Jeniafrench

Please read the Affidavit of Support form instructions. It's clearly stated that you need either complete tax returns + W-2's (or whatever income statements you have) OR tax transcripts.

Tax transcripts are not a must.

(Where you might run into trouble is that if the sponsor has income from a foreign country, they need to be able to prove that their job/income will continue in the US. If the petitioner has to quit their job when they move to the US, a joint sponsor will be needed, unless the petitioner has sufficient assets.)

Correct. I also read in the Affidavit of Support that returns and W2 can be submitted in lieu of tax transcripts . I was mostly wondering if, in the case that the sponsor lives and works overseas, will NVC accept another country's equivalent of a W2 instead of the actual US version. So if anyone has experience with this I'm interested to find out.

Regarding your second point. I haven't read or heard before about the need to prove there will be no lapse in employment or income once the sponsor returns to the US. Do you know firsthand about that happening, and can you point me in a direction where I can find out more about it?

Thanks.

Hi Everyone!

We just got a welcome letter from the NVC. Still got a little bit of time left before we get to mail the documents to them.

Basically it came as a surprise to us that they require tax transcripts (somehow we just thought that tax returns are it). My husband is the USC living and working overseas in Singapore. He has filed taxes in the US.

We started looking into how to get tax transcripts and it doesn't look too great. He can't do it online because he doesn't have a US phone contract that is a requirement for identity verification. He can't have them mail it to his old US address because his parents recently moved. The IRS has our Singapore address on file. But I'm not even sure if they would mail it overseas. And I don't know how long it might take...

So basically given the situation, do you think that NVC can accept 3 years tax returns? They also require W2, but it is only available through US employers. Here in Singapore there is an equivalent of W2 but it is called something else. Should we include that as well?

I don't want to waste time trying to get the transcripts if we can just get away with returns + W2 equivalent. If we just send returns and W2 equivalent, what are the chances that NVC will reply saying they need transcripts as well?

Appreciate anyone's help on this.

You will have to fill the DS-261 and pay the AOS fee first then you can call the NVC to review the form. Give it around 2 days then you will receive the invoice for the IV then that's the time you can pay it.

Thanks for a fast reply! I already filled out the DS-261. The system won't let me pay the AOS fee for some reason. I click the "pay" button and nothing happens. Sound like a system glitch?

Hi everyone! Received the NVC welcome letter today. Super excited for the next step

The Affidavit of Support Fee is included in the letter, But the IV processing fees invoice is not there. I tried to pay the AOS fee online but seems like the system doesn't let me. Is that normal? Am I supposed to wait until the other invoice is available?

Thanks for your help.

Hi guys!

Just got a confirmation from NVC (over the phone) that they recieved our case from USCIS. Woo-hoo!!

How long does is usually take for them to issue case number? How soon should I start calling? They said it takes 2-3 weeks, but I want to expedite it as much as possible

What do you mean by Chicago and Nevada? I didn't know there were different centers... How do you find out which one you will be sent to?

Thank you!
It depends on the Center for the NVC so hopefully Chicago is faster than Nevada that was taking 3 weeks-a month to send them out lately.

Also, this keeps bothering me. Please someone help Is the app 100% accurate on when the case is being sent to NVC? So basically there is no point of calling NVC until the app says that the case is being "sent to the department of state"?

I haven't been calling at all (almost 3 weeks since approval already) - is that the right thing to do? Thank you....

Don't worry. It happened to me too. Seems like they are having a scheduled maintenance.

https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/customer-service-tools-outage

Too bad cause I'm expecting my case to be sent to NVC any day now... Anyone knows how long it takes usually? 3 weeks after approval?

15 applications is not a lot.

And this has nothing to do with your immigration status. When I moved to the US on a CR-1 visa I found a job in less than a month completely fitting my qualifications from Russia. I've had other interviews as well. Nobody cared that i was a foreigner/ immigrant. They were looking at my qualification and nothing else.

But I'm sorry, you really can't get too far if you give up after sending 15 applications. I probably sent a hundred. And it's a normal number, i believe the same applies to USC.

Make sure to write a very good resume, write good introductory info about your education institutions/ former employer (given you new employer might not know nothing about these places in Europe).

Good luck!

Do you mean the same USCIS app? I have it but I didn't realize that it shows NVC transfer as well. How reliable is it? So no need to call NVC? Thanks.

Download the app. Works the best

How do you guys track when cases are being sent to NVC?

Thank you so much for your answers!

So I haven't received the NVC welcome letter or the DS-260 confirmation yet. But when I do I will make sure to use both for the appeal.

Thanks for a reply, The website states that they no longer take walk-ins and you have to apply online.

So DS-260 confirmation is enough? Is has the list of the required documents and my name on it? Sorry I'm not at this stage yet, so don't know.

Also, are you a Singapore citizen or a foreigner? I think they are a lot more strict to foreigners.

You can go to the SPF at Catonement in Outram. Fill up application form and appeal. I think you need to bring photos as well. You can use the DS-260 confirmation page for proof that it is needed for US immigration.

Oh yeah IR-1 spousal visa.

What visa application are you applying?

Hi everyone!

Our case just got approved at USCIS so it will be forwarded to NVC soon. I'm trying to get everything ready in advance.

I reside in Singapore, but am not a citizen of Singapore. In my situation, it is stated on the Singapore police website, that I need to submit the following: "Documentary proof stating that a COC is required by the various foreign government authorities or institutions for specific overseas purposes (e.g. migration / adoption / employment / further education)".

I emailed the US Embassy here to ask if they can provide a letter and the answer that I received was the following:

"You may use the checklist provided by the National Visa Center to apply for a Certificate of Clearance from the Singapore Police Force. We do not provide request letters to applicants whose cases are still with the National Visa Center."

My question is: is there such a thing as a personalized checklist from NVC? When they receive my application, will they send me a letter or email where they list the required documents? So I can use it for the police. Or do I have to send a package without the police certificate and then wait for the response? I really would prefer not too, since it seems like it might delay the process...

Thanks in advance.

Thanks everyone! Hope all of you still waiting get approved reeeeal soon!

We were approved too!!! Woo-hoo! PD March 29!

Will that app show when the case is being sent to NVC or no? Thanks!

Hello everyone!

Our PD is March 29. I've been checking the app and it seems like over 80% of the cases for this date are already approved/ RFEd. Ours not being one of them, even though all the cases around it are already taken care of.

As it is getting closer to the 5 months mark, I'm considering giving USCIS a call if doesn't get approved within this week. My question is: are there any tips on which kind of questions to ask on the phone to get more information on the case? I'm just scared to hear something like: "you are still within the normal processing time, call back in 2 months" and no answers at all.

As the case itself, I was really hoping for no delays since we've been married for almost 5 years, never lived apart and my husband lives overseas with me now. The only hypothetical complication i can think of is the fact that I had a CR-1 before (through the same husband) and then gave it up voluntarily due to us moving out of the US. Also, I live in Singapore which is not the country of my citizenship. Does anyone know if these circumstances could cause delays?

Thanks in advance! I good luck to all still waiting for NOA2

Do you guys know if there is any logic behind who gets approved faster and vice versa? For example, faster for USC living overseas with spouse or the case has lots of evidence etc? How else can you explain cases from January being approved same time as April...

He can probably apply to a private school and get a proper student visa. These kinds of schools are not cheap but if it's that important to go to school in the US vs wherever the kid is from...

Just got the status update. My case has been transferred. Hope it is for a faster approval. #Confused

So they are transferring files that have been sitting in Nebraska for a few months? I thought they only transfer in the beginning....

Thanks for a quick answer!

We went to the US only once for a short 2-week vacation. I'm not sure if that's enough.

So if we try to say that my husband maintained the domicile, should he write his US address in the documents? Or will the Singapore address be ok?

You don't actually need to specify which path you are taking, but considering it's only been two years and he still has a valid bank account and DL, I'd concentrate on "maintained domicile". Did you visit the USA during the two years? That would help too.

If you will pay rent, you should have a lease. If not, a letter from your father-in-law, stating you guys will live there for a time and he is looking forward to you coming will be fine.

Hello everyone,

Apologies in advance if similar threads are out there. But I was hoping to get some more personalized answers, if possible.

both me and my husband (US citizen) legally reside and work in Singapore. I understand that there are 2 ways to prove domicile;

1. Prove that he maintained it

2. Prove that he is taking steps to move back and establish domicile.

I'm quite confused on which path to take that would give us better chances.

My husband has been living overseas for about 2 years, he only had income from a Singapore company, no US income. He filed taxes in the US. We maintain our main bank account in the US, he has a valid drivers license. We have a car there but had to pass the ownership to his father, otherwise it was impossible to renew the registration. We don't own property or have rental agreements in the US. We both have SSNs.

Once we move we are planning on staying at my in-laws house. We could sign a lease with them but I'm afraid that might look suspicious (lease with your own parents?). My husband was planning on moving back to the US a month or 2 before my expected interview date and look for a new job. But obviously there is no way to prove that while submitting documents to the NVC.

Another thing is that I actually had a valid CR-1 before (through the same husband). I renounced it volunteerly a couple years ago when we decided to move overseas for a few years. I wonder if this will be a factor towards the fact that my husband didn't maintain his domicile. Or maybe this is irrelevant, I'm not sure...

I would appreciate any insight on which path would be better in our situation.

Thank you!

Whats happening? Seems like we are not moving at all?

So if most cases from Feb 8 are still not approved, can we assume that the processing times on visa journey are incorrect? It shows that cases with March 1st NOA1 date are being processed now....

So from what I understand you can go to the US on a tourist visa any time (meaning both at the pending i-130 stage and the NVC stage). Is that correct?

This is interesting though. I had a CR-1 visa before (then I gave it up, now applying again). Last time we were eligible for DCF. So I had personal interviews/ encounters in the embassy. I was specifically told by an officer in the embassy last time that I now have an immigration status and I am not allowed to travel to the US until my case gets approved. And my tourist visa (that was valid in my passport at the time) will no longer be valid... So I was certain all these years that traveling with a pending immigrant visa is not allowed.

Turns out that officer really dis-informed me.