alizon

I just checked our case status online, and card production was ordered on 5/21! I thought we signed up for email notifications, but we didn't get one.

California Service Center (23 applicants, 18 approved - 78%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
LONG&KIEU.............01/02/14......01/07/14......02/03/14......04/16/14

BOB27.................??/??/14......01/07/14......01/30/14......--/--/--
JEWCHEE...............01/02/14......01/10/14......01/31/14......04/30/14
LEIRAM................01/03/14......01/06/14......01/27/14......04/24/14
ZARA_.................01/04/14......01/07/14......02/03/14......04/17/14
FOREVERWAITING........01/06/14......01/08/14......02/04/14......03/17/14(Transfer to VSC, then transfer to local office?)
SIRDANIEL42...........01/07/14......01/13/14......02/04/14......05/06/14
R AND L...............01/10/14......01/13/14......02/07/14......--/--/--
LORIT.................01/11/14......01/13/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
PLUSFISHES............01/13/14......01/16/14......02/10/14......05/08/14
A P...................01/14/14......01/16/14......02/10/14......04/24/14(Early Bio 01/29)
LAURE&COLIN...........01/15/14......01/16/14......02/11/14......05/13/14(Card received 05/19)
CHARLES-N-ERICA.......01/17/14......01/21/14......02/14/14......02/26/14(Military)
CALI CHICK............01/18/14......01/22/14......02/14/14......05/07/14
NANCYNGUYEN...........01/20/14......01/24/14......02/20/14......--/--/--(RFE received 05/17, responded 05/19)
SHINE11...............01/21/14......01/23/14......02/19/14......05/08/14(Early Bio 02/17/14)
PDNK..................01/23/14......01/27/14......02/28/14......05/06/14(Early Bio 02/05)
HUY_LE................01/24/14......01/27/14......02/20/14......05/07/14(Card received 05/14)
SLAVEOFTHEGOV.........01/25/14......01/27/14......02/20/14......--/--/--
ALIZON................01/27/14......02/03/14......02/27/14......05/21/14
PILITAB................01/27/14......01/28/14......XX/XX/XX......03/12/14(Interview letter received 02/27 for 03/12)(Approved at intervew)(Fingerprint was current, may need to take new picture for new card?)
MNRCHICAGO............01/27/14......01/31/14......02/27/14......05/22/14
INES1987..............01/29/14......01/31/14......02/26/14......05/15/14 (Early Bio 02/21)


Vermont Service Center (16 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
AASHUG................01/02/14......01/06/14......02/03/14......--/--/--
H&I...................01/02/14......01/06/14......02/04/14......--/--/--
FEELINGS..............01/02/14......01/07/14......02/04/14......--/--/--
(Missed original bio date and did late walk-in 02/10)
MONYFER...............01/04/14......01/07/14......02/11/14......--/--/--
TIM & OLGA............01/05/14......01/14/14......02/11/14......--/--/--
PARTITA...............01/14/14......01/15/14......02/10/14......--/--/--
MRS. CAREY............01/15/14......01/21/14......02/19/14......--/--/--
ARNAUDGF..............01/16/14......01/21/14......02/13/14......--/--/--
JAH H.................01/17/14......01/22/14......02/20/14......--/--/--
DRI AU PAIR...........01/22/14......01/27/14......02/27/14......--/--/--(Waiver)
THASHEDA..............01/23/14......01/27/14......02/26/14......--/--/--
RIT'S BRAT............01/24/14......--/--/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
CHRISSBE17............01/27/14......02/03/14......03/07/14......--/--/--
HOPEFUL17.............01/27/14......01/31/14......03/05/14......--/--/--(Early Bio 02/25)
BEN & KATIE...........01/29/14......01/31/14......03/04/14......--/--/--
ISOPROPANO............01/30/14......02/06/14......02/19/14......--/--/--



IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.
* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.
* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.
* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.
* Please check that you have not deleted anyone's NAME & DATA. Also please check that you have not deleted the name of the Service Center.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your petition
NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter
Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment
Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list.
* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly.
* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

In case anyone else is looking at this, I found out through researching some other sites that family based immigration applications for Americans are generally processed through the Ottawa case processing center unless there's a problem, so the processing time for Ottawa is the one that should be used on this page. Right now it's 15 months vs. 30 months for the New York office, so a little bit quicker.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp

Oh man do I hope that is true...

Still waiting...will try to make a phone call tomorrow, I guess.

No Biometrics Appointment letter yet. Our NOA1 was dated Jan. 28. Others seem to have received theirs so quickly. Is this normal? Our case is being processed through the California Service Center.

I would suggest calling the help line. Based on how everyone else's timelines look, it's entirely possible that the letter got lost in the mail. http://www.uscis.gov/about-us/contact-us

California Service Center (17 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

Hi alizon, is 02/03 the Receipt Date on your NOA letter? You need that date for the list

Yes it is. Letter arrived today with the receipt date of 2/3.

California Service Center (17 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
LONG&KIEU.............01/02/14......01/07/14......02/03/14......--/--/--
JEWCHEE...............01/02/14......01/??/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
ZARA..................01/04/14......01/07/14......02/03/14......--/--/--
FOREVERWAITING........01/06/14......01/08/14......02/04/14......--/--/--
SIRDANIEL42...........01/07/14......01/13/14......02/04/14......--/--/--
R AND L...............01/10/14......01/13/14......02/07/14......--/--/--
LORIT.................01/11/14......01/13/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
PLUSFISHES............01/13/14......01/16/14......02/10/14......--/--/--
A P...................01/14/14......01/16/14......02/10/14......--/--/-- (Early Bio 01/29)
LAURE&COLIN...........01/15/14......01/16/14......02/11/14......--/--/--
CHARLES-N-ERICA.......01/17/14......01/21/14......02/14/14......--/--/--
CALI CHICK............01/18/14......01/22/14......02/14/14......--/--/--
PDNK..................01/23/14......01/27/14......02/28/14......--/--/--
SLAVEOFTHEGOV.........01/25/14......01/27/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
ALIZON................01/27/14......02/03/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
PILITAB................01/27/14......01/28/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
INES1987..............01/29/14......--/--/14......--/--/14......--/--/--


Vermont Service Center (15 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
AASHUG................01/02/14......01/06/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
H&I...................01/02/14......01/06/14......02/04/14......--/--/--
FEELINGS..............01/02/14......01/07/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
MONYFER...............01/04/14......01/07/14......02/11/14......--/--/--
TIM & OLGA............01/05/14......01/14/14......02/11/14......--/--/--
PARTITA...............01/14/14......01/15/14......02/10/14......--/--/--
MRS. CAREY............01/15/14......01/21/14......02/19/14......--/--/--
ARNAUDGF..............01/16/14......01/21/14......02/13/14......--/--/--
JAH H.................01/17/14......01/22/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
DRI AU PAIR...........01/22/14......01/27/14......--/--/14......--/--/--(Waiver)
THASHEDA..............01/23/14......01/27/14......02/26/14......--/--/--
RIT'S BRAT............01/24/14......--/--/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
CHRISSBE17............01/27/14......--/--/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
HOPEFUL17.............01/27/14......01/31/14......--/--/14......--/--/--
BEN & KATIE...........01/29/14......01/31/14......--/--/14......--/--/--

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.
* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.
* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.
* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.
* Please check that you have not deleted anyone's NAME & DATA. Also please check that you have not deleted the name of the Service Center.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your petition
NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter
Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment
Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list.
* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly.
* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

Hi everyone,

My wife has her interview date scheduled for February 10. We both are so excited!!! She has been preparing by looking at potential questions she could receive. Can someone tell me if there are any other docs my wife should bring apart from what is listed below?

-I-130 application photocopy

-I-864 Packet documents (I-864 Application, Income tax, Proof of employment, pay stubs)

-IV Packet documents (Passport photos, Passport, Birth Cerificate, Marriage Certificate, Police Certificate)

-Medical results

-Interview letter

-Courier letter

-4 additional passport photos

Also, how many months does my wife have to move after getting approved for the green card?

Last question, my wife and I were thinking of traveling to Asia this fall. Will that cause any issues when at US customs?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, bring proof of your relationship, though they probably won't bother looking at it.

It's been a while since our process, but I'm pretty sure her medical results still need to be valid for her to cross the border, so she has 6 months from her medical exam to move, NOT from receiving the visa.

When you cross the border, your wife will get a stamp that functions as her green card for up to a year, so traveling shouldn't be a problem even if production of her green card is delayed. But my husband received his in the mail just a few weeks after he arrived here, so she will in all likelihood have it in hand before the fall, and then everything will be smooth sailing until it expires.

I wasn't sure how much we should send but my husband made a fixation on the sentence in the official USCIS instructions that says you should send as many pieces of evidence as possible... so we ended up with a pretty big stash. I'm not sure everything was really absolutely necessary!

You have tax return transcripts? Health/life insurance together? Seems to be pretty standard to send that.

Yes on the tax transcript; not really on the health insurance because we are insured separately by our employers. I printed out the page on my Roth IRA that says he is the beneficiary, but it's an online account so the print-out doesn't look super legit...I'll keep thinking about it.

Good to see you again Alizon!!

We are double checking everything tonight, and I'll send the package tomorrow. Eventually it fit in a USPS Priority mail envelope (the large tyvek one) although it's close to 2 inches thick. Can't wait to be over with this!

Good to see you too, Laure!

We aren't sending much evidence, mostly just our leases and a few bank statements. I hope we aren't under-doing it...

We sent our documents from Canada through the regular post and didn't have an issue. It just took a bit longer, of course.

California Service Center (5 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

I agree that the question is pretty ambiguous. If you aren't going to be in the US when the papers are sent in, I'd go with leaving the line blank. I think the question is intended for people who are attempting to stay in the US throughout the process. If your husband is still wary, just date the documents for the date that they will be sent in, at which point you won't be in the US anymore.

Never sure whether to start a new topic or revive an older one on a similar topic but...

In addition to the Maple Leaf Cookies that Trader Joe's has had for a while (says product of Canada on the box), they also now have poutine kits that are actually pretty good!

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/12/we-try-new-trader-joes-poutine-awesome.html

My American fiancé (now my husband) went to Montreal with me when we had our interview back in May this year. He wasnt asked for anything, and YES he came in the building with me and also helped me answering some question.

So it shouldnt be a problem. Take their American passport just in case. We weren't asked but we never know.

Good luck!

That's true, when we went into the consulate, the guard just asked me if I was the American in the couple, saw the cover of my passport which was in my hand, and let me in. I never would have attempted to go in without my passport on me though!

US citizens can go into the consulate if they have their passport.

Some of these things (e.g. multiculturalism, public transit, Ikea) are urban, not Canadian. American cities have those things too!

So pretty!

A couple things I have seen is that in Canada they do not have any of our cell phone companies (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) and we just signed a new 2-year contract with Verizon last month that we couldn't use and would pay a hefty sum to get out of. Then I wonder what the fees are for getting a driver's license and for registering a car in Canada too.

I have a friend who moves back and forth between the US and Germany frequently, and he has been able to get out of US cell contracts and had his smartphone unlocked by saying he is moving abroad for good. You might need to do some complaining, but it's worth a shot. Even if you end up having to pay to get out of the contract, for me it wouldn't be worth the time, misery, and money you'll spend on gas just to keep from paying to get out of your cell contract.

For us, it came down to the question, are you okay not working for however many months this will take? Our answer was no, so CR-1 it was! We don't regret going that way at all. Personally, I didn't find living apart for the 8 months of marriage to be unromantic. We visited every month or so, and it actually gave me the time to plan a surprise visit, and the look on my husband's face when I surprised him in Canada was priceless.

Don't pay for a lawyer. It's not at all worth the cost, and they can potentially slow the process down. And there are plenty of ways to prove the authenticity of your marriage without joint bank accounts or leases (e.g. affidavits, photos, phone logs, chat logs, gift receipts, boarding passes, etc.). We had no problem with it.

The rules for visiting during the petition process are the same as before: you can come to the US if the border officer decides that you are not intending to immigrate. Having a spouse in the US means your intentions will be more heavily scrutinized, so it is unlikely that you will be permitted to cross with an open-ended date of return and no job. If you bring proof of ties, you should have no problem visiting for a week or two at a time. Maybe you could do a month at a time, but we never tried that, so I don't know. If they ask you if you are getting married on the weekend that you are crossing to get married, you'd better be prepared with some evidence that you are going to return. Clearly lying about what you will do on your trip a big no-no, but getting married in the US and returning to Canada is completely legal. Ultimately, no one can predict how any individual border guard will feel on any given day.

Happy birthday, Saylin!

I really didn't think just adding him as an authorized user would do anything toward building his credit here. Since it isn't tied to anything but his name(i.e. SSN) there would be no way to attach anything to his credit profile. I'm sure there are quite a few people with my husband's name out there.

I can't imagine anything that doesn't require some sort of credentials, SSN specifically, would build any credit. I'm in the process of adding him as a joint-account holder.

From what I read when we were having this conversation earlier on another thread, banks only need a name and address to report credit information. SSN just provides another layer of confirmation that they have the right person, which obviously is preferable, but not necessary. It's up to their discretion whether they report authorized user information to credit bureaus, so some likely do and others don't.

Jan 2010 is almost 3 years ago. Have you checked his credit report yet and make sure that there are no outstanding loans aside from the tax lien?

Tax liens stay on your credit report for seven years after they're paid off.

Is it appropriate to provide my pictures printed on paper? Or must they be actual pictures?

I don't see why this would matter, I was just curious.

It seems like it would make things easier so they were all together and keep the weight down on the packet.

Just print them on regular paper. We copy/pasted them into a word doc with two photos per page and a little line of text underneath listing who/where/when.

I think the evidence you have of intermingling your financial lives (lease, 401k, bank account) is more solid than chat and phone logs. You could also consider affidavits from your friends and family if you're feeling light on evidence.

My opinion on the timing of submitting evidence is that it's better to show them everything from the start to avoid any RFEs, which would slow the process down, or the possibility of having the petition denied at that early stage. I don't see any benefit to holding things back until the interview.