Returning Resident but seem to have 'abandoned' my Green Card :(

[jamiemarren 0]

Hello everyone,

Terrific site BTW, I hope I have posted this in the correct place...

I Hope you can help. I think I have made a error.

My American Wife and I returned from New York to London last May (I was in the USA a total of 5.5 years, Green card holder, Joint file Tax payer etc)

Anyways, once she had completed her College degree (shes 30 by the way) we decided that it may be cool for her to get some european work experience, and spend some time relieving some of my home sickness by coming back to england for a year or two,

Since doing some research for our return, I have apparently 'Abandoned' my Green Card status.

I'm kicking myself for not having enough foresight and applying for a reentry permit.

Any help with some or all of the following questions is gratefully appreciated.

1. What form do I need fillout to ensure I cover all due process?

2. I plan to apply in Jan/Feb which means I wouldve been out of the USA for 18 months...how detrimental is 18 months absence?

3. How long did it take you to requalify/be accepted/receive Visa

4. Once Visa has been issues, is there a time limit on using it?

5. Does anyone have a similar circumstance to share?

Thank you guys

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Is "last May" 2013? If so you haven't abandoned status.

If it was May 2012 then you will have to start over with a spousal visa. If you are both in the UK you can file DCF through London and go faster.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Harpa Timsah

[jamiemarren 0]

Thank you Harpa for your quick response...

Yes I meant 2012 not 2013...

OK,

DCF? what does that mean?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

DCF means Direct Consular Filing, which means that you can file the I-130 petition directly with the Embassy/Consulate and do the whole thing with them. It usually cuts down significantly on the processing time. Your wife would have to have an appropriate status in the UK and not just be a visitor (which I am assuming she has).

There is a DCF forum up above, and there should be some London specific guides. I also know you can find information about this on the US embassy London webpage. Look for immigrant visas, there.

Good luck.

[Hypnos 6,578]

Direct Consular Filing. Basically it's a (much) faster way to apply for immigrant visas, since you bypass USCIS in the States and deal only with the US embassy in that particular country. The rub is that the US citizen must have been a legal resident of that country for at least six months, which it sounds like your wife was.

You can read London's DCF information here: http://london.usembassy.gov/dhs/uscis/i130filing.html including the filing address and payment details.

[jamiemarren 0]

Awesome...thank you, both of you. Very helpful indeed...I sense I will tear less of my hair out now!

[lost_at_sea 995]

See links in my signature for DCF London stuff. It's really straight-forward. We got it done in 3 months, but consider anything in 3 - 5 months to be pretty normal for that process to happen.

You'll get issued an IR-1 visa which'll be good for 6 months from your medical exam, then you'll get a new GC once you enter the USA (good for 10 years, but if you leave again for a lengthy period, remember to get a re-entry permit next time ).

[jamiemarren 0]

Again more great advice...thank you Diamond! I feel so much better about our situation!

[jamiemarren 0]

Do any of you have an approximate cost of what you spent on the application, medical, biometrics etc?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Do any of you have an approximate cost of what you spent on the application, medical, biometrics etc?

The petition fee is $420 (check the website about filing), visa is $230 + courier fee, medical is £235 (plus extra for any jabs - there's pdf on the london embassy website somewhere with all current costs).

Biometrics aren't taken separately (done on interview day, no extra cost).

IV fee (to get the GC) is $165.

You'll be paying for all the police certs you need too (the UK one is like £40 or something, I forget).

+ cost of mailing stuff, getting passport photos done, travel.

Edited December 7, 2013 by lost_at_sea