Success Story: 3 Month Approval of an I-130 Petition for a British National 

Success Story: 3 Month Approval of an I-130 Petition for a British National 

Our client, a British national married to a U.S. citizen, reached out to our firm because their U.S. spouse was offered a job back in the U.S. Due to the nature of the job offer, it would require the spouse to quickly relocate back to the U.S. on a short notice. Not wanting to leave their British spouse behind (the client), our firm requested that this case is handled through Direct Consular Filing (DCF) with the U.S. Embassy in London. 

DCF allows a U.S. citizen living abroad to file Form I-130 directly with a U.S. embassy or consulate rather than through the standard USCIS lockbox process, but it’s only available under exceptional circumstances. One recognized exceptional circumstance is where a U.S. citizen petitioner living and working abroad receives a job offer or reassignment to the United States with very little notice before the required start date.

The U.S. Embassy in London accepts DCF requests on a case-by-case basis. Our firm was able to prepare a strong DCF request entailing all details to do with the short notice job relocations of our client’s spouse. The embassy accepted our client’s DCF request and the Form I-130, Petition for an Alien Relative, was approved in just 3 months! DCF cases are expedited due to their time-sensitive circumstances, DCF can shorten the processing time of I-130 petitions from 12-15 months to just a couple months!

Our client and their spouse are now on their way to moving to the U.S. together, where they will settle down! Our firm would like to extend a huge congrats for this couple’s success. This case shows how a well-prepared DCF request can turn a stressful, time-sensitive relocation into a smooth, fast approval, cutting processing time from over a year down to just months. If you or your spouse are facing a sudden job offer or relocation to the U.S. and don’t want to be separated for the long haul, Blue Lake Law can help you determine if you qualify for DCF and build a strong case with your embassy. Reach out to us today to get started.