so sad

[Lucie12345 0]

I don't know what to do, I'm so sad, so frustrated. We try so hard, we just want to be able to be together and be happy and start our lives and I feel like every step we take something happens, something goes wrong.

I thought they were processing our adjustment of status and work authorization, and that we only had 2 months max to wait and we just got a letter saying they needed proof that our joint sponsor is a US citizen and that they haven't even started processing it.

I just want to cry.

I tried looking at the instructions and I don't even know what they want. do they want a copy of a social security card of our joint sponsor? I don't know what to do. should I call the number and ask them? I don't even know how to get to a person that can help me

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

Don't worry, you'll figure it out. They need a copy of the joint sponsor's birth certificate (if they were born in the US), or their naturalization certificate if they're a naturalized citizen, or the front page of their passport (with their photo and all the vital info). A copy of one of those three documents should be enough. Good luck!

[jundp 191]

What exactly does the letter say? Proof of US citizenship should be copies of a US passport (all pages), a US Birth certificate, or a naturalization certificate. Do you have any of that for your sponsor? Have you tried an Infopass appointment to get more information?

Hang in there

[Earmuffs 1]

or just their passport.. thats what we used...

[Urge To Race 2]

Yes any one of the three should do. Relax, if you researched the process and other people's timelines, you will see that 2 months is far from the max. You would be lucky to have your GC 2 months after filing. Your AOS will be processed soon enough. Beats the wait for the visa, you two are together right?

What exactly does the letter say? Proof of US citizenship should be copies of a US passport (all pages), a US Birth certificate, or a naturalization certificate. Do you have any of that for your sponsor? Have you tried an Infopass appointment to get more information?

Hang in there

[Carlawarla 1]

I don't know what to do, I'm so sad, so frustrated. We try so hard, we just want to be able to be together and be happy and start our lives and I feel like every step we take something happens, something goes wrong.

I thought they were processing our adjustment of status and work authorization, and that we only had 2 months max to wait and we just got a letter saying they needed proof that our joint sponsor is a US citizen and that they haven't even started processing it.

I just want to cry.

I tried looking at the instructions and I don't even know what they want. do they want a copy of a social security card of our joint sponsor? I don't know what to do. should I call the number and ask them? I don't even know how to get to a person that can help me

Please let us know what exactly the letter says so that we can give you as much accurate information as possible. What you've been sent is an RFE, and the quicker you get the information they request back to them, the faster you'll get your EAD, AP, AOS! Usually once you've sent the information back, they're back on track to getting the applications moving.

I don't know where you got the information that your AOS and EAD was only 2 months max.

[John & Annie 0]

All of the form letters say that processing has stopped, but this is rarely the case.

AOS, regardless of RFE's can take a couple of months to a couple of years. There is no rhyme or reason.

Take it one step at a time and you will get through this process.

A US passport is the simplest form of proof of ones citizenship.

Best of luck on your journey.

John

[junior_g 0]

Hey guys,

I received one of those as well at the beginning of the year. They were asking for the same thing, we sent them a copy of the passport and about a month later I got my EAD, so it's really no biggie. It is one of the simplest things to get to them. It's much better than an RFE for some sort of financial evidence.

Be happy that you can be together now, it may seem like a long process, but they will resume the work as soon as they receive the requested information. And it's well worth it.

Hope you receive everything soon,

Abby & Phil

Edited July 29, 2008 by junior_g

[ddkm 0]

yeah i had that exact same RFE, total BS as it didnt say anywhere to include proof of the joint sponsors' citizenship. Just send them a copy of thier birth certificate, if they dont have a passport, asap then they will be back working on the case before you know it

[*JG* 2]

Just send in what they want and the process will continue for you.

I have to agree with what Carla said.....who said it was only 2 months? There are never any guarentees.

[StoryAngel 4]

yeah i had that exact same RFE, total BS as it didnt say anywhere to include proof of the joint sponsors' citizenship. Just send them a copy of thier birth certificate, if they dont have a passport, asap then they will be back working on the case before you know it

Actually, they DO say in the instructions for the I-864 (page 6) about the proof:

Proof of U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident status is required for joint and substitute sponsors

and for relatives of employment-based immigrants who file this form. Petitioning relatives who have already filed proof of their citizenship or immigration status with Forms I-130, Form I-129F, I-600 and I-600A do not need to submit proof of their status with this form.

Proof of U.S. citizen or national status includes a copy of your birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, consular report of birth abroad to citizen parents, or a copy of the biographic data page of your U.S. passport.

Proof of permanent resident status includes a photocopy ofboth sides of the "green card," Form I-551, Alien Registration Receipt Card/Permanent Resident Card; or a photocopy of an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp in either a foreign passport or a DHS Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Document.

It reiterates this again in the checklist on page 11...

Just for future reference if you come across someone else who asks!

[Lucie12345 0]

hey everyone

thanks so much for all the help and advice and support, I really appreciate it. I was just feeling really discouraged last night, but after reading everyone's responses I feel a lot better, thank you. It's really encouraging to hear from other people that are going through the same thing. Sometimes I just get down but it's nice to know there's so many other couples like us in the same situation that have had to go through the same things. Thanks for the kind words, it is so helpful.

about the whole 2 month thing... I know that the AOS can take years, I just meant that it had been about a month since they'd received our information, and I knew it was 90 days before you were supposed to get work authorization so I thought it was 2 more months for that.

the letter that we got says:

"The joint sponsor on form I-864, Affidavit of Support, must be a US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident in the US.

In order to process your application further, submit evidence of the joint sponsor's status."

after reading everyone's responses I think I just need to send a copy of our joint sponsor's (my former step-dad) passport. Is that right? They just want informtion about our joint sponsor, not me, right?

it's just weird because I checked and rechecked the lists so many times and tried so hard to ensure that I had everything, but even looking back at the instructions for the I-864 I don't see anything about including proof of citizenship. where do they tell you to do that?

anyways...thank you so much for your help. It's just hard because my husband really wants to be able to work in a job he likes and enjoys, and he's just getting pretty discouraged feeling like he can't do anything and it's just really hard for me to see.

but everyone's right, the most important thing is being together and I am so grateful for that.

Thanks

[Lucie12345 0]

yeah i had that exact same RFE, total BS as it didnt say anywhere to include proof of the joint sponsors' citizenship. Just send them a copy of thier birth certificate, if they dont have a passport, asap then they will be back working on the case before you know it

Actually, they DO say in the instructions for the I-864 (page 6) about the proof:

Proof of U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident status is required for joint and substitute sponsors

and for relatives of employment-based immigrants who file this form. Petitioning relatives who have already filed proof of their citizenship or immigration status with Forms I-130, Form I-129F, I-600 and I-600A do not need to submit proof of their status with this form.

Proof of U.S. citizen or national status includes a copy of your birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, consular report of birth abroad to citizen parents, or a copy of the biographic data page of your U.S. passport.

Proof of permanent resident status includes a photocopy ofboth sides of the "green card," Form I-551, Alien Registration Receipt Card/Permanent Resident Card; or a photocopy of an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp in either a foreign passport or a DHS Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Document.

It reiterates this again in the checklist on page 11...

Just for future reference if you come across someone else who asks!

crazy, I can't believe I missed that...I checked through everything so many times and put so much time putting everything together.

what is the best thing to send, a copy of the birth certificate, a copy of the biographic page of the US passport, or both?

thanks for telling me where it's at, I hope it helps other people in the future.

[Carlawarla 1]

hey everyone

thanks so much for all the help and advice and support, I really appreciate it. I was just feeling really discouraged last night, but after reading everyone's responses I feel a lot better, thank you. It's really encouraging to hear from other people that are going through the same thing. Sometimes I just get down but it's nice to know there's so many other couples like us in the same situation that have had to go through the same things. Thanks for the kind words, it is so helpful.

about the whole 2 month thing... I know that the AOS can take years, I just meant that it had been about a month since they'd received our information, and I knew it was 90 days before you were supposed to get work authorization so I thought it was 2 more months for that.the letter that we got says:

"The joint sponsor on form I-864, Affidavit of Support, must be a US citizen, US national, or Lawful Permanent Resident in the US.

In order to process your application further, submit evidence of the joint sponsor's status."

after reading everyone's responses I think I just need to send a copy of our joint sponsor's (my former step-dad) passport. Is that right? They just want informtion about our joint sponsor, not me, right?

it's just weird because I checked and rechecked the lists so many times and tried so hard to ensure that I had everything, but even looking back at the instructions for the I-864 I don't see anything about including proof of citizenship. where do they tell you to do that?

anyways...thank you so much for your help. It's just hard because my husband really wants to be able to work in a job he likes and enjoys, and he's just getting pretty discouraged feeling like he can't do anything and it's just really hard for me to see.

but everyone's right, the most important thing is being together and I am so grateful for that.

Thanks

I'm glad you know now what you have to send back and hope you can get that in the mail today! The faster it's in, the faster you'll get that EAD. I still want to point out however that EAD's are NORMALLY processed in ABOUT 90 days, but again, there is no guarantee. I really hope you do get it in this timeframe, but there is no guarantee.

Your husband can do lots of things! I don't know where you're living, but he could join some type of group in his community. Take a class, learn to cook, join the library, learn the transit system, garden...lots of things! He needs to keep busy, and the time will fly.

[GlobeHopperMama 95]

after reading everyone's responses I think I just need to send a copy of our joint sponsor's (my former step-dad) passport. Is that right? They just want informtion about our joint sponsor, not me, right?

Correct. On the instructions it says they don't need the petitioner's proof of citizenship because that should have been submitted with your I-130 (page 6 of the I-864). However, I sent a copy of my passport biographical info page again just in case...