phirephly

It may appear minor but is it? First post there appeared only one error on the G-325A...further down there appeared to be more on the I-130. We dont really know how many corrections need doing. If the G-325A is as what many prior posts have stated, really not important, then one would think making corrections to that over the phone, as was said could be done with the I-130, seems to contradict that. I have always been of the belief that the G-325A is very important as it is what is sent out to the various departments for any security checks and/or field investigations. Why not correct any error early in the piece on any documents, when it can be done, as opposed to waiting till the petition process is complete and at Embassy.

Lorelle

Howdy... sorry for my lack of clarity above. The mistake that I made was in the attachment to the G325-A (those addresses in the Philippines are way too long for the forms). I accidentally overstated the length of her last address abroad by two months. However, where it asks you to list all the places you've lived for the last 5 years, I put it right. So I wanted to make sure I correct this so it's clear to them what's what and where she actually was for those two months.

There are no mistakes in my I-130. What I was trying to say was that when I called the hotline, that's the only thing that she told me she could correct. She said that she couldn't correct the G-325A information. Hope this helps clear the discussion up a bit Thanks for all your help. ttyl,

mich

thanks for the resubmission tip. i was actually going to send a letter with replacement attachments for the form (with correct information!) and let them just replace it in the original packet if they so elected, but if that would just confuse them, then yeah... i'll have to just make sure that i write the letter well enough that it will be clear enough on its own in case they add that to my packet as well.

reporting back what I found...

I called the Customer Service Center and talked to a lady that told me that they can't fix any of that stuff (the G-325A stuff). It sounded like she could fix a few minimum things on the petition (I-130) itself, but not the other docs. What she recommended doing if i wanted to pursue it was to write a letter explaining my mistake and make the corrections. I don't know if this will help anyone, but she asked more than a few times how I noticed the mistake. Perhaps she was trying to clarify if I had received an RFE, but I told her each time that I noticed it myself when I was reviewing the document. So it almost felt like she was trying to get me to say that I was trying to do something wrong or something (which I'm not). So. hi-ho hi-ho, it's writing the service center I go. They haven't even touched my petition yet, so at least there won't be anyone confused in the middle of the process.

The form is obsolete and as you have found is no longer listed within the USCIS forms nor is it mentioned in any instructions with USCIS. A request is in for the Capt'n to remove reference to it here on VJ as it causes confusion. Using it however has no effect on a petition one way or the other.

Lorelle

Cool. Great that the Capt'n will take care of the guide. I thought I'll ask though 'cause usually when you don't agree with the manual, it's not the manual that's wrong I figured it wouldn't hurt, but if it'll just get in the way, i'd rather not include it. thanks lorelle! ttyl,

mich

According to the K3 guide here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=k3guide

It says that we should include the FC-029 form with a 129-F form for a K3. Is this still correct? I don't see anything about the form in any of the USCIS directions or anything. Also, this FC-029 just seems to be affirming (again) what the applicant and USCIS have already agreed upon in the instructions of the I-129F packet. As a matter of fact, the paragraph seems to be exactly the same as the one in the I-130 form (which, according to the guide, doesn't require the FC-029). The packets are almost identical. So I'm guessing that this form isn't actually necessary anymore, but just thought I'll check in case someone knows something If this form was still required, woudln't it be listed here:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/scnational/

as a requirement? Thanks and ttyl,

mich

i fsomeone had an answer to my question, that be great.

If not I might have to try posting a separate thread.

The most recent tax year is now 2005. If he wasn't exempt this year as well, then you'll not have to worry about that anymore and just check what he will or has file(d) for this year. If he was exempt again, then *maybe* you could check the "filed single/separate" (or whatever he would have had to file) and just put a note next to it saying that he was exempt from actually filing, but that was his status at the time. He can order your tax receipts from the IRS (for free and they arrive fairly fast - better than my old mobile phone statements are arriving) that will show that he did, in fact, file nothing. I don't know... you may want to call them about this one if my answer/idea goesn't give you warm fuzzies. ttyl,

mich

Here's what I would do.........I would wait to get your receipt number when it has been entered into the system. You may get an RFE.....you may not. Have noted members receiving RFE's for incorrect or gaps in timeframes. If you get an RFE I would then send the corrected attachment and if you dont get an RFE with it I would call National Customer Service Center on 1800-375-5283. They may correct it over the phone but I hazard a guess not. They may suggest emailing the correction or mailing the correction to your service center. Im inclined not to give a Conof any reason to delay issuance of a visa (unlikely but always possible)if it gets to embassy without it being noted and corrected. Biographical information on the G-325A is used for security checks.

ok. I think i'm a little more confused, though. You're saying to wait and see if they catch it and request me to fix it.. if not, then to make sure that I fix it myself before it gets to the embassy. The only time that I'll be assured that I'm not going to get an RFE is when the USCIS approves it and sends me the NOA2 which tells me that it's being sent to the embassy, which means that it's too late to fix it at the USCIS, right? So if I do get an RFE for that, then it would be ok... but if I don't, it could slip over the embassy with me missing my chance to fix it? I probably want to avoid an RFE for this if I can too 'cause I don't think she has much (if any) evidence of living in these places... they weren't hers (so no lease or anything), and i'm not even sure if the utilities were under her name or someone else's (so if anyone has the old bills, it wouldn't be her). I totally agree with you that avoiding causing delay is to be avoided... it's not like they're moving very fast on their side! haha. So maybe I should call them on tuesday? thanks aussie. ttyl,

mich

PS - thanks for including the number to call in your post.

I screwed up one of the dates in my wife's G-325A attachment. For her foreign address for more than a year, I accidentally put the end date two months past when it really was, which conflicts with the place she lived after that. It's an honest mistake; I wasn't trying to mislead them or anything. I don't know if they'll even notice it or care... but I do want to alert them to the mistake so it can be corrected before they find it and cause us delay. And I definitely don't want to be denied because of my mistake I was trying to look aroud the USCIS site to see if there's any procedure for submiting corrections to pending forms and didn't find much. I wasn't turning up anything useful in my searches here either. Hopefully that just means that something like this is rare... but does anyone know what you would do to submit corrections for a pending submission? Would I just send a letter to my SC citing the receipt number and the corrections to add to my packet? Would it be better to just redo that whole attachment and have them replace it in my packet? Do I just wait fo rthem to mail me and tell me that my packet doesn't make sense? Don't know. Thanks for your help.

Both the petitioner and beneficiary complete a G-325A with their details. You are each the applicant on your respective G-325A's. You sign yours and your fiance signs theirs. And remember that each G-325A is made up of 4 pages.

Lorelle

And ... if you use the fillable pdf, then you only have to fill in the info (for each person in each form) once and the form copies it to the other three pages by itself. Very nice! The old one was a pain and the font was too big and stuff, but the latest (looks like it's the only one they'll even accept now since the rest expired as we turned 2006) one is a LOT nicer. It looks nice and ends up only taking a few minutes to fill out if you've already got all your info handy. I believe this is the right one here:

http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/files/G-325A.pdf

Hope this helps you! ttyl,

mich

congratulations! hope everything goes smoothly for you... definitely let us know how it goes!

I'm not sure I can be much help with your question, and I'm definitely the farthest from an expert... but from my impressions so far (you'll note that I haven't even had my I-130 approved yet), it seems like after the interview, they decide your case and if it's approved, she'll get her visa in about a week (probably longer, hay naku). Then you and your shepherd friends get the flock out of dodge As far as I know, all you have left to do after you have the visa and your passport is hop a plane. I think that's what the visa is, isn't it? Permission to enter (or stay) in the country?

Here's a list of questions that someone posted a while ago. They're not Manila-specific, but they're definitely good starters. They helped my wife and I even discuss how we should be answering the questions. She tends to be terse when and sometimes a fuller, longer answer might help us more Good luck!

Howdy. I was just scaring my wife to death with the statistics here on VJ for IR-1 processing times for our situation and I'm not terribly fond of them myself. According to the most recent data here:

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/irstats.php?history=90

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/stats.php?history=90

It would take 200 days (average) to get our I-130 approved (through CSC) and about another 500 days (average) to get through the NVC phase (Manila, Philippines). I can believe it will take that long at CSC, they're still processing August I-130s for spouses according to the data posted on the link I can't find right now that I think was last updated 8 Feb 2006.

Now, I note the following figures using the stats pages:

CSC times in days:

......IR1...|...K3

1yr...146...|...73

6mo...188...|...83

3mo...200...|...94

consul -> interview:

......IR1...|...K3

1yr...316...|...129

6mo...409...|...145

3mo...490...|...160

In general, the K3 time is about half of the IR1 approval at CSC.

In general, the K3 time is about a bit more than a third of the IR1 for time to interview.

Using the latest data (last three months), I could shave our time to case complete from 690 days to 254 days.

Using the average data over the last year, I could shave our time to case complete from 462 days to just 202 days.

Going from anywhere from almost three years to just under 10 months sounds VERY good to me. I know this will be more paperwork and more money, but my wife is definitely worth it - who here wants to wait another day to start their life together?

Is there anything I'm missing here? I've heard numerous times and places that K3s were no better than IR1s with regard to response times. Is there a difference between a K3 case complete and an IR1 case complete? At the end of the IR1, you wait a week to get your visa, hop a plane, and live happily ever after, right? If there anything different when your K3 case is complete? You don't get a visa and don't get to fly on over?

Are we a very big exception to the guidance of shunning a K3 and focusing straight on an IR1? Please let me know if there's some kind of HUGE hole in my observations here. Is there anything that would even hurt us if I just sent in the K3 anyways? Thanks VJ experts

eludy... another question for you that may be helpful for the rest of us (though unfortunately not so much for you).. what did she mean by your answers didn't match up? did someone tell a little fib? were there trick questions? what kinds of things were they asking y'all separately?

From previous members stories it can be something simple as 'when was the first time you kissed' and they gave a different date. So doesn't mean anyone lied, just means they couldnt remember an exact date. Something that could happen with any one of us. I dont know that I could say an exact date if it hadnt been on the day I flew into the US to meet my now Hubby. Some Conofs at some embassies have been known to ask the most personal questions. Luckily these stories are not very common, but they have happened at times when the US partner is present at interview.

That's what I was concerned about... if it's something as simple as "What did you have for lunch the 9th day you were there?", etc. I wasn't trying to imply that she would be lying, but as you mentioned, and as I've heard before, the questions can get very personal... definitely none of their business which would encourage a polite or shy person to maybe fudge a little bit. That's why I asked... definitely the people here can understand what it's like to have to wait to see someone they really love!

eludy... another question for you that may be helpful for the rest of us (though unfortunately not so much for you).. what did she mean by your answers didn't match up? did someone tell a little fib? were there trick questions? what kinds of things were they asking y'all separately?

hi phirephly , the consul told me about my personal life with him: example: where did you take dinner yesterday? do you have a pet? name? when your hubby gets divorce? i didn´t remember that date, what is his email? i know that! but i don´t understand whyyy she told me differents answers, my hubby was very sad with her because in my opinion she doesn´t believe us because my hubby is 56 years old and i´m 29 what do you thing???

sorry my english is not good but I try.

Yikes. does sound very not nice how she made it so difficult for you. The thing that's helped me the most for remembering the things that happened in my wife's life before I was in it was having to fill out all those forms. If I hadn't done that, I bet I would be in the same situation (still trying to remember all the family names, and i've only met a few!). Hopefully you'll do much better next time Yeah, I've heard that a significant age difference can be a red flag, but hopefully you'll prove them wrong!

eludy... another question for you that may be helpful for the rest of us (though unfortunately not so much for you).. what did she mean by your answers didn't match up? did someone tell a little fib? were there trick questions? what kinds of things were they asking y'all separately?

eludy, was your husband required to go to the interview? i don't know if this is good advice or not, and hopefully other people will comment on it, but if they're trying to play you and your husband against each other like that and he's not actually required to go, maybe if you just go yourself then they'll not be able to do something like that next time. from what i'd read before, i thought the USC wasn't required to go to the interview, so i don't know how they were allowed to do all that stuff they did with questioning you two separately. Are your requirements different? Did he have to go to the interview too? Can anyone comment on this idea? Would it help her? Is it seriously flawed?really makes me wonder if i should go for my wife's interview if that can turn out to hurt us.

how did y'all get your NOA2s via email? Was that the thing online where you can sign up to get status updates on your case? Is that also where you get the NOA2? Thanks!

Thanks aussie. always there, huh?

Jennieh - don't worry, I'm not going to send things before they're requested... I just want to have the paperwork ready to go so I can have a same-day turnaround when I do get the request. I'm not a patient sort of person! haha.

Tagging on, if I may... Given that for the residences, all it wants is city/town, etc... My wife lived at two different residences in the same city in a row. This seems silly to ask, but should I put two consecutive lines with the same info except for from/to dates (so it's clear they were two separate residences), or should they just all be combined into one line (in the case this is just a checklist for the police reports, it would be easier for them)? I can kinda see it bending both ways and I'm generally lucky enough to pick the wrong one Thanks!

We're working on our DS-230 so that it's all ready to go and I ran into a few questions.

For an attachmnt, do we just use the same format as the petition? Put the form and full name at the top, then label the questions, etc... or for the DS-230 is there a different way to go at that (since it's for different people)?

When it says "Location" (employment and education), are they just looking for maybe city, state/province, and country? Judging by the tiny spaces, it doesn't seem that they're really expecting street addresses.

Should this (and the 864 and the 3032) be two-hole punched like the original petitions were? They all end up together, don't they?

Thanks!

Member Name.....Date sent..Center....NOA1....RFE/AR.....NOA2........(Days)

Gatorfan........03/22/05..TSC/CSC..04/07/05............07/30/05....114

approvemedamnit.03/31/05..CSC......04/21/05............10/11/05....173

Euro............04/09/05..NSC/CSC..04/21/05............10/11/05....173

Sanctifyer......04/18/05..VSC......04/21/05............07/20/05....91

wouldubelieveit.04/08/05..VSC......04/21/05............06/28/05....72

perdesi.........04/20/05..VSC......04/22/05............08/11/05....111

melliemel.......04/28/05..VSC......04/25/05............07/16/05....95

Muppetpinchess..04/13/05..NSC/CSC..04/28/05............??/??/??....??

MoGuishle ......04/20/05 .NSC/CSC .05/08/05............10/12/05....157

metaledge.......03/29/05..NSC/CSC..05/13/05............??/??/??....??

Nonie...........05/02/05..TSC/CSC..05/13/05............??/??/??....??

Mary13*.........05/05/05..VSC......05/13/05............07/04/05....52

Colombia bound..05/06/05..CSC......05/19/05............08/22/05....96

pathesow........05/01/05..NSC/CSC..05/18/05............??/??/??....??

andrewbrit......04/30/05..CSC .....05/18/05............12/23/05....219

Lyeats..........05/06/05..TSC/CSC..05/19/05............12/12/05....207

yabasta&bella...05/10/05..TSC/CSC..05/23/05............11/30/05....191

Alex___.........05/05/05..CSC......05/24/05............11/09/05....190

gerard..........04/28/05..NSC/CSC..05/24/05............12/21/05....211

Alenushka.......??/??/05..CSC......05/24/05..01/04/06..??/??/06....??

ofelya_tr.......06/11/05..CSC......06/16/05............12/30/05....198

Katheleen.......06/16/05..CSC......06/21/05............01/06/06....199

MGD.............??/??/05..CSC......06/21/05............??/??/??....??

hewjang.........06/10/05..CSC......06/22/05............12/29/05....190

ylime0411.......??/??/??..CSC......07/07/05............??/??/??....??

joyeann.........07/09/05..CSC......07/11/05............01/12/05....185

wilmaron........??/??/05..CSC......07/30/05............01/24/06....178

Chicky..........07/21/05..CSC......08/03/05............01/18/06....168

purple_Hibiscus.07/07/05..CSC......07/16/05............12/22/05....159

Joel/Analyn.....06/??/05..CSC......07/11/05............12/29/05....171

JohnnySpangle...06/16/05..CSC......07/02/05............??/??/??....??

Germangel.......08/23/05..TSC/CSC..08/29/05............01/25/06....207

nakashima ayumi.08/20/05..NSC/CSC..09/06/05............??/??/??....??

Munchkins.......09/02/05..CSC......09/05/05............??/??/??....??

Bjumanja........09/16/05..NSC/CSC..09/27/05............??/??/??....??

Bc_ed...........09/20/05..NSC/CSC..09/27/05............??/??/??....??

aussiewench.....10/08/05..VSC......10/17/05............11/22/05....45

Drew............10/03/05..CSC......10/14/05............??/??/??....??

charlie76.......12/24/05..CSC......??/??/06............??/??/??....??

rommelandra.....11/07/05..VSC......11/12/05............01/09/06....58

software........??/??/05..CSC......01/09/06............??/??/??....??

phirephly.......01/17/07..CSC......01/27/06............??/??/??....??

see the pattern here?? unfortunately, there is no way that anyone here on VJ can tell you if you case will or will not be touched and how many times.

What I said above wasn't meant this way; hopefully that's not how it appeared. Was just what I was seeing in people's sigs. Definitely far from a formal calculation. regarding what's "normal" at USCIS/NVC... i think anyone that's even read a couple posts here can see there's no such thing

Hi lime -

You can go here to check on your case status: https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/jsps/index.jsp You'll enter that WAC number that is on your receipt from your NOA1.

This is also where you can sign up for email alerts as to the status of what's happening with your case. Your case is "touched" when someone does some processing on it, though that doesn't mean that it has been completed or that your status will change (to approved, hopefully, right? ). As far as I know, the only way you'll know when your case is touched is if you have the email alerts since it's just internal processing. Look around at some people's signatures to see, but it looks to me that you usually get touched about 2 times before you're processed. It's more or less just a way to know that *something* is going on, though you'll never really know what.

Hope this helps. ttyl,

mich