Coco8

I'm sharing my DCF (Direct Consular Filing) experience in hope that it comes in handy for others, and to help simplify this often less-discussed path for obtaining permanent residence for a foreign spouse in the US. I know how tough and stressful this journey can be, and I'm super grateful that we were able to pull this off so quickly.   About Us: I’m a US citizen, and my Romanian spouse and I were in Romania when we made the decision to initiate the DCF process under exceptional circumstances. Despite having accepted a job offer in the US, a job offer letter was not listed among the required documents for this process, as you will see in the document checklist below.   Our Timeline: August 7th, 2023: Sent an email to US embassy in Bucharest explaining our situation and requesting DCF. We initially sent the email to the incorrect address (posted on their website) but eventually called them to get the correct email address. So make sure you have the right one. Here’s a draft of my email in case it helps someone else get an idea of what to write:
“Dear Consular Officer,   I hope this email finds you well. My name is [name], an American citizen currently residing in Romania with my spouse. I wish to return to the United States and have my spouse accompany me. I am reaching out to explain our situation and kindly request the opportunity to file our Direct Consular Filing (DCF) documents at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.   To provide some context, I initially arrived here because [fill out your reason] on a temporary [type of visa] visa in [year]. Throughout my time here, my relationship with my now spouse blossomed, and we have been together since [year]. We decided to take the next step in our journey and officially married on [date].   I am excited to share that I have received a fantastic job offer from a well-known U.S. company, with a start date scheduled for [date]. Given the time-sensitive nature of this opportunity, I kindly request your assistance in arranging an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest to submit our completed documents. We are flexible and available at your convenience, having prepared all the necessary forms and collected the required documents for the application, including forms I-130 and I-130A.   I appreciate your attention to this matter and sincerely hope for a positive response. We eagerly await your reply.   Kind regards, [name] [phone number]”   August 8th, 2023: Received a response from the embassy, approving our DCF request. We were instructed to appear at the embassy on August 14th to present the following documents: Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, completed and signed by me. Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for a Spouse Beneficiary Two photos for each of us. My U.S. passport. Spouse's passport. Spouse’s birth certificate. Our marriage certificate. Proof of the termination of any prior marriages (if applicable). Evidence of our relationship; For evidence, I put together a photo album with around 40 pictures that pretty much told our story from the beginning to now. They seemed to really appreciate it. We also included joint bank account statements, proof of our shared public health insurance, and evidence that we're living at the same address. The $535.00 fee, payable in cash or by credit card at the Consular Section (in U.S. or Romanian currency).   August 14th, 2023: Made it to the interview at the embassy. The staff were very kind and helpful. The consular officer reviewed our documents, let us know that everything’s looking good, and informed us that we'd receive an official email soon with instructions to complete DS-260 online and the next steps.   August 18th, 2023: Received the official email, it included instructions and provided my spouse's case number, which was necessary to complete the DS-260 form. It also explained the process for the medical examination. We were required to follow these steps before scheduling the final interview: Complete the DS-260 form. Undergo the required medical examination. Prepare the following documents to bring to the final interview: Spouse’s valid passport. Spouse’s two photos. Spouse’s original birth certificate. The original marriage certificate. Proof of termination of prior marriages (if applicable). Police certificates from spouse’s country of nationality and any other countries where they had lived for more than one year. A medical examination. Affidavit of support (Form I-864 or Form I-864EZ) filled out and signed by me; I did not work at the time, so we used my spouse's foreign income for financial support, which was going to continue in the States. Many wonder if this is doable, and it absolutely is, as long as the spouse's income is set to continue in the States and exceeds three times the 125% poverty guidelines. (Check out USCIS’s Instructions for Affidavit of Support for more information). Copy of my most recent Federal Income Tax Return; I didn't have recent tax returns since I hadn't filed for the most recent year. So, I wrote an affidavit letter explaining my situation, and they were perfectly fine with it. A fee of $325.00 payable only at the consular cashier on the day of the visa appointment, in cash or by card (in U.S. or Romanian currency).   September 7th, 2023: We sent an email to the embassy, confirming that we had all the necessary documents ready (obtaining my spouse's police certificates took longer than anticipated due to technical issues). The embassy then emailed us back with the date and time for the final interview, which was scheduled for September 18th.   September 18th, 2023: We showed up at the embassy, the security personnel were quite rude this time around, which I didn't appreciate. But on the bright side, the rest of the staff at the embassy were helpful and friendly. They checked our documents, took my spouse's fingerprints, and provided us with the awesome news that we were fully approved. They kept spouse's passport and offered us clear instructions on arranging passport delivery. Regarding the Affidavit of support: I’d like to mention that although they initially expected the financial support for the I-864 to come from US sponsor(s), they were perfectly fine with me sponsoring my spouse using our household income from spouse’s work that was going to continue in the states.   September 18th, 2023: We completed the passport delivery process online as soon as we got home. As a side note, although it wasn't explicitly mentioned to us before, it's advisable to complete the online passport delivery process in advance of the final interview. (though I don’t believe it mattered after all, we still received the passport back pretty quickly).   September 20th, 2023: We received spouse's passport containing the visa in the mail, along with a sealed packet that is meant to be presented to an immigration officer upon our arrival in the US, unopened.   That's it! I hope this post can serve as a reference point for others considering this process.   I also wanted to point out that as I was doing my research, I've noticed some folks on immigration forums making the DCF process sound like a real challenge. While I understand that different people have different circumstances and experiences, I’m also here to tell you that it's not all that scary, and you can definitely do it! Especially if your case is as straightforward as ours. Everything went super smoothly for us, and for that I’m forever grateful. I wish this option wasn't limited to people with exceptional circumstances. It truly pains me to think that some couples and families have to be apart or wait for years to get this process wrapped up. It's just not fair.   Total time from the initial email to passport delivery: Approx. 42 days.

I had the same problem for my son. It's very frustrating. I sent the public records but they also rejected it.
The letter the passport office sent you indicates that a DNA test is also acceptable. 
I ended up doing the DNA but costed me around $395 dollars. 
 

HR is very difficult, because you don't know the laws in place, requirements, or US company culture. Unless you work at a international corporation and you deal with several countries or stuff like that, it'd be really hard to get a job in the US for HR. 
 
Getting a job offer from a company, particularly if you are abroad, is very difficult. Why would they hire anyone? It'd have to be worth it and the person has to have skills that are difficult to get and there has to be proved experience. You get this through education, working a well known companies, connecting with people in real life (not friends in LinkedIn), and then you just have to be lucky that your expertise is needed. 
 
It seems you just want to get a job to move to the US for no reason than living in the US. That's very unlikely. People getting jobs like this, it's more that they are career oriented people and an opportunity comes up to move to the US, and they take it. Or they are looking to grow in their career and they look for opportunities in the US for some reason.
 
 
 
 

Not an LPR until she arrives in US. According to 9 FAM 502.1-1(c)(2)(b)(2)(b), it does include spouses and children acquired before admission of the principal:
"Spouse or Child Acquired Before Admission of Principal Applicant:  A spouse or child acquired before a principal applicant’s admission to the United States is entitled to derivative status and the priority date of the principal applicant, regardless of the time which may pass between the issuance of a visa to or admission into the United States of the principal applicant and the issuance of a visa to the spouse or child of such applicant and regardless of whether the spouse or child had been named in the IV application of the principal applicant."
 
Messy situation but OP should be able to follow to join as an E34. According to ***removed*** (not the best source but google isn't being very helpful) the correct thing would be for OP's wife to show up at the consulate with her visa, marriage certificate, and a DS-260 for OP. If the consulate sent the case back then the correct thing would be to file I-824 and work from there.

While I am sure there are plenty of exceptions, good intentions, legit couples that were not sought intentionally based on race/culture, etc., I second this statement for multiple cultures across VJ.  Sadly, it just makes the journey a bit more complicated because you have (1) seeking an international love story, (2) falling for an idea of how the person would/should be, (3) false expectations, and THEN (4) immigration.

I would think you'll be allowed, but just in case I would take the paperwork of your F1 status (because you don't have stamps on the passport) and also, documents about ties to Canada (like lease or ownership of house, job, etc.).
 
Don't give them the extra info with your passport! Only give stuff if they ask.

Apparently, it can be done. I know people who've done it.

Yeah, it doesn't matter how far back it was, they will ask for sponsor views.

Your BF should visit you in Japan. 
 
 

Your BF should visit you in Japan. 
 
 

Yes, I have a good friend that did the exchange with Rotary Club. You are supposed to host another kid while your kid is being hosted or later. Rotary Club also provides a stipend for expenses for the kids (not a lot, like a couple hundred dollars). 
 
That said, you have to participate of meetings and things, unless you are lucky to be in an area in which not many people live and the Rotary Club branch wants to send someone.
 
 

In https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/775973-interview-scheduled-but-moving-after-advice-needed/ you wrote that you and your husband moved to Colorado ob January 28.  Closer to 7 months ago than 8 months ago?
 
Were you separated at the time you posted?
 

Generally, au pairs are not subject to 212 (e).  However, according to the Exchange Visitors Skills List (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/exchange/waiver-of-the-exchange-visitor/exchange-visitor-skills-list.html and https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/04/30/E9-9657/2009-revised-exchange-visitor-skills-list), Ecuador requires essentially all categories of J-1s to meet the 212(a) two-year home residency requirement.

Good afternoon; I have been working as a full-time employee for an international organization since 2011 in the DC area. I have a G4 Visa (non-resident alien) and wanted to host my niece (she has Italian nationality) as a visiting high-school student in 2024. I found the local Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools that can issue the papers for her to apply for the F Visa, and I understand that I will have to pay for the full unsubsidized cost of her education (I'll do it). It is still unclear to me if, with my Visa, I can provide accommodation and shelter for her and be listed on her papers as the primary host. I heard too many horror stories about hosting families provided by exchange associations and I don't want her to go that route since I live here and I am her uncle. Grateful for any answers you may provide. 

Advised by who?
 
You need to complete your degree/ obtain a certificate of completion.

That would show immigrant intent.  That could harm his case for a B2 , as well. 

When did you stop working?  Did you report this to your DSO?  Any change in OPT employment, including quitting your volunteer job, should be reported to your DSO within ten days of the change.  You only have a maximum number of 90 days of unemployment on OPT.  I strongly recommend that you leave the US as soon as possible.  You don't want an overstay on your record, and you may already have one.  Don't jeopardize future visas to enter the US by staying longer than authorized.  Check with your school DSO, and SEVIS to confirm your current status and when you have to leave the US.  If you did a STEM degree, you can apply for an OPT extension, again, you need to check with your DSO as soon as possible.  

Keep evidence of all the times you visit each other (even receipts). I'm guessing you'll have summer breaks, holidays, etc. so take pictures and have evidence you spent that time together. 

Honestly, I’ve never heard of an American woman going to Pakistan for a vacation……and then to meet a guy nearly 40 years younger the very same day….?!   Amazing.
 
OP,  what would happen if a GC was not part of the deal here?   Would he want to settle with you for a lifetime of marital bliss, in Pakistan?   What happens when he/his family wants children?   Would you adopt at your age?
 
I don’t mean to be intrusive here, but these are the very questions entertained by consular officers while conducting their evaluation of fraud risk, as required by law.
 
Such enormous age differences do not occur via low fraud consulates, so it does make one think…

Fewer that 1% of Muslim men live with more than one spouse in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Egypt so I don’t see how this is relevant.
 
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/12/07/polygamy-is-rare-around-the-world-and-mostly-confined-to-a-few-regions/

That's what I thought. 
 
Carolyn, if you don't mind my asking: what happened to your first fiance/husband that you brought over? I'm not trying to be nosey but if this is the second time around,  your case will automatically get extra scrutiny. I totally agree with others that you need to marry and live together before even thinking about filing again. Pakistan is by far one of the most difficult consulates for people who are close in age and you two have a very large age gap with you being older. That very much goes against the cultural norm in Pakistan and you have an uphill battle based on that fact alone. I know other couples who applied through Pakistan where the wife was only 10-15 years older and they had to fight tooth and nail for years and years and years, getting denial after denial and that was back when there was much less scrutiny and  back when the process itself was much faster for everyone. I have two of those couples as Facebook friends. I myself am older than my husband so I know how the whole double standard thing works when it comes to women being older and immigration. I am not trying to discourage you, I am merely trying to warn you that this will not be easy, fast or inexpensive.

Carolyn, 
Did you bring a different fiance or spouse here 10-12 years ago? I know I recognize your name from long ago.

Wow! Have you ever watched 90 day fiancé? There’s a story very, very similar to yours. USC had grown up kids and everything. 
Have you considered telling your bf that you should live in Pakistan permanently?

That is so sad.  I found one site that addresses this specifically.  It looks like you don’t have to file anything additional for the moment.  They will still just adjudicate based on the same criteria-legal marriage, marriage was in good faith.  
 
Here is where I found a nice outline of this specific circumstance:  https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/immigration/the-widow-s-penalty.html

I think they randomly send people and they just check your case against a dataset. One time I had been to Colombia for work and I got send to a different line with more people, and they checked our prints against CODIS. I only find out because they told me the system was down and it was going to take a bit more. They also put our luggage in some huge xray machines, I'm guessing looking for drugs and they also had dogs.
 
After that, I just realized they do a lot of random checks for security reasons, so I don't take it personally. Of course I get nervous, but I also think it's part of their work and I don't even have a traffic ticket.