Military orders

[stillwaiting! 0]

Hi, I received my CR-1 visa in December 2006. My husband is in the military, and has just been given orders to Germany. Will this affect my permanent residency status as we will be there for a minimum of 2 years? Its so frustating, I just got here and now we are leaving already! The live of a military spouse!!

Thanks in advance for any advice/anyone in the same situation!

[MaydayDas 1]

ooooooo germany is beautiful call USCIS and let them know about it, military bases are american soil so it shouldn't be a problem for you

[YuAndDan 153]

Being stationed abroad will not affect your permanent residency requirement in your case.

There are also exceptions for lawful permanent residents married to U.S. citizens stationed or employed abroad. Some lawful permanent residents may not have to comply with the residence or physical presence requirements when the U.S. citizen spouse is employed by one of the following:

• the U.S. Government (including the U.S. Armed Forces);
  
• American research institutes recognized by the Attorney General;
  
• recognized U.S. religious organizations;
  
• U.S. research institutions;
  
• an American firm engaged in the development of foreign trade and commerce of the United States; or
  
• certain public international organizations involving the United States.
  

See also INA 319, INA 316

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00048f3d6a1RCRD Edited May 29, 2007 by YuAndDan

[stillwaiting! 0]

Thanks, I'm not too sure about moving there! I'm from England and it will be nice to be closer to home but dont really know much about Germany, is it nice?

[MaydayDas 1]

Very nice, honestly Iam a little sad that we are moving but life goes on....beer, autobahn where you can speed up your mazda rx8....places to visit .....order and discipline.....clean country Germany has my admiration!

Do you know where in Germany your husband will be relocated?

Edited May 29, 2007 by MaydayDas

[stillwaiting! 0]

We are going to Heidelberg.

Will we have to live on base to keep my visa from becomnig invalid?

[MaydayDas 1]

I live near Heidelberg, the most beautiful city in my heart cause here I met my husband . No, once you come here on PCS orders it is not a problem where you live, on or off post.

[jodee 30]

We are also in Germany,...I moved to the USA in Dec 03, married feb 04, and moved to Germany Mar 04 due to orders. I have since, done AOS, and Removed conditions,..as expedited Citizenship was not offered to me at the time, and I was unaware of it til 12 months ago, and by that stage, I had already applied to Lift conditions.

I live near Frankfurt. My hubby is on his second tour of Iraq since being here.

I like Germany, it has afforded us the opportunity to travel a fair bit. and with extra pay in the form of COLA, its fairly inexpensive. Good Old RYANAIR.!!!!

[MaydayDas 1]

We are also in Germany,...I moved to the USA in Dec 03, married feb 04, and moved to Germany Mar 04 due to orders. I have since, done AOS, and Removed conditions,..as expedited Citizenship was not offered to me at the time, and I was unaware of it til 12 months ago, and by that stage, I had already applied to Lift conditions.

I live near Frankfurt. My hubby is on his second tour of Iraq since being here.

I like Germany, it has afforded us the opportunity to travel a fair bit. and with extra pay in the form of COLA, its fairly inexpensive. Good Old RYANAIR.!!!!

yea, you can go around very cheap....it must be hard to have the husband deployed, hung in there and do some traveling the time gonna fly faster ......

[hollywood79 0]

We are going to Heidelberg.

Will we have to live on base to keep my visa from becomnig invalid?

Hi there,

I am assuming Heidelberg is nice. We were meant to go to Spangdahlem, near your location, 2 years ago but my hubby was reassigned to California at the last min! We both so wanted Germany and we wouldn't have had the visa stress of the last 2 years!!

As, long as you are on his military orders you shouldn't need to live on base. Some service members cannot live on base. Such as my husband before we were married. He couldn't live on base even after we were married until we had children.

Check out Easyjet for flights, they seem to be pretty cheap! But I'm not sure if they fly all the way to Germany!

For answers to your residency http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1333.html# take a look at the first paragraph about militray spouses.

Edited June 2, 2007 by hollywood79

[stillwaiting! 0]

Thanks for all the advice.

Some people here have told me that I will need to have a DoD passport in order to travel with my husband, and have the military pay for my flight there. Is this true? I didnt think I could get a passport as I am not a US citizen. Help!!

[hollywood79 0]

Thanks for all the advice.

Some people here have told me that I will need to have a DoD passport in order to travel with my husband, and have the military pay for my flight there. Is this true? I didnt think I could get a passport as I am not a US citizen. Help!!

Not sure which service your hubby is in but get him to contact the personnel office who issued his orders to ask about this. If he is in the AF, tell him to call Randolf/Randall, can't remember the exact name but it is a big AF base in TX. Depending on your nationality there may be restrictions involving your passport and German laws, so they should be able to clarify this for you.

I don't understand why you need a DoD passport. Do work for the DoD? Make sure you are on his orders!! You may also need to undertake briefing about moving to Germany.

goodluck!

[Jon&Sevi 0]

Thanks for all the advice.

Some people here have told me that I will need to have a DoD passport in order to travel with my husband, and have the military pay for my flight there. Is this true? I didnt think I could get a passport as I am not a US citizen. Help!!

You should get an offical passport. Which is the same as a tourist except that DoD paid for it and there is a statement stamped in the back. Contact MPF for the process of getting the passport.

Yes the military will pay for transportation of the spouse and child(ren) to the overseas location.

[HawaiiJ 1]

Thanks for all the advice.

Some people here have told me that I will need to have a DoD passport in order to travel with my husband, and have the military pay for my flight there. Is this true? I didnt think I could get a passport as I am not a US citizen. Help!!

The DOD Passport (Also commonly referred to as an Official passport but is not a Diplomat Passport and Red in Color) should not be required and I'm not sure it is an option for non-us citizens. Your normal passport issued by your homeland will work as long as you are on the military travel orders.

You may need to acquire an entry visa on your own, make sure you allow time for this. Don't plan on getting much help from the local MPF or Personnel Company. We received no assistance at all when we departed Hawaii/Hickam AFB.

Currently, we are based in Italy and we had to acquire a entry visa from the Italian Consulate in California prior to traveling to Italy, it was easy and painless.

As long as you are on your Husband's military orders and have any required entry visa, you should be ok. The travel is government funded for anyone on the travel orders.

One more comment on the DOD/Official passport, I believe it is only valid for travel if you are on Travel/TDY orders or on leave orders back to the US. I don't think it is valid for tourist travel purposes.

[John/Sam Miles 0]

We are also in Germany,...I moved to the USA in Dec 03, married feb 04, and moved to Germany Mar 04 due to orders. I have since, done AOS, and Removed conditions,..as expedited Citizenship was not offered to me at the time, and I was unaware of it til 12 months ago, and by that stage, I had already applied to Lift conditions.

I live near Frankfurt. My hubby is on his second tour of Iraq since being here.

I like Germany, it has afforded us the opportunity to travel a fair bit. and with extra pay in the form of COLA, its fairly inexpensive. Good Old RYANAIR.!!!!

Jodee is there any advise you can give that you didn't know then that you know now for the process going forward for a fellow military spouce???

When I get to the states my hubby has maybe another year and then he gets deported again.... Is there anything I will need to know on the lifting of conditions or adjustment of status or permanent residency?

What is the Expidited Citizenship? Is that only when the orders are given?