Married in United States, Planning to File DCF in South Africa Wednesday the 10th of May

[Libersolis 0]

Here is a quick description of my situation. I joined Eharmony ( yes the Eharmony) back in November and on March 2nd was matched to the woman I am now married to. I have never felt a deeper more spiritual connection with someone in my entire life. She came to visit me in early April and we were married on April 12th, 2006. She had to return to South Africa Saturday the 15th of April 2006 and since then we have been exploring options pertaining to her immigration. We discovered that DCF is indeed available for non residents of South Africa, so I am flying over there Sunday the 7th of May to file on behalf of my wife.

Each day it seems as if I find out some new information that disheartens me, only to find out another piece of information that gives me hope. I have hired an agency to file all of my paperwork but my main concern right now is whether or not they will let me file for the DCF because we were married here in Charleston SC, USA. I am still going to South Africa regardless ( I am going to meet her family, see her life there ect.,) but any information you can give me pertaining to the situation I am in would be very helpful. I have read many stories online but not any that look quite like mine. I will do ANYTHING to be with my wife again as soon as possible...as I am sure everyone here would do for their respective spouses...We were just married a little over a week ago, so this has been the most unusual honeymoon imaginable

[desert_fox 32]

Just as long as you ar legally married. Doesnt matter where. Make sure you take of certified copy of your marriage certificate with you, and all other relevant information.

[Libersolis 0]

Just as long as you ar legally married. Doesnt matter where. Make sure you take of certified copy of your marriage certificate with you, and all other relevant information.

Don't worry im bringing copies of everything they ask for and everything the conviently forget to ask for

[meauxna 15]

how funny... hub and I were just discussing the Eharmony TV ad last night.. wondering if they use actors or not... it certainly looks like you got the good end of the deal, congratulations!

I don't know what you might be asking for here, but I'll encourage you to find the archive search and look at the old forum (software booted us out this january) as there are some SA DCF stories in there.

Main thing is get your financials together before you go, take your proof of US citizenship and see how quickly your SA citizen can get police checks etc underway.

Best wishes!

[Libersolis 0]

how funny... hub and I were just discussing the Eharmony TV ad last night.. wondering if they use actors or not... it certainly looks like you got the good end of the deal, congratulations!

I don't know what you might be asking for here, but I'll encourage you to find the archive search and look at the old forum (software booted us out this january) as there are some SA DCF stories in there.

Main thing is get your financials together before you go, take your proof of US citizenship and see how quickly your SA citizen can get police checks etc underway.

Best wishes!

I was basically just asking if they were going to penalize us because we were married in the United States and not South Africa. Also does anyone know if you only have 30 days in which you can apply after the date of marriage? We we married on April 12th and are applying on the 10th of May. This process seems very difficult in South Africa if you can only apply on Wednesdays and only have 30 days after marriage. That means you essentially have 4 days in which you can make this appeal!

[desert_fox 32]

how funny... hub and I were just discussing the Eharmony TV ad last night.. wondering if they use actors or not... it certainly looks like you got the good end of the deal, congratulations!

I don't know what you might be asking for here, but I'll encourage you to find the archive search and look at the old forum (software booted us out this january) as there are some SA DCF stories in there.

Main thing is get your financials together before you go, take your proof of US citizenship and see how quickly your SA citizen can get police checks etc underway.

Best wishes!

I was basically just asking if they were going to penalize us because we were married in the United States and not South Africa. Also does anyone know if you only have 30 days in which you can apply after the date of marriage? We we married on April 12th and are applying on the 10th of May. This process seems very difficult in South Africa if you can only apply on Wednesdays and only have 30 days after marriage. That means you essentially have 4 days in which you can make this appeal!

Dont you mean that they will let you apply 30 days after marriage???

I cant think of any reason why it would have to be done within 30 days of marriage.

Edited April 21, 2006 by desert_fox

[little4ele 0]

Here is a quick description of my situation. I joined Eharmony ( yes the Eharmony) back in November and on March 2nd was matched to the woman I am now married to. I have never felt a deeper more spiritual connection with someone in my entire life. She came to visit me in early April and we were married on April 12th, 2006. She had to return to South Africa Saturday the 15th of April 2006 and since then we have been exploring options pertaining to her immigration. We discovered that DCF is indeed available for non residents of South Africa, so I am flying over there Sunday the 7th of May to file on behalf of my wife.

Each day it seems as if I find out some new information that disheartens me, only to find out another piece of information that gives me hope. I have hired an agency to file all of my paperwork but my main concern right now is whether or not they will let me file for the DCF because we were married here in Charleston SC, USA. I am still going to South Africa regardless ( I am going to meet her family, see her life there ect.,) but any information you can give me pertaining to the situation I am in would be very helpful. I have read many stories online but not any that look quite like mine. I will do ANYTHING to be with my wife again as soon as possible...as I am sure everyone here would do for their respective spouses...We were just married a little over a week ago, so this has been the most unusual honeymoon imaginable

I am in almost the same situation here in Johannesburg, although I am only getting married in September, so I will be following your journey quite closely. Keep us all posted about what happens, even after your filing, as it is gonna be a great help to me.

Not sure what your wife has found out here in SA, except that everyone does tend to give you different answers.

Make sure that she has applied for her police clearance, if she is from Joburg make sure she takes it through to Pretoria as they will then do it quicker. ( 28 workind days )

Make sure she has an unabridged birth certificate, as I say if from Joburg I got a company that I used - at a cost of course, that can get it done in 2-3 weeks.

You also need your unabridged marriage cert.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Libersolis 0]

Argh im confused I found this

"Countries with U.S. Consulates Which DO ALLOW DCF by Non-Resident Visitor U.S. Citizens Under the "Usual Scenario" Which is A Local Marriage in the Past Thirty Days in the Foreign National's Home Country Where She or He Resides Continuously. (*If your case does not fall under this pattern, check with the applicable US Consulate directly to assure that they will accept your petition.)" and it had South Africa Listed

This is the website.. Maybe someone can make more sense of this than me..

http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/DCFa...Fcountries.html

The one thing I think everyone knows is that no one knows anything at these places. I am banking alot on this trip so I would at least like to be able to file the petition. I can deal with getting it rejected, but not to be a to file for a technical reason after I have already flown over there and spent close to 3 grand on a trip would be hard to swallow....I can deal with it though.. I will wait any length of time that is needed but I thought I should at least try this process first..

[meauxna 15]

I was basically just asking if they were going to penalize us because we were married in the United States and not South Africa. Also does anyone know if you only have 30 days in which you can apply after the date of marriage? We we married on April 12th and are applying on the 10th of May. This process seems very difficult in South Africa if you can only apply on Wednesdays and only have 30 days after marriage. That means you essentially have 4 days in which you can make this appeal!

I have neer heard of this restriction before. Where did you get that information? If posted on their website, take with a grain of salt.

If you've read the DCF Guide, I suggest that one of you call the Consulate's IV Unit. Don't call it DCF & you might not mention that the USC is not yet there (esp since you are flying over shortly).

Look up those archived threads, too. Might give you an insight about the day of the week thingie.

PS: a hint. don't call anything dcf related 'diffcult' around here. Getting in and out with an immigrant visa in less than a month is something no one here will sympathize with. thank goodness you two found each other and hopefully do not have to be separated for the better part of the coming year (your alternative to dcf).

[Libersolis 0]

Argh im confused I found this

"Countries with U.S. Consulates Which DO ALLOW DCF by Non-Resident Visitor U.S. Citizens Under the "Usual Scenario" Which is A Local Marriage in the Past Thirty Days in the Foreign National's Home Country Where She or He Resides Continuously. (*If your case does not fall under this pattern, check with the applicable US Consulate directly to assure that they will accept your petition.)" and it had South Africa Listed

This is the website.. Maybe someone can make more sense of this than me..

http://www.usaimmigrationattorney.com/DCFa...Fcountries.html

The one thing I think everyone knows is that no one knows anything at these places. I am banking alot on this trip so I would at least like to be able to file the petition. I can deal with getting it rejected, but not to be a to file for a technical reason after I have already flown over there and spent close to 3 grand on a trip would be hard to swallow....I can deal with it though.. I will wait any length of time that is needed but I thought I should at least try this process first..

Does she need this things before I file or for the petition I file?

[meauxna 15]

The one thing I think everyone knows is that no one knows anything at these places. I am banking alot on this trip so I would at least like to be able to file the petition. I can deal with getting it rejected, but not to be a to file for a technical reason after I have already flown over there and spent close to 3 grand on a trip would be hard to swallow....I can deal with it though.. I will wait any length of time that is needed but I thought I should at least try this process first..

Does she need this things before I file or for the petition I file?

I would consider that to be a *very* general list and interpretation. Mr Bala is a good contact for India, however.

Have you read the DCF Guide here, and have either or you personally contacted your Consulate?

Those are the first two steps.

Most of her information (things I mentioned above) are for her visa application, so usually a bit later than the petition, but I really don't know how they do it in your Consulate. That's where the past posts/threads are helpful.

[Libersolis 0]

Sorry to call any part of DCF difficult. I understand that there are people on here who have been waiting years to be with their families..I appreciate everything everyone has told me here.. you have all been of great help

[scottyj36 0]

I would be sure that you can do DCF in SA. I was under the assumption that you had to be married in

the country that the applicant lives in. I think that is the case. I think that if what you say is true then

alot of other VJ members would have got married in the US and then flew back to their home country

to dcf if available. It would be worth contacting the embassy there to be sure, but I don't think you

can do what you are planning. I think you would have to file the I-130 here in US at the proper

service center.

Good Luck

Scott

[scottyj36 0]

Since work was slow I copied and pasted this page from the US embassy in SA.

For an American citizen, applying to obtain immigrant status for his/her foreign spouse, child, parent or sibling

The Petitioner and Beneficiary must both be present and submit their passports for identification purposes. One copy of each of the required supporting documents must accompany the petition. Forms are also available at the consulates.

Documentation needed for filing on behalf of a spouse:

Completed I-130 form from the petitioner.

Completed Form G-325A (Biographic Information) from both the beneficiary and the petitioner

Valid U.S. passport for the petitioner and a valid passport for the beneficiary.

The original full, unabridged Marriage Certificate. If you were married in South Africa you must apply for this specifically. We can provide an application form that should be submitted to your nearest S.A. Dept of Home Affairs office. Final decree(s) of divorce or death certificate showing termination of ALL previous marriages.

A passport size photo of each spouse, in either color or black and white.

A filing fee of $185 (Rand or U.S. $'s) payable in CASH or bank/traveler's check made out to U.S. Disbursing Officer

Documentation

[meauxna 15]

I would be sure that you can do DCF in SA. I was under the assumption that you had to be married in

the country that the applicant lives in. I think that is the case. I think that if what you say is true then

alot of other VJ members would have got married in the US and then flew back to their home country

to dcf if available. It would be worth contacting the embassy there to be sure, but I don't think you

can do what you are planning. I think you would have to file the I-130 here in US at the proper

service center.

Good Luck

Scott

Scott, I know that guideline is in place in KL, but it's not so for every country. ie: getting married in that country is not usually a requirement for filing I-130 with the Consulate. Individual Consulates can of course set their own policies on the topic.

Most Consulates will not accept an I-130 from a USC who doesn't live there, so there's no real danger of VJs getting married in the US and flying out to DCF. Although, that was the case with England and too many people may have started doing just that. There is now a 2-years resident-type rule in England, maybe as a result of that increased traffic.

There are several reports ouit there from folks who have done a non-resident DCF in South Africa. I've not heard of the marriage location being an issue.