Pianist27

According to the attached memo, a signature is not required by the foreign beneficiary on the G-325A form. However, this USCIS memo dates from 2005. The last mention of it I could find searching the forums is from 2009.

Can anyone confirm whether this rule is still in effect? I ask because of an error we made in our application triggering an RFE on the form - I would much rather just send in a corrected version immediately rather than waiting about a week to get my fiance to send a version with her actual signature.

I129F_G325A_110105.pdf

Interesting - according to a memo from 2005, adjudicators need not require that the G-325a be signed by the foreign beneficiary, meaning that I could just create a new one for her. I wonder if this is still true - the latest post I could find was from 2009. I think I'll start a separate post about this question, perhaps I can save some time.

Duh, you're right, hadn't thought of it as altering an already signed document. Time to find a good courier from Ukraine to USA.

Thanks for replying, but I think I didn't explain the problem clearly. When I last visited my fiance, we completed any paperwork that would require her signature (G325a and letter of intent). We printed out several copies of each, and she signed each of them. I distributed these several copies among my suitcases to make sure at least one would arrive when I got home.

Each of the copies of the G325s has the same mistake, specifically that her name is written incorrectly in the lowermost box (we wrote it in Cyrillic characters for some stupid reason). So, I have a "wet signature" on several G325s I can use, but I need to correct that bottom box.

It's in that box I want to use "white out" or "liquid paper" and then fix it, this way, I can send in a G325A which has her actual signature. I am NOT proposing modifying her signature in any way.

I got an RFE asking for a "properly completed and signed" G-325A for both petitioner (me) and my beneficiary. As I look at the scans I made of both before submitting them, I realize my stupid mistake.

On her G-325A, in the bottom box where it states "Applicant print your name and alien registration number"...., when we both filled these out, she wrote her name in her native alphabet in that box.

I have two choices here:

1) Get her to sign a new one and courier it to me, which will take time.

2) Take liquid paper to the second copy I have (with her actual signature) and correct the mistake and overnight it back.

Is #2 too risky?

It would be frustrating if this were something I already included, but otoh, these folks are human too, and frankly I know I would go bug eyed going through the same paperwork over and over and over every day.

Wow... with all this commotion I decided to check the website myself and it does indeed say "On October 16, 2014, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283."

Is this the NOA2???

If so, I cannot believe and hope that it is not a fluke with the website. I would hate to have my hopes up just to have them ripped from under me.

Good luck to everyone and I sure wish everyone was receiving good news because I can understand how painful the wait can be.

Yes, that is your NOA2. Congratulations!

Thanks - mea culpa I guess. I have a suspicion what it might be (not sending original translations, just the photocopies thereof), but I won't know until I get the letter. Too bad they don't send you an email, because I'd have my reply there already.

I should have checked everything yet another time.

Agreed they should do another transfer from TSC. Even though I am a CSC case, it is completely unfair that some folks are waiting so much longer.

Makes sense, thanks.

The NOA1 to NOA2 duration for CSC is being reported as 70 days right now. However, there have been a few faster approvals, some less than a month which were not expedites. Since a lot of cases were transferred from Texas, are those durations messing up the stats?

Does the 70 day estimate account for the fact that those poor folks stuck in Texas before being transferred lost a lot of time, and that if you, for example, count 4 months in Texas plus one month in CSC, that's not really CSC taking 5 months?

It seems like CSC is slowing down at least according to the stats here. Glad to see some fast approvals - I don't suppose any of you were expedites?

Just checked my case status - an RFE was issued on October 10. Too bad, as that would otherwise have likely been a fast approval, but at least the case in play. Now let's just hope what they're asking for can be addressed quickly....

I had about 10 photos printed on 8x10 photo paper and wrote details on the back in big clear letters.

Let me be the bad guy here on this thread.

You met her online when she was 17. You go there and you've only seen her, no one else, correct? You never met any of her family? All you met was a girl in a taxi and on a few walks? Are you really sure she is who she says she is? If some of her brothers do not object, why did they not meet with you? Cultural differences aside, I certainly would want to meet someone my sister was interested in from so far away.

Be absolutely sure that you aren't being scammed here. I realize the culture imposes some barriers to getting to know her and her family, but I'd be very suspicious if I were you.

Get a divorce asap if you're concluded the marriage is over. It's worth the cost to be free. You may not have assets now which she could runs debts up against, but you might still be in an expensive pickle making your case.

PS: It is not your responsibility to prove fraud, it's US Govt.'s job and it's your wife's challenge to prove that she's not a fraud because in ROC burden of proof solely lies on her. If I were you, I'd write a letter to USCIS district director detailing your side of the story. Will they bother to read it? I do not know. But, maybe it will give you some peace of mind.

A friend in a similar situation was advised by his divorce lawyer not to contact USCIS as it could be seen by the divorce court as being petty and vengeful, and in any event, USCIS would likely listen but not take action based on what you say as they would just consider you a disgruntled spouse. YMMV.

The affidavit is still in effect until she becomes a US citizen, or gets 40 social security credits. It doesn't actually mean you have to support her personally, only to reimburse the government if she goes on welfare, for example. There is some family law precedent which holds that the affidavit also implies personal support, but that's still a murky area legally so I wouldn't worry about it especially as you do not have any children.

Just get on with your life. She has to file for adjustment of status on her own and the burden is entirely on her to show she entered the relationship in good faith.

Isn't there also a "humanitarian" option? Perhaps that would be more effective? In any event, best of luck.

Answered my own question: "In order to qualify based on the value of your assets, the total value of your assets must equal at least five times the
difference between your total household income and the current poverty guidelines for your household size. However,
if you are a U.S. citizen and you are sponsoring your spouse or minor child, the total value of your assets must only be
equal to at least three times the difference."

PS - Congratulations.

3x? I thought it was 5x?

I'd certainly include a note why there are no pictures.

I needed a waiver on my 3rd and got it quickly and easily. Fiances #1 and #2 dumped me over my explicit objection, so I just told USCIS what happened. They then approved #3, my wife, who is living with me now in New York.

How did you find out you got the waiver? Just that the petition was approved, or did you get a notice specifically about the waiver?

You need to get in touch with USCIS asap and withdraw the I-864 to kill the petition.

You can't withdraw the I-864 once he has adjusted status - that's a bit ambiguous with your original post when you write his green card "is in process". If he hasn't adjusted status, then you can.

I would do research if I were you. Find out what the legal requirements for marriage are in your country. Talk to your church's priest/pastor and see if it is even possible to have the ceremony and not become legally married.

If I were you, and wanted some kind of ceremony before coming to the US to become legally married, I would a) do it in a private, non-church venue b) have a friend (instead of priest/pastor) preside over the "event". That would minimize the risk.

Just my 2 cents.

This is seriously bad advice. Don't do anything that could possibly, even by the wildest stretches of the imagination, be thought of as a marriage. As someone mentioned above, if you want a wedding outside the USA, either do it after you are married in the USA, or refile as a spousal visa.

If the church operates separate from the government, then marrying in the church would not be a problem, because it is not reconized by the government.

More bad advice. The government whose recognition is most relevant is the US government, and it's quite likely (if not certain) that a consular official in that country would consider a church wedding an actual wedding.

I added a note in my cover letter that the birth certificate was only one-sided. I'll find out in a few months if that is sufficient.