cyberfugue

My wife was approved for her I-129F in 2007, and in fact has already received her green card. For some strange reason now, I am getting notices telling me that this case is under review and the latest says that the State Department sent it to a USCIS office for review.

Can anyone tell me what this might mean?

Her mother tried to come visit us twice, and twice was denied for a tourist visa (from Brazil). I sent a letter to my Congressman about this and the matter is being looked into. Could it have something to do with this?

Sorry your mother in law was treated like a peace of garbage. I feel that was very Rude and very unprofessional of that person.

I would maybe contact my Congress and senator to maybe look into this and maybe help you. I would also would seek to have this person removed from his position. He is on a powerful power trip, someone needs to knock him of his high horse and give, and bring him down to the ground.

I hope you will get this worked out. I can see you are very upset about this and I am sure your wife is also upset.

I dont think anyone should be treated like your mother in law was.

Yogi

Thanks for the support and understanding. It's rarer than I would have expected, in a place like this. But I suppose all the "experts" here are tired of all they've been through, so we should cut them some slack.

I had actually already written to Rep. Eric Cantor and Sen. John Warner in VA not long after I started this thread. Just the other day, I heard back from Sen. Warner. He said he would do what he can to help me - seems like a really great guy. If anyone else here has problems, I would strongly suggest they do the same thing.

Take care.

I would maybe contact my Congress and senator to maybe look into this and maybe help you. I would also would seek to have this person removed from his position.

Um, people get denied tourist visas thousands of times every single day and the personnel are not, unfortunately, required to be kind. A congressman or senator cannot reverse a denial or help and there would certainly be zero grounds to "remove the person from his position"! That doesn't forgive his behavior, but there's nothing that can be done.

How exactly did I provide written confirmation that she was going to breach the terms of a visitor's visa? I also sent a note from her doctor, saying she will need extra help when the baby comes because of her health

You're missing the point. You provided clear information indicating that she was going to WORK HELPING WITH THE BABY. This is a clear violation of a visitor visa which is provided so people can visit, travel, shop, etc. but NOT work. Helping with the baby = WORK that another person would get paid for.

Funny that you say a Congressman or Senator can't reverse decisions such as this. Because I've already been in contact with Senator Warner of Va and he has told me that this is an inexcusable lapse of etiquette on the part of the embassy. He agreed with me that they should have been treated better whether they were accepted or not and has told me he will contact the consulate and have the decision closely examined as he has done many times in the past, usually with positive results for the family.

Thanks for the advice anyway.

Best to read my reply, you presumably did not notice the part I had marked in bold?.

I was going to add something, but you have made your own bed on this one, so sleep in it.

Thanks, but you've already added more than enough.

I hardly think that her mother wanting to help with the arrival of a daughter's baby qualifies as an intent to violate terms of a visitor's visa. If it were non-family coming to help with the birth of a baby, perhaps so. But according to my lawyer, people qualify for visitor visas all the time who state that they are going for similar family reasons. I'd say that really, you know nothing.

Apparently even after 2 replies, you still don't get it because you didn't see that they didn't even read the letter, or look at any of the documentation. Got it now? Good.

That being said, even so, they might have treated them like human beings rather than garbage. But I'd guess you wouldn't know the difference, judging by your response. If they had been decent, and rejected them, I wouldn't have a problem.

May you experience something similar. Karma's great that way.

Cheers!

Getting a tourist visa from US to Brasil is pretty difficult...i've tried. Did you send a letter of invitation? My mother had problems coming to visit me from Kenya to Brasil but then I sent a letter inviting her to come stay with me temporarily, and set specific dates and then after that it worked. Also, I have some friends here in the US on tourist visas from Brasil and they all said the same thing... the USC who you will be staying with has to come to Brazil go with you to get the visa and leave with you. I have 3 ppl in particular that I am speaking of and they all said the same thing. they were denied when they tried all alone and then when they had the USC come with them they got the visa. But that's pretty impracticle to fly out there just so her mom can come visit. Try submitting a cover letter that includes the letter of invitation w/ the petition. Specific dates, address where she will stay, purpose and anything else you can think of to let them know that it's a temporary stay will help.

We're going to try for tourist visas for my fiance's mom and sister to come to our wedding...but still waiting for NOA2, lol. Good luck!

ps. in the first line i meant to say getting a tourist visa from Brasil to US is difficult... my bad and i'm sure there are other typos

Yes, I sent a letter of invitation with my name, SSN and address, saying she would stay with us and promising to take full responsibility. For good measure, I also sent a note from her doctor, saying she will need extra help when the baby comes because of her health, and a letter from my job stating my position and salary. They refused to look at any of it, although my mother-in-law pleaded with them to at least read the letter. They were extraordinarily rude with her.

She also had loads of financial docs showing my father-in-law's financial situation with his coffee farm, apartments and other investments. I don't believe they looked at any of that either. The man"interviewing" her only glanced at the application for a brief moment and then told her to leave. When she asked him to at least read my letter, his tone with her became almost a bit threatening.

The worst part is, she traveled 22 hours by bus to get to the consulate, only to be treated like this.

She applied for a visitors letter and you provided written confirmation that she intended to breach the terms of a visitor visa.

That may explain the response.

Uhh... thanks for that bewildering reply.

How exactly did I provide written confirmation that she was going to breach the terms of a visitor's visa? My invitation letter stated I would take responsibility while she was here to help with the baby, and then she would return home afterwards before the visa expired.

Besides, they didn't even read my letter.

Try reading the full message before you respond next time.

Getting a tourist visa from US to Brasil is pretty difficult...i've tried. Did you send a letter of invitation? My mother had problems coming to visit me from Kenya to Brasil but then I sent a letter inviting her to come stay with me temporarily, and set specific dates and then after that it worked. Also, I have some friends here in the US on tourist visas from Brasil and they all said the same thing... the USC who you will be staying with has to come to Brazil go with you to get the visa and leave with you. I have 3 ppl in particular that I am speaking of and they all said the same thing. they were denied when they tried all alone and then when they had the USC come with them they got the visa. But that's pretty impracticle to fly out there just so her mom can come visit. Try submitting a cover letter that includes the letter of invitation w/ the petition. Specific dates, address where she will stay, purpose and anything else you can think of to let them know that it's a temporary stay will help.

We're going to try for tourist visas for my fiance's mom and sister to come to our wedding...but still waiting for NOA2, lol. Good luck!

ps. in the first line i meant to say getting a tourist visa from Brasil to US is difficult... my bad and i'm sure there are other typos

Yes, I sent a letter of invitation with my name, SSN and address, saying she would stay with us and promising to take full responsibility. For good measure, I also sent a note from her doctor, saying she will need extra help when the baby comes because of her health, and a letter from my job stating my position and salary. They refused to look at any of it, although my mother-in-law pleaded with them to at least read the letter. They were extraordinarily rude with her.

She also had loads of financial docs showing my father-in-law's financial situation with his coffee farm, apartments and other investments. I don't believe they looked at any of that either. The man"interviewing" her only glanced at the application for a brief moment and then told her to leave. When she asked him to at least read my letter, his tone with her became almost a bit threatening.

The worst part is, she traveled 22 hours by bus to get to the consulate, only to be treated like this.

This isn't fare is it? They should have some policy or something that allows family members of spouses to visit but obviously they don't. Maybe they could have a bond or something that you could pay so that if they don't return it costs you a fortune or something. This is a case of bad apples spoiling it for everyone else. So many people overstay that now they won't allow a simple family visit. Or maybe this is a new plan by Al Quida to bring in old ladies to blow up something?

Or maybe a GPS device on their ankle so they can track you down when your I-94 expires.

lol - good ideas

I wouldn't be so annoyed if they had been civil to her and at least told her why she was turned down.

My wife is pregnant and her mother wanted to come here to spend some time with us to help out when the baby arrives. She has obvious strong financial ties to Brazil, but she was rudely denied in Recife the other day. They refused to look at any supporting documents, but merely glanced at the application and then told her she should leave.

They would not give her any information as to why she was turned down, nor will they to me after several phone calls and emails.

Does anyone have any idea if this is worth pursuing? If so, how?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.

If I'm changing the address for my wife and son, do I only need to fill out the form for the US citizen? Or do I need to go back and fill it out for them also as non-citizens?

Has anyone had any luck in getting the vaccination supplement from a civil surgeon in the richmond area? All the doctors Ive called thus far insist that we need the medicals all over, and they don't come cheap.

Dr. Ashok Patel at 2015 Monument Avenue should be able to help you. I don't have the office phone # with me, but they offered to do just the supplements for my wife and son.

The son is only 4. Will an affidavit for her, with his name as her dependent be enough, or do I need a separate affidavit for each person I'm sponsoring (both of them)?

This has been a ride. I had my taxes done by HR Block, and at first they told me that I couldn't file as married, because my wife was not a resident here. So they filed me as single. I finally got someone at another office to file an amended return for me as married, but filing separately. I would have filed jointly with my wife, but I don't know exactly what her income was last year, as she is self-employed. The question - does anyone know if this will be a problem? The amended return shows me as married, but the only place it lists my wife's name is in the comments section on the reason for amending the return.

Will it make a difference if I fill out the DS-156 form for my wife and stepson and put my info in the field where it asks if someone else prepared the form on their behalf? Would it look better if my wife filled them out instead?

Also, for #36 - Has Anyone Ever Filed an Immigrant Visa on Your Behalf - I'm confused.

Neither of them have ever had anyone file for them before. I'm the first. So should I answer 'yes' or 'no' to that question?

Thanks in advance for your help.

The DS -156 is to be filled out by the beneficary so you would answer the questions from their perspective.

I'm filling it out for them with their info. At the end of the form, I'm putting my name and info in the fields with the question 'Was this application prepared by another person on your behalf?'

I think the answer should be NO

That's what I would have guessed, but my lawyer's paralegal who has worked with me on these says I should say yes and put my name. But that doesn't make sense to me.

If anyone else knows for sure, I'd appreciate some insight.

I'm working on the DS-156 for my wife and stepson. I have a question about #36 on the form - 36. Has Anyone Ever Filed an Immigrant Visa Petition on Your Behalf?

Does this mean anyone before me? I am the first to file for them, so would I answer 'yes' and put my name, or 'no'?

Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm working on the I-134 affidavit of support. I don't have much in traditional savings, but I have a couple of fairly large retirement accounts (one 401k and one IRA).

Can I count these as assets on the I-134 and if so, should I list their value on the 'Savings' line?

Thanks in advance for your help.

My wife's interview for her K3 (and K4 for her son) is scheduled in Rio on February 27th. I've just started a new job, and don't know if I can get time approved to be there (it is a highly stressful type of workplace). Has anyone been in a similar situation? Do you know if my not being there will negatively affect her chances?