Foreign Mail/Address Questions

[cloclo2 3]

I am starting to work on the I-130 paperwork and feeling really overwhelmed over which address to use. I am the USC living abroad with my husband in Mali. From what I have seen on VJ, it is to our advantage time-wise to use our foreign address. But I am worried because it would be near impossible for us to receive mail here due to really unreliable infrastructure.

So I guess my questions are:

1. How are RFEs sent? From what I read they send a text message first and then a letter with details after.

2. So what would happen if we found out we had an RFE and then couldn't receive the letter detailing how to fix it?

3. When the NVC sends out a packet of forms (Of-169, Of-230, etc), how do they send that out? By snail mail or is that by email?

Would you suggest using our Malian mailing address (to have a possibility of things moving quicker) or use my parent's US mailing address (to get reliable mail)?

Thanks!

[lucybelle 453]

Hey mlle! I'll answer and then maybe some more seasoned members can cast their vote as well.

RFEs are sent in the mail. If you receive an RFE you will normally get an email informing you of this and then they send you in the mail what it is they need. If you get an RFE and don't get the paper in the mail, you'd have to change your address and then have them send it again. I'm pretty sure that if you call to try to get that info, they can't give it to you.

I haven't got to NVC yet, but from what I gather you download all the forms you need online. I think they do send out an actual package via snail mail, but you can get the forms online.

There is currently a huge backlog in NBC and the last time someone was approved quicker because of filing abroad was back in April. And then it was only one out of the few that filed from abroad (same situation in March). I don't think you should count on being processed faster. They are opening a new center in Kansas which will start handling I-130s, so who knows what processing times will be like in 6 months or so. Currently, everything seems to be at a stand still. USCIS has even sent out letters informing petitioners that processing time has increased to 12 months, instead of 6.

Bottom line- unless I see some huge change of processing times for filed from abroad, I would recommend using your USA address. Just to be careful.

[Hn&Ma 5]

Hey Mlle, I agree to some extent on what lucybelle said about the current backlog in the approval of petitions.

However, I stand to be corrected, you are far better off filing with your foreign address i.e. in Mali because no matter how back logged things get it should be quicker for a USC petitioner living abroad than if he/she resides in the USA because the aim is to get the USC (and off course with their spouse) back to the USA that is why the processing times are faster for USC living abroad ( as preference is given to the USC for now since the foreign spouse isn't a USC yet)

Also when you file the I-130, you would get an NOA1 in your email (and sometimes as a text message too) plus a hard copy in the snail mail. Where your concern comes in is when the petition gets approved, what we call NOA2 and you receiving some form of knowledge about it. You will be notified of that via email when the time comes and you can check your status online from time to time to see when you get approved so don't worry too much about the snail mail notification as an email will be sent to you.

For the next stage called NVC everything can be done online as lucybelle stated and you'll fill out a form stating your choice of agent (anyone you trust to receive documents on your behalf) at that time, you can put in parent's address in the States since you say that is a surer way of getting things to you.

So my 2 cents file from Mali and when you get to the NVC stage use your parent's US address to receive documents for the embassy stage.

Good luck :-)

[lucybelle 453]

If you check out the filed from abroad thread, you will notice that in the past couple months there have been very, very few auto-expedites. I filed from abroad in March and am still waiting. And when the thread was first started foreign filers were processed within weeks! It started taking longer and longer, and now it seems like it's gone altogether.

I do hope that with the Kansas office opening things will start moving again for all of us!

[cloclo2 3]

Updated question:

So we are filing from abroad but I am going to put my parents address in the USA because I'm nervous about not receiving mail here in Mali and it looks like auto-expedite might be a thing of the past.

So here's my question now: which lockbox do we send the application to? My parents live in Utah (that would mean the Phoenix Lockbox) but we live, and are filing from, abroad (which would mean using the Chicago lockbox).

So....Phoenix or Chicago?

[Ryan H 3,798]

Updated question:

So we are filing from abroad but I am going to put my parents address in the USA because I'm nervous about not receiving mail here in Mali and it looks like auto-expedite might be a thing of the past.

So here's my question now: which lockbox do we send the application to? My parents live in Utah (that would mean the Phoenix Lockbox) but we live, and are filing from, abroad (which would mean using the Chicago lockbox).

So....Phoenix or Chicago?

First of all, you are sending a petition, not an application. If you are using your parents' address in Utah on all applicable forms, then the Phoenix Lockbox would be the appropriate place to send it to.

[cloclo2 3]

First of all, you are sending a petition, not an application. If you are using your parents' address in Utah on all applicable forms, then the Phoenix Lockbox would be the appropriate place to send it to.

Thanks. On our forms (I-130 and G-325a), we are using out Mali address since putting the Utah address wouldn't be accurate. On our cover letter and on the envelope, the mailing return address is the Utah one. So I guess I'll still go with Phoenix.

[Ryan H 3,798]

Thanks. On our forms (I-130 and G-325a), we are using out Mali address since putting the Utah address wouldn't be accurate. On our cover letter and on the envelope, the mailing return address is the Utah one. So I guess I'll still go with Phoenix.

If you use your address in Mali, the the package goes to Chicago.

[cloclo2 3]

If you use your address in Mali, the the package goes to Chicago.

Okay, so I guess we'll go with Chicago? Would they ever reject my petition because I sent it to the wrong lockbox?

Like I said, on the forms- we'll be putting the Mali address. On the envelope and in the cover letter it states that the mailing address for the petition should be the Utah address.

[cloclo2 3]

About to send in my I-130 petition and I have a question about which lockbox to send it to.

I am the USC and I live in Mali. On the I-130 and G-325a forms, it is my Malian address listed. However, we have included a note that my mailing address is in Utah, USA at my parent's home because of the unreliable mail system here in Mali. So our return address on the envelope is in Utah.

Do I send the petition to the Phoenix lockbox (for Utah) or the Chicago lockbox (for those living abroad)?

Thanks!

[Ryan H 3,798]

One post merged into existing topic on this issue. Do not start multiple threads on the same topic.

[luvwillprevail 5]

Send to chicago because u are filing abroad but on I-130 use us address that's what I did goodluck

[luvwillprevail 5]

Also in your cover letter make sure you let them know you are out of the county with your husband but your permanent address is your united states one sign up for email updates and you should be ok again good luck

[cloclo2 3]

Send to chicago because u are filing abroad but on I-130 use us address that's what I did goodluck

Thanks for your answer. It's so confusing knowing what addresses to use. On the I-130, I used my Mali address, because it's asking where I live and I wanted to answer the questions honestly.

In the cover letter, I gave the my parent's US mailing address and the return address on the package will be the US address, too. I hope that it will be clear enough for them. Should I maybe add an extra page explaining the addresses on top of the cover letter?

Also in your cover letter make sure you let them know you are out of the county with your husband but your permanent address is your united states one sign up for email updates and you should be ok again good luck

Thanks! I did write this on the cover letter. But now I'm wondering if I should add another page that addresses just the address question.

And I did give my email and my mom's cell phone on the G-1145.

Thanks!

[luvwillprevail 5]

You should be fine