miker32us

I am asked dozens of times for advice and assistance either at these parties or via email from our Chinese friends. That is the way it is when you are married to a Chinese, other people hear that you have successfully completed the program and ask for advice. What I have seen so many times is that the Chinese talk amongst themselves and spread totally false ideas. 

A Chinese woman here in the USA has overstayed her B1 visa by several months. She is convinced she can marry an American and start the R-1 process but I think her application would be denied and she would have to return to China where it is likely she would be denied entry because of the overstay. Is this correct?

My wife had her citizenship interview over 6 weeks ago. She had checked the box on her N-400 to allow a name change. We made an Info Pass appointment and were told USCIS had sent the application for a name change to a federal judge and that we just had to wait until it came back. They cannot tell us how long it will take nor can we change the N-400 at this point. Just passing this information along.

Does anyone know why the online USCIS status system does not provide any information after the N-400 is sent to the local office for processing and the interview? My wife passed her interview 11/9 and was given a letter stating she will receive her oath ceremony letter in the mail but we have not received anything for 5 weeks now. The Online status only goes as far as the interview letter being sent which was in August.

My wife's interview was Wednesday, 11/10/2010. She only had her temporary license because the NC state license bureau is backed up. She also had copies of all the documents we submitted for her N-400. The agent briefly looked at them and told her everything was in order, asked her 5 civics questions and gave her a letter stating she had passed.

In the appointment letter my wife received there are several items she is being told to bring to the interview. One of them is a state issued photo ID card. She does not drive thus she has no state ID card, but has several other forms of ID. I am wondering if this is really a requirement or just one item on a form letter. She has several other forms of photo ID's we hope will suffice.

After talking to USCIS and getting several different explanations we decided to do an Info Pass. We arrived yesterday at 2 PM. We explained we had never received our appointment letter. Their office was very understanding. They even gave us a copy of the appointment notice for 8/25 we never received. My wife got her fingerprints completed and picture taken within a few minutes and we were finished!!!

As we were leaving the doors to the adjacent hall where the citizenship oath is administered were opened and dozens of new citizens streamed out.

Sounds like the source of your problem is the USPS, did you fill out a forwarding address card? Even at that, depending upon where you live, they many just ignore it. But sounds like you are doing everything right to correct it.

Should start a rule book, rule #2 is to never move while you have an application pending, will leave it up to "saywhat", for rule #1.

While we may send our applications with return receipt, pay extra for overnight, etc., just get a first class letter from the USCIS or the DOS, with some very important documents on the inside. Even got in the habit of opening all my junk mail while an application is pending, that could be rule #3.

We did not move while we had an application pending. We moved in early June and filed the N-400 July 28. I have already spoken to USPS numerous times. I made an InfoPass for next week and hope the fingerprining can be done at that time.

We just spoke to USCIS and were given the correct receipt number. I enter it online and see

On August 11, 2010, we mailed a notice requesting additional evidence or information in this case N400 APPLICATION FOR NATURALIZATION. Please follow the instructions on the notice to submit the requested information. This case will be in suspense until we receive the evidence or the opportunity to submit it expires. Once we receive the requested evidence or information and make a decision on the case, you will be notified by mail. If you move while this case is pending, please use our Change of Address online tool to update your case with your new address or call our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.

Is this just telling us they need biometrics completed?

We moved to an apartment in June in the same city where were have been living for 4 years and completed an AR-11 for my wife with the new address. I filed the N-400 for her July 27 and our check was was cashed August 3. As of yesterday we have still not received a NOA. I called USCIS customer service yesterday and was told it had been sent and that my wife's Biometrics was August 25 and we had missed it. The agent said that we must not be receiving mail at our apartment under my wife's name and that a new appointment would have to be set up and sent to us. I was given the N-400 receipt number by the agent but the online USCIS case status service says the receipt number I was given is not valid. Swell, Can I make an InforPass for Biometrics now? Will I need a valid Receipt number when I go for the InfoPass or is our A number adequate?

I am worried that since we are not receiving mail for my wife this next appointment letter will not be delivered either.

Also for those of you who have filed through the Lewisville, Texas location did your receipt number start with WTC or TSC?

We moved to an apartment in June in the same city where were have been living for 4 years and completed an AR-11 for my wife with the new address. I filed the N-400 for her July 27 and our check was was cashed August 3. As of yesterday we have still not received a NOA. I called USCIS customer service yesterday and was told it had been sent and that my wife's Biometrics was August 25 and we had missed it. The agent said that we must not be receiving mail at our apartment under my wife's name and that a new appointment would have to be set up and sent to us. I was given the N-400 receipt number by the agent but the online USCIS case status service says the receipt number I was given is not valid. Swell, Can I make an InforPass for Biometrics now? Will I need a valid Receipt number when I go for the InfoPass or is our A number adequate?

I am worried that since we are not receiving mail for my wife this next appointment letter will not be delivered either.

I do not think your luggage can be removed after checking in for your flight at your origination, it is checked through to your final destination and remains in a secure area. We fly through Hawaii on our way back from Taiwan a lot and have a 10-11 hour layover and always get into the city then return, no problems at all.

My wife has her 10 year greencard but we have just learned her mother has cancer and we will be going back to Taiwan for an indefinite period soon. It appears the N-400 times are 6-9 months from the time the application is submitted to the oath ceremony so we do not think there is enough time to apply for her citizenship. How long can we stay in Taiwan before having to show some type of evidence that we are not abandoning her residency. What form do we need to complete and do we need to do it before leaving the US?

My co-worker is from the UK, his wife is a US citizen, he has been here in the US and married to her 3 years but has been out of the country attending scientific conferences, etc, a total of 3 months. He was told he had to wait an additional 3 months to apply for citizenship by our local USCIS immigration office when he did an infopass. Perhaps it is up to each office or officer but they do ask the question right on the I-400 application.

What you are saying is that someone can be outside the country for 17/36 months and still apply for citizenship?

Also, it is not the 3 years you have been married but the 3 years since you arrived in the US, ie, the date on your green card for those IR-1 or CR-1 filers.

Correction, you can file 3 years minus 90 days PLUS the number of days you have been out of the country since you received your green card!!!

Not true. Time spent outside the US only starts to impact your eligibility date if your total days outside the country add up to 18 months or more if applying under the 3 years based on marriage, 30 months or more if applying based on five years residency, or if you spent a year or more outside the US at one time.

Correction, you can file 3 years minus 90 days PLUS the number of days you have been out of the country since you received your green card!!!

There is no requirement that you file for naturalization. If you choose to do so, you are normally eligble to file five years minus ninety days after the Resident Since date on your green card. If you became a permanent resident because of marriage to a US Citizen and are still married to that person, you can file three years minus ninety days after the Resident Since date on your green card. You can choose to file anytime after your eligibility begins.

My wife is Taiwanese and is allowed to be a dual citizen. We will be applying for citizenship in January and have to travel back to Taiwan in April. I am confused about this thread, why would she have to give up her Taiwan passport after she takes the oath to become a US citizen? Is she required to turn in her green card during the citizenship ceremony or when she is fingerprinted?

We filed in January and did our biometrics in early March and there have been no online status updates but yesterday we got the NOA stating USCIS had lifted conditions. I think they are just behind in updating their systems and that is reflected in the lack of online status updates.

Hi,

My wife got her green card 4/10/07,. Do we wait until 4/10/2010 to file the N-400 or can we file 90 days ahead like we did for her I-751?

You can add us as of January 10, 2009, we have the package ready to go.

Hi Joey,

I am from the Raleigh North Carolina area. I am sure you can get a job in a private daycare or work as a nanny either in your home or in a child's home. My wife is working as a nanny and making pretty good $$ watching 2 kids under 3 years old. I doubt you would be able to work in the public school system but you might want to check with www.dpi.state.nc.us

Mike

Hi~everybody..My name is Joey.. I am orginally from Korea settle down in Australia as Australian citizen..

I met my fiancé on Yahoo chatting and clicked right away..I have been with him for a seven years..I visited him couple of times and he visited me once..we were going to settle down in Australia but changed the plan due to interesting rising, etc..ANYHOW...we are going to file for K-1 visa soon..and here are the questions for ya...if can please please please reply!!

2. I came to Australia as a student 10 years ago do I still need a birth certificate form Korea, if so, should I certified it after translated?

3. When my fiancé file for all documents do they have to be certified??

4. I am currently working as childcare worker and have been working in this field about 5 years..I also, going to complete Bachelor of Teaching (Early childhood education) 3 years degree which allow to teach 0-5 yrs old in early childhood education..does anybody working in this fied in North Carolina? You guys reckon I can able to get a job as early childhood teacher without having a teacher’s license?

* I have settle down Australia for quite some time and it is scariest thing to move to overseas again..I am especially, frighten about getting a driving license. And possibility of racism since my fiancé lives sunburn where low percentage of Asian people lives…

My wife has her 2 year GC and we will apply to have the conditions removed in January 2009. We plan to go back to Taiwan periodically over the next 2 years but do not know how long we will remain out of the US. We are wondering if my wife is considered to have abandoned her residency if she stays out of country for more than 6 months even though she has a green card. If so, can we fly to Guam from Taiwan to get the entry stamp or do we have to fly to Hawaii or the mainland.

The US used to have an embassy in Taiwan. But there was an agreement in 1970 according to Wikipedia:

The 1970s saw a switch in diplomatic recognition from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China with countries like the United States, Japan, and Canada making the switch during that decade. In October 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the UN General Assembly, expelling "the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek" and replacing the China seat on the Security Council (and all other UN organs) with delegates from the People's Republic of China. It declared "that the representatives of the Government of the People's Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations" and thus do not regard the Republic of China as legitimately representing the whole of China.

agreeing that the PRC - China was the ONLY China the US recognizes. So the US no longer recognizes Taiwan, the ROC. Since the US does not recognize the ROC as a country the US cannot have an embassy there. But we do have AIT which is staffed by US State Department employees and does the same work as any other embassy throughout the world.

I am a little confused by your timeline. You have applied for a K-1 visa but are already married. Is there something about getting married in VietNam that does not make you "married"? Should you not be filing a K-3?

SURPRISE! there is a little bit of time in the afternoon where everyone is sleeping and i am bored. So... i decided to post some pictures of whats going on while i'm here online to share with all my friends and family back home. I'll post the links up here while I'm at, just because .

Roast Duck Lunch

It's been a couple months since i had roast duck back home so i decided to have some here. Good stuff!

I have a ton of pictures already and its only my second day here, but unfortunatly i'm using DSL and Dell and not really liking it . Depending on my fustration level with this thing i may or may no put up a lot more pictures while i'm here.

Wow I love the one of you starting the charcoal fire, was that on a patio I hope and not inside the house?

Current Visit in Oct/Nov:

Lunch at Aunt Hue's House

It's been a couple months since I had roast duck back home so I decided to have some here. Good stuff!

An Afternoon Ride in Saigon

These are pictures I took while on the way to and from the duck vendor.

Cooking With Tram

We made some Ka-Bobs today!

Previous Visit in March:

Vietnam

This is just some pictures I shot while I was there last time.

Tram in Da Lat

These are some pictures I took of Tram during our honeymoon in Da Lat.

Wedding Pictures That Did Not Make the Cut

These are some pictures from the studio that we did not use, but my mother decided to post them online. Thanks...

Wedding Ceremony

Our wedding day pictures.

Pictures of Tram and I

Some more pictures of the two of us.

Another round of Tim and Tram Pictures

As the title says .

Enjoy.