Apalis

Let's face it, immigration involves endless paperwork and requires a lot of patience. As you dig through piles of documents, it is only necessary to be organize and clutter-free. I would like to share some useful tips as to how I kept my sanity through proper filing and arrangement of important documents.
1. Always keep a file of all the forms you submitted, and the email notifications from NVC and/or USCIS. I print out 3 copies every time and arrange them neatly on separate folders. (One copy for me, one for my husband and a back-up copy). I also created a personal timeline in order to track down our case's progress.
2. Before my visa interview, I neatly arranged my documents using color-coded folders and clear plastic separates. I also placed labels on every folder and printed a cover page for each.
Folder A - Affidavit of Support Packet contains husband's employment certificate, tax records and W2's
Folder B - Proof of Relationship Packet contains billing statements, receipts, email correspondence, money transfers, housing arrangements, contract of lease etc.
Folder C - Wedding photos, proof of travels, family celebrations etc

Plastic Separate 1 - Appointment Letter
Plastic Separate 2 - Ds-230 & I-864 (original and photo copies)
Plastic Separate 3 - NSo Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Police Clearance

Please note that in most US Embassies where interviews are held, the applicant and the consul are separated by a glass window with a narrow, 2-inch sloped slot - this is where you slip the documents they request to view. It is advisable to use FLEXIBLE folders instead of hard or spiral binds because they wouldn't fit.
3. If you are married to an expat whose been working outside the States, you also need to produce Proof of Domicile.
[Domicile. Place where a person has his or her principal residence. The person must intend to keep that residence for the foreseeable future. The sponsor of an immigrant must have domicile in the U.S. before the visa can be issued. This generally means that the sponsor must be living in the U.S. In certain circumstances, however one can be considered to have a domicile while temporarily living overseas.]
We requested my husband's company to issue him with an employment certificate explaining the projects he's handling in Asia and the length of his assignment. On top of my husband's Income Tax Forms and W2s, I also included Form 2555 - Foreign Earned Income. All these documents I inserted in the Affidavit of Support Folder.
4. On the day of your interview, it's always better to come in prepared and memorize important details mentioned in your forms. It's ridiculous if you would have to dig thru your documents every time you need to answer simple questions such as:
- Petitioner's full name (emphasis on the middle name)
- Place of residence in the States
- Your petitioner's employment background
- Wedding date, or the day you and your spouse first met
- If you are constantly travelling, dates when you left and arrived in diff. country, and length of stay.
It creates a positive impression if you remember these things by heart.
5. You have to remember that NOT every consul would like to view ALL your documents. In our case, the consul just asked for the wedding photos but she complimented us for coming in "extra-prepared." So yeah, it's a major plus to carry excessive amount of proof, documents and forms - than lacking.
To everyone who's scheduled for an interview, keep smiling and be charming! I hope you find this post useful and best of luck!

hi apalis,
I recently applied for the COC from Singapore Police force, it takes more than 10 business days from approval and finally reaching the requesting authority. I had to appeal because of the requirement stated on packet 3 for K1 visa interview. Though they said COC is not applicable for non-citizens, we can appeal and once the appeal is successful, they will send it out to the requesting authority. First fill out the documents provided on the links below with your particulars.
http://www.spf.gov.sg/faqs/doc/coc_appform.pdf
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2011/341-appeal-e.pdf
Since the statutory declaration of no criminal conduct is not acceptable by USEM, you have to fill out this form below and state your case number and name of applicant. This letter from IV unit is required by the SPF which requires COC as part of the visa process and that statutory of declaration is not acceptable.
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/Request%20Letter%20for%20Singapore%20COC.pdf
I didn't come personally to apply for the COC, so here's the documents I submitted:
1. Appeal forms
2. Letter from IV unit
3. Photograph (2) size: 3x4 cm with white background (get the recent ones)
4. Original fingerprint impressions taken by the national police (in my case, the Indonesian national police)
5. Proofs that you have resided in Singapore for more than 6 months such as passport endorsement, employer/school testimonial, your permanent resident card or FIN card copy. Please refer to the requirements on the appeal forms.
6. Bank draft of S$50 addressed to 'HEAD CRIMINAL RECORDS CID'. As long as your local bank is affiliated with SINGAPORE BASED BANK such as OCBC, UOB, DBS, the SPF will accept it. Check and confirm with your local bank first.
7. Copy of valid passport(bio page)
8. Copy of my Indonesian ID
9. NVC checklist stating that COC is required.
Sent the papers through DHL here's my timeline:
Shipped: March 18, 2013
Receipt date: March 20
Approval: April 5
Sent out to USEM: April 11
Call CID +6564358277 or +6564350000 and ask them after 10 business days whether it has been approved and when they will ship it to USEM.
I emailed them and called quite frequently after 10 days, they are very helpful so don't worry as long as you provide complete papers. Once it is approved, they will inform you the COC REFERENCE NUMBER COC/XXXX/XX
SPF only sends through registered airmail by SINGPOST, the CID will inform you the airwaybill as well so you can track the document http://www.singpost.com/index.php?quickTool=TrackItem#Quick
Airmail takes 5-8 days to arrive at the destination. So I will update you again on this.
Hope this helps! good luck for us!

Hi,
Here is the list of documents which I took to my visa interview in London. I appreciate that I cannot advise you about country specific info but hopefully this list will give you some food for thought.
My documents:

1) My interview letter
2) My passport
3) 3 recent U.S sized passport photos (I got mine from Timpsons, and would recommend them to other UK based VJers as their service is quick and reasonably priced)
4) Printed copies of receipts for AOS and IV bills paid to the NVC
5) Photocopy of my birth certificate (original submitted to NVC)
6) Photocopy of my marriage certificate (original submitted to NVC)
7) Photocopy of my Police Certificate (original submitted to NVC)
8) Copies of my DS-230 parts I and II (submitted to NVC with Pt I signed and Pt II left unsigned)
9) Copies of the I-864 from my husband and my joint sponsor
10) Copy of my husband's 2012 W-2
11) Two most recent statements from our U.S joint account
12) Recent statements from my husband's personal account and for his stocks and shares
13) Recent statements from my UK savings accounts and stocks and shares
14) Receipt of payment from my medical and updated vaccine record provided by Knightsbridge Doctors at my medical
15) The Stubs of my boarding passes for my visits to see my husband in the U.S. (we sent photocopies with our I-130)
16) Copies of the pages in my husband's passport with stamps to show he visited me in the UK
17) Some recent pictures of the most recent time my husband and I saw each other, which were not submitted with our I-130
18) A selection of greeting cards which my husband and I had sent to each other, and also some cards which my in-laws sent to me
19) The checklists for our RFE and with my interview letter

We sent photocopies of each document along with the originals to the NVC, but I made sure I took another set of photocopies to London as there is now, I believe, a $1.00 charge to photocopy any documents if required at the London U.S. embassy. I was not asked about most of these documents, but I felt better knowing that I had them to hand, if requested.
Good luck!

You admit you have been shopping for answers because the correct one is the one you didn't want to hear. That frustrates me because I helped you from the very start with your AOS. I wish you had asked once your spouse left the country and we could have helped get you on the right track, by not withdrawing the I-130.
People who visit with CR-1 pending didn't already try to AOS on the VWP.

I think that for many of the senior members who have been here a while, after a lot of time answering seemingly the same questions it gets aggravating at some point... And some posters can be a little "thicker headed " than others... So people snap sometimes... Don't take anything too personally and take the consensus. But the OP should at this point have the general idea that they made an error and this will cost them time and money, but as long as they understand that at this point there is ABSOLUTELY NO MORE "grey" area and they must play by the rules, and by doing so, they should be able to complete the legal process... However visitation might be an issue. My suggestion would be for the OP to plan on spending some time in his spouses country if they want to pass the time together as VWP is a long shot.

Why are you still digging for more information even after all of your questions have been answered over and over and over???? SERIOUSLY!!!! Be like everyone else and just wait for the I130 and CR1 visa to run it's course? No one can answer with 100% certainly what will happen when she tries to enter on the VWP, but there is a very GOOD likelihood she will not be allowed in. If she is denied entry they will revoke her VWP on the spot and she will never be able to use it again, ever. If you think that members here believe your hypothetical questions you are sadly mistaken. Even after people told you what would happen, you are still intimating that she is still going to try to enter on the VWP. Suit yourself, try it, but when she is put on the next plane back to where she came from with her tail between her legs, don;t come back looking for sympathy. Good LORD are what will it take before you understand what you are planning to do is taking a HUGE chance? SMH

You obviously have no understanding of the process or consequences of your hypothetical situation.
You have already wasted a lot of time and money because of this. If you had let the I-130 continue your spouse could have interviewed in her home country for an immigrant visa. Now you are back to square one having to start all over and pay all the fees again. Even though you withdrew the I-130 there is still a record of it and the I-485 and all that.
So Hypothetically:
You wife arrives at the POE and is taken to secondary inspection, if she is even allowed to enter the country, and is asked questions along the line of "when do you plan to leave" "did you come here with the intent to remain?" "are you going to file for a green card"......you get the idea. If she lies about any of this she can be deported with a LIFE-TIME BAN NO WAIVER AVAILABLE. Even if she makes it through and into your arms and you file to adjust status what if she is asked at the interview about her return after having abandoned AOS. How will she truthfully answer this? How can you defeat the proof that she had the intent to immigrate after the I-130 and I-485 had been previously filed and withdrawn?
You are playing with fire. What you are asking could lead to a LIFETIME BAN WITH NO WAIVER.
BTW, you should never have withdrawn the I-130. Whatever made you do that? Did you think by withdrawing it there would be no record, that is would just be deleted from all the databases? If you did, you are wrong.

You always ask about how to move to the US with the intent to immigrate. Your previous threads have beat this dead horse with a stick enough. I take it you haven't filed for the visa yet?
It is illegal to enter the US on a non-immigrant status with the intent to immigrate.
Furthermore, there is absolutely NO reason to withdraw the I-130.
http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/432563-what-is-the-fastest-way-for-a-foreign-spouse-to-enter-us/#entry6253672

You obviously have intent since you are asking all of your "hypothetical" questions and your spouse is outside the US right now.
Your understanding is wrong about the I-130. No matter where the person is the I-130 is still in play. If someone had to leave and abandon AOS, then they I-485 would be gone/dead/abandoned, but the I-130 could still continue and lead to the spousal visa. Did you file I-130? Did you withdraw it?

I really hope this is just a troll trying to get people riled up.

Pho, pho, wonderful pho... would not dream of you paying lol!
When he gets his passport, he's going home to Northern Ireland to kiss his mum goodbye and let them throw him an "immigrant wake" lol... big party Then it's home to Houston! Probably before the end of the month!

Buddy first of all I am sorry. Second of all, I will tell you something you will NOT believe - you are actually lucky for a number of reasons, hard as it is to believe. # 1) There are many women who are much smarter than your ex because they would have made false allegations to the Police, not just to the CIS or a non profit, to substantiate their VAWA self petition better and the cops would have come and arrested you on her say so. The fact that you didn't go through that is a MAJOR plus for you. Believe me, it happens every day. Secondly, you have custody of your child... as a father... in America. Another big plus.
So now for the bad news. I know you want to get back at this woman for using you. Unfortunately, no one in our immigration system cares enough not to let this woman in, and the law is written to help her not you. Even if they put her in removal proceedings, she will just tell her weepy false story about what a monster you are to the Immigration Judge, who may or may not believe it, and even if the judge doesn't, it will be YEARS before she is removed. Chances are she will find another guy to marry her in the meantime and she will try to stay on the ground that your child, who is a US citizen, needs his mom and she should not be removed. As you have discovered, the system is designed to help her against all real and fictitious abusers and not you from being slandered as a wife beater or to be taken advantage of.
If I were you, and then again I am not so you have to choose for yourself, but I would do two things. I would let this go because you need to be a single dad which is challenging enough and you need to press the reset button on all this baggage this sociopath of a woman has caused you. She clearly never loved you and I am sure she was telling the other guy God knows what, maybe that your baby is his, or that she will sponsor him as soon as she has US citizenship, that she is suffering you just so they can be together in America. And chances are 100% of that was BS. If you are not a sociopath, you can't beat her at her own game, and you will go insane trying. Secondly, if you are the custodial parent, I would hit her with a child support order. It's good for your kid, and it is a measure of revenge. if she falls behind on payments and the CIS or the IJ actually look into this case, it will go some way to show that she is not the poor little abused victim if you have custody of the child and she is not living up to her parental responsibility. But beyond that, I would let it go. You should thank God, your lucky stars, or whatever Supreme Being you believe in, that you were taught a lesson to be more skeptical of people's motives without seeing the inside of a jail cell (I can't emphasize how real of a possibility this was for you, especially given her complete lack of a moral center. Good thing for you she is not smarter), that your child is with you, and that you can live life without her. Worrying ever day if your wife is sending naked pictures to some other guy on a daily basis is not the kind of emotional abuse anyone deserves to live under. I hope this helps.

Another example of starting by denying the thing you are about to do: The speaker professes themselves to be the "sad bleeding-heart type". Boundless compassion for others - look at the happy face. We are taught to see if the next sentence will demonstrate the opposite: in this case to deny the OP any compassion at all. So right on cue:
BUT. (Translation: I'm going to do the opposite of what I just said). "Devil's Advocate" means to blame the victim: to take up the side against him. The OP has a cheating green card scammer beneficiary and we'll show him no heart at all, let alone a bleeding one. No happy face here!
After you provoke someone, make sure to minimize what you've done, and blame them for answering your question:
The word "only" is the minimizer. All I did was ask this little bitty question and here you went and over-reacted with an answer. How could you be so unreasonable when I am showing you zero compassion and all?
Then finish off by casting even more aspersions on the OP. Such a Bleeding heart happy-face thing to do, you know. Look again how the words mean the opposite of what they say. I don't know much of this person, but we are taught that this is an important signal we should pay attention to.
Look for this in your beneficiary. The OP had a beneficiary that was doing the opposite of what she was saying and there will have been signals just like this that he discounted because love is blind. Look back over your history with her verysadguy - where your gut was telling you something but you explained it away. They'll profusely declare their love for you in words, sure. But the actions - gee, it's almost like they love someone else or something!

I apologize in advance "ralphlaw" but are you for real? She lied everyday for 2 years. I didn't marry her so she could learn to love me. She was supposed to love me all along. Love relationships are forged on trust and communication and sincerity. She came here fraudulently. Obviously you don't understand con artists. They act so nice and sweet and wonderful, but they will cheat you blind. My ex-wife will continue to attempt to get a green card by lying, filing false affidavits, and rallying innocent people to her aid. If she succeeds you can believe she will come after our child and for money. You leave poverty by hard work and education and faith and following the rules, not by scamming.
Incidentally, one of our court dates was postponed. A court date for her to try to get some money from me. So, she didn't even bother to come see the baby. How messed up is that? That is a mother? So, Mr. Devil's Advocate should I just let her walk all over me. Should I just let her abuse the US Immigration and Legal system? What is the danger in giving her a green card? What is the danger in her coming from poverty and suing people? What is the danger in a sociopathic liar raising my child?
So, she has to be deported. She came to the USA with false premises. I applaud USCIS when it needs to get tough for those who take advantage of the system, but I grimace when I see abuse and ignorance.

suggest you do some research over at http://www.immigrate2us.net/ nowish, for the next 2 days.

I am not excited at all. I lump it into the same grouping as 'Deferred Ajdudication'
where Mr. Obama has decided to actually help illegal immigrants, the majority of which are from Mexico.
Nope, not excited at all. Why to give any help, at all, to illegal aliens from Mexico ?
My answer and opinion doesn't matter anymore, as it was totally shut off by the Obama Administration.

It only makes a difference if your partner is staying in the country illegally and is it really going to take any less time to get the green card? I think it sucks for us who have started the process already because our cases are just going to take that much longer with the influx of these waivers. yipee.

Ohh, I got you!
I believe once again it's the same as the packages: an operator won't know it's received until the review has started.
They need to fix their system very badly

I dont know the situation too well. But given what i read here is that your wife was 3 months pregnant before she arrived the United States.
She then came over. You're supposed to file for AOS for her but you didn't, even with the kid coming.
Unless your wife totally used you to come over the US and totally disregard her 6 months old child, then I will pity you.
But rather I feel very bad for your wife's situation. It's a marriage and you're supposed to work it out. I doubted that there was any infidelity on her part as she was pregnant half the time she's here.
I'd like to see her get a lawyer for help and gain custody of her child.
Some people are so irresponsible that it's heart breaking for others.

I hope this is not seriously enough to delay the processing of our I-130. We are going to submit ours soon and this doesn't seem like good news at all.
Making all the legal immigrants like my wife to wait while they process all the paperwork for all these illegal immigrants .... just seems wrong.

I hope this is not seriously enough to delay the processing of our I-130. We are going to submit ours soon and this doesn't seem like good news at all.
Making all the legal immigrants like my wife to wait while they process all the paperwork for all these illegal immigrants .... just seems wrong.

I hope this is not seriously enough to delay the processing of our I-130. We are going to submit ours soon and this doesn't seem like good news at all.
Making all the legal immigrants like my wife to wait while they process all the paperwork for all these illegal immigrants .... just seems wrong.