millefleur

According to the official embassy site in Moscow: The American Citizen Services Unit is resuming online appointment scheduling for routine passport applications, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, and notarial services. And you can make an appointment here: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=MOS&appcode=1 They used to have a template PDF you just downloaded on the site, it was in Russian. The cost was $50 USD. I would just try to make an appointment if possible and email them to see if they still have this PDF somewhere. They still have info about this on the site, just no PDF to download, strange. https://ru.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/marriage/

Joint sponsors have to be either US citizens or US permanent residents.

That's what I thought too, but you and the others raised a good point: definitely better to consult with a local attorney in the country where the marriage originally took place and double check with that. OP if you could share with us the country where you originally married that might help you get better input from other members here.

As @appleblossom said, for immigrant visas everything is done at the embassy not the consulate, so in this case London. Try to see if you can get a job offer in the US, that will be your best bet for DCF.

I'd just to include all of that explanation in your letter. Sorry I missed the part about being retired, but still including some form of abandoning/leaving behind the retirement visa is not a bad idea as it shows you intend to leave and move back.

Are you sure they no longer offer it? The US embassy in Moscow says they're offering US citizen services now, which includes affidavits. You can get it from any US embassy then have it translated into Russian. Consider travelling to a nearby country and making an appointment to get it, if Moscow is not offering.

Some embassies are stricter than others on domicile, it also depends on how long you've been out of the US. The nomadic lifestyle of first Cambodia, then Colombia might cause them to be a little stricter if you have that kind of job where you can easily work from any country. If you have some kind of work permit abroad, proof that you have abandoned this or are planning to is also good. If you can't get proof, then at least a letter explaining your plan to leave and relocate back to the US helps. Voter record, taxes, proof of mailing address and driver's license/ID maintained in the US, US bank accounts, letter of explanation plus lease or agreement of where you intend to live are all good to include.

Maine begins paying rent for homeless migrants BRUNSWICK, Maine (TND) — Maine has begun paying rent for homeless immigrants living in apartments located in the town of Brunswick. The state budgeted nearly $3.5 million to provide 60 migrant families in Brunswick with two years of rent. Maine expects the immigrants to “gain the means” to pay housing costs through state “support” and “guidance.” The state is also supplying $100,000 to dozens of Brunswick migrants for a year’s worth of asylum application and work authorization assistance. The legal support seeks to ensure immigrants receive work approval “as soon as possible” so they can “provide for themselves,” reduce pressure on public programs and help local economies by joining the workforce. Read more here: https://keprtv.com/news/nation-world/maine-begins-paying-rent-for-homeless-migrants-portland-brunswick-augusta-new-england-migrant-southern-border-crisis-biden-trump-illegal-immigrants-asylum-seekers

The whole point of DCF exceptional circumstances is that there is urgency to bring the spouse back to the US with the USC who is moving there on short notice. Moving to Qatar for a year does not show any urgency on the USC's part to return to the US immediately, so I don't think it's likely this situation qualifies while you are in the UK. Now if you were in Qatar and then had the short notice job relocation back to the US, then it's possible they might grant it. It appears there is a US Embassy in Qatar and their ustraveldocs websites mentions "exceptional filing" for such cases: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/qa/qa-iv-visaapplyinfo.asp

Hospital sees 30% rise in seriously wounded Ukrainian soldiers, says doctor DNIPRO, Ukraine -- The number of heavily wounded soldiers being treated at one of Ukraine's largest trauma hospitals has risen by as much as 30% in the past few weeks, according to the chief doctor there. Dr. Sergii Ryzhenko told ABC News that the Mechnikov Hospital in the city of Dnipro, a few hours' drive from the fighting, is now receiving between 40 and 100 seriously wounded men each day, with his team performing between 50 and 100 surgical operations in any 24-hour period. Many of those procedures are amputations, he said. Read more here: https://abcnews.go.com/International/hospital-sees-30-rise-wounded-ukrainian-soldiers-doctor/story?id=106197525

USCIS/DoS has been bamboozled in the past by people faking statements and only sending in a few, so now they want to see full statements to make sure they are real and show continuity. Yes, it's annoying and you'll kill a lot of trees with your tomes of printing them out but it's the most sure fire way to show authentic financial co-mingling. Way back in the day, people used to send in 1 statement per quarter but now they really want to see all statements. I also concur with the others: 15 photos max, preferably with family/friends or doing activities together where you can see different settings etc to show you have a life that you live together.

I've heard stories recently about border checks happening inside the Schengen zone for various reasons. Look up some local news about the borders on countries you plan to visit just to see what the current situation is. The car rental companies also might be aware so I would run it by them that you'll have someone travelling sans passport if there are any issues with that.

Many people have successfully gotten visas via zoom marriages, as long as you meet in person after. You have to tell the truth about the whole story as that is required by US law. Just be honest. 10 year relationship can still be shared, if anything that's the best part of your case in that you'll have tons of evidence of being together and being a real couple. Just come clean about the honest mistake, a typed out letter explaining what happened and why you married twice etc should suffice. The only part I'm not sure about is how you'd fill out the forms. My hunch is just put the new zoom marriage date for date of marriage, as the old is invalid. Even though technically you married earlier, the legitimate marriage certificate will be the one post-divorce.

This reminded me of the scam my aunt is a victim of, someone impersonating a celebrity: US woman allegedly poisoned husband’s soup at urging of scammer A Massachusetts woman has found herself in hot water after she allegedly poisoned her husband’s soup because someone pretending to be a soap opera star told her to. Roxanne Doucette of Townsend, Massachusetts, has been charged with attempted murder, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer. It all started when someone claiming to be an actor on the TV show The Bold and The Beautiful contacted Doucette. The two struck up a conversation over the phone and eventually, the scammer allegedly asked Doucette for money and told her to leave her husband. Read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/10/massachusetts-woman-arrested-poison-soup-soap-opera-star-scam My hunch is assuming it's true, this scammer would have been after some kind of life insurance money she had on the husband? Scammers are truly getting bolder and stranger these days so I wouldn't be shocked if it's true.

Parents who enable this kind of behavior baffle me.

For domicile they almost always want to see that you've been paying US taxes as well. They take into account everyone's situation on a case-by-case basis but some embassies are harder about domicile than others. You can also register to vote absentee in your home state and submit proof that you voted too.

It's hard to say how likely other than the basic rejection rate stats per nationality. Having a long stay work visa in Japan is good, but having a USC brother creates a strong tie to the US. He should apply in Japan and see how it goes.

**Moved from Off Topic to US Citizenship Case Filing and Progress Reports**

I think it's a great idea! Hoping it'll work out for you.

The link you posted also says "Consular officers may still require in-person interviews on a case-by-case basis or because of local conditions" so they must have some reason for wanting you to come in for an interview. Please update us and let us know how it goes, and if you find out what the reason was.

It's crazy for something like this to happen on a brand new plane.

The embassy site says "Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Hungary at the U.S. Embassy in Budapest" so not really optimistic they would take Russians.

Hmmmm I'm pretty sure I just put my current address abroad where I was living? We ended up staying there for about 3 months before moving to the US so it made sense, as that is where I was living at the time.

Good reminder for everyone to watch their spam folders in case something from USCIS or the embassy/consulate winds up in there.

Just came across this pollen map, seems like it could be interesting for checking on allergies by state: https://www.pollen.com/