My husband and I separated for a year!!! What do I do

[LolaOkhuofu 0]

2 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

4. Petitioner filed their taxes as "single" despite being married.  

 

IMO the OP is gonna be in for a fun time.  I obviously have no personal experience with Lagos but reading through many many threads here, seems like the best course of action is going to be for her to pack her bags ready to go live in Nigeria for a while to prove a bonafide relationship to one of the toughest consulates in the world. 

 

2 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

4. Petitioner filed their taxes as "single" despite being married.  

 

IMO the OP is gonna be in for a fun time.  I obviously have no personal experience with Lagos but reading through many many threads here, seems like the best course of action is going to be for her to pack her bags ready to go live in Nigeria for a while to prove a bonafide relationship to one of the toughest consulates in the world. 

Trust me I don’t mind wherever he is I will live. I was able to retrieve our past call and messages through my phone company few minutes ago they are mailing those...as for filing single when married...you try filing an immigrant spouse with turbo tax and see what they say..2018 was my first time filing taxes from a job because I was a nanny before so I can correct my taxes I just have to pay money back...not a big deal...I’m not worried about the negative comments nor anyone opinion it’s God that knows...just said how bad Nigerians have made people to think of them...since I am a Nigerian American as well. 

[LolaOkhuofu 0]

8 minutes ago, Randyandyuni said:

I do not think he was being overly judgemental. 

 

The first is indicative of Lagos being a high fraud embassy, scrutiny is heightened 

The 2nd you mentioned new immigration laws, he was seeking clarification of those laws 

 

in addition, you filed your taxes as single, a problem that can be corrected but that adds cloudiness

lastly, it's been a 2 year separation (or at least 23 months) if you have not seen each other since August 2017

 

Possible indicators of difficulty are being presented to you, I believe they are meant to point our potential problems, not to judge you and/or your situation

We did not see in 2018...plus his visa denial so he couldnt travel...even after that I could not travel because of financial issues...if he explained it the way you did...no defense would have been taken

Edited August 2, 2019 by LolaOkhuofu

[Crazy Cat 39,218]

3 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

https://qz.com/africa/1618935/us-cancels-dropbox-visa-interview-waiver-in-nigeria/

Nigeria accounted for over 25% of non-immigrant visas issued to Africans in 2018 alone—but that may be set to change.

The United States embassy has announced an immediate indefinite suspension of interview waivers for visa renewals for applicants in Nigeria. Known as “drop-box,” the interview waiver process allowed Nigerian applicants who met certain eligibility criteria to renew their visas by submitting their passports and supporting documents for review without going through a new in-person interview each time.

The process mainly targeted regular visitors to the US who have a history of applying for and receiving visas. One of the requirements for the interview waiver was for an applicant to have previously received a two-year visa.

That just means that people who want to renew must have an interview.....

[dentsflogged 352]

5 minutes ago, LolaOkhuofu said:

 

Trust me I don’t mind wherever he is I will live. I was able to retrieve our past call and messages through my phone company few minutes ago they are mailing those...as for filing single when married...you try filing an immigrant spouse with turbo tax and see what they say..2018 was my first time filing taxes from a job because I was a nanny before so I can correct my taxes I just have to pay money back...not a big deal...I’m not worried about the negative comments nor anyone opinion it’s God that knows...just said how bad Nigerians have made people to think of them...since I am a Nigerian American as well. 

I am the immigrant spouse.  My husband simply printed his tax details and I posted it the following day - it is easy to file as "married filing seperately" without an SSN if you do it "analogue"

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

1 minute ago, LolaOkhuofu said:

We did not see in 2018...plus his visa denial so he couldnt travel...even after that I could not travel because of financial issues...if he explained it the way you did...no defense would have been taken

we come from 100+ countries -  manner of speech, tone and the like are different. The goal of all of us is to help each other, sometimes we need a little thicker skin to get where we are going. 

 

Good luck 

[LolaOkhuofu 0]

12 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

The new rules for Lagos and renewing Visas isn't a new immigration law, but still it's getting many denied. You have to realize he has an American wife in US. So his ties are no longer to Nigeria. Were you married when he applied for the first one?

At least by the time of interview you will have two visits so that great. Also please be sure you meet the income guidelines. Lagos really looks at your current and your most recent taxes. So by the time you get to NVC to submit your financials 2019 taxes and your current income will need to meet the income guidelines or you will need a joint sponsor that meets the guidelines.

 

Also know Lagos is no joke whether we like it or not it's high fraud and known for it so extra scrutiny means extra eyes and work on your petition package.

He had a visa before he met me...in which he traveled with...when he went to renew it when it expired it...he was renewing it as a married person...and still got denied...I am now financially stable as I have a full time job and I am well over the poverty line now...I will try my hardest to submit evidence even more if I need it.

[LolaOkhuofu 0]

4 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

I am the immigrant spouse.  My husband simply printed his tax details and I posted it the following day - it is easy to file as "married filing seperately" without an SSN if you do it "analogue"

You mean he sent u his taxes from his country

[LolaOkhuofu 0]

12 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

https://qz.com/africa/1618935/us-cancels-dropbox-visa-interview-waiver-in-nigeria/

Nigeria accounted for over 25% of non-immigrant visas issued to Africans in 2018 alone—but that may be set to change.

The United States embassy has announced an immediate indefinite suspension of interview waivers for visa renewals for applicants in Nigeria. Known as “drop-box,” the interview waiver process allowed Nigerian applicants who met certain eligibility criteria to renew their visas by submitting their passports and supporting documents for review without going through a new in-person interview each time.

The process mainly targeted regular visitors to the US who have a history of applying for and receiving visas. One of the requirements for the interview waiver was for an applicant to have previously received a two-year visa.

Thank u!!!! This is exactly what I was talking about!!! They took the drop box away and he had to apply for a visa from scratch!

[Crazy Cat 39,218]

14 minutes ago, LolaOkhuofu said:

Thank u!!!! This is exactly what I was talking about!!! They took the drop box away and he had to apply for a visa from scratch!

That is not a change in immigration law.....It's a policy change to require previous visa holders to interview.  Since his marital status had changed, it would have been misrepresentation for him to renew it as single instead of married, anyway.

Edited August 2, 2019 by missileman

[oflyingbunnyo 119]

While I am not familiar with Nigerian or African culture as a whole, the fact that you guys have had little visits on top of having separated for a whole year and not having enough evidence for an actual bonafide marriage, these are massive red flags and I do not see this being successful, specially with Lagos being one if not the toughest embassy, I'm sorry.  

I'd recommend to have him be there with you for as long as possible (just to 100% settle if the both of you wish to be in that relationship) or just have him move there altogether if you both are definitely sure that you guys are indeed what you each want. If the idea of living in the U.S. still is what you both desire, then you can file, but as of right now, I can't recommend that. 

If you do decide to go through the CR-1 route, I only wish you the very very best and that everything plays out in your favor because you have a tough tough road ahead of you that could even take a couple of years. Expect not even bumps but mountains to be put in front of you. 

[Boiler 43,430]

23 minutes ago, dwheels76 said:

https://qz.com/africa/1618935/us-cancels-dropbox-visa-interview-waiver-in-nigeria/

Nigeria accounted for over 25% of non-immigrant visas issued to Africans in 2018 alone—but that may be set to change.

The United States embassy has announced an immediate indefinite suspension of interview waivers for visa renewals for applicants in Nigeria. Known as “drop-box,” the interview waiver process allowed Nigerian applicants who met certain eligibility criteria to renew their visas by submitting their passports and supporting documents for review without going through a new in-person interview each time.

The process mainly targeted regular visitors to the US who have a history of applying for and receiving visas. One of the requirements for the interview waiver was for an applicant to have previously received a two-year visa.

Not a change of law and that is pretty much how it is done in most other Countries.

[mtempelaar 190]

Regarding the taxes - if someone is not eligible for an SSN, they need Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).   

 

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf

 

You would need obtain the ITIN and then file taxes.  In this case I believe you need to get that number and then file an amended tax return with Married instead of Single, using the ITIN in the SSN field for your spouse.   

 

The SSN can come later with the approved visa.  

[dentsflogged 352]

31 minutes ago, LolaOkhuofu said:

You mean he sent u his taxes from his country

I am the immigrant spouse.  My USC husband printed up his US taxes, filled in the paperwork by hand, signed it and I put it in an envelope and mailed it from the nearest USPS post box while I was here visiting him.  Had I not been here visiting, he would have walked it to the post-box.    Again, it is absolutely possible to file taxes with a non-reisdent or non-citizen spouse who doesn't have a SSN or ITIN - you just have to do it the "old fashioned" way and take an extra 15 minutes for it.

[Nitas_man 3,100]

4 hours ago, LolaOkhuofu said:

Yes I filed as “single” because there was no way for me to add my spouse...can this be corrected some how I tried all the other times and when I was done filing it kept saying that I had “missing” information which was my spouse social security 

Not sure what that’s suppose to mean 

MFS does not require spouses social security number

[Nitas_man 3,100]

2 hours ago, LolaOkhuofu said:

We last saw in August 2017. His visa expired in 2018 and when he went to reapply because of the new immigration laws and etc they denied him. So he couldn’t come all of 2018. I will be traveling there this November and every holiday I get with the school system because I am a school social worker ( I now have a full time job) So I will be going there November 2019, March 2020, and all of my summer next year. I was unable to travel earlier this year due to financial hardships(only working part time) 25  hours a week as a school social worker and paying for nursing school (RN associates 2 year program) community college out of pocket. Plus the other bills I have car..insurance..up keep etc.

Right now the CO is probably going to link his rekindled enthusiasm for the marriage to the loss of his visa.

Add that to MM’s list.

Your tax filing status (huge deal) is not going to help.  You signed and submitted a document to the government that you have been single.

Edited August 2, 2019 by Nitas_man