Average time to get American spouse visa?

RachelSallie

Hi,

I am American and my husband is Irish. We filed with the American Embassy for his visa last week, I was just wondering if anyone knew the average time it takes to actually get the visa?

I know we will have to be interviewed, see the doctor, etc. But We would really like to go at Christmas and I am beginning to be worried that we won't have it by then.

Just wondering if anyone had any tips, comments or advice!

Thanks!

silja

If you were able to file directly with the embassy, it should only take 6-8 weeks, if you are on the ball with sending documents back etc; he will then have 6 months to use it. Took us just shy of 6 weeks, but that was two years ago, when you could get the visa in your passport the day of the interview; now, they send it back to you by post about a week later. Should there be a very unexpected delay and it takes longer than Christmas to get his interview/ visa, he can still visit the USA on the visa waiver program btw.

Interview and medical are only for him. If you haven't already, get going on any police certs he needs (Irish and anywhere he has lived for a year or more), vaccination history, and of course the affidavit of support (form I-864), as you will need to show how you will be able to support the new immigrant once you mpve to the USA.

RachelSallie

Thanks for the info, that's incredibly helpful! It's so hard to know what to do. We want to start applying for jobs, etc but feel like until we have the visa we can't do anything.

ams85

Hi RachelSallie,

Myself and my husband are in the same situation as you, well kinda. I'm American he's Irish. We both live in Dublin. We got married here last year and I moved here on a Stamp 4 while we sort things out financially on his end and so on. We plan to apply for his visa next year so we can move back to America but we have been very intimidated by the application process. Do you mind sharing what the process has been like so far for you guys? We're both so scared he'll be declined, not that there's any reason he would be but there's always that fear. Also I'm kind of confused how I would show I can support him. He's the one that has the income (I've had a hard time finding a job over here but I am sacrificing an income to be with him)...Do you think that would hurt our application?

Keep us posted! I really appreciate your help and wish you guys luck!

silja

ams85 wrote: »

I'm kind of confused how I would show I can support him. He's the one that has the income (I've had a hard time finding a job over here but I am sacrificing an income to be with him)...Do you think that would hurt our application?

They won't approve his visa without sufficient financial sponsorship. There are three options:
- Get a co-sponsor; a relative or friend in the USA who will stand guarantor for the new immigrant.
- Sponsor on assets; savings, property etc. The embassy requires these to be US based.
- You look for a job in the US now, move over as soon as you have filed for the visa, start working, and send him the one or two paystubs you'll have by the time the interview comes around.

ams85

I can't possibly leave him, seriously, we've done the whole long distance thing and it was hell. I have no relatives that could petition and claim financial support over there either, none of them make enough. Savings might work, do you know how much they require? And would it be ok if we wired the savings we have in our Irish account over to my American bank account? Or would it be ok to just leave it in our Irish account? I mean as long as we can prove we can take care of ourselves, is that really all they want? We really want to move back to America but I'm positive I can't leave him again.

silja

If it's just the two of you (no kids or other dependants), you need to make $ 18'213 in yearly income, or have at least three times as much (= $55'000) in assets.

It must be based in the USA, so the government can get at it if the immigrant becomes a public liability. Transfering your money from Ireland is fine. It's what we did- bought a house in the USA (where we now live), and put the rest into a US based bank account. At the interview, I showed the deeds of the house and sales papers, as well as the online banking print-out.

ams85

$55,000? :eek: Yeah we'll need to save for a bit longer then lol! We wouldn't buy a house until we become situated over there for a bit so we'll have to go the savings route I suppose. I'm glad to hear I don't have to leave him though, it really was tough the last time. I'm assuming the decision that is made during the interview would be partly based on the savings we have (in my American bank account) so we should have it ready to prove at the interview? Would they not look at it as money laundering if I'm doing large wire transfers like that on a regular basis though? Thanks for your help, you're very informed!

silja

Totally know what you mean about long distance relationships; one of the reasons my US husband came to live with me in Ireland first is that we didn't want to wait to be together any longer, and immigrating to Ireland is so much easier!

If you did bank transfers regularly, they might become suspicious (and indeed, the US bank does need to report it to their government, I think- not sure though), but it is very normal- and in fact expected- for someone who is immigrating to move their money to the USA. We moved our money and bought the house two weeks before the interview, and there were no issues.

RachelSallie

Hi there, sorry only replying now!

My sister is sponsoring my husband. I have a job in Dublin, but won't once we move so we're having her do it. I think the person who sponsors (a relative or whatever)just has to make over poverty level and have their taxes up to date, etc.

We've just submitted the visa application to the embassy here in Dublin two weeks ago and still haven't heard anything. But I will let you know when we do. I am really hoping it's soon though.

Does anyone know how many steps are after the first one? (ie how many times will we be waiting to hear back from the embassy)I know there is at least one more...

silja

You should hear twice- approval of the I-130, then interview notice.

Here is my timeline from 2 years ago:

06/11/2008: Sent off I-130 and supporting docs to embassy, requested Swiss and Irish police certs.
06/19/2008: Received Swiss police cert.
06/27/2008: Instructions for DS-230 received from embassy
07/03/2008: Received Irish police cert.
07/07/2008: Sent off DS-230 Part1.
07/15/2008: Medical- easy!
07/18/2008: Interview notice received.
07/24/2008: Interview- passed but there is a mistake in my Irish police cert- wrong birth year- so needed to get it changed and then go back to the embassy, when I will get my visa in my passport right away according to the CO.
07/28/2008: Got amended Irish police cert. Rang embassy who said I could come in next day.
07/29/2008: Visa received!
10/13/2008: Moved to Arkansas- Newark is a very easy PoE!
11/04/2008: SSN received in the mail.
01/17/2009: Green card and welcome notice received in mail.

[Jackass]

silja wrote: »

You should hear twice- approval of the I-130, then interview notice.

Here is my timeline from 2 years ago:

06/11/2008: Sent off I-130 and supporting docs to embassy, requested Swiss and Irish police certs.
06/19/2008: Received Swiss police cert.
06/27/2008: Instructions for DS-230 received from embassy
07/03/2008: Received Irish police cert.
07/07/2008: Sent off DS-230 Part1.
07/15/2008: Medical- easy!
07/18/2008: Interview notice received.
07/24/2008: Interview- passed but there is a mistake in my Irish police cert- wrong birth year- so needed to get it changed and then go back to the embassy, when I will get my visa in my passport right away according to the CO.
07/28/2008: Got amended Irish police cert. Rang embassy who said I could come in next day.
07/29/2008: Visa received!
10/13/2008: Moved to Arkansas- Newark is a very easy PoE!
11/04/2008: SSN received in the mail.
01/17/2009: Green card and welcome notice received in mail.

lol :rolleyes: I had serious problems getting my police cert sorted for moving to Canada. It's funny how backward Ireland still is and how useless the civil service is.

Best of luck with the application everyone. I'm living in Canada, but my girlfriend is American. We've talked about marrage and I'd be interested in hearing how everyone gets on. I'm hoping to get permanent status in Canada so that we're not TOO much long distance (about 2 hour drive apart), but it beats 3,000 miles. As someone said, long distance is a nightmare, we did it for 6 months, never again.

Croc

Just one thing to note OP once you obtain the Visa it has to be used within six months (I think) or it expires. if you let it expire I am told they are very reluctant to issue another one.

To use it means moving and becoming a permanent resident, not entering the country and leaving again not that I am alluding to the fact that you might.

I will be doing the whole visa thing in 3 years when i retire, my wife is from US, i would assume my pension would be sufficient to get over the affidavit of support element ????

silja

Croc: 6 months, you are correct.

If you can show your pension will continue while you are in the USA then yes, that should be enough, assuming it is above the poverty line.

RachelSallie

Hi all, just wanted to let you know we finally heard back from the Embassy yesterday (from filing the first forms about 6 weeks ago)! Which is very exciting!

I am a little confused about what's next. The forms they sent don't specify if we are supposed to send anything more before the interview. I know silja said they had to send back the DS-230. It's just so not clear!

silja

Wow they must have slowed down!

When you say you heard from the embassy, what exactly did they send you? Did the papers include any forms to fill out, instructions on how to book your medical, and/ or an interview date and time? In my day, they sent pretty clear instructions.

Draoibee

Hi, My husband is sponsoring me and we sent off the application about 4 weeks ago and still haven't heard anything. Is this normal does anyone know? How long should it take? Also, I didn't see anything about police certs in the application????

Thanks

silja

It seems about a month to 6 weeks is normal, so you should hear soon now.
You will need to bring the police cert to interview.

Draoibee

Thanks for that. I just received stuff from them today and they are asking me to submit from DS230 plus listing documents that I need. Here's my questions (if anyone can help who's been through this)?
Dear Sir/Madam,

I received documentation from the embassy today regarding my applicationf for an immigrant visa. I have some questions which I hope you can clarify for me.

1. Must I send my original birth and marriage certs now or bring to interview?
2. Must I send original birth certs for my son and husband who are both US citizens.
3. Must I send the police cert now or bring to interview?
4. Must I send a police cert for my husband who is a US citizen and has lived in Ireland for the last 6 years.
7. My husband was in the US military...must I send a military record for him?
8. Must I send passports for all of us now or bring to the interview?
9. Must I send passports for my husband and son?
10. Must my husband and son (who are US citizens) have a medical also?
11. Must I send the medical cert with the DS230 and DS2001 or bring to the interview?
12. Must I send Form I-864 now or bring to the interview?

Thanks from a confused,

Fiona

silja

1. Must I send my original birth and marriage certs now or bring to interview? - Interview (if I remember right, you already should have sent a copy of your marriage cert with the original petition).

2. Must I send original birth certs for my son and husband who are both US citizens. - No. You will need to proof husband is a US citizen via a copy of his US passport's bio page OR a copy of his birth cert.

3. Must I send the police cert now or bring to interview? - Interview
4. Must I send a police cert for my husband who is a US citizen and has lived in Ireland for the last 6 years. - no
7. My husband was in the US military...must I send a military record for him? - no

8. Must I send passports for all of us now or bring to the interview? - interview
9. Must I send passports for my husband and son? - see 2 and 8

10. Must my husband and son (who are US citizens) have a medical also? - no
11. Must I send the medical cert with the DS230 and DS2001 or bring to the interview? - interview (doctor may send it directly to the embassy, clarify with doctor when you go for your appointment)

12. Must I send Form I-864 now or bring to the interview? - interview

TIP: for anything you bring originals of, such as birthcert or passport, also bring photocopies. This means they don't have to copy stuff, making them happy.

Draoibee

Silja, You are a star! Thank you so much. That's kinda what I was thinking but they really don't make it terribly clear. Oh, and I did send a copy of my birth cert and marriage certificate with the original but they seem to be specifically asking for them again???
Thanks again.

silja

Bring them with you, just in case. They may want to view the original to make sure it is the same as the copy they received (standard procedure all over the world, as in some countries, people will falsify docs).