Brodders

Hi, I'm new here and I find all the information in your forum very helpful!
I am a US citizen (by birth) although I've lived outside the US most of my life. I intend submitting I-130 petitions for my husband and children in the next few months, but I was wondering whether the fact that I've been living outside the US since the age of 3 would in any way affect the application? I have a US passport and I applied for a social security number (through the US embassy in London) which I received last year in September, so in principle I can't see any reason why I should be worried, but I note that some of the forms (like the DS 230) ask for a US address which we don't have yet.

Noorah101

It's OK not to have a US Address yet of your own. You can use a friend or family's address if you need to. If you are doing DCF (filing the I-130s directly in London), you will need to show your intent to domicile in the USA.

You will also need to show at least your last 3 years of tax returns. Hopefully you've been filing US tax returns, even if you don't owe any tax. If not, you will have to contact the IRS department at the US Embassy in London and get their help to do so.

You will also need to qualify for the I-864 affidavit of support. You and your husband can't use your UK-earned income unless it will continue from the same source in the USA. You can use assets (property, savings, etc) if it equals 3 times the amount you would have needed in income. If you don't have that, you'll have to get a joint sponsor (someone over the age of 18, USC or PR, living in the USA).

Go to www.uscis.gov, Immigration Forms, I-864P to see the income requirements.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Brodders

Thanks. Yes I'm in the process of sorting out my taxes. I've just posted tax returns for the last 3 years. And we should have sufficient funds to comply with the financial support requirement. I seem to have posted this twice (once under Marriage based visas and again under USA). I meant to move it. How do I delete one? (Sorry I'm new here!)

Noorah101

This is where your post belongs, so perhaps a nice Mod will delete the one in the USA forum.

Rene

ian-mstm

I've copied this bit from the other thread.

It's not quite a Catch-22 situation. You don't actually have to enrol the kids in school... you need to demonstrate the *intent* to enrol the kids in school. As I said in the other thread, you need to demonstrate the *intent* to domicile.

Ian

ian1976

I was in a similar situation to you - i.e. a US citizen who left at a very young age before having an SSN, etc.

The domicile thing was the only reason I bothered paying a lawyer as I thought it could be tricky. It turns out that you just put USA down as your domicile and the fact you are going through the application is proof enough that the USA is your intended domicile.

Maiba

Hi there

I am a Newbie, and in exactly the same situation. My husband is the USC, but has lived in the UK since he was 12.
We have received the approval of our I-130 petition and are now in the process of getting the next lot of docs ready. Among them the dreaded DS-230 with the address requirement. So it is really ok just to put US there? I thought I would at least have to supply an addres to which the Greencard could be mailed, at the interview the latest? We do have a mailbox address at present, but according to my info that would not be accepted?
We also don't have an address yet as we don't know when we will be moving.
Also, the I-864 could be a bit tricky as my husband has only just started a new business in the UK, which he will continue to run from the US.
Would that pose a problem regarding the income requirements? For the past 3years I have been the main earner in the household.

Thanks a lot in advance for your replies.

Kind regards

Diana

meauxna

It's OK to put the city/state or the state you're headed to. Hopefully you've got that much of an idea.. where is your rented mailbox? Why won't that be accepted?
You can/will verify your US address when you arrive with your visa. Your Green Card won't be produced until you enter, and the card will be sent to the address you give at the POE/Point of Entry.

The I-864 may be tricky indeed. Do you two have any assets (preferably +$52000 worth) or a potential US citizen/Permanent Resident Joint Sponsor?

There may be some useful info for you in this thread.

Maiba

Hi There

sorry for taking so long to reply, it's been month end (work in finance).
Thank you very much for your post, I will check with my lawyer if the mailbox address is really not accepted. I seem to remember him pointing that out before.
As well, if the address should prove our intention to reside in the US, we will definitely need one. Thankfully, we know very well where we want to settle, we also already have a bank account over in the US.

With regards to assets, we will definitely meet the requirements by the time of the interview, so no worries there. I am more worried about the returns for the previous 3 years for my husband, but he will contact the IRS section at the London Embassy to sort that out.

Again, thanks very much for your reply, and providing the link to the other thread. It was very helpful but at times frustrating to read

Kind regards

Diana

meauxna

hi Diana, I understand it's a frustrating thread, but there are lots of issues to consider. Read through it a couple of times and you'll find the info you need.
File the rest under 'more information'.

fatbrit

Wouldn't do when I did my iv -- admittedly a long while ago. They wanted a full US address and nothing else. If you know of absolutely no-one in the US, I'd suggest the address of the Marriott closet to the airport where you intend to land.

BritishGuy36

Errr...no.

Maiba

Hello everyone

thanks for all your replies. I will read the thread again, I am sure I will get a lot of information out of it.
Basically, we are still working on the address, the best option we have at the moment is an acquaintance owning a house over there that is available on short-term let.

Kind regards

Diana

meauxna

recent comments (true, regarding I-130 but give me enough time/rope...):

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...&postcount=103


Diana, you should not have to rent a house in order to submit DS-230.