US Immigration for Military Families in Europe

If you’re stationed in Europe, whether that’s Germany, Italy, the UK, or any other country with a US military presence, ensuring your family member can return to the United States can be stressful and complex, as serving overseas can often bring a unique set of legal challenges, due to changes in deployments, base transfers, and embassy procedures. 

At Blue Lake Law, we understand how stressful it is trying to navigate the complexities of the U.S. immigration process for military families stationed in Europe, and we will help guide you through each stage.

Navigating US Immigration from Europe. 

The US immigration process for families stationed overseas varies significantly from that made within the United States. In most cases, all petitions must be filed with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), for it to then be processed through the appropriate US embassy or consulate in the host country. This process is known as consular processing, with the most common situations involving: 

• A US citizen service member petitioning for a foreign national spouse, child, or parent to immigrate to the United States. Or,
• A child born abroad to a US citizen who is seeking to obtain citizenship documentation.

Both of these routes have very specific evidential and procedural requirements; for example, confirming a child’s citizenship often depends on whether the US citizen parent meets certain physical-presence requirements under US law, as outlined by the USCIS. Whereas spouse and parental petitions require coordination between USCIS, the National Visa Center, and the relevant embassy, which often operate on different timelines and protocols.

In certain circumstances, US military personnel stationed in Europe may also be eligible for Direct Consular Filing (DCF). This allows petitions to be filed directly through a US embassy or consulate rather than through domestic USCIS offices, which can significantly reduce the overall processing time. 

This is where our team can help, as trying to understand where your case fits is essential for reducing delays and ensuring filings and documentation are completed correctly and quickly. 

What are the common difficulties for military families 

When you’re trying to return to the United States, either from active duty or retirement, navigating immigration for your family members can present several challenges, such as: 

• Order changes
• Redeployment 
• Embassy priorities due to civilian cases 
• Children born in other countries 

Without careful planning and legal oversight, these challenges can cause unnecessary disruption or even result in a family needing to split before being able to enter lawfully in the United States.

Naturalization and Citizenship for Military Families

For many military families, the immigration process doesn’t end once a visa or green card has been approved; rather, the next step is often citizenship, which can often bring its own complexities. 

You and your dependents may be eligible to apply for naturalization more quickly than civilians, and in some cases, you may be able to begin the process while stationed abroad. However, understanding your eligibility and when to apply is key, particularly when deployments or future postings could affect the process.

You may be eligible for naturalization if:

• You are a US lawful permanent resident currently serving, or who has served, in the US armed forces.
• You have held permanent residence for the required period under immigration law
• You meet the good moral character and English language standards.
• You have completed the necessary period of continuous residence or physical presence, or qualify for an exemption due to military service.
• You are applying either while stationed abroad or after returning to the United States.

Expedited Naturalization

If you are stationed outside the US, your spouse may be eligible for expedited naturalization, especially if you know that your PCS orders are about to come through.

You may be eligible for expedited naturalisation if:

• You and your spouse are over 18 years old. 
• You wish to establish your spouse as a US citizen 
• You are authorised to accompany your spouse abroad 
• Declare in good faith upon naturalization an intent to reside abroad with your U.S. citizen spouse and to reside in the U.S. immediately upon your spouse’s termination of service abroad
• Have been, and continue to be, a person of good moral character, attached to the principles of the U.S. Constitution and well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the U.S. during all relevant periods under the law.

If you need help or are unsure about expedited naturalization, speak to our team, who are experts in ensuring your case is filed correctly and effectively for a smooth process. 

How Blue Lake Law supports military families 

At Blue Lake Law, we work closely with service members and their families across Europe to keep immigration cases on track, ensuring that your case is handled quickly and efficiently, due to the quick changing nature of a military calendar. Whether your spouse’s visa is caught up in consular processing, if a PCS move is about to interrupt an application, or if you’re trying to finalise your family’s citizenship before redeployment, we make ensure your application keeps moving in the right direction. 

If your posting is about to change or you’re planning to return to the United States

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