Ask a lawyer

[Haiti2USA 4]

A few days ago, I used the ask a lawyer service that's advertised here and talked to a lawyer. He told me differently than what I was advised here, but he also at times seemed to not be fully reading my statements. I asked him regarding my husband's physical address and employment (basically slave labor) because my husband has spent time in the Dominican Republic on a tourist visa. One of the first things the lawyer asked me was how was my husband in the Dominican Republic and I told him a tourist visa to which he said I only need to put Haiti as his physical address. I didn't understand and was frustrated; I asked another lawyer there and he basically said the same thing and then blocked me so another lawyer would take my question. Anyway, the first lawyer told me I could list the addresses on the i-130a if I want but it's really not necessary. This morning it hit me that how can my husband have an address in the Dominican Republic if he doesn't have residency there. It's like if I go to Australia on a tourist visa for 9 months and I don't have residence there, I'm still with an American address. Even if I pick up odd jobs, I really can't classify that as work because I'm only there on a visitor status. Maybe this is what the lawyer was saying.

Can I please get advice on this? It's complicated looking at my husbands passport stamps to try to figure when he has been where. If your advise is to list everything, how can I do this without saying everything because some things can't be figured out easily.

[NikLR 13,227]

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking?  Do you have to put your husband's physical address? Yes.  Is he working illegally and do you put down that information? Yes.  Will it matter to his immigration to the USA? No they don't care that he worked illegally in the DR.   If you are working and living someplace, regardless of visa status, you are residing there.  

[Haiti2USA 4]

2 hours ago, NikLR said:

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking?  Do you have to put your husband's physical address? Yes.  Is he working illegally and do you put down that information? Yes.  Will it matter to his immigration to the USA? No they don't care that he worked illegally in the DR.   If you are working and living someplace, regardless of visa status, you are residing there.  

Thanks so much for responding! This whole thing is really stressing me out; every time I go to look at dates he has given me it's very frustrating because he isn't sure of the dates and his passport stamps are very confusing because many times he goes by both borders and pays his taxes going back to the DR so he will have two stamps with one enter and one exit for the same day. I thought I had a way to rationalize not putting everything but I get what you're saying. I'm afraid I may put dates wrong on this form; if I accidentally do this, will it cause a big or minor delay? Is it possible they won't notice at all?

Thanks for trying to understand my post. I'm sure it may not have read very well as I've felt very stressed. 

[NikLR 13,227]

Just try to be consistent. 

[Haiti2USA 4]

4 hours ago, NikLR said:

Just try to be consistent. 

So, his passport was stolen 02/26/2015; anything before this is a guess. Is it okay to stop here for employment and put a note in additional history that it was stolen and he doesn't remember? He has proof it was stolen if we get an RFE for that. 

[Lemonslice 4,838]

17 minutes ago, Haiti2USA said:

So, his passport was stolen 02/26/2015; anything before this is a guess. Is it okay to stop here for employment and put a note in additional history that it was stolen and he doesn't remember? He has proof it was stolen if we get an RFE for that. 

Give a general description... Multiple stays in Dominican republic between 1999-2006, usually 2-3 months at a time to work as a ... In the .... Area.

[Haiti2USA 4]

13 hours ago, Lemonslice said:

Give a general description... Multiple stays in Dominican republic between 1999-2006, usually 2-3 months at a time to work as a ... In the .... Area.

Okay! Thanks! This helps a lot...

18 hours ago, NikLR said:

Just try to be consistent. 

Thanks for the help!