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SabrinaJerome

Any differences for a Moroccan residing in Spain?

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Spain
Timeline

Hi,

My partner is from Morocco, and has lived in Spain for over ten years.

He resides here as a long term resident, or whatever it's called in Spanish. (!!)

He has his residence card and also an EU card.

He is in the process of getting Spanish citizenship. Should happen in the next few months.

He owns his own business here.

So, my question, in terms of our CR1-DCF process (we are planning to get married after Christmas), what is the same and what is different for him here in Spain, as a Moroccan?

I'm thinking about:

- The addition of his EU citizenship which will probably happen mid-way through the CR1 process

- Documents, from here, or from Morocco, which ones and from which place (??). Also, time needed to receive those documents.

- Delays in the process because he's not Spanish

- The consulate or embassy we need to use

- THE INTERVIEWWWW

Thanks in advance for any help. Hope I posted this in the right place.

October 2011: Met in Spain

2012-2014: Video chat + visas + visits and vacations = we made it through!

June 2014: Moved to Spain, got engaged 

December 31, 2015: got married

April 20, 2016: sent I130 package

May 2, 2016: package received in Chicago Lockbox - - - 12 days for delivery!! Don't use TNT couriers!! 

May 2nd or 5th, 2016: email NOA1... accepted and sent to.... NEBRASKA 

And now.... breeeeeeathe..... be like water my friend....

October 26th, 2016: NOA2 [We had waited almost 6 months. Received notification from the phone app, never got an email.]

November 9th 2016: USCIS sent the petition to NVC (app notification) [waited 2 weeks after approval for this]

November 25th 2016: NVC received and created account for our petition [waited 16 days after USCIS sent it, for NVC to acknowledge receipt]

Dec 1st 2016: Chose agent online DS261 [a few days later than it could've been since the above NVC email went to SPAM!]

Dec 6th 2016: Case available for paying fees. That was fast, I think! 5 days!

Took a long time to get package out because... life... and husband's family in Morocco had to travel to get police document.

Feb 20th 2017: Scan date at NVC, received weird email.

April 28th 2017: CHECKLIST. Moroccans are required to send a Court Report regardless of Police Record status. My husband had to go back to Morocco to get it in person. Also, NVC wants a 2016 tax return now that is 2017. My bad.

September 15th 2017: 2nd Scan Date at NVC. Sent for document review October 20th.

Nov 10th 2017: Email requesting document be brought to interview. Will schedule interview.

Case complete date??: TBD :clock:.... November 8th!!

Interview date : January 18, 2018!!           Result: Administrative Processing      :mellow:

Embassy called for new medical last week of August. New Medical Sept 10.

Visa ISSUED September 14, 2018. :blink:

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He can do both at the same time. It doesn't hurt. He will be dual national if either country allows it. Of course when applying for CR1 he is going to need police reports from both countries.

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Spain
Timeline

He can do both at the same time. It doesn't hurt. He will be dual national if either country allows it. Of course when applying for CR1 he is going to need police reports from both countries.

Hi, PhilLuv,

By "do both at the same time" you mean apply to be a resident of the US while applying to be a citizen of Spain?

Yes, Morocco will allow him to become a EU citizen, while he can hold on to his Moroccan citizenship.

And about the police reports... ugh.. I was afraid someone would say that. He hasn't lived in Morocco for about 15 years... :(

Is there some resource I could use for our "Moroccan residing in Spain applying for a CR1" status?!

October 2011: Met in Spain

2012-2014: Video chat + visas + visits and vacations = we made it through!

June 2014: Moved to Spain, got engaged 

December 31, 2015: got married

April 20, 2016: sent I130 package

May 2, 2016: package received in Chicago Lockbox - - - 12 days for delivery!! Don't use TNT couriers!! 

May 2nd or 5th, 2016: email NOA1... accepted and sent to.... NEBRASKA 

And now.... breeeeeeathe..... be like water my friend....

October 26th, 2016: NOA2 [We had waited almost 6 months. Received notification from the phone app, never got an email.]

November 9th 2016: USCIS sent the petition to NVC (app notification) [waited 2 weeks after approval for this]

November 25th 2016: NVC received and created account for our petition [waited 16 days after USCIS sent it, for NVC to acknowledge receipt]

Dec 1st 2016: Chose agent online DS261 [a few days later than it could've been since the above NVC email went to SPAM!]

Dec 6th 2016: Case available for paying fees. That was fast, I think! 5 days!

Took a long time to get package out because... life... and husband's family in Morocco had to travel to get police document.

Feb 20th 2017: Scan date at NVC, received weird email.

April 28th 2017: CHECKLIST. Moroccans are required to send a Court Report regardless of Police Record status. My husband had to go back to Morocco to get it in person. Also, NVC wants a 2016 tax return now that is 2017. My bad.

September 15th 2017: 2nd Scan Date at NVC. Sent for document review October 20th.

Nov 10th 2017: Email requesting document be brought to interview. Will schedule interview.

Case complete date??: TBD :clock:.... November 8th!!

Interview date : January 18, 2018!!           Result: Administrative Processing      :mellow:

Embassy called for new medical last week of August. New Medical Sept 10.

Visa ISSUED September 14, 2018. :blink:

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Spain
Timeline

Anyone from outside of Europe, residing in and applying from a European-based US Embassy?

October 2011: Met in Spain

2012-2014: Video chat + visas + visits and vacations = we made it through!

June 2014: Moved to Spain, got engaged 

December 31, 2015: got married

April 20, 2016: sent I130 package

May 2, 2016: package received in Chicago Lockbox - - - 12 days for delivery!! Don't use TNT couriers!! 

May 2nd or 5th, 2016: email NOA1... accepted and sent to.... NEBRASKA 

And now.... breeeeeeathe..... be like water my friend....

October 26th, 2016: NOA2 [We had waited almost 6 months. Received notification from the phone app, never got an email.]

November 9th 2016: USCIS sent the petition to NVC (app notification) [waited 2 weeks after approval for this]

November 25th 2016: NVC received and created account for our petition [waited 16 days after USCIS sent it, for NVC to acknowledge receipt]

Dec 1st 2016: Chose agent online DS261 [a few days later than it could've been since the above NVC email went to SPAM!]

Dec 6th 2016: Case available for paying fees. That was fast, I think! 5 days!

Took a long time to get package out because... life... and husband's family in Morocco had to travel to get police document.

Feb 20th 2017: Scan date at NVC, received weird email.

April 28th 2017: CHECKLIST. Moroccans are required to send a Court Report regardless of Police Record status. My husband had to go back to Morocco to get it in person. Also, NVC wants a 2016 tax return now that is 2017. My bad.

September 15th 2017: 2nd Scan Date at NVC. Sent for document review October 20th.

Nov 10th 2017: Email requesting document be brought to interview. Will schedule interview.

Case complete date??: TBD :clock:.... November 8th!!

Interview date : January 18, 2018!!           Result: Administrative Processing      :mellow:

Embassy called for new medical last week of August. New Medical Sept 10.

Visa ISSUED September 14, 2018. :blink:

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

Going to have a much easier time applying in Spain, but likely there will be extended background checks for obvious reasons..

No limit to the number of Citizenships you can have, I met someone with 7.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Sabrina, yes he should apply for his Spanish citizenship especially as he can get it soon. As per police certificate I think it is required if he was still in Morocco at age 16. As already pointed out expect extensive background check.

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Spain
Timeline

Posted Today, 05:03 PM

Sabrina, yes he should apply for his Spanish citizenship especially as he can get it soon. As per police certificate I think it is required if he was still in Morocco at age 16. As already pointed out expect extensive background check.

- Yeah, PhilLuv, he applied a few months ago. "Current world events" might also slow that up a bit, eh? :angry::(
- Yes, he was definitely living in Morocco after age 16.

- What might help is that we have traveled to the US four times on his 10 year tourist visa.

-----------------------------------------------------

Posted Today, 04:28 PM

Going to have a much easier time applying in Spain, but likely there will be extended background checks for obvious reasons..

No limit to the number of Citizenships you can have, I met someone with 7.

- So, Boiler, it doesn't matter what Embassy we apply from? I mean, could we, for the heck of it, apply in Italy? Or anywhere?

- I was a bit worried about the citizen bit because I was thinking the US govt would see it as weird that we are applying for him to come to LIVE in the US but at the same time trying to get EU citizenship. We just want it because it would be great for future travel and having lots of options as we get older.

October 2011: Met in Spain

2012-2014: Video chat + visas + visits and vacations = we made it through!

June 2014: Moved to Spain, got engaged 

December 31, 2015: got married

April 20, 2016: sent I130 package

May 2, 2016: package received in Chicago Lockbox - - - 12 days for delivery!! Don't use TNT couriers!! 

May 2nd or 5th, 2016: email NOA1... accepted and sent to.... NEBRASKA 

And now.... breeeeeeathe..... be like water my friend....

October 26th, 2016: NOA2 [We had waited almost 6 months. Received notification from the phone app, never got an email.]

November 9th 2016: USCIS sent the petition to NVC (app notification) [waited 2 weeks after approval for this]

November 25th 2016: NVC received and created account for our petition [waited 16 days after USCIS sent it, for NVC to acknowledge receipt]

Dec 1st 2016: Chose agent online DS261 [a few days later than it could've been since the above NVC email went to SPAM!]

Dec 6th 2016: Case available for paying fees. That was fast, I think! 5 days!

Took a long time to get package out because... life... and husband's family in Morocco had to travel to get police document.

Feb 20th 2017: Scan date at NVC, received weird email.

April 28th 2017: CHECKLIST. Moroccans are required to send a Court Report regardless of Police Record status. My husband had to go back to Morocco to get it in person. Also, NVC wants a 2016 tax return now that is 2017. My bad.

September 15th 2017: 2nd Scan Date at NVC. Sent for document review October 20th.

Nov 10th 2017: Email requesting document be brought to interview. Will schedule interview.

Case complete date??: TBD :clock:.... November 8th!!

Interview date : January 18, 2018!!           Result: Administrative Processing      :mellow:

Embassy called for new medical last week of August. New Medical Sept 10.

Visa ISSUED September 14, 2018. :blink:

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

- What might help is that we have traveled to the US four times on his 10 year tourist visa.

-----------------------------------------------------

- So, Boiler, it doesn't matter what Embassy we apply from? I mean, could we, for the heck of it, apply in Italy? Or anywhere?

- I was a bit worried about the citizen bit because I was thinking the US govt would see it as weird that we are applying for him to come to LIVE in the US but at the same time trying to get EU citizenship. We just want it because it would be great for future travel and having lots of options as we get older.

Visiting the US makes no difference.

If you move to Italy go through Rome.

I guess you mean Spanish citizenship and no. Apart from anything else you are not applying for US Citizenship. US does not care what else you have anyway, if you are a US Citizen you are a US Citizen.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Spain
Timeline

Bad news, I think... I have just read that Madrid doesn't "do" DCF... I am really confused because I have read people's reviews about the Madrid Embassy which spoke about getting their CR1/IR1 ´s... and everything was easy and fast, and so on...

Does it mean that they had to send everything to the Chicago Lockbox, and only dealt with the Madrid office for the interview?

Or is there another type of IR1/CR1 that is not DCF? One for which you would have to live IN the US, in order to file it??

:oops::help::help::help:

October 2011: Met in Spain

2012-2014: Video chat + visas + visits and vacations = we made it through!

June 2014: Moved to Spain, got engaged 

December 31, 2015: got married

April 20, 2016: sent I130 package

May 2, 2016: package received in Chicago Lockbox - - - 12 days for delivery!! Don't use TNT couriers!! 

May 2nd or 5th, 2016: email NOA1... accepted and sent to.... NEBRASKA 

And now.... breeeeeeathe..... be like water my friend....

October 26th, 2016: NOA2 [We had waited almost 6 months. Received notification from the phone app, never got an email.]

November 9th 2016: USCIS sent the petition to NVC (app notification) [waited 2 weeks after approval for this]

November 25th 2016: NVC received and created account for our petition [waited 16 days after USCIS sent it, for NVC to acknowledge receipt]

Dec 1st 2016: Chose agent online DS261 [a few days later than it could've been since the above NVC email went to SPAM!]

Dec 6th 2016: Case available for paying fees. That was fast, I think! 5 days!

Took a long time to get package out because... life... and husband's family in Morocco had to travel to get police document.

Feb 20th 2017: Scan date at NVC, received weird email.

April 28th 2017: CHECKLIST. Moroccans are required to send a Court Report regardless of Police Record status. My husband had to go back to Morocco to get it in person. Also, NVC wants a 2016 tax return now that is 2017. My bad.

September 15th 2017: 2nd Scan Date at NVC. Sent for document review October 20th.

Nov 10th 2017: Email requesting document be brought to interview. Will schedule interview.

Case complete date??: TBD :clock:.... November 8th!!

Interview date : January 18, 2018!!           Result: Administrative Processing      :mellow:

Embassy called for new medical last week of August. New Medical Sept 10.

Visa ISSUED September 14, 2018. :blink:

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Wales
Timeline

DCF is the odd option available in some Consulates, CR1 Lockbox is normal, I thought I saw Madrid DCF cases, presumably no more.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Spain
Timeline

Yeah, I unfortunately thought that the people doing CR1s at Madrid were doing DCF.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Spain

I guess not!

So the difference will be just spending a ton for postage, and more time to wait for things to come back and forth, I suppose...

October 2011: Met in Spain

2012-2014: Video chat + visas + visits and vacations = we made it through!

June 2014: Moved to Spain, got engaged 

December 31, 2015: got married

April 20, 2016: sent I130 package

May 2, 2016: package received in Chicago Lockbox - - - 12 days for delivery!! Don't use TNT couriers!! 

May 2nd or 5th, 2016: email NOA1... accepted and sent to.... NEBRASKA 

And now.... breeeeeeathe..... be like water my friend....

October 26th, 2016: NOA2 [We had waited almost 6 months. Received notification from the phone app, never got an email.]

November 9th 2016: USCIS sent the petition to NVC (app notification) [waited 2 weeks after approval for this]

November 25th 2016: NVC received and created account for our petition [waited 16 days after USCIS sent it, for NVC to acknowledge receipt]

Dec 1st 2016: Chose agent online DS261 [a few days later than it could've been since the above NVC email went to SPAM!]

Dec 6th 2016: Case available for paying fees. That was fast, I think! 5 days!

Took a long time to get package out because... life... and husband's family in Morocco had to travel to get police document.

Feb 20th 2017: Scan date at NVC, received weird email.

April 28th 2017: CHECKLIST. Moroccans are required to send a Court Report regardless of Police Record status. My husband had to go back to Morocco to get it in person. Also, NVC wants a 2016 tax return now that is 2017. My bad.

September 15th 2017: 2nd Scan Date at NVC. Sent for document review October 20th.

Nov 10th 2017: Email requesting document be brought to interview. Will schedule interview.

Case complete date??: TBD :clock:.... November 8th!!

Interview date : January 18, 2018!!           Result: Administrative Processing      :mellow:

Embassy called for new medical last week of August. New Medical Sept 10.

Visa ISSUED September 14, 2018. :blink:

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Does it mean that they had to send everything to the Chicago Lockbox, and only dealt with the Madrid office for the interview?

Yes. Just this ^

* I-130/CR-1 visa by Direct Consular Filing in London
3rd May 2013 - Married in London

7th May 2013 - I-130 filed
4th June 2013 - NOA2 (approved)
16th July 2013 - Interview (approved)
30th July 2013 - POE San Francisco
29th August 2013 - 2 year green card arrived

 

* How? Read my DCF London I-130 for CR1/IR1 Spouse Guide

* Removal of Conditions (RoC) via California Service Centre
1st May 2015 - 90 day RoC window opened
6th May 2015 - I-751 filed (delivered 8th May, cheque cashed 18th May)
7th August 2015 - Approved / GC production

27th August 2015 - 10 year green card arrived

* Naturalisation (Citizenship) via Phoenix Lockbox

* San Francisco Field Office:
1st May 2016 - N-400 window opened
20th August 2016 - N-400 filed

26th August 2016 - NOA1
13th September 2016 - Biometrics

12th January 2017 - Biometrics (again)
30th May 2017 - Interview (approved)
7th June 2017 - Oath

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