Success Story: Approval of Form I-130 for a Dutch National in Under 4 Months 

Success Story: Approval of Form I-130 for a Dutch National in Under 4 Months 

Our client, a Dutch national, is married to a U.S. citizen who received a job offer that would require them to relocate to the States with short notice. Our client and their spouse reached out to our firm to assist them with the immigration process for the Dutch national. Because the job offer was very short notice, the start date being 3-4 months after they received the offer, our client wanted to make sure they could relocate with their spouse to the U.S. without having to be separated for months on end. 

In our client’s case, a foreign spouse whose U.S. citizen partner has a short-notice job offer requiring relocation to the U.S., is eligible for Direct Consular Filing. DCF is a process that allows a U.S. citizen living abroad to file the I-130 form, petition for an alien relative, directly with a U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where they reside. In our client’s and their spouse’s case they are residing in the Netherlands, however, their DCF I-130 petition is handled through the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt, Germany. 

The U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam recently ceased all routine immigrant visa services. The U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt is now designated to handle immigrant visa services including immediate relative and family preference categories for citizens and residents of the Netherlands and several other posts, which is why Dutch national DCF/immigrant visa cases are now routed through Frankfurt instead of Amsterdam.

If the U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt accepts the DCF request, then our client’s case will be handled directly with the consulate rather than having to go through the regular processing that happens through the USCIS service center in the U.S.. This can significantly shorten the overall vis process from a general 12-15 month processing time to just 3-4 months. It bypasses the typical USCIS backlog and allows the case to move straight into consular processing once approved. However, acceptance of the DCF is up to the discretion of each U.S. consulate or embassy, luckily the consulate in Frankfurt accepted our client’s case and was able to process their I-130 petition in 3 and a half months! 

Our firm was able to construct a solid DCF request, and once it was accepted we prepared the I-130 petition and all necessary documents to allow for a swift and efficient process. Our client and their spouse are now on their way to living together and working inside the States. 

At Blue Lake Law, we understand what consulates like Frankfurt look for in DCF requests, and we work efficiently to put our clients in the strongest possible position, helping turn a process that could otherwise take over a year into just a few months.

If you or your spouse are facing a short-notice job relocation to the U.S. and want to explore whether DCF is right for your situation, don’t wait to get guidance. Contact Blue Lake Law today to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help keep your family together during your move to the United States.