American Wife, British Husband living together in Tbilisi, Georgia

[satmanuk 1]

Good afternoon all

My wife and I were married in February 2015, we have been living together since July 2012 consistently. January 2013 we moved to Tbilisi Georgia because it was the only place we can live and work.

We submitted all our documents back in March but were rejected because we didn't pay the I-130 fee, we sent the package back to her mother in Wisconsin, she included a bank cheque and submitted to Chicago Lockbox, who in turn passed it on to California.

June 3rd they confirmend our I-130 had been completed and we should wait for New Hampshire.

July 29th New Hampshire wrote to us via Switzerland to Georgia we received the confirmation letter on September 9th. I sent $120 to my wife's US Bank account on the 12th, cleared and payment made on the 15th. On the same day I completed my agent selection form.

How long should it take before we submit the I-834 and the I-834a's.

As I understand it, because Jennifer hasn't been working in the USA she has $0 on 3 years W2.

Her mother earned $23,500 last year which given a 3 person household is below the legal requirement of $25,000. Therefore her Grandmother will be joint sponsor with her mother given they live together anyway and we will be "staying in their house".

How long should it be before I can either pay the IV fee or complete the DS-260 and then pay the IV fee which order is correct. Why would they be sending documents via Switzerland it seems 6 weeks wait for a package is a long time do they send surface or airmail for their packages?

What chance is their of us getting the process completed before Thanksgiving we already have all the supporting documentations but we don't have a bar-code number to submit it. This barcode number is automatically generated with the PDF is this online - or do we have to post all the documents from Georgia to New Hampshire?

The process is so frustratingly slow I know they are busy and are inundated with applications, but if they allowed documents to be uploaded as a jpg or pdf or whatever it would go much quicker than postal applications internationally.

One last thing - the I-864 package do they send us something before we send it to them or is it done by email or do we just download pdf's and send them.

If I get information in the meantime I will update it here.

Thanks

Stuart

[Kastrs 723]

I would recommend you read http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/National_Visa_Center it should answer most of your questions

It takes up to 30 days to review your DS261, meaning it should have been reviewed by now. You can send your AoS and IV package (you must mail it in follow the instructions in your welcome letter) as soon as you have the barcoded welcome letter (seems like you have it).

You should be able to pay the IV fee a couple days after the DS261 is completed, and as soon as the IV fee is marked as paid you should be able to complete the DS260. (both done online via ceac portal)

[satmanuk 1]

Hi

I would recommend you read http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/National_Visa_Center it should answer most of your questions

It takes up to 30 days to review your DS261, meaning it should have been reviewed by now. You can send your AoS and IV package (you must mail it in follow the instructions in your welcome letter) as soon as you have the barcoded welcome letter (seems like you have it).

You should be able to pay the IV fee a couple days after the DS261 is completed, and as soon as the IV fee is marked as paid you should be able to complete the DS260. (both done online via ceac portal)

I realized now the barcode they were quoting is on the NVC welcome letter I assume it doesn't matter which welcome letter we send back mine or Jennifer's they both have the Bar code on them. On Tuesday her mother is going to the Tax Office asking for her 2013 W2 she has 2014 and 2012, but not 2013. We have her grandmother's full 3 year W2 Transcript. So we just send my police certificate's from Georgia and the UK, scanned copy of my passport, copy of wedding certificate translation, Birth Certificate (does it really matter if its a Full one or a Short one I have a short one with a full one in the postfrom the UKt. If I scan all the documents send them to her mother and have her print them out and post them is that allowed or are we better to send the originals in the post?

Stuart - I will check the link out now.

Stuart

[Kastrs 723]

You will present the originals at the visa interview. It is best to send high quality copies of your documents. Only the AoS I864 form needs your original signature. I believe you need the long form birth certificate.

[satmanuk 1]

Given I have an NVC paper invoice for the AOS will they still generate an online barcode so I can send that to Jennifer's mother, it would speed things up so much if we can print and post everything stateside rather than relying on international post (it was only 1 week to post but for USA its next day..I will wait for my full birth certificate to come from the UK in the mail and then scan it and add it to the package.

Thanks for your help Kastrs I hope everything goes smoothly for you in a couple of weeks

Stuart

You will present the originals at the visa interview. It is best to send high quality copies of your documents. Only the AoS I864 form needs your original signature. I believe you need the long form birth certificate.

[Kastrs 723]

Yes you will still get an online barcode, you can use any barcode really to send your documents in, they just need a way to match what you send in with your case

and thank you, i hope your journey goes smooth as well

[satmanuk 1]

Thanks very much we will keep you updated - we have a friend here going through K1 same sex marriage visa and they have their interview next week so it will be good to know some of the questions they ask.

I expect that Tbilisi's embassy is less crowded and subscribed than Packistan / Islamabad I think its a bigger country. That said my friend said she managed to get the last appointment for seemed like 6 months but as I understand it, the interview is issued for you, you don't book it - is that correct?

Is it likely a small country of just 3m people would have a 6 month waiting list to see the embassy?

Stuart

Yes you will still get an online barcode, you can use any barcode really to send your documents in, they just need a way to match what you send in with your case

and thank you, i hope your journey goes smooth as well

[*Snowdrop* 603]

Just to check - for your joint sponsor who are you counting in the household? You said a three-person household? You're not counting your wife in that are you? Does her mother have other dependents?

[satmanuk 1]

We are couting my wife (she has to be counted as Spnsor I assume given she must maintain a permanant domicile residence in the USA), her mother and her Grandmother (all live in the same house). My mother in law and grandmother in law are the ones filing the I-834a with my wife filing the I-834.

I assume that's correct?

Just to check - for your joint sponsor who are you counting in the household? You said a three-person household? You're not counting your wife in that are you? Does her mother have other dependents?

No her mother has no other dependent, but my wife's Grandmother lives in the same house and as my wife mother's doesn't earn enough on her own to cover the 3 person in the house rule ($1500 short), we are counting her grandmother's $17,000 income also.

My wife has $0 earnings, $0 in savings and $0 in investments or property in the USA.

Her mother earned $23,500 last year and her grandmother about $17,000.

Stuart

[Boiler 43,392]

I did not think you could aggregate.

What is the basis of your presence in georgia, tourists?

[satmanuk 1]

Stupid Question

My wife and I have been living together for 3 years but her permanent residence has always been maintained as her mothers house. Given her Grandmother also lives in the same house how many household members are required for the AOS I-864? Do we can't her grand mother because she has her own income is it just dependent's if we count grandmother is she entitled to support me along with her mother by filing a seperate I-864a?

Her mother only earns $23,500 so its $1500 below the 125% mark for 3 people, but it fits within 2 people $20,000.

Her grandmother earned about $17,000 a year to total household income is $40,000.

Stuart

[Ryan H 3,790]

Will you and your wife be living at her mother's house initially? I ask because the answer to your question will depend on the answer to this one.

[satmanuk 1]

Well her mother offered to pay for the initial month and deposit for our own apartment, but initially we are going have to live with her because until we get jobs we don't have the finance to live alone. but her mother's mother won't allow our dogs to live at her house and the cost of kennelling them short term is more than the monthly rent on an apartment.

Lets say for the at least the first 2-3 days we will be with her mother does that make sense?

Would it impact the visa application if once we move to the US we get our own place (providing we are self sufficient?

Will you and your wife be living at her mother's house initially? I ask because the answer to your question will depend on the answer to this one.

[*Snowdrop* 603]

Someone else may be able to correct me but if your mother-in-law is acting as joint sponsor then her household size for the purpose of the AOS is herself plus you plus any dependents.

If your wife and the grandmother are not your mother-in-law's dependents and she has no other dependents or immigrants she has sponsored before then the household size is 2.

In which case you are good to go with just her income.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Trellick

[Ryan H 3,790]

Well her mother offered to pay for the initial month and deposit for our own apartment, but initially we are going have to live with her because until we get jobs we don't have the finance to live alone. but her mother's mother won't allow our dogs to live at her house and the cost of kennelling them short term is more than the monthly rent on an apartment.

Lets say for the at least the first 2-3 days we will be with her mother does that make sense?

Would it impact the visa application if once we move to the US we get our own place (providing we are self sufficient?

From what I'm reading, mother's household size is only 2 (her and intending immigrant). Just because grandmother lives under the same roof doesn't mean she counts in mother's household size. So under this scenario, your wife fills out an I-864 and mother as a joint sponsor fills out an I-864. Household size is two for both.

Someone else may be able to correct me but if your mother-in-law is acting as joint sponsor then her household size for the purpose of the AOS is herself plus you plus any dependents.

If your wife and the grandmother are not your mother-in-law's dependents and she has no other dependents or immigrants she has sponsored before then the household size is 2.

In which case you are good to go with just her income.

Correct