Oh Dear Oh Dear Oh Dear

[Casey_03]

I suppose all I can really do is raise a big fuss and tell them they are blocking me from getting to a safe place from an abuser. That might do the trick.

 

[Casey_03]

@Suzetig He is a U.S. citizen, but they said they can't issue the birth certificate until I get the divorce paperwork. They didn't say they'd deny me the birth certificate, they are just demanding I get paperwork that I can't get. I'd have to hire a lawyer to act as a proxy and pay that person to travel to the village in Russia where I got married and get the documents. But even through the Russian registration office, they can take up to three months to give me that paperwork.

 

[Suzetig]

It sounds like they're getting you to evidence you meet the criteria for a child born abroad to acquire citizenship. You've been in Russia for a long time now and I know that where one parent is non-US citizen there's a residence requirement for the U.S. that needs to be satisfied before they'll issue a child born abroad record, could that be why theyre asking for proof of residence?

In any event, it may be worth getting some support Stateside to negotiate your way through, that's generally been the most helpful thing for folk I've known who have got a bit stuck in the process.

Making a big fuss might help but the U.S. Government can be sticklers for process.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I'd have to hire a lawyer to act as a proxy and pay that person to travel to the village in Russia where I got married and get the documents.

Why? It was in the same country in which you currently live, right?

Here the divorce records is public record and you dont, i.dont think, have to pay to gain that record.

Why cant you go onto their website and get it? And you dont have to go to him, right? Just the village you got married, their "city courthouse" like area, right? If so, why pay a 3rd party or even a laywer? Usually Id advise a laywer on legal stuff but this is just obtaining divorce records.

 

[Casey_03]

There's only one parent, period, and that's me, as a U.S. citizen. I have an affidavit identifying me as the sole parent. But I know they have asked for the same things from other Americans who've had kids here and did not spend as much time living abroad. As far as I know, for this embassy, it's standard procedure to demand proof of residence in the U.S. It's just that in my situation, that proof is not so easy to come by.

I guess I will have to hire a lawyer to assist me with this. So the whole relocation will have to wait about a year now.

 

[Casey_03]

Why? It was in the same country in which you currently live, right?

Here the divorce records is public record and you dont, i.dont think, have to pay to gain that record.

Why cant you go onto their website and get it? And you dont have to go to him, right? Just the village you got married, their "city courthouse" like area, right? If so, why pay a 3rd party or even a laywer? Usually Id advise a laywer on legal stuff but this is just obtaining divorce records.

It was in a different country than where I live now. I'd have to pay to get the record because they will only release it to me, but as I can't leave my baby alone in Ukraine, I'd have to hire a lawyer to act as a proxy for me to get it -- which means big fees. I cannot physically travel to Russia to get the records myself.

And no, they don't have a website. Russia's not very technologically advanced when it comes to these things, especially not small villages.

 

[Crow]

A friend long ago worked with this nonprofit. Try emailing them to see if they can help bypass some of the embassy red tape. They may be able to advocate for you in Russia at no cost. Who knows.

http://www.immigrationadvocacy.com

 

[Ellabella44]

sorry you have to go through all of this b.s. hoping the link crowfeather posted can help you.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Bleh @Casey_03, Im sorry! :hug:

 

[Tinyflame]

Medical records/ therapist, dental records/ work, driver's licence, social security/ disability payment records?

Prayers @casey :hug: .

 

[joeylittle]

What are eligible for work records? (I'm assuming residency won't cut it...so no leases or anything). I remember you said you worked for the Chicago PD, I know it would have been awhile ago but those sorts of records usually stick around. Would tax returns work?

You are going back to the US to care for your grandmother, also - will they grant you a hardship exemption if you take a few steps (like securing a lawyer for divorce paperwork)?

 

[Casey_03]

@joeylittle Tax returns would work but the IRS charges for them and only offers them going back so far. To get the really old ones, older than 10 years, it will take a pretty long time (the older records are only available through snail mail).... so it's an option, but either way I will have to postpone the relocation now. So I lose about $1500 in airfare for the nonrefundable ticket and have a lot of pissed off relatives who don't understand the bureaucratic mess I'm in.

i have another appointment today at the embassy, so I'm hoping they will show me pity. But they're bureaucrats, so I doubt they will.

I'm not sure about a hardship exemption. I really have no idea how that would work, but can ask them. The real problem here is that any steps I can take will require money and time that I don't have. It's funny, part of the reason I want to get the hell out of Eastern Europe is to escape the dreadful bureaucracy that living here entails, but now I'm ensnared in the same mess with the U.S. Embassy. Oh, life is funny sometimes.