Thoughts on my current hardship letter for my wife's ban please!

[chrisaivey 3]

I, USC , declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the United States, that the following is true and correct.

I am submitting the I-601 application for my spouse, Immigrant. My wife and I have been together for nearly 7 years. I first met my wife online, playing a game together in 2006. We then became more serious back in 2009, before that we were the best of friends. Immigrant saved my life, when we first met. I was 550lbs, she was 120. She got me into fitness, and living a healthy lifestyle. I now weigh 230lbs. I owe it all to her. She gave me my life back! We decided to share our life completely and get married in 2013, when I was head over heels in love with her and knew I couldn’t be without her. Since that day, we have been working on our paperwork so we can be together within the United States and live a happy life together. We made it all the way to the interview at the US consulate in Lima, Peru until we finally heard news about Immigrant’s life time ban she acquired when she was young. She made a grave mistake, and I am beyond terrified on what the future will bring if this appeal process does not work.

I am writing this letter to explain the extreme hardships that we both would go through if my wife is not allowed back into the United States.

My Grandfather[Exhibit A]:My grandfather is a veteran of the Korean War. Since 2013, we started noticing changes in his memory and attitude. He was not the same, forgetting small things here and there. Given his age, his doctor assumed it was early signs of dementia. It wasn’t until late 2014 that he was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer. Because it had been left untreated for so long, it had progressed very fast and is taking my grandfather’s life rather quickly; his mind is slipping away more every single day. It has come to the point of my grandfather needing 24 hour care; he can no longer do every day activities without someone monitoring him. My mother and I decided it would be best for him to be in a home, with my being away for months at a time to see my wife and taking care of paperwork. Unfortunately, because of the advanced state, this is very costly. Assisted Living care is averaging 4500$ a month right now, and as his condition deteriorates more, the cost will only keep rising all the way to 6000-8000$ when he reaches critical condition. He only makes 2400$ a month off his retirement, leaving me and my mother to pay the rest. It would be impossible to afford his care on a Peruvian salary, if I need to move to be with my wife. I need to be in the United States to help my mother, who has her own health issues, care for my grandfather until God decides to take him away. I cannot leave this whole responsibility to my mother, nor can I leave my grandfather unattended.

My Mother [Exhibit B]: My mother is a strong woman. Ever since Natalia came into our lives, she has been there for us every step of the way. She has supported us not only morally, but financially when we have needed it the most. Unfortunately, I’ve had to do a lot of traveling to be with my wife and gather the necessary paperwork to have a chance to get her to the United States, and this has put a great toll on her health. With my grandfather sick, and her son not being there because of the circumstances, she has had to take care of my grandfather on her own. She has been working very hard to help us and still stay afloat, with the hopes that, in the future, I’ll be there with my wife so she can slow down and finally retire. If I had to move somewhere else to be with my wife, she will have to continue on her own to pay for my grandfather’s expenses, and the student’s loans she applied for to get me through college, putting her health even more at risk. I need to be there to care for her. She already has had three heart attacks and many serious health problems that could get much worse if she doesn’t slow down soon.

My health[Exhibit C]:As I mentioned before, I have experienced drastic weight loss. I have gone from 550 pounds to 230 pounds, leaving me with an excessive amount of extra skin.I need my wife in the United States for two reasons when it comes to this: First, I need to gather the necessary funds to get the surgery, since it averages between 15,000$-25,000$. I cannot afford my monthly dues and save up for this on my own. Although this might seem like a surgery I’m choosing to have because of aesthetics, it is not my case. I have gone through such massive weight loss, that my skin has become brittle to the point of breaking if I have to perform certain activities. I need to have surgery done before it becomes impossible for me to perform everyday tasks and becomes dangerous. And secondly; I need Natalia here to help me with the recovery of the surgery, I not only have to have one, but several of them to be able to remove the excess skin in parts, due to the amount of it. Other than my wife, I would only have my mother to count on to help me back on my feet, and she would only be able to watch for me at night since she is needed at her job for sometimes 10 hours or more a day. I need my wife with me to look after me, to assist me in my recovery and to also, help me cover the funding of such an expensive procedure.

Work[Exhibit D]:When it comes to hardships, I believe one of the biggest ones would beif I had to move to Lima, Peru to be with my wife. It would literally be next to impossible. First of all, I would have to leave my grandfather behind, which would not only break my heart, but would be cruel to leave him unattended at this stage of his life. My mother is in no position to care for him on her own since she has health problems of her own. I do not speak Spanish at all; my wife is the bilingual one, getting a job with a broken Spanish would prove very difficult. I graduated with a degree in Computer Science, a field that is just developing in Peru. Getting a job in Peru doing what I know is highly unlikely. There are opportunities in Peru for people with a degree like mine. However, there are far and few in between and require years of experience, which I do not have. If I could get a job, the amount of money I would get paid would be nothing compared to what I’d be entitled in the United States as a junior programmer.

Student Loans[Exhibit E]: I graduated 8 months ago with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. To be able to complete my career, my mother and I applied for student loans many times. I am currently indebted to the government for a whopping total of over 100,000$, combining my mother’s loans (Parent plus Loan) and mine. If I were to move to Peru, and couldn’t get a job that can average what I would make in the United States, I will not be able to afford the 500$ monthly payment I need to make. Furthermore, if I can’t get a job doing what I know, and have to settle for the average Peruvian income which is around 500$-600$ I would have little to nothing left to pay for anything else after completing the payment for the loan. I applied and took these loans with a job in my country in mind, to be able to afford these payments. I need to be in the United States, with my wife, to be able to fulfill my debt.

Security and Unemployment [Exhibit F]:I have been to Peru countless times over all these years. It is a beautiful country. However, we cannot ignore the problems it faces and the hardship it would bring me to move down there. As you can see in the presented documents, though Peru has grown at a steady rate in these years, it still faces very high rates of unemployment. It would bring such hardship to live in a country that doesn’t guarantee you a future, not because you don’t have the knowledge, or because you don’t have a degree, but because just like you, there are 500 others looking for the same position. Let’s discuss security. The last time I was there, crime rates were off the roof in Lima. Living with my wife’s family, I saw every single day, the fear they have every time they leave the house. I don’t know how we would raise a family in a place that provides no security for our wellbeing. A place that is chaotic and dangerous in the best areas. I would love to visit and see my wife’s family over the years, but I refuse to start living in a place in constant fear.

Air Pollution in Lima [Exhibit G]:Air pollution in Lima, Peru is a serious problem. The world health organization has labeled Lima as the most dangerous city in South America when it comes to this. Peruvians themselves call it “the smog of death”. Asthma runs rampant in Lima because of the heavy pollution and the humidity that is there. Humidity percentage in Lima runs as high as 95% every day during the winter, and never below 75% year long. As information in Exhibit F will show, over 2.3 million Peruvians suffer from some sort of bronchial disease, including my wife that has had mild asthma since she was a child. Not only the weather plays against the Peruvian population, but the chaotic traffic, the smog and overall city contamination play a role in the high rate of pollution in Lima. Raising a family, and of course living in Lima long term is an extreme health hazard for anybody, especially for small children. I do not want my future children to have any type of respiratory problems that may cause them hazards from a very early age.

Future family:I would love to start a family with my wife in the near future. It has been in our plans for a while, but we were waiting to be settled in the United States. The possibility of moving to Peru definitely puts our plans on halt or even out of the question for all the given reasons above.

In conclusion: My wife did break the law. She was brought to the United States first when she was 15 by her parents, and left when she was 17. She overstayed, and worked on the wrong type of visa. She tried returning at 19years old with a back dated stamp following wrong advice. However, during the time she remained in the United States, she respected the law wholeheartedly and was never arrested in anyway.Immigrant was deported voluntarily in 2004 on entry. She knows the mistakes she made. It was a time of desperation for her and her family. I don’t justify her mistakes, nevertheless I ask my government to give her a second chance. A chance to redeem herself and prove to be the wonderful citizen I know she can be.

I hope I can provide enough documentation and pictures to prove all these hardships. But more than anything, I hope the person who reads this can understand how not getting this waiver could impact our lives, and can provide us with the comprehension we need to be able to start a new chapter in our lives. Thank you for your attention in advance.

Documentation includes as of right now:

our I-601 is quite thick right now, probably a bit over an inch in documentation.

Got doctor notes on my mother and all her conditions, got a doctor note for my grandfather and his conditions, Monday morning I will have my doctor notes on my skin problems - also I have the paperwork on my student loans.

Other papers include:

Pictures of my skin issues.

Got my wife's written letter on her ban.

Got my mother's written letter stating hardships.

Got my letter(as seen)

Crime rate in Peru being quite high in 2014 and 2013.

Pollution in Peru is insanely high - rated #1 in south america.

Job market - average peruvian makes around 500$ a month - I cannot afford my student loans with this.

I showed there is very few master degree programs in Peru to support my education desires since I have my Bachelors in Computer Science(very few master programs)

I wrote a letter stating that I do not speak the native language whatsoever.

I have a table of contents, and pages broken into tabs for easy navigation.

I have everything clipped together with ACCO Clip, since the binder was not recommended.

I have done this process and been working on it with my wife for about a month so far just on our paperwork. How is it looking...? Thoughts..?

About my wife's ban - she was banned under INA §212(a)(6)©(i) - she has been 12 years outside the United States and got deported at the young age of 18. I do not have the money for an attorney, so this is literally me fighting for my future here.

Help me oh great VJ!

Much love,

Chris

Edited July 18, 2015 by chrisaivey

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

It reads like a well thought out hardship letter and you have all the supporting evidence. I advise you to go over to immigrate2us.com to look over

sample hardship letters and ask there for feedback. You can also get a consultation from an experienced attorney who does this all the time

and pay him for an hour or two for trouble shooting and then type the letter and assemble and submit the evidence yourself.

It is a one shot chance you are fighting for and I feel an attorney definitely should be consulted, it will be money well spend in the long run.

I wish you the very best and pray that your waiver packet will be approved. It's a touching story and yet has it's necessary multi points needed.

[chrisaivey 3]

It reads like a well thought out hardship letter and you have all the supporting evidence. I advise you to go over to immigrate2us.com to look over

sample hardship letters and ask there for feedback. You can also get a consultation from an experienced attorney who does this all the time

and pay him for an hour or two for trouble shooting and then type the letter and assemble and submit the evidence yourself.

It is a one shot chance you are fighting for and I feel an attorney definitely should be consulted, it will be money well spend in the long run.

I wish you the very best and pray that your waiver packet will be approved. It's a touching story and yet has it's necessary multi points needed.

This is exactly what I want, thank you! My wife's family member has an attorney he's trying to get us introduced to for the consultation, I will more than likely be doing that within the following days.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Just make sure he is a GOOD attorney well versed in waivers, here and abroad or take his advice with a grain of salt and keep searching

for a well recommended one. Unfortunately many lawyers have led other couples astray. Check and double check everything he suggests

yourself and research.

[LoveMyTico 999]

Its too long and notes from doctors may not be enough. Medical records are best. Also, consider what you wrote about you needing your wife to take care of you but you also state your grandfather needs you to take care of him.... If you are able to care for him, they might think you're able to care for yourself. Just the first thing that popped in my head when i was reading it. Out lawyer wrote a short cover letter. Be careful with the lengthy cover letter. The adjudicator doesn't have all day. You want to be short and to the point. Try and find samples of approved waivers on immigrate2us

[chrisaivey 3]

Its too long and notes from doctors may not be enough. Medical records are best. Also, consider what you wrote about you needing your wife to take care of you but you also state your grandfather needs you to take care of him.... If you are able to care for him, they might think you're able to care for yourself. Just the first thing that popped in my head when i was reading it. Out lawyer wrote a short cover letter. Be careful with the lengthy cover letter. The adjudicator doesn't have all day. You want to be short and to the point. Try and find samples of approved waivers on immigrate2us

Will get to rewording that better! Is it really that long...? From what I read on immigrate2us those are even much longer letters there.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

Will get to rewording that better! Is it really that long...? From what I read on immigrate2us those are even much longer letters there.

It is absolutely not too long at all, 7-10 pages is suggested with at least 5-7 points/issues.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

The thing with your grandfather's care and your own surgery ..... it should be understood that during your own surgery

your income will still be helpful for your grandfather's care and that you would then look for short term help for him while you are recuperating,

it's short term but you still need your wife to help you. I agree that medical records are needed, in addition to letters from the doctors pulling it

all together. Who can decipher doctors handwriting in medical records ? So do both.

[Gosia & Tito 199]

I, USC , declare under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the United States, that the following is true and correct.

I am submitting the I-601 application for my spouse, Immigrant. My wife and I have been together for nearly 7 years. I first met my wife online, playing a game together in 2006. We then became more serious back in 2009, before that we were the best of friends. Immigrant saved my life, when we first met. I was 550lbs, she was 120. She got me into fitness, and living a healthy lifestyle. I now weigh 230lbs. I owe it all to her. She gave me my life back! We decided to share our life completely and get married in 2013, when I was head over heels in love with her and knew I couldn’t be without her. Since that day, we have been working on our paperwork so we can be together within the United States and live a happy life together. We made it all the way to the interview at the US consulate in Lima, Peru until we finally heard news about Immigrant’s life time ban she acquired when she was young. She made a grave mistake, and I am beyond terrified on what the future will bring if this appeal process does not work.

I am writing this letter to explain the extreme hardships that we both would go through if my wife is not allowed back into the United States.

My Grandfather[Exhibit A]:My grandfather is a veteran of the Korean War. Since 2013, we started noticing changes in his memory and attitude. He was not the same, forgetting small things here and there. Given his age, his doctor assumed it was early signs of dementia. It wasn’t until late 2014 that he was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer. Because it had been left untreated for so long, it had progressed very fast and is taking my grandfather’s life rather quickly; his mind is slipping away more every single day. It has come to the point of my grandfather needing 24 hour care; he can no longer do every day activities without someone monitoring him. My mother and I decided it would be best for him to be in a home, with my being away for months at a time to see my wife and taking care of paperwork. Unfortunately, because of the advanced state, this is very costly. Assisted Living care is averaging 4500$ a month right now, and as his condition deteriorates more, the cost will only keep rising all the way to 6000-8000$ when he reaches critical condition. He only makes 2400$ a month off his retirement, leaving me and my mother to pay the rest. It would be impossible to afford his care on a Peruvian salary, if I need to move to be with my wife. I need to be in the United States to help my mother, who has her own health issues, care for my grandfather until God decides to take him away. I cannot leave this whole responsibility to my mother, nor can I leave my grandfather unattended.

My Mother [Exhibit B]: My mother is a strong woman. Ever since Natalia came into our lives, she has been there for us every step of the way. She has supported us not only morally, but financially when we have needed it the most. Unfortunately, I’ve had to do a lot of traveling to be with my wife and gather the necessary paperwork to have a chance to get her to the United States, and this has put a great toll on her health. With my grandfather sick, and her son not being there because of the circumstances, she has had to take care of my grandfather on her own. She has been working very hard to help us and still stay afloat, with the hopes that, in the future, I’ll be there with my wife so she can slow down and finally retire. If I had to move somewhere else to be with my wife, she will have to continue on her own to pay for my grandfather’s expenses, and the student’s loans she applied for to get me through college, putting her health even more at risk. I need to be there to care for her. She already has had three heart attacks and many serious health problems that could get much worse if she doesn’t slow down soon.

My health[Exhibit C]:As I mentioned before, I have experienced drastic weight loss. I have gone from 550 pounds to 230 pounds, leaving me with an excessive amount of extra skin.I need my wife in the United States for two reasons when it comes to this: First, I need to gather the necessary funds to get the surgery, since it averages between 15,000$-25,000$. I cannot afford my monthly dues and save up for this on my own. Although this might seem like a surgery I’m choosing to have because of aesthetics, it is not my case. I have gone through such massive weight loss, that my skin has become brittle to the point of breaking if I have to perform certain activities. I need to have surgery done before it becomes impossible for me to perform everyday tasks and becomes dangerous. And secondly; I need Natalia here to help me with the recovery of the surgery, I not only have to have one, but several of them to be able to remove the excess skin in parts, due to the amount of it. Other than my wife, I would only have my mother to count on to help me back on my feet, and she would only be able to watch for me at night since she is needed at her job for sometimes 10 hours or more a day. I need my wife with me to look after me, to assist me in my recovery and to also, help me cover the funding of such an expensive procedure.

Work[Exhibit D]:When it comes to hardships, I believe one of the biggest ones would beif I had to move to Lima, Peru to be with my wife. It would literally be next to impossible. First of all, I would have to leave my grandfather behind, which would not only break my heart, but would be cruel to leave him unattended at this stage of his life. My mother is in no position to care for him on her own since she has health problems of her own. I do not speak Spanish at all; my wife is the bilingual one, getting a job with a broken Spanish would prove very difficult. I graduated with a degree in Computer Science, a field that is just developing in Peru. Getting a job in Peru doing what I know is highly unlikely. There are opportunities in Peru for people with a degree like mine. However, there are far and few in between and require years of experience, which I do not have. If I could get a job, the amount of money I would get paid would be nothing compared to what I’d be entitled in the United States as a junior programmer.

Student Loans[Exhibit E]: I graduated 8 months ago with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. To be able to complete my career, my mother and I applied for student loans many times. I am currently indebted to the government for a whopping total of over 100,000$, combining my mother’s loans (Parent plus Loan) and mine. If I were to move to Peru, and couldn’t get a job that can average what I would make in the United States, I will not be able to afford the 500$ monthly payment I need to make. Furthermore, if I can’t get a job doing what I know, and have to settle for the average Peruvian income which is around 500$-600$ I would have little to nothing left to pay for anything else after completing the payment for the loan. I applied and took these loans with a job in my country in mind, to be able to afford these payments. I need to be in the United States, with my wife, to be able to fulfill my debt.

Security and Unemployment [Exhibit F]:I have been to Peru countless times over all these years. It is a beautiful country. However, we cannot ignore the problems it faces and the hardship it would bring me to move down there. As you can see in the presented documents, though Peru has grown at a steady rate in these years, it still faces very high rates of unemployment. It would bring such hardship to live in a country that doesn’t guarantee you a future, not because you don’t have the knowledge, or because you don’t have a degree, but because just like you, there are 500 others looking for the same position. Let’s discuss security. The last time I was there, crime rates were off the roof in Lima. Living with my wife’s family, I saw every single day, the fear they have every time they leave the house. I don’t know how we would raise a family in a place that provides no security for our wellbeing. A place that is chaotic and dangerous in the best areas. I would love to visit and see my wife’s family over the years, but I refuse to start living in a place in constant fear.

Air Pollution in Lima [Exhibit G]:Air pollution in Lima, Peru is a serious problem. The world health organization has labeled Lima as the most dangerous city in South America when it comes to this. Peruvians themselves call it “the smog of death”. Asthma runs rampant in Lima because of the heavy pollution and the humidity that is there. Humidity percentage in Lima runs as high as 95% every day during the winter, and never below 75% year long. As information in Exhibit F will show, over 2.3 million Peruvians suffer from some sort of bronchial disease, including my wife that has had mild asthma since she was a child. Not only the weather plays against the Peruvian population, but the chaotic traffic, the smog and overall city contamination play a role in the high rate of pollution in Lima. Raising a family, and of course living in Lima long term is an extreme health hazard for anybody, especially for small children. I do not want my future children to have any type of respiratory problems that may cause them hazards from a very early age.

Future family:I would love to start a family with my wife in the near future. It has been in our plans for a while, but we were waiting to be settled in the United States. The possibility of moving to Peru definitely puts our plans on halt or even out of the question for all the given reasons above.

In conclusion: My wife did break the law. She was brought to the United States first when she was 15 by her parents, and left when she was 17. She overstayed, and worked on the wrong type of visa. She tried returning at 19years old with a back dated stamp following wrong advice. However, during the time she remained in the United States, she respected the law wholeheartedly and was never arrested in anyway.Immigrant was deported voluntarily in 2004 on entry. She knows the mistakes she made. It was a time of desperation for her and her family. I don’t justify her mistakes, nevertheless I ask my government to give her a second chance. A chance to redeem herself and prove to be the wonderful citizen I know she can be.

I hope I can provide enough documentation and pictures to prove all these hardships. But more than anything, I hope the person who reads this can understand how not getting this waiver could impact our lives, and can provide us with the comprehension we need to be able to start a new chapter in our lives. Thank you for your attention in advance.

Documentation includes as of right now:

our I-601 is quite thick right now, probably a bit over an inch in documentation.

Got doctor notes on my mother and all her conditions, got a doctor note for my grandfather and his conditions, Monday morning I will have my doctor notes on my skin problems - also I have the paperwork on my student loans.

Other papers include:

Pictures of my skin issues.

Got my wife's written letter on her ban.

Got my mother's written letter stating hardships.

Got my letter(as seen)

Crime rate in Peru being quite high in 2014 and 2013.

Pollution in Peru is insanely high - rated #1 in south america.

Job market - average peruvian makes around 500$ a month - I cannot afford my student loans with this.

I showed there is very few master degree programs in Peru to support my education desires since I have my Bachelors in Computer Science(very few master programs)

I wrote a letter stating that I do not speak the native language whatsoever.

I have a table of contents, and pages broken into tabs for easy navigation.

I have everything clipped together with ACCO Clip, since the binder was not recommended.

I have done this process and been working on it with my wife for about a month so far just on our paperwork. How is it looking...? Thoughts..?

About my wife's ban - she was banned under INA §212(a)(6)©(i) - she has been 12 years outside the United States and got deported at the young age of 18. I do not have the money for an attorney, so this is literally me fighting for my future here.

Help me oh great VJ!

Much love,

Chris

A few comments below. My sympathies to you and wife, but IMHO, your case is weak. You need to see this objectively. I can't tell if it is the case, but I'd think USCIS would verify the information related to the country in question. Good luck and wish you best

Computer Science, a field that is just developing in Peru. Getting a job in Peru doing what I know is highly unlikely – simply not true; it might not be as advanced in some areas; but also, you would need to describe what specific areas of CS are you talking about. A BS in CS is most commonly working technical/engineering software development and in many cases just standard business/IT; some do some more advanced aspects like computer graphics and these days perhaps some big data related –on the data analytics side, not on the infrastructure; A MS would get you in more ‘sophisticated’ areas of CS where most of the real CS action is with the Feds. These days Security related is also a big side of CS. You omit to say that with your degree/education, you could start your company and make a very nice living. If you think not possible, you have not been there long enough or have not done sufficient research.

average Peruvian income which is around 500$-600$ - that is for non-professionals or low end professionals in non technical areas; professionals have a higher income; but you need to also tell the whole story: you don’t need nearly as much to live in there, my estimate is 500-600/month on the low end but comfortable, and about 1500-2000 in average (and high end for many there) with housing the highest expense on the Miraflores and San Isidro areas; but why not Jesus Maria or areas of San Miguel or Pueblo Libre around la Catolica U?, I won’t deny that if you want a more comfortable setting, you'd need to have another 1-2k; but so would you if you live in SF for example.

faces very high rates of unemployment – simply not true. I also go to Peru quite a lot and know very well that those stats you have are not quite reflecting reality. If you spend as much time as you say, you know that too and that there is a high level of entrepreneurship, which makes it look like people is unemployed, but not the case

place that is chaotic and dangerous in the best areas – relative to say Tennessee, probably; relative to some of the “bad” areas of NY, Chicago or LA, very doubtful; as I said, I also go over there quite a lot and never had a problem, mind you I don't tempt fate, so walking around with a laptop is not a good idea, I get a cab, and usually call one of the 'secure' companies ;I'm sure you know all this. Not to say I never will have a problem but in about 10 years going over none, and I’ve had more crime related problems in some of the US and European cities than in South America and Peru

[chrisaivey 3]

A few comments below. My sympathies to you and wife, but IMHO, your case is weak. You need to see this objectively. I can't tell if it is the case, but I'd think USCIS would verify the information related to the country in question. Good luck and wish you best

Computer Science, a field that is just developing in Peru. Getting a job in Peru doing what I know is highly unlikely – simply not true; it might not be as advanced in some areas; but also, you would need to describe what specific areas of CS are you talking about. A BS in CS is most commonly working technical/engineering software development and in many cases just standard business/IT; some do some more advanced aspects like computer graphics and these days perhaps some big data related –on the data analytics side, not on the infrastructure; A MS would get you in more ‘sophisticated’ areas of CS where most of the real CS action is with the Feds. These days Security related is also a big side of CS. You omit to say that with your degree/education, you could start your company and make a very nice living. If you think not possible, you have not been there long enough or have not done sufficient research.

average Peruvian income which is around 500$-600$ - that is for non-professionals or low end professionals in non technical areas; professionals have a higher income; but you need to also tell the whole story: you don’t need nearly as much to live in there, my estimate is 500-600/month on the low end but comfortable, and about 1500-2000 in average (and high end for many there) with housing the highest expense on the Miraflores and San Isidro areas; but why not Jesus Maria or areas of San Miguel or Pueblo Libre around la Catolica U?, I won’t deny that if you want a more comfortable setting, you'd need to have another 1-2k; but so would you if you live in SF for example.

faces very high rates of unemployment – simply not true. I also go to Peru quite a lot and know very well that those stats you have are not quite reflecting reality. If you spend as much time as you say, you know that too and that there is a high level of entrepreneurship, which makes it look like people is unemployed, but not the case

place that is chaotic and dangerous in the best areas – relative to say Tennessee, probably; relative to some of the “bad” areas of NY, Chicago or LA, very doubtful; as I said, I also go over there quite a lot and never had a problem, mind you I don't tempt fate, so walking around with a laptop is not a good idea, I get a cab, and usually call one of the 'secure' companies ;I'm sure you know all this. Not to say I never will have a problem but in about 10 years going over none, and I’ve had more crime related problems in some of the US and European cities than in South America and Peru

Hey there, thank you for the reply. I never would of thought someone would of called the case "weak" by all means, but I definitely appreciate your opinion!

Your Computer Science remark - My response - Should i state then my desire, since I have none to start up my own company...? And starting up my own company as a junior CS major would be nearly fresh out of college is really not an option? A business would require me having years of experience that I just do not have since I just recently finished my degree and am trying to get on my feet. I stated all of this within the Work paragraph. Graduating with a CS degree means you have knowledge of graphic design, programming, web development, etc. - but skills up to snuff to accomplish these fresh out of college at a level to have my own business transactions? No way.

Average peruvian income - My response - Since I have very poor knowledge of the Spanish language, which I did state within the Work section documentation - doing business transactions would be very complicated on a daily basis more than likely for my end. I'd have to have my wife with me, every waking second haha. So as a fresh CS grad, with very little knowledge of the Spanish language I believe that is sufficient evidence of me not being able to acquire much higher income. Definitely with my school loans hitting from 200-500$ monthly.

Unemployment rates - My response - I believe this will effect me more, and I think I should reword it better after your response. Peru's unemployment rate sits at around 7%-13% while US sits at 2.5%-5% from my research from the documentation I provided. This is quite high when its only calculating people actively searching for jobs. Visiting Peru(I do not know the sections you have been too) theres tons of people from what I saw who do not even attempt to work and in areas(ie. Barranco) resort to crime among other things(drugs, etc.) to make money. I believe I need to really work on rewording this I assume.

Chaotic and dangerous - My response - This is debatable part here. Miraflores for example I always called it my safe haven with its insane amount of security, but I have been in Peru for quite sometime on working through the I-130 process with my wife. Catcalling, windows being smashed and things being stolen(even while just stopping at a light), drunks in the street on a constant basis, I have the documentation to support the high crime rate. I am not to worried about this statement I made from places like here: https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=15742where US. DOS. states crime in a constant problem in Peru and in 2013 the US DOS labeled it as critical.

Thank you so much. You gave me a lot to think about, and rewrite again. You are the first I have shown to call my arguments weak, shocking, but I appreciate that greatly. I will begin rewriting and touching up with supporting documentation on the things you provided to back up what I stated. I definitely should work on rewording the Unemployment section better after our discussion.

Edited July 18, 2015 by chrisaivey

[Anh map 2,098]

Take a look at it from the dispassionate adjudicator's position.

- You are in dire financial straits yet you've been to Peru countless (your words) times. That sounds like bad money management on your part.

- And you also make it sound like you need your wife there as not only an income earner but also a home health aide. That does not sound like a loving relationship. That sounds like an exploitive relationship. The USCIS officials are there to make sure that both the USC petitioner and the foreign national do not get taken advantage of. Reread your letter out loud and see how it sounds.

- Everything you say may be true, but your letter sounds like whining. And the tone will permeate the entire document, evidence included.

Wanting to start your own business - not a hardship. It's a choice and choices have consequences.

Peruvian income is low - so are many many places in the world. Not a hardship. You do not have to go there. Or you could prepare yourself to earn a better living in Peru. [ I live in Vietnam which has an extremely low average income. I got myself the qualification to teach English as a foreign language and am able to earn much more than the average hard working native. - So you have options.]

Peruvian unemployment - how is this a hardship for you? You are not limited to working in Peru. Programmers / IT professionals are in demand everywhere. English is the international business language, so you are at an advantage.

Crime rate - high crime rates everywhere in the world. There are likely some very safe / low crime areas of Peru. She/you could move if it is unsafe. Not a hardship.

Air pollution - move to a less polluted area.

Grandfather & Mom - you are overplaying it. We all have challenges in our families. Your wife isn't the cure for these problems.

Your health - There are many qualified, licensed care providers living in the US at the moment. Sounds like you want one for free.

Future family - A choice, not a requirement for any couple. Not a hardship. People live outside of America in poor, dirty countries and have great lives.

********* Consult an EXPERIENCED, QUALIFIED attorney. It will be money well spent. They will guide you as to how your request should be formulated.

Best of luck to you both.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

I agree with Anh - you need a lawyer for this as your letter sounds like whining.

good luck

[LoveMyTico 999]

Yes..i agree with the above comments too. Your letter is drawn out and you sound like you're whining. USCIS has access to better stats than we do. You better make sure you can back your claims. Also understand that millions of Americans go to college and end up waiting tables because they can't get a job in their field ( I their own county) everybody ends up doing what they have to do to pay bills. Your argument is very weak. Also....not being able to speak Spanish?????? Trust me...you would get by. And just like cities in the US, there are good parts and bad parts... You're argument is weak for this too.

List your hardships from highest to lowest. Then list your evidence. Take it to a lawyer and pay to have him prepare your waiver.

[canadian_wife 1,791]

Question, how did your wife get a 'lifetime' ban? She left when she was 17 and thus should not have accrued unlawful presence. Can you explain more? What is a 'back dated' stamp?

Because this may help determine the level of hardship you'll need to prove

good luck

[chrisaivey 3]

Question, how did your wife get a 'lifetime' ban? She left when she was 17 and thus should not have accrued unlawful presence. Can you explain more? What is a 'back dated' stamp?

Because this may help determine the level of hardship you'll need to prove

good luck

Hey there, and thank you for the responses!

I don't really understand how the "whining" idea/thought comes through. The whole idea of the i-601 to my knowledge is to state the hardships I will be facing which I am stating, so regardless any type of statement will look like "whining", will it not? I would think every I-601 would/can be looked at as whining in one way or another since it is the USC pleading for their spouses pass into the United States.

My wife was banned under - under INA §212(a)(6)©(i)(misrepresentation) - she has been 12 years outside the United States and got deported voluntarily at the young age of 18.

The backdated stamp at the consulate interview came up, and it is what they said she did and showed. I am not 110% on the more or sure on how this was done, neither my wife since her parents set her up with it to begin with. My guess it to show on her tourist visa that she came in on at 13, and when she left at 17. Then tried re entering was showing she never left the US to begin with? Not 100% sure here - I just know back dated stamps are impossible to happen now since everything is done electronically since 9/11.