evoria

Take a survey on this and I am not sure if it can cause any harm but: Once I knew the file had reached NVC and before I received the ACC number from them, I emailed DS-3032, Choice of Agent, I used the template I found here and the referenced the number from USCIS. It worked and I am sure I cut some time.

Caveat:

I had two cases pending one had a NVC number the other did not. I had already sent the Choice of Agent for one and for some reason there was a delay in the second application reaching the NVC. So out of frustration I sent the second one with just the USCIS number. One was accepted and a few days later so was the second one without the number from the case number from the NVC.

Like I said not sure if it can hurt anything. So ask around, but that is the kind of things I did to push my stuff through NVC a little faster both for the kids and my husband.

Did you do the g1145 when you did the i130. I got emails throughout with that and then when you get to NVC I the petitioner filled the DS 2032. Email helps things move at least 5 days - 2 wks faster.

There is a DS 2032t that you will assign a representative with with whom the NVC will correspond. When you file the i130 they correspond with the petitioner.

Yes, you do it read the wikis and complete the form with evidence and submit. I think because he is a minor the father can sign.

Yes it works. That's what I used.

How I went around the passport pictures, I had my husband take pictures in front of a white background following the instructions on the state department instructions and emailed them and I had Walmart print them passport size. The lady at Walmart said they were too dark and USCIS did not say a thing. You do need pictures for I 130

congratulations

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

I think the Ghana police clearance only lasts 30 days, so definately wait on that. I think the petitioner needs tax transcripts, which can be ordered at irs.gov.

Congratulations! I met my husband in 2008, through one of my staff who went home to Ghana and came back and said , "I met your future husband in Ghana". I remember walking out my front door one morning on the way to work and I heard God's voice say "trust and believe". Fast forward to 2013, I am married with two daughters.

This is a unique and difficult journey we are on, but no less satisfying. To others, do not give up on this journey, because it gets hard or USCIS and NVC add obstacles. It is worth it in the long run. My husband is the most supportive, understanding and loving man I have ever met. I thank God every day, that even when I had given up he did not.

Just an update, she's here! My stepdaughter arrived on Friday and no I didn't pay the visa fee first. She did give me a letter they gave her saying it has to be paid tho.

Congratulations on her arrival. I have 18 more days until they arrive. I paid the fee I will update on how long it takes to get the green card after they arrive. We are planning to register for school on the first of August. Our public school system requires similar paperwork as for the visa.

There is one original. I sent copies during the first phase to USCIS. I sent the originals to NVC, along with copies. Once you start reading the instructions you will see when and where to send the originals. Birth certificates, divorce decrees, and affidavits, will need to be originals or notorized originals with raised seals. Some years back Ghana created a new birth certificate, that is the one they want.

For her daughter you have time she is only seven. I just would not think the mother would want to be away from her daughter for long, even if you guys have not made the decision include her name on paper work. However not applying would mean returning to Ghana for the interview, that is another cost that could be avoided if she is done with the mother. For us the situation with the mother broke down and it was no longer safe to leave them. However, we had included there names on all the previous paperwork, since we knew we wanted to apply for them at some point. I have heard people who have had trouble trying to get the paperwork through when they had not mention a child on previous paperwork. Be prepared to answer questions regarding the father. We were asked for custody papers.

Again it is important to be proactive with the documents. It is your burden of proof. When we went to the Embassy, I am always shocked to see people stand there with little to no evidence. When you have a 3 ring binder full of well displayed evidence, the CO has an entire different respect for what you are presenting.

Thank you for the excellent response. A few questions came up as I read you advice again. Can you help me understand "originals" better? Example: You say you "sent originals along with originals to the NVC". How do you get multiple originals? What makes a document an original for this process -- some kind of raised seal, notarized, ...? Is the "original" requirement as strict for US issued documents as for Ghana documents? In a related area, you say they "only accept the new birth certificates" and we are assuming that refers only to the Ghana birth certificates. Correct? Also - my fiance has a seven year old daughter. We have a passport for her. Your post raises the question for us as to when should i/we file for her?

You may want to move to Ghana but file in the US because DCF usually requires that you have been a resident in the country 6 months before filing which would make it a slower path back to the US. Assuming you have met and meet the requirements you could file the K1 petition today and leave and wait for the interview there with her ( building evidence of a relationship ) Any west African country you need to overwhlem them with evidence and prepare for the interview. Not just show a ticket that proves you met but know every detail about each other , from your work to your birthmarks and kindergarten teachers name. ( I am only slightly exagerating because one wrong answer can turn into a no bonifde realtionship claim by the CO )

" Not just show a ticket that proves you met but know every detail about each other , from your work to your birthmarks and kindergarten teachers name. ". Just slightly is correct. What was funny to me was they asked my husband about my house. Well if he never has been here how can he know? But he answered and the lady said how do you know, he was like, she walks with the laptop around the house to see. Thank God I did. But who would think that would be necessary.

Thanks for the story. It really helps to know we can do this. I am so grateful that we can go through it together and shudder to think what it must be like for those who cannot -- the six months we have been apart have been HELL (on the good days) and worse on the rest. I had my fiance get a PO Box in Kumasi and plan to do all mail EMS to "reduce" as much risk and delay as possible. Do you have other suggestions that might help us (others)?

What I suggest is to read the Wiki's here for the type of visa you are applying for. The I-130 information here is pretty straight forward. If you supply all the documents suggested here as they suggest, you should have no problem getting approved. The directions here on how to submit the application are crucial, read them, for example some documents require more than one copy.

In addition to assure no delays, know that the Embassy will only take originals or notarized copies of birth certificates and divorce decrees. As a matter of fact I sent originals along with originals to the NVC who forwarded them to Ghana. We picked up the original at the interview. Also, they only accept the new birth certificates. If there have been name changes get notarized documentation of that. The naming thing in Ghana can be complicated if documents have 3 or 4 different names. Make sure every name matches the birth certificate, police report and any other document you submit. My husband’s birth certificate had the double identical last name, however of course we only used one. It was not accepted he had to get a new birth certificate with one last name.

My biggest piece of advice would be to use the 6-8 month wait for USCIS processing to get all originals in hand. We just did the I-130 for the kids and once the NVC sent the file to Ghana we had like a month. That is not enough time to get anything done in Ghana.

In addition study the forums here and search the site to learn everything you can. Also, during the interview be prepared to prove your relationship. Ghana is high fraud and even though, our relationship was 3 years old, I was standing there and had a book of evidence as thick as a dictionary we still were under the microscope.

I hope, I was helpful - Good Luck

First sorry for your denial. I have been there, done that and made it through with help from this site. To start a new thread go to forums, then go to the bottom where it says Africa and choose Ghana.

About us: After being denied a business visa, I went to Ghana in 2009 and returned and filed a fiancé visa, We were denied then I went back in 2011 and we got married. I applied for both a I-130 and 129 both were approved at the same time. The I-129 was cancelled when the I-130 was approved.

Expect 6 - 12 months, baring any red flags and RFE, to get visa in hand, this depends on how much work you do to get your documents together. As you are aware mail in Ghana is hit or miss. In addition I have heard of many recent delays with the NVC, of course immigration reform will delay things even further. However if you are proactive and follow the instructions here you should not have any problems.

I filed two K1 petitions in my life. One I hired an Attorney for in 2007. And recently my now wife and I did our K1 together. Here are my thoughts. In 2007 I was busy and hired an advertised Attorney I saw an ad for on a website. I now know based on my wife being here now that putting the K1 packet together is not difficult utilizing this great website's guides. We saved a lot of money doing this ourselves and actually grew closer as we communicated thoroughly doing this process 8000 miles apart. Lawyers have their special place and are needed if someone has an odd or special case. Lawyers cannot expedite the process and in my case in 2007 slowed us down which in the end was good as we broke up and never finished the process. That cost me $1600 in fees to do something my wife and I did together just last year and made with through with no RFE's. IMO do it yourself and enjoy the journey together. Good luck

I agree. I did I-130's for first my husband and recently for the kids. Using the information here I was also able to do both without RFEs. A friend of mine used a lawyer for her Mom and the lawyer died, or left his business or something and by the time she found out what was going on, the case had been closed for inactivity. She is out the money she paid the lawyer and has to start over again. I have tried to convince her to do it herself however, she is using another lawyer. The lawyer is telling her foolishness and she still is coming to me for answers. You can do it yourself if you are willing to put in the time to read. As LSnBigBear has alluded, handling this journey yourself is a good way to make your relationship stronger.

Hmmm... I didn't really have any plans on paying that.

My husband said the first word out of the CO's mouth was that we had to pay that fee. Not sure why, maybe because my husband has not Adjusted Status yet.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/386421-nvc-filers-september-2012/

The US citizen that will be doing the AOS needs to order tax transcripts, for the past 3 years, that can take a few weeks. For Ghana Tax transcripts only will do. That can be done at IRS.GOV. Not sure of the turn around period but once you are through NVC the interview date comes pretty quickly, like maybe 30 days. Begin to get your evidence together and put it in a presentation folder that you will present to the Embassy. My husband just went through interview at the Ghana Embassy with the kids and I watch people when we went for his interview the number of people who stand there with no evidence or like one or two sheets of paper of evidence is shocking. It is your job to prove the case, not their job to approve you.

Congratulations

When my husband picked up the passport and the visa there was an A number. That is the number I was able to use.

Thanks for the update. My stepdaughter actually received her passport today. There was a package with it, and a letter about the $165 fee which MUST be paid before traveling to the US. Did anyone actually pay this prior to traveling?

I paid this fee as soon as my husband picked up the passports. Not sure if the processing is finished once the kids enter the country. I am stuck in the "accepted" stage of the processing.

For my husband the most difficult thing to get used to was the food. Before he came I found international markets and tried to learn from friends from Ghana how to cook the foods he was used to. I do pretty good, he still prefers me to cook. Of course I take him to different restaraunts to try to find somethings he likes. From Asian to Italian the only successes I have had has been Famous Dave's Ribs, one dish at an Italian place and Burger King. Its been a year, that is all I have found that he likes.

Yes, it is to your advantage to go.

After reading this the other day, I checked ceac, and my case still said ready. As in ready for interview. I checked again yesterday and it said Administrative processing, with the same message above. Later yesterday, I checked again and it then said Issued.

I'm sure your status has changed as well by now, since the message says two days for approved visas. Best wishes.

Your correct it changed, yesterday. My husband has an appointment to pick up the visa this morning at 7:30am.

Please help, a friend needs help in processing her forms DS 230. Does not know whether to give out only photo copies of needed documents or original. Beneficiary is in Ghana. Thanks.

When I sent the DS230 to NVC I sent originals of everything plus 2 copies. This is what is says in the instructions given here. I feel that if I make copies for the person doing the review, they do not have to get up and go make copies. Maybe they will see it as an easy case and process it fast. (That's what I see in my mind) When they go to the interview they should get everything back then. I did this both for my husband and the kids. When we went with my husband in Ghana, the originals were there and the CO immediately put all the orignals together and gave them to us. For the kids my husband was not handed the originals, when he goes to pick up the visa on Friday, I have reminded him to ask for the originals.