CR1 - Moving from one country to another while case is pending

[SamF 0]

Hello!

Thanks to all who give such good advice here everyday, it made our journey through immigration procedure way smoother so far! :-)

My question is pretty simple: my wife and I filed for a CR1 (for myself) while in Belgium. We used an address in Belgium, and were hoping to get the interview there. However, we moved to London (UK) since we sent the I-130, and just updated our address with NVC. Does that mean I'll have the interview at the London embassy?
Problems would be that I have many documents (police certificate, birth certificate, etc.) that are in French only, so if I need to get them translated, I'd rather get started now. Also, I'm using my assets to meet the requirements for the I-864 (as my wife works in London, for the US government, it's like she's making $0...), but my accounts are in France and Belgium. Will that be a problem? Should I transfer the money to the UK?

Thank you! :-)

[NikLR 13,227]

Yes the interview should take place where you are legally residing. When you get the case number from the NVC make sure it's a London number. If your wife is the petitioner it is her that needs to meed the I-864 requirements, not the beneficiary. The money should be transferred, if possible, into US dollars, into an account she has complete access to. Either that or find a joint sponsor?

[SamF 0]

Hello, and thanks for your reply.

We already have our NVC number, and it's Brussels. So if that means we'll go to the embassy in Brussels even though we now live in London, that's just perfect.

As for the sponsor, the I-864 instructions mention that I can use my assets on top of my wife's earnings, to meet the poverty requirement. However, my accounts are both in euro, one in Belgium and one in France, and none of them are joint account. I have accounts in the US (including a joint account), and Canada too (never closed my student account in the US, and couldn't close my BMO account from abroad, and I never went back to Canada), but I wasn't planning on using them for my assets, to not confuse USCIS (accounts in five countries could look suspicious even though they are used solely as savings, and I've been trying to close the BMO one for several months).

We tried to find joint sponsor, but could not find anyone who could do it, which is why I really hope my assets will do. Otherwise, my wife will have to go back without me, get a job, meet the requirement, and then bring me in a couple of years...

As for the original question, will NVC attribute us a new case number if we're switched to the London embassy?

Thanks!

[NikLR 13,227]

Hello, and thanks for your reply.

We already have our NVC number, and it's Brussels. So if that means we'll go to the embassy in Brussels even though we now live in London, that's just perfect.

As for the sponsor, the I-864 instructions mention that I can use my assets on top of my wife's earnings, to meet the poverty requirement. However, my accounts are both in euro, one in Belgium and one in France, and none of them are joint account. I have accounts in the US (including a joint account), and Canada too (never closed my student account in the US, and couldn't close my BMO account from abroad, and I never went back to Canada), but I wasn't planning on using them for my assets, to not confuse USCIS (accounts in five countries could look suspicious even though they are used solely as savings, and I've been trying to close the BMO one for several months).

We tried to find joint sponsor, but could not find anyone who could do it, which is why I really hope my assets will do. Otherwise, my wife will have to go back without me, get a job, meet the requirement, and then bring me in a couple of years...

As for the original question, will NVC attribute us a new case number if we're switched to the London embassy?

Thanks!

Yes they should if you can prove you're legally residing in the UK.

You can't support on YOUR assets. They need to be your wife's assets as she is the USC. I think you should try to find a way to make them HER assets, or BOTH of your assets.

[SamF 0]

According to the I-864 instructions part 7 item 6-8:

"You may use the assets of the intending immigrant regardless of where he or she resides. The intending immigrant must provide evidence of such assets with this form. Form I-864A is not required to document the intending immigrant's assets."

Because of this, I always thought my assets would do. I would change those accounts to joint-accounts, but they're in Belgium and France, and we're in the UK, and she's going back to the US in ten days. I'll see with my bank if we can do it from here.

I was hoping to send the I-864 this week or maybe next week, same with the DS-230, but I guess if they give us a new NVC number, I'd better wait? I just don't wanna stay too long in London (UK) while my wife is back in the US (she has to go back to school).

Thanks for your replies!

[NikLR 13,227]

You can try the way you have it and looking into moving it if it doesn't work. That is certainly an option. I would certainly wait for the new NVC number to send anything in.

[SamF 0]

Okay, thanks.

We updated the address via email, we'll wait to hear back from NVC before doing anything else. :-)

[SamF 0]

Just a quick follow-up:

After checking with NVC, it was confirmed that I can legally reside in the UK (where I've now been for almost a year), and still get my case processed in Brussels, as this is where I applied in the first place. They offered to move it to the London Embassy when we talked to them over the phone, but we denied, as it gives me a good opportunity to visit the family in Brussels, and saves the trouble of getting many many documents translated from French to English.

[princess_ali 1]

Is it allowed to travel while your on a immigration case? Did you submit your passport? If not, I did not know that you can travel while you are an applicant.

[SamF 0]

I always kept my passport and only sent photocopies. I believe traveling to the USA may be a problem, but other than that, you're completely free to go wherever you want.

I think the embassy in Brussels will retain my passport for a few days after the interview, if I'm granted a visa, but that's it.