morlee

1 hour ago, missileman said:

I can't imagine why it would be a red flag........seems perfectly fine to me.

1 hour ago, SuznAaron said:

I cant really help with your question of it being a red flag, but when I lived in Ireland with my fiance I kept my US bank account. I used my parent's address then. Since moving back to the US, I still have my Irish bank account and use our US address for that. 

Yes, I think it's common. I'm just wondering if anyone has used both their US bank account address and their foreign address on different supporting documents to verify claims on an i-130. I don't feel they're conflicting and maybe reviewers have seen it a lot. I've read on immigrant attorney blogs and older posts on various forums that things like conflicting addresses that raise red flags and maybe I'm overreacting. 

But I appreciate the responses, this forum is the best I've encountered on these subjects.

If I use a US bank statement, which includes a US address, to demonstrate joint finances with my wife, accompanying an i-130, and at the same time use other documents to demonstrate living together at an address in a foreign country, is that a red flag for the reviewer?

Maybe a stupid question, but I am of the understanding that millions of American's keep US accounts while living abroad and in order to do so, they use family homes and relative's US addresses. This must have come up before.

Thanks

20 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

Probably not.   You can file the petition and then slowly process at the NVC and then also delay at Consulate.  You have to keep in touch once a year to remain active.

 

You can not obtain a green card at a consulate.   You can only get it after entering the US.  You can travel and work right away because the endorsed Visa will act as a green card for a year.   You can interview anywhere where the beneficiary has legal residence.     People waiting for green cards are typically K1s or others that have to adjust from the US.   A spousal visa gets a green card upon entering the US.

So you suggest I go ahead and file now. I prefer that. And we can deal with what we need to do when we get there. It appears we can go to the US, receive the green card, establish residency and return for limited time as long as we pay attention to the requirements to maintain a presence until we are ready to live in the US permanently. 

11 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

The petitioner will need to show either US domicile or the intent to re-establish domicile prior to or simultaneous to the beneficiary entering the US.   At the consulate, expect it to come up in the interview.

 

Mary was never sent anything by the consulate to our Mexico address.  Everything was sent to me by email and a copy to my US Address.

Again, every little clarification is so helpful. And it should be much easier to narrow down between options where to live at that time.

It may be too early for us to apply. We are going to move from Colombia to Buenos Aires, Argentina in June where my wife will begin a 1 year research sabbatical at a university there. She will retire 6 to 9 months after returning, about 24 to 27 months from now when we hope to move to the US.

I thought I would like to interview at the embassy and later receive the green card when we are in Buenos Aires where there is an embassy, rather than travel to Bogota if we wait to apply. But when I search how soon after receiving we must use the green card, I see some go to the US for only a shot time, register residency and return for periods of time. But this sort of stretches the system which expects people want to live in the US.  If others are receiving their green cards in 13 months more or less, maybe I should wait to apply until after we are in Argentina for 3 or 4 months. 

35 minutes ago, Hank_ said:

 

You are going to need a U.S. domicile address for later at the embassy so having a U.S. address on the I-130 only makes sense.    

Ok thanks again, to all. Very helpful. Best I've found yet in this process.

I assume you refer to an interview at the Colombian embassy after USCIS?  I have actually used that US address in the "where you intend to live" question if you receive the green card.

Ok, that's an idea. Thanks. I'm trying to think this through.

We're living together in Barranquilla, CO. I use our friends US address in the i-130 beginning with his name in the "In Care Of" box on the first line of the address, and his address, and all responses are sent to that address? It does seem logical and upon further examination, the "In Care of" box is on the i-130, not the i130a.

Will USCIS mail anything to my wife at our address that's in the I-130a form? (if so, it will be lost or stolen). Or does all come to me - everything?  Even an eventual request for her to go to an embassy?

And will that be considered inconsistent with our physical address, which we are documenting by attaching addressed letters and utility bills to prove we live here together?

Thanks again for this quick response.   p.s. ? not sure what a NOA2 is

US citizen living in Colombia and preparing an i-130 for my wife. Has anyone used a US mail address on i-130 while living abroad?

I've read that using a US address on an i-130 form will likely delay the process because it will cause USCIS reviewers to believe my wife is illegally living in the US. But our international mail service is non-existent. We want to use a friend's address in the US. We've never been at the address or even the city. We've lived in Colombia for 8 years, 6 years in our present home. And preparing documents supporting our existing presence here.

We haven't received a single international letter in the last 6 years, until one fluke a few months ago. There is no hope. It's not just unreliable; it's certain we (and anyone else) will never get anything mailed from the US. Thanks