Too long!

[Theone 0]

Hi everyone,

My name is Elohor. I am a Nigeian with 2 kids, leaving here without my husband. We got married in 2000, tradition marriage. I came to the US Nov. 2003 with our kids. Went back in June 2005 to make our marriage legal. Filed the I-130 for him August 2005. All I got from USCIS is the NOA. My case was transfered to california office this year. For the past six months they have been working on January 2005. I am confessed, did i do something wrong? Is it because I am not a US citizen yet? Why is it taking so long? Is there any thing I can do to help my case?

I am happy to be here. I would love to hear any advise and meet anyone with a case similar to mine.

[S&S 1]

Hello Elohor, unfortunately it does take much longer when the petitioner is not a citizen. uscis.gov goes into much detail about how the priority works. here is a statement from the site. Hope this helps

Preference Categories

If you wish to immigrate as a relative of a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident, you must obtain an immigrant visa number based on the preference category in which you fall.

People who want to become immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. The immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, which includes parents, spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21, do not have to wait for an immigrant visa number to become available once the visa petition filed for them is approved by USCIS. An immigrant visa number will become immediately available. The relatives in the remaining categories must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available according to the following preferences:

First preference: Unmarried, adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. Adult means 21 years of age or older.

Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents, their unmarried children (under twenty-one), and the unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.

Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens.

Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. Citizens.

[Theone 0]

Thank you very much. I was going crazy worrying if I did something wrong.

Hello Elohor, unfortunately it does take much longer when the petitioner is not a citizen. uscis.gov goes into much detail about how the priority works. here is a statement from the site. Hope this helps

Preference Categories

If you wish to immigrate as a relative of a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident, you must obtain an immigrant visa number based on the preference category in which you fall.

People who want to become immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. The immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, which includes parents, spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21, do not have to wait for an immigrant visa number to become available once the visa petition filed for them is approved by USCIS. An immigrant visa number will become immediately available. The relatives in the remaining categories must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available according to the following preferences:

First preference: Unmarried, adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. Adult means 21 years of age or older.

Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents, their unmarried children (under twenty-one), and the unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.

Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. Citizens.

Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. Citizens.

[Lance27 19]

No you did not do anything wrong. Its just that they give preference to USCs first and then to LPRs. Congratulations on the NOA1 though and welcome to VJ

[Theone 0]

Thank you. I am happy to be here.

No you did not do anything wrong. Its just that they give preference to USCs first and then to LPRs. Congratulations on the NOA1 though and welcome to VJ

[joej 0]

I know someone here with similar situation that waited 4 years.

Best wishes.

[Theone 0]

[

Hi,

I wanted to share my good news with everyone. I became a US citizen last december. So that changed my case status. My husband has gotten an interview date for next month.

I still need help please, with possible questions for the interview.

Thanks

quote name='joej' date='Jun 26 2007, 07:00 PM' post='1010707]

I know someone here with similar situation that waited 4 years.

Best wishes.

[Sylvia_n_Joseph 3]

Did you only have a traditional marriage ? I hope that doesn't cause any snags as not being a real marriage. I know of some people that have gotten into issues over the validity of their marriages. I thought Nigeria only accepted court and church marriages . Hopefully I am terribly wrong . Can someone else from the area add somethings , Is there anyone out there that got through the process with only a traditional marriage. Lagos is known for pure stupidity in visa pocessing.

[Theone 0]

We did both the traditional and court marriage.

Did you only have a traditional marriage ? I hope that doesn't cause any snags as not being a real marriage. I know of some people that have gotten into issues over the validity of their marriages. I thought Nigeria only accepted court and church marriages . Hopefully I am terribly wrong . Can someone else from the area add somethings , Is there anyone out there that got through the process with only a traditional marriage. Lagos is known for pure stupidity in visa pocessing.

[Sylvia_n_Joseph 3]

I am so glad I have been put through hell by Lagos. To be kept apart from my love, to have his father die , which I believe was related to the news that the interview was unsuccessful. They can cause such unbelievable pain at a whim. It has been over 6 months and there are still times when I melt into a mess of tears. Nver ever would I want someone else to go through that,

[Theone 0]

Sylvia, sorry to hear that. Is there nothing that can be done?

Please, I will love real life experience questions, that were asked during their interview. Honestly, I was thinking that the interview will be a piece of cake and I have nothing to worry but i can see that it can go both ways. Please keep your advice coming.

Thank u all.

I am so glad I have been put through hell by Lagos. To be kept apart from my love, to have his father die , which I believe was related to the news that the interview was unsuccessful. They can cause such unbelievable pain at a whim. It has been over 6 months and there are still times when I melt into a mess of tears. Nver ever would I want someone else to go through that,

[Sylvia_n_Joseph 3]

Josephs interview didn't go well at all. He has a black woman , her very first comment was , oh your fiancé is white and she seems old than you. You could have almost ended the interview right there. She asked about my address,name date of birth , my parents names and where did they live ( they are both dead which he knew ) she asked my children's names and their birth order and ages which he knew. How were we introduced ( though an uncle ) How I know the uncle , which was a chance meeting so there was no big event but back in 2000 . He knew how much I make.

Then she asked where I worked and he knew the company name and that I do "computer stuff"

then cames the demand to know details of things I do at work. She has all the papers in front of her knowing the company does classified work. She tells him unless he can tell her things about my work he is not getting a visa. ... end of interview... papers heading back to the US.

The embassy will not accept communication from me, my work or my congressman . I went the next morning and talked to the government security representative at work and said the from my side things were correct, that I can't tell him more than he knows ( company name and compute work ) and she takes down an incident report of attempted espionage for the withholding of the visa for not releasing classified data. ( Not that it helped me one bit but it should have gotten the woman fired )

Joseph said every few questions she went back to ask someone else things in another room.

We had several hundred pictures including a kola nut ceremony with his father. And over 12 months records of daily phone calls.

To make the pain of the denial even more unbearable the next day when word reached his village where his uncle from here was waiting so he could help travel back. The father was very upset that they would think Joseph would lie about wanting to marry me and talked at length to Philip about us. That night the father had a heart attack and died. So we are plunged into dealing with the rejection and planning a funeral for the big Chief.

Now six months later .. . the father is buried after a funeral with 2000+ attendees. I have visited but missed the funeral due to family fighting . My work does not allow me extended time in other countries and

he can't get a visit to visit here. I am dealing with a several emotionally disabled 12 yo grandson here , who has walked into school this year and announced intent to kill the principal , his mother and himself ( this was in Sept shortly after the denial ) and attacked his mother with a dumbbell. Joseph has gotten through the funeral and we are trying to figure out the smoothest way to balance my family here , immigration and the preparations for him to take his fathers throne. I am told once we are married and that happens at least the Nigerian government will give me a special passport to travel with. Other than that things are a mess. My wedding dress sits in the closet and the plans to marry and vacation are so long gone .

[Theone 0]

Wow!! Sylvia, that is alot for any human being to take all at once. I am so sorry. But you know, you have to pray(push) until someting happens. I believe that all will end well. Keep the faith.

Josephs interview didn't go well at all. He has a black woman , her very first comment was , oh your fiancé is white and she seems old than you. You could have almost ended the interview right there. She asked about my address,name date of birth , my parents names and where did they live ( they are both dead which he knew ) she asked my children's names and their birth order and ages which he knew. How were we introduced ( though an uncle ) How I know the uncle , which was a chance meeting so there was no big event but back in 2000 . He knew how much I make.

Then she asked where I worked and he knew the company name and that I do "computer stuff"

then cames the demand to know details of things I do at work. She has all the papers in front of her knowing the company does classified work. She tells him unless he can tell her things about my work he is not getting a visa. ... end of interview... papers heading back to the US.

The embassy will not accept communication from me, my work or my congressman . I went the next morning and talked to the government security representative at work and said the from my side things were correct, that I can't tell him more than he knows ( company name and compute work ) and she takes down an incident report of attempted espionage for the withholding of the visa for not releasing classified data. ( Not that it helped me one bit but it should have gotten the woman fired )

Joseph said every few questions she went back to ask someone else things in another room.

We had several hundred pictures including a kola nut ceremony with his father. And over 12 months records of daily phone calls.

To make the pain of the denial even more unbearable the next day when word reached his village where his uncle from here was waiting so he could help travel back. The father was very upset that they would think Joseph would lie about wanting to marry me and talked at length to Philip about us. That night the father had a heart attack and died. So we are plunged into dealing with the rejection and planning a funeral for the big Chief.

Now six months later .. . the father is buried after a funeral with 2000+ attendees. I have visited but missed the funeral due to family fighting . My work does not allow me extended time in other countries and

he can't get a visit to visit here. I am dealing with a several emotionally disabled 12 yo grandson here , who has walked into school this year and announced intent to kill the principal , his mother and himself ( this was in Sept shortly after the denial ) and attacked his mother with a dumbbell. Joseph has gotten through the funeral and we are trying to figure out the smoothest way to balance my family here , immigration and the preparations for him to take his fathers throne. I am told once we are married and that happens at least the Nigerian government will give me a special passport to travel with. Other than that things are a mess. My wedding dress sits in the closet and the plans to marry and vacation are so long gone .

[Sylvia_n_Joseph 3]

Thanks for the thoughts . There are some days that just turn into melt down days. In the end we will be together. It is just hard sometimes to stay on the right track as far as your personal values are concerned when you get so mistreated by "the goverment" Sometimes I think of how much easier it would have been if I were te type that could have just pulled up roots here and gone there. I would have no issues finding the exact same work there. But that is not even in my list of things that are morally possible. I will just bear this burden knowing that I will never be given more than I can handle

[Theone 0]

That is the spirit, I see that you a very strong woman. The Lord is your strength, our strength.

Thanks for the thoughts . There are some days that just turn into melt down days. In the end we will be together. It is just hard sometimes to stay on the right track as far as your personal values are concerned when you get so mistreated by "the goverment" Sometimes I think of how much easier it would have been if I were te type that could have just pulled up roots here and gone there. I would have no issues finding the exact same work there. But that is not even in my list of things that are morally possible. I will just bear this burden knowing that I will never be given more than I can handle