New marraige in pakistan

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paracha3

Registered Users (C)
I am US citizen living in Pakistan. I want to apply GC for my husband. My basic question is that

1- Would it be faster if i alone come to USA and apply for his GC from within USA rather than applying at US Consuate in Pakistan?

2- Is it a MUST to apply from within USA? Someone said so i wanted to double check.

Thanks for all who reply

paracha3
 
If you have stayed in Pakistan for more than six months then you can file I-130 petition with US embassy in Islamabad. The approval process may only take a few weeks so its much quicker than applying from the USA.
 
paracha3, how long have you been living in Pakistan? I know they say that you have to have 'stayed' here (in Pakistan) for more than six months, but that has changed.

I filed a GC petition for my spouse in Islamabad, as a USC residing in Pakistan, and before they would even accept my petition, they made me drive back and forth from my home city to Islamabad 3 times for additional documentation, proving that I actually was a resident of Pakistan, and not just visiting here.

This documentation included:
- All matric, FSc, BSc and Masters transcripts, including copies of all certificates received during my studies, and a letter from my latest institute showing that I had been studying there for the past 4 years (not req'd, but I got one anyway)
- Property documents in my name, transferred to me when I got married
- A bank statement showing that I had some money in my own name in Pakistan
- A NICOP card (NIC for Overseas Pakistanis), which is used as a visa for entering Pakistan (since I am a USC)

All of these are not required, but you MUST provide some proof that you are a 'real' resident of Pakistan, and when I told him that I had been studying here, the officer said that it would make his job much easier.. If you haven't studied in Pakistan, then bank accounts or property might work. Another couple that was there to file a GC petition was told that they wouldn't be allowed to at the Isb Embassy, since the USC did not have enough proof of residence in Pakistan. They were told that they must file in the US.

If you do choose to file in Islamabad, that would be great, since I have been searching this forum for ages trying to find someone else filing as a USC residing in Pakistan, but haven't been able to locate anyone yet! (well, they aren't replying to my posts if they're here, anyhow). The process is quite different when filing directly at the Embassy, so I'd love to have someone else to discuss things with..
 
I have been living here since i was in class 5th and i have ample proof :)
Did all my schooling, college and now got married in pakistan. Me and my husband plan on moving to USA so i was not sure should i apply for his GC at Embassy here at ISB or should i go alone to USA and apply for my husband while he is in pakistan. The second option would be hard, becaise i'll be alone in USA, but i was not sure if applying from within pakistan takes awefully long time or not?

Is the time comparable to applying from USA? Is there any advance of one over the other?

Thanks
 
From some of your other posts, I've seen that you just now became a US Citizen this year? Were you living in the US before that, then? (for at least 3-5 years, since that is how long it takes after getting a green card to become a USC). When did you move back to Pakistan? The only reason I'm asking is because, although I'm not sure, I think that they want proof of you residing here AFTER you became a citizen, and being a resident at the time of filing the petition.

I really don't know if this applies or not, because all the documentation that I had was current (I was still in school in Pakistan when I petitioned, and had proof). I have been a USC since I was born, meaning that I was a 'USC living in Pakistan', so all these questions never came up.

So I don't know whether they will want to see current (ie, 2005, 2006) proof that you have been living here. But, then, who knows? Maybe they will accept the fact that you lived here (in Pakistan) for ages before you became a citizen. Hopefully, you will have some proof (property documents, bank accounts, etc) that shows that you are currently residing here. Like I said, school documents aren't the only things that they accept, they just make it easier.

I'm sure you will be allowed to file here in Pakistan. I'm only asking all these questions so that you will be prepared.. Call the Embassy and ask them to confirm what their exact policy is.

As for being faster, from what I have read, it is. I applied only 6 weeks ago, so I have yet to see just how much faster the process is compared to filing in the US. It took about 1 month for them, from them receiving the petition, to send the Packet 3.5 to my husband (we haven't received it yet due to the awful postal service, but that's another story altogether).

Call or email them and ask about that proof of residence:

CONTACT INFO FOR ISB EMBASSY:

(051) 2080-2304/2700/2150/2406/2420 (these are all extensions, but usually the operator will pick up. Just tell him you want to file an I-130 and he'll connect you to the appropriate person)

You can only call Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from either 8:30-10:30, or 10:30-12:30 (I forgot which of those it was.. the Immigrant Visa section is from 8:30-10:30 but I'm not sure about the I-130 section)

Email:
pakivinfo@state.gov
USCIS.Islamabad@dhs.gov
 
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