Hi,
I am a French citizen, arrived in the US in January 09 on a visa waiver program. My American boyfriend then asked me to marry him and we got married in March, before my visa expired, so we would not have to be apart.
Since that, my husband still has not done the papers to ajust my status and threatens me not to sign them if I do not obey to him. Unfortunately, I have no way to prove the emotional abuse I am going through everyday and I am now in a very bad situation, being illegal (althoug married to a citizen) in this country.
Today he told me he would sign at one condition: going back to France on vacation in December. As much as I would like to go back to see my family, I am afraid it is illegal to leave the US before the immigration services allow me to do so. What can I do? How long does it take after sending the petition to be allowed to travel?
Is there anything I can do? Hire a lawyer to fight him? I did not marry him to get the papers but now that I started studying again and I would just like to be able to stay here until I finish my studies... And I would like to go back to my country legally. After everything he put me through, I should not be the one suffering even more from the situation...Plus he would win the divorce for abandon of our marriage.
Please help me, I am really going crazy with this and I need to get out of this terrible situation...Thank you in advance.

