Tala202

Quick update: Just passed through the border last night. Definitely my most difficult crossing. He asked where I lived and where I was going.. then why I was going there. As soon as I said "to visit my husband", his face changed and he started scrutinizing everything. He asked a couple of questions about my J1 stay, what I do in Montreal, what I study, when I'm returning, etc. He asked to see my return ticket and letter of enrolment in university. Ultimately, I was let through, but he sure was skeptical. Also, no mention was made of an I-130 application.

Tell me about it. I feel so betrayed by our neighbours to the south.

Tell me about it. I feel so betrayed by our neighbours to the south.

I crossed the canadian-american boarder today. And have three times since we have been married. Today was the first time I was asked if we have applied for our visa.
I thought the same thing about not being able to see him during the entire process. but thats not true. They won't deny you unless you are being mysterious. Just tell them the truth and it will all work out

You have due process. You have the right to confront the accuser and have a trial by a jury of your peers. If you are found guilty you deserve to be deported. There are enough good people who want to come to the USA to contribute to society without us needing to keep the bad ones.

As always with these types of threads there's a lot of judging going on. For "scammers" (I hate that word) who vanish as soon as they get the GC then there should be some way of getting them home. But if someone cuts off ties to their home country to settle in the US why judge them for not going home if it was a genuine relationship that just didn't work out? People give up lots in their home countries to move to the US, why should they have to move back to their home country and start all over again? It seems like that'd punish the beneficiary while the petitioner can carry on with life as usual.

Thanks for the replies! That's good to know I won't lose the PR so long as we are together, even in the US. It looks like I can't qualify for citizenship, though, unless I am physically in the country, but that's for a few years down the line.
In case anyone else is looking at this, I found out through researching some other sites that family based immigration applications for Americans are generally processed through the Ottawa case processing center unless there's a problem, so the processing time for Ottawa is the one that should be used on this page. Right now it's 15 months vs. 30 months for the New York office, so a little bit quicker.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm/fc-spouses.asp

I'm a person who can and has picked up and moved with nothing more than my cat and a bag of clothes and thirty bucks in my pocket.
That being said, once I move to the US, even if worst came to worst and my wife and I broke up, I wouldn't be returning to Canada any time soon. I've let so much of my life here slide in preparation of this and I've got a plan for the next few years. That plan includes going back to school and certifying to become a veterinary technician.
Forgive me if my marriage isn't the only thing in my life plan. It's a big part of it, but so are a lot of things. I'm not going to sit at home eating bonbons and keeping house for my wife. I'm going to build a new network and have a career. Having already packed up and left my life behind multiple times, I'm tired of it. I want some kind of roots, even if it's just for a few years at a time, and once I get my vet tech certifications, I'd have to recertify to work in Canada. (I'll have to write tests for each state we move to, but that feels like much more of a formality)
Maybe you don't understand what it is to leave everything behind, but I do. And if the worst were to happen, which I very much doubt it will, I'm done leaving everything behind. I'm picking something, now, and sticking to it. My wife and my future career. Those are my choices, this is the path I'm committed to.
Your judgement seems a bit sanctimonious.

He needs the American passport + plane = hot chicks equation that VJ told me about.
No, this is really sad...

I have written a new letter for a new campaign, which I believe should begin either next Monday after the end of the Memorial day recess. In addition to going after the usual suspects, I have written this letter for, and targeted it to, member of the media and members of congress who are opposed to the administration's so-called "immigration reform" attempts, as well as to House Speak Boehner and House Majority Leader Cantor, both of whom are on the record for "immigration reform." I will provide at the bottom of this post a list of member of the US House of Representatives who are known in their positions against "immigration reform." I believe that this letter should also be addressed to Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, Aljazeera, Russia Today, the NY Times, the Washington Times, and any other news media we can reach out to. Please feel free to suggest emendation and make corrections. Thank you!
__________________________
To whom it may concern,
I am a US citizen, my spouse is in a foreign country, we have broken no immigration laws, but I have not seen them in many months, and I am not likely to see them again soon.
Like millions of other American citizens, I have petitioned the government for the lawful and rightful entry of my spouse to this country to live with me through USCIS form I-130. I have done so in full accordance with the law, but instead of receiving the speedy and fair adjudication which I am and my spouse are due in accordance with the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), which prioritizes family re-unifcation for US citizens over all other types of immigration, I have instead been made to bear the burden of increased processing times by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), through no fault of my own, but instead owing to the illegal prioritization of unlawful immigration benefits under the Obama administration's extra-constitutional “Deferred Action for Child Hood Arrivals” (DACA) program. Because of this program, which grants de facto immigration benefits (the right to stay in the US without fear of deportation and a work permit) to people who have no legal right, according to the INA, to reside in the country, I have been made to wait many months without anyone reviewing my case at USCIS. Furthermore it should be noted the review and approval of form I-130 does not in and of itself grant any immigration benefit, but instead merely authorizes the petitioner to apply for their spouses visa from the US Department of State, a process which can take anywhere from 5 months to several years. All the while, thanks to the illegal policies of this administration, unlawful immigrants who should, according to the INA, be deported to their home countries, have been granted de facto residencies and official work permits, and the bureaucratic burden of the paper work for these unlawfully granted immigration benefits has been unfairly and illegally placed upon US citizens like me who are lawfully petitioning the government for the re-unification of our families
DACA began back in 2012, and during the 12 month period from August 2012-July 2013, 573,404 DACA requests were received and 430,236 were approved – a rate of 75%. By comparison, in the first two quarters of Fiscal Year 2013, 254,890 I-130 petitions were received at the National Benefits Center but only 2,755 were approved, a rate of about 8% (see 1st table below). In October, USCIS began processing I-130's in earnest, but by then a backlog of more than 380,000 petitions had accrued. USCIS promised to bring their processing times of then 13 months (!) down to 5 months by May 2014, but although their published number reflect this, numerous calls to their “customer service” line have confirmed that in fact they are only now adjudicating November petitions, yielding a true processing window of 7 months.
(first chart, which is apparently not allowed on here, is the original from the 2nd letter showing where DACA began and then its affect on I-130 petitioners)
(my second chart, showing case load processing up to March 2014, won't load; it shows where DACA began to affect I-130's and where they finally picked up I-130's and began working on them in October of last year).
The prioritization of illegal aliens over the lawful intending immigrant spouses of US citizens is outrageous and, what's more, against the law. The Obama administration has flagrantly violated US law in allowing illegal aliens to reside in this country, and has further flouted that law by prioritizing illegal immigration benefits for them over the need of US citizens to be reunited with their families. Under his watch, the USCIS has further ignored the law in falsifying processing time numbers in order to make it appear that they are giving the proper priority to US citizens, when in fact they are not. Below you will find links to USCIS emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act which attest to the truth of this letter and provide damning evidence of incompetence and illegal actions at the USCIS under this administration. Also below in a New York Times article on this very subject, again attesting to the veracity of this letter. Both as a US spouse visa petitioner and a concerned citizen of this great country, I demand that an investigation be started into the criminal abuse of the immigration system by this administration for what appears to be purely political ends. A government which flouts its country's laws and hurts its own citizens for the gain of foreign nationals residing in its borders illegally cannot be trusted until such a time as these abuses are checked and all of its citizens can receive fair and just treatment under the law. Thank you, and God bless America.
New York Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/us/program-benefiting-some-immigrants-extends-visa-wait-for-others.html?_r=0
FOIA Emails on DACA and the I-130’s:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/145514197/2013-HQFO-00304-Combined-Redacted-Part1
FOIA Emails on the Transfer of the Backlog back to the Service Centers:
https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/759470e4-b1ac-4325-aac0-15ebc2e9275b
_____________________________
List of US House Members on the record as opposed to or not in support of so-called "reform."
NO
Michele Bachmann, Minn.
Lou Barletta, Pa.
Andy Barr, Ky.
Jim Bridenstine, Okla.
Mo Brooks, Ala.
Paul Broun, Ga.
Bradley Byrne, Ala.
Michael C. Burgess, Texas
Tom Cotton, Ark. (“Opposes amnesty”)
Rick Crawford, Ark.
Ron DeSantis, Fla. (Asked 2/25 to be moved from “Yes” to “No”)
Scott DesJarlais, Tenn.
Jeff Duncan, S.C.
John Fleming, La.
Cory Gardner, Colo.
Phil Gingrey, Ga.
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Tom Graves, Ga.
Tim Griffin, Ark.
Ralph M. Hall, Texas
Jeb Hensarling, Texas
George Holding, N.C.
Walter B. Jones, N.C.
Steve King, Iowa
Jack Kingston, Ga. (Moved 2/25 at request of his office from “Declined to comment” to “No”)
Tom McClintock, Calif.
Tom Price, Ga.
Tom Rice, S.C.
Dana Rohrabacher, Calif.
Steve Scalise, La.
John Shimkus, Ill. (Moved 2/25. His office told us he “does not support amnesty or citizenship for those who broke the law. … believes we should address the issues of border security and streamlining of agriculture and technology worker visas before discussing any legal status for illegal immigrants.”)
Lamar Smith, Texas (Asked 2/25 to be moved from “Did not respond” to “No”)
Steve Stockman, Texas
Randy Weber, Texas
“WORK IN PROGRESS”
Robert W. Goodlatte, Va.
“IN PART”
Doug LaMalfa, Calif.
NOT RIGHT TIME
Raúl R. Labrador, Idaho
UNDECIDED/NO POSITION YET
Larry Bucshon, Ind.
Kevin Cramer, N.D.
Rodney Davis, Ill.
Kay Granger, Texas
Vicky Hartzler, Mo.
Tim Huelskamp, Kan.
Duncan Hunter, Calif.
Doug Lamborn, Colo.
Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo.
Thomas Massie, Ky.
Luke Messer, Ind. (Moved 2/25 from “Declined to comment” to “Undecided” because his office says he is still reviewing the principles.)
John L. Mica, Fla.
Randy Neugebauer, Texas
Kristi Noem, S.D.
Robert Pittenger, N.C. (Moved 2/26 from “Possibly yes” to “undecided” at request of his office. He initially had told us any plan “Must focus on border security first.”)
Tom Petri, Wis. (Added 2/25, was left off the list in error)
Martha Roby, Ala.
Harold Rogers, Ky.
Pete Sessions, Texas
Aaron Schock, Ill.
Christopher H. Smith, N.J.
Lee Terry, Neb. (Added 2/25, was left off list in error. His office said he hasn’t seen the plan but that “any plan must have border security and e-verify components.”)
Pat Tiberi, Ohio
Lynn Westmoreland, Ga.
Rob Wittman, Va.
Steve Womack, Ark.
Don Young, Alaska
We need to find contact info for them all by next week. Let's go VJ!

Shot in the dark but.. I think USCIS has secondary evidence you may submit instead of a birth certificate (I think it talks about it in the I-130 instructions). Maybe NVC has something similar? Or they may accept it if you offer?

Oooo... new game to get the OP's mind off worrying.... the Whats Tormenting me today game? Lets see....
1. That I accidentally hit "reply all" on an explicit or snarkey email
2. Being it is throwback Thursday on FB someone will post an old photo of me looking good and think "wow she looks terrible now"
3. I think my milk this morning was expired, will I get sick?
4. I think the gift bag I used for a party last week was the same bag she gave me last year... Is that rude?
Anyway... No reason to think you would be denied...

Great... I see it now... Phone be blowin' up every 5 seconds during the interview and he says "Hold on for second sir, I have to calm my neurotic fiancé in the usa down before we can continue with the interview" and uscis be like "man u sure you want me to put this visa in there"?

That's an excellent statement lol
For me, it's the realization that some other entity is handling the puppet strings, if you will. I feel as though I have little control throughout this entire nightmare and it often feels like things are made up as we go along. It's oh so very frustrating and I gave up trying to make sense of it all when I saw people who filed AFTER me get approved BEFORE me.
Now, I'm typing this knowing full well I was at the tail end of the backlog and my petition was approved before others' who deserved to get approved well before me. Not right and not fair. I'll remember this on election day :-D

I opted for EP and I am waiting over a month for Enrollment confirmation. I called NVC last night and the representative told me "they have changed the procedures and there is no need to wait for EP enrollment confirmation" so you could send your documents right away. I suggest to call NVC and confirm that before making any decision. If is true then I suggest send it EP (safer to email than sending documents) . Just a suggestion, good luck!

Yeah, sorry, but nowhere in the I-130 instructions or on the USCIS site did it suggest to send an I864 along with it. Perhaps it is the use of AOS as an acronym that confuses people, as those people filing from within the US do file the I-130 along with an AOS (adjustment of status) - a completely different process.
Dirk, this was my situation too!
If you had your case number on the document, pray they will track it down, as they DID find my police certificate and gave me case complete only 3 working days later. See my signature. My advice would be to sit tight for a few days.
It's optional, and I went with snail mail. You can compare my timeline/signature to others who went with EP.
Then don't use assets/rental property information, just income

Info for my Sept peeps (repost from NVC thread)
Hey guys,
So I already informed Saylin about an update to the NVC site, but just a heads up to everyone: The DS-260 confirmation page is now mandatory to bring to the interview.
On the NVC website, it states, "After submitting the Form DS-260 online, print the confirmation page. You must bring the confirmation page to your visa interview."
More information can be found here as well as an example of the 260 itself: http://travel.state....nts/submit.html
For EP applicants, apparently, "If you provided the NVC with scanned copies that you submitted via email, you will be required to present the original documents at your interview, along with a photocopy of each document." I didn't know if people were already aware of this information or not, but that is found here: http://travel.state....ew/prepare.html

Right now EP is optional for Canadians. Myself and one other VJ member have called to inquire about our EP confirmation emails and the operator told us both that we no longer have to wait for it. They told us just to send in our documents and we will be automatically enrolled in EP.
There have been discrepancies in the past with operators telling people different information so I would suggest that you call yourself and ask what is the best option for you. The only disadvantage I would see with snail mail is sending originals and the cost of sending packages. Good luck!

OMG OMG OMG... Today is our anniversary. I kept telling my husband our noa2 would come on our anniversary... He said, "No way that's gonna happen." Guess what... at 1:15pm the site was updated and we are approved!!!! Yay!!! Now on to the NVC we go. Our I-130 was received on November 25th so 5 months and 3 weeks for us. SO excited!!!

I understand your concern. It appears there truly is no method to the madness at the USCIS. At first I thought it might have been preparation for DACA renewals. Training or work flow adjustments. Then it hit me that the slow down and confusion might be coming from November being the first month of direct delivery to the service centers from the lock box. I'm getting the feeling that perhaps some of files were placed out of sequence or they are severely disorganized due to the change in flow (versus being previously "transferred").
In any event, November is up to 23% and there has now been a little movement in October too. I think once someone at the VSC straightens out the files, they may move quickly. I understand that some folks see these odd 2 week and 1 month approvals as a way to get their averages down, but I tend to think it is more of a case of disorganization. I have a hard time believing our government is sufficiently creative and (most importantly)effective in executing a plan correctly for time line deception. We'd be giving them too much credit I'm afraid.
I agree with the above post, I think lot's of November filers will see approvals by the end of the month. Hang in there!

Wish u all the best from my heart!!!!

Not in Canada. He came up for a month and a half visit without issues, and again when we got married (stating that specifically) and again when he came to get me, with only a one way ticket.

Canadian border patrol are awesome comparably.

Sometimes i have to wonder if they randomly do this ####### to make money

We are devastated.
Letter to my Senator, I will share with you all:
May 9th, 2914
To The Office Of Senator Tim Kaine,
This letter is in regards to the request for Immigration Congressional Inquiry.
My Fiance Hicham El Amri was denied a K-1 Visa at the Consulate in Casablanca Morocco. This decision is detrimental to our family, as we have been together for over 4 years, with 4 visits, including the last visit with my daughters Cheyenne and Rhiannon. Our wish was to marry during this trip with my daughters to be a part of it. Due to the inefficiency of the Moroccan government in obtaining all the necessary papers for this, we were unable to get married in Morocco. I requested that he be granted a K-1 Visa so that we could marry here in the United States in a much more efficient way that would not require me to take another 3-4 week trip which is a time-frame required to make a marriage happen in Morocco. I do not want to do this without my children being there. We are a family, and instead of using the internet as a way to communicate with Hicham, he should be by our side. I request that the petition stay in the consulate in Morocco and that Hicham be given a 2nd interview, or I be contacted for an interview. I provided more evidence than required to prove that we have a bona fide relationship, as well as all of the required documents and The USCIS has determined that we are eligible for this visa. I appreciate the work of the work of the USCIS and all those at the Consulate who handled our case but I do believe this decision made by the Consular Officer in Casablanca, was made in error, as it is a huge let down by my government to be sent on the path of a much longer wait to be together as a family, as well as the financial strain and time away from my children, work and my schooling, to marry in Morocco instead. When Hicham was denied his visa he was given no reason for denial or even acknowledged with courtesy when he greeted, and departed from the consular officer. I have also not been informed of the reason for denial, and I am requesting to have access to this information as well. I appreciate all the time and efforts given to me by the Senator’s office and all of those who take the time to acknowledge this inquiry.