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First I want to thank this community! The advice, the pool of knowledge available here and just the feeling of belonging that most members project is such a source of comfort during this crazy process. I don't know if Jaycel and I would have maintained our sanity if we didn't have our fellow travelers to lean on. So thank you all so very much! 8 Months and 2 weeks from application received to card in hand. (And exactly 4 years from the day we started talking ) No RFEs and EAD in 51 days. Pretty happy with that timeline! Now we get a break from USCIS for the next 21 months Our full timeline in case it's helpful to anyone else: I-129F Receipt Date: 09/18/2023 I-129F RFE: 05/20/2024 I-129F RFE Response Received: 06/01/2024 I-129F Approved: 06/04/2024 I-129F Sent to DOS: 06/11/2024 DOS Case # Assigned: 07/01/2024 K1-FTP: 07/16/2024 Embassy Interview: 08/13/2024 (Approved) Visa in Hand: 08/20/2024 Entered the US: 08/30/2024 Married: 10/25/2024 AOS Receipt Date: 11/18/2024 Biometrics: 12/26/2024 EAD Approved: 01/08/2025 Interview Scheduled: 06/16/2025 Interview Attended: 07/23/2025 I-485 Approved: 06/16/2025 Green Card Received: 08/01/2025

Sorry to hear of this misfortune. Prayers for both of you. Since 2007 on VisaJourney, I've never heard of a K-1 being expedited for the stated reasons. I've never heard of the in-person meeting requirement's being waived, for ANY reason. If he hasn't even filed the I-129F, I regret to report that you can forget both of these. The chances are zero. As to what I would do in your shoes: Provide love and support from afar until the pancreatic cancer or the chemotherapy take their inevitable toll. Prayers for both of you.

To be honest, you face an uphill battle on several fronts. I have never seen a first meeting waiver granted. @TBoneTX is right. Chances are none. You have a difficult path ahead. Good luck.

*shrugs* Not dumb...that's why you come ask on the forum. Someone inevitably knows something!

You have not explained why you have not met.

Firstly, Bangladesh is a high fraud country, secondly you have a 50 year age gap (this alone is enough for you to be under the microscope at vetting levels), thirdly you have been in a 4 year relationship and have never met even once, furthermore, k1 path is not considered as an emergency to USCIS as you are not considered his immediate relative. Finally I know where you come from people at 74 still work in farms and do a lot of manual labor, in the States, these group of persons are seniors who are at the last legs of their lives and are very fragile (90% of them live in nursing homes, retirement homes, assisted living homes or if they live alone, they have some sort of home health aides). Summary is that your chances of having a life with this man in the States are near to 0% , he needs treatment now and I do not think the weight of immigration should be put on him at this point. My personal advise is for you to move on and not waste another 4 years of your time because USCIS will accept all your fees when filing and would definitely not give two flying flies about the urgency of your case.

I received an email from USCIS that my interview is scheduled 9/5!! 5 year rules, FO is Louisville. 3/26 - N400 application filed online 3/26 - Biometrics reuse 7/28 - Interview Scheduled with interview date 9/5 Time to study hard for the test!!

Interesting read. What piques my curiosity is if a child derives citizenship through a parent's naturalization, isn't that child also recorded in the SAVE database as a derived citizen? The posted review seems to indicate that only happens when the child gets an CoC via an N600. The discussion on fee increases, waivers issued, etc. was very interesting indeed going from $160 in 1998 to $600 in 2010 to $1170 in 2016 to now $1335/1385 depending on online vs paper filing, a massive increase in 27 or so years.

This official uscis document gives very clear instructions for documentation specific to each situation https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-130instr.pdf You would do well to study this carefully. It will answer not only this question but many others , and ensure your application is complete and accurate and less likely to get rejected or receive an RFE

That is a visitor visa. Your spousal visa was never activated, despite what you say. If it had been, you wouldn't have been admitted as a visitor AND you wouldn't have an I-94 record; permanent residents do not have I-94 records. You will not be receiving your greencard in the mail as you'd hoped. There is another tab that says I-94 history. You might be able to download that history and present it, demonstrating you've been continually admitted as a visitor when the visa was in your passport and should have been activated. Not sure if you'll be successful or not, but I'm not sure there's any harm in it.

it is also more clearly stated in the I-693 instructions "What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already completed an immigration medical examination abroad? If you were admitted as a: A. K-1 fiancé(e) or a K-2 child of a K-1 fiancé(e); or B. K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen or a K-4 child of a K-3 spouse of a U.S. citizen; and C. You received a medical examination prior to admission, then: (1) You are not required to complete another immigration medical examination as long as you file your Form I-485 within one year of an immigration medical examination completed outside the United States; and (a) The panel physician did not find a Class A medical condition during your imigration medical examination; or Form I-693 Instructions 01/20/25 Page 8 of 12 (b) The panel physician did find a Class A medical condition, you received a waiver of inadmissibility, and you have complied with the terms and conditions of the waiver. (2) Even if a new immigration medical examination is not required, you must still show proof that you complied with the vaccination requirements. If the vaccination record (DS 3025) was not properly completed and included as part of the original medical examination report completed abroad, you will need to have the Part 10. Vaccination Record completed by a designated civil surgeon. In this case, you must submit Parts 1. - 5., 7., and 10. of Form I-693." https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-693instr.pdf so as long as your DS-3025 is complete, no need to go spending an extra $400 lol

1. Your marriage certificate, itself, is a legal name change document. You can immediately, after marriage, start using your new legal name. For USCIS purposes, your new legal name can be any combination of the names listed on the marriage certificate. Use your new legal name on AOS paperwork. 2. Yes, you can apply for a Social Security number before marriage. Use your maiden (Pre-marriage) name for the application. Another option is to wait until naturalization to change your name. In our case, wife has never changed her name, and it has been fine.

Update: My spouse was successfully issued the IR1 visa so I’m going to lay down a detailed update with a timeline and the kind of documents submitted. This was a very cumbersome process and took some time to get things aligned. In fact, I was told by an attorney that there have been a few policy shifts with consulates worldwide that are making backlogs and processes more difficult. I’m not sure how true this holds, but politics aside, here are the details: This is NOT legal advice and all cases are different! I am only documenting my experience so take this as educational reference only! Some details may be omitted or changed for privacy. Spouse receives 221g for proof of domicile via consulate interview. As mentioned earlier, only Driver’s license, bank statements, and taxes were submitted via NVC. Efforts and documents gathered attached to a cover letter with a table format as follows: Petitioner Name Petitioner Social Secuirty Number Beneficiary Name Case Number Contact Info “ I, XXXXX, petitioner of my husband/wife, XXXXX, have taken the necessary steps to re-establish my domicile in the United States. Below you will find the detailed efforts to establish and maintain my domicile in the US along with supporting documents. Efforts Supporting documents School enrollment for children Vaccine updates and confirmed pre-enrollemnt letter Letter from family home owner Copy of a deed and petitioner financial obligations Transfer of funds to US bank Transaction Receipts Car registration and Insurance Copy of registration/insurance one-way flight to US Boarding Pass Efforts in Job search Copy of emails of job application submissions and offers Voter’s ballot Ballot with petitioner’s name and address New Phone Line Receipt with phone number and address I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the statements in this letter and all accompanying evidence are true and correct. (Sign and Dated) " June 6 - Mailed in Proof of domicile package along with the front page cover letter to the embassy. June 12 – CEAC status still showed refused but date updated to June 12 (Probably shows someone received the package and opened the file) June 18 – CEAC status refused but date updated to June 18 June 19 – Embassy emails and asks for a driver’s license no older than 12 months. Strange because they already have a copy via NVC and shown during the interview. But I emailed it again anyway. CEAC date updated but still refused. June 23 – CEAC status changed to ready. June 24 – CEAC status changed to refused. Received an email asking about an alias that my spouse listed on the DS260. Asking if it was an official legal name or nick name. And requesting information about it’s use as well as requesting proof of name change. Since using alias for public services and banking was common in the country, I emailed them back explaining it uses. June 25 – CEAC status changed to Administrative Processing. Received an email requesting evidence or documentation of it’s use. Wrote a cover letter explaining where and why it was used and submitted translated bank statements and residence certificate recording both the alias and true legal name in PDF format. June 30 – CEAC status changed to refused. July 1 – CEAC status changed to administrative processing July 3 – CEAC status changed to issued July 9 – Received visa in the mail July 21 Entered into the United States Few takeaways I should have followed and some advice that was helpful: 1.) If your spouse’s English is not too proficient, request an interpreter! My spouse could not hardly understand the english spoken, and when the interpreter came to translate, he/she left the interview after 5 minutes. The consulate interview is NOT a great place to practice your English! Be firm on an interpreter being present to fully understand. 2.) According to some advice given, the strongest forms of proof of domicile are your financial ties to the US, such as job offers, US investments, taxes paid in the US in W2s, rental agreements/lease, home ownership, and school enrollments. Secondary evidence would be car registration/insurance, phone lines, voter registration, bank accounts, driver’s license, etc. 3.) Embassy decides your proof of domicile, not NVC. NVC would only DQ the bare minimum in my experience. 4.) Be prepared to explain any alias and submit any evidence. Don’t lie to them about it. 5.) Attach contact information on your cover letters, especially an email to have them contact you directly for any requests. Not doing so may delay until they can properly contact you. 6.) Be patient and truthful. The name of the game now for them is to find 1000 reasons to say NO, especially in these trying times. Just give them zero reasons to refuse you. Thanks to everyone in this community for the support. It has certainly been a long journey, and if there are any questions, I can also do my part to contribute.

Longer processing time or no approval at all. I am a little concerned about the OP after reading about those records. Probably should take time to reflect on whether it is wise to be involved with someone like that.

Your post history shows you are very impatient. K1 nor spousal are quick processes. If you withdraw the K1 and go spousal route, you will have wasted a year. Are you sure you want to do that? You will experience a longer processing time due to your petitioner having very serious criminal charges. Your case is not DIY in my opinion. If you decide to go spousal, you should procure a lawyer. I think OP was screenshotting other cases, and complaining about how they were adjudicated much quicker than theirs.

I would work on it being 15 years. If it’s any sooner then that’s a win, but I think it’s unlikely to be much less Dont forget that if the son marries during that period they are no longer eligible for that visa as well. One to watch out for.

18th birthday present? Just do it

I'd argue the same is true for a naturalization certificate. Why not just give new citizens a US passport instead of said certificate that essentially sits in a safe? Alas, that's not how it works. This is where people run into issues. They are over 18, don't realize their passport has expired and are out of luck because they have no proof of citizenship. Simple oversight wreaks havoc. Or, they decide to go on a beach vacation somewhere in their early 20's and lose their passport abroad. Now what? Did they actually order a passport card and keep it in a safe place? If not...kinda screwed. Are there ways to potentially prove one had the passport? Sure, but if you're stuck abroad, do you have that time? Think of it this way, if your kid lives till they are 80 - $1385/62 = $22.34 per year for reassurance that their status is never in question. $1.86 a month, less than a cup of coffee and won't ever be subject to fee increases because it's in your child's possession after 18. The document has no expiration, unlike a passport. It's cheap insurance, relatively speaking.

If the child does not have a CBRA, a certificate of naturalization, or a certificate of citizenship to prove their status, it is a good idea to file an N-600 ($1385). This could be used to prove citizenship for whatever purpose (e.g. a US passport). Otherwise, the evidence needed for a US passport is more involved.

This is a very unfortunate story but there are so many red flags here.

I still think -- in all instances -- that if there's an opportunity to keep the government off our back now or later, take that opportunity... every time.

If that was the case, then my status has 'hereby been terminated' three times 🙄😂 Your status has not been terminated. Your letter is valid when used in conjunction with your expired card as evidence you are a LPR. The denial letters all have largely the same incorrect wording about your status being terminated, and are factually & legally incorrect. You remain a LPR until you file an I-407 to terminate your own status, or an immigration judge does so with a final order of removal in immigration court, at which point you are no longer a LPR. Up to that point, you remain a LPR, no matter how much USCIS want the opposite to be true. Extension letters are fine for the NY DMV.

It's not just a "piece of paper", and a derived citizen isn't eligible for a Certificate of Naturalization, but rather a Certificate of Citizenship. I get extremely upset when I hear people say this "piece of paper" thing, and they forget the implications and struggles that a derived citizen might have when their parents neglect the submission of N-600 which would finalize USCIS' records on their child's citizenship status once in for all.

Well, said, and to add to that - In the eyes of the government, it is "optional" and a "benefit" because yes, a person does fit what is needed by law to be a citizen. But papers matter for practical purposes even if you fit the parameters of the law via material truth. There is no statute on “user experience.” And as we know, government agencies in the U.S. seem to go out of their way to make everything as ridiculous and painful as possible. I'm working on my N-600 application some 20 years after I derived U.S. Citizenship from my parent. However, it has been extremely difficult to obtain proof of physical custody from that exact year that I derived U.S. Citizenship but I still want to push through before it becomes even more difficult. To add insult to injury, when my parents applied for my first U.S. Passport just shortly after I derived U.S. Citizenship, the DOS interpreted INA 320's "physical custody" as where the child must literally be physically with the parents at the center where the parents would submit their passport application. They didn't ask for any third party evidence of physical custody. But they concluded some 10 years or so ago that their interpretation of INA 320's physical custody requirement was incorrect and they aligned it to what USCIS has had from the beginning. So, even if I FOIA / PA request my first U.S. Passport application, it won't come up with any such third party evidence as the DOS didn't ask for it then. I was devastated to hear that since I was really hoping that a FOIA request of my first U.S. Passport Application would contain evidence that exists in the law. TLDR: Government guidance on whether a CoC is “needed” doesn’t consider potential future complications. There’s no statute guaranteeing an easy “user experience,” and anyone who has dealt with U.S. agencies knows they rarely make things simple.

Well it's well into 2025 - you should be ready to be asked for 2024 taxes as well and have those ready.

Update. Noa1 dec 6. Noa2 just got approved yesterday! Waiting for it to come in the mail 🥹🥹🥹

Upvote for correct spelling of "piques."

Just got my Interview; applied under the 3-year rule. Applied: March 31 Interview scheduled: August 1 Interview date: September 8 Time to make sure I'm sharp on the citizenship questions.

You were all correct—customs was a ton of drama at the airport . I was pulled into the back for an interview, starting with one agent, then two, three, and finally four, including the supervisor. They were baffled about why my visa hadn’t been canceled, as I never activated it before its expiration and why it was listed as "in production." The boss asked, "So are you going to reapply for a visa?" Before I could respond, another officer jumped in, "It’s in production and already in the mail." The supervisor walked away, looking confused. The agent informed me that I’m considered a visitor until my green card arrives and advised me not to remain in the US until it does. They emphasized that my case is unprecedented but assured me everything is on track. Clearly I failed to get it activated as everyone said here.

Your accountant is wrong. You could have filed a joint tax return for 2022 and/or 2023 if your spouse had a Social Security number. Looks like spouse's Green Card expires in December 2025, so you have 3-4 months to put your package together. Right now, it might appear to you that you have a weak package, but there is still time to gather some evidence. There is no need to rush your filing immediately when the 90 day window opens. Just make sure USCIS receives the package before his Green Card expires. 1. I would get him a state ID with the address which matches your Driver's License asap. 2. I would get an affidavit from someone who can testify that you both have lived at the same addresses since he arrived. 3. I would look into advance directive document showing each other as health care proxies. 4. He needs to use the joint bank account. Copies of cards or statements showing common numbers or both names can be used as evidence. 5. Is he a beneficiary on any of your insurance ? Health Care documents? 6. Use a few pictures. 7. I would try to get his name on some of the utilities. 8. Any legal documents showing both names can be used.... 9. I would open a couple new credit accounts in both names. 10. I even used a couple Amazon delivery labels showing our address and both names. You can do this. Think "How can I prove we live together"?

I suppose with the citizens vs naturalized or derived citizens. But, a birth certificate is a lot cheaper. SAVE exists, so if the authorized acceptance agent can verify your identity and take a copy of the original certificate, there's no real reason to provide the original for it to get lost/stolen/damaged. Those people should be or, perhaps, could be required to be notaries. No passport reps at mine or the kids' ceremonies. I think you're right about the post covid slim back. I had to get an expedited passport as I had travel within 2 weeks of the ceremony. I had to call DOS and they basically said you have to suck it up and go wherever we have Passport Office appointments. Luckily, they had one in Houston but I did have to waste 2 days of my life in the Passport Office. It was nice to have my certificate back in hand because I needed it to update my NEXUS (apparently my passport wasn't good enough?). The kids we did through the Post Office and the agent stapled my CoN. I was NOT happy. They weren't supposed to and that was reaffirmed at the kids' CoC ceremony. The USCIS agent and judge cringed when I told them that's what had happened. Technically, the certificate should be replaced because it's supposed to stay pristine, or so I'm told. That's a nope from me.

Agree. The paper trail is irrefutable, imo. This was a designed conspiracy with Hillary, Brennan, Clapper, and Comey in the lead. Obama, a likely conspirator, imo, will escape through presidential immunity.

UPDATE: Today was the Oath Ceremony and even though a picture was taken at the interview, they used the 7 year old picture taken with last biometrics for the Citizenship Certificate.

You would just start over, so it will definitely not make things move faster. From your previous topics, it looks like your petitioner has a pretty serious criminal background. My guess is that this is what is causing things to go slowly in your case. You would face the same kind of issues if you apply for a spousal visa.

Well this thread occasionally makes as much sense as that song !!🤣

Personally I think doing due diligence is important in immigration matters. Why should we as citizens count on our government officials to understand their own rules or even do the right thing? Getting extra documentation is like having an insurance policy.

Food for thought, for those interested in reading. It's a couple of years old and is more pertaining to the fee of the N-600, but also talks about WHY one may like to fork over the bucks. The references are listed and there are a lot of footnotes accompanying the references. https://www.nyulawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/NYULawReview-Volume-95-Issue-4-Bedoya.pdf

For me .. go with the black and white answer. If you sent a document in, take the original and a copy. Nothing to lose doing so

I'd recommend @Roxy&Ryan to withdraw current N-400 and file new N-400 when they have been LPR for 5 years.

My deepest condolences. That's a major loss, and I understand you being swamped. You will need to convert your I-751 to a waiver. You'll need to complete a new copy of the I-751 with the Waiver or Individual Filing Request section filled in, along with a letter showing your spouses death certificate and a request to convert the existing request. You may also want to contact your local USCIS office to inform them of the needed change. Your converted I-751 should continue without issue and you shouldn't need to pay fees again. If your USC spouse dies before your oath, you aren't eligible under the 3 year rule (https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-g-chapter-2). You'll need to re-apply under the 5 year rule. I'm unsure if you're able to "hold" your existing N-400 until the 5 years are up, or if you'll need to abandon this one and refile. Perhaps another member here will know, but I know that original application cannot continue.

Updates : I got notifications about a week ago that my case still being processed. Today it says card is being produced 07/30 (No Interview, No RFE, Nebraska Services Center). I filed February 2024 and I didnt apply N400 yet.

You're well aware once you turn 18, the parental derived citizenship is no more. Retaining and keeping a passport valid - most people try, lots of people fail. The number of people that are in a panic last minute because they didn't bother to check before booking travel astounds me. The number of people that don't keep digital copies of their documents also kinda makes me shake my head. The cost of the N-600 is ridiculous, full stop. It makes zero sense, considering the cost of the N-400. I 100% cannot argue with that. As for waiting until a kid turns 18 - an example of why we didn't wait was eligibility for certain university scholarships, tuition breaks and now, since Kid1 has chosen to go "home", not having to file for a reentry permit and it's associated cost, or worry about coming back during studies for a naturalization interview, for a swearing in ceremony and then rushing to get a passport so she could return to her studies. The difference in cost between the I-131 and the N-400 versus the N-600 would have been consumed and then some with all that stress and rigamarole.

Could be that left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing. Maybe one trip, OP was admitted as LPR and subsequent trips as visitor 😅 This is a very interesting case, I hope we learn more soon. @Pat J sorry if I caused you stress. This is a unique situation.

If you were a legal resident, this info would not be available. That even says your last entry was as a visitor.

It's imperative that you check documentation for accuracy when you receive it. You should have filed an I-90 to correct your son's greencard to an IR-2 when you received it. We had the same thing happen to Kid2. We filed the I-90 right away and received a properly statused IR-2 greencard with a 10 year expiration. Did you ignore the NOA that USCIS would have sent regarding his greencard before the 2yr expiration? We received a notice for ROC but had already applied and received an updated GC for Kid2, so we were in the clear. You were not. This is definitely not a DIY anymore. You will need a lawyer to fix this.

was your DS-3025 complete and marked as complete? if so you don't have to do the partial I-693 at all. you can just include a copy of the DS-3025 and a cover letter explaining that you completed a medical exam in your country and voluntarily received all of the required vaccinations. https://www.uscis.gov/i-693 " The following aliens applying for adjustment of status must submit a partial Form I-693 (Parts 1.-5., Part 7, and Part 10, Vaccination Record) when they file their adjustment application if their vaccination record was not properly completed and included as part of the immigration medical examination conducted by a panel physician outside the United States: Aliens admitted to the United States as a spouse, or child of a spouse, of a U.S. citizen or fiancé(e) or child of a fiancé(e) of a U.S. citizen (K-1/K-2/K-3/K-4 Nonimmigrant) who already completed an immigration medical examination conducted by a panel physician outside the United States no more than 1 year before they file to adjust their status;"

All of this speculation across multiple threads (I count three — this merged one and another one last Fall) isn’t that useful because OP hasn’t answered basic questions: where is his spouse from and is there anything out of the ordinary that would cause a delay in processing at USCIS. As an example if OP is younger man marrying a significantly older woman from a West African country after having recently divorced, all a WoM would likely do is speed up an NOID. If he’s the same age as his spouse from the UK both on first marriages and of equal socioeconomic status, then this would be very weird and a suggesting a WoM if it hits two years would be the way to go. I’m also going to hazard a guess that if this was self-filed any support uploaded might have had clarity issues (people are rarely more clear explaining themselves on government forms than Internet forums.) OP — sorry if this comes off harsh we’re trying to help but we need to know more about your circumstances. A lot of people have commented on these threads and part of the reason they’re becoming hard to follow is we don’t know enough about your situation for people to come to a consensus, which is what usually happens.

So a couple of things here for consideration. The timeline you're expecting isn't probably that quick. Especially with the current administration. You did mention that relatively speaking, you guys are not exactly rolling in the dough. Are you making enough to fulfill the requirements for the I-864? If not, you're going to need a joint sponsor. You may be well aware of this, but sometimes people aren't and it's a bit shocking to them. Same with income taxes - need to be up to date on US filings. If you do K1, it's going to cost substantially more money because not only do you have to do the K1, pay to adjust status and pay again to remove conditions. You would potentially still have to remove conditions with a CR1, but it's one less expense over the K1 with potentially a large number of freedoms that don't initially come with the K1. Yes, the CR1 takes longer, but your partner enters the US, able to work, travel internationally and really begin a new life. It's a lot harder to be the immigrant where you move to a new country, where you are completely dependent on your partner both for company and financially, especially if they had been independent previously, where the politics are different, where people behave differently, were customs are different and then to try and fit in and make friends with no driver's license and no job. If something happens back home, they can't just jump on a plane and go back to family. So while you both might think they aren't that important right now, really stand back and consider the imminent life change that's about to happen for her. The time apart is really a blip in time compared to the long term scale of building a life long marriage.

No, you won't receive anything else from USCIS. If there's anything to be remembered from immigration journey - case status means nothing 😃 Somebody must have pressed the buttons on your case 5 days late. You will receive certificate of naturalization in the mail, often few days or week after passport arrives. So don't worry about that.

Our Visa Journey is finally over. My wife passed the interview and the Oath Ceremony is this Friday August 01 2025. She applied with a N-648. No civics test, no English test. I, her husband was accepted as interpreter to answer few questions from the N-400. Oakland Park Fl. Thank you for all your support.