US Immigration from Singapore

Any fellow Massholes around? I'm working on our 2020 tax return, which will be the first one we file jointly after getting married in 2019. My wife entered the US with a CR1 in January 2021 and now has her SSN (we filed MFS for 2019 because she didn't have her SSN and we didn't want to send in her passport with Covid-related delays). All looked good, including claiming the previous stimulus checks as the Recovery Rebate Credit, until I got to the state tax return. Her foreign income was well under the threshold for claiming the full exclusion on form 2555.

Apparently, MA does not allow you to deduct foreign earned income on your taxes, even though it's federally deductible. So, to get the $1800 in stimulus payments, we end up owing $2050 in state taxes on her foreign income. Since she was a nonresident for the entire year of 2020 and earned no income in MA, she is not required to file a return in MA. Does anyone have experience with filing a MFJ federal return and then a MFS state return for just the US-based spouse?

So, we just had our interview earlier today and we were approved!

However, they told us we need to register Passport Delivery Information in order for them to return the VISA to us.

So, they say to go to the ustraveldocs website, and signup and all. However, we already had an account from when my wife applied for a J-1 visa a while ago.

So, we just log into that account, however there is NO option for "IV Register" like their document states us to select.

The only way for me to select delivery information is to schedule a new appointment. But we already had our appointment.

It is past the call hours of the Embassy / website.

Any Help?

Hello,

We received an email giving us an interview date of March 3rd.

However, we weren't sure if we could get the medical exam done in time before the interview.

So, we tried to reschedule the interview on the cgifederal website.

This prompted the NVC Embassy to call us and tell us to not do things on the website, that they will call us and reschedule when medical exam is ready.

And the March 3rd date is just a placeholder.

However, we did complete the medical exam and get results in time, but haven't heard from the NVC, should we still show up on the 3rd?

Or assume they will contact us again with a new date?

March Visa Bulletin and April estimates are now out! Decent movement this month.

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/visa-bulletin-predictions-work-sponsored.php

https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/visa-bulletin-predictions-family-sponsored.php

Hey guys,

Just sharing some good news and my timeline.

Had my interview for CR-1 (spouse visa) on Feb 10, 2021, and received an "Issued" status on CEAC today. Should be receiving my visa in a couple of days.

I am the beneficiary (Singapore citizen), and my husband is the petitioner (US citizen).

As my husband is currently unemployed, we had to use my income and assets for the Affidavit of Support (I-864). I submitted the I-864A during the NVC stage for my income and assets to be used.

My income can be used as I am an online video content creator, and my income comes from online advertisement revenue from YouTube and Facebook. After I move to the US, I will continue to create and publish videos on the same platforms (YouTube & Google), so my income will continue from the same source. I also have cash assets which is more than 5x the requirement (5x $21,550 for 2 people).

Timeline:

I-130 NOA1 Submitted : 11 July 2020

I-130 Approved : 9 Dec 2020

NVC Received : 14 Dec 2020

Case Completed at NVC : 15 Jan 2021

Interview Date : 10 Feb 2021

Interview Result : Received 221g - need more proof of relationship (texts, emails)

Sent in documents: 16 Feb 2021

Visa Case Status "Issued": 18 Feb 2021

The interview was pretty scary. The officer doesn't seem to believe that our relationship was real as our pictures does not have any friends or family members in them. We have yet to meet each others' friends and family yet as they are all in different states and in different countries. We also did not have a wedding, it was just the two of us at the courthouse, with a simple civil ceremony. So the interview ended with the officer giving me a 221g form saying it was refused, and she returned my passport as well. She asked me to submit more evidence of our relationship like texts and emails. So I prepared over 200 screenshots of texts and emails between me and my husband, and sent it to the embassy. It got approved 2 days later, so that's a relief!

Took a total of 7 months and 8 days from submitting the I-130 on 11 July 2020 to today (18 Feb 2021).