speedwell

also these people advising may not mention your risk of a 10year or lifetime ban from migrating to the US if fraud is detected. Many couples who have been honest in their visa journey have been questioned and doubted.. these visa officials are professionals in figuring out the truth so be careful.

Port of Entry Hawaii is the US, therefore it's fine. And yes, you can turn right back around and go back to Australia to wrap up affairs; this is common and not unexpected.

My file indeed got transferred FROM the NBC TO Houston and BACK to the NBC (verified by Congressional liaison) before being sent to the NVC, with a side trip to the NRC. Everyone's NOA2s are issued as if they are from the NBC. Everyone's path is different.
I remember Ms. Hogan's surprise and shock at being approved so soon, and we were all joyful for her. People, we are not each other's enemies and a fast disposition for one means hope for everyone. The true enemy is the inefficiency and tardiness and unfairness of government. Be upset with that, not each other.

people are actually "ranting" a week after filing? You've got to find some patience somewhere...you haven't seen anything yet.

Your fiancee is allowed to come see you in the US on the VWP to marry you, and then she must return to the home country. Your wife may visit you in the US on the VWP, and then she must return to her own country. An overstay on the VWP can be held against you in forms processing and any other immigration matters, and could result in a temporary or permanent ban.
A VWP entry stamp is good for a maximum of 90 days unless the visitor is Canadian (different rules apply). Trying to make back-to-back VWP visits is likely to result in refusal at the border. The VWP cannot be used more than 180 days in a given year.
It is illegal to use the VWP to marry and stay in the US to adjust status. It is illegal to use the VWP to enter as a spouse and adjust status. If someone tells you they adjusted status on the VWP, they are probably not understanding the question, or they did something illegal at some point.

You didn't seem that aware when you posted your original question, healthteacher, and someone raised legitimate questions about the trustworthiness of your self-reporting. We are careful here.
As far as your spouse being outside the US now, the quickest way for your wife to get a permanent resident visa as a spouse is a CR-1/IR-1 filing (same forms, only the disposition is different based on how long you are married when your wife enters the US). If your wife qualifies for some other visa, such as work, talent, refugee, or clergy, she can apply for that visa instead.
If you are a resident of the same country as your wife, and it is a country that allows Direct Consular Filing, then you may find that process faster. I'll direct you to search the DCF part of this site for cogent answers.

A few questions:
- What was the result of the previous filing (abandoned, refused, ex-wife got visa)?
- If the ex-wife entered the US on the spouse visa, how long did your husband and the ex-wife stay married?
- Is the ex-wife a citizen now, or not?
- How long after the divorce did he marry you?
- Does he have a copy of the paperwork that he signed?
Your husband needs to get a copy of the paperwork that he signed and examine it. He is responsible financially for the ex-wife until she becomes a citizen, she is credited with 40 quarters of qualifying work, or one of them dies. He may also need to answer questions about the previous case if he is interviewed about your case. I recommend that he does his best to remember the date so that he can get a copy of the filing. Call the USCIS and ask if there is a way for him to get a copy of the case file he filed for his ex-wife.

A few questions:
- What was the result of the previous filing (abandoned, refused, ex-wife got visa)?
- If the ex-wife entered the US on the spouse visa, how long did your husband and the ex-wife stay married?
- Is the ex-wife a citizen now, or not?
- How long after the divorce did he marry you?
- Does he have a copy of the paperwork that he signed?
Your husband needs to get a copy of the paperwork that he signed and examine it. He is responsible financially for the ex-wife until she becomes a citizen, she is credited with 40 quarters of qualifying work, or one of them dies. He may also need to answer questions about the previous case if he is interviewed about your case. I recommend that he does his best to remember the date so that he can get a copy of the filing. Call the USCIS and ask if there is a way for him to get a copy of the case file he filed for his ex-wife.

Hi,
Unfortunately all you can do is wait till you receive the NOA2. In most cases it can take anywhere from 5-7 months from the date of the NOA1. Ours took 7 months, others went faster, others went slower. It's difficult, but the wait is worth it. The good thing is that you know they're processing your case and working on it not just because of the NOA1, but also because they have informed you that they've transferred it. There have been a ton of people getting transfers in the last few weeks, which they say will move things along quicker. Some of the Service Centers were on over load and had huge backlogs, so transferring may mean that they get to your case quicker than if it were still in the previous service center. I don't think it makes a big difference in the Service Center, since they're all working on cases daily, so no worries there. Just remember that this means your case is slowly but surely getting its review over with. :-) Best of luck-

Exactly!

Coming down and marrying with the intent to stay would not go over well as it is illegal. Of course the legal ways by the fiance or CR1 route take longer then you would care... it does for everyone separated from their loved ones!
Just be thankful Canada and the US are close and easy to visit each other. It isn't that way for most.
So as NikiR said, either wait out the legal process, or have him move up there if you cannot wait.
Best of luck either way!

The notarized copy of the passport is NOT ACCEPTABLE anymore as of the 2012 filing year.

She should wait to get her medical exam until your I-130 is approved and you have a case complete at the NVC. Also, you need the NVC letter and case number to book the appointment. Even if she were to get it done now, the results could expire before she got her visa and could travel to the US.

My file indeed got transferred FROM the NBC TO Houston and BACK to the NBC (verified by Congressional liaison) before being sent to the NVC, with a side trip to the NRC. Everyone's NOA2s are issued as if they are from the NBC. Everyone's path is different.
I remember Ms. Hogan's surprise and shock at being approved so soon, and we were all joyful for her. People, we are not each other's enemies and a fast disposition for one means hope for everyone. The true enemy is the inefficiency and tardiness and unfairness of government. Be upset with that, not each other.

It is normal to be sent to the NBC. Your USCIS case number probably begins with MSC. All good. It may stay there for a month or two before being transferred to your local office. You will not usually be notified when your case is transferred to the local office for processing. There's nothing proactive you can do to make it go faster. From what you say here, your filing location is actually the Arizona lockbox, not the California Service Center (unless your case number actually begins with CSC).
You have a wait of approximately five to seven months (on average) before your case is processed and you have a decision. If they want something from you, they will let you know. At that time you should be prompt in sending them whatever information is missing, if any. In the meantime, get together your financial supporting evidence for the affidavit of support (search the forum for a lot of great advice on that).

How's things?
1. Any time. As soon as you want, or as late as you want. It's up to you. When you first file, it's Form I-130, the application for recognition of your relationship and establishment of the immigrant's eligibility to apply for a visa as a spouse.
2. He can travel here as a tourist if he wants to, there is no law against it. My Northern Irish husband traveled here on the Visa Waiver Program, stayed 85 days over the holidays, and went home. What the prospective immigrant should do is show evidence that he intends to return to his home country (a job, mortgage papers, kids left behind, even the pending court case). In general the immigrant must spend at least as much time out of the US as in the US, to avoid accusations of using the VWP to impermissibly "live" in the US. You (the US citizen) can travel freely as much as you want, provided you know you must be on hand to receive notifications and be present in case you are asked to interview.
3. If you do not income qualify on your own, having a joint sponsor is the only way to qualify. Using one can only help your case. All they case about is that SOMEONE is taking responsibility. It need not be you. You don't need one to start off with, anyway. You only need one in the second part of the procedure (after the I-130 form is approved). That gives you around four or five months, or even more, to find a job if you feel funny about presenting as unemployed, but you should still use a joint sponsor if your job is new, especially if your 2011 and/or 2012 income tax returns don't show sufficient income.
Verb. sap.: When you fill out your paperwork, write out United Kingdom nice and big. Don't use UK and don't put Northern Ireland in the address if you can avoid it, or you run the risk of having some undereducated American slob deciding that you're filing for someone in the ROI. This happened to us. It got fixed. After much cursing in private.

How's things?
1. Any time. As soon as you want, or as late as you want. It's up to you. When you first file, it's Form I-130, the application for recognition of your relationship and establishment of the immigrant's eligibility to apply for a visa as a spouse.
2. He can travel here as a tourist if he wants to, there is no law against it. My Northern Irish husband traveled here on the Visa Waiver Program, stayed 85 days over the holidays, and went home. What the prospective immigrant should do is show evidence that he intends to return to his home country (a job, mortgage papers, kids left behind, even the pending court case). In general the immigrant must spend at least as much time out of the US as in the US, to avoid accusations of using the VWP to impermissibly "live" in the US. You (the US citizen) can travel freely as much as you want, provided you know you must be on hand to receive notifications and be present in case you are asked to interview.
3. If you do not income qualify on your own, having a joint sponsor is the only way to qualify. Using one can only help your case. All they case about is that SOMEONE is taking responsibility. It need not be you. You don't need one to start off with, anyway. You only need one in the second part of the procedure (after the I-130 form is approved). That gives you around four or five months, or even more, to find a job if you feel funny about presenting as unemployed, but you should still use a joint sponsor if your job is new, especially if your 2011 and/or 2012 income tax returns don't show sufficient income.
Verb. sap.: When you fill out your paperwork, write out United Kingdom nice and big. Don't use UK and don't put Northern Ireland in the address if you can avoid it, or you run the risk of having some undereducated American slob deciding that you're filing for someone in the ROI. This happened to us. It got fixed. After much cursing in private.

Are you the British citizen? If so, file in the name you want to go by in your married life. The issue with your maiden name is that your greencard will come in your maiden name. To change the name on a greencard costs $450. The USCIS knows you recently married and will have documents still in your maiden name. That's why there is "other names used" on the forms.For imternational travel, it is easiest to book the ticket in the name on the passport for airline counter purposes. Also bring a copy of the marriage certificate to show name changes when you travel. The passport checker at Heathrow said they see that all day long, where people have married, but the passport is in the maiden name. He said the marriage certificate solves the name discrepancy. Once you get a driver license, you won't need your passport for domestic travel.
If you don't want to take your husbands name ever, that's fine too. I actually still use my former married name, not even maiden name. Never had a problem with immigration wanting to know why we had different names if we were a "real" couple.

It depends completely on the individual circumstances of the case. Your case will be subject to increased scrutiny, and the indending immigrant to extra questioning, but there is not an automatic denial.

We all wish you the best of luck, Omar and Mahmoud. As a US citizen and the wife, daughter, granddaughter, sister-in-law, friend, and employee of immigrants, I'm sorry that the system is so inflexible. Please accept my apologies and do believe that many of us are working to try to make things more fair and humane.

Many red flags
She cheated on her husband with you when she went to egypt to meet you when she was married
She stayed with husband till she got her citizenship and then threw him away (divorce)
How old are you?
How old is she?
Can she have kids?
Do you have pictures of your family and her together?
Does your family approve?
Are you Muslim?
Is she the same religion as you?
You need alot of proof before you send the petition. Many chats logs, many phone calls, many screen shots, airplane tickets, many pictures with your family.
Other people have had a large age gap and got the visa. But you just have to prove it is real love to the Counselor Officer at the embassy
I would try anyhow. But do alot of research on what to send with the petition and send ALOT.
If they deny you then she will live with you in egypt or elsewhere.
Good luck

My wife is 21 years older than me. She was naturalized a US Citizen through her parents many years ago... it will definitely be a very BIG red flag. They will 90% put you under Administrative Processing or deny your Visa, before apply for a green card, spend a lot of time with your wife, take pictures, build a very strong case like posted before. This aint no joke.

me and my fiance have the same age gap and we going to marry next june and even they deny visa we don't care and we going to live together anywhere else
everywhere will be heaven for u both as long as u really love each other and tc for each other. there's always other options for everything

Hello Omar,
I do wish you the best of luck. However, I just strongly doubt they will approve your visa. It will actually be a big surprise for me if they do. 26 years of age difference is a big red flag when it comes to Cairo, and Casablanca US consulates specifically. The Consulate Officer typically knows that this is completely very uncommon in the Egyptian culture and traditions that the man be younger, and with that many years like in your case. He knows that Egyptian men always like younger girls, who had no prior relations, and even Egyptian families don't usually bless this types of marriages.
Add to that the circumstances like she is from a different nationality, and the way she she got naturalized and became a US citizen, getting divorced immediately, then marrying you so shortly after that!! They are all factors that lead the Consulate Officer to a strong belief that this marriage is solely for immigration purposes....
I wish you the best of luck, and please keep us posted...

That has absolutely nothing to do with it. You can't say whether it looks good or not without knowing the reason behind the refusal. It could be something that is easy to overcome, or not.

That has absolutely nothing to do with it. You can't say whether it looks good or not without knowing the reason behind the refusal. It could be something that is easy to overcome, or not.