many questions

[ArthurDent 0]

It's important to understand that the USCIS operators with whom you can speak on the phone, don't know anything about how things work except what they can read from scripts. Often, they just make it up as they go along to avoid saying, I don't know. The I-130 has not expired and neither have the instructions for it. The expiration date you see is not for the form. It's for the OMB comment period for the form. If you can get a US issued check attached to your stack before it goes to the lockbox, you would be wise.

USCIS. We don't call it the misinformation line for nothing.

Thanks again to all who have helped out and provided me with information. I have been able to secure a check from a US bank, so the issue of payment is no longer an issue. I really don't want to get held up over something like that. But now I have a question about providing evidence of a bona fide marriage. As per the i-130 instructions, I should submit documentation showing joint ownership or property; or a lease showing tenancy of a common residence; or documentation showing co-mingling of financial resources; or birth certificates of children you had together; or affadavits sworn to or affirmed...; or any other relevant documentation to establish that there is an ongoing martial union.

Now, we don't have any property and the place we live at is only under her name. She has wired some money to my US bank account to take advantage of the current exchange rate and that money will stay there until we get to the US and can get a bank account for her. We have no children. Not sure where I could get these affadavits. The other relevant documentation is plentiful. So what I would like to know is would the following be sufficient:

Emails and messages dating back from 2008. There is a gap from 9/2009 to 3/2010 because most of our communication was via our cell phone emails, will this gap cause a problem?

Pictures of us together from 2009 to present day with dates and locations listed.

A document from my university showing that she became my guarantor in 2010.

copies of the money order slips that she used to send money to my account in America.

A certificate from the local city hall showing that we reside at the same address and shows the date that we moved in together which was in 2010.

Will this be enough information? If not, what other information could I provide? Thanks again all!

[Ryan H 3,790]

So what I would like to know is would the following be sufficient:

Emails and messages dating back from 2008. There is a gap from 9/2009 to 3/2010 because most of our communication was via our cell phone emails, will this gap cause a problem?

Pictures of us together from 2009 to present day with dates and locations listed.

A document from my university showing that she became my guarantor in 2010.

copies of the money order slips that she used to send money to my account in America.

A certificate from the local city hall showing that we reside at the same address and shows the date that we moved in together which was in 2010.

Will this be enough information? If not, what other information could I provide? Thanks again all!

This should be sufficient, although, if you have phone records showing the cell phone email exchange from 9/2009 to 3/2010, I would suggest including those records. USCIS will not expect you to have the items you referenced in the instructions.

[ArthurDent 0]

This should be sufficient, although, if you have phone records showing the cell phone email exchange from 9/2009 to 3/2010, I would suggest including those records. USCIS will not expect you to have the items you referenced in the instructions.

I don't know if I can get that, but I am going to try. I am going to try to find a photo or 2 from that time period as well. At least that would prove to be photographic evidence that we were communicating during that time. If I am unable to attain those records, do you think it would cause the petition to be rejected?

[ArthurDent 0]

Hi guys,

Well, I sent off the packet at the end of March and I received an email on March 29th saying that I should receive something via post within 7-10 days. It is now April 13th and I have yet to receive anything. I called the customer service center and they said I should contact them if I haven't gotten anything within 30 days. I am living out of the country and I know that can slow things down a bit, but it shouldn't be that much longer than a couple of days extra. What do you recommend I should do?

Also, I have a question about the I-864/I-864EZ. I am starting to fill these forms out, so that when I do get the notice saying that I need to send it in I can have it ready to go. But, I would like to know if I can fill out the EZ or not. My assumption is that I cannot, but I just want to confirm. As I am living out of the country and have not had any US income for the last 6 years or so, I am going to have to have my parents fill out one of these forms as well. One of the criteria for the EZ form is that the income I am using to qualify is based entirely on my salary. Am I correct in understanding that this would not be true in my case as I am going to be asking my parents to fill out one of these forms as well, thus making them a sponsor? Thanks in advance guys.

EDIT: Also, in the first section of the I-864 where is asks for the basis of support, should I tick that I am the petitioner and my parents tick that they are the first or the second of a joint sponsor? Or, should I tick that I am the first of the joint sponsors?

Edited April 12, 2012 by ArthurDent

[ArthurDent 0]

I couldn't find the edit button for my previous post :S. Anyhow, sorry to double post, but I have another question about the I-864. Where I am calculating household size, it tells me not to count anyone twice. It asks about the persons I am sponsoring, this is 1. Then it says persons NOT sponsored in the affadavit, which includes myself (naturally), but it says to enter 1 if I am married. The problem is my wife is the one who I am sponsoring, so should that number be 0 (as if it is one she would be counted twice)? It seems logical that it should be 0, but I just want confirmation. Thanks again guys.

I hope I can find the edit button next time :/.

[Ryan H 3,790]

I couldn't find the edit button for my previous post :S. Anyhow, sorry to double post, but I have another question about the I-864. Where I am calculating household size, it tells me not to count anyone twice. It asks about the persons I am sponsoring, this is 1. Then it says persons NOT sponsored in the affadavit, which includes myself (naturally), but it says to enter 1 if I am married. The problem is my wife is the one who I am sponsoring, so should that number be 0 (as if it is one she would be counted twice)? It seems logical that it should be 0, but I just want confirmation. Thanks again guys.

I hope I can find the edit button next time :/.

You have correctly concluded that you should enter 0 in the space you are asking about.

Regarding the edit button, you have 5 minutes to edit a post after it is posted, once those 5 minutes pass, the edit button will disappear.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Ryan H

[pushbrk 12,107]

Hi guys,

Well, I sent off the packet at the end of March and I received an email on March 29th saying that I should receive something via post within 7-10 days. It is now April 13th and I have yet to receive anything. I called the customer service center and they said I should contact them if I haven't gotten anything within 30 days. I am living out of the country and I know that can slow things down a bit, but it shouldn't be that much longer than a couple of days extra. What do you recommend I should do?

Also, I have a question about the I-864/I-864EZ. I am starting to fill these forms out, so that when I do get the notice saying that I need to send it in I can have it ready to go. But, I would like to know if I can fill out the EZ or not. My assumption is that I cannot, but I just want to confirm. As I am living out of the country and have not had any US income for the last 6 years or so, I am going to have to have my parents fill out one of these forms as well. One of the criteria for the EZ form is that the income I am using to qualify is based entirely on my salary. Am I correct in understanding that this would not be true in my case as I am going to be asking my parents to fill out one of these forms as well, thus making them a sponsor? Thanks in advance guys.

EDIT: Also, in the first section of the I-864 where is asks for the basis of support, should I tick that I am the petitioner and my parents tick that they are the first or the second of a joint sponsor? Or, should I tick that I am the first of the joint sponsors?

You are the petitioner. Your parents' head of household is the only joint sponsor. The second parent provides an I-864a unless all the income on their tax return can be documented as the first parent's income. The second parent is the "household member".

No, you cannot use the EZ version.

Edited April 13, 2012 by pushbrk

[ArthurDent 0]

Thanks for all your help guys. Any thoughts on what I should do about not getting the hardcopy of the NOA1 in the mail, even though their email indicates I should have gotten it already?

Edited April 13, 2012 by ArthurDent

[pushbrk 12,107]

Thanks for all your help guys. Any thoughts on what I should do about not getting the hardcopy of the NOA1 in the mail, even though their email indicates I should have gotten it already?

Do nothing. Even if it never comes, no worries as long as you got the email confirmation with the case number.

[ArthurDent 0]

Do nothing. Even if it never comes, no worries as long as you got the email confirmation with the case number.

Thanks! I actually got it in the mail today. They haven't requested the DS-230 or the I-864s just yet, so I will just keep working on them. Will update/ask more questions later. Thanks again guys!

[pushbrk 12,107]

Thanks! I actually got it in the mail today. They haven't requested the DS-230 or the I-864s just yet, so I will just keep working on them. Will update/ask more questions later. Thanks again guys!

It will be an entirely different "they' months from now that request the DS-230 and I-864. Those don't go to USCIS.

[trojam227 18]

Thanks! I actually got it in the mail today. They haven't requested the DS-230 or the I-864s just yet, so I will just keep working on them. Will update/ask more questions later. Thanks again guys!

Now that you have NOA1, it's unlikely you will hear anything more until you get NOA2...this is the point where you wait for months until your petition reaches the front of the line. All the other forms & docs will be requested by the NVC once your petition gets forwarded to their office. Take these next several months to have your wife start collecting her documents she will need to send in later. Read up about what vaccines might be required, research how the NVC process works because it moves much quicker at that point. And most important, enjoy spending time with your wife and don't get too stressed with the process.

[ArthurDent 0]

Now that you have NOA1, it's unlikely you will hear anything more until you get NOA2...this is the point where you wait for months until your petition reaches the front of the line. All the other forms & docs will be requested by the NVC once your petition gets forwarded to their office. Take these next several months to have your wife start collecting her documents she will need to send in later. Read up about what vaccines might be required, research how the NVC process works because it moves much quicker at that point. And most important, enjoy spending time with your wife and don't get too stressed with the process.

Thanks! I actually got an email today saying that they have forwarded it on to the NVC! I am glad to hear that things are progressing quickly at the moment. I do have a question about the I-864. I am filling mine out and on line 22-23 it is asking about my employment and current income. Since my current employment and income is outside of the US and cannot be applied as part of the sponsorship, should I fill this section out or put N/A? The instructions state "Enter your current individual earned or retirement annual income that you are using to meet the requirements of this form and indicate the total on this line." However, since my income cannot be used I am not sure what to put here. Logic again says 0 or N/A, but I am probably wrong. TIA guys!

[pushbrk 12,107]

Thanks! I actually got an email today saying that they have forwarded it on to the NVC! I am glad to hear that things are progressing quickly at the moment. I do have a question about the I-864. I am filling mine out and on line 22-23 it is asking about my employment and current income. Since my current employment and income is outside of the US and cannot be applied as part of the sponsorship, should I fill this section out or put N/A? The instructions state "Enter your current individual earned or retirement annual income that you are using to meet the requirements of this form and indicate the total on this line." However, since my income cannot be used I am not sure what to put here. Logic again says 0 or N/A, but I am probably wrong. TIA guys!

I would enter "Employed abroad. Income will not continue." and then enter zero for the dollar amount.

[ArthurDent 0]

I would enter "Employed abroad. Income will not continue." and then enter zero for the dollar amount.

Excellent! That was all I needed. Thanks!