Residency requirement for green card application

[romeosierra 0]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone on here can help point me in the right direction on a question regarding a green card application.

My wife and I are looking to relocate from the UK to the USA. I'm a US Citizen by birth but have lived in the UK from early childhood (I am a dual national).

I have become up to date on my US tax returns and filed the I-130 petition for my wife, which has been accepted and she has now been invited to complete additional forms (DS-260 etc.) ahead arranging a Visa interview.

We are going down the direct consular filing route in London.

Now in the process of completing the required paperwork (I-864) and familiarising myself with the process, I note that there is a residency requirement. In particular mentioned on the I-864. As I understand, I need to have already established residency in the USA or have evidence of my intention to establish residency in the near future (e.g. job acceptance letter) in order for my sponsorship to be acceptable.

Our ideal scenario would be to fully complete the green card application ahead of making a permanent move to the USA so that we're not having to count on job offers, travel plans and Visa interview dates all lining up at around the same time, not to mention other arrangements that would need to be made in the UK before departing. We would then be in a stronger/more stable position to pursue jobs in the USA without the added time-constraint.

The intention was to use the 6 month period following visa approval to make arrangements to relocate.

I'm sure that we're not the first people to have wanted to take this route but am having trouble finding out exactly how this can be achieved. Does anyone have experience of this and would they be able to offer advice?

Many thanks in advance!

[Penguin_ie 5,995]

***** Moving from CR-1 spousal visa to DCF forum as that is the process the Op is asking about ****

Surely there is some arrangements you can make now?

For example, where do youmplan to move to and why? That alone shows you are planning.

Get in touch with local realtors where you are moving to and start looking for a home, same with jobs, register with some recruiters.

Do you have kids? Enroll them in school where you will be moving to.

Anotehr thing a lot of US citizens do who have not been back is visit for a couple of weeks, and use that time to look at houses, get a current drivers license, maybe a cheap cell phone with a local address etc.

[romeosierra 0]

Hi Many thanks for the reply.

So do you think that anecdotal evidence will satisfy the requirement to establish residency? If so, then I guess it's no problem to get a feel for potential addresses, real-estate contacts and emails to/from recruiters.

Thanks again.