ViennaPete

Folks here were very helpful in navigating how this process worked and in figuring out if it was even possible for my wife and I. We were able to manage it, from start to finish, in just under three weeks. Here was the timeline: July 9th: I (US citizen) got a job offer. July 10th: I sent the formal request for DCF to the Vienna embassy. July 14th: After a bit of back and forth (the offer needed to be on a formal letterhead), the embassy approved the request. We could come in any Tuesday or Thursday (surprisingly, no appointment needed). July 22nd: We both (me and my wife) came in for the formal I-130 petition. The consular officer interviewed both of us about our relationship, and they really liked the short booklet we had prepared with pictures/the story of our relationship (HIGHLY recommend you bring this! It won't be formally requested). We were approved immediately. They even asked us when we'd want it by; we asked for mid-August, which they said was no problem. Edit: July 28th: Medical examination (forgot to add this). The consulate had a specific doctor she needed to see, who was pretty quick. July 29th: My wife's interview, when the I-864 was filed (she had previously, after I-130 was complete, done the DS-260 online). This required some last-minute maneuvering (my parents graciously agreed to I-864A and we hurriedly got everything in order for that). Likewise, we had police reports from any place she had lived over the age of 16 for more. Do NOT wait on these. If you think a job offer might be coming, get them anyway (good to have on hand in case you unexpectedly need them). The countries we needed would have been quick anyway, but some take a very, very long time. There was unfortunately one hiccup (related to my parents' taxes; just did not have the correct form), but they said we could just email it to them. My wife self-translated her birth certificate, which was fine for them. July 29th (part two): By a literal random chance, my parents found the correct form an hour after my wife left the consulate. We emailed it to them promptly. July 30th: We sent another followup. They responded quickly, saying they'd get back to us soon. July 31st: Green card approved! They got back to us, approved the form, and said my wife could come in whenever to get the initial visa thing (the one they print in the passport). August 1st: My wife handed in her passport, and shortly after got an email saying to pick it up Monday (August 4th). Overall the consulate was incredibly friendly, professional, and efficient. If you feel like you're staring down a DCF barrel, stay calm and (if you think DCF may be a feasible possibility in the future), have the key documents ready ahead of time. Likewise, know your addresses DS-260 wants to know everywhere you've lived the last ten years. We did not necessarily and many of the pieces came together seemingly by chance. Good luck - and thanks to you all!

I was accepted by the consulate in Vienna to file for DCF on behalf of my wife. I'm now filling out I-130, but have already been stumped by the address question. I live in Vienna of course (which is why I'm filing for DCF) but I also have a domicile in the United States. The form asks for my mailing address, but says that, if it is different from my physical address, I should put that as well. Which do I put where?

So I (US citizen living abroad) received a job offer, but it's very sudden, and would require me to start in only a few weeks, leaving my wife (foreign spouse) to complete the DCF process. What would I need to be present for in order for DCF to be successful? I'm worried that if the embassy takes some time to respond, I may have to leave before the process really gets off the ground. Do I just need to be here for the very start of it?

That's my concern - I'd be a contractor for a company, but not a formal employee, if that makes sense. So working full time, paid by them, but technically a contractor.

I'm in Austria; we have not filed an I-130 just because we had no huge rush in getting to the US, but this offer has come up somewhat suddenly. I'm currently working as a contractor for them (very very part time) and they've offered me to go to 40 hours, but it would require me to move in the US. I have yet to accept, yes, as I just got it; am I supposed to accept before applying for the DCF? Or after?

I've been doing part-time contract work for an American company while living in Europe, but my boss has offered to make me full time, provided I move back to the US. My wife is European; does anyone have experience with an embassy accepting DCF for contract work? I've worked for them for over a year so it is not a spurious thing, and the new contract would not be time-limited. I've found conflicting information. Secondly, is the offer letter good enough? Or do you have to have accepted the new position first before applying for DCF? Thank you!

*impossible to know, I mean. I might end up doing it the traditional way (consular processing) - I just was mainly asking because my lawyer seemed to think DCF does not exist at all, and I wanted to see if he was correct. So thank you all again

Right, I don't deny that at all - at the moment, I do not have a clear job offer. I was simply asking that, if I am able to lock down this job, if I'd be able to use DCF in Vienna, as the alternative - being away from my wife for two years - is nightmarish and something I don't want to do. It appears that you/other folks have answered in the affirmative, that DCF is a feasible possibility (depending on whether or not the consulate approves, which is of course impossible), so I appreciate it!

So to be clear, I'm not trying to fabricate anything - I'm working on locking down a job, but much of my decision-making is whether or not I may be separated from my wife in two years if I accept it and DCF turns out to not be available in Vienna (which is why I'm no fan of the consular processing, for the length). I'd very much like the job because it would get me out of a not good financial situation and would return me to the US, but I just want to know if DCF is a possible option for her if I take the job, because two years apart is nightmarish. But your question is precisely why I'm nervous to ask the Vienna embassy ahead of time if they do DCF - I do not want to come across as if it is fabricated.

Thank you both @Boiler and @powerpuff! This was my thinking, I just wanted to double-check. The next question - I have no job lined up yet. I'm hoping to have one soon, but there is nothing definitive. I don't know if the consulate in Vienna does DCF or not; I've seen that it flat-out does not, that it does, and that Frankfurt does it instead on Vienna's behalf. If I contact the consulate asking if they do it, will that make a future DCF petition seem sketchy (like if I were to ask them this week if they do it at all and then in 3 months say "I got a job can I do DCF" - will that look fishy to them? Or is asking those questions fairly normal without any risk?

I (American) and my wife (Austrian) are hoping to move to the US. She has no Green Card. I'm working on getting a job and will hopefully have one soon, but am unsure if the consulate will go for DCF. We talked to a US-based lawyer and he said it was unlikely in general, but I feel like he may not have been aware of how DCF works since he said the I-130 had to go to the US first. He also said that, unless the position was of some sort of government significance, it would be unlikely for any consulate to do DCF. Is this true? I was under the impression that any job could technically qualify, so long as it's not a temporary/contract position. What are your experiences (in Vienna or in general)?