First post here , so hello to everyone
OK so i have been a little naughty shock
Met a girl in the US while on holiday, and got married!, that was 3 years ago, have a kid now!.
OK from the money side of things we have gotten by as i can freelance via the Internet my skills.
So here is the problem, my passport ran out, I did send it back to the UK to get renewed, but the family member i sent it to apparently lost it. ( that was 12 months ago)
So i am here in the US very happy, and saving to get my status changed, although i understand i am legally able to stay under my wife's right as a US citizen.
I realize i cant travel back to the UK until i get all this status changing sorted out, however i would like to be able to get a new passport. Any ideas on what to do.
Feel free to dish out a little abuse for me being very irresponsible in the beginning.
Tony
Can't you contact the British Embassy in Washington and tell them that you lost it? The turnaround is very quick.
If i had thought about doing this a year ago , my problem is that the passport would have expired by now. but i will call them anyway and see whats what, on a 'lost' passport.
thanks
i understand i am legally able to stay under my wife's right as a US citizen.
where are you getting your advice from? As I understand it, you are only legally able to stay if you have a valid visa or greencard. You should be able to get one fairly easily as the husband of a USC -I think overstays are "forgiven"- but won't you need your I94 to adjust status? which is presumably in your lost passport and is certainly connected to it?
that maybe an issue you need to address.
regarding the lost passport, though, just go on the passport agency website -there's a form and instructions about applying for a replacement. oh, and plan a horrible death for that relative -I suspect they may have cause you more trouble than you know, yet.
good luck and welcome, by the way, and please note that I am absolutely NOT AN EXPERT in this field in any way, shape or form....
I suspect they wouldn't care. A lot of people who reside abroad(whether legally or not) have expired passports and then they renew them, its just that you lost yours as well! Also, your immigration status in the US is none of their business, so don't worry about that.
If i had thought about doing this a year ago , my problem is that the passport would have expired by now. but i will call them anyway and see whats what, on a 'lost' passport.
thanks
Thankyou for all the advise and support.
This has been a nerve racking few months.
I printed out the forms today, and am going to visit the local Plod to file a missing passport case (as suggested ), then will get the police report and form sent off.
I would definitely listen to advice given here. You most definitely cannot stay here just because you are married, you have to be here under certain circumstances. If you came here for a visit you either have to adjust your status, or go back to the UK and apply from there. But at least you should be able to renew your passport without any trouble.
I am currently saving up to get a lawyer to sort the adjustment out for me. i am about 80% of the way there, i got quoted about $2500 for it.
If you're pushed for cash, its not that difficult to do it yourself as long as you can decipher the legal mumbo jumbo. I did the whole greencard/citizenship myself. My company tried to get me to use a lawyer right at the start of the GC process, but after a few weeks I discovered he was completely useless and they got rid of him. At least they paid for it.
I am currently saving up to get a lawyer to sort the adjustment out for me. i am about 80% of the way there, i got quoted about $2500 for it.
but chips is currently illegal, and has been for a while. Might be safer with a lawyer, no?
$2,500 seems a lot for the initial filing to adjust, though
Well here is the thing.
After our child was born I went to see a lawyer, (the one who quoted $2.5k) And her comment was My wife as an american had a legal right to have her husband with her. And that currently I would not get kicked out unless i did something illegal (NOt including staying here) .
Anyway The cost was to make me a permanaent resident(?) so i can work, have a SS# etc, and uncle Sam can charge me lots of Tax.
I will hopefully have enough money in the next couple of month to finally sort all of this, I downloaded the forms now, and am off to the local plod to get the report filled.
But again thank you for all the advise so far, and I will look to be able to post more on the board
if the lawyer told you otherwise, she'd have lost a client ;)
your wife may have a legal right, but in order to retain it, she needs to follow the legal procedures....
technically, you are illegal and can be deported just for being here illegally. But it is unlikely to happen. that said, three years is an awful long time to have not been paying taxes. part of the process includes proof of financial support, I understand. Did you go to any other lawyers for quotes?
I would not get kicked out unless i did something illegal
like not paying tax on your earnings? Working without a permit?
really, I'm not out to get you, dude, I'm trying to make sure you understand/think about exactly what you're into here. It just ain't easy to immigrate -even through marriage.
good luck to you
Ah you assume both, when neither are.
but chips is currently illegal, and has been for a while. Might be safer with a lawyer, no?
$2,500 seems a lot for the initial filing to adjust, though
Thats what I thought. Does that include the actual filing fee? Would he be able to just get advice about what to do instead of having the lawyer dot the i's and cross the t's of every application form? Surely if the lawyer said, "yeah, you need to file form xyz and then go to the interview" instead of micro managing the process, it might cost a lot less.