jkxp

Thanks for the replies, guys. It is sounding like the best course of action might be to provide my parents' address at POE for mailing - I have used them for a lot of correspondence as I've hopped around the world and so it actually makes sense, especially since we might have to move at some point irrespective of the neighbor issues. Will definitely follow the above advice if we do change it. I assume no issues if I keep my temporary address as physical, and use my parents as the mailing address?

Also, out of curiosity - does anyone know if a signature is required for GC delivery nowadays? I know it wasn't in past but have read some vague suggestions that this changed recently. Thanks in advance!

57 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Another option would be for your spouse to change the mailing address with the CBP officer at entry .. if you have a relative who is happy for you to use their address as your mailing address that might be safer 

Thanks for the advice. I had thought about this even during the DS-260, but figured it was not a good idea at the time since we will not actually be living with my parents. Now that the visa is approved and this is only for mailing purposes, is it safe to assume USCIS doesn't care? 

All,

I am stuck in a tight spot here and could use some advice. I posted awhile back about DCF and was very fortunate to get my wife’s visa approved within 3 months; I know this puts us among the lucky ones, but now we’re stuck in a bad place with respect to getting the physical green card. I did not realize it took USCIS literal months to print a piece of plastic and mail it.

The problem is that we may not be able to keep the address that was listed on the DS-260. It was a 6-month rental I chose because I was relocating myself, and needed a place to live short-term, and also because she needed a U.S. address on the form. It was not meant to be permanent, and while the situation there has been difficult from the start, it’s gotten much worse since new neighbors moved in recently – it is at the point that it is affecting my mental and physical health and not at all where I want us to be living. We both work remotely and so a bad living situation like this could become a nightmare, especially if the GC takes longer than a few months to receive.

The problem is that this seems to be a very bad spot to be stuck in if you’re awaiting a physical green card. The only options I can see are:

A)     Tough it out for several months and hope we don’t both get sick or go insane, and pray to whomever is listening that the GC arrives very quickly

B)     Move to a new apartment (easy enough) and pray for the best – talk to the mailman, leave a note for the next tenant, et cetera

C)     Have my wife come to the US for a very short visit (a weekend at most as she has limited time off) to activate the GC, then I go and stay with her for awhile as it’s processing, and cut down the time we’re stuck in that place

Not sure if I missed any? C seems like the best option if doable, but I have read conflicting accounts of whether this is actually safe to do or not (my understanding is she is entirely free to come and go as much as she wants, but if a CBP agent is having a bad day it could cause problems). Also not sure if POE matters - she is in Japan, so would a trip to Guam work even if that's not where we'll be living?

A is the most straightforward answer, but will be extremely unpleasant to deal with. B I am not sure of – I know USCIS is terrible with address changes and that this will probably delay her receiving the GC. OTOH, she should get a stamp in her passport that will serve as a green card for a year, right? Certainly we should get it by then, even if we move? What happens if we don’t? Is there any risk to her ability to stay in the country?

Sorry if the above is not entirely clear – this is all very stressful. I can’t wait for us to be together again, but I really want to find some kind of a resolution here so that our first few months in America together aren’t a complete nightmare. If there is a solution I have not thought of, please let me know.

On 2/7/2022 at 10:54 PM, Seashell90 said:

Not sure if you already filed DCF but my experience so far may shed some light. You can probably find my posting if you click on my profile. Hope it helps!

Hi, yes, I did take a look at your thread and it was very informative, thanks. There were some delays, but our interview is scheduled for next week. We haven't had too much trouble with gathering the documentation or filling out the forms, but I have noticed a few things that seem to be a challenge for people filing DCF from abroad. I'd welcome your input, or input from anyone who is familiar:

• Form I-130 requires an intended address in the United States. As I am relocating for a short-notice job offer via DCF, I don't have an address sorted out yet. I'm planning on temporary accommodations until I physically arrive and can find something more permanent. I've seen conflicting advice on what to put down for this, and a common solution seems to be using the parents' home address, but I'm unsure of this, as I'm relocating for a job, and my parents don't live near the place where I'll be working. It does seem like most people filing for DCF haven't had much trouble explaining this portion of the form to consular officials, who I imagine understand that the situation is complicated for people relocating from abroad - but I'm still a bit concerned and welcome advice. 
• I see a lot of people are filing form I-864 at the initial I-130 interview. It is optional in Tokyo, and I am personally leaning towards filing it later, because as I understand it, only current income counts, and while my job offer lists a salary that should more than suffice, I haven't started the job yet, and don't currently have a sufficient income. If filed later, I should be able to show proof of current income. I was thinking about discussing this with the consular staff during my interview - but if there is a compelling reason why I should submit the I-864 right away regardless of the above concerns, again, I'd like to know.

Appreciate the time of anyone who has bothered to read this far - I'm looking forward to getting to the interview but want to make sure I'm as well-prepared as possible. 

Hi all,

Been lurking here for awhile now but wanted to ask a few questions directly. I am a US citizen married to a Japanese citizen, and I have just been offered a job in the states. My understanding is that I should qualify for an exception - the offer letter requires me to relocate by the end of March (~2.5 months). I'm assuming this will easily meet the definition of short notice, but the official wording is vague and seems to give consular officials a lot of discretion. Has anyone ever heard of this being an issue?

Also, are there any other common pitfalls that people fall into with job-based DCF, particularly in the initial I-130 interview? I've seen a lot of comments suggesting that exceptions in general are difficult to get, but on the other hand, most DCF accounts here are positive, and the few rejections I've seen weren't clearly explained. Any pointers to maximize our chances of success would be much appreciated.

Thanks!