No name 88

You have the same NOA1 date I have. You haven't been transferred? All the other august 15th filers were transferred to California on the Feb 10th for processing with a few having their applications approved yesterday.

Your expedite request filed this late in the game may have actually slowed down your approval.

I'm sorry to hear that. What about letter of statement from the hospital that they only keep records up to five years? The part that made her in trouble that she wasn't sure what was really happened to her stomach that raised eyebrows of the consular officer who interviewed her. The other way, she can comes back to the doctor who did medical examination and asked what she should do to get report of surgery from almost 7 years ago or go to the other doctor for second opinion regarding undocumented medical result she has had.

It was adnominal scars without a clear explanation for the interviewee. The CO probably suspects she gave birth C-section and is possibly trying to cover up the birth. If you can prove the surgery was anything other than a birth you should be OK.

Just bring your W-2 from 2013 and your tax extension letters.

how come noone ever replies back to my questions :/

If you have a question create a new topic. Don't post in a running topic. Besides this topic moves so odds are the people that know the answer won't read it.

If you create a new topic more members will see it.

I don't know all the red flag reasons, but most of the ones we hear about are "high fraud countries" - ie a disproportionate number of applicants are in fake relationships, designed only to get green cards. Petitioners from those countries get scrutinized more carefully, require more proof of a bonafide relationship, and are almost never issued visitor visas, especially while an I-130 is being processed.

I just got a B2 visa for the wife and I'm in a high fraud country. My Vietnam VJ brother's were surprised as was I but it's not hopeless; a lot depends on your personnel situation. Try, try and try again. I think both spouses going to the interview is the best thing you can do. There is no better evidence of a relationship than having your spouse there.

It looks like it's good to be in July and August. In June the shortest approval time was 250 days with many pushing 300 days. Most of us will be approved before the 200 day mark. I expected 7 months to approval when I started this so I'm happy. It sucks for May; half their ranks are still waiting.

Just found out my case was transferred to California.

Hello. I am a born US citizen and married my wife abroad and filed for her I130 which is 2.5 months in the process. My guess is our baby will be born before her visa will be approved.

One of the required documents to file for the CRBA is a birth certificate for the baby with both our names on it. The problem is that the baby will be born in Afghanistan (where my wife lives and where we got married) and they don't issue birth certificates there. So what to do?

Some embassy are country specific for what they require from local documents. I know some embassy's will accept the hospital's certificate of live birth; others want a government birth certificate.

I suggest you e-mail the consulate in Kabul and ask what document they want. If it is a birth certificate maybe they can tell you where to get one.

Don't worry about a DNA test. If it's required the consulate will order it during the interview to be done by one of their labs.

Got the wife's passport back in the mail today to our house in HCMC. It's actually a multiple entry B2 visa good for 1 year. This keeps getting better and better.

Your good to go.

Update. The wife was approved for a B2 visa with an IR1 visa petition in progress.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsvZPBxJt8H4dDdiM2tUS0ZsTGhtbGxSN05uUGF5WGc&usp=sharing

See this link of VJ members from August like yourself.

Was that an electronic notice? If so ignore the local office part. The notice will come in the mail telling you where it's been transferred.

You'll have no problem bringing your stuff over. Just check nothing to declare. If you had 20 of the same hand bags in your luggage that would be a problem.

Hello everyone and thank yo in advance for your precious help. I don't know in which topic should I write my question so I write it here:

I got my green card on first of November 2013, I was working in France in 2013.

I got married on January the third of 2014.

Now I am preparing to US 2013 fill tax returns in which I am planning to declare my overseas revenues I was planning to fill a W7 along so my wife get an ITIN number.

My question is should I fill 2013 Tax returns as single and fill as married jointly next year since I got married in 2014 and not in 2013 or should I just fill now as married filling jointly.

If I should fill as single should I go and fill anyway the W7 or should I wait till next year tax return?

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,

You were single Dec 31, 2013 so you are single for your 2013 tax return. No need to get ITIN until 2015 if she doesn't have an SSN by then.

If you were both USC's at the time of the childs birth, you basicly only need one DAY phyisical presence in the US each.

Birth Abroad to Two U.S. Citizen Parents

If both parents are U.S. citizens on the day the child was born, each parent must have resided in the U.S. at some point prior to the child’s birth. No specific length of time is specified under U.S. law.

Source: http://costarica.usembassy.gov/crba.html

Yes, the child has to be present. Sometimes even DNA testing is required.

It says resided in US. You can't establish a residence in one day. Have you ever had a drivers license, have a single utility bill or filed a state tax return; than you've established residence.

If your both US citizens and were married at time of birth just bring some of the hospital records. The odds of requiring a DNA test in your case is extremely small. I've never heard of it for a married couple. Don't get a DNA test on your own; it has to be ordered by the consulate if they want it. Don't sweat it as they won't ask for one.

Thanks guys. I was shocked when she got the approved stamp on her paper. I guess we come across as trustworthy people.

This one is really up to you. It's secondary evidence at best.

The only documentation needed from your pervious marriage is a divorce certificate; no need to track down the ex. If the wife gets asked where your ex lives tell the truth......I don't know; my fiancée doesn't keep in touch with her. I don't know is a good answer; don't feel pressured to say things that you don't know.

I would put down your current salary. If it is different from your last W-2, which is true in my case, you can provide your last few pay stubs and a letter of employment from your company which will have your current salary written on it.

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I, both are US citizens and we plan to apply for our child's cirizenship (CRBA) overseas (Pakistan). My question will there be any flexibility in terms of parents' physical presence (5 yrs) in our case. Have anyone of you been in a similar situation where both parents are US citizen? My second question is do we have to take our newborn child along at the interview?

Thanks so much!

Jess

You only have to show 5 years physical presents in the US for one parent; you don't need both. The other important piece of paper needed will be a Pakistan birth certificate with translation for the baby and your marriage certificate. Yes you need to bring the baby to the interview. You have that and a few photos of the wife pregnant and relationship pictures you should be golden.

Went for the interview with the wife and as advised by VJ members the baby and myself had to wait outside. So we went to the coffee bean across the street and waited. One hour later the phone rings and the wife tells me the CO gave her a letter of invitation to come inside and that the CO wants to see me and the baby. After I get inside the CO asks for my passport and I see him look at my Vietnam visa exemption and then he asks about my employment contract in India. He sees my employment visa for India in my passport while I explain that I work in India and live in Vietnam one month on and one month off. He questions this and I say that I'm a Chief Engineer in the US Merchant Marine working on a Drillship. The CO says that explains a lot and approves the wife's B2 visa.

Apparently the CO didn't think it was unreasonable that you would want to show a new baby to the rest of your family.

Some VJ members told me that my intent doesn't matter but that's exactly what they approved the wife on was the intent of her family. What the wife and myself intend to do which was return to Vietnam as the wife's parents help care for the baby and I have to go to India for a work contract and being in Vietnam is just easier. On the flip side if the wife went alone I think she would have been denied. I also think we got lucky with the CO.

When we got outside I talked to the wife about what they asked and she said they only asked a dozen questions about why she wanted to go to the US and who she was traveling with and about my job. They asked about her I-130 on file which she told them it just got transferred and that she would be in Vietnam for the interview. The only paper they wanted to see was our son's US passport and my US passport. We didn't bring paperwork for the baby but the wife said we were both right outside hence the invite.

She did say a few of other applicant's would just ramble on and wined up hanging themselves in half truths or get asked the same question twice in which the answers changed. People are really unprepared for the double questions. My wife only answered the questions they asked. I'm convinced these CO's can smell out bullsh!t in a field full of cowsh!t. If part of your story doesn't add up or you don't interview well your boned.

At least this proves my point to the nay sayers that it is not worth trying. If you want to try for a B2 while your waiting go for it.

Transitioning to an H1b is a far different process than via tge CR1...as to the time it takes to process the CR1, well, if there are 300,000-1,000,000 petitions submitted each year, but only 30-50 people to review them (in between other petitions), it will take time....what "speedy process" takes place in Viet Nam? none that I am aware of. Now, if you want the processing fees to quadruple in order to reduce processing time, write your congressman.

You lost me. What does this have to do with weather I can go with the wife to a B2 visa interview?

I still don't think you understand the thought process of the CO. I can relate to your ideas as I was the same way. Showing work contracts that would cause ME to return to Vietnam. However, it is just that. YOU have a contract to return to INDIA for work? Does this contract in any way state that your wife will return to VIETNAM?? NO. That is exactly what the CO will say. Been there done that. As the above poster said, So what if you guys go to the US for 28 days......and then decide to stay...what now??? Anyway you will have your answer soon and your wife's family in the US will be satisfied. If you do get an approval I hope you come here and rub it in our faces. Would be nice to see someone get approved, but just not going to happen work contract or no work contract. It isn't about you, it's about her. I know that no one can tell you different and you're hell bent on trying. There is no lack of effort on your part and that is great, it is just how the process is and how being from Vietnam, a high fraud country, has made things unfair for those of us who try to do things the right way.

I do understand the thought process of the CO and I don't expect she will get approved and don't really care one way or the other. I'll be shocked if she does get approved.

My family has made up there own opinions of why my wife still isn't in the US. They absolutely do not believe that it takes over a year for your wife to come to the US. They base this on a relative of ours from Denmark that went to the US for their masters and doctorate than got a job in New York and decided to stay without so much as a whisper from USCIS. Filed the paperwork and done in only 3 weeks. That case is hugely different than my own but you know family. A denial will quite them for awhile

Also I see this as a cheap practice run. It costs $300 an hour for a good immigration attorney in Ho Chi Minh City to prepare the wife for what to expect during the CR1/IR1 interview. I can do the same thing for $160 and I have a slim chance of getting a B2 visa. Win freaking win.

Since you are all making a family trip to the consulate, you could consider filing a CRBA for your child at the same time.

http://hochiminh.usconsulate.gov/report_of_birth_abroad.html#5

Read my signature. It's not a big deal for us to go to the consulate. I live downtown in District 1. The consulate is a $3 cab ride away.

The only hazard are the con artists across the street.

Todd good luck. At least the weather is relatively cool now so waiting at a coffee shop with a baby won't be too bad (assuming the little one is in a good mood).

JF

Thanks. The baby is always in a good mood. We got lucky on that front; he hardly ever cries but just laughs and smiles.

I got the idea of providing the wife with a letter from me stating to the consulate our intentions of returning to Vietnam after 28 days as I have to return to India for a work contract and the wife's family has been helping with the baby.

You can not in London, apart from anything else you need an invitation to get in, which you presumably do not have.

How would you get through security?

I've been in a half a dozen different consulates and have found that there is no consistency with regards the way that they operate. That's why I was specifically asked what they do at HCMC so I can prepare the wife with what to expect.

I'll just wait down the street at the coffee shop while the wife is inside. Either way afterwards we'll go out for a nice diner downtown.