Barry and Mila

53 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

Two IR applications twice.

One of the challenges with understanding the forms and instructions is to not read more into it than is intended. Often you have to look for what “isn’t said “ 

If the translation instructions do not specify professional /registered translator only then one is not needed 

If the signature section for the translator to sign does not specify Notarised then no notary is needed 

Yeah, I agree it's easy to read more into it than is intended.  Then again, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you :-).

3 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

No notary required .. 

OK.  Just curious, have you actually gone through this process and is that exactly what you did?

55 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

“Any document containing foreign language submitted to USCIS shall be accompanied by a full English language translation which the translator has certified as complete and accurate, and by the translator's certification that he or she is competent to translate from the foreign language into English.” Ref 8 cfr 103.2(b)(3)

 

Note that you can self-certify, it does not need to be a company. Some people have preference to use someone unrelated to the case to translate but I have have seen reports of sponsor translating being accepted.

If I can self-certify, I'll do that, though I'm guessing I'll have to sign in the presence of a notary.

5 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

You can do it yourself. It does not  require a professional translator nor a “ certified” translation 

Thank you very much!  Would be great to get confirmation from others, but this is much appreciated.  FYI your login is the name of one of the most challenging mountain peaks in Colorado.  Needless to say, I have yet to attempt it.

https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=litt6&peak=Little+Bear+Peak

I'm a US Citizen, wife is Ukrainian with an unconditional green card.  We are starting the process to obtain a visa for her adult son.  Takes several years, I know :-(.  

The online application says to provide translations of any documents in a foreign language.  Unlike my wife's documents, however, that is all it says.  It doesn't say the translator needs to provide a statement of professional qualifications, it doesn't say anything about certifications on company letterhead, it doesn't say anything other than a "translation".  

I can save us a little money and do the translations myself.  Frankly, I'm unimpressed with a lot of the "professional" translators out there, I can usually do as well or better.  But I don't want USCIS to come back after a year or two and say a professional translator with certifications is required, particularly if that means they'll toss the application and we have to start over.

Thoughts?  War stories and/or actual experiences with this process?  All advice welcome.

Regards,

--Barry and Mila

No interview was requested.

Finally.  Just posting dates FYI, you can check our timeline as well.

--Barry and Mila

9 minutes ago, C90 said:

Every time I called USCIS I spoke to a person (never scheduled info pass, but that doesn't matter). Just keep pressing 0 until the system gives up, and you will speak to a person

Thanks, I will give that a try.

I-751 sent Oct 2017, 2nd NOA extends I-551 until June 20th 2019.  InfoPass appointments, as far as I can tell, are only available within a 2-week window.  When is the right time to make an InfoPass appointment to get a stamp?  Is there a risk of making one too soon, when you'll go there and get told no stamp because the I-551 isn't close enough to expiration?  Is there a risk of making one too late?  Any thoughts on the timing?  Assuming I can even get one online ...  

Thanks!

--Barry

I get the impression, from both this community and from USCIS correspondence, that it is possible to call the USCIS "customer service" number and reach a person who can schedule an InfoPass appointment for you.  But my reality seems different.  Can anyone confirm they've reached an actual person at the 800 number and scheduled an InfoPass appointment?  As far as I can tell, all that happens is you get a recorded message directing you to the web site.  Thanks.

--Barry

Well I'll be darned.  Just today we got an extension letter, another six months.  So we won't need an InfoPass appointment, and hopefully the unconditional green card will arrive in time.  Who knew, sometimes the right thing happens!  Thanks again everyone for the advice and support.

--Barry

55 minutes ago, Pheebs1201 said:

Yes it is possible. Review the ROC threads, July and August 2017 filers have been receiving a second extension letter, so the 12 months moves to 18 months. I assume due to extreme backlog.

 

Yes, this. I hope I get one soon so I don't have to get the info pass appointment/stamp.

Thank you, this is great to know!

9 hours ago, Luckycuds said:

A second extension letter is being sent out - extending another 6 months to the original 12 months extension. This is because it is taking more than a year to approve. July and August filers have been receiving them the past week. Good news because you may not have to get a stamp.

Excellent news, I did not know this.  Thank you!

49 minutes ago, Pheebs1201 said:

Yes it is possible. Review the ROC threads, July and August 2017 filers have been receiving a second extension letter, so the 12 months moves to 18 months. I assume due to extreme backlog.

 

Yes, this. I hope I get one soon so I don't have to get the info pass appointment/stamp.

This is news to me, and very good news indeed.  May still not get the 2nd letter in time given our travel schedule, but it is nice to know.  Thank you!

5 hours ago, Pheebs1201 said:

My letter will expire November 6th and I have a trip booked to England for Christmas.

 

Hoping that I get the magical second extension letter before then to avoid the infopass appointment, sounds like some people have been receiving a second letter.

Second letter?  What second letter?  Is such a thing even possible?  If anyone has direct experience with a second letter, please let us all know, think a bunch of us would be interested in learning how to get that.

6 hours ago, Y3+E said:

We made an info pass appointment to get the I551 stamps in the passport, 90 days before the 12-month extension expired.  We did this early because the family was traveling overseas a couple months before the expiration date.  And, we would be overseas when the extension expired.  Good thing that we did so, we still have not receive 10 year green cards (NOA was April 2017)

Exactly our situation, so thank you, this is *very* good to know.

She does indeed have imminent travel, so that is useful to know.  Thank you!

H Aleful, thanks for the quick response.  Is one month the soonest they will give the stamp?  Can I ask how you know this?  Is there a link, an official USCIS publication, anything?  I ask because if it's really a month then that's going to cause us a lot of problems that we're going to need to start thinking about  now.  

Filled out I-751, received 1-year extension NOA.  Based on USCIS estimated processing times, that is not enough, extension letter will expire well before unconditional green card received.  Anybody know when can I make an Infopass appointment to get the 551 stamp in my wife's passport?  Can't find an answer to this anywhere.  It's clear that the stamp is necessary, and I know how and where to make an Infopass appointment, but cannot determine *when*.  As most of you know, Infopass appointments are only 2 weeks in advance and fill up quickly online, so knowing when to start trying is important.  Thank you!

--Barry 

OK, all straightened out, she doesn't have to surrender her passport. She was just freaking out because Ukraine is falling apart and is hopelessly corrupt. Thanks to all for your advice.

That's stupid. She cannot surrender her only citizenship. Is she supposed to become stateless?

You're right, I misspoke. She is being told she must surrender her passport. I added the part about citizenship, but of course that can't be right. And perhaps she means her internal passport. Ukrainian citizens have two: One for internal travel and identification, one for international travel. Will find out more and repost.

-Barry

Please let us know who you used for shipping and any particulars. Some of us will also be shipping stuff from Ukraine and we would appreciate providing your experience with it.

See my new topic in this forum concerning the two shipping companies we've got quotes from. Haven't used them yet, asking for info.

--Barry

Trying to ship wife's goods from Ukraine to US, those are the two companies in Ukraine who have given us quotes. Web sites are www.fsmac.com.ua and www.oq.ua.

I know things are crazy in the Ukraine right now (and pretty much all the time), but that's what she's being told. Should she believe that? Anyone have evidence to the contrary? She is telling me that she will not be allowed to ship her household goods to the US unless she surrenders her Ukrainian passport, and presumably her citizenship. Normally I'd say this strikes me as absolutely bizarre, but in present-day Ukraine bizarre is the new normal.

Any thoughts? Experience? Evidence to the contrary? Web links? Advice for clever workarounds? As always, tips of any sort appreciated.

--Barry

A few months ago, I had posted a thread about shipping household goods from Ukraine to US. Advice from visajourney was very helpful, thank you. Made a lot of progress. On to the next question:

Does anyone know what customs-related expenses must be paid in association with bringing household goods into the US, if any? Does the fact that they are personal possessions make a difference? My wife is currently back in Ukraine gathering her things; she will have a shipping container full of housewares and furniture. She is getting contradictory answers from the Ukraine side about what needs to be paid to bring goods into the US. Anyone have any experience with this? URL's/web sites would be especially helpful; preliminary attempts with Google haven't told me what I need to know.

Thanks!

--Barry

Update: Found help.cbp.gov, very useful. No need to post anything that's written there. Still interested in actual experience/war stories, though. If you've shipped goods from Ukraine to the US, would be grateful for any details you'd care to share.

--Barry