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Matt1968

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Posts posted by Matt1968

    Just got NOA2 in the mail, but no email confirmation or elert

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted

    Hello everyone,

    Just got back from Santiago a few moments ago, and was talking to my wife in messenger and checking my mail and saw two of letters from Department of Homeland security. I told my wife, "baby, I think i just got our NOA2's" I opened them and there they were. We both cheered and I jumped up and down for joy. I found it strange since i signed up for email elerts and text elerts but didn't receive them. I don't care I got the paper NOA2 and i'm thrilled!

    Matt

    Where to notarize passport page for W-7

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    Hello,

    Quick question for those who are filing "Married filing jointly". I am currently in D.R and I have my wife's passport. The embassy is located in santo domingo so of course we don't want to go all the way down there to make copies. Is it possible to just get it copied in Santiago with a lawyer? Also, I could bring her passport with me back to the states and have it copied and notarized at dominican consulate in my city, would this be a possiblity? Any imput would be appreciated. Thanks,

    Matt

    I actually just found my answer. Looks like we would have to go to Santo Domingo.

    Matt

    Where to notarize passport page for W-7

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    Hello,

    Quick question for those who are filing "Married filing jointly". I am currently in D.R and I have my wife's passport. The embassy is located in santo domingo so of course we don't want to go all the way down there to make copies. Is it possible to just get it copied in Santiago with a lawyer? Also, I could bring her passport with me back to the states and have it copied and notarized at dominican consulate in my city, would this be a possiblity? Any imput would be appreciated. Thanks,

    Matt

    2011 Tax Return Questions

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted · Edited by Matt1968

    Thanks for the 3 scenarios Matt. I am going to do the same scenarios with my Turbo Tax.

    Yup, I concur. But you can only write NRA if you're filing married but separately.

    sup Tuvaty,

    No problem. I just wanted to spell out exactly what I did for future sakes. I'm not computer lliterate so detailing things out is easier for me. :yes:

    Matt

    2011 Tax Return Questions

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted · Edited by Matt1968

    Here are 2 escenarios from my personal experience:

    -For tax year 2009 I wanted to claim the "Married Filing Separate" option on my taxes. Using online software to E-FILE didn't permit me to file without my husband's SSN/ITIN. I needed my refund money ASAP in order to pay for my college courses and waiting for an ITIN number and filing snail mail were not good options for me. I decided to file as "single" and ammended my taxes a couple of months later. I received my refund fast paid for college and only then did I ammend. When I ammended my taxes I didn't claim the EIC (earned income credit) in order to avoid complications and keep the refund as it was. I received a letter accepting my ammended return but letting me know that the "change" was not going to show on my transcripts. I saved the letter in case I needed it for the interview in order to explain why I filed single while being married. Thankfully, this was not an issue during the interview at all.

    -For tax year 2010 I wanted to do things right plus I didn't need my refund ASAP. I snailed mailed my federal return as "married filing separate" along with form W-7 and notarized copies of my husband's IDs. I got my refund no problem but received an official letter addressed to him saying that they could not provide my hubby with an ITIN number because they had not received HIS return. I didn't give a ####### because I only wanted the number in order to fill out my taxes correctly, and he was going to receive his social security card anyways upon entry to US.

    -For this tax year husband is here so I'm filing "married filing Jointly" :)

    p.s Keep in mind that IRS is no longer accepting 'NRA' or anything other than the ITIN/SSN for foreign spouse on the forms.

    Hello,

    This is great information, thanks for posting. I think a couple of us are going through this now. Here is what I want to do. I just purchased turbotax and I can honestly say it made it a breeze to do my taxes. It was so easy I thought I had to have done something wrong. I did 3 different scenarios. First, I did my taxes as married filing Jointly and it showed a nice refund. 2nd, I did the taxes married filing seperately and the refund was half of what Married filing jointly was. Then I did the taxes as if I was single and it was roughly the same refund as Married filing seperately. I also saw that with Married filing Jointly I was taxed at a much lower rate than married filing seperately. Because the refund amount was higher filing jointly, I'm going down that route. What I'm going to do is this:

    1. Print out my federal tax return and bring it with me tomorrow when I go to Santiago and have my wife sign the form with me.

    2. I'm going to bring down a w-7 form and have her fill it out with my assistance.

    3. I'm going to get a copy of her passport and have the copy notarized.

    4. I'm also going to bring down the declaration page and both she and I are going to sign it.

    5. When I come back I'm going to fill out a form 2555 and send it with everything else to austin, TX.

    I thought about filing married filing seperately because you don't need anything from your spouse and you get the refund quicker, but I figured why prolonge it and just get it over with now.

    Filing single with the intention of filing an amendment later cross my mind, but i want no problems with USCIS later on.

    This is just what I plan on doing.

    What I highlighted in Bold, isn't the w-7 and notarized I.D's only for if you filing "married filing Jointly"?

    Matt

    Contact Senator or not?

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    I called USCIS today as I passed the processing time and since I had placed a service request last week. The officer I spoke with today told me that my case is still waiting for evidence on an expedite that was requested in October. Now the evidence was sent back then and it was denied. I have the letter that they sent me back then. The officer I spoke with just said that he has no idea then why they are still waiting on evidence for that expedite. I also mentioned to him that in November I received documentation that had nothing to do with my case. He told me to email CSC and ask to see what is going on. I broke down in tears with the officer, I don't know what to do...should I contact senator?

    Hope they find a solution to this. I wish they were more organized than this. Sorry this is happening to you.

    Matt

    Vermont Service Center

    in USCIS Service Centers

    Posted

    Just got off the phone with USCIS the same BS answer as 3 weeks ago from USCIS about VSC. "They are still processing cases from July 10th" and told that we "should hear something in February"....

    Best of luck,

    Erik

    VSC is also doing mine. I wonder what would happen if when they say give you that line...We are still processing cases from july 10th.. you asked 'then how are petitions sent in Nov and decemeber already approved and mine was sent in August and I'm still waiting?'. I wonder how they would explain that? India does not strike me as a high fraud country.

    Matt

    Approved I-130, 8 days

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted · Edited by Matt1968

    No rhyme or reason? This was pretty much what a DCF case used to be and those were completed very quickly.

    I wasn't strictly referring to DCF's, I was referring to the fact that some petitions are approved within a month for some and some take many, many months and it seems to be a huge ####### shoot. Not talking about the 8 to 13 days one, I think someone already came up with a theory on why those are being approved so quick, it's replacing DCF's. But when someone sends a petition to CSC from inside the USA and is approved within a month while others are still waiting, it makes you scratch your head.

    Matt

    Heads up about processing times at CSC

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted

    hmmm...doesn't make me feel better about our almost 5 months wait

    I have also noticed number of Dominican Republic applicants get NOA2 approved in less than 2 months, some in 34-37 days.

    I saw that too, and since i'm a D.R petitioner I hope that's the case. I'm around 40 days, so i'm a little anxious but i've prepared myself mentally for a 6 month wait. So if it comes before that, great! If not, I won't be surprised.

    Matt

    Approved I-130, 8 days

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Case Filing and Progress Reports

    Posted · Edited by Matt1968

    Well, I still haven't updated my timeline yet because I haven't recieved anything in the mail yet (neither NOA1 or NOA2) probably because they are mailing everything to Indonesia and I may never get it, but according to the E-Notifications I got the notification that the lockbox recieved my Petition in Chicago on January 8th and was forwarded to the California service center and that within a week they would be mailing me NOA1. Then today I just received an E-Notification from my USCIS online account that "on Januray 18th they Approved our I-130 petition" and that they are now in the Post Decision phase and that they are mailing me something again(presumablly NOA2. The email says that "Post Decision Processing may involve forwarding our petition to NVC depending on our case..." So it appeasr that it was 10 days for step 1. I'll update my timeline with official dates when I see this stuff come in the mail or I talk to them on the phone to verify tomorow (well tonight here).

    Wow! Just wow! I'm only at about 40 days since NOA1 and I'm thinking "What the hell?" I can only imagine what those around 160 days plus must be thinking. Good luck with the petition. This whole process is just mind-numbing to say the least. Some get approve insanely fast, and others insanely slow. No rhyme or reason. Just wow! 8 days? wow!

    Matt

    already approved for i-130, now, for the next packet....do i need send them all the originals????`

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    No, I did not request an expedite. I really have no idea what caused the speedy approval. I followed the same procedures as everyone else, documents and all.

    I'll paste here the same answer I told another member:

    I inquired about the possible motives and was told by other VJ members that some reasons could be: 1) Beneficiary is from a low-risk country, 2) I'm residing in the same country as the beneficiary, 3) Just pure luck, 4) Unknown reasons

    Sorry I can't be of further help on this matter :unsure:

    Ah, ok. Thanks for answering. Congrats on that.

    Matt

    already approved for i-130, now, for the next packet....do i need send them all the originals????`

    in IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Procedures

    Posted

    Kristen,

    Below you will find the answers to your questions, this is specified in the U.S. Department of State website. You may also wish to visit the website in order to obtain further and more detailed information regarding the NVC step. I hope this proves helpful for you. Good luck! :)

    Original Document Requirements

    You and each family member immigrating with you to the United States must submit to the NVC original documents issued by an appropriate authority, or certified copies of those documents listed in this section.

    Photocopy Requirements

    You and each family member immigrating with you must also submit to the NVC a photocopy of the original documents or certified copies of the documents.

    Translation Requirements

    All documents not written in English, or in the official language of the country in which application for a visa is being made, must be accompanied by certified translations and submitted to the NVC. The translation must include a statement signed by the translator stating that the:

    •Translation is accurate, and

    •Translator is competent to translate.

    Website link: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3195.html

    Hey Sant, quick question if you don't mind. I see your I-130 was approved after 7 days and you went through CSC, did you request an expedite? I'm always curious when peoples I-130's are approved so fast.

    Matt

    NOA2!!!!!

    in United Kingdom

    Posted

    Good morning/afternoon/evening VJ'ers

    I was awoke at 3am this morning by the sound of Jess screaming after checking the USCIS site to find that we got approved at NOA2 stage yesterday :dance: We had just got the card back from the US Postal Service yesterday to say that our RFE had been received so we were pleasantly surprised to see our status updated so quickly :D Needless to say I barely slept after that and work was a blur so we are in need of some sage advice from the community as to what we need to do now and what steps to take to speed this process along.

    Any and all suggestions are welcome :)

    Wow! That is great! Congratulations! God speed with your proces.

    Matt

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