DCF in the United Kingdom
Sep 17th 2001, 1:45 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 136
Hi all
Am I reading correctly that the United Kingdom will not grant a DCF
my Fiancé is a citizen of the United States and I resided with in the United Kingdom would it be possible for us to file for DCF within the USA ?
We plan to get married in Jamaica
Am I reading correctly that the United Kingdom will not grant a DCF
my Fiancé is a citizen of the United States and I resided with in the United Kingdom would it be possible for us to file for DCF within the USA ?
We plan to get married in Jamaica
Sep 17th 2001, 2:39 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
DCF stands for Direct Consular Filing - that is filing immigration paperwork with
the US Embassy/Consulate in a foreign country directly. There are no US Embassies
or Consulates for the US in the US. If you were in the US, you would file at your
local INS office or one of the Service Centers (depending on what you are
filing). If your fiancee lives in the US and you live in the UK you cannot do DCF
in the UK (this Embassy does not do DCF) - so the fastest way to enter the US for
you would be a fiancé visa - see www.k1faq.com . Also - if you get married in
Jamaica, you would have to return to the UK, you new wife would return to the US
and file the I-130 petition for you to come to the US, and this process would
take much longer to complete, and it would be over a year before you could enter
the US. Take Care. Shelley
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the US Embassy/Consulate in a foreign country directly. There are no US Embassies
or Consulates for the US in the US. If you were in the US, you would file at your
local INS office or one of the Service Centers (depending on what you are
filing). If your fiancee lives in the US and you live in the UK you cannot do DCF
in the UK (this Embassy does not do DCF) - so the fastest way to enter the US for
you would be a fiancé visa - see www.k1faq.com . Also - if you get married in
Jamaica, you would have to return to the UK, you new wife would return to the US
and file the I-130 petition for you to come to the US, and this process would
take much longer to complete, and it would be over a year before you could enter
the US. Take Care. Shelley
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Sep 17th 2001, 4:25 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 110
UK DCF
The US Consular website for the UK has a link to US Citizens residing in the UK who wish to file the I-130. For some reason the page says to file with the "INS In London". I thought it was the State Dept. not the INS that has jurisdiction over the Consulates? Or is this just a typo on the part of the US Consulate in London webpage designers?
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/ins/i130filing.htm
In order for the US Citizen to be resident in the UK they must have gone through the permanent residency process so I'm thinking that he or she must have been in the UK at least 6 months to a year.
If you got married in Jamaica, both of you would have to move to the UK and setup a residency before the US Embassy in London would allow for a DCF. As for filing in Jamaica, if you planned to do that, you would have to check out the US Consulate in Jamaica website.
-Matt
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/ins/i130filing.htm
In order for the US Citizen to be resident in the UK they must have gone through the permanent residency process so I'm thinking that he or she must have been in the UK at least 6 months to a year.
If you got married in Jamaica, both of you would have to move to the UK and setup a residency before the US Embassy in London would allow for a DCF. As for filing in Jamaica, if you planned to do that, you would have to check out the US Consulate in Jamaica website.
-Matt
Sep 17th 2001, 5:47 pm
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 717
Matt,
There is a branch of the INS in London, and it is part of the DOJ. Many of the big consulates have these offices. They are very separate from the consular services, as far as I can tell.
It's not clear what level of residency you need in the UK to qualify for DCF, but I don't think you have to have a UK P.R. stamp. I'm fairly sure that a student visa is sufficient, and I suspect that anything status in the UK, other than that of tourist/business, will be fine too. It's just a way of limiting the numbers they have to process.
There is a branch of the INS in London, and it is part of the DOJ. Many of the big consulates have these offices. They are very separate from the consular services, as far as I can tell.
It's not clear what level of residency you need in the UK to qualify for DCF, but I don't think you have to have a UK P.R. stamp. I'm fairly sure that a student visa is sufficient, and I suspect that anything status in the UK, other than that of tourist/business, will be fine too. It's just a way of limiting the numbers they have to process.
Sep 17th 2001, 5:59 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 136
Hi thanks for all the feed back , its was the other way around
I am a UK citizen and wish to enter the USA
I am a UK citizen and wish to enter the USA
Sep 17th 2001, 7:57 pm
#6
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,383
And that is what they are telling you.
As a citizen of the UK in order for you to do DCF at the US Consulate on London, your USC wife must have legal right to reside in England.
Rita
As a citizen of the UK in order for you to do DCF at the US Consulate on London, your USC wife must have legal right to reside in England.
Rita
Sep 17th 2001, 8:22 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
You really have two options - either your fiancée files the I-129F and you get a K-1
visa at the UK Embassy (6 - 8 months processing) - then you come to the US and get
married inside the US then file for AOS and when you receive your Advance Parole you
can honeymoon in Jamaica see www.k1faq.com for more information. OR you can still get
married in Jamaica, then you both return to your home countries and wait the 1 to 2
years to process the I-130 petition and then receive your visa and come to the US as
a permanent resident. see
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill...806/index.html for more information.
Both ways are correct - choose the one that suits your situation best. DCF is not
available for you and your fiancee. Doc Steen's site also has helpful information,
tips, and examples you can use
http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm Take Care. Shelley
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visa at the UK Embassy (6 - 8 months processing) - then you come to the US and get
married inside the US then file for AOS and when you receive your Advance Parole you
can honeymoon in Jamaica see www.k1faq.com for more information. OR you can still get
married in Jamaica, then you both return to your home countries and wait the 1 to 2
years to process the I-130 petition and then receive your visa and come to the US as
a permanent resident. see
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill...806/index.html for more information.
Both ways are correct - choose the one that suits your situation best. DCF is not
available for you and your fiancee. Doc Steen's site also has helpful information,
tips, and examples you can use
http://www.mindspring.com/~docsteen/...o/visainfo.htm Take Care. Shelley
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Sep 17th 2001, 9:58 pm
#8
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 136
For my American wife, she had to have an "Indefinite Leave to Remain" stamp in her passport. You have to prove that when you file the I-130 in London (copy of the information page of the passport and a copy of the visa in the passport itself).
We filed the I-130 May 1st, and it was approved the 17th, Notice of approval 18th.
(Incidentally got visa issued today (17th))
PrZ.
We filed the I-130 May 1st, and it was approved the 17th, Notice of approval 18th.
(Incidentally got visa issued today (17th))
PrZ.
Sep 22nd 2001, 6:16 pm
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 110
>>
Hi thanks for all the feed back , its was the other way around
I am a UK citizen and wish to enter the USA
>>
That is what we are telling you. In order for you and your wife to do DCF - Direct Consular Filing - in the UK, both of you must reside in the UK. If both you and your American wife ride in the UK and you do the DCF, then you, as the UK citizen, will get permanent residency in the U.S.
The Jamaica marriage thing throws a whole new layer into this that could complicate things. If we can assume that your wife does not reside in the UK now then she would have to petition for permanent residency for you from the U.S. after you are married through her regional INS office in America. DCF is out of the question. This could take over a year before you can come to the U.S. to live.
>>
You really have two options - either your fiancée files the I-129F and you get a K-1
visa at the UK Embassy (6 - 8 months processing) [snipped..]
>>
Shelly, is the K-1 process really up to 6-8 months from the UK???? When we did it in the Fall of 1999 it took under 2 months. Most folks reported 2 months or less, man how things have changed.
-Matt
Hi thanks for all the feed back , its was the other way around
I am a UK citizen and wish to enter the USA
>>
That is what we are telling you. In order for you and your wife to do DCF - Direct Consular Filing - in the UK, both of you must reside in the UK. If both you and your American wife ride in the UK and you do the DCF, then you, as the UK citizen, will get permanent residency in the U.S.
The Jamaica marriage thing throws a whole new layer into this that could complicate things. If we can assume that your wife does not reside in the UK now then she would have to petition for permanent residency for you from the U.S. after you are married through her regional INS office in America. DCF is out of the question. This could take over a year before you can come to the U.S. to live.
>>
You really have two options - either your fiancée files the I-129F and you get a K-1
visa at the UK Embassy (6 - 8 months processing) [snipped..]
>>
Shelly, is the K-1 process really up to 6-8 months from the UK???? When we did it in the Fall of 1999 it took under 2 months. Most folks reported 2 months or less, man how things have changed.
-Matt
Sep 23rd 2001, 8:34 am
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Actually I was referring to the whole time from filing the I-129F to getting the K-1.
It seems the longest part of the process these days is waiting on the Service Centers
open the package with the I-129F!
Take Care. Shelley
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Actually I was referring to the whole time from filing the I-129F to getting the K-1.
It seems the longest part of the process these days is waiting on the Service Centers
open the package with the I-129F!
Take Care. Shelley
Sep 26th 2001, 12:49 am
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi everyone....
I entered the USA on a fiancee visa and got married... On the original paperwork, we
included my 14 year old daughter even though she had made a preference not to
accompany me at the time. However, knowing how children change their minds we
included her anyway... This then enabled my daughter to follow me up to a year after
I entered the states on my fiancee visa..
HOWEVER, the year expired, and not long after my daughter decided she had changed her
mind and wanted to come to live here in the USA...
We were advised that since we are both resident in the USA, to file I-130 at Texas.
That process could take up to 6-8 months...
We contacted Congress, to see what could be done and they advised us to do
the same...
HOWEVER>>>>>>> after spending sleepless nights worrying about my
daughter and the time frame to get her here, I decided to call the US Embassy in
London.. A very helpful lady asked me a load of questions and advised me to FAX A
LETTER TO THE CONSULATE TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE.... Two days later, we received a
fax reply back advising us, that even though we were both resident in the USA, the
Embassy was prepared to take on the petition there, cutting the time frame The whole
process they advised would only take 6-8weeks to be approved.
We completed the I-130 and mailed it from the USA to London... In 6 weeks her
petition was approved and 2 weeks later she had her interview...
I would strongly advise anyone in the same position as us to call and speak to the
foreign Embassy and possibly ask them for their fax # if they are prepared to do it!
IT'S WELL WORTH THE TRY...
Thankfully ... we are now all together and looking very much forward to spending
Christmas together....
Good luck to everyone in the process ...
I entered the USA on a fiancee visa and got married... On the original paperwork, we
included my 14 year old daughter even though she had made a preference not to
accompany me at the time. However, knowing how children change their minds we
included her anyway... This then enabled my daughter to follow me up to a year after
I entered the states on my fiancee visa..
HOWEVER, the year expired, and not long after my daughter decided she had changed her
mind and wanted to come to live here in the USA...
We were advised that since we are both resident in the USA, to file I-130 at Texas.
That process could take up to 6-8 months...
We contacted Congress, to see what could be done and they advised us to do
the same...
HOWEVER>>>>>>> after spending sleepless nights worrying about my
daughter and the time frame to get her here, I decided to call the US Embassy in
London.. A very helpful lady asked me a load of questions and advised me to FAX A
LETTER TO THE CONSULATE TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE.... Two days later, we received a
fax reply back advising us, that even though we were both resident in the USA, the
Embassy was prepared to take on the petition there, cutting the time frame The whole
process they advised would only take 6-8weeks to be approved.
We completed the I-130 and mailed it from the USA to London... In 6 weeks her
petition was approved and 2 weeks later she had her interview...
I would strongly advise anyone in the same position as us to call and speak to the
foreign Embassy and possibly ask them for their fax # if they are prepared to do it!
IT'S WELL WORTH THE TRY...
Thankfully ... we are now all together and looking very much forward to spending
Christmas together....
Good luck to everyone in the process ...
Sep 26th 2001, 2:41 pm
#12
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 110
>>
> Shelly, is the K-1 process really up to 6-8 months from the UK???? When we did it
> in the Fall of 1999 it took under 2 months. Most folks reported 2 months or less,
> man how things have changed.
>
Actually I was referring to the whole time from filing the I-129F to getting the K-1.
It seems the longest part of the process these days is waiting on the Service Centers
open the package with the I-129F! Take Care. Shelley
>>
Shelley, that's what I'm talking about, I-129F filing to receiving the K-1, 2 months. Of course, this was through the Vermont Service Center in Summer of 1999 when they seemed to be processing applications faster than the other 3 service centers combined. Where do you live Shelley, are you in the TSC, CSC or NSC area? If you were in the northeast it might be a lot faster, although I'm not sure if Vermont has slowed down now. I think the one thing in the process that took longest was the UK police certificate we had to get for Nicola which took a good 4 weeks, that may have stretched things to 2 1/2 months but certainly no longer, and if we had been really smart we would have gotten the police certificate before filing the I-129F and that whole process might have only taken 1 1/2 months or less.
> Shelly, is the K-1 process really up to 6-8 months from the UK???? When we did it
> in the Fall of 1999 it took under 2 months. Most folks reported 2 months or less,
> man how things have changed.
>
Actually I was referring to the whole time from filing the I-129F to getting the K-1.
It seems the longest part of the process these days is waiting on the Service Centers
open the package with the I-129F! Take Care. Shelley
>>
Shelley, that's what I'm talking about, I-129F filing to receiving the K-1, 2 months. Of course, this was through the Vermont Service Center in Summer of 1999 when they seemed to be processing applications faster than the other 3 service centers combined. Where do you live Shelley, are you in the TSC, CSC or NSC area? If you were in the northeast it might be a lot faster, although I'm not sure if Vermont has slowed down now. I think the one thing in the process that took longest was the UK police certificate we had to get for Nicola which took a good 4 weeks, that may have stretched things to 2 1/2 months but certainly no longer, and if we had been really smart we would have gotten the police certificate before filing the I-129F and that whole process might have only taken 1 1/2 months or less.
