This forum was invaluable to my husband and me while navigating the DCF process. To pay it forward, we wanted to share our experience applying for DCF from Sweden, as there wasn’t much information online specific to the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm. We have documented our timeline and communications with the embassy below.
11/12/24 - Accepted a new job offer for a position based in the U.S. with a start date scheduled for 6 weeks from the date of the accepted offer.
11/12/24 - Contacted US embassy in Stockholm by sending an email to address stkivinfo@state.gov with subject line M99 - OTHER QUESTION - XXX. NOTE: we needed to follow this format exactly, and found it through a trial and error process otherwise receiving automatic replies that our message would be deleted prior to a consular officer reading it. We used a placeholder XXX for the case number as we obviously did not have one at this stage. Use the visa navigator https://se.usembassy.gov/visas/ for the latest formatting requirements. We sent the following in the body of the message:
Dear Consular Officer,
I hope this message finds you well. I am an American citizen currently residing in Sweden with my spouse. I am reaching out to explain our situation and kindly request the opportunity to file our Direct Consular Filing (DCF) documents at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm.
To provide some context, I have been residing in Sweden since XXXX, and my spouse is a Swedish citizen. We were married in XXXX and have been building our life together here.
I am excited to share that I have recently received a job offer at XXXX, with a start date scheduled for January 6th, 2025. This opportunity requires me to relocate to the U.S. on short notice. Given the urgency and significance of this offer, I kindly request an expedited process to ensure my spouse can accompany me as we transition back to the United States.
For your reference, I have attached the following documents to this email:
A PDF copy of my U.S. passport.
A PDF copy of my spouse’s Swedish passport.
A PDF copy of my job offer letter.
We are prepared with all the necessary forms and supporting documents, including Forms I-130 and I-130A, and are available to attend an appointment at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your understanding and assistance in navigating this time-sensitive situation. I sincerely hope for your support in facilitating the Direct Consular Filing process under these exceptional circumstances.
Kind regards,
[Redacted Name]
Phone: [Redacted]
Email: [Redacted]
11/13/25 - We received the following reply from the embassy:
Dear [Redacted],
Thank you for your inquiry regarding exceptional filing at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm.
We have received part of the needed documents to review your request and kindly ask you to reply to this email with the following scanned documents:
Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
Form I-130A Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary
Marriage certificate (and divorce decrees if any of you have been married before)
An original letter (signed by the petitioner) outlining the 'exceptional circumstances' that warrant processing of the I-130 at the overseas consulate.
Upon reception, an officer will review your request for exceptional I-130 filing, and we will later let you know if your request is approved.
If your request is approved, we will ask you, the petitioner, to come to the embassy to pay the I-130 fee of $675. You will need to bring the original I-130 and I-130A at that time. Then, your spouse, the beneficiary, will come for the interview appointment as per instructions that will be sent.
We hope this information is of assistance to you and look forward to receiving your reply with the requested documentation.
Sincerely,
Immigrant Visa Unit
11/13/25 - We sent the following response to the embassy:
Hello,
I appreciate your prompt response and help navigating this process. Attached to this email you will find the following documents:
Completed and signed form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative
Completed and signed Form I-130A Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary
A Swedish extract of the population register (in English), showing both our proof of residence together here in Sweden, and that we are married to each other (provided in lieu of a marriage certificate, as these are not issued in Sweden)
A signed letter outlining the exceptional circumstances warranting overseas consular processing
Additional evidence of the job offer and urgent need to relocate in the form of a signed relocation agreement with my new employer
We also have copies of passport-style photos to include in our application, and we are happy to scan and send these as well if needed.
Thank you again for your assistance in this matter and please let us know if there is any other supporting documentation we can provide.
Best regards,
[Redacted Name]
11/19/25 - We received the following email from the embassy informing us that our DCF request was approved and scheduling a date for me to come and drop off our I-130, I-130A and associated forms.
Dear [Redacted],
Your request for exceptional filing of your petition I-130 at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm has been approved. We have scheduled you to come and pay the petition fee of $675 on the 27th of November 2025 between 09.00 and 11.00 a.m. Please confirm.
Please bring your passport and the supporting documents that you have scanned and sent to us, as well as a photocopy of your passports.
Note that we do not accept cash; only debit/credit card payments on a physical card. The card must be issued in your name and unlocked for international transactions.
IMPORTANT: Please stand in line for American citizens/immigrant visa applicants when outside of the embassy. DO NOT stand in line for non-immigrant visa applicants.
After clearing U.S. Embassy security, proceed to the Immigrant Visa Unit window 7 in the consular waiting room.
This appointment is not your spouse's interview. We will send you information regarding his interview and his visa fee payment in a future email.
11/27/25 - I dropped off our forms at the embassy, paid the filling fee and our petition was officially approved. Note that while the I-130 instructions say to bring copies of official documents (e.g. marriage certificate, passports, etc), you will need to bring the originals to this appointment in addition to the copies.
11/27/25 - Several hours after the embassy appointment to drop off our documents, I received the following email:
Please forward to the applicant.
CASE ID: STK2024******
[REDACTED]
Dear Sir,
You have been scheduled for an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm on 16 December 2024 at 09:30 AM.
Please make sure to carefully read the instructions and bring all below listed original documents to your appointment.
At the time of the interview, please be prepared to present your documents in the order listed below; also note that all documents, including police certificates, should be taken out of envelopes and/or plastic folders.
Please confirm that you understand document requirements and that you will come prepared for the interview.
IMPORTANT: Please stand in the separate line for immigrant visa applicants when outside of the embassy. DO NOT stand in line for non-immigrant visa applicants.
Documents to bring:
COMPLETE YOUR DS-260 FORM: The form can be accessed at: [Link Redacted]
COMPLETE YOUR MEDICAL EXAMINATION: performed by one of the Embassy-approved panel physicians: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Supplements/Supplements_by_Post/STK-Stockholm.html#medical_exam_instructions. Please note the Covid-19 vaccine requirement and complete the vaccine series (1 or 2 doses depending on formulation) before attending the medical appointment.
PASSPORT: A passport must be valid for travel to the United States and must have at least six months validity beyond the issuance of the visa.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE: Please provide the original birth certificate from country of birth. The certificate must state the date and place of birth and the names of both parents. The certificate must also indicate that it is an extract from official records.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE: Married applicants are required to present the original marriage certificate. Proof of termination of any previous marriage must also be submitted (e.g. original certified copies of death certificate of spouse; final decrees of divorce or annulment).
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE OR DEATH CERTIFICATE OF A SPOUSE: If you have ever had a marriage end through divorce or the death of your spouse, bring the original death certificate or divorce decree. If it is any language other than English, bring an authorized English translation.
POLICE CERTIFICATE: Each visa applicant aged 16 or over is required to submit a police certificate from the police authorities of each locality of the country of the applicant’s nationality or current residence where the applicant has resided for at least six months since attaining the age of sixteen. Police certificates are also required from all other countries where the applicant has resided for at least one year. A police certificate must also be obtained from the police authorities of any place where the applicant has been arrested for any reason, regardless of how long he or she lived there. Police certificates must cover the entire period of the applicant’s residence in any area. A certificate issued by the police authorities where you now reside must be of recent date when presented to the consular officer. For information on how to obtain a police certificate from a specific country, please visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/fees/reciprocity-by-country.html
COURT AND PRISON RECORDS: Persons who have been convicted of a crime must obtain a certified copy of each court record regardless of the fact that they may have benefited subsequently from an amnesty, pardon, or other act of clemency.
MILITARY RECORDS: Original military record, if applicable and obtainable, is required.
EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT: If available, please bring signed I-864 with supporting financial documents.
PROOF OF PETITIONER’S U.S. DOMICILE: Evidence that the sponsor has established a domicile in the United States and is either physically residing there or intends to do so before or concurrently with the applicant may include the following: opening a bank account; transferring funds to the United States; making investments in the United States; seeking employment in the United States; registering children in U.S. schools; applying for a Social Security number; and voting in local, State, or Federal elections.
FEE PAYMENT: At the time of your visa interview, you must pay the Immediate Family visa fee of $325. The Embassy will accept credit/debit card only. No cash payments. Card must be issued in your name and unlocked for the international transactions.
12/1/24 - We replied to the embassy letting them know that we had collected all of our documents and scheduled my husband’s medical examination for a date one week prior to his interview. You will need to have completed and submitted form DS-260 online before you can schedule the medical examination. When you submit form DS-260, you may receive instructions that you need to upload copies of all forms to NVC. This does not apply to DCF cases and you will only need to bring these forms (originals and copies) to your embassy interview. As others in this forum have noted, if you do not have a U.S. income, you may need a joint sponsor or sufficient U.S. assets for the I-864. We opted to file with a joint sponsor to err on the side of caution, although we got the impression from the consular officer handling our case that my signed job offer letter, which included my salary, was sufficient to meet both the domicile and evidence of support requirements. Exactly how to meet these requirements is somewhat arbitrary and up to the consular officer/embassy that you are working with, so reach out to the embassy and confirm if you are unsure.
12/16/24 - My husband went the embassy for his interview. The interview itself was very relaxed and informal, with the consular officer going through a checklist and ensuring my husband had brought all the necessary documents and copies. Because the results of the medical examination had not yet been sent to the embassy, my husband was given an official rejection notice following the interview, with the officer reassuring him that the case would be approved as soon as the medical examination results had been received.
12/30/24 - The embassy notified us that they had forgotten to collect our I-864 during the embassy interview and asked us to email copies.
1/3/25 - My husband logged on to his USCIS profile and saw that his rejection had been reversed to status “approved”.
1/8/25 - My husband received his packet and passport with his visa at our address in Sweden.
Our total processing time was 57 days, which could have been faster if our application hadn't overlapped with the holidays. Once we were able to contact the embassy (which wasn't entirely straightforward), the process was smooth and far more efficient than the traditional USCIS application routes.
Best of luck on your own DCF journey!
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