I-601, I-485 approved.

[MNhockey 0]

My wife and I started our visa journey back in early 2016. We started with a K1. Eventually, that was approved and long story short, she moved here after all of the steps you must do, we got married in a courthouse in December of 2016- two weeks within her moving here, though we had a non-legal ceremony in Poland that summer, and of course then had to apply for her AOS. 

 

We both hold real religious reasons for not vaccinating. She had some done as a child and teenager years ago, but it has been many years and since she became an adult she held these reasons with integrity and we knew that she would not take the two or three vaccines she technically 'needed' to pass the medical requirements. We knew it would cost money and possibly delay the process of the AOS for as little as 3 months, to as much as 12 months from what we could discover. But, it wasn't even a choice, we filled out the paperwork, paid the almost $1000, and wrote out her specific religious grounds on which she would not take a substance into her body. I do not need to give the specifics as they are personal, but they are profound and real. She got sworn statements from two religious leaders, and from two or three friends. All letters were specific about knowing her, her religious convictions and that she was indeed telling the truth and has such reasons, they are real, and they have been observed and are known. Each letter was different, obviously, but they also all had those things in common. They also didn't get too detailed, but were short and concise and had the needed requirements showing the officer evidence of her true beliefs.

 

That was filed in March, received in the third week of it, and we received first a communication from a secretary of a Washington State Senator (D), whom we had been in communication with because there were a few things that took very long- longer than expected (work and travel permits) in 2017. So, we got a hold of her and she got back to my wife. She said that the officer needed to 'speak with her concerning her case'. We were a bit worried, not knowing exactly what that formal type of communication meant.

 

Well, the next day we learned that her I-601 had been approved and they were going to decide her I-485, AOS, which we had no reason to think wouldn't then be approved. 

 

We received two letters yesterday. One stating that her I-601 was approved. The other, saying that her I-485 was approved and that she may be getting another letter in the mail with an appointment for biometrics (prints and picture), or that, we assume, the green card itself will come in the mail soon, within the next month or two. We assume that latter will be the case- they have prints and a picture of her already due to her work permit and advanced parole.

 

Why am I writing this?

 

Because when we were researching through all the data, we first realized how unfair it is to have such a long and arduous time, with such money spent, with an upstanding spouse (both her and I, if I do say so- neither have ever been in trouble and both of us are productive members of society). We couldn't believe that USA legal system. She had already lived in the UK for like 8 years or something, and she saw how easy it was to go there from Poland. Well, ok, I see that it may be a little tougher, the USA isn't apart of something like the UN (for good reasons). But we realized that it's really ridiculous that officers can't recognize certain factors, and approve some people much quicker than others. They don't tell you things- like there is no official sort of good timeline sort of thing- thank god for VisaJourney, it's scattered and unorganized. I think on purpose, but that's just me. Also, there are vague things that you can easily miss. That's why there are so many ROE's letters sent. It's the governments fault, mostly. 

 

We also saw, and this is the main point here, that almost NO ONE has posted publicly that for those who filled out an I-601 specifically on religious grounds, not moral, for waiving the vaccine requirement (for us, partial, not all as she already had some much earlier in her life, something that may or may not play into their decision. You can look, by the way. There is a handbook you can find on google for the OFFICERS).

It can be done. Ours was approved. Ours was legitimate, and not made up. You can see it in the evidence and the written statement from her (and I). 

 

If you are wondering if you can 'win', yes you can. Also, something I've noticed is that if you are true and honest, and you go against something, many times the US Gov't will approve things. That's a big takeaway. The US Gov't seems like they are the strictest at everything. Maybe that's what comes up on all Google searches because the people like us who basically got everything approved in each step, which only one ROE (our fault) which was us missing something, well people like us don't post our success stories because we don't need help, it all worked.

 

So I want to add another success story to the few out there that the whole process, K-1, her entering, all the paperwork, the AOS, the work permit and her traveling with a Advanced Parole, getting back into the country with no problems, the I-601. IT ALL CAN WORK IF YOU ARE HONEST AND WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK.

 

We got no help with attorneys. We both are English speakers (my 1st and her 2nd language). I am a health professional (PhD), she is of high intelligence and very smart and clever. We just really read what they needed and provided it. And just held through. We got help when we needed by a Congressman's Office. I had no idea they would help but my wife found on some forum that they CAN and DO- regardless of what USCIS says on their website.

 

Thanks Visa Journey for the timeline and organization help and for any forum users that helped us align some stuff.

Edited July 8, 2018 by MNhockey

[Boiler 46,356]

I am intrigued as to what Religion is involved, but anyway your processing seems quicker than I would have expected so that is good.

 

BTW moving from Poland to the UK was due to the EU and the UK not askinf for a deferment, Politicians lying again.

[MNhockey 0]

I cannot seem to edit the original post, but I had meant EU, not UN. I wrote quickly.

[leesbaet 0]

I would very much like to know how the whole process went for you. I am filing i601s and I am unsure if I still need to prove extreme hardship when doing the religious exemptions. Also, how did your congressman or senator help? My congressman's office does not seem to be very helpful.

Edited August 22, 2018 by leesbaet

[Boiler 46,356]

Is this a medical exemption?