Interesting Situation

[mrs.jayb 0]

Hello all VJers!

Let me get to the point, without getting all "political". My husband and I (USC) are living in the Ivory Coast. We got married in August and we plan on filing for DCF in February because we are going have a baby in April! Well, since then, the country has had presidential elections. That was two weeks ago, and now we have TWO presidents. Well, a lot of people here are not expecting this to end well, even the US Embassy is sending out warnings. The government closed the borders last week and reopened them again. We have had a curfew for weeks now. In short, the situation now is fine. No fighting or anything like that and its peaceful. However, since I'm pregnant and a lot of foreigners have left already, I am concerned. Of course, I cannot leave my husband, this is already something I have made a decision on. My question is, since we haven't been married for 6 months yet, can I petition for my husband earlier? OR do we HAVE to wait until 6 months after marriage. We have been getting the paperwork ready and we're getting ready to file in Feb. but can we do it sooner? And since I work for an American company here in the Ivory Coast, we might be closing our sector here, because of the International sanctions that might happen from the US.

Thanks!

[YuAndDan 153]

The time in country requirement for filing an I-130 DCF is NOT 6 months after marriage, In most areas it has to do with US citizen being resident in the counselor district for 6 months. The I-130 can be filed with in days after a marriage if US citizen has been resident in the district for more than 6 months.

Edited December 13, 2010 by YuAndDan

[mrs.jayb 0]

Thanks!

According to my passport I have been here since, July 22, 2010. However, I have had a residency permit here since May 8, 2009. However, I haven't yet lived in the Ivory Coast 6 months consecutively. One month last year and that's when I got my residency permit and then we returned to live here in July 2010. What do you think?

[YuAndDan 153]

Thanks!

According to my passport I have been here since, July 22, 2010. However, I have had a residency permit here since May 8, 2009. However, I haven't yet lived in the Ivory Coast 6 months consecutively. One month last year and that's when I got my residency permit and then we returned to live here in July 2010. What do you think?

Probably will be good enough for the consulate, I would go ahead and file the petition considering the situation, the 6 month residency rule is NOT Hard-and-fast rule, I have seen other consulates accept filings with much less residency time.

Good Luck!

[Penguin_ie 5,996]

From July to December is 5 months, so you should be almost there. Contact the embassy, but I'd say you'll be able to file in the next couple of weeks. Considering the political situation and your pregnancy, as well as the fact that processing will take a few weeks and then you are past the 6 months, they may well let you file now.

[mrs.jayb 0]

This might be a "stupid add on question" but I will ask it anyways. Since we are filing DCF, can we leave the country for over a month. WE wont be going to the States but it will be like Christmas vacation. The situation here has worsened (they have started to kill people here) and we need to leave ASAP. We are planning on going to Senegal. However, once we are there we can no longer file DCF there, can we? However, I did have residency there before we moved to the Ivory Coast. We're kind of lost in what we should do. Help please!

[ATPEACE 43]

This might be a "stupid add on question" but I will ask it anyways. Since we are filing DCF, can we leave the country for over a month. WE wont be going to the States but it will be like Christmas vacation. The situation here has worsened (they have started to kill people here) and we need to leave ASAP. We are planning on going to Senegal. However, once we are there we can no longer file DCF there, can we? However, I did have residency there before we moved to the Ivory Coast. We're kind of lost in what we should do. Help please!

This may seem like a dumb question, but have you spoken to the embassy and what are they telling you?

Edited December 16, 2010 by ATPEACE

[mrs.jayb 0]

They aren't evacuating Americans yet. They said that if we are evacuated we would go to a neighboring country or "safe haven" so my husband would still be able to go with me if we are evacuated. However, he cannot go to the US unless he has a valid visa. That's all the information they gave me when I went to the Embassy earlier this week.

[ATPEACE 43]

So start the DCF and hope for the best.

[mrs.jayb 0]

We're already too late. They have already announced that Visa services have been suspended.

Notice of visa suspension

NOTICE: All visa services are suspended until further notice. Only emergency visa applications can be processed at this time. Visa appointments will only be given to those deemed to meet very strict and well-documented emergency criteria, generally life-threatening emergencies. If yours is such a case, send details and scanned documents to AbjConsular@state.gov. Note that personal business or leisure travel does not qualify as an emergency. Please keep checking this website each day to determine when the suspension will be lifted.

You think he would qualify as an emergency, since his life could be in jeopardy because he's married to an American and I am pregnant, with a child who will obviously be American?

P.s. The US embassy here was attacked. A grenade hit the exterior walls, lucky no one was injured. Things are getting hot in the kitchen. . Advise?

[YuAndDan 153]

We're already too late. They have already announced that Visa services have been suspended.

Notice of visa suspension

NOTICE: All visa services are suspended until further notice. Only emergency visa applications can be processed at this time. Visa appointments will only be given to those deemed to meet very strict and well-documented emergency criteria, generally life-threatening emergencies. If yours is such a case, send details and scanned documents to AbjConsular@state.gov. Note that personal business or leisure travel does not qualify as an emergency. Please keep checking this website each day to determine when the suspension will be lifted.

You think he would qualify as an emergency, since his life could be in jeopardy because he's married to an American and I am pregnant, with a child who will obviously be American?

P.s. The US embassy here was attacked. A grenade hit the exterior walls, lucky no one was injured. Things are getting hot in the kitchen. . Advise?

Send and email to them, what you indicated seems to involve NON-IMMIGRANT visas, NOT IMMIGRANT visas..