Niphredil

Well, mixed emotions ahoy

Husband rung up. USCIS has no record of his name, my name, or our name. It has just been 'lost'. I can only guess they had it at one stage as we have a 'thank you for using our services' letter, but... nothing under our names.

I'm pissed, but... relieved too. We finally got an answer as to what was going on. Someone got a $200 bonus that week....

However, the good news is, is that this means I can go visit my husband for 3 months so we can decide what we're going to do next.

He paid by Money Order :\

He gets home at 11 pm, chats to me, then sleeps like a log. Oh, forgot, yeah, he has no car, so gets a lift into work when his brother goes in... at 7 am, and probably wont start work till 9 or 2 x.X

He has Monday off so he's going to try and get it then.

As for e-mailing, does that really work? Just send all of my information to them (full names, birthdates, when and what was files etc) and they will respond?

Right now, if this is all true, we're considering him coming to Australia now hehe

We've just been waiting. We don't know if it's an address issue or what. The guy at USCIS told me to get my husband *who is in USA filing for me to come to USA*, to call them since he has all the details, except he gets off work after they close, or if he starts late, he tends to not wake up in time to wait on the phone for an hour :\

We sat and waited patiently for word to come. Instead of raising a stink and demanding answers, we just waited, because we all know that Immigration is a waiting game. No point getting upset after a month, it'll probably come in the next week.... or the next... maybe this week... till 7 months went past.

I've been absent from here for a while because sitting around thinking about all of this makes me want to punch something, but I need to vent somewhere where people understand.

My husband sent in the forms back in early December... for a long time we heard nothing, thinking that was on par of the course. "Send it in, wait 6 months get the visa" was what we were told, well what I was told. March or so I found this site, found out what was to happen and got husband to make phone calls on why we hadn't received a NOA1.

He got in touch with Texas via the USCIS number, they said "oops, we'll send it out again" and again we waited.

Past month or so, we've been going by what the USES site has to say about processing times. Texas, though, hasn't been publishing any spousal visas though because..... they've apparently been transferred to California, who is now upto January 2006.

Hope!

So I call up to find just what the HELL is going on. "I'm sorry, we have no record of your Petition".

Those words are right up there with your doctor saying "Oops"

HOWEVER, they do have a record of them sending out a file to my husband with the receipt number.

Now, how the HELL can you send out a receipt number, if there's no record? The guy I spoke too was nice enough, sounded french, but when he asked me how to spell 'Black', and what my husbands last name is after I told him mine (and he never asked for maiden till afterwards), I figured I'd just wait till my husband gets home and poke him to find out what he DOES know.

Drives me friggin insane. All this time, 7 months, it'll be my first anniversary in 12 days, and they don't have my petition...

And yet, I can't help but see a small silver lining. If it hasn't gone through, then I can go visit my husband for a while before we start this rollercoaster of madness again, because, in the end, it's the right thing to do, though the only people affected by these laws, are those that follow them.

That is absoluty fantastic news!!! Congratulations

*sigh* FINALLY got some answers. After missing the first day since my Husband had problems 'being awake' on his day off, the second day, didn't fare good either.

Again, slept late, but I was on his butt about it and made sure he called them. So he called the 1800 National visa customer service number.

He wrangled out of them something about the Affidavit of support and that it could possibly be filled in by someone OTHER then the spouse/sponsor. Like, the visa sponsor and Affidavit sponser can be 2 seperate people. Does that sound correct?

I'm still unsure about it, but when he wanted to find out information about the I-130 and what Texas had done with it, he was put on hold for over an hour before he hung up, at 6:15 pm. They close at 6.

*sigh*

Okay, cue to next day. He says he'll wake up really early and get all the information. Okay great. I call at *his time* 2pm. No-one. 3pm, no go. 6pm. ARGH, still no-one. So I ring at 9pm. I get his brother. He went out with friends. grarkfhjkahdfjkashdjkahjkdash It's a good thing he's on the other side of the world at this point

But in the end, victory! They have it, they have the money, they just forgot to send out the NOA1. yay for heart attacks...

When I paid for my husband to come to Australia from USA, what the agency had to do was buy a ticket from a USA agent. It cost a little bit more due to USD/AUdollar Conversion + the agency adding their own fees.

Plus, as stated before, knowing their PASSPORT name is a must. If it's Julie-Anne on their passport, but you just call them Anne, putting it down as 'Anne', will get them a 1 way ticket back home from their airport, so just make sure that's correct.

Course, this is USA to Australia, not sure what would be needed for other countries. Ask your agency about it. If they don't know, I wouldn't give my money to them anyway.

Niphredil,

Sure sounds like NOA1 to me. Ask him if there is a number starting with 3 letters. In the top right corner it should also say I-797 or I-797C Notice of Action.

Nope, just the USCIS/Texas logo. No numbers, nothing starting with LIN/WAC/EAC or SCR or dates of any kind apparently.

I really wish I had looked into this like 2 months ago...

aye aye ayyee

Not sure what to do/think right now...

Finally got to chat with husband. He has a piece of paper that tells him 'Thanks for sending in the form", but no receipt number or any sort of dates. Blegh. He's going to call them up Thursday, since thats his next day off, and because, by the time we realised just ####### happened, they were already closed today ><

Then after I explained about the K-3 thing, how, since it's been 3 months, might as well wait out the I-130, he tells me that he'll have to send in the I-129F anyway, since thats what the guys helping him before said he had to do. Huh? No... thats for the K-3. Nooo I have to send it in... after... the... well #######.

Yes, he had been told about it, but forgot about it till now, but hey, since, as far as I know, we dont have a NOA1 yet, it's still probably a viable option ><

3 months. 3 whole FRIGGIN' months...

He still wants to do the K-3 route though. "If it gets you there a month earlier, then thats what I want to do"... even if it's going to cost more, and means I wont be bringing in any money, because once I pay for flights and tests and forms, I'll have negative money. Okay, I guess, sure. I want to get away from this god forsaken place. Local Councils, gotto hate them... Love my family, hate the town...

I GOT MY EAD!!!!

it's been a good day, I'm so excited!

Congratulations!

*take 2 ^^; for some reason, it didn't want to post before*

I was just a little unsure of how to call them. I'm used to 0011-1-(area code)-(phone number) that I use to call him, but do you use something else? or just the same? 0011-1-603-334-0700?

Yep just put the 0011-1 in front.

We didnt use James Shortcuts.....hubby is a stickler for correct procedures lol I wont fault him on it...we have had an easy run through with no RFE's. The Time Savers do cut the time down, just not as much as Jame's Shortcuts can.

I just had another look at the shortcuts, and actually generated one. For some odd reason, I thought you had to print it, cut it out, then paste it onto the form I'm getting senile in my not-quite-so-old-but-should-know-better-age (of a whopping 26, aiyee)

I might try one of them, and see how it goes, when the time comes that is. If it gets knocked back, then eh, the original is still on it's way.

Thanks again

Hi *waves* Still trying to wade through the sea of information here and trying to not drown in it. I think I have things worked out... just a matter of trying to tell Dave to not bother with K-3 anymore.

I've been reading about people calling up the NVC about times and if things have been processed etc.

Does anyone from Australia actually call, or are you referring to your spouse in America calling it?

I call all the time

NVC Timesavers, Knowing your case number, James Shortcuts. You will find the number for NVC in the thread as well. Well worth your time for you and Dave to read.

Ive been reading them, and seeing what I could do besides the barcode thing. I'm a jittery nervous bug when it comes to these things *and I'd rather do it right first time with the right equipment, then have to redo it again*, so, going to get Dave to do a mockup Affidavit of support *since he'll probably have 3 months to do it, surely thats enough time ><*, so when he does get it, he just has to fill it in with what he's already worked out and send it in, get blood tests done and any vaccinations done before the medical, police reports as soon as NVC gets the case etc.

I was just a little unsure of how to call them. I'm used to 0011-1-(area code)-(phone number) that I use to call him, but do you use something else? or just the same? 0011-1-603-334-0700?

Hi *waves* Still trying to wade through the sea of information here and trying to not drown in it. I think I have things worked out... just a matter of trying to tell Dave to not bother with K-3 anymore.

I've been reading about people calling up the NVC about times and if things have been processed etc.

Does anyone from Australia actually call, or are you referring to your spouse in America calling it?

On the shelf is 1 head of lettuce for $5. It comes from a farm that employs LEGAL immigrant and/or local guys, pays for all of their medicals and whatelse they need to be legal.

Next to it is another head of lettuce for $2.50. It comes from a farm that employs illegals.

Okay, maybe I should have pointed out that I'm from AUSTRALIA, and that I have zero dea of prices in america. I pulled those numbers out of my butt.

You mean you just fabricated data to make illegals look good?

o.o... what? no.

If stuff that comes from farms that employ legal immigrants was CHEAPER then from illegals, then more people would employ legals because people are buying more. Consumers only care about the bottom line.

As is, its cheap because the labor is cheap, thus they can sell more for cheaper then others. Can't sell stuff if it costs more, unless it's a quality product, and even then, most still only care about the price.

Consumers have a part in this problem too, but, as I noted, it's a lot harder for americans to find out which of these farms/companies employ illegals, then it is for Australians who can just look on the back of the can.

I want to ask you all this . how many people in america really would do those jobs the illegals tend to do? I know I would not be cleaning offices and cutting lawns. what happen if we did not have people doing these things?

Unfortunatly, it's a self perpetuating problem.

He looks at vegies, cause you need vegies to stay healthy.

On the shelf is 1 head of lettuce for $5. It comes from a farm that employs LEGAL immigrant and/or local guys, pays for all of their medicals and whatelse they need to be legal.

Next to it is another head of lettuce for $2.50. It comes from a farm that employs illegals.

what hell store you shop at? never seen ice burg for 5.00 - try again!

even 2.50 is debateable because Kroger dont sell ice burg for no 2.50

its 99c.

Okay, maybe I should have pointed out that I'm from AUSTRALIA, and that I have zero dea of prices in america. I pulled those numbers out of my butt.

Meanwhile, I've seen lettuce for $10 aud here....

Btw, did anyone actually read to the END of it? I added that yes, it would be hard for americans to find out which farms they come from x.X

Unfortunatly, it's a self perpetuating problem.

100% american man comes home from his $7 an hour job *I'm going by that number cause I know that's what my husband makes, which actually puts him <125% poverty line*.

He pays insurance, car, rent/home, utilities. Looks in his wallet. Not a lot in there, BUT he still needs to eat, sooo, down to the local food shop.

He looks at vegies, cause you need vegies to stay healthy.

On the shelf is 1 head of lettuce for $5. It comes from a farm that employs LEGAL immigrant and/or local guys, pays for all of their medicals and whatelse they need to be legal.

Next to it is another head of lettuce for $2.50. It comes from a farm that employs illegals.

Which do you think that goold ol' 1005 american boy that needs to feed himself, stay healthy, and provide to society is going to pick? The one that will allow him to buy other goods for him to stay healthy/sane.

So he buys the $2.50 one. He wants a new shirt. he could buy the $20 shirt made in America by immigrants, or the $5 special made by immigrants. The $5 one.

Happans in Australia too. There's a BIG push to 'buy Australian', because we don't suffer too badly from illeals working here *most gets outsourced or imported in*, but people will ALWAYS, ALWAYS look at the price first. Most do not care about where it came from, so long as it's cheap.

Unfortunatly, for americans, it's going to take a lot of research to find out which farms employ legals, whereas in Australia, you just have to look on the back of the label (though in some cases, that's a lie too)

I keep seeing this over and over, where people say to come into the country the legal way. Well, let me ask a question, becuz I am really dumb on this.

If you dont have relatives here to petition for you, and you are not eligible for work or school visa's, what process DO you use to come legally, or is there even one?

Myself, have no idea WHAT should be done, its just so overwhelming, and I seem to kind of see both sides of the issue. My hubby's country is becoming more and more unstable, and I have no idea how to tell him how to get his uncles, nephews, etc, here legally, as people keep suggesting. Any ideas?

I think you will find, most people will be referring to the Lotto, and not an actual sponsored relative. The lotto allows anyone a chance to come into the USA who do not fit under any other guidelines (relatives, work, religious, sport, celebrity, etc).

I've tried it before, and it is just that, a lottory. They stick your name on the computer and it randomly picks names. Yuck.

I'm up in Central/Coastal Queensland *Go the Cwboys!* and I would do my timeline if I had dates!

MY KINGDOM FOR DATES *glares at hubby* hehe, though I guess I could start with how we meet hmm....

Hi evryone

I'm still reading the site. I'm just amazed at all of the information here, right down to the people at the Embassy in Sydney.

Been reading through here, bookmarking cheap flight websites and travel movers etc. I'm just trying to keep sane for another day till Husband gets back so I can bug him for that dang USCIS number

Not looking forward to all of the costs though. Didn't think it'd be cheap, but wasn't really expecting a 'holiday' in Bisbane and Sydney...

hehe, I've been to Arkansas a few times, and I do know, and have been, to... Australian Way? Life? Some aussie store out in the middle of whoopwhoop there owned by an aussie.

And Arkansas should be renamed Arkiesaw anyway hehe

I'm finding a LOT of information right now, been reading the aussie link StelleR mentioned. Medical guys, police reports, when to get them done.

I'm just getting worried now because I haven't heard anything yet, and husband hasn't told me jack either x.X and I wont be able to talk to him for another 2 days. The suspence, it kills ><

Good luck with it! In a kind of weird twist, I'll hopefully be headed to... Arkansas! (from Australia of all places hehe)

Oh my god, I am SO happy to finally find a site where I can TALK to people about this, without having to try and decipher lawyer terms.

Hello, I'm an Australian. Married my man here in Queensland last year in July. Took him till December to finally file it though in Texas x.X Apparently it's a big secret too because he wont tell me any information unless I ask him for it, and since I dont know what to ask him, I have no information. bah! men hehe

Of course, that hasn't helped my frustration. Only last week I found out about K-3. It got my hopes up a lot, and his, but I dont think its the savior it's made out to be. It doesn't help that 'information' sites about visas leave out about 70% of the information... like medical and police reports, affidavits of support, fees for said reports (if you dont know you need these forms, why would you want to know the price? Argh!)

These sort of things I would like to know. If I can only get my medical done in Sydney, I would like to know. Plane flights and money all have to taken into account (I live 2 hrs drive from the closest city, let alone capital )

Anyway, nice way to introduce myself, a Hi with a rant Nice to finally find a place I can get REAL information that I can understand without needing a degree in Lawyer Speak