I’m a US citizen and my husband is a UK citizen. When all of this happened, we were in the process of my UK spouse visa which i submitted my application and completed my biometrics for in February. We applied through the priority service which estimated 30 business days for processing. When VFS Global closed in March my process was on day 26. Now my application is paused until further notice. They returned my documents including passport until further instruction. This happened to everyone who had a processing application at that time.
Obviously there’s no telling when that process will begin again. It both depends on New York and the UK resuming some level of business... or some sort of exception being made which I am not hopeful about, though there are active petitions on the matter.
I’m wondering what we can do from here. My husband and I have been stranded apart from one another during this time.
Currently, he is still technically allowed to enter the US on his ESTA as he is my spouse and is considered exempt from the travel bans. However I have heard about some people having issues with this for various reasons.
It’s also a problem because he wouldn’t be able to work. He needs to have an income in order for my visa application to be valid.
He’s thinking about asking his boss if he could be placed on a US project and be transferred through work, as he is with a company that has locations internationally.
This or, if it this drags out any longer, I wonder about the logistics of him applying for an entirely different US-based job?
I found the recent immigration ban that trump imposed to be very unclear, would he be unable to get a work visa of any kind? Even as a transfer?
Since our intention was not to come to the US, I am unclear on what options there are for us and what our rights are as a married couple.
Are there any permits that he could apply for that would allow him to legally continue working for us UK-based office remotely whilst in the US?
Or are there any other options for me to get to the UK?
Are there any petitions or forms for exemption that can be applied for?
I understand the risks of travel right now. Initially we had decided to stay where we are due to this as it was not emergent, but once this spans past 6, 7, months... we need to do something as a couple. I don’t want to debate travel here - we have devised a personal plan so that we are at least not putting others at risk en route and have quarantine locations on the other end. But that’s besides the point. I also need to state that while this is a question about my personal situation, we are not alone, I hope that any answers can help inform others who are in our position as well.
Thank you
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/immigration/comments/g9fewi/what_options_do_we_have_as_a_married_couple/