rbacon

GJ,

This is not unusual, as it is probably down for upgrading. USCIS tends to do maintenance on its various websites on weekends, without advance warning or substitute messages.

--Ray B

Palomino,

Original and certified documents are not normally returned, unless requested at the interview or soon after. If going for a K1 or other visa which requires certified documents at the interview, rather than to the NVC earlier, it is recommended to take certified and extra photocopy, to show the certified, then leave the photocopy for thier file.

--Ray B

I had my interview in the Dublin embassy on Thurs but the embassy never returned my original birth cert or my daughters. I cant remember what other original docs we submitted. She did return my marriage cert. Does anyone know if you can contact the embassy to get them returned?

Using assets, even real estate, to substitute for income, is an uphill battle and may easily be disallowed by the NVC (or USCIS if submitting to that agency for Adjustment).

--Ray B

Hello,
I have to send in the i 864 and I have a co-sponser which is my brother and he is a self employed and his income is not enough he is going to put his cars in as an asset , can I send a copy of the registration, if not what do I have to do.
Thank you in advance for your information.

Paps,

The two "gotchas" with the subject's history are:

1. Her 11 month absence in 2013 could be interpreted as a break in the "continuous residency" requirement.

2. Whether she is still married to a U.S. citizen (assuming she married her K1 petitioner and remained married).

If still married to a U.S. citizen, her "safe' citizenship eligiblity date could be 2 years and 9 months from her last reentry in May 2014 (January 2017).

Her itinerary so far has all the earmarks of a determined attempt to retain her Green Card status, but a disregard for the genuine "continuous residency" in U.S. for naturalization eligibility.

--Ray B

Ray B Thank u for replying, actually there was a typo.

She came to US as K1 in MAY 2009.

She return to Phil in feb. 2013 (stayed Phils 11 months)

then she enter Guam for 4 days only In Jan 2014 and returned after that back to the Philippines. (stayed PHILS another 4 months)

Then she enter Hawaii in May 2014

So when she is eligible to apply for citizenship?

Marriage will not guarantee that the deported person will be allowed to return to the U.S.

A new U.S. citizen spouse, no matter where they marry, or a U.S. citizen child, aged 21 or older, can petition him and get the paperwork all the way to the Embassy in Nigeria. At that point, however, the Embassy will decide whether to allow a waiver request.

I wouldn't recommend hiring an attorney this early in the game, as you can easily pay $5,000 to $10,000 for an attorney specialized in waivers, and the waiver may not be approved. (money lost).

Anyone (spouse or adult children) can submit the immigrant petition and get to the interview. But the waiver process, if even allowed by the Embassy is a different matter altogether.

--Ray B

Sorry he was deported in 2008,nope he is not married either.what if they get married in Lagos say now,can he be allowed back?

Joechima,

The first step is not a waiver, but is an I-130 immigrant petition submitted by a U.S. citizen wife or child age 21 or older. The petition will progress to a point where additional evidence will be requested, or it may get all the way to the NVC, and then perhaps the Embassy in Nigeria. If the Embassy interview results in a denial, the reviewer may recommend an option to apply for a "Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility," I-601, or "Application for Permission to Reapply ...After Deportaiton or Removal," I-212. My experience has been with the I-601 form, once successfully and once with a resulting denial because the applicant had been removed several times.

For a return of criminally-deported persons, a 10-year+ absence seems to be the starting point for establishing eligiblity, but it really depends on the seriousness of the criminal history.

--Ray B

Here we go,trying to help a friend he was born in Nigeria in 1978 emigrated to the US in 1981.Had a lot of criminal issues was deported in 1998 but has a son and a daughter from two women who are 15 and 13 respectively.pls can their mothers and children file a waiver for him to come back to the US??

DWheels,

The children must be aged 21 or older (and U.S. citizens) to petition a parent.

--Ray B

is he married to either woman? If they aren't his wife nope. And the kids can't petition dad until they are 18. So there's no avenue for him there.

Even if he was to marry a US citizen and they petition him they would have to prove on a hardship waiver which comes way after the petition and interview that its a hardship to have hubby away from them because they are suffering in some way.

Considering his criminal behavior got him deported highly unlikely he would ever be able to come to US even as a visitor. Sorry.

PAPS,

Is the subject married to a U.S. citizen? If so, for how long?

You said she moved to Guam in Jan 2014, after being in Phils since Feb 2012. That's a 23-month break in continuous residency. But you then said she was in Phils for only 11 months. How long was she out of the U.S., 11 months of 23 months?

--Ray B

P.S. I posted the same question a week ago but not getting any response not even one!

If you could help her out I appreciate it and thank you so much!

This question is for my friend:

She came to US as K1 in MAY 2009. Married and live in US (she stayed here in US for 33 months.) She is a 10 years GC holder.

She then return to Philippines in Feb 2012. Then she return to GUAM in Jan 2014 and now living in Hawaii.

Here's the questions:

1~ Is her residency prior to her returning to Phils does not count towards her residency to apply for citizenship?

2~She stayed in Phils for 11 months and been living in Hawaii for 3 months now. When does she eligible to apply for citizenship?

Thank you in advance!

Trymester,

Six passport-style photos: 2 for I-485 on the G-325A; 2 for I-131, and 2 for I-765.

I usually include a G-325A for original petitioner, and add two passport-style photos for him, also.

--Ray B

I'm asking because the G-325A is asking for 2 passport photos and the I-31 instructions also ask for 2 photos, so should we send in 4 photos altogether?

Did you get an Adjustment of Status approval letter or did you get the actual Green Card? (or both?)

Anyway, the USCIS status page cannot be relied upon for current status of procedures.

--Ray B

hi! can somebody please explain because im
a bit confused here. i got my greencard last saturday And i got an approval letter in the mail from uscis stating that the I130 was approved. but when i check my status online, i130 is still on the initial review stage. so my question is: when will they update my status online when i already got the approval letter in the mail from uscis? any explanation from you guys is greatly appreciated. thanks!

I'm told Saudi doesn't give police clearance to non citizens no longer living in Saudi Arabia, so its not necessary.

I re-checked the State Department listing and that seems to be the case. If the NVC requests a Saudi police clearance, refer them to the State Department citation describing the Saudi requirements and inability of non-citizens outside of Saudi to get clearances:

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/SA.html

--Ray B

Use a "general" address and street names that she can recall. Keep in mind that your gal will also need a Saudi police clearance for her K1 interview.

--Ray B

Hello again everyone,

So I'm trying to prepare my filipina fiance's G-325a for my initial K-1 fiance visa packet. My fiance worked in Saudi Arabia as domestic help/caregiver for 7 years but she doesn't know the address, just the city. I've read that Saudi Arabia doesn't use street addresses just P.O. Boxes. What do I put on the G-325a? Is this a big problem?

Thanks everyone, I really appreciated your help!

The CFO seminar completion is a Philippines government requirement for all Filipinos going abroad to work or to reunite with spouses or fiancees. It has nothing to do with the Embassy.

Historically, some of the CFO employees have used the seminar venue to provide misleading and false information about the U.S. immigration process. The most common example of this that I have heard scores of times is the warning that an immigrant to the U.S. will not be able to leave the U.S. for two years. For a while, if not still, a religious order had a contract to conduct the CFO seminar in Manila, and these types of warnings and misinformation, as well as initial refusal to release the seminar certificate, were quite commonly exercised by the nuns conducting seminars..

On the whole, the reasons for requiring attendance at the seminar were quite justified, especially for those leaving to be "dancers" and "hostesses" in Japan and Korea. Abuse of Filipinos working abroad (or reuniting with fiancees and spouses) are big news items in the Philippines, and the required CFO seminars were instituted to prepare immigrants for risks abroad.

--Ray B

Hi we are so grateful to be at this stage of our visa process. Visa in hand and flight scheduled for Friday. Need to make others aware of the requirement of the PDOS, the Pre Departure Orientation Seminar. This is not listed in the Embassy's steps to acquiring a visa to come the United States, but it is required.

My fiance is from Mindinao and returned home to await her visa after her interview where she was approved. FYI, it took 11 business days for the visa to arrive from Manila to Davao City via 2Go.

We then had to schedule the PDOS and since she lives in Mindinao it was easier to fly her to Cebu (the only other place than Manila where it is offered). Although it only costs $10US there are slot limits and there are things to be careful about. It is an easy place for the locals removed from Manila to get bribes for attendance and exagerrating the number of slots available that day, except for the extra fee. This is all that my fiance has told me about so far, but I sent her $200US before her appointment and she was out of money after the appointment and had to come back the next day to get her sticker. Luckily we had built several days for this process in her schedule.

I think the PDOS is a good thing to prevent sex trafficking and slave trafficking, but it is susceptible to local corruption, especially if it is remote from the Embassy.

I suggest people who have to travel long distances from Manila for their visa to have the visa shipped to 2Go in Manila and then go directly to PDOS there.

The good news is that Genalyn will be here Friday, and I am very happy, and this was a minor bump on the road, but it is not on the road map that the Embassy presents.

eddieandgenalyn

You need to approximate the month and year, and put "01" for date. "Date of filing" is an ambiguous question and not having the exact date is fairly common, and will not cause any static from the reviewer.

--Ray B

Hello, please help, I need some guidance.

Back in 2007 I filed an I-129F. I cannot remember the date of the filing. During a previous move, my paperwork was misplaced.

In the most recent I-129F form, block 14e, it asks for "Date of Filing". I know the exact month and year, but unsure of the exact date.

Will my petition get rejected if I enter in questions mark in "??" for the day, as I have no idea the exact day.

Or should I put in a best guess? or Just questions marks? I'm worried about this..

My fiancée and I are eager to get the petition filed.

Any thoughts or experience with this section or issue folks?

Thanks!

Rahjo

There is no delivery fee for visa package from the Manila Embassy.

--Ray B

Ok during interview does everyone pay for shipping and delivery for the visa and other docs. Worried me because my mom she didnt fee for the debroa

In addition to the good suggestions you received already, I'll offer a direct response in the form of a list:

1. Check for $1,070 to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security"

2. Immigration medical exam update (Form I-693) from a USCIS-listed doctor.

3. Completion of forms G-1145, I-485, G-325A (applicant), I-864 (from petitioner), i-765, I-131

4. Supporting docs: 6 passport-style photos of applicant, copy of petition approval NOA, copies of I-94, visa, passport ID page, 2013 Federal tax return, W2's, employment verification, birth, marriage and birth doc copies from both..

--Ray B

Hi everyone! I would like to ask about how to process adjustment of status. My then fiance, now husband, and I just got married May 31st and we want to start the process of Adjustment of Status for me and my k2. Pls help. Both of us don't know how to get it started. Thanks in advance

Darnell,

K1 petition approvals are happening in record time, fastest I've seen in 15 years of monitoring.

I saw an I-129F get approved in two weeks last month. Most others I have submitted recently have been averaging 30-60 days.

--RayB