# spouse visa, a few questions



## Deathcomesarippin (Mar 7, 2011)

Hey everybody! 

My wife (a German citizen) and me (U.S. citizen) will be moving back to the states (FL) latter in the year. I have already checked out the uscis website and I know I need the C-R1 visa for my wife or at least I think so. We are still in Germany right now and the closet U.S. embassy is 5 hours away.... so my question here is will it be worth it to start the visa processes here in Germany? or will it be ok to wait and do it all when we are in the U.S.? My main fear is that once we are in the U.S. and the visa takes to long will my wife and me (we wont split) have to leave and go back to Germany for some time or since she is my spouse she wont have to leave.. and isnt there a temporary visa thing she could stay on? 

also with this C-R1 visa I dont even know where to start!? I have printed and started filling out papers but its so confusing.

I know I have a pretty big question here but any help would be really really appreciated!!!!!!!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

AFAIK, you absolutely have to apply for her visa from outside the US. You aren't allowed to switch from a VWP or other form of tourist visa to an immigrant visa, which is what you're ultimately after here.

Someone with more experience in these matters should be along shortly and can fill in the details.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Are you US military or civilian?


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

she wont be travelling back with you ...but probably 8 months later 

Immigrant Visa for a Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (IR1 or CR1)


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## mamasue (Oct 7, 2008)

If you're both living outside the US, and you're determined to stay together, you can do DCF. (Direct consular filing).
This means you apply from Germany, have your interviews etc. in the US embassy in Germany, and can eventually come to the US together.

Or you can return to the US and apply for her as a spouse. I can't remember all the names of the forms.... but there is a I-129,which is a form that says she can come to the US sooner.... its point is to not split families for a long time while they apply.

Better info than I can give is on the USCIS website.... I'm just remembering the process as we went through it.


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## Deathcomesarippin (Mar 7, 2011)

Im not in the military, and thanks for your replys. Ok so we will start it over here. I think that is the best since we dont want to split up. How does the DFC work? Do I just ask to do it when I make an appointment at the embassy?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Deathcomesarippin said:


> Im not in the military, and thanks for your replys. Ok so we will start it over here. I think that is the best since we dont want to split up. How does the DFC work? Do I just ask to do it when I make an appointment at the embassy?


One thing to keep in mind if you go the DFC route is that you still need to sponsor your wife for a visa, or find someone to co-sponsor you both financially. You'll need to be able to tell them where you will be living on arrival and what your financial resources will be.

If you don't already have a job lined up, then you need to find someone (parent, sibling or anyone you like, actually) who is willing to put you up until you find a job and can get a place to live. As a co-sponsor, they will have to submit their financial documents to prove that they have adequate resources to provide for you both while you are getting established in the US.
Cheers,
Bev


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