bob.sansmal

So what should I do? should I pay? or just ask him if he is a fraud or not.

I would educate myself on the process as much as possible, re-read their instructions, investigate this company some and look for things that smell fishy. Also figure out a way to determine if the person with whom you are corresponding really is working for that company.

Keep in mind that you're on the internet where every once in a while some miscreant says things not 100% based upon truth ;-)

Email can be forged and a professional looking website can be faked.

Sitting where I am, I cannot tell you if this is legitimate or criminal. Perhaps someone here with more expertise and a better understanding of the work-visa system might have a better sense of this.

I don't know much of anything about work-related visas, but..... reading your question caused the scam-sensitive hairs on the back of my neck to ####### up. Something sounds wrong about this, either corruption or just out and out scam.

I could be completely wrong, but you might want to approach this with caution.

Thanks Penguin.. You hit this one pretty spot on!

my visa application was already approved and I got my yellow envelope already, heading out next month but yes essentially I am really clueless as to WHAT to do once i get there :/ ...

I was thinking of Verizon as mobile service provider and Bank of America as my Bank, according to what i found out they are pretty popular and reliable?

As for work i should be fine, but i'm just wondering about prerequisites such as local certifications such as Food Handlers, Alcohol Handling etc etc..

But yes I am open to more ideas and help! Thanks to all those who answered

You might be here already but here are my thoughts:

The Verizon phone network is mostly CDMA - so if you get service through them you probably won't be able to use your same phone when you visit Mauritius (I say mostly - I think there are some dual CDMA/GSM phones and they might even offer some GSM service but - just be aware of the difference.)

Florida is hot. Yea, I know I know, tropical island and all that, but...just be prepared :-)

I think Bank of America should be fine to use - we also have HSBC over here in case you might already have an account/relationship with them.

We flew there last January and my wife's ticket had her maiden name on it (matched her Mauritian passport) while her Green Card had her married name.

It's a really Bad Idea to split transfers into smaller amounts to try to sneak under the $10,000 reporting requirement. This is illegal and it will be caught. They call it "structuring" and the IRS will take it. All of it. And at that point it won't matter if it was all legally obtained, trying to hide the transfers is all that will matter.

I could get on a soapbox on this topic, but I'll spare the readers here from my ranting as it wouldn't be completely on-topic here. :-)

I was told everything above 10000 dollars will be taxed, but maybe I was told wrong. it is better to transfer in smaller amounts within months.

I'm not an authority on this issue but generally anything over $10,000k will be scrutinized.

Would it be possible for you to start making deposits of a lesser amount at this time?

Personally it would worry me about transferring such a large amount of money after leaving the country.

I would think even cashiers checks might be a better alternative to a single wire transfer??

California Service Center (27 applicants,25 approved - 92.6%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved

KVT8831...............05/29/15......06/01/15......07/15/15......12/02/15

PHOTOMILE.............05/30/15......06/01/15......06/30/15......01/07/16

MLADEN I BORYANA......06/01/15......06/03/15......06/29/15......12/23/15

MABOUBY...............06/01/15......06/03/15......06/29/15......11/05/15

CHOMPIRAS.............06/01/15......06/03/15......07/01/15......11/17/15

R7HOLYBO..............06/01/15......06/04/15......07/01/15......12/02/15

GRACE413..............06/01/15......06/11/15......06/29/15......11/24/15

JOEMAMA5295...........06/03/15......06/05/15......07/09/15......11/09/15

CARLA V...............06/04/15......06/08/15......07/20/15......12/03/15

ISABEL&JULIO..........06/05/15......06/08/15......07/06/15......12/09/15

EIRENEFAITH...........06/06/15......06/08/15......07/21/15......12/09/15

BUCKEYECANUCK.........06/06/15......06/08/15......07/23/15......12/03/15

SHEZI.................06/09/15......06/20/15......07/24/15......12/14/15

SHIREZU...............06/10/15......06/18/15......07/14/15......11/10/15

JYC0218...............06/10/15......06/22/15......07/27/15......11/17/15

FANTA.................06/10/15......06/12/15......07/23/15......12/14/15

BUERM.................06/15/15......06/16/15......07/13/15......12/09/15

NADDY&MIKEY...........06/15/15......06/16/15......07/14/15......--/--/--

ACTOB99...............06/15/15......06/17/15......07/31/15......01/29/16 (Missed Bio appt due to USPS late delivery, had bio on 09/07/15)

8XENON8...............06/18/15......06/26/15......07/15/15......08/14/15

MARGO1032.............06/19/15......06/22/15......07/22/15......12/02/15

BBADGER2012...........06/19/15......06/22/15......07/24/15......12/09/15(Divorce Waiver)

ISMAEL&BLAIR..........06/23/15......06/25/15......08/20/15......--/--/--(Missed earlier Bio appt. set for 07/21/15 due to USPS error in delivery!)

SAM AND ANI...........06/24/15......06/29/15......07/27/15......12/14/15

PIEDPIPER.............06/27/15......06/29/15......07/30/15......12/10/15

BERNY.................06/29/15......06/30/15......07/30/15......12/01/15(Early bio:07/17/15)

Vermont Service Center (26 applicants, 3 approved - 11.5%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved

RTOBINGS..............05/23/15......06/13/15......06/30/15......--/--/--

DRHD..................05/24/15......06/01/15......07/23/15......03/16/16(Bio originally scheduled from 6/29)

Y&T...................05/29/15......06/01/15......06/30/15......--/--/--

TURION2...............06/01/15......--/--/15......--/--/15......--/--/--(RFE March 2016)

GRAPPLEAPPLE..........06/04/15......06/08/15......08/24/15......--/--/--

SARAH&MICHEL..........06/08/15......06/10/15......07/10/15......--/--/--

NEETZ.................06/09/15......06/18/15......--/--/15......--/--/--

AT LONG LAST..........06/09/15......06/12/15......07/17/15......--/--/--

GL-2013...............06/10/15......06/12/15......07/17/15......03/18/16

MILATX................06/--/15......06/15/15......07/17/15......--/--/--

JOSE GARCIA...........06/12/15......06/16/15......07/15/15......--/--/--(Early bio:07/14/15)

STARFLYER 59..........06/13/15......06/16/15......07/15/15......--/--/--

H13RMA................06/13/15......06/16/15......08/25/15......--/--/--(RFE March 2016)

WORMIEVADER...........06/13/15......06/23/15......07/15/15......--/--/--

EMAIL2FAISALPLZ.......06/15/15......06/22/15......07/23/15......--/--/--

NARIKTA...............06/16/15......06/19/15......07/21/15......--/--/--

MAYA&MATT.............06/16/15......06/19/15......07/23/15......--/--/--

MUZAMMIL..............06/--/15......06/22/15......07/20/15......--/--/--

KATCHOO12.............06/17/15......06/23/15......07/21/15......--/--/--

BOB.SANSMAL...........06/18/15......06/22/15......07/20/15......03/15/16

CTRACKER22............06/19/15......06/22/15......07/23/15......--/--/--

DEYSIC................06/22/15......06/25/15......07/20/15......--/--/--

KELS_ET_SAM...........06/22/15......06/25/15......07/21/15......--/--/--

JOANNE23..............06/23/15......06/25/15......07/22/15......12/23/15

FOREIGNRELATIONS......06/25/15......06/30/15......07/27/15......--/--/--

ECORDO................06/25/15......06/29/15......07/31/15......--/--/--

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.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application.

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.

Drhd's timeline re-sorted by sent date and VSC applicant# edited!

California Service Center (27 applicants,20 approved - 74%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved
KVT8831...............05/29/15......06/01/15......07/15/15......12/02/15

PHOTOMILE.............05/30/15......06/01/15......06/30/15......--/--/--

MLADEN I BORYANA......06/01/15......06/03/15......06/29/15......--/--/--

MABOUBY...............06/01/15......06/03/15......06/29/15......11/05/15

CHOMPIRAS.............06/01/15......06/03/15......07/01/15......11/17/15

R7HOLYBO..............06/01/15......06/04/15......07/01/15......12/02/15

GRACE413..............06/01/15......06/11/15......06/29/15......11/24/15

JOEMAMA5295...........06/03/15......06/05/15......07/09/15......11/09/15

CARLA V...............06/04/15......06/08/15......07/20/15......12/03/15

ISABEL&JULIO..........06/05/15......06/08/15......07/06/15......12/09/15

EIRENEFAITH...........06/06/15......06/08/15......07/21/15......12/09/15

BUCKEYECANUCK.........06/06/15......06/08/15......07/23/15......12/03/15

SHEZI.................06/09/15......06/20/15......07/24/15......--/--/--

SHIREZU...............06/10/15......06/18/15......07/14/15......11/10/15

JYC0218...............06/10/15......06/22/15......07/27/15......11/17/15

FANTA.................06/10/15......06/12/15......07/23/15......12/14/15

BUERM.................06/15/15......06/16/15......07/13/15......--/--/--

NADDY&MIKEY...........06/15/15......06/16/15......07/14/15......--/--/--

ACTOB99...............06/15/15......06/17/15......07/31/15......--/--/--(Missed Bio appt due to USPS late delivery, had bio on 09/07/15)

8XENON8...............06/18/15......06/26/15......07/15/15......08/14/15

MARGO1032.............06/19/15......06/22/15......07/22/15......12/02/15

BBADGER2012...........06/19/15......06/22/15......07/24/15......12/09/15(Divorce Waiver)

ISMAEL&BLAIR..........06/23/15......06/25/15......08/20/15......--/--/--(Missed earlier Bio appt. set for 07/21/15 due to USPS error in delivery!)

SAM AND ANI...........06/24/15......06/29/15......07/27/15......12/14/15

PIEDPIPER.............06/27/15......06/29/15......07/30/15......12/10/15

BERNY.................06/29/15......06/30/15......07/30/15......12/01/15(Early bio:07/17/15)

Vermont Service Center (20 applicants, 0 approved - 0%)

VJName..............Date of I-751...NOA1 Date....Biometrics.....Approved

DRHD..................05/24/15......06/01/15......07/23/15......--/--/--(Bio originally scheduled for 6/29, had to resched)

Y&T...................05/29/15......06/01/15......06/30/15......--/--/--

GRAPPLEAPPLE..........06/04/15......06/08/15......08/24/15......--/--/--

SARAH&MICHEL..........06/08/15......06/10/15......07/10/15......--/--/--

NEETZ.................06/09/15......06/18/15......--/--/15......--/--/--

AT LONG LAST..........06/09/15......06/12/15......07/17/15......--/--/--

GL-2013...............06/10/15......06/12/15......07/17/15......--/--/--

JOSE GARCIA...........06/12/15......06/16/15......07/15/15......--/--/--(Early bio:07/14/15)

STARFLYER 59..........06/13/15......06/16/15......07/15/15......--/--/--

H13RMA................06/13/15......06/16/15......08/25/15......--/--/--

WORMIEVADER...........06/13/15......06/23/15......07/15/15......--/--/--

NARIKTA...............06/16/15......06/19/15......07/21/15......--/--/--

MAYA&MATT.............06/16/15......06/19/15......07/23/15......--/--/--

MUZAMMIL..............06/--/15......06/22/15......07/20/15......--/--/--

KATCHOO12.............06/17/15......06/23/15......07/21/15......--/--/--

BOB.SANSMAL...........06/18/15......06/22/15......07/20/15......--/--/--

DEYSIC................06/22/15......06/25/15......07/20/15......--/--/--

JOANNE23..............06/23/15......06/25/15......07/22/15......--/--/--

FOREIGNRELATIONS......06/25/15......06/30/15......07/27/15......--/--/--

ECORDO................06/25/15......06/29/15......07/31/15......--/--/--

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.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application.
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.

I truly believe she is lying to you as she lied to USCIS. She wrote a letter of intent to get married,then do not tell me she did not know.

It doesn't matter if she wanted a better life for her family,people choose other ways to live instead using fraud.What do you expect from someone that tried to scam your Country?

We have hundreds of decisions from the Court of Appeals regarding AOS denied because of sham marriages.You will waste time and money trying to get her here .I know she is not submitting document for AOS,but the l130 will be denied. The punishment is severe.

You didn't ask but here is my advice,find someone's with moral values,because this girl has her moral compass broken. Excusing her fraud attempt is silly to say the least. We have people from poor Countries such as Nigeria Kenya,Philippines,Brazil,Uganda,Colombia etc., that entered here legally.Your girl fraud plan did not work!

But if she was really attempting fraud, why would she have answered "None" and "that he was going to bring her to America, so she could go to college, get a good job, and be able to support her family" in the interview? Unless she's just a really bad liar under pressure.

I do suspect that this will be a whole lot to overcome though - you might want to consider you options that don't include her coming to the U.S. (i.e. finding another partner or moving over there.) Perhaps exploring the "moving over there" option with her will shed some light on the sincerity of her feelings and intentions towards you...and you can decide to move ahead with it or feel better about moving on...

I believe it depends on the embassy, and I'm not sure what the one in SA requires (the embassy handling Mauritius used to be Nairobi, Kenya, and I think they wanted it all brought in person, plus there was a whole big thing about how to pay for the interview that was just insane...)

There should be instructions in the packet detailing what they want.

I found this:

http://www.manageyourmove.net/pdfs/import/USCustomsdocsFullSet.pdf

Does that help any? I've not gone through this, so I don't know how much help I could give, really.

Which questions are you finding difficult? And could you elaborate on why they are confusing (i.e. I assume it's because there are several responses you could put and you're unsure which response. If you could state the possible responses you're thinking, maybe someone might be able to shed some light on it.

There's really no reason they would need his passport, and I can't think of a reason they would take his EAD. You'll be fine.

Does anyone know of a VOIP service which offers local Mauritius numbers? I'll be visiting there in a few weeks and I'd like to get service with a company over there which will allow me to have a local Mauritius phone number from my internet connection here in the U.S.

Currently we have given my mother-in-law a Vonage box which gives her a U.S. number that we can call. But it would be really nice to do it the other way around so that we can call everyone we know over there without being charged per minute.

There's also a number of VOIP services like Vonage, BasicTalk, MagicJack, etc.... so long as you have a high speed Internet connection...

I don't know, but.... I'd assume that your new EAD would not be F1-OPT, and that you'd therefore be subject to the SS/Medicare taxes.

The point behind EAD (as I understand it anyway, plz correct if I'm wrong) is to allow work while waiting for AOS - which is the situation you're now in. As I recall there is no additional fee for it (and AP) when filing the K1 AOS paperwork, and our took about 2 months - you just need to include the application for it.

It's a little late now, of course...and I dunno what you can do but wait in the meantime :-(

Be careful here....even though it looks really legitimate....it may or may not be.

Have you already submitted an appointment request? if you have not, then the only way this email makes sense is if either:

• it is a scam, and there is a link in the email that will send you to set up your appointment, and enter your credit card/banking information....or better yet, a bunch of personal identity-theft-ready information.
• it is legitimate, and the embassy had some sort of computer crash or other data problem and they don't know who all had an appointment and who did not.

Either way, I'd verify this independently of anything in the email, and wouldn't click on anything in any email ever.

Hope this means they're ready to interview you tho :-)

So long as it looks like it was taken within the last 6 months, I would assUme that should be enough.

I don't know how one would go about proving this...one could produce a receipt, but then there's really nothing to tie a specific receipt to a specific photo, neither is there a requirement that the photo be purchased....so a legitimate photo may or may not even have a receipt.

The point (I think) is that the photo be an accurate representation of the person as he currently is.

I wouldn't worry about bringing proof....just bring the photo that meets the requirements. :-)

not only is it not necessary, but she won't be able to be in the area where you will go through customs anyway.

I think you'll be just fine, it's not like you used some random address, you used one you had legitimate ties to - I'd be shocked if that even raises an eyebrow.

He's only slightly (4 years) older, almost a year and a half together, and he's getting ready to take off work to come visit you on the other side of the world. I can't imagine any red flags there.

It's so nice, after reading an awful troll thread just a few minutes ago, to see a post of an obviously genuine couple. Best of luck to you, and I hope the CR1 process goes quickly.

ok, an "International Driving Permit" then...

http://www.dmv.org/international-driver-permits.php

I think that you may be able to get one before AOS, but, at least from what I understand of the way it works in Virginia (and other states may be different) it will probably expire when your current stay expires....so if you were to do it the day you land (not likely since you'll need some time to get the paperwork to prove residence) it would expire in 90 days.

Also, many states require a 3 month learner's permit period if you've never held a U.S. driver's license before.

A better course of action, in my opinion, would be to get an international driver's license before arrival and use that until you AOS (or at least until you your get your AP/EAD card which will have a much later date on it)

In August 2012 we got the following in and email from them:

It looks like the numbers you have match some of the numbers we were sent.

Oh, and it took 3 days for our medical report to make it to the embassy (we thought it would be next day and had counted on that in our planning...)

Good luck!

My experience is that they don't really keep their website up to date...putting case information on there seems to be more of an afterthought than an integrated part of their process. Even the few times I called was little better. Their primary communication channel seems to be snail mail.

It can be frustrating, I remember checking the website daily...but the notices I got in the mail were almost always a week (or more) ahead of the website.

I've also read stories on here of people reading incorrect information on the site, but what they send by mail seems to be more accurate.

So don't worry, I don't think it's unusual for them to not have your case on-line yet....you got the letter and that's more important.

I don't think IMBRA prohibits anyone from getting married.....it prevents a person with a certain criminal history from sponsoring their spouse/fiance for a visa. (women as well as men I assume)

While I agree with the sentiment about protecting people from unknowingly becoming involved with a criminal and predator, I think that if the everyday American had to go through all the insane BS we go through in order to be with the ones we love, I don't think they would put up with it.

Also, consider that when people within the same country get married, there is more opportunity to get to know the person, slowly, and that sort of daily contact makes concealment of a dark character more difficult (not impossible but...) and makes the need for such government intrusion into personal life less needed...

IANAL, but I have been told that so long as it's not recognized as a legal marriage in whatever country you're in, then it does not change your status for the K1. I have also heard that this is a not-uncommon thing so USCIS has seen it many many times (and it really seems to me to be a very reasonable thing to do given the logistical difficulties of families on opposite sides of the planet.)

It might not be easy finding a priest/minister willing to perform the ceremony (I dunno how ecclesiastical law regards such things.) If you're not doing a church "wedding" then maybe find someone who is good a public speaking but NOT state sanctioned to perform the ceremony as an extra layer of CYA.

I would check Australian law to see what is permitted and how to avoid it being recognized over there.