kattaway

We are going to do my husbands medical on Saturday and we have not been able to get his shot record from Haiti yet so we are going to have to go in and have them all done. Can anyone tell me which ones they will give? I see different posts saying different things and when I check the USCIS site, it lists so many. He has had chicken pox and of course it's not flu season. I am just trying to get an estimate on how much we are going to need to spend on the vaccination portion.

Any advice?

Okay, so I am typing out the forms online and curious, which address for my husband should I use? His Haiti address or mine since he is here in the states with me at this time? Technically my address isnt HIS address yet but it is where he is residing at the moment. He does still have his address in Haiti though. I want to be sure which address is the right one to use. Thanks in advance for any help!!

Oh, and you didn't mention a police clearance. He's also going to need that for everywhere he's lived since 16 years old. You should check the laws for every country he's lived in. Some won't do business through the mail and in that case he would have to have someone go everywhere to pick it up and then mail them to you.

Oh, I didnt read (I guess I missed it) about having police clearance when I was reading the guides/checklist. He hasn't ever been arrested and the only places he's lived has been Haiti and TCI (Turks and Caicos Islands) - I will check into that though!!! Thanks for mentioning it.

Also, about the evidence. Can I start adding him to things, like my lease, credit card, insurance, etc? I thought one had to have a SSN to be added to things which he does not have. Any ideas? Or should we wait?

Brief background. We met in 2011 when I was vacationing in the Turks and Caicos Islands. After a few visits back and forth, we decided to marry in Dec 2012 in Haiti where he is originally from but May, we changed our minds!! We eloped and had a beach wedding on May 26th. At the time we planned for him to go back as originally planned (in 3 days..July 1st) so I have been working on gathering as much evidence/proof/copies, etc. since before he came because we knew once we married in December, I would immediately file.... but at this point we really do not want to be apart! It breaks my heart to know he could be gone in as little as 72 hours!!!!!

His original plan was to visit me in March (he arrived March 2nd) and attend my sons high school graduation with me in Texas. He had taken some time off work, a leave of absence so we can spend real time together (not a week here and there). I had 2 weeks vacation already planned for my trip to Texas May 27th so that's why we decided to go ahead and elope and then go to Texas for the graduation. MY thought was, he was here already, I had the time off and honestly, I couldn't wait to marry him!! HIS thought was, he just wanted to make me happy lol

So is it possible for us to AOS? I never really gave it real consideration before but now that the time for him to leave is upon us, I am really wondering if it is a feasible option. He is even more scared than I am. He hates the idea of being here in the US with an expired I94 (Sept 1 exp date) - We have almost everything needed to submit the 130 and 485. We have photos, birthday cards, phone, text, skype records from our times apart, boarding passes from previous visits, our boarding passes of the trip together in Texas, photos of him and my sons together in Texas (in college), him with my family, mom, brother, friends, nephews, etc. I basically have been collecting everything so I can file right away in December but if we were to AOS, we just need him to do a medical exam and have his birth certificate translated - that's really all we need!

What I do NOT have is anything together like a lease, utility/phone bills, bank account, insurances, credit cards, etc, nothing like that because 1) we just married a month ago and 2) he does not live here so there was no reason to add him to anything yet. Would that be a problem???

So any thoughts, opinions or advice? I appreciate anything anyone can advise on our situation....

Quick question on this.... last year I was laid off and didn't work for almost 1/2 the year so my income was right at $17,728 which is well under the $18,900 something minimum. I wasn't able to find a job so I moved to Maryland and this year I will earn well over the minimum and of course the tax year 2010 I was over the minimum as well. I will have to get 2009 as I do not have a copy of those taxes with me, just 2010 and 2011 taxes.

Will we be possibly denied because of 2011 taxes? I can show current earnings/check stubs but worried about last year! Thanks!!

Why is he going back to Haiti? Are you wanting to file for a spouse visa (interview in home country) or adjust status (interview in the US)?

I was told we could submit the petition for the spousal visa but he still has go back to Haiti to wait for the interview/medical, etc since he came here on a B2 visitor visa because of the "intent" factor. Of course him coming here in March was not to immigrate here and go back to Haiti. He took time off to come spend time with me and to travel to Texas with me to attend my sons graduation. Since I was already off work for 2 weeks, we decided to go ahead and get married the weekend before we flew to Texas. We decided to elope and had a private ceremony on the beach in Ocean City, Maryland. So there was really no intent to move, just to spend time together and go to my sons graduation. We originally planned to marry this coming December but... well, ya know lol I just want to ensure we are doing everything the right way.

I noticed in the guide the 485, the medical exam for my husband has to be submitted along with the petition. I thought the medical exam was something we submit later on in the process?? (I guess it's good I double checked!!)

Anyway, he is here with almost 3 months left on his I-94 and we want to submit all of the packets & paperwork while he is here before he goes back to Haiti. So my question is, I live in Maryland outside of Washington DC. We live very close to DC, MD, VA lines and all of the Maryland doctors are north or northeast of DC but there are civil surgeons in Alexandria, VA which is just over the bridge from me. Would he have to use a Maryland civil surgeon or can he use one in Virginia since it would be closer?? Or does he have to wait until he returns to Haiti for us to submit everything?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks for the heads up! But I may not even have our certified copy of the wedding certificate that soon, I think I read it takes 3-5 weeks to receive the certificate copy. But thanks, I will look into that and see how soon I can get it all submitted.

It's been about 2 months since posting. We have just been waiting time out for the wedding. Gesi was lucky enough to get time off to come spend with me (6 months)so we will have all of that time together. He will arrive March 2nd(He already has a tourist visa and has used it for prior visits) Our wedding is set for May 26th in Maryland and then I will submit petition immediately after Then it's "wait and see".... will wait it out and see how far we get into the process before he goes to Haiti to wait it out until we know something more concrete.

In the meantime, I am getting everything ready, have skype logs, phone logs, photos (and plan to take more photos) - his family is coming to the wedding, my son is coming as well as my closest friends. My parents cannot travel due to my father's health issues (dad recently had a stroke) but we will still be surrounded with lots of love!! I am just so excited to be his wife!!

I wish everyone in the process much luck!!

seems it is offered in non-religious forums as well.

http://www.twogetherintexas.com/UI/HomePage.aspx

Yes, it is offered in non religious groups as well, she posted the correct link for the Twogether classes in Texas. And yes, it waives the 72 hour waiting period and $60 discount on the license so it becomes $6 to get.

Thanks! I told him about them and he is all for it. They are Christian based which he loves because our faith is very important to us. The thing I love most about this one pastor's curriculum is the very first session she asks you to write WHY you want to get married and specifically WHY your partner. She then frames them for wedding day mementos. How awesome is that?

In Texas, there are pre-marital counseling sessions totaling 8 hours that I think I am going to sign Gesi & I up for, there are multiple benefits for it, such as waiving the 72 hour waiting period and a $60 discount on the marriage license, plus it wouldn't hurt to take the classes in my eyes, because it focuses on a lot of key points for people about to be married. Question is, would the certificate be something good to include in the I-130 packet? I assume it couldn't hurt....

I have been checking out timelines, not a lot are updated so I thought I would ask... on average how long has your process taken? It seems I saw that interviews are taking awhile to be scheduled, just curious.

No, it's not visa fraud to change your mind after entry. Entry, of course, is another matter. If he tells them the purpose of his visit is to marry his fiancee, he's not likely to be admitted. If, on the other hand, he give a truthful generic answer for the purpose of visit, no problem. He's no more obligated to mention a wedding as an itinerary item than to mention he might visit a public library or go to a ballgame, etc. Once here, if you marry, he can adjust status but that entails staying in the USA without work authorization until the AOS is complete.

Never give an untruthful answer to any direct question when entering any country.

Thank you so much for the info. The reason for his visit in May/June was originally to attend my sons graduation in Texas and we figured since all of the family would be there, we would get married. That was the original intention. Maybe we will re-evaluate everything with this info

Then you have some options. However, if he's going back for his next contract period, adjusting status is out of the question. There wouldn't be time anyway. So, yes, he can stay until it's time to go back. Once married, you can file the petition while he's still here if you want. I usually advise getting everything ready and then if it's close to the time he'll leave anyway, wait until the day after he leaves.

While there's nothing at all wrong with filing while he's here, the I-130 asks that question. When you answer yes, sometime the silly govt. people misinterpret the answer to that question and fail to send the approved petition to NVC to continue the process.

So if he didn't go back to do his last contract and stayed, we filed for AOS, wouldn't that be visa fraud? Cause he came to the US to get married and stayed? Cause if that IS an option, I would definitely push for that! lol

If he's not IN the USA now, and doesn't already have a visa to VISIT the USA, then adjusting status is not an option anyway. Neither is obtaining a visa now, to visit. People with immigrant intent cannot be issued visitor visas.

What is it that makes you think he can come to the USA without a spouse visa, if he isn't already here? Does he already have a B1B2 visa?

Yes, he has a tourist visa already and has visited several times.

It's a little hard to follow, who is who and where they are but I think Gesi is the foreigner, currently in the USA. If so, he doesn't need to leave the USA at all or pursue any visa. He can simply adjust status from his current work visa. This would actually require him to STAY in the USA after the marriage. Please clarify the circumstances.

I am sorry for any confusion. I am the petitioner, USC. Gesi is a Haitian citizen, but working in Turks & Caicos on work visa and does contractual work so it's off and on (more on than off) and he has been doing that for 13 yrs in the T&C, 8 yrs with his current employer. He is not in the USA. He has a residence in T&C, lives there but is not a "belonger" there so his citizenship is still with Haiti.

Upon trying to find more on the subject last night, I think I read that if I file the I-130 petition, he should not leave the US, but that would make the case look like fraud and we certainly don't want to do anything that would jeopardize our case so I just want to be clear if I can file the petition while he is still here and him go back 2 months after to finish his (hopefully) last contract before coming back to the US for good.

So we set our wedding date for June 2, 2012. I found out tonight that Gesi's current work contract will end April 27, 2012. The new contract will start sometime in August 2012. The good news is he will have LOTS of free time to spend with me!!!! So, my question is, being that we are getting married in June and he isn't due back to work until August, can he stay until time to go back? The I-94 is generally good for 6 months if I remember correctly so he wouldn't be overstaying. And if so, should I wait to file the I-130 until AFTER he leaves? Can I file it while he is still here in the US so we can get it submitted ASAP to start the process? I know there are laws about intent to stay but he has every intention on going back to finish this last contract in Aug 2012, he will put his notice in once we know more about our process and when he will hopefully be coming to stay for good. But until, he will continue working as usual. I just want to be clear on the rules. I want to file as soon as we are married, but I would love the time to be with him too since that is something we do not get a lot of.

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Wow reading all of this is making my head spin! We will not be married until June 2012 and to think it how long it will take just to get to the interview process and then having to wait so long for the interview....it might not be until 2013 before he can come be with me

I was just reading your review on about your interview experience, i think US embassy in Haiti hardly approve cases on first attending. it is like they feel more comfortable denying your visa or making your life harder by putting you on Administrative Processing. MANMU had her case completed at NVC in 3 month, she had to wait for around 4 months to get an interview. She was lucky that she had obtained an expedite. I am praying God to have my case work fast because i would not like my wife to give birth to the baby behind me.

Apparently, the embassy is dealing with Several cases, i think that is why it is taking us like 4 months to get an inerview. I also would like to know why KG520 second interview is that far.

Thank you everyone!! We are very excited, just hoping next Christmas we will be together but that's really pushing it I guess. And I pray they let him in, Miami always questions him when he comes to visit, but he's come and gone twice already, with one more visit planned in late Feb/early March, then the Texas visit for the wedding - I just pray they let him through!! Missing the wedding would be devastating!

Thank you m+p, I guess I am thinking about every possible scenario as to avoid anything coming back. I guess I could do the SSA first and apply, changing everything else as time goes on .... and it sucks because my passport is a new one, lol and I will have to apply for a completely new? Dang lol oh well, if it has to be done, it shall be done. Thank you again!

Are you the petitioner or the beneficiary?

I am the petitioner, female.... so I will be changing my name and just curious as to how the name change process works.

After much conversation, Gesi & I decided to forego the fiance route and get married and go the CR-1 route. We set our date for June 2, 2012. Yes, this will delay us being together for a big longer but we are not in a major hurry AND we want to marry then because we will be in Texas with ALL of my family for my sons graduation May 31. Family is very important to us. It will also give his family ample time to plan their trips to Texas (most live in Florida & NY)

So, from what I've read, there is nothing illegal about him coming to the US to get married. Afterwards, he will return to the Turks & Caicos where he works and I will officially file.

I know no one here really knows me, but I want to thank everyone who has been nice and answered any questions I have had while we make this decision. I will continue to read and prepare so hopefully the process will go smoothly.

I am just really excited and wanted to share.

This is a great question and not something I've thought about! I'm waiting with you for the answer!!

So am I! lol I tried looking in the forums last night, spent 2 hours trying to find an answer with no luck. Hopefully someone can provide some insight.

This might be a basic question but once married and before submitting the I-130, I assume I will change my last name..... so will I need to update all of my identifiers (social security card, passport, drivers license, etc) BEFORE submitting the I-130 so there is no confusion once they receive it?