no place to call home

[lost in Indo 0]

Greetings from Indo,

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I am a US citizen wanting to apply for an IV for my French husband and...eventually... our baby (to be born Feb 2011). We are stuck in limbo between 3 countries. So, I have a few questions that I hope you might be able to help me answer.

*Where should I file my IV petition for my husband (and eventual baby) if we live in Indonesia on short-term visas (60 days which are extendable only up to 6 months). Although I have tried to continue my US residency (I have a US mailing address), I have not paid taxes in the US for 3 years and finally had to tell my County that I do not live in the US and thus, cannot attend jury duty.

**Any tips from the immigration gurus about how to best handle getting my husband the right to live and work in the US by July 2011?

More info to help you form your response: We have been precariously 'living' in Indonesia for the past 2 years by going for visa runs to renew our Indonesian visas. We plan to continue this method until we move to the US in July 2011 (long term Indonesian visas aren't an option for us). We plan to return to France for 10 weeks for the delivery of our first child at the beginning of 2011. We have no plans to return to the US until July 2011 when we hope to permanently relocate there.

To further complicate matters, I have not officially been working since 2007.

* any advice on the best way to process our eventual baby's IV/US citizenship?

** Should we file from France or from Indonesia (We are not official residents of either, but my husband does pay some French taxes because he receives his salary in France) or can I send the application to the US?

** Does dual citizenship exist and how does it work?

Thank you very much! Merci beaucoup! Terima kasih banyak!!

'Lost in Indo'

[Otto 83]

Welcome to VisaJourney

In order for your questions to perhaps get the best responses, I'll move your topic to "Direct Consular Filing (DCF) General Discussion" (from Intro/New-Members).

[lost in Indo 0]

Welcome to VisaJourney

In order for your questions to perhaps get the best responses, I'll move your topic to "Direct Consular Filing (DCF) General Discussion" (from Intro/New-Members).

Thank you Otto!!

[Penguin_ie 5,996]

Short term visas don't normally give the ability to file for DCF, but each country is different, so check with the local US embassy. Also remember that you can only file DCF after living in a country for 6 months, so you may need to file via the USA anyways;this is not really a problem as long as you have someone in the USA who can forward mail to you. If going via the USA, file asap to get into your timeline, as it could easily take till next summer or longer to get the visa!

Your child will be a US citizen through you, and will not need a visa, but a CRBA (Consular Record of Birth Abroad), and then a US passport. Each embassy handles this slightly differently, but sounds like you will be in France after the birth so check their website. Generally, you make an appointment to go to the embassy with the baby in person, and get the CRBA right there, and the US passport in the mail a couple of weeks later.

You need to file US taxes even when living abroad. Backfile now for at least the last three years to avoid delays later, when it comes to the Affidavit of Support stage.

Dual citizenship: The US allows it, even tripple citizenship. I know France does too.

[Darnell 8,479]

suggest you get into Jakarta, into the US Embassy there,

and ask if you can file there, show yer passport

to

a USCitizen Worker, a Consular Official.

DO NOT WASTE TIME by talking to 'local worker' - they will trip you up.

NORMALLY, you must have 'valid residency' and a 'tourist stamp/visa' is rarely enough -

but

since you've been there 2 years, been making border runs, you have 'small possibility' for a US Consular Officer to accept it. Since much of your 'future life' depends on this possibility, I suggest (strongly) that you go in person, inquire in person.

Email is useless, rarely a USCitizen Worker responds - it's usually a 'local worker' that replies.

Telephone is useless, rare to get a USCitizen worker on the phone - they are busy doing other stuff.

Fax has the same issue as email.

Good Luck !