yeppers

Got it! Thanks.

Yeppers,

The extension letter is the letter you receive after you send out your I-751 package. Basically that letter replaces your 2 year GC since it is already expired. There is no travel restrictions with that letter and honestly I never heard that you can only spend 5 months 1 day outside of the US. As long as your total trip time does not exceed 6 months, you should be fine.

Hi Yeppers,

As long as we are aware, after you have the extension letter, you can travel outside of the US not more than 6 months so my wife is trying to fit into this frame pretty much.

Ayra,

Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with the extension letter. We assumed that you didn't need permission to travel for 6-months. That it was given that you could travel a little less than 5 months in 1 year on the normal 2-year conditional GC. Can you describe the extension letter a little more? Thanks!

Ayra, is there a max amount of time that your wife wants to spend away from the US? I've heard no more than 5 months in total (non-consecutive months). Do you guys count the weeks she's away and try not to go over a certain number?

I am also in the same boat, we have applied in last July and still waiting for their response. I am a USC working abroad and my wife is visiting me to continue our marriage and relationship, it is very hard in all ways ( financially and emotionally) but trying to get over.

QQ about working abroad for the USC for those who have ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY been through the ROC process. (Not for those who have not gone through the process in it's entirety as of yet.) Actually, it would be most helpful to hear responses from USC (or their spouses) who have worked ABROAD and already been through the ROC process.

In the case that the petitioner has to take a job assignment outside of the US, how much flexibility does the beneficiary have in traveling to see the USC? That is, how much time can they be outside of the US at a period of time such that it won't affect their ROC?

Assume that mailing address in the US would not change and that the petitioner has a yr left on the 2-yr GC.

There was recently as case in Lagos where someone did that ( sent things to NVC that weren't in the original petition ) and those things were used to deny the couple. The mandate of the CO is they can only deny for facts not known when the petition was approved. Adding things at NVC are all "fact not known at the approval of the petition" and each of the things can be used to make a reason to deny. Giving them to the CO through the petition allows them to review them very closely and conjour up any excuse to deny.

Can you please point us to the post or review that stated that sending information to NVC caused someone to be denied?

To the OP, lots of people told us to not send information to NVC because it will hurt you. We sent information anyway and when we got to the interview window, the approval letter was already on the table along with our original documents (see our full review here: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/view-dos-cis-reviews.php?entry=10483). The CO said she didn't need to see anything else (keep in mind we didn't send any supporting documentation to USCIS). Now, the issue is that your case is already closed, which could be problematic. I'd suggest sending it (with your official cover sheet) but not sending any original documents and have the same docs available during the interview in case NVC didn't send it to the embassy. Best wishes!

You don't need to have the logo. Lagos is very familiar with Rebtel printouts. Even the names instead of the phone numbers are not an issue so don't stress out over these types of things. If you're still worried, consider doing a screenshot of the My Contacts page with your wife's number and put that on the top.

I promise you, you aren't the first and won't be the last to give Lagos CO's a Rebtel account history. Take it from someone who was approved a few weeks ago. Don't stress.

You're doing the right thing by asking these questions.

The ultimate authority is those who have actually been to the interview. Read latest Enbassy review and contact that poster.

Here's another thread and yet another.

I'm that reviewer and here's what we posted about getting a BC: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/378516-long-form-birth-certificate/page__p__5536417__fromsearch__1#entry5536417

And I would recommend getting the BC before your NOA2 if possible. This is one of those things that it's just easier to get out of the way (unlike the police report and medical exams which have time restrictions). Not sure if you went to CSC or VSC but hopefully you'll receive your NOA2 soon.

Best wishes!

You may want to start using something like Rebtel if you use phone cards currently.

Also that timeline of 90 days through USCIS is VERY optimistic, especially considering the slow down for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. USCIS, NVC, and the embassy virtually come to a halt during the holiday season (mid-Nov-Jan). I guess they want to go home to be with their families too. So depending on the type of person that you are, it may be better to be realistic (i.e., expecting the worst) and be grateful when the best happens!!!

Best wishes on your journey!!!

That's the idiocy behind assumptions and why it's a dangerous thing to do

What's hilarious about this statement is that you do the same thing when you say blanket statements like "It is not customary to pay a bride price in Nigeria, not in this modern era, but I guess it depends on the financial circumstance of the family" and "educated and professional Nigerians DO NOT pay dowries anymore." To your credit, you did quantify the latter statement by saying that it's been in your personal experience, which I appreciated. And no, if you don't say it, it's not implied.

For those who are not Nigerians, please know that paying dowery is not about the money (most of them are less than $50 USD) or that only low class people do it, or it's about the education level of the family. It's a sign of respect for tradition. Some chose to participate, some don't. Either way, you're not obligated to and if you do or don't, it doesn't mean anything (bad or good) about you or your family.

Here's what I said:

Nigeria is a predominantly Islamic country and I still stand by what I've written.

We've had 5 marriages in my immediate family this year. 3 in this US and 2 in Nigeria with zero dowries. It has been my personal experience, and yours can vary, that educated and professional Nigerians DO NOT pay dowries anymore, mostly. When educated people like Doctors are marrying Doctors, Lawyers marrying Lawyers then not all archaic traditional acts that used to be norms are done. Alternatively, proper vetting is done by family to family, investigative work is done by family to family, gifts may be given from family to family. On the same token, Nigeria is a country where polygamy is legal, lawful and expected. You would be hard pressed to see an educated Nigerian with multiple Wives.

In any case OP has learned the lesson of culture and it's not all lost since he/she can proceed to marriage and file a spousal visa application.

I wish the OP the best of luck on the rest of the journey.

I am Gowon.

I'm glad you added that it's your personal experience. I've been to at least 10-15 weddings by very affluent Nigerian families (more than half were doctors - PhD and MDs schooled in the US and UK). The families have houses in different cities in Nigeria as well as OWN (not rent) vacation houses in the US and UK. All the husbands paid dowries in shillings (less than $50 USD). It's attached to tribes, cultures, families, etc. It's totally up to the families and we can't categorize all of Nigeria as being a certain way or it just being a "class" thing.

Advice to the OP: I agree with others in that you should go ahead and get married and apply for a CR1. Good luck to the OP.

Wrong.

It is okay if she doesn't have a job. If she has assets like personal property, stocks and bonds, or real estate, she can declare that on her Affidavit of Support. Just be sure that she will provided evidences that she has and owns the assets declared. Also, you do not need to have 60K. You can look at the US poverty guidelines. From what I am seeing, since she is pregnant, you will be having a family of 3. Meaning, she has to have a gross yearly income of 19, 090 and gross monthly income of around 1800ish. If she doesn't have enough asset, you can try to have a co'sponsor.

I hope this helps.

This post is incorrect. The reason the previous person said 60K is because with liquid assets (like money in the bank), the embassy will only consider 1/3 of it as being able to support a person.

To the OP, a co-sponsor seems to be the best way to go. Best wishes!!

NVC absolutely would not add any additional evidence to the petition package. That would essentially be changing the evidence supporting a petition that has already been approved by USCIS. NVC doesn't have the authority to do that.

That's completely untrue. NVC (as spoken by many NVC agents and people who have sent info to NVC\) sends everything to the embassy that they receive. Of course, it may hurt or help your case and it's at one's own risk but they do send what they have. Also, for a K1, it may not get there in time so it doesn't make a lot of sense. But for CR1, they send everything that is received with the immigrant visa application. It's up to the consulate or embassy to throw out the information.

As for your case, no need to send NVC additional information. Send it with your fiance. It's going to be fine.

For Nigerians, it's two forms. Go to the National Population Commission of Nigeria in Lagos. They'll tell you how to do it. An overview is that the mother of the child will give two passport photos and signs an affidavit of the child's birth. They also need a passport photo of the child. Then the National Population Commission will give you a birth attestation. The US consultant needs both of these forms. The NPC in Sululere. You don't ask for a "long form birth certificate." Tell them you need a birth certificate for the US consulate. It shouldn't be more than 5500N.

I heard that NVC only generates bills on Tuesdays. Is that true?

From CSC, the average time is now 4 weeks. Just keep calling but there is really nothing you can do but wait like the rest of us.

But then CSC takes months to send the approved cases to NVC...there are always trade-offs.