martinez30

First of all, Congratulations! Can I ask about the letters from your father & sister-in-law? Did they have it notarized? Was it just a regular letter or in affidavit form?

Just an update,

I received an email today from CRIS saying that on Feb.10 2009 an Approval Notice was sent so hopefuly i'll be receiving my card in the mail soon. I'll let you guys know when i receive it in the mail. thanks again

Please feel free to ask me any questions if you have any

I know i had a question aboht the evidence the i had sent,i sent all regular evidence nothing extra but to list

photos

apartement lease

joint bank account before divorce

divorce decree

A letter from my ex-wife stating the bona-fida of the marriage( was really helpful i guess)

letters of bona fida of the marriage from my father and sister in law

tax papers

I think that's it, but yea just send whatever you ahve and you will be fine

Good luck to All

This might be a dumb question, but, should you make copies of the letters and invitations sent to you both or send the originals? I'm assuming copies, right?

Hello,

I just mailed mine last week 1/12/09 and the USCIS received it 1/14/09. To day I got in the mail the Notice of Action.

I would suggest that you include the mails/cards addressed to both of your names.

Photo documentation also will help for the two years. I submitted mine with dates on them.

Good luck with the assembling : 2 hole punch on top and tabs below

Jan

And I'm just wondering if the evidence we have should be enough -

one year of tax returns

joint car loan

joint car insurance

lease on our old apartment with both names on it

rental agreement between my parents/my husband & I (we live with them after doing a cross-country move)

the affidavits (duh, of course)

I may have proof from my prior job that he was my life insurance beneficiary, as well as joint dental insurance, but that's not at my current job.

We probably can also dig up mail delivered in both names or in our individual names at the same address, photos of our vacation to Peru (I don't know if they want/need photos, the instructions are so general).

We don't have joint bank accounts or credit cards because we like it that way better.

Hmm...anything else I need, or should this be enough?

a.thena

Just a quick question.

My parents own a house in Illinois, and one in Wisconsin. They moved to Wisconsin years ago, and rent the house in Illinois to my husband and I (bottom floor) and my brother and his girlfriend (top floor). I was planning on including copies of my paycheck stubs, my husband's paycheck stubs (stubs showing same mailing/home address), and an affidavit from my mother (aka. our landlord) stating that we rent the bottom floor of the house from them.

Do you think this would be enough to cover the joint living arrangements?

Hi Arazia,

We are in a similar situation. We work at a non-profit where part of our salary is paid housing...we have no utility bills and can't really show joint ownership of anything like a house or car. I am asking our employer to write a letter stating that housing is part of our salary and paid by our employer. I'm also asking co-workers for affidavits. I am going to include copies of correspondence in both our names...also, I have copied checks throughout the two years made out to both of us. We have letters addressed to both of us at the same address from the IRS. I am including what I can of those things. It makes me feel better knowing that other people are in the same situation.

OMID,

My vote is that this is something good. We received that letter (saying the case was under review) and about 4 days later, we got an email saying that our card had been ordered. I think it means that someone is working on it rather than "under review" in a bad way.

Hope you have some good news very soon!

I am a worrier about everything ... I feel if I don't have something to freak out over, I won't be prepared for it and then it'll be even worse. I keep sane by stressing, I think.

Generally, the mail isn't delivered because my address is so long. A lot of times the mailperson will try to match the name up even if the apt # gets deleted (which was the situation) but my last name was different then, so that didn't work. (And I'd have to skip work to talk to the mailperson, which I'm not going to do. )

Can I make an infopass without a case #? That's what I'm worried about, that without the case number, I won't be able to do/find out anything.

I know everyone is trying to help but I've done everything they suggested so it was more what happens if those things don't work I know it's a bit nuts but I am just trying to be prepared. Thanks!

I don't think anyone understands my question I've done everything to prevent it from being undeliverable, but with as many problems as I've had, I thought someone might know what to do in the case we never receive anything. Oh well, I'll just hope we get it.

Everyone here is just trying to help. Honestly, the best thing you can do right now is try to relax. Unless you want to get proactive and go down to the post office and talk to someone about why you keep getting undeliverable mail (or figure out when the mailman comes and hang around outside the mail room to talk to them), relaxing is the only thing you can do. I see this is your first experience with USCIS, it's definitely scary and overwhelming, and I know it's hard to do but you will go crazy before the end of this process if you start stressing over the uncontrollable things or the "what ifs".

IF after a month or more you don't get your NOA's, you can call the customer service line or make an infopass appointment at your local office.

Sorry, I posted and then realized someone had already said what I was going to say. In the case that you don't receive something within a certain time frame (you can look for that on the USCIS website) there is recourse.

Looks like a few of us are waiting then, cos Im in the same boat!. I mailed my RFE back 27th feb and I still have not heard anything to say they have recieved it, just the post office tracking number that it was delivered.

At the same time I had to send off the forms to let them know I had changed address. I have had a reply to those already so I know that is ok.

Hopefully we will all hear something soon so we can stop worrying.

Yes! But, it is comforting to know that we are not the only ones and maybe this "normal".

I got email about the rfe 1/5 and received the letter 1/12. I sent the rfe back to them 1/18 and received an email notification that it had been received 1/23.

cpinkley,

Thanks for answering. But, this makes me more nervous, you got a response pretty quick. I sent a cover letter with mine and now I'm thinking I should have just put the yellow letter (RFE) in front. Also, I think I forgot to clip the whole thing together. I just wanted to get it in and had gone to Fedex and then realized that they do not deliver to P.O. boxes, so I went to the post office. I know these things I'm worrying about probably don't make a difference, but, the fact that I haven't heard anything makes me keep thinking and worrying.

same here..im waiting too. we sent our RFE back on the 2nd of march and they received it on the 3rd (i had a tracking number which i entered on the USPS.com webpage). im still waiting on an update on the USCIS.gov webpage to let me know they really received it

anybody knows the phone # for MSC so we can call them up and see whats going on?

Yes, a number, an email, a FAX, anything would be great just to check......

Nope, sent money orders.

I've NEVER seen the mail person, and it's my understanding that they will not deliver to a PO Box, it needs to be a residential address or I would have gotten a PO box just for this purpose.

It'll probably be fine, but I've had so many problems getting my mail for a bunch of reasons that I'm scared that it'll happen with this :x it's too soon to tell, obviously but I'm being proactive.

Maybe you should try talking to the mail person...or getting a PO BOX.

If you sent a personal check, you can get your case number off the back of the endorsement...once it is cashed. Good luck

Sorry if this has been covered already, I didn't have time to read every post but, who told you that they won't deliver to a Post Office box? The same thing happened to us. Our mail is very unreliable and the RFE they sent to us was returned as undeliverable. When I called USCIS he said, "What we usually do is suggest you open a Post Office box." I would have done that, but, where we live, it would have taken 3 weeks to do it, so I changed our mailing address to the address of my parents to be sure everything would be delivered. If you have someone you can trust, it's an option.

Hi again,

Hey, I just noticed on your timeline that you had to send an RFE to the Missouri Service Center and it took them 7 days to respond, right? So, this is not so abnormal, right? Did USCIS send you a mail or a letter letting you know they had received the RFE?

Hi Steve,

Funny, I just posted my own question about this. My RFE arrived at MSC on Friday and I have not heard anything. I just posted to ask if they send an email or a letter saying that they received it. I have been KICKING myself because I sent it priority mail (with delivery confirmation) instead of express mail and all the usps website gives me is the city, state, and zip it was delivered to. This makes me nervous. I'm sure it's there and I'm just being paranoid, but, I'd really like to know that it is in the right hands.

Hi,

We mailed an RFE to the Missouri Service Center and it arrived a week ago today. I was hoping to see that our case had been updated online, but, so far, nothing....for those who have sent in RFE's, did they send you an email or letter letting you know that they had received it?

I sent it priority mail with delivery confirmation (not express mail), for which I am kicking myself because tthe only informatio the post office gives me is that it was delivered to city, state, zip, not the whole address. I'm sure it must be there and I am just being paranooid, but, I want to hear something to know that they received it....I feel like it's out there in limbo.....

HI,

I have heard some members mentioned that they emailed USCIS about their case and have gotten a response. The only email I see is about the website and they say not to put any specific information in about your case.

It's just that we mailed our RFE last week and I haven't heard anything from them that they have received it. I sent it priority mail (delivery confirmation). I thought it would give me tracking information, but, all it gives me is the city and state. I'm sure it probably arrived at the right place, I just wish I would hear something from them.

Is there a way of contacting them by email? Any suggestions?

Our RFE notice arrived this afternoon and it was for what we expected. I looked at the envelope and it was postmarked January 25th. I hope you get yours soon or that the immigration officer at your infopass appointment lets you know.

Wow, I know that is a relief for you! Well, our email said that it was sent on Jan. 20, but, the odd thing is, that was a Saturday. I didn't think anyone would be working Saturday. Also, I saw online that our case was touched on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I would have thought for sure no one from government would be working that day....

Hi Science,

Thats good news for you. I have exactly the same email, "on 24th of Jan" etc.... up until now I haven't received the RFE in the mail!!! 'Science' which service center you are in?

'martinez30'

I would still recommend that you go ahead with your infopass. I belive that the local service center can help find out what your RFE is about. Good Luck!

love.

Hi,

I got the RFE in the mail today(03-Feb-07). The RFE dated on 01-24-2007, it took such a long time !!!!!

I think they need more supporting documents for I-864.

'martinez30' let me know your status.

love.

Glad to hear you got your RFE. Ours still hasn't arrived and we have our infopass appointment tomorrow. Actually, tomorrow will be 14 days. Watch us go to the appointment, get back home and find it in the mail. Either way, I can't just sit back and wait. I want to be proactive. I'll let you know what happens..

I got the RFE in the mail today(03-Feb-07). The RFE dated on 01-24-2007, it took such a long time !!!!!

The date the RFE email is sent to you is usually the date they figure out they need something. Then they still need to order a printout of your actual RFE, get it to the mailroom, get it to postage and get it in the mailbox. It seems it takes about 7-10 days for that to happen, and then you have to allow for actual US postal service delivery time. (I had an RFE email dated June 23 that arrived on July 9).

Good idea to count on about 14 days from receipt of the email to the physical RFE receipt date. If it takes longer, call the service center to have it resent.

That does give some insight and makes me feel better, but, I figure since we already made our infopass appointment, we will take a chance and go. Tomorrow will be exactly 14 days.

Our RFE notice arrived this afternoon and it was for what we expected. I looked at the envelope and it was postmarked January 25th. I hope you get yours soon or that the immigration officer at your infopass appointment lets you know.

Wow, I know that is a relief for you! Well, our email said that it was sent on Jan. 20, but, the odd thing is, that was a Saturday. I didn't think anyone would be working Saturday. Also, I saw online that our case was touched on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and I would have thought for sure no one from government would be working that day....

martinez,

At the infopass interview they might indeed tell you to wait 30 days for the letter to arrive but they might also tell you what the RFE is actually for, you never know. Then you can get on the case before the letter comes. That's the frustrating thing, not knowing or being able to find out what the RFE is actually for until you get it in the mail. Fortunately we have an inkling on what our RFE may be for.

Yes, I figured it was worth the trip, even if they do tell us to wait. I want to be pro-active. Also, I am driving myself crazy wondering what it is..... I wish they would just email a copy of the letter that they say they sent.

We're in the exact same boat...

"On January 24, 2007, we mailed a notice requesting additional evidence and/or information in this case."

Over one week later and there's still no sign of it.

Well, in a way this is comforting because I was thinking it was a problem with our address. We live in a building where the mail is very unreliable, but, maybe it is some dumb thing on their end...where they send the email before it is acutally sent???

I'll let you know what happens at infopass.....

I am re-thinking cancelling the appointment, because it is not far for us to travel. Also, it seems to say to call the service number if you have not received something that they told you was sent to you in 14 days.

Here is what I found on the USCIS website:

While we will not research the status of a case that is within the normal processing time, we do offer a variety of case services while your case is pending with us. Please call customer service at 1-800-375-5283 for assistance for any of the issues listed here.

If you did not get any other kind of notice - and you have a receipt number, and case status on our website states that we sent you a notice (other than the receipt notice) more than 14 days ago, but you haven't yet received it.

The quote is from this page:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...0000ecd190aRCRD

Interesting ..martinez30. Please let us know what you decided. I have a feeling that these guys messed up something in their sysytem workflow!!!! dump service.

Wow, I hope that's true and they've updated it to be 14 days cause I was always told wait 30 which is too long in my opinion.

In this case, 'martinez30' I would go for the InfoPass appointment and figure out whats wrong. Also I would take a print out of the USCIS page with me.

its really maddening to see how incapable the USCIS staff are at doing their job !!!!

Thanks, yes, that is exactly what I was thinking.... I will print out the email that was sent to me and also print out the page where it says 14 days. I know, it is frustration to keep talking to someone who does not know any more than you do about your case when they work for USCIS.

I am re-thinking cancelling the appointment, because it is not far for us to travel. Also, it seems to say to call the service number if you have not received something that they told you was sent to you in 14 days.

Here is what I found on the USCIS website:

The quote is from this page:

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...0000ecd190aRCRD

Well, it's true, I don't want to go all the way down there to have them ask us what we are doing there. But, it really is strange for 12 days to go by and not have received it. I just don't know why they would send an email saying that it was SENT on Jan. 20, if it was not yet sent. But, thanks for the advice. I am considering cancelling the infopass until the 30 days goes by. It's just that the girl from USCIS on the phone didn't tell me to wait 30 days before I made the appointment.....I just want to be as pro-active as possible....also, I am going crazy wanting to know what the letter says...

Who knows with the government, they are slow at everything it seems. They should have told you the 30 day thing since they've told me and I know I've read many many other people being told that, plus it says it on their site, but they never seem to get much right on the infoline! Like I said, it's upto you to go or not. If it isn't a far drive I'd probably do it but if it is I'd wait at least until sometime in the late 20's of day waiting or until day 30 just to avoid a wasted trip.

No, we filed the paperwork ourselves.

Hi Everyone,

We sent in our I-484 (AOS) and I-761 (EAD) and got our NOA on Jan. 10th, 2007 also completed the biometrics appt on Jan. 30th, 2007.

Unfortunately, we've received an email stating that we were sent a RFE on January 24, 2007. I has been a week now and no sign of the actual written notice in the mail !!!! we are starting to panic a bit. What to do?

Generally how long its going to take to receive he actual REF?(our service center is Lee’s Summit, MO and the mail address is Portland, OR) I am thinking to wait until end of this week. But even after if I don’t get the REF document what to do????

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Love,

The same thing is happening to us. I received an email saying that on Jan. 20, they sent us a RFE and we have not yet received it. I have called 3 times to make sure that the address is right. I asked the last person I talked to on the phone at USCIS, "How can I talk to someone who actually can tell us something about our case?" and she said we could make an infopass appointment online at our local office to talk to an immigration officer, so I made an appointment for Monday. If the letter comes in the meantime, I can cancel. Does anyone know if this is information they can give you at an infopass appointment or will they just tell us to wait 30 - 45 days like they told me on the phone????

They probably will tell you to wait 30 days. It's made clear on the infoline as well as on their website that they allow 30 days for mailed documents to arrive to you before they will resend it. It's upto you to wait that 30 days and risk an unhelpful infopass. My personal advice would be wait 30 days, or at least wait a little closer to 30 days. 11 days isn't much time to give them to mail something, considering like I said before that they may not have mailed it that day or snowstorms could delay it or who knows what

Well, it's true, I don't want to go all the way down there to have them ask us what we are doing there. But, it really is strange for 12 days to go by and not have received it. I just don't know why they would send an email saying that it was SENT on Jan. 20, if it was not yet sent. But, thanks for the advice. I am considering cancelling the infopass until the 30 days goes by. It's just that the girl from USCIS on the phone didn't tell me to wait 30 days before I made the appointment.....I just want to be as pro-active as possible....also, I am going crazy wanting to know what the letter says...

Hi Everyone,

We sent in our I-484 (AOS) and I-761 (EAD) and got our NOA on Jan. 10th, 2007 also completed the biometrics appt on Jan. 30th, 2007.

Unfortunately, we've received an email stating that we were sent a RFE on January 24, 2007. I has been a week now and no sign of the actual written notice in the mail !!!! we are starting to panic a bit. What to do?

Generally how long its going to take to receive he actual REF?(our service center is Lee’s Summit, MO and the mail address is Portland, OR) I am thinking to wait until end of this week. But even after if I don’t get the REF document what to do????

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Love,

The same thing is happening to us. I received an email saying that on Jan. 20, they sent us a RFE and we have not yet received it. I have called 3 times to make sure that the address is right. I asked the last person I talked to on the phone at USCIS, "How can I talk to someone who actually can tell us something about our case?" and she said we could make an infopass appointment online at our local office to talk to an immigration officer, so I made an appointment for Monday. If the letter comes in the meantime, I can cancel. Does anyone know if this is information they can give you at an infopass appointment or will they just tell us to wait 30 - 45 days like they told me on the phone????

We all know that our wait will be long. I have had experience with k-1 visa's and other business at the consulate in santo domingo before. I know what a mess it is and what it takes to go through the process. Given the many variables and the inability of human beings to prognosicate the future I don't try to pinpoint when my visa interview will be, that would be an exercise in anxiety and futility. All I was saying is that according to the numbers assigned to the cases, the k-1 visas that are being assigned interviews in jan and feb were passing through uscis last june and july. 28000 in the waiting list, 25000 being processed each month. Do the math.

if it doesn't go according to the math because of prioritization, thats fine, if your worried about it, it won't bust my bubble

Frankly, I trust very little advise given to me in these matters, least of all yours

This guy who's advice you don't trust probably knows more about the system in DR than 99% of the lawyers out there and he has helped HUNDREDS of people go through the process prepared and come out successful. I am one of them. I also had a lawyer who DID NOT HAVE A CLUE and told me the wait for an interview would be 3 - 6 months. I WAS EDUCATING HIM through the process. When we started on the waiting list as a K-1, we were at #18,000. We were added to the list on 4/22/05 and finally had our interview on 6/2/06. That was just the wait for the interview, after the processing here. We waited 14 months for an interview. BUT NOW - the waiting list is 27,189 cases long. Yes, of course you want to be in denial about it, everyone does, because yes, it IS unbelieveable, it IS unjust, but it IS also a reality.

I am assuming you are talking about twincactus, right?

But of course, who else?

Yes! Sorry for not making that clear.

We all know that our wait will be long. I have had experience with k-1 visa's and other business at the consulate in santo domingo before. I know what a mess it is and what it takes to go through the process. Given the many variables and the inability of human beings to prognosicate the future I don't try to pinpoint when my visa interview will be, that would be an exercise in anxiety and futility. All I was saying is that according to the numbers assigned to the cases, the k-1 visas that are being assigned interviews in jan and feb were passing through uscis last june and july. 28000 in the waiting list, 25000 being processed each month. Do the math.

if it doesn't go according to the math because of prioritization, thats fine, if your worried about it, it won't bust my bubble

Frankly, I trust very little advise given to me in these matters, least of all yours

This guy who's advice you don't trust probably knows more about the system in DR than 99% of the lawyers out there and he has helped HUNDREDS of people go through the process prepared and come out successful. I am one of them. I also had a lawyer who DID NOT HAVE A CLUE and told me the wait for an interview would be 3 - 6 months. I WAS EDUCATING HIM through the process. When we started on the waiting list as a K-1, we were at #18,000. We were added to the list on 4/22/05 and finally had our interview on 6/2/06. That was just the wait for the interview, after the processing here. We waited 14 months for an interview. BUT NOW - the waiting list is 27,189 cases long. Yes, of course you want to be in denial about it, everyone does, because yes, it IS unbelieveable, it IS unjust, but it IS also a reality.

We got married in Pennsylvania and my husband did not need his SSN to apply for the marriage lisence. The thing is, if you HAVE an SSN, you are legally required to give it, if you do not, you can still apply, no problem. The issue is witholding your SSN number. At least that is how it was in PA.