US Immigration from Australia

Hi there.

Been checking this forum religiously all year.

My N-400 application was accepted back in March 2020. Then... the pandemic hit the US.

I made a heartbreaking decision to rush back to Australia in April 2020, before the borders closed, after my father was diagnosed with liver cancer.

At the time, I never imagined I'd be away from the US for over six months. I figured in a month or so the worst of the pandemic would be over and I could return now the borders were reopen.

But this never happened. It's Jan 2021. Australia is still enforcing a travel ban to the US. My dad is sick, but fighting. And I'm watching on the news every day as stories of Covid running wild in California play out.

I've heard of stories of US citizens managing to get back to the US with special permissions -- but the wait to return can 4-6 months because of the tough border measures.

It's an unprecedented thing in an unprecedented time -- and I've somehow found myself in the perfect storm of it all.

After MONTHS of nothing from USCIS, and zero help from the US consulate in Sydney, I got a biometric reuse notice in December 2020. Then yesterday (Jan 4), I got a notice that my interview has FINALLY been scheduled for Feb 10, 2021. Progress. Sort of.

I'm really stressed and confused about what to do now.

I don't want to risk being locked out Australia during my father's final days. But I'm also upset because I've lived and worked in the US since 2009 (first on 01s then an EB1). I pay my taxes. I've kept up rent on my apartment in the US, even though I've been unable to get back to it for over a year. Getting naturalized means so, so much to me after all these years being treated as an almost equal in the US.... but never a real equal.

If I request another interview date because of the above mentioned fears, I'm might be at risk of having been out of the country for over 12 months (remember - I left in late March 2020). Which - I'm guessing is an automatic denial.

In which case -- is there any point?

Jumping on a plane right now, with California as it is, to attend a N-400 interview whilst the state is in complete lockdown seems utterly insane.

Is anyone else experiencing something similar?

Do you know if USCIS is still drawing such a hard line of physical presence requirements at a time when almost all international air travel has been grounded???

I know there rules and what the website lists as conditions for N-400. I've been over the requirements a thousand times. But surely, in times like these, there must be special considerations taken?

If this was 2019, I could have gone back to the US multiple times. I wouldn't risk losing a parent and not being there for their funeral. I wouldn't be risking my own health, and others, with air travel. But it's a whole different world in 2021.

And if I withdraw my application (like my family keep asking me to)... I'm back to needing to wait four years before I could apply again because of all this.

I've been grappling with this and making myself sick with worry for months and months now.

Any suggestions? Ideas??? Please. I'd be so grateful. Grateful enough just sharing this story with people who might understand what the hell keeps me up at night....

Hi there, just wondering if anyone has tried to get their IR1 expiration date extended or reissued. With covid the trip to activate the visa is going to be a pain as there is a 3 week quarantine period required when coming back to where we are living now. Visa expires end April and we really just need like a 3 month extension. Do they extend the same one or reissue a new one? I know we need to redo medical check in our case, maybe police check, maybe some fees... also I know its "up to the consular officer" and that no timelines are guaranteed after getting back in line.... but am curious if anyone has any personal experience with this that they could share? thanks!

My husband (AU citizen) was just approved for his CR1. We were told we'd receive his visa to enter the country in his passport in a few days and that the physical Green Card wouldn't be processed until we enter the US. Does that mean that my husband can't secure employment until he has the physical Green Card in his possession or does the visa we will get in a few weeks act as an interim and he can go ahead and try to secure a job?

Hi,

My partner and i are getting married on the 1st of February and we are complying everything in order for our visa. This is currently the type of evidence we have and we were wondering if this would suffice?

Marriage certificate (1st of feb)

Joint debit bank account

12 month rental lease

Joint car insurance w/ petitioners car - listed driver on beneficiaries car (as it's under finance can't be joint insurance).

Airbnb receipts (with both names).

Boarding passes / passport stamps.

. 20 pictures including family, friends and wedding

. x1 Screenshot picture with the petitioners family & friends.

. 8 screen shot text messages from family members referring to each other.

x2 Affidavits of support from beneficiaries uncle and sister (if needed)

Will it matter we don't have much photo evidence with my partners family?

• We have screen shots of the petitioners mother thanking me (the beneficiary) and me talking to my partners sister on instagram.
• I work as a nurse and struggle to find time to FaceTime them as i'm always at work or night shift, considering the time difference it makes it insanely difficult.

We are unable to get joint health insurance as my partner is on a student visa and has to have her own type of insurance here in Australia.

Should i considering putting her on my credit card as an authorised user

or will this evidence be enough to prove our marriage?

Thanks for your help!

My partner & i both live in Australia and we are looking at the online application for the CR1 visa. In contact details it won't accept the Australian area code for our mobile number here. Should we consider putting one of my family or friends? What did anyone else do considering we reside outside of the states. Thanks.