thepettle

So if thats the case could I take it now even though I haven't been here 2 years? and could I move eventually in 5 years or whatever (example) and still be considered as indefinite leave to remain here and move back if I wanted 10 years down the line?

I don't really understand.

oh sorry, thanks!

I am a US citizen living with my husband in the UK on a spousal visa and have been since October 2008, my visa expires October 2010 - can I take the test whenever between now and then, or do I wait until a certain time to do so?

Also, taking this test means I'd be a dual citizen of both my home country and the UK right? Or does it mean I'd be giving up my US Citizenship?

Thanks in advance for answers x

Because postage wise it would get there quicker if it was sent from within the US instead of internationally - I am in the UK

Okay so it can't be expedited. I am not having my husband miss the birth of my baby though.

Is it possible for him to travel on the visa waiver program while his visa is still pending or no?

Okay so it can't be expedited. I am not having my husband miss the birth of my baby though.

Is it possible for him to travel on the visa waiver program while his visa is still pending or no?

I know but the CR-1 takes longer than the K-3. I know I can go to the US but if my mother gets the process started now.. thats August September October November December January before he'd be back and the baby is due in the beginning of December - so he would miss the birth of his own child. That brings me back to the questions I asked.

Can he visit if thats the case? Ugh.

I am a US Citizen and my husband is a UK Citizen - we are currently living in the UK and were trying to do DCF (Direct Consular Filing) to move to the US as we found out I am pregnant and I want to be near my mom. But since I have only been here since October 2008 they said I am not a permanent resident so I can't do it through London as I thought before - so now is the K-3 route.. problem is I can't fly past 32 weeks (October 22nd approx) pregnant and it takes six months approx to do the K-3 visa. My mother can start the paperwork before I get there but I would need to leave in October. I know I would need to be in the US before he could go there and finish the visa process so my questions are...

1. Is there a quicker way anyone knows about?

2. Is there a lawyer in the UK or agency etc that could expedite the process?

3. Could he visit on the visa waiver program for 3 months before he is accepted?

If anyone could help me out with this that would be greatly appreciated - thanks in advance.

I send out my I-130 application for my husband for the SECOND time and got the documents back about 2 weeks ago, today I received the application and credit card pdf page with "VOID" written across it and a letter attached saying I don't have proof I live here (for the second time) and cannot do it if the UK is not my principal residence or have leave to enter or something along those lines.

The first time I didn't send proof of my residency here except for my stamped visa from when I arrived in October 2008 and I made the mistake of writing the word "temporary" in a note explaining my situation. The second time I sent bank statements, pay stubs, a letter from my work, a signed note from my mother in law stating the UK is my principal residence, a copy of my national insurance card and a note explaining what I meant by temporary - as in my spousal visa is only for two years and apologizing for the miscommunication.

They are saying since I am not a permanent resident I cannot file over here - but I cannot file in the U.S. as I am not living there, I am living here.

This puts me in a 'pickle' so-to-speak because I am 18 weeks pregnant tomorrow and cannot fly past 32 weeks pregnant internationally. I don't know what to do now.

Am I allowed to file DCF in London if I am residing in Aberdeen, Scotland or do I need to do it in America? It does not make sense.. either way I am screwed for time now.

I am wondering whether or not I can take my citizenship test in the UK before my two years run out on the visa (October 2010) and try to do the visa through London then.

This brings up another situation...

Will I be able to do the visa after I have the baby over here or will I not?

I'm not sure how to make the baby a duel citizen in Britain & America.

Also, my grandfather was going to be a joint sponsor for my husband until we can get on our feet, and we were going to live with my mother free of charge while saving up money, but with a baby (dependent) I don't think they make enough to sponsor the baby too - would they need to sponsor the baby as well?

I am not sure what to do and this is very upsetting for me as I wanted my mother to be there for the birth, have a baby shower with my family etc. I cannot go without my husband, its our first child and I want him there for the birth.

What am I doing wrong? What proof do I need? It is stressing me out beyond belief.

I don't understand why the first time when we didn't have enough proof we got all the information back together but the second time we got our documents back quickly then our application and credit card form back two weeks later just for a simple "no."

If anyone can help.. please let me know... I don't know how much more stress I can take before something goes wrong with my pregnancy.. its all so worrying.

Thanks in advance...

do I book a flight before I send out packet 3 and say my flight is for that day or would i wait? its going to be so expensive the longer i wait... maybe it would be cheaper to book ahead of time and change it later on??? thanks again for clearing this up, its just i was reading about people getting receipts and i wasn't sure as i haven't even seen a payment on my credit card yet. thanks again x

my husband and I sent our documents and application/fee to the London Embassy for DCF on Monday, it got there on Wednesday - we then received our documents back on Friday without the fee or applications in it but rather with the supporting documents we had sent, in the prepaid envelope.

We have checked our credit card status and still nothing has been put on the card. But we still have not received receipt for the I-130.

How long should this take?

Were we accepted or denied?

We tried filing the I-130 a week prior to this and got all our supporting documents back with a note saying we need more proof I'm a resident of the UK and not the US, with a "VOID" through the credit card payment form and our application - which I sent with more supporting documents (bank statements, pay stubs, a letter from my mother in law, national insurance card copy etc.) but this time just received the supporting documents.

I don't know where to go from here, I have no reference number to check the status of it on the internet, no receipt of payment or even know if they have accepted or denied it? I have no idea how long it takes and am starting to get worried as we are on a deadline...

Can anyone help me out with this?

Thanks a lot in advance, I really appreciate it. I'm just so stressed out I don't know where to go anymore, nothing can be easy with us.

Thanks again. x

Hey thanks for the reply. My husband called the credit company today and they said it takes 4 days until it shows up on the card, we sent it out Monday and got all the documents back today but no credit card form and no applications, just wanting to know if its a go or not. I'm pregnant so we're on a deadline thats why I am so worried. Thanks again

Yeah I guess thats all I can do, was wondering if something similar happened to anyone else. We got a letter when I had to provide more proof saying we need proof etc. and the credit card form said VOID on it, this time they took them both and gave us back our documents via the paid envelope we had to send addressed to ourselves. I thought the whole point of that was so they could send the second packet???? I'm worried about it.

I sent out my application for the I-130 for my husband with all supporting documents, they sent back the documents but not the application but there is no letter attached and I did not receive an email regarding this? Does that mean they accepted it or denied it or what? They kept the credit card form payment of £355 as well.

The reason I ask is because last time I tried to send it for DCF they said I need more proof I am living in the UK as a principal resident and so I had to re-send everything with more supporting evidence.

Thanks for the help in advance x

thank you i appreciate that. I'm just a bit stressed out and trying not to be as we sent our i-130 monday and got it back today saying void because they need proof the UK is my principal residence - as in I live here. They said if its temporary I need to do it through U.S. I'm here on a spousal visa that lasts 2 years then can apply for indefinite leave to remain or whatever its called.. so is that temporary or no? I was told to do it through them now I am thinking I can't.. so I'm a bit stressed but I appreciate the wishes x good luck with your visa!!! x x

I'm on a spousal visa, after that I can apply to become a citizen or renew my visa. I don't know what kind that is? It runs out in 2 years time..

I just looked on a website and it says "Applicants who have been in the marital relationship for less than 4 years will be given a 2 year visa to live and work in the UK, after which, if the relationship is still in place, they could apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)." which would be me.

So I don't understand why they won't take it? I am going to send a bank statement, pay slips, a letter from my mother in law stating I live there along with a copy of national insurance card photocopy to prove I am using the UK as a principal residence. Do you think this will be enough?

IGNORE THE POST ABOVE!!!!!!

I don't know how to change it.. but I found my w-2's im going to copy them today...

BUT.. I do need to know how to prove this is my principal residency?

National Insurance Card, bank statements, pay stubs, a letter from my husbands mom saying i live here and a letter from my job saying i got the job i do - is that sufficient? Help?

Thanks in advance

They kept my paystubs, bank statement and w-2's and i didn't copy them so I'm screwed. They told me I need to go through the U.S office due to the fact that I arrived in October 2008 and are now planning on relocating back to the U.S. indicates that my stay in the UK is only temporary and that my principal residence is in fact the U.S. therefore I must file my I-130 petition with appropriate the service centre in the u.s. ???? and I wrote a note saying I live there temporary with my husband as in on a 2 year visa, i sent my visa and everything... they circled temporary. They send everything else back but my w-2s, paystubs and bank statement (FROM THE UK) - is this right? do they still have my stuff? how do i prove my principal residence is in the UK? I am so stressed out as I am pregnant and on deadline. What do I do????

thanks to everyone who replied x

I am a US citizen doing DCF with my british husband, we sent the packet out and it got there today for the I-130. We are going through London for it.

My question is in general terms... for those of you who went through London -

how long did the process take you? We just want to know what to expect.

We want to be in America for October as I am pregnant and the baby is due December but we aren't sure if that will be possible?

Thanks so much in advance!!!

Thanks for clearing that up for me!!!

My next question is.. does the I-864 cost money to file? and if so does it cost for both my joint sponsor and me or just one fee? or none? Thanks in advance

whats the difference between I-864 and I-864A?

My husband and I are going to file through DCF for CR-1 visa, we are about to do the I-130 package. I was told in the past I need to be one of the joint sponsors (I-864 Affidavit of Support) for my husband regardless who the other person was sponsoring him, but I am living abroad in the United Kingdom - so doesn't that mean I don't qualify for that as I do not have a US Domicile?

So does that mean I STILL have to fill out the I-864 or can he have another sponsor from someone else in my family who DOES have a US Domicile?

Thanks in advance for any replies!!!

Thank you for your help It is really appreciated!!!

Look closely at form I-130's directions.

NOTE: In addition to the required documentation listed above, you should submit one or more of the following types of documentation that may evidence that bona fides of your marriage:

E. Documentation showing joint ownership or property; or

F. A lease showing joint tenancy of a common residence; or

G. Documentation showing co-mingling of financial resources; or

H. Birth certificate(s) of child(ren) born to you, the petitioner, and your spouse together; or

I. Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by third parties having personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship. (Each affidavit must contain the full name and address, date and place of birth of the person making the affidavit, his or her relationship to the petitioner of beneficiary, if any, and complete information and details explaining how the person acquired his or her knowledge of your marriage); or

J. Any other relevant documentation to establish that there is an ongoing marital union.

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-130instr.pdf

Most, in a short marriage provide "I." Affidavits.

Again you are required to file an I-130 first.

Start here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html

Thanks for answering my question - I read that in the I-30, the letter my mom/grandmother signed/wrote has all their information as "I. Affidavit" but I was wondering if I send this in with my first batch of files, I am assuming so but it says in the checklist not to send an extraneous amount of photos or tax returns etc. so I was just making sure it had to be sent with the I-130 and not later on in the process.

Also, I am assuming I don't need to fill out the I-129F form with this? I was going to do K-3 visa before I knew about DCF and it was needed for that.

Thanks again for all your help!!!

Do my husband and I need to prove we have a bonda fide marriage for the I-130 or later on in the process? I ask this because the checklist I have says nothing about it, but I think I have been told otherwise - just want some clarification? We have cards addressed to both of us, photos of us with family, letters addressed to us and a letter from my mother/grandmother signing stating they know for a fact its bona fide with a list of reasons as to why.

Is this necessary or just a waste of time?