meghanbangoura

Immigration kept my husband's original documents when he first arrived in the US at JFK. We recently filled out a G884 to get the marriage certificate back as that will be needed for his citizenship interview, if I understand correctly.  However, USCIS sent us back the certified copy of our marriage certificate, not the original.  What is my recourse?  The USCIS website has not been helpful and the menu options when I've called have dizzying.  How can I get through to a representative there?  Thank you!

My husband and I submitted his I-751 and we got the extension letter in April, but he lost his expired green card.  The original extension letter is safe in the bank--he carries a photocopy with him.  

What should I do about the lost green card?  When I go to the USCIS website, searches for "lost green card" lead me to form I-90 form to replace the green card, but that specifically says to not file that if you have filed to remove conditions.  

I feel like I should notify USCIS in case someone uses my husband's alien # fraudulently.  At the same time, I don't want to gum up a process that already takes up to a year for them to complete--processing the I-751.  We are expecting a baby in March, so we do not currently have any plans for international travel.  He was able to get a new job recently with his state ID and social security card.  The only time I can anticipate him needing the card is if we are called for an interview for the I-751 process. 

We'll be sending ours this month, but I'm wondering about what people think about a few things regarding the form itself.

1.  My husband has a child in his country, but I am not the mother.  We do not plan to bring her to the US.  Should we still list her in Part 5?

2.   What is the reason for asking for the interpreter’s address in part 9?

3. I have been helping my husband with the form.  Even though I am his wife, should I still list myself as a preparer in part 10?

I called and asked USCIS these questions, but they said they could not advise me!

Thank you for sharing your story! I'm so inspired by all the fighters on this Visa Journey!

Hi Newbie,

Thanks for your reply. I'm so sorry that you and your wife are still waiting. Administrative Processing as a step was a complete surprise to me. I really expected to see my husband about 10 days after his interview. So the surprise makes it even worse! I have sent off our marriage certificate. He should have it by next Tuesday.

The way medical has gone has been confusing to me. My husband saw Dr. Hassan Bahsoun last Monday the 13th. He had a physical exam on that day and then went for his chest x-ray on Tuesday. He was told that he had finished everything on Tuesday, but they didn't give him any documentation to bring to the interview. They also did not give him any vaccinations. They told him to go the interview, that the embassy would give him a paper to bring back to the clinic. I wonder if his results just weren't ready in time before the interview. He did get a paper after the interview--the g221 letter asking for the marriage certificate, medical certificate and indicating administrative processing and the don't call us, we'll call you message. He brought that back to the clinic and they said that when the embassy calls him, he should come back to the clinic right away to pick up his medical certificate. My husband called the clinic again yesterday and they reiterated the same message. Any thoughts on this anyone?

I also called my senator's office. A woman who I had worked with previously to try to get an expedite due to Ebola spoke with me. She has worked on helping constituents with immigration for the past four years. When I told her about how everything went, as in my original message above, she said it all sounded very normal to her. She did say that AP is essentially a background check and the average time someone spends in AP is 90 days. I do feel glad that I have the support of the senator's office. I know people on this site have said that senators cannot speed up AP, but it seems that they can at least help get some answers. Newbie, did you contact any of your elected officials?

Meghan

I found the Waivers and Administrative Process part of the website. Thanks!

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Ok, thank you. I have been trying to find the "administrative processing" thread, but I cannot find it. Any tips? I just want to see my husband so badly--can I visit him in the meantime? I am an English as a Second Language teacher, so I could live and work in his country for a while. Can our visa application remain in process if I visit or move to his country?

My husband had his interview this morning at the Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

• They looked at his passport and checked it in the computer.
• They asked him the following questions: What is your wife's name? Where does she live? They asked about his nickname, "Sana Vincen," which I included as a nickname in the IV application because all our correspondence via Facebook is under his account with that name. He also uses that name for email. How did you meet your wife? In what year did you meet? What is the date of your marriage?
• They viewed the originals and took photocopies of both his birth certificate and police record.
• There was a problem with the marriage certificate because I mistakenly thought that he also had an original, but he only has a certified copy, which he showed to the CO.
• He was then given a 221G letter with the following items circled: marriage certificate, with the notation "original," medical certificate (even though he had visited Dr. Hassan and had an exam, blood taken and chest x-ray done in the days preceding the interview), as well as the item at the bottom that indicates that the case requires additional administrative processing. The item that says the embassy will contact you for your next interview or appointment was also circled.
• They did not keep his passport.
• They asked for a phone number where he could be reached.
• They did not ask to see any of the pictures or other evidence of our relationship that he had with him.

Does anyone know what we can expect in the coming days and weeks? Here are my thoughts and concerns:

• He has a pretty common last name from his country of Guinea and he has the nickname--perhaps additional background checks have to be performed. His name is also Muslim.
• Did we get admin review simply because he didn't have the original marriage certificate?
• He went back to the clinic after the interview, showed the 221G and they said to wait for a call from the embassy.
• I've heard people say that administrative processing AP is common at the Dakar Embassy.

Trying to stay calm, but it's disappointing after envisioning seeing him very soon.

Thanks,
Meghan

Even though I'm not on this site much, I did have a feeling that they lose papers a lot! Glad to hear you confirm it. Photocopies make so much more sense! Now only if I could just email it to them... ;-)

I sent a police certificate, but did not get a checklist for it, so I can assume that what I sent was sufficient. I had never heard of an Apostille until you mentioned it. I did not do that, but my husband is from Guinea, West Africa, so maybe that's the reason. I think the requirements for the documents depend on the country. I assume you have already looked at this website which, as far as I understand it, lists the requirements for documents by country. This is the link for Spain: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/SP.html

Hi, I had a somewhat similar experience with my husband's birth certificate. I sent it (two friends verified my package before I sent it), but I got a checklist anyway. I called to find out if they say it was missing altogether of if there was a problem with the one I sent. The rep said that the system says that it was missing altogether. I asked if there had been a problem with the one I sent if that would be noted in their system. The rep said yes, that would be noted, so I can only conclude that they lost it. I am re-sending. Not sure if this helps you, but just wanted to let you know there is someone else out there going through the same frustrating experience. :-)

Got a hold of someone at the NVC this morning (after serval busy signals and 30 minutes on hold). I asked why I got a checklist for a birth certificate when I sent one. The rep said that it simply says in the system that they did not get it. I asked if there had been a problem with the one I sent, would it say that in their system? She said yes, it would specify the problem if there was one, so I feel confident that the problem is that they simply lost it. How can this happen? Have others had this happen with the NVC?

Thank you for your reply. The birth certificate that I sent with the original package a couple of months ago has both his parents names on it, so do you think this checklist may have been sent in error, or is there is some other explanation?

Thank you for your reply. The birth certificate I sent the first time has both of his parents names, so do you think this checklist might have been sent in error?

I sent an original and a photocopy of a certified copy of my husband's birth certificate (Guinea, West Africa) when I sent the IV package, but I have received a checklist for a birth certificate. Three of my friends looked over my package, so I am 100% certain I sent the birth certificate and a photocopy. I will call the NVC on Monday to ask why, but I am wondering what you all think and if anyone else has had the same problem.

Of course, the letter with the checklist does not specify if there is something in particular wrong with the birth certificate, it simply re-states all the requirements for birth certificates. Do you all think that maybe that means that they think the birth certificate was not included at all?

Here is the checklist. I have added in my comments to show that I think the birth certificate includes all the required information, with one possible exception.

What else could explain this checklist?

I did not write my case number on the original. I put a post-it note with the case number on the BACK of the certificate, so maybe this caused it to get lost in the shuffle?

Another theory is that I think we straddled the NVC's change in process where they now say that photocopies of official documents are OK, whereas when we began the process, originals were required. Maybe this change in process is the cause of the checklist sent in error.

These are what I believe to be the "old" directions which say originals PLUS a photocopy are required and they do not provide the specifics of what the certificate must include as the newer directions do (see below).

What I believe to be the newer directions are at this link, which I accessed by logging in to my portal on the Department of State website and clicking on N/A under Civil Documents for the IV. These directions say photocopies are fine, but there is a new requirement (right?) that you use a long form birth certificate, which as far as I understand it, means both parents' names must appear, which they do on my husband's.

In sum, why oh why did I get this checklist?!

Oh my gosh. Wow. Thank you for your replies.

I am trying to contact the NVC for the first time by phone. I tired 603-334-0700 several times last evening and now again tonight. Every time, I get a recording that says the number is busy. Is anyone else having the same experience? Does anyone know what's going on?

Thanks,
Meghan