CRBA for baby being born in October but still in the NVC processing phase.

[USAUAinCZ 38]

Hey everyone,

I have been trying to find more information about the CRBA and what the exact process is but it feels like I might be in a bad situation. 

I was staying with my wife in Ukraine before Covid happened and I came back to the USA in February for a quick visit to renew my passport and visit my parents. However, covid happened and I got stuck in the USA not being able to travel back to Ukraine. A week later my wife found out she is pregnant. 

We have been going through the CR1 process since August of last year and we are in the NVC stage waiting for our case number to be created.

Firstly I'm not sure if Ukraine will let me travel there by October when my wife is due. However, if I am allowed to travel by then how much time would I need to apply for the CRBA and be able to get the baby a US passport so we could travel back to the USA once my wife's CR1 is approved?I'm worried I won't be able to stay there long enough because I am working full time now in the USA so I can have health insurance and more money saved by the time my wife gets here.

Is it also true the baby needs to go with me to the embassy in Kyiv? My wife lives on the western border with Poland and traveling to Kyiv with a small child would be very difficult especially since I won't have much time in the country and the baby will be newly born. 

I'm worried that I won't be in the country by the time we can travel to Kyiv and then we wouldn't be able to get the baby's documents done in time before her NVC approval expires (assuming we have one).

 

Am I screwed here?

[Mark88 183]

3 minutes ago, USAUAinCZ said:

....how much time would I need to apply for the CRBA and be able to get the baby a US passport so we could travel back to the USA once my wife's CR1 is approved?

CRBA will take about 1 hour. Add another hour for the emergency passport to be issued (assuming your case is approved).

3 minutes ago, USAUAinCZ said:

Is it also true the baby needs to go with me to the embassy in Kyiv? My wife lives on the western border with Poland and traveling to Kyiv with a small child would be very difficult especially since I won't have much time in the country and the baby will be newly born. 

The baby and mother need to present to the interview. You don't necessarily have to if provided the right notarised form. The consular section of the embassy wants to see the child. And they say if you can travel to the US, you can also travel to the embassy. 

 

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

5 minutes ago, USAUAinCZ said:

Hey everyone,

I have been trying to find more information about the CRBA and what the exact process is but it feels like I might be in a bad situation. 

I was staying with my wife in Ukraine before Covid happened and I came back to the USA in February for a quick visit to renew my passport and visit my parents. However, covid happened and I got stuck in the USA not being able to travel back to Ukraine. A week later my wife found out she is pregnant. 

We have been going through the CR1 process since August of last year and we are in the NVC stage waiting for our case number to be created.

Firstly I'm not sure if Ukraine will let me travel there by October when my wife is due. However, if I am allowed to travel by then how much time would I need to apply for the CRBA and be able to get the baby a US passport so we could travel back to the USA once my wife's CR1 is approved?I'm worried I won't be able to stay there long enough because I am working full time now in the USA so I can have health insurance and more money saved by the time my wife gets here.

Is it also true the baby needs to go with me to the embassy in Kyiv? My wife lives on the western border with Poland and traveling to Kyiv with a small child would be very difficult especially since I won't have much time in the country and the baby will be newly born. 

I'm worried that I won't be in the country by the time we can travel to Kyiv and then we wouldn't be able to get the baby's documents done in time before her NVC approval expires (assuming we have one).

 

Am I screwed here?

You are not screwed. Once the baby is born you technically only have to be in Ukraine for 1 day to go to the interview at the embassy with mom and baby. (yes baby has to go to appointment) If you don't go you need to provide mom with additional documents. You can both gather the documents once the baby is born and set up an appointment date and fly out for that. https://ua.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/child-family-matters/crba/ You can follow the directions to apply for a passport which will be sent to mom https://ua.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/first-time-applications/ I am unsure if your plan is to be there for the birth as well; that would be very difficult to plan for the birth and happen to get appointment in the same time frame AND have all the required documents (unsure how long it takes for a birth certificate in Ukraine?) it may be unrealistic for both birth and CRBA if you have limited time to travel.

You can always push back the CR1 at the NVC stage so not a problem there. Once she has the medical & visa THEN she will have a timeframe she has to travel by.