I-130 mailing address issues.

[abroadinsaud 1]

I received an e-mail receipt notice of my I-797 but I never received the physical I-797.  Where it says 'address' on the I-130 forms I put where I lived, but there is no mail service in the country where my family (wife and son) and I currently reside.  To remedy this I added an amendment that all documents should be sent to my mothers address in the United States.  Apparently this amendment wasn't seen or followed, and they sent snail mail to my home address in KSA, which has zero chance of ever arriving.  

 

The issue remains.  I tried calling the USCIS but their phone system (a call back system) doesn't work if you are calling internationally.  I can't do the 'change your address' business because for the former address it asks which US STATE, there is no functionality for a foreign address to be changed.  Or there is and I can't figure it out, hence this plee.  I tried calling other consulates and no one has been able to help me.  I just basically want to make sure all future notices are sent to my mothers address.

 

A supplementary question.  When I enter my receipt number into the 'Check my Case Status,' for me that still just says it was received in September , you should receive a I-797, etc.  Will that show something different if my case progresses, if so, would that include a RFE request?  Or just the case approval?  Is there anyway to receive everything electronically, or am I already set up for that by the G-1145?  I believe the G-1145 is just for the acceptance email.  

 

Thanks.  I've been patient with figuring this out as it was still early in my process but now as I hope to hear something in the next few months I want to make sure the information will be sent where it needs to go.

[Ahmed & Amy 291]

To have USCIS call you back you do need a US #. My husband and I purchased a Skype US phone # as well as a subscription to make unlimited calls to the the US. With the Skype # you choose what area code you prefer and they generate a # for you, and then you can receive calls on it at anytime just like you would a mobile/land line phone. We had to buy a subscription to make calls because with the phone # you can only receive.. It's not expensive at all and I highly recommend it. It made it so much easier to call USCIS and have Tier 2 call us back.  There are other ways such as google talk, but Skype was easier for us.

 

About the mailing address; if you changed the address online to your mother's US address then, yes, it should be updated. My Case Status on USCIS is supposed to be updated if their is an RFE or other changes. Although it never updated for us when we had an RFE, which is one of the reasons I had to keep calling them  once it reached 6 months and no update. (BTW we had conflicting issues with USCIS and had to involve our senator-  so our situation was just different and hopefully won't happen to you.) After they 'resent' the RFE to my parent's US address, I began getting updates on My Case Status.  

 

They only update if you have an RFE, if you changed your address, if you made an inquiry into your case, if your petition has been approved/denied, and when it's been sent to the department of state (NVC).

 

I would call them and be sure that they changed your mailing address to your mother's as you will not receive mail in KSA, as well as check the status of your petition with a tier 2 officer. 

 

Good luck.

[abroadinsaud 1]

Ahmed and Amy

 

Thanks for answering my question, you've helped me before and I appreciate it.  The issue I have is that Skype here is unusable.  The internet provider, STC, did something so that things like Skype, Hangouts, most video chat applications are very slow.  They did this because they didn't want people using data to verbally communicate, as it nets them less profit.  I try it every once in awhile and it's always unusable.

 

Do you think it would be possible for my mother to call from the US, while I am in continual contact with her via text message?  I know it stipulates that it needs to be the applicant or the petitioner, but I think there is a caveat for people if your 'with' them,' and that may count.

[Ahmed & Amy 291]

41 minutes ago, abroadinsaud said:

Ahmed and Amy

 

Thanks for answering my question, you've helped me before and I appreciate it.  The issue I have is that Skype here is unusable.  The internet provider, STC, did something so that things like Skype, Hangouts, most video chat applications are very slow.  They did this because they didn't want people using data to verbally communicate, as it nets them less profit.  I try it every once in awhile and it's always unusable.

 

Do you think it would be possible for my mother to call from the US, while I am in continual contact with her via text message?  I know it stipulates that it needs to be the applicant or the petitioner, but I think there is a caveat for people if your 'with' them,' and that may count.

 I understand your situation. I don't see why you can't have your mom call while you yourself are in contact with her during the call. At least she can find out the information you need and is trusted. Hopefully you'll get the answers you're needing.