AOS: had J-1 visa and 2-home residency rule

[NataliaChicago 0]

Hello VJ community!

I am a Russian citizen currently on B1/B2 visa and married to a USC.

As a Fulbright scholar, I was on a J-1 visa back in 2007-2009, after my program ended I returned to Russia and lived there for more than two years, with occasional trips abroad.

My question is whether I need to provide this information (about previously issued J-1 visa and fulfillment of two-year rule requirement) somewhere in the cover letter? Ir is it somewhat irrelevant to my current visa? If I need to provide this information, how do I prove that I fulfilled the 2-year requirement? I can make color copies of my foreign visas and stamps on the sustoms control, with a breakdown of dates I was out of the country and the total I lived in Russia. Or is it redundant?

I would appreciate any comments!

Thanks!

Natalia

[sofya 10]

Natalia, I'd suggest putting in a cover letter an explanation - when you had your J-1, for what program, when you fulfilled your 2YHRR and ALL THE DAYS you were outside of Russia during that period. Yes, keep all your passport stamps handy - I had to submit those as proof of my in-country/out-of-country presence, and the consular officer actually counted all the days I was out of Russia to make sure I indeed had 2 years total.

Other than that you should be fine. I strongly recommend submitting the information in the cover letter AND copies of your passport pages with your AOS package. This will save you time, because otherwise most definitely you'll get RFE'd for this information.

[NataliaChicago 0]

Thank you!

I will do as you advise! Luckily, I have my old passport handy!

Natalia, I'd suggest putting in a cover letter an explanation - when you had your J-1, for what program, when you fulfilled your 2YHRR and ALL THE DAYS you were outside of Russia during that period. Yes, keep all your passport stamps handy - I had to submit those as proof of my in-country/out-of-country presence, and the consular officer actually counted all the days I was out of Russia to make sure I indeed had 2 years total.

Other than that you should be fine. I strongly recommend submitting the information in the cover letter AND copies of your passport pages with your AOS package. This will save you time, because otherwise most definitely you'll get RFE'd for this information.

[NataliaChicago 0]

I have read some posts about people getting RFEs regarding their previous J-1 and 2-year home residency rule. I was wondering what kind of evidence would be enough to prove that I have completed the requirement. Would it be sufficient to provide color copies of all my entry/exit stampts to/from Russia?

Any advice would be highly appreciated!

Nataila

[grrrrreat 109]

I have read some posts about people getting RFEs regarding their previous J-1 and 2-year home residency rule. I was wondering what kind of evidence would be enough to prove that I have completed the requirement. Would it be sufficient to provide color copies of all my entry/exit stampts to/from Russia?

Any advice would be highly appreciated!

Nataila

Yes, that would be best. You could supplement that with old boarding passes if you happened to keep them. If you were really neurotic about it, you could submit proof that you were living and working or studying in Russia during that two-year time period. (Pay stubs, leases or mortgages, transcripts if you were in school etc.)

[NataliaChicago 0]

Yes, that would be best. You could supplement that with old boarding passes if you happened to keep them. If you were really neurotic about it, you could submit proof that you were living and working or studying in Russia during that two-year time period. (Pay stubs, leases or mortgages, transcripts if you were in school etc.)

Well I'm very neurotic about this whole application, to say the least. I didn't keep anu boarding passes, as who knew I would need them? I didn't have plans to stay here and never thought of any evidence. My passport is the only thing I can use as evidence now. So I just wrote a letter of explanation where I included a table with all my travels outside of Russia and gave the date when I completed the 2-year rule requirement.

I could have obtained proof about my work/studies back in my home country but as I'm not physically in Russia, it would be super complicated and take forever. And I just can't wait to get this whole package out of the way. Hopefully, passport stamps would suffice.

Thank you for your support!