# Does US consulate process green card forms?



## Camden04 (Mar 1, 2013)

Anybody know? I went to their website and it says nothing about it. Have a friend who wants to file for spouse and they said you can file at an embassy, but not sure if its "designated embassies only" as is sometimes the case. Maybe Abu Dhabi? Anyone know?


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

I remember that a colleague needed to go down to Abu Dhabi for any green card related matter. Since it is a bit of a drive, just call them first?


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## Camden04 (Mar 1, 2013)

Believe me, we have tried to get through but it's just an automated system. 

I looked in travel/state/gov and it says the closest processing center is Jordan. 

I wonder if they can go to Jordan and process it there, I am actually not kidding.


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## xchaos777 (Dec 15, 2010)

Research on the gov sites in the US. They should tell you how to process abroad and where.


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Camden04 said:


> Believe me, we have tried to get through but it's just an automated system.
> 
> I looked in travel/state/gov and it says the closest processing center is Jordan.
> 
> I wonder if they can go to Jordan and process it there, I am actually not kidding.


Go to the AD embassy website.

Immigrant Visas | Embassy of the United States Abu Dhabi, UAE
_
In the UAE, immigrant visas are processed only at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi. The Consulate General in Dubai does not process immigrant visas. _


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## Camden04 (Mar 1, 2013)

Great, thanks, I'm trying to navigate those now. Sometimes having legal experience gets you in over your head with people asking you questions you don't know the answers to hehe.


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## pokietotes (Mar 12, 2013)

I am actually going through the green card process myself. I'm American and am working on getting my husband (from England) a green card while we live here in Dubai. Although the Abu Dhabi embassy _used_ to process the green card applications directly, they no longer do so. I think they stopped mid-to-late last year.

All of our paperwork has had to go through the USCIS Lockbox Facility in Chicago. BUT, the interview will be scheduled for here in Abu Dhabi. I hope this helps, I know what a headache it is and I know how long it took me to find the information on the AD Consulate website... I'll see if I can find it again.

Edit: Sorry, they stopped in 2011, not last year:
Please note that effective August 15, 2011, petitioners residing overseas
will no longer be able to routinely file Forms I-130, Petitions for Alien Relative, with U.S. Embassies andConsulates except in locations where U.S. Citizenshipand Immigration Services (USCIS) has a public counter
presence within the Embassy or Consulate. Petitionersresiding overseas in countries where USCIS does not have a public counter presence will be required, starting August 15, 2011, to file their Forms I-130 by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox. U.S. Embassies and Consulates that do not have a USCIS presence will only be able to accept and process Forms I-130 in exceptional circumstances, as outlined here.

I can't post the source yet as I'm still a "newbie", but I will return and post it when I can!


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## Camden04 (Mar 1, 2013)

That's great the info they received was that they process K1(fiancé) visas. Could you elaborate how do you get the interview in AD? I mean did you have to request this? Thanks!


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## pokietotes (Mar 12, 2013)

Camden04 said:


> That's great the info they received was that they process K1(fiancé) visas. Could you elaborate how do you get the interview in AD? I mean did you have to request this? Thanks!


Well, if they are just requesting a fiancé visa, that is something the embassy can probably do. The green card process, however, is a much longer (and more expensive!) process which ultimately ends with an interview at the Abu Dhabi consulate... in which case you are supposed to be granted your green card at the end of the interview (if all goes according to plan).

I started this process in October 2012. First I had to mail a packet of paperwork to the Chicago Lockbox Facility. That was form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative). It was basically comprised of our marriage certificate, our passport copies, passport photos, and proof of our marriage (proof of co-mingling of finances, so in our case a house that I bought and that my husband is on the title for; some pictures of us throughout our relationship; bills with both our names on, etc.). We also had to include form G-325a (Biographic Information) for both us. Oh, and pay $420.

Then, just shy of 2 months later, we were notified that our petition was approved and that everything was sent for visa processing.

In January 2013, I received notice that I needed to fill out DS-3032 (Choice of Agent), which details how my husband can be contacted. In our case, his point of contact is me.

At the same time, I had to fill out I-864EZ (Affidavit of Support)... The paperwork where I compiled to prove that I can financially support my husband so that when he immigrates to the US, he will not be a financial burden to the country- mostly just tax returns, employment history, education, etc. Note that not everyone can use the EZ form. I had to pay $88 for the I-864EZ.

March 2013 (just 5 days ago actually), I received notice that the application was moving along and I now have to fill out the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration form. I paid $230 for the processing of this application and will have to mail the application back to the US for processing, AND to the Abu Dhabi consulate for notification...

Once that application is approved, the next step should be to schedule our interview at the AD Consulate. Once the interview is scheduled, my husband will need to go to an approved doctor (I have a list of approved physicians) to get a medical done. Then it should just be the interview at the embassy... As far as I know, he should have his green card when we leave the interview. :dance:

My husband and I legally tied the knot last year while we were in the US so we could get this process over with before we move to the US. To my knowledge (and I did research to find a way that we wouldn't have to get married before we could have a wedding), you cannot get a green card for your fiancé. A fiancé visa will allow a person who might otherwise not be granted entry to the US to enter the US to get married. It doesn't have anything to do with the green card itself. If your fiancé is allowed in the US on a simple visit visa, there is no need for a fiancé visa.

I hope that helps!


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## xchaos777 (Dec 15, 2010)

Fiancé visa also has to go through the US office.


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## Camden04 (Mar 1, 2013)

Definitely does, thank you! Their situation is almost the same except they've been married a lot, lot longer. I was just noting that AD stated in the correspondence they only process fiancé visas, not ones once you're already married. The time frame you've described sounds better than I thought, too.


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## Camden04 (Mar 1, 2013)

Everything I've heard and read says that the green card is issued upon landing in the US so please update if they give him the actual green card.


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## Remy74 (Oct 2, 2011)

*thanks*

Thanks a lot ! i have been searching for this info for the past 2 weeks and no help! just going in circles ! can you please tell me how you sent the money? 






pokietotes said:


> I am actually going through the green card process myself. I'm American and am working on getting my husband (from England) a green card while we live here in Dubai. Although the Abu Dhabi embassy _used_ to process the green card applications directly, they no longer do so. I think they stopped mid-to-late last year.
> 
> All of our paperwork has had to go through the USCIS Lockbox Facility in Chicago. BUT, the interview will be scheduled for here in Abu Dhabi. I hope this helps, I know what a headache it is and I know how long it took me to find the information on the AD Consulate website... I'll see if I can find it again.
> 
> ...


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## pokietotes (Mar 12, 2013)

Remy74 said:


> Thanks a lot ! i have been searching for this info for the past 2 weeks and no help! just going in circles ! can you please tell me how you sent the money?


The initial check was sent in the mail with the initial stack of paperwork. All subsequent payments have been made through electronic transfer using my American bank account numbers.


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## pokietotes (Mar 12, 2013)

Camden04 said:


> Everything I've heard and read says that the green card is issued upon landing in the US so please update if they give him the actual green card.


Sorry, I didn't see this!

If they have been married over 2 years, that's great! If you are married under 2 years, you have to check back in with the USCIS after 2 years of the person having a green card and adjust their status then.

I too have heard you don't get the green card until you land, but what I've gathered from my own research is that you don't officially "have" a green card until a US Customs Officer lets you enter the country on it. I will update this as the process moves along!


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## rahzaa (May 2, 2012)

pokietotes said:


> Sorry, I didn't see this!
> 
> If they have been married over 2 years, that's great! If you are married under 2 years, you have to check back in with the USCIS after 2 years of the person having a green card and adjust their status then.
> 
> I too have heard you don't get the green card until you land, but what I've gathered from my own research is that you don't officially "have" a green card until a US Customs Officer lets you enter the country on it. I will update this as the process moves along!


So a spouse to a US citizen can get a green card while both of them live outside USA?

wow...I thought it was necessary to live in US for some time to get a green card for the spouse. 

Can anyone please clarify? Thank you so much


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## Goin2Mea (Jul 12, 2014)

rahzaa said:


> I thought it was necessary to live in US for some time to get a green card for the spouse.


Rahzaa, the residency requirement kicks in after the non-citizen spouse enters the USA on a green card. They have to live in the states for at least 181 days per year, unless they leave the US with an "advance parole".


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## odai1717 (Nov 23, 2016)

I know its an old post but my question how did you pay the 420$ to the Chicago lock box


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