N and J

OP's adultery will not be questioned by USCIS as he is already a citizen. Good faith for marriage #2 can be explained as OP is having a child with the woman for whom he plans to file immigration papers.

I can suggest: OP - you can divorce woman #1 and marry (or start immigration paperwork for) woman #2 (who is currently pregnant). You may receive RFE but if you have necessary evidence, then you can adequately provide explanation. Good luck.....life happens!

Moderator - please consider removing the post above for character assassination of OP.

I did not assassinate anyone's character. I asked a specific question and I KNOW it has nothing to do with his citizenship BUT IT JUST MAY cause problems when he tries to bring a new wife here from his own country. There was nothing wrong with what I asked and you can clearly see I was not being rude or attacking his character. Don't try and start trouble.

It is very very common in a Middle Eastern or North African country. Breathe and relax you are almost there!! Congrats on a smooth interview!

I won't deny that but I was forced to and now a child would be coming out from my action. It's just what it is.

Gotcha!!! I guess I have to wait till when it is 5 years either way. Thanks.

I am just wondering if you are going to tell immigration you were forced to cheat on your wife? How are you going to explain the relationship was in good faith when you have another child with someone else while you were still married? I'm just saying I don't think immigration is stupid and will do the math. sorry for her having an abortion and not saying anything =( that is not cool....neither is all the lying and cheating. I wish you the best. Seriously I feel bad you had that happen to you =( Good luck!

I have some great news!!! Finally after 30 days I have received the I797C form....the receipt with my case number! Please can someone tell me whats the next step after this? Do I need to do anything? is it a long process for the next step!! your answers are greatly appreciated

Thank you!!!

Congrats bsmoli!! Now you can relax for a little while. Now....they will do the vetting process at the California Service Center. They will do most of the background checks, they will check and make sure everything is signed correctly, all the papers are correct, they will make sure everything that is supposed to be in the application is there...and then in a few months maybe shorter....your case will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) there I believe after 2 weeks you will be able to call and get your new case number so you can start tracking your case from there. After the NVC it starts to go pretty fast =) You don't need to do anything right now unless you get something asking for more info. It would be an RFE. But don't worry about that because not everyone gets one. But that would be the only other action you would need to take from here on out. The process at the California Service Center according to the USCIS website says 5 month wait. BUT that does not mean it will be 5 months. Many people get their NOA2 which means your case was approved and being sent to NVC 2 or 3 months after their NOA1. Good luck on the rest of your journey!! Glad you got an answer!! woohoo!!

Hi Good for you!!! Yes, you are very lucky. Did you mail yours to Dallas, Tx?

DeniJ any word today?? Check cashed? Anything?

I would ask a doctor and make sure you check with whatever airline you are taking. Certain airlines have certain limits on when a pregnant woman can fly. I don't think it would be right for someone to answer that unless they were your doctor and knew if you were healthy enough to fly. =) Good Luck and congrats!!

Hello and good luck to everyone!

I sent our I-129F petition on 05/24/2016.

It was only two days after I arrived back from the Philippines and visiting my now Fiance.

After everything was sent I was reading to her a copy of the letter I had written explaining how we met.

Well I made a mistake on the letter and got the year wrong.

Instead of 06/11/2015 I wrote 06/11/2016 for when we first met online. That date has not even occurred yet.

Dumb mistake I think because I was still jet lagged and so tired but excited to get the package sent as soon as possible and while I still had time.

Well I sent a letter explaining the mistake along with a corrected and signed letter with the correct year to the same address that I submitted the I-129F.

I am not sure if that will make a difference or if I will still get a RFE for that mistake but I am hoping for the best.

Hoping for the best and expecting the worst that way there are no let downs.

I will update here when/if we get our NOA1.

Good Luck. I think they will understand the year was written wrong especially the date didn't happen yet. But if they have any problems they will send you and RFE just have the new letter ready to go! Best of luck!!

I am a little late to the May filers, but I sent our application in last Thursday, May 26th (of course I would send it on a long weekend). Hope you all have a positive (and somewhat speedy) experience. Looking forward to updates from everyone!!

Congrats!! Good Luck!! I hope everything goes smooth and quickly for you!! =)

my mother in-laws is retired and she doesn't file tax. Coz she is not required to file coz of her social security in come . She was my joint sponsor when we filed my application. we have wrote an attachment explaining y she doesn't file tax. We never got a problem . I was approved after 2 months of submitting aos. So u need to write an attachment stating y they are not filing taxes. So if I'm not mistaken not everybody filed taxes I might b wrong tho

Not everyone has to file taxes. If you make under a certain amount you don't have to file. If I am correct and don't quote me...If you are under 65 and you make over $10,000 or a little over $10,000 you have to file taxes. Which is why my mother files taxes. She is retired but isn't over 65 and is over the $10,000 mark with her pension. But she gets back what she puts in.

No, both of them are not required to file. My husband doesnt make enough and his father is retired.

Just because he is retired doesn't mean he doesn't have to file

Income tax. My mother is retired and she files income taxes on her pension and social security. She gets it all back but she still files.

Hello everyone!

I have also received my NOA1 in May.

Just wondering...I understand that 3 months is the typical wait time but has anyone seen the processing times posted on the actual USCIS website? they have it listed at 5 months for the CSC service center. Last updated March 31, 2016.

https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do

Are the times on VJ more reliable?

I think it is different for everyone. the times on VJ are not very accurate either. There are still people from late January waiting for their NOA2 and there are people from the end of March and April who have been approved. I kind of figure some place between the times on VJ and the USCIS website.

You do realize we're talking about the federal government here, right? Bureaucrats love to make things difficult!

Very true but also I don't think the workers at USCIS would want EXTRA work by pulling out a real signature detector lol

I have been keeping up with this for years. I have not seen an RFE for not having an original signature in the last few years. Before 2013, I used to see them, when the form instructions asked for originals. After the instructions changed, they became a thing of the past.

That checklist is new. It did not used to exist, and it is just a checklist, not the actual instructions. It is not the first time the USCIS has had mistakes in their documents. All I know is that the optional checklist wording does not match the more important actual form instructions.

Thank you for informing me. I have since lost contact with my friends who previously applied. I went to school with them. Honestly I don't know why you wouldn't send copies of everything. Only because if it gets lost at least you still have the originals. I also don't see why it matters if it is a copy or original. It is still the same signature lol.

Correct! Some embassies it's very important to front-load (like mine) because it's a difficult embassy. It's a very straight forward process though! I feel bad for those that get a lawyer assuming they can't do it on their own with a normal case.

LOL even not so normal cases....I consulted with a lawyer (this is my second K1) and I was like you know what I will take my chances on my own. All an attorney does is send the stuff and sign their name to it. The petitioner still has to put everything together and get all the evidence which I think is the hardest part ONLY because it is so time-consuming. It really isn't that bad. The hardest part of this whole process is waiting =( but once it is over you can breathe. I don't drink but I always joke that this process should come with a bottle of wine and anti-anxiety medication.

Passport and birth certificate of the foreign fiance(e) is NOT needed for the I-129F petition, and nothing needs to be notarized.

That is a link to the optional checklist for putting together your I-129F petition. However, if you read the actual I-129F instructions, it does not ask for original signatures. It has not asked for original signatures since before the summer of 2013.

You stated you know quite a few people that got RFEs for not having original signatures. Links to these cases? What year? Here on VJ there have not been any RFEs for original signatures in the last 3 years, which is when the I-129F instructions changed.The form and instructions changed in June 2013. They do not currently ask for 'an original statement'. They simply ask for evidence that could be a statement of intent. > http://www.visajourn...s/#entry8150440

Neither one of them use this website. One did apply in 2013 and the other applied in 2015. One applied for a fiancé from England (2013) and the other applied for a fiancé from Italy (2015) But okay. I sent regular ones in anyway. I just I just wanted to cover all areas. The link is an optional checklist yeah...however it came from the USCIS website so I just had an original document like the checklist said.

That link is not a working link. If you check the I-129F instructions, it states that copies are accepted unless where it specifically states that originals are required.

Apparently the instructions used to be written differently that required wet signatures, now it is no longer written that way.

The call center reps for USCIS are well known for giving wrong info out. I would always ask for a working (and updated) link to any information they give.

The link worked for me. It was updated in April of 2016. Try it again. If not just go to the USCIS website for the I-129f and click on the link that says checklist. It is right there. Apparently it is still that way if the checklist was updated in April.

There's also not a necessity for a letter on how you met. Just a statement with how you met and the dates, that usually can be done on the lines provided on the form.

I met (name) while on vacation in (place) on (date). I visited him in (place) again from (date) to (date).

OP, this process doesn't have to be so complicated. Just follow the instructions on the form, ask questions if needed, read the guides here on VJ, and don't make unnecessary work for yourself...you can do it!

letter/statement whatever you want to call it...I didn't mean a book =). I think mine was like 4 lines typed. I tried writing but my writing is way too big. You are right it doesn't have to be complicated. If you follow exactly what they ask for. I know people have sent an overload of info. =\ I don't think the people reading the applications want extra work. =)

You are every welcome .. for me personally i'm still far from the interview .. as you saw my timeline probably .. just filled in this month and still waiting !!

Our friend N&J give you the best answer about the country fraud and age gap ... i don't think i can answer any better .. as she said keep in mind that not only Arabs are know for fraud and trying to get to the US by any mean there is a lot of other countries like that ... just middle east and north African countries they will go through deep and extra checking and investigation for just one reason everyone know about and it is their right to make as hard as possible to get the visa to the right person!!

so what can i say .. have a strong and solid proof that your relationship is real and true and do your best to show that on your interview !!

PS : you can check here what Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian posted based on their experience .. and it seems if you have everything set properly and your relation is genuine and real .. there is no reason to be afraid!

that what i think jarti la3ziza

I think a lot of people go into the interviews as if it is an interview. Really it isn't is it just a way for the potential immigrant to tell their story and express themselves in words. Instead of the CO reading the evidence we turn in. At least that is how I look at it. Yes, there are some COs that are said to be standoffish but kill them with kindness.

Thank u very much for your answer!! I noticed that u are from Algeria,did u get any informations or advices about the Interview? , i am from tunisia and everyobody is telling me that it is very hard for arabs to get the visa because the embrassy take it as fraud ,i am tunisian living in france and wanted to have any advice that gives me more chance especially that me And my fiancé we have age différence(i am 23 he is 51) so what do u think of that jari

You just have to make sure you have strong and rock solid evidence. It is not uncommon at all for countries from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA countries) to have to go through more processing. It is just extra checks. These countries and others are known for fraud....People looking to only get a visa. So it is understandable that there are extra checks.

Good morning,

Thank you for the positive vibes. My brother is going to the agency that I applied with this morning to try to figure out things. You are absolutely right Monday is a holiday and I need some sort of an answer so I can be relaxed. I do not know what method she used to send my package. I will find out through my brother as he will be going to the agency in about an hour. I will keep you posted as soon as I hear something. BTW how would I be able to check what NOA1 is posting? do I need a receipt number to check that??

Did you get any news bsmoli?

That's incorrect information. Many many many, including myself, had scanned versions of the G-325A and the letter of intent.

I can show you proof that they do not have to be wet signatures.

Can you prove your argument (from a government website) that states they must be original?

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/m-1151.pdf I hope this helps. =)

This website was given to me by the USCIS call center. I did ask if the G-325A and the letters of intent need to be signed or could they be scanned and sent to me. I was instructed they need to be original. The letter of intent says "proof or original statement." If you read the instructions to the application it says all documents can be scanned unless states original. The USCIS agent read the instructions to me and read the parts of the checklist prior to giving me the website address. I am just going by what I was told directly from USCIS. 2 people I know got RFEs because their letter of intent was not signed in ink and you can tell it was a photocopy and the G-325a was scanned and sent instead of it being an original signature. They sent the copies because they thought the embassy need the originals.

People keep saying this, so I keep asking. Do you have any links to any RFEs for non-original signatures on the letters of intent that have happened within the last few years?

This was a website given to me by the USCIS call center when I called to ask if they need to be original. They told me yes they do. and it states right in the intent to marry original document.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/m-1151.pdf

That's incorrect information. Many many many, including myself, had scanned versions of the G-325A and the letter of intent.

I can show you proof that they do not have to be wet signatures.

Can you prove your argument (from a government website) that states they must be original?

Then tell USCIS to rewrite their rules because that is NOT what it says on the instructions when putting the application together. I know quite a few people who got RFEs because their letters of intent, the letter of how they met and the G-325A were scanned. You got lucky and so did the others. But that is what the rules say to make sure they are signed in ink and not scanned.

No you pay $340 for the application and $265 for the visa.

Make sure she fills out the G-325a the biographic information form and letter of intent. Both need to be signed in ink and sent in. They cannot be scanned.

N and J,

I am so happy to hear you finally got your check cashed and your NOA 1! I know you were really fretting! Thank you for sharing the information about the 30 day wait before being able to make in inquiry. This is really helpful information to know for all future applicants (such as myself lol)

Good luck to everyone else still waiting! I will continue to send good mojo out for all of you!

Thank you!!! Good luck to you as well. I have no problems at all passing on any information I get. This journey is crazy enough without having to play the guessing game!

It`s great you got the email! Yeah we won`t call now, maybe next week. We called the post office though and they told us that "Delivered" means it is in the PO box but they can not gurantee when it will be picked up. I am guessing USCIS pick up their mail daily.

The NOA1 said it was received on May 10th. The post office had it as being delivered 3am May 9th. Yours will come through. My one friend who is also waiting just got her NOA1 and it was 26 days. She got the email. Her check wasn't cashed first. It's coming!! They seem to be running behind a little I'm guessing.