is a lot of misinformation out there.  VJ is the best source for accurate information I have seen.

Edited by Lucky Cat

"The US immigration process requires a great deal of knowledge, planning, time, patience, and a significant amount of money.  It is quite a journey!"

- Some old child of the 50's & 60's on his laptop 

 

Senior Master Sergeant, US Air Force- Retired (after 20+ years)- Missile Systems Maintenance & Titan 2 ICBM Launch Crew Duty (200+ Alert tours)

Registered Nurse- Retired- I practiced in the areas of Labor & Delivery, Home Health, Adolescent Psych, & Adult Psych.

IT Professional- Retired- Web Site Design, Hardware Maintenance, Compound Pharmacy Software Trainer, On-site go live support, Database Manager, App Designer.

______________________________________

August 7, 2022: Wife filed N-400 Online under 5 year rule.

November 10, 2022: Received "Interview is scheduled" letter.

December 12, 2022:  Received email from Dallas office informing me (spouse) to be there for combo interview.

December 14, 2022: Combo Interview for I-751 and N-400 Conducted.

January 26, 2023: Wife's Oath Ceremony completed at the Plano Event Center, Plano, Texas!!!😁

February 6, 2023: Wife's Passport Application submitted in Dallas, Texas.

March 21, 2023:   Wife's Passport Delivered!!!!

May 15, 2023 (about):  Naturalization Certificate returned from Passport agency!!

 

In summary, it took 13 months for approval of the CR-1.  It took 44 months for approval of the I-751.  It took 4 months for approval of the N-400.   It took 172 days from N-400 application to Oath Ceremony.   It took 6 weeks for Passport, then 7 additional weeks for return of wife's Naturalization Certificate.. 
 

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6 hours ago, Boiler said:

I assume you mean US residency and filing the 1.130 is the way to go.

 

Do you have any exceptional circumstances to meet DCF requirements, presumably the You Tube video covered that.

Thank you for your answer. I guess US residency then ultimately a citizenship. we just have no clue about this whole thing, but thank you so much 

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Filed: Country: Vietnam (no flag)
Timeline
Just now, Kristina.Ely said:

yes

This is the quickest way to US citizenship.

 

You as the USC spouse files an I-130. It's unlikely that you will qualify for DCF.  It will take about 12-18 months for your spouse to get an immigration visa.  Upon entering the US with his immigration visa, he automatically becomes a green card holder.  After having his green card for 3 years and living with you as his spouse in the US for three years, he can apply for US citizenship.  Citizenship can take about year.  So, overall, you are looking at about 5 years for getting US citizenship.

You will have to submit an I-864 Affidavit of Support for his immigration visa interview.  You may need a Joint Sponsor if you current income will stop upon returning to the US or you don't have the required assets.


 

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2 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

This is the quickest way to US citizenship.

 

You as the USC spouse files an I-130. It's unlikely that you will qualify for DCF.  It will take about 12-18 months for your spouse to get an immigration visa.  Upon entering the US with his immigration visa, he automatically becomes a green card holder.  After having his green card for 3 years and living with you as his spouse in the US for three years, he can apply for US citizenship.  Citizenship can take about year.  So, overall, you are looking at about 5 years for getting US citizenship.

You will have to submit an I-864 Affidavit of Support for his immigration visa interview.  You may need a Joint Sponsor if you current income will stop upon returning to the US or you don't have the required assets.


 

Thank you so much. we will do that.

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