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  • Trending Immigration Discussions
      Topic   Popularity Poster
    #1 Mother's GC expired
    US Citizen Family Discussion
    - popularity rating: 2002 blank avatar Model4life1
    #2 RFE for I-485 assets-only sponsor: "could not determine that the petitioning sponsor on Form I-864 is qualified"
    Green Card Discussion
    - popularity rating: 1205 Josh N
    #3 Co-Sponsor Didn't file Taxes for 2024 due to financial reasons. Will this give us trouble..
    NVC Discussion
    - popularity rating: 670 ChristymH
    #4 Question 38 on form I-130
    DCF Discussion
    - popularity rating: 468 blank avatar Paul_Light
    #5 F4 India – PD Nov 2006 Is Current, But Still Waiting for Welcome Letter
    NVC Discussion
    - popularity rating: 372 blank avatar sharansbchitown

  • Community Spotlight
    PSA: If entering the USA 2 years after marriage, kindly remind the immigration officer of this
    When we last entered the US, our immigration officer said "Oh, hmm I wonder if I could go ahead and change you an IR-1."  The agent right next to him said "Yes, you can do that" and he acted surprised. His comments made it pretty clear he was going to erroneously issue us a CR-1 and he seemed to not even know he could change the visa status until his coworker advised him (THANK GOODNESS she overheard!).  I don't know how onerous the process is to correct such an oversight but I'm glad we didn't have to find out!
     
    Just wanted to pass this along in the hopes it saves someone from any problems with the wrong stamp being placed in the passport, as I've read about here before....  I would kindly remind the officer "We married >2 years ago.  We can enter with an IR-1 visa now right?"
    • 12 replies
    Traveled to Canada for 20 days after entering the U.S. on a K-1 visa (June 1–22). Seeking reentry under Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR).
    I entered the U.S. on a K-1 visa on June 1st and left for Canada on June 2nd, remaining here for 20 days. I am now attempting to return to the U.S. through Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) using Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR). My K-1 visa is expired, but my I-94 is still valid. Am I ok?
    • 23 replies
    Wrong USCIS application form filed by my lawyer!
    Hello, so my wife came in k-1 visa to USA and we got married and all. We filled for work permit and green card together but while doing that my lawyer filed for I-130 no idea why. Will that application make my process for work permit and green card slow? If so how do I withdrawal that application? My lawyer isn’t helpful at all. I need some help…
    • 20 replies
    Seeking advice for Thai/US couple - What US visa path to take?
    My gf and I live in Thailand but spend 2-4months in the US per year. Once/if we have children age 5+, the time split would become vice versa. We have no plans to live full-time in the United States in the next 5 years, but I visit my family and friends 2-3x per year for 2-3 weeks at a time. I would love it if she can join me for those trips and experience that part of my life. What options do we have -- US visa wise, maybe a tourist or fiance visa later? Other?
     
     
    • 72 replies
    Abandoned AOS and now regret it
    Please be nice, I know I made a mistake... But got my K1 approved and arrived in the US June 25, 2024 and applied for AOS February 25, 2025 -- then left the US (abandoned my AOS). Will I be banned for re-entry to the US -- even under a spouse visa?
    • 32 replies
    US Citizen with Foreign Fiancé: When and How to Get Married?
    I'm currently living and working in the United States. My fiancé currently lives in Japan. We have been dating for about 6 months, and we have met in person several times, but we are not yet married.
    My fiancé will be visiting me in the United States on a tourist visa some time in March or April and staying for about 3 months. I want to file for a fiance/spouse visa asap -- what's next?
    • 18 replies
  • Recent Immigration Discussions
    Co-Sponsor Didn't file Taxes for 2024 due to financial reasons. Will this give us trouble..
    1:34 pm today

    ChristymH



    Read 134 Times
    5 Replies



    Hi all,

    Our co-sponsor wasn't able to file taxes for the current tax year due to financial reasons. Would using her as a Co-sponsor be an issue?

    I'm not sure if they would find her illegible to help sponsor, even though she's filed all previous tax years.

    Anyone have thoughts on this?



     
    View Topic

    F4 India – PD Nov 2006 Is Current, But Still Waiting for Welcome Letter
    9:55 am today

    sharansbchitown

    blank avatar

    Read 93 Times
    4 Replies



    Hi everyone,

    I wanted to check in and see if anyone else is in a similar situation. My F4 petition for India has a priority date of November 2006, which just became current in the June 2025 Visa Bulletin.

    However, I haven t received any communication from the National Visa Center (NVC) yet no welcome letter, no case number. I understand there s a backlog, but I d love to know if anyone with a similar PD has already received their welcome letter or heard from NVC.

    Quick summary:

    • F4 Category (India)

    • Priority Date: November 2006

    • PD is officially current as of June 2025

    • Still waiting for the NVC Welcome Letter

    Would greatly appreciate hearing if anyone has received theirs or is in the same boat. Any advice, updates, or timelines would be helpful for tracking progress.

    Thanks in advance and best of luck to everyone in this journey!



     
    View Topic

    Question 38 on form I-130
    3:08 am today

    Paul_Light

    blank avatar

    Read 117 Times
    4 Replies



    Hi, I'm preparing our I-130 for our upcoming interview for DCF in Bangkok.

    I'm a naturalized U.S. citizen. How do I respond to question 38 if I'm unable find my original certificate of naturalization. It's $555 for a duplicate.

    Do I need it if I hold a current U.S. passport?

    If I don't need it how do I answer the question?

    IMG_8430.jpeg



     
    View Topic

    Mother's GC expired
    1:44 am today

    Model4life1

    blank avatar

    Read 286 Times
    7 Replies



    My mom had a 10 years green card and during those years, she shuttled within the US and birth country because of her mom. Almost two years ago, we lost her mom after years of illness. She returned to take care of her mom which made her stay beyond the GC rule of been outside the US. She said she went to the US embassy but was turned away saying she can't return here because she didn't return on time.

    What can be done at this point? She has been out of the US since 2023.

    Thank you.



     
    View Topic

    RFE for I-485 assets-only sponsor: "could not determine that the petitioning sponsor on Form I-864 is qualified"
    10:25 pm yesterday

    Josh N



    Read 241 Times
    5 Replies



    Hi all,

    Looking for any advice on how best to proceed with our RFE - thank you in advance!

    Context

    I m a UK citizen and was admitted to the US on a K-1 visa. I married my US citizen fianc e (named on the I-129F) within the 90-day window.

    We used Boundless Immigration for the K-1, but they caused delays by sending a package with a missing page, so we filed the AoS (I-485 + I-765) ourselves.

    I didn t use a lawyer because our application seemed mostly straightforward, and the main complexity now is our I-864: my wife (the petitioner) is currently unemployed and we re sponsoring based on her cash assets only.

    Timeline

    2025

    21 March - Arrival in US (I-94 valid until 18 June)

    6 June - Married*

    9 June - sent I-485 and I-765 concurrent filing via UPS

    17 June - received I-797C Rejection Notice**, and USCIS returned the full original application package

    25 June - sent corrected I-485 and I-765 concurrent filing package via UPS

    27 June - Received Date for I-485 and I-785

    1 July - Notice Date for I-797C Receipts (I-485 and I-785)

    3 July - Notice Date for USCIS Account Access Notice

    4 July - Notice Date for Biometrics Appointment Notice

    15 July - Date of RFE for I-485 (see pages from RFE below)

    * I know that a lot of advice suggests not leaving it so late in the 90-day period to get married. We are in a bona fide relationship and had genuine reasons. I'm mentioning this because I know it may seem odd, but ultimately is legal within the K1 process.

    ** This was due to my error. I submitted the I-485 with a previous edition date. Totally my fault, I had been going by the "Expires" date in the top right when doing final checks before sending, but as I know now this does not mean the Form is valid. For anyone reading this, ALWAYS check the "Edition" date in the bottom left matches the latest published edition on the USCIS website.

    Summary of the RFE

    Quote

    Based on the documents submitted, we could not determine that the petitioning sponsor on Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, is qualified. In order to be a qualified sponsor, the petitioning sponsor's Form I-864 must be properly completed and signed, and the supporting documents must establish that the petitioning sponsor's income meets 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline for the sponsor s household size. See Form I-864P for information on the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

    To me, this looks like a generic response, and it is not clear what was insufficient e.g. the form itself, income/asset amounts, or the supporting documentation.

    Full text of RFE attached.

    Summary of our case

    • Household size of 2, therefore poverty threshold is 3x $26,437 = $79,311
    • USC spouse has been on a career break while traveling Europe, so unemployed for 12+months
    • Sponsorship is based on assets, with our I-864 including:
      • Small income (<$10k, mostly interest + small ad hoc work)
      • $100k $200k in sponsor's assets (CD + savings, 12-month history included)

    We explained the small income estimate in Part 11 "Additional Information" and provided bank statements showing movement of funds between the CD and savings.

    Contents of submitted package

    I-485 & I-765

    • All required forms and ID docs
    • I-693 (sealed), marriage cert, I-94, etc.
    • Bona fide marriage evidence (lease, insurance, texts, etc.)

    I-864

    • Form + additional information on continuation sheets
    • 3 years of IRS transcripts (2022 2024)
    • Bank statements (12 months for both CD and savings)
    • Sponsor s birth certificate
    • Applicant passport & visa copies
    • My (immigrant s) UK company stock ownership, evidence of liquidation being undertaken this year, information about value of stocks after liquidation, info from received dividends, foreign exchange transactions of cash - all submitted to explain Part 7 (Assets of Principal Immigrant)

    Potential issues

    I'd hazard a guess at any of the following being issues:

    • Documentation for the transfer from CD to savings within prior 12 months may be unclear?
    • Income being an estimate of interest for this year based on last year's history might have caused confusion
    • Sponsor s current unemployment status
    • Inclusion of my (immigrant) assets may have added complexity

    Next steps

    If it seems like the issue is just administrative, perhaps we should simplify and refile a cleaner I-864, only including:

    • The sponsor s bank statements showing >$80k in assets
    • Birth certificate for proof of citizenship
    • Possibly remove all income references and my (immigrant s) assets

    If the issue is unclear or it seems like a more material issue, we could:

    • Try to get a joint sponsor
    • Try to show new income from my wife if she takes a job now, although unsure if USCIS accepts new employment in an RFE response with less than 12 months work history/pay stubs etc
    • Get a lawyer (only haven't done so because of cost)

    Questions

    1. Does this sound more like a documentation/admin issue, or a genuine eligibility problem?
    2. Would a simplified I-864 (assets only) that exceeds the asset threshold make the case clearer?
    3. Anyone with similar RFE experience for I-864 using assets only?


    Thank you!

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    View Topic

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  • Recent Status Updates

    • EricN  »  OldUser

      Hey you OldUser:  Can you help remind me where on VisaJourney we can go an view applicants with similar Visa applications to get a real idea of where we stand in the line?  Or maybe it is easier to go somewhere on the USCIS website??   We applied for my Wife's adult brother some 12 years ago and originally we thought it was going to b a 20 year process....it sounds like it might be a much longer process putting in jeopardy his ability to bring his under 21 year old children along with his wife.   Thanks, Eric
      · 0 replies
    • hopiiee

      need help everyone. thank you!
      1. i am so confused between these two. the first one states I should include my husband’s current annual income and he got a higher annual income now since he got promoted to a new position in the company a week before our wedding.
       
      and the 2nd one shows his recent 2024 annual income and it’s a different amount from his previous position in the same company. is it ok if both amounts are different?
      2. hubby had jr in our petition but it was omitted on our marriage certificate, for i-864 and i-485 should we continue using our last name with jr?
       
      3. in the i-864 should we include hubby’s current job position in the same company, even it it’s different from the i-134 job position he has?
       
      thank you
       
      · 1 reply
    • jodijadane

      I have a question. my i485 was denied because of affidavit wasn't done incorrectly. but my son case still pending. should I refile for him or just myself? when I refile should I add him on the new affidavit even though his case still pending? what's the best way to fill out a i864 with a joint sponsor if my spouse doesn't meet the requirements? Is my son case on Hold till I sort my stuff out? or will it be denied? sorry a lot of questions thanks in advance
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    • Angela & Brendon

      I have my Citizenship Interview tomorrow and just want to make sure I'm fully prepared. Here's my full list of documents and supporting materials - am I missing anything?
       
      Interview Notice (Form I797-C)
      Green Card (Original + Back to front copy)
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    • AlaMike

      Well, the Journey is over. My wife became a US citizen on July 1st 2025.
      I want to thank all the people here for the help along the way.
      When we started this, I was just looking for information about the different visa options. And stumbled on to this site.
      Little did I know, that I would actually find a "second" family of friends, helpful resources and people willing to actually help a Newby along the way.
      We did all the paperwork from beginning to end ourselves; and yes some mistakes were made that costs time and money but it was learning experience and I hope that anyone reading our timeline, learns how to avoid them and make the right moves for their journey.
      Special thanks to @Hank who hasn't been online in a couple years but I think was the most informed person here on anything about the Philippines and to all the ones that answered my questions no matter how simple they seemed to be. 
      Although we have made to the end of our rainbow, I will be checking in and hopefully get to use the things I have learned to help others along their Visa Journey.
      Thank You again, 
      Michael and Angelica
       
       
      · 0 replies
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