SenoraPossible

Why were FBI fingerprints etc taken?

Are you living in the USA or in Mexico at the moment?

Here is a EZ list of the whole process. Things do change if your spouse is in the USA or in Mexico. I"m going to assume the USA but entered without inspection which means an I-601A which allows him to leave the USA for the interview in CJ.

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/EZGuideSpouse

The FBI fingerprints are a requirement that our immigration lawyer has in order to determine where we stand and what options we have as far as filing paperwork. We are filing our i-130 on our own very carefully and using her services hopefully for everything else. The fingerprints send back results identifying exactly what his record states for everything. If he has any record here in the US criminally, traffic tickets, warrants, and also for when he crossed the front. Sometimes it is in their records and sometimes not. Depending on the information received, it could be beneficial.

We are living in USA.

Does the i-601A get filed after the 130 is approved?

and thank you so much for the list! I will check it out now

Sooooo I'm just trying to figure out how much money we should set aside for each step..... and maybe there are steps that I'm missing or things that have a fee that I missed when I was reading.

We paid our lawyer $150 on 4/1/15 to send fingerprints to FBI and Immigration.

We have a check for the i-130 waiting to be mailed out once we are certain we have everything perfect in our folder.
We also inclosed the mobile notification form.

We are trying to figure out how much money we need to save, since the trip to Ciudad Juarez will cost us almost $3,000 USD.
How long do we need to stay in CJ? I put a week when estimating the travel costs but can be adjusted as needed.

What is the order of forms after the i-130?
I know the is a form for a sponsor.... the 864 I believe it is.
There is also a form for a "pardon" or something along those lines since my spouse entered without inspection.

The next fee would be the interview or payment for visa? How much is that?

What other fees are there or can someone lead me to where I can find a list. Pretty please.

We still have yet to send this because someone scared us away from sending it.

However, we know someone personally who just went through this process. She entered without inspection and doesn't even have kids and they still let her back. So now I feel more confident that it is more than "just a trap" to get him back to Mexico and keep him there like some were telling me.

We chose not to send many photos. Another friend is going through the same process(Her husband is italian) and they told her not to send photos, messages or any other proof with the i-130 because they will ask for that later one.

We currently have two affidavits but are wondering if that is enough....

I believe the only question I have on all of my packet is that I do not know which location to put under box 22 on form 130. Since he entered without inspection, he has to go abroad for his visa/interview. He is from Chiapas and the closest(and most convenient) location for us is Merida, Mexico. However, the box asks for city and country.... not the state. I suppose I should research a little on USCIS for the address..... however everything I've read and researched so far hasn't given me an answer on how to fill in box 22 when you have to go out of the country. I've seen plenty of answers for the interview here in the states.

Can anyone chime in on this?

If he is currently here in the United States, and he is "able to / allowed to". I would definitely start looking into "Adjustment of Status" forms. You need to contact your local Immigration Office in your state. Unfortunately someone else needs to chime in from here....

If I recall correctly, I was told that because he entered without inspection that he couldn't apply for adjustment of status.

Honestly, I did not have date stamps on my wedding photos either. All I did was import them into Microsoft Word and label them with plain text and imported the picture and printed it off.

Your correct, (after later review), that Visajourney mentions only 1 photo. Please note the US STATE DEPT says 2! I agree also with a cover letter. Let me know if you need help typing one off.

I believe it is in fact, looking for your husbands name.

Consular post , is whichever Embassy is closest to your husband. Usually, you just pick which city you will want your complete packet/interview stuff setup at.

I would prefer to do it here in US where we live lol.... but I think he has to go to Mexico and there's no way out of it. Where can I find a list of embassies? It seems like everyone from Mexico gets their interview in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

My mom is writing a letter for us and is asking me what she should write about (as an affidavit). Thats why I had asked. I just told her to write what she sees as a daily witness since we live with her.

Also... i don't know if they will accept it but she wrote a separate letter stating that we rent from her. We don't have an actual lease or bills together. Just a bank account and I had them write a letter on their letterhead for proof.

I'm not sure how to get my photos with the date mark... Unless I print screen shots of photos from Facebook as they will have the dates initially uploaded.

On visajourney's 130 page that you linked as well as my 130 instructions.... it just calls for 1 photo for each person. But I think I will still send two just in case. My theory is it's better to send too much than not enough.

I like VJ's idea of the cover letter though. LOL. I was about to put mini post it's on everything labeling it! haha. I did make sure I have everything in the order it was asked.

The only other question I'm not sure of is whose name I put on question 17..... for spouse am I to list my husband the immigrant? or myself as his spouse?

and also.... for question 22.... how do I know which consular post he will have to go to? I didn't see anything in the instructions about that?

Thank you so much for your help!
I will be submitted one photo for each but I wasn't sure if I was supposed to submit 2 photos per person... as that is how they are given.

Could I send Facebook messages as far as proof? How would I know how many pages to send or what range of dates?

For 130 question 17.... am I putting my info with our children's or his? I put mine but now that I'm reviewing it it is asking questions about "my relative" so I'm thinking I should have put my husbands info down instead of mine.

It says to include A passport style photo for each... We got them taken this evening. Do I include both pics given for each person? Usually when you get a passport they want both photos but I know this is different.

I didn't see anywhere where it asks for my husband's(the immigrant) info or documents. Should I send a copy of his birth certificate, passport, matricula/Consular ID etc?

Should I enclose copies of social security cards for myself and our daughter that we have together?

Should I send a few pics of us from the time we met until present.... spending holidays together, traveling together, newspaper articles of us dancing, going out, etc to prove that we are legitimately in love?

Question..... Form I-130..... box 16:
Has your relative ever been under immigration proceedings?

Check yes or no and check a box why.
Options are for removal, exclusion/deportation, rescission, or judicial proceedings.

When my husband was crossing over without inspection, he was right on the front about to cross into USA. He wasn't arrested because he was obedient to the officer but they did send him back to Mexico.... taking his fingerprints, info, copies of birth cert, etc. Since he has been here he has never had any issues with immigration, law enforcement or anything else aside from when he attempted to cross years ago.

What do I put in this box?

Questions about our 130 packet as we really really want to submit this tomorrow!!!

It says to include A passport style photo for each... We got them taken this evening. Do I include both pics given for each person? Usually when you get a passport they want both photos but I know this is different.

I didn't see anywhere where it asks for my husband's(the immigrant) info or documents. Should I send a copy of his birth certificate, passport, matricula/Consular ID etc?

Should I enclose copies of social security cards for myself and our daughter that we have together?

Should I send a few pics of us from the time we met until present.... spending holidays together, traveling together, newspaper articles of us dancing, going out, etc to prove that we are legitimately in love?

I read a few times the information on this form as well as what's on the bottom. I believe I understand now that a sponsor is if the beneficiary becomes a public charge? Is that correct?


http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-864.pdf

oh also....
regarding these papers.... I-130, G-325A(mine and his) and then the 1601A.....
1) The I-130 and (2) G-325A's get mailed in together correct?
2) Do I need to have a sponsor before I even mail the I-130?

3) If for some crazy reason we can find a sponsor, is there another form that should get mailed in with the I-130.... or when/how do we submit their information?

4) When does the 1601A get sent in?

Yes it is mandatory that someone is making at or above the poverty guideline for your household size which is 4. Which is $30,312. You will not be approved otherwise.

You would put None for Alien Number and File number since he doesn't have one. Remember the G-325A you fill one out and he fills one out.

Okay..... so can somebody tell me exactly what is a sponsor? (Or guide me to a thread previously posted). What exactly is a sponsor getting themselves into when they sponsor? I know a lawyer briefly explained it to me that it involves the person wanting a green card getting social security benefits which he said they wouldn't want to because it automatically will inhibit them from the green card or residency or.... something along those lines. Its irrelevant. We aren't doing anything we aren't supposed to and we won't in the future either. So supposedly a sponsor is someone who is responsible in the event that that immigrant does take out social security?

What are the risks/benefits(if any) involved? What information does the sponsor have to provide? What is expected of them? Will they need to go to any interviews?

1st What do you think all the illegals in this country are doing right now? Seating on the couch watching TV? Most illegals work and harder than many American born citizens.

Nobody is going to risk their lives coming here illegally for no reason, they come and perform jobs that pay pennies at home for hundreds or thousands of dollars here.

2nd You dnt need to be legal to pay taxes, you can't get refunds but if you are going to pay IRS is more than willing to take your money.

If you have an ITIN, as long as you aren't claiming a bajillion dependents, you can still get a tax refund. My husband is getting one.... albeit small... lol but they said we can amend once he gets his social.

You have to sponsor your husband, meaning it is your income that counts for the affidavit of support. If you don't have enough then you need a joint sponsor. The joint sponsor can be any USC or permanent resident, doesn't have to be immediate relative.

Normally, the beneficiary's income will count if it will continue from the same source after immigration. However, as your husband is working illegally in the US, I doubt they will count that for immigration purposes. May I ask how he's even able to work and pay taxes when he's in the US illegally? Just curious.

I don't have a full response for you because I, myself, am not 100% sure.... but I know we just did our taxes and he has an ITIN that he applied for. A taxpayer ID number.

He is the only one working and the only one that will continue to work. I am no longer working so I make $0. lol. We have 2 babies but only 1 of those is together, so it helps with the amount he has to make to qualify..... except he can't qualify because .... well you know. lol. We have no one else that can sponsor for us.

Is a sponsor necessary? I know some of the benefits to having one.... but is it mandatory?

We are filling out the I-130 and it says you must include a G-325A for both myself and my spouse. On the top it says "File Number" and it starts with an "A".... and on the bottom it says "Alien Registration Number" which also starts with an "A". Since this is the first time we are filing anything we obviously don't have either number. Should we fill in that box with "N/A"?

For the I-130.... on the first page under relative's information.... do I put our address here in USA or his there in Chiapas, Mexico?

Yes... He entered without inspection in 2007. It was before his 16th birthday so he qualifies for DACA but because he never finished prepa(school) he would have to be enrolled in some type of schooling here first. We have a baby together but unfortunately she was born after the current DAPA cutoff.

He has been here ever since and has not left. He'll be turning 25 in May.

I'm certain that we will have to file waivers. Someone even mentioned we may have to pay a "pardon".

A sponsor as in the lawyer said when we go to Mexico to the embassy its much easier if you have a sponsor.
I was working until I met my husband... now I stay at home and take care of the kids and the house, and he is the breadwinner. He currently qualifies with the 125% guideline.

For the answer of #5.... good to know! I wanted sure it wasn't just a trick to get him to go back because we are more than willing lol. We have to go in May 2015 for a family event anyway. We are hoping to have the family petition approved by then but at this rate I doubt we will.

He is absolutely not a criminal of any sort. lol. I think his biggest felony was a parking ticket. lol.

At what point of the visa, green card, or residency process can you legally travel overseas without fear of not being able to return?

Hi everyone! I'm new here.

So I am born American(Czech by blood).... and my husband was born Mexican..... although is living with me here in the US currently.

I felt that it were possible to do this(applying for his VISA, etc) without a lawyer but people keep scaring me saying its impossible without a lawyer. Then some of the lawyers are scaring us into doing things a certain way... and of course each lawyer says something different. How do we know who do listen to?

I wanted to start the I-130 and mail it in to speed the process up.... but our lawyer doesn't want us to submit it on our own.
We paid $150 4/3 for his fingerprints. They get sent to Immigration and then will get sent back to our lawyer with his background info. It takes up to 5 months just for that... and that has nothing to do with the paper part of the process.... it's only to know where he stands as far as the law, immigration, etc. I figured if we sent the I-130 in on our own at least we would be waiting 5 months for each but simultaneously so it's like half a year less in the long run.

What is with the scare tactics? We don't care how we have to do this.... whether from the US or go back to Mexico and we do it from there. We just want to do it right and get in done the best way(and cheapest) possible. If it means we need a lawyer, by all means we will keep the one we decided to go with. Some lawyers were saying he would HAVE to go back to Mexico since he is here without inspection. Some say there is a way that he can stay here. We are both more than willing to go to Mexico.... but there are going to be 3 US citizens' lives in jeopardy if we are all not allowed to re-enter at some point.


My questions here are ....
1) Is a lawyer absolutely necessary or is it possible to do this on your own?

2) Would you/did you file your I-130 on your own?

3) Has anyone been through this within the last 1-3 years from Mexico?

4) One lawyer said this is impossible without a sponsor. Our current lawyer says it helps but isn't necessary. Which is the truth? lol.

5) Has anyone gone back to Mexico recently and gotten back in okay? (The lawyer said if we went to Mexico we would make an appt at the embassy. In her words, they very rarely deny people from re-entering, but it does happen. I just wanted to know ensure the truth behind that)

6) Someone(not a lawyer) told me if I apply for his I-130 that they will come and arrest him? Any truth behind that?

and... I don't know... Whatever other advice/support you could give me about this process and as a new member amongst you lovely folk! <3

Thank you for your time and any assistance or advice you may be able to pass along. It is very much appreciated! We don't care where we live we just want to keep our family together. But obviously living here in the US would be easier for me since my whole family, school, etc is here.