ltkenbo

My wife (now US citizen) petitioned her mother to come to the US as a permanent resident. The case was processed at the embassy in Lima, Peru. When she did her medical, she was required to do sputum culture testing which takes 9 weeks to come back with negative results. As such, following her interview, though everything else was in order, they gave her a 221g telling her notify the embassy once the additional medical results were available and held onto her passport. Two days ago, the clinic notified her the results were negative and they had sent them to the embassy in Lima. We emailed the embassy yesterday as instructed to notify them the results had been provided.

Today we checked the Visa status on CEAC with her case number and it now says "Issued - Updated 04-Apr-2024 - Your visa has been printed. Depending on local procedures at the location where you were interviewed, your visa will be mailed or available for pickup soon..."

We already pre-registered for the pickup location ahead of the interview. My question is, how can we expect to be notified when the passport/visa is ready for pickup? Will they send another email to the address we have on file that they used for all other CEAC/NVC notifications?

Thanks

We submitted my wife's application on 06/01 and received a receipt notice around then. We haven't heard anything since regarding biometrics or other. According to the USCIS processing time website at https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/, based on the receipt date they posted there for my local office, it says June 15th and if your receipt date is before that you can submit a case inquiry online. Well I tried submitting one and then it came back and said that her case was within normal processing times and I cannot submit an inquiry. So obviously it's contradictory. Is it worth calling or something to try to get an inquiry filed? I know people said on here about 90 days following the offices re-opening, but where can I find that information? In our case our local office is Tampa, FL. 

The extension given to conditional residence for one year after filing an I-751 is one year from which date? I assume it is one year from the date of the original expiration of the conditional residence green card, but we all know what assuming does so I want to be sure. Also, when is an appropriate time period before expiration to make an infopass appointment to get an i-551 stamp (assuming we are still waiting for approval)?

Thanks!

Sorry I didn't see this post before, they actually returned it a couple of days later. Unfortunately, I didn't get a notification from my apartment until a couple of weeks later that I had received a package as I wasn't expecting any packages. I returned my application with the corrected check to the address they provided in the letter explaining why it was returned and the check got cashed within a couple days of them receiving it.

I actually saw on the application as they had stamped when they received it, they opened the package the same day it arrived.

Let me preface my post by saying, I understand that the primary goal of a B2 visa interview will be for the applicant to overcome the presumption of being an intended immigrant by showing strong ties to their home country and convince the consular officer of their likelihood to return. That being said, I have a couple of other questions.

We would like for my mother in law (who lives in Peru) to come visit us. She has never applied for a visa before so we are preparing her for her interview and so I had a couple of other questions.

1. If she was granted the visa, we would be funding her trip expenses. Is there any reason for her to bring any proof of this - I understand that "invitation letters" usually do nothing but cause harm as they make the consular officer think the person will have more ties to the US then their home country. Just want to see if there is any reason to give her anything like this, or if we should just completely forget about it.
    
2. Do you think that this specific example would be helpful or hurtful evidence of ties to the ones home country:
   
   My mother in law recently recovered from cancer. Because of this, she has periodic doctor's appointments  she has to attend, including another coming up several months from now. Her doctor and previous treatments while she had cancer were all conducted in Peru, and so she will need to return in a couple of months to attend the next one to verify that she remains cancer free. 
   
   Helpful or hurtful? From one perspective, this is a tie to Peru because she has specific doctor's appointments scheduled (all of which she has attended in the past) that she needs to be present for to make sure she stays healthy and receives good care. From another perspective, this could be interpreted as she wants to come to the US and live here to receive better healthcare and benefits. How do you think this would be interpreted? This would not be her only tie, but if this one is good I would like her to use it, otherwise we'll forget about it.
    
3. Finally, is 2.5 months an acceptable amount of time to visit assuming she is asked how long she plans to visit for?

Thanks!

So ok to re-submit original returned application with new cover letter and check?

Thanks for the replies guys, yes this is the only thing I can think of and that does make sense according to what you wrote above Harmonia. Funny I've been writing checks like this for a while without problems and USCIS doesn't even cash this check directly but does an EFT using the bank account number. However maybe this exact number combination did sound confusing. I will correct it and re-send.

Is it acceptable to make a new cover letter with the new check and the original application as is? I spoke with someone at customer service at USCIS but they couldn't transfer me to a case officer since it is too late in the day but they said this was acceptable. I would make sure to note this in my new cover letter.

For reference on the new check I will write:

"Five hundred ninety and 00/100"

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I submitted her I-751 application to the California service center. We mailed it on the first day within the 90 window period. I made a check for $590 and attached it to the front of the application with a cover letter. Which is currently the fee that the USCIS website and instruction form reads ($505 + $85 biometrics fee).

I noticed the check had not been cashed and today we were saddened to find out the application had been to returned to us with a letter reading the following:

This is an initial screening only. Your application(s) or petition(s) may be returned to you for additional information or documentation at a later date. Your application(s)/petitions(s) is/are returned to you for the following reasons:

Please submit a check or money order with corrected written guarantee amount.

(The letter had that specific item checked on the second line with a list of other possible reasons for return)

I'm not understanding why it was returned to me as I wrote a personal check in the amount of $590. The only thing I can think of by looking at my check is maybe they don't like that I wrote it like "Five Hundred Ninety Ones & 0/100s." Maybe they don't like "Ninety Ones?" I've always written checks this way and with previous USCIS related things but I can certainly change it this time.

Anyways I've attached a picture of the check (with personal data removed of course) so let me know what you think. I'd like to make sure I don't repeat any other mistakes I might be missing before I re-submit.

Also, another question. Should I resubmit the exact application as it is now? USCIS added those metal tabs for organizing the application nicely and had a couple of red pen marks at the top of the application page. The cover letter I had is missing however, so I could just create a new one and re-attach to the original application, or I could re-print everything, not sure what is best.

My wife and I were planning on traveling back to Peru using her AP to re-enter sometime next month or so (because her mother is sick). The other day, we finally saw on the website the notice that her green card had been ordered to be produced and that they sent her a welcome letter (AOS from K1). My question is, in the mean time if she travels while we are waiting for her to receive the card, her AP is still valid correct?

Thank you for your answers!

My wife entered the US for the first time last February on her K1 visa and we got married and then adjusted status in March. Since then she has received her EAD card with advance parole which expires in June. It has been almost a year since she has seen her family but we didn't want to travel yet but because we know that technically advance parole is not guaranteed re-entry in to the US so we thought let's just wait until her residence application is approved and she gets her green card. However, we received a letter back in June about a 6 month processing delay and potential interview waiver case, but it's been more than 6 months and we've contacted USCIS and not heard anything about her case.

Her mother recently fell ill and will require surgery soon so she needs to go back for probably 3 weeks very soon. I told her that since she hasn't done anything to disqualify her from entry into the US (like being here illegally) that she shouldn't worry because from what I've read K1 applicants visiting there country on advance parole had no problem re-entering. She still feels a little nervous about it and so I just wanted to post here and see what people thought or their experiences on traveling on advance parole.

Lol alright, well I'm sure when the president is talking about immigration reform, he's going to speed up our cases, that's why they are making the website so much better. I'm guessing that they have been doing this to a handful of select cases (seems like a lot of K1s) and are possibly going to expand this. You are right, it is mostly speculation at this point. I don't know for sure the real reason behind this and we probably won't ever know. However, it's not going to get better, and you can bet that if any type amnesty is passed, there is no way that USCIS is going to all of a sudden become more efficient and start proccessing applications faster with a sudden influx of more paperwork. If anything it's only going to get slower.

Check out this quote from a letter from a US immigration worker union:

"There are plans to waive interviews of applicants who seek adjustment of their status in the U.S. to ready our workforce for the coming onslaught of applications unforeseen in previous administrations."

Entire letter is linked below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/244761164/USCIS-immigration-call-to-arms

Be fair. My post doesn't suggest that AoS applications are being held up by "illegals" at all. I was just venting a little bit of frustration and my suggestion to the President about the way in which resources are directed was just "bluster."

Thanks for your replies though. I now know a little bit more about the potential waiver process than I did before.

You have every right to be angry, all of us do. Nobody hears our stories or experiences except the people that post on these forums. No matter what the true cause (of which we would never know either way) it's a joke that so many people are receiving these letters.

This is the efficiency of the federal goverment. They can somehow sink an obcene amount of money into something and yet have worse results. Like the website, I wonder how much that cost... Not neccessary at all, especially since now when I go to look up my case number is gives some type of error and tells me to call USCIS. Calling USCIS I hear "All circuits are busy..." Hmmm, I wonder if it has to do anything with this:

http://dailycaller.com/2014/10/22/white-house-press-sec-thinks-printing-green-cards-is-hilarious-video/

Wouldn't be surprised if our cases get shoved even more in the back of the line if any of this amnesty stuff goes through.

We filed AOS in March and received the letter in June, I've changed by address since then and received a confirmation from that but other than that we haven't heard anything.

On I-864 affidavit of support Part 6, question 13 asks for the income for the 3 most recent tax years. I am however only attaching the most recent tax transcript because I just got my job last year and I don't believe the others help me establish income as much. I checked the box before that says I'm only submitting the most recent. Do I still need to fill in all 3 boxes for my income the last 3 years?

People should share their difficulties with SSA offices here if they want. But anyways, we just had one so I'll share it while it's still fresh on my mind.

We live near Minneapolis, MN, so that's the local SSA office we used. When my wife entered as my fiancee on her K1 over a month ago, two weeks later we went to the local SSA office as recommended (since some people run into trouble applying after they get married) and applied for her SSN and card. We got it in the mail about two weeks later. The first time I was with her and it was really easy.

So this morning she went back now that we are married to change her name on the card (which will help for when she gets her EAD after we apply for AOS). She went in with my grandma this time and waited for like an hour and a half. She finally got to the window and basically the guy wouldn't let her change anything. He then gave her some stupid print out paper telling her to make an appointment with USCIS. She texted me and showed me a picture and I immediately called her. She said they had just left and I told her to go back. I was eating lunch with my boss at the time and he heard what I was talking about and gave me the rest of the day off. He said "Take the rest of the day off and go help your wife."

So I rushed downtown to meet them. They had gone back in and asked to talk with a supervisor. Apparently by the time I got there, the guy then would enter her new name in but said wouldn't issue her a new card (via mail). So I finally come in and start arguing with this supervisor lady. We go back and forth and she says something about the work authorization. I tell her that according to SSA policy, she is "worked authorized" (can't truly work, but it's a SSA type status). She starts saying stuff about 90 days and about it not being a K1 and I tell her that this is the social security office, she already has a card/number so this has nothing to do with that. I keep arguing politely and quoting things I read on the website and forms.

She finally says "Would you like me to print you off some information where it shows that she cannot get a new card."

I said: "Yes, please do."

So we wait for like 15 minutes in front of a closed window, and finally she opens the window and tells me to go to a different window. We go to the window and she is behind one of the clerks (funny too because the clerk was actually the guy we had a month prior who told us to come back when we're married to change the name lol). She then tells me that the rules are really confusing but they are going to try to run it through and see if it works.

They take her information, run it through, and what do you know? It works!! At that point I was very relieved and laughing so hard on the inside how wrong they were. Anyways, I thanked them and apologized if I was rude at all but I knew there was confusion regarding this. She told me was going to talk with the central location to get this clarified so they don't run into this confusion there again.

So they key is here, if you run into someone that tells you the wrong thing, politely but firmly insist on talking with a supervisor or somebody higher up. Don't just leave, because the lady basically told me the rules are so complicated sometimes they don't even understand them. Go figure... Let me know what you think.

Ok thanks everbody!

And we haven't filed for AOS yet, so I wouldn't have any receipt to submit showing we filed for adjustment. This AP will be filed along with our AOS application

I saw those but I didn't see a statement that item #3 means you didn't need #1 and #2 (didn't think they were mutually exclusive)

I am helping my wife fill out her AOS paperwork (she entered on a K1 visa and we married) and we are filling out the application for travel document so she can receive advance parole.

Anyways on part 7 it says "On a separate sheet of paper, explain how you qualify for an Advance Parole Document, and what circumstances warrant issuance of advance parole. Include copies of any documents you wish considered."

I've heard some people don't do anything since you qualify for advance parole as a K1 holder applying for AOS & advance parole at the same time. I've heard others say they fill out this i-131 supplement example on visa journey. So which should I do, and if I do fill out the supplement, what should I put as the description of travel?

Also, for "date of intended departure" and "length of trip" in part 3 I put "unknown" for both. Is this ok also?

A mod should delete one of these threads, the page froze up and posted twice.... sorry

My wife got her medical and vaccinations done before her interview back in January. She is here now and we recently got married and are about to send in our AOS package. I was wondering about the medical she had done. Should we send the original "Vaccination Documentation Worksheet" or a photocopy. Also is there anything else regarding the medical? All of the vaccinations were done less than 3 months ago.

So her filing a W8 would made me ineligible to file jointly?

My wife just arrived on the K1 visa a month ago (she was my fiancee then). We got married recently and she has obtained her SSN. We have not filed for AOS yet so she is she is not a permanent resident yet. She went with my grandma to our credit union today to open an account. At the credit union you have to both open a checking and savings and you can earn interest on the savings every year just like most banks. So because of the possible interest, the lady told them she had to fill out a W8 so that the IRS can tax 30% of any interest earned since she is not yet a resident. Really this doesn't matter to us since the interest is so low anyways that the tax would be almost nothing, but I just wanted to see what people thought and if anyone else experienced the same things.

Again she is not a resident yet. I'd seen similar posts on here but they were mostly for people that were told they needed to fill out that form when they were a permanent resident.

Photos are so cheap at walgreens and places now you might as well just get those rather than wasting ink or paying somewhere to print photos. Also I liked it because I just wrote on the back of them. With walgreens you can upload all your pictures online and order them and they're ready in like an hour. I think I paid a couple bucks for like 25 photos.