HELP ME

[jessibicho 0]

If only the USCIS call centers were as helpful as this website! I have some questions and I help someone can help.

1. My husband is Ecuadorian - he stayed in Ecuador and I have returned to the states. We were formerly living together - who do we contact about change in address?

2. We never recieved our packet 4 in the mail so we have gotten the info online, however, the people at the embassy in Guayaquil say that we need to file a DS- 230 and on the website is says a DS - 156k

Which is correct?

3. The people at embassy told me that I cannot attend the interview. The website says I MUST attend the interview - which is correct?

4. Do I have to own a house? I was reading the guidelines about the I - 864 and it says that I must have a domicil. How would I explain to them that I am currently living with my parents to save money, but as soon as I know he is coming I am going to buy or a rent a house?

5. Is it a good idea for me to send a letter explaining our situation (how we met etc and our future plans)??

6. Does ANYONE have any experience going through Ecuador?? I am really worried because the consulate officer when we filed the I 130 was so mean to us and critical of the fact that my father doesnt know about our marriage (other family members do) - I am really freaked out that they arent going to believe my husband and anyone with experience in Ecuador please let me know about about it.

Thank you

PS How do I make a timeline pr a profile ???

[sdmecuador 0]

If only the USCIS call centers were as helpful as this website! I have some questions and I help someone can help.

1. My husband is Ecuadorian - he stayed in Ecuador and I have returned to the states. We were formerly living together - who do we contact about change in address?

2. We never recieved our packet 4 in the mail so we have gotten the info online, however, the people at the embassy in Guayaquil say that we need to file a DS- 230 and on the website is says a DS - 156k

Which is correct?

3. The people at embassy told me that I cannot attend the interview. The website says I MUST attend the interview - which is correct?

4. Do I have to own a house? I was reading the guidelines about the I - 864 and it says that I must have a domicil. How would I explain to them that I am currently living with my parents to save money, but as soon as I know he is coming I am going to buy or a rent a house?

5. Is it a good idea for me to send a letter explaining our situation (how we met etc and our future plans)??

6. Does ANYONE have any experience going through Ecuador?? I am really worried because the consulate officer when we filed the I 130 was so mean to us and critical of the fact that my father doesnt know about our marriage (other family members do) - I am really freaked out that they arent going to believe my husband and anyone with experience in Ecuador please let me know about about it.

Thank you

PS How do I make a timeline pr a profile ???

[sdmecuador 0]

I too am in the process of trying to get my husband from Ecuador to the US. Here is what I know so far.

1. Change of address -- I'm not sure what the proper way to handle this is. I believe there might be a form on the site somewhere. The Embassy in GYE has twice asked my husband to come for his interview only to arrive and find out that the petition is not approved and he cannot have the interview. When we were notified of the first interview, we made plans for me to go ahead on return to the US and start setting up our life. So, while we were at the Embassy with nothing better to do, we had them change my residence address to where I would be staying in the US. I've always maintained my mother's address as my permanent address so that has never been an issue. With the most recent interview request, my husband hired his replacement for the project he was managing and packed up the place where he was living. So, again, he arrives only to find out that the person on the phone gave him incorrect information and our petition is still in Panama. So, he had to give them a different address while he was there.

2. I'm not sure what packet 4 is. I had to complete the DS-230 and the I-864? (Support documents). Once you dig into them they aren't that difficult. We are still holding them waiting for our interview. Every couple of months I have to reprint bank/brokerage statements and edit all the information regarding my assets while we wait.

3. For the first interview I appeared with my husband assuming they would need to speak with me. I was NOT allowed to enter the Embassy.

4. I believe that is another way of them asking for your permanent address. Again, I used my mother's. I do not provide any support for her so, it was not an issue. I think they want to know if you are claiming a place as a home where you have to support all the occupants of the home plus the person you are sponsoring.

5. I'm not sure who you want to send a letter to. I would request friends to write letters on your behalf that your husband can take to the interview. If any of your friends have met your husband and can talk about the wonderful time you all had while in Ecuador and the joy of seeing you so happy with your husband etc. That is better. Photos of those friends with your husband are also good. My husband has his tourist visa so, we have the advantage of several family get togethers here in the States and visits from my friends while we both lived in Ecuador. Lots of pictures, emails, cards and 3rd party testimony is good -- I hope -- we aren't exactly out of the woods yet. At this last fake-interview that my husband had, he guilted one of the officers into going through all of our documentation. He told us that it all look in order and seemed to be comprehensive enough. I think since we are older than most applicants (mid 40s) our situation is not as "questionable" as younger folks going through it.

6. Our experience has been that the people at the Embassy have been very nice face-to-face but, not at all effective. With this last interview dabacle I fired off some fairly heated email that finally got the attention of a Senior officer who admitted that our petition was lost for a full 3 months somewhere between Ecuador and Panama. Apparently it has since been found. We've had A LOT of trouble with the phone staff there. They are rude, they talk over us when we ask questions, they sometimes try not to answer the questions, then of course, there is the general incompetence that they demonstrate by granting TWO interviews without the petition being approved.

We started the process November 2006. We have friends who have gone all the way through the process in a reasonable amount of time (90 days). Unfortunately, we got caught in the middle of this Adam Walsh amendment thing that requires our petition to go through Panama. That is where our problems began. I'm now writing to our Senator for help. Keeping a married couple in limbo for a full year is cruel and unusual punishment. We are even contemplating my return to Ecuador because I'm pissed off about paying the amount of taxes that I pay and being denied my rights as as US citizen. My husband is very well respected in Ecuador with access to good paying work. So, it is clear from all the documentation we are providing that he is not coming to the US to "ride the gravy train." We are just worn out from the process and from spending most of our first year of marriage apart.

Best wishes to you and your husband. I hope it goes better for you guys.