gregoryagu

12 hours ago, OldUser said:

Don't forget, LPR cannot spend unlimited time overseas. They cannot be out for 6+ months without breaking continuous residence for the purposes of naturalization. They cannot be out for 1+ years for purposes of keeping green card. They can lose the status and would have to start immigration from scratch.

Ok, I did not actually realize this about the 1 year green card rule.  It would be a pity to have to start over again.

12 hours ago, OldUser said:

This is a valid concern. If she wants to naturalize, she has to stay put in the US. 5 months trip is OK, but it it's followed by other trips shortly after, this can affect things negatively.

Ok, thank you.  I think our best course of action is just wait to finish the N400 process before going on any other trips.  

12 hours ago, OldUser said:

1. Yes, you don't get to select office. It gets picked based on your residency address. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-a-uscis-office/field-offices

 

Put a ZIP code and it will tell you where your LFO is located.

Ok, thank you.  I checked the N400, and we did use Tampa as the residency address.

As noted in my timeline, I submitted paperwork for my wife for the N400 naturalization on July 22 2024.  Shortly thereafter we got a notice that the current bio-metrics were still valid and so that would not be needed.

But here we are 4.5 months later and we do not yet have an appointment.

Questions about this:  1. I don't recall ever selecting an Office, but I am assuming that the Tampa Office will automatically be used as it is the closest to our address, correct?  In searches I have done, it seems like some of the offices are faster than others, but I don't know that there is any way of changing that, especially at this point.

2. I checked the Processing Time on the USCIS site, and this is what it says:

So if this is correct, it is going to be April before we get an appointment, correct?

3. After the Interview, then there is also the oath ceremony.  I was not able to find an estimate on how long after the appointment this would be for Tampa.

4. In times past, we did not really care how long the process took (we have been married 8 years now). However, we recently traveled for 2 months to see her family in Russia, and then another 3 months in South Africa visiting our Church. (A total of 5 months, below the "6 Month Rule")  The concern is that we are going to somehow violate the residency requirements for her Citizenship.  We started the application before we left.  We have lived in the US the entire time, so our "Continuous Residence" requirement is easily satisfied.  The physical Presence requirement is also easily satisfied.  And we resided in Florida for the full three months preceding the filing.  

Our plan is to be back in the US and then wait for the interview, and then the oath. And at that point go back to South Africa for an extended for 1-2 years.

So if the above estimate is correct, we will need to wait until June for the interview, and then another period for the Oath.  

All in all, we would like to have this done as soon as possible so we can finish the work we have started in South Africa (humanitarian work) 

Sorry if I am rambling here, but I am trying to put forward as much information as possible.

Our other option would be to abandon the N400, and then be abroad as long as we want, and then take it up again after moving to the US.  I don't really see an issue with this because as far as I can tell, the only benefit of naturalization is that you can Vote, and get a US passport.  But the lack of a US passport has not been a hinderance to anything we have wanted to do so far.

Just to follow up on this: I sent my passport renewal with expedited service on March 14 via Priority Mail, and got it back yesterday, 28 March, also by Priority Mail. 

So, it took 14 calendar days to get the renewal.

5 minutes ago, randomstairs said:

The non-expedited processing time is 6-8 weeks (although I've seen folks saying it's now getting a bit faster). Depending on the country, a visa in an expired passport with a valid passport is sufficient to enter (the US does that). Ask at the countries' consular services. So in this case you won't have to renew the passport at all. 

 Thank you, I did not realize that the old Visa would still be valid even if the Passport itself expired.

Yes, Russian tourist Visa to visit family.  

I did not realize it might be possible to transfer an existing visa, but it appears that it can be done here: https://mumbai.mid.ru/en/consular-services/visa_transfer/#:~:text=A foreign national will be,apply for a new visa.

In any case, I will go ahead and get a new passport, and the new Visa since I have to get a new Tourist Visa anyone.

15 minutes ago, millefleur said:

You mean the Russian tourist visa for US citizens? There might be a way they can transfer it to the new passport, would need to check with the Russian consulate or visa service to see what they can do. Could involve more money and annoying extra steps though so I agree that new US passport first then get the Russian visa seems easier. 

 

 

My passport is due to expire in a year. Since I am getting a 3 year Tourist Visa, I don't want my passport to expire before the Visa.

What I am wondering is how long the actual processing time is for non-expedited processing.  I would prefer not to pay the $60 if it is not necessary.

On the other hand, I have to get the passport, then get the Visa which will take another month at least.  We don't have tickets yet, as we wait until after the Visa is in place first.

Has anyone recently renewed their passport using the non-expedited service? 

I did update my timeline, did I miss something?

There were no interviews (only interview was for the very first application, but that was not the I751), there were no RFE's.  Just got the letter saying it was approved.

The service center was Irving Texas.

Was not a divorce case, not sure what you mean by a joint case. It was me (American Citizen), beneficiary was my wife (we have been married almost 7 years now) from the Russian Federation.

Thank you, we just applied on line and will work through the process.

Ok, thanks so much.  I fear it is too close to our trip  departure date (Dec 16) to get a UK tourist Visa, but I will check it our further.

My wife and I are planning on a Trip to England.  We just got her an ADIT stamp to ensure she can get back into the US.

However, I had not considered the fact that she needs a VISA to get into England as she is not yet a permanent resident of the US.  

She has a Russian passport, so somehow she needs to get a UK Visa, but that seems difficult to get as she is here in the US, not in Russia.

So what do we do?  She says that we need to go to a UK embassy here in the US and apply for the Visa.  Is this correct?

I have checked the UK Embassy Website, but did not find any useful information.

Greg

47 minutes ago, Mike E said:

They  gave you a walk in interview?

Yes, but this was a very special circumstance:  We had an appointment which was canceled by them due to the Storm that came to Florida.  I don't think they would have done it otherwise.  They made me show the earlier appointment paperwork before they let us in.    So it wasn't exactly a walk-in.  Also, I did it late in the day so that it was more likely that they had an open person to help us out.  There were only a few people in the waiting room (maybe 3) so i think my strategy worked.

Good news - We got our ADIT stamp today!

What I did was just show up at the local office with my expired appointment and told them the story.

After a supervisor was consulted, they decided to go ahead and do our interview on an immediate basis.  Took about 30 minutes, and now it's done

Greg

Sadly, Hurrian Ian came along, and the office was closed on the day of my appointment.  I immediately called to request a new appointment, but here we are 30 days later, and still nothing.

I called, and they said they still have the request for the appointment, but that we are still on the wait list and do not have an "Emergency" because it is just travel.

So today we are going to show up at the office and see if there is some way to get the stamp based on the earlier appointment.

It's a little frustrating.

Oh, miracle of miracles, they just called me back.

And fortunately, my wife had not left the house yet, as they requested to speak to her (and not to me).

And now we have our appointment for Sept 30 at 7:20 AM! 

I am so happy right now.

Greg

On 9/12/2022 at 1:14 PM, mindthegap said:

Try again. Keep trying. You are legally entitled (some could argue REQUIRED) to have a stamp as proof of status and for travel and work proof purposes and - speaking as someone who has had 12(?) stamps now - this kind of rubbish that they are currently pulling makes me angry. 

If they keep giving the same excuse, then you need to play them at their own game and give them an 'urgent' reason, which will get it marked as urgent, and will give you a callback and an appointment within a day or so.  Amongst others, they class as urgent stuff like imminent travel, emergency travel, medical reasons, proof of status being required for document purposes such as driving license, or for work i-9 certification purposes.  If this was to perhaps mean you have to book a fully something like a fully refundable ticket to show them, and then cancel that after attending your appointment, then so be it. 

 

Thank you so much, this is very encouraging.

They did in fact call me this morning - and I missed it by a minute (Slaps forehead).  I stepped out 

I didn't realize that they would call to make the appointment.  In any case, they left a message saying that they would call back again within 48 hours.  So, I will keep my phone close, and I have their number in my contacts, so I know when they call.  

Ok, so I called and requested an appointment.  They said, "We will contact you within 30 days with your appointment date."

So today I got an email from them.  Instead of an appointment, they said:

We are contacting you about your pending request to be scheduled for an in-person appointment at a USCIS field office. Unfortunately, there are no available appointments with the field office that you need to visit. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience. 

So now what should I do?  We have already bought the plane tickets for our trip on Dec 16.

Hi Arken,

Thanks very much for the response.

Can you explain more on the InfoPass?  I searched for this, but the only thing I found is that the InfoPass is an online system, but cannot be used if you are in the US. (https://my.uscis.gov/en/appointment/v2)

I did find info on the ADIT stamp, and that does look like the correct thing to get.

So basically, I need to call the USCIS, make an appointment, and get them to stamp her passport?

Greg

My wife's Permanent Resident Card expired 3/24/20.

I751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence was filed 24 April 2021.  

I checked the USCIS website, and it shows the Petition was received.  Then on June 9, 2021, Case Was Updated To Show Fingerprints Were Taken.

On Nov 15, 2021, I received an extension letter of 24 months, which would extend the Perm Resident Car to 3/24/2022.  But that has already expired.

Now we want to go to England in December/Jan.

What do we need to do to ensure we can travel to London and back?  She currently has a Russian Passport.

Greg

Ok, thank you very much for the responses:

So, just to make sure I understand the answers correctly:

1) He needs to get his citizenship as soon as possible.

2) As a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) he IS eligible to sponsor her.

3) This needs to be done before her legal status here expires.

So they need to:

1) Get legally married.

2) He starts his Citizenship process.

3) They then file form I 485 at the same time as Form I-130.

4) All of the above needs to be done before her current Visitors Visa Expires.

Is this correct?

2 hours ago, Timona said:

Is your friend a USC?

No, he is not a US Citizen.  He has a green card, and has been married to an American, but never completed the naturalization process.

I sitting with a friend helping him deal with his current visa situation.  The following are his words (not mine, so you don't get confused with my own personal timeline).

I have been living in the United State for the last 20 years.  The first 7 years I was here on a L1A visa, 1998 to 2005 .  then two years later married an American which is how I got my green card.  However, I have been a resident since 2008 when I got my Green card.   From 1999 - 2001, I was coming back and forth from Canada.    I got married in 2007.  We got divorced in 2013.  We were together about 5 years.  No kids.

I met a lady on a religious website (my religion) Nov 15, 2021.  We corresponded by text for 2-3 hours per day and fell in love.  

We made arrangements for her to arrive in Tampa Florida where I live on Dec 27, 2021.  She was allowed entry for 6 months (until June 27) as she had been to the US before earlier in the year in Sept for 6 weeks and her existing Visa was valid until May 7, 2022.  She came in telling immigration that she was visiting friends and doing spiritual courses at her church.  She arrived on a tourist Visa from Russia to Tampa Florida.

She gave my address as her residence for the following three months.  She also entered with a return ticket for March 15, 2022.

We have fallen in love and I would very much like to marry her and spend my life with her.  I would like her to stay with me here in the US permanently and I am looking at the various options towards that purpose.

Below is a list of possible options that I would like opinions and consultation to make my goal a reality.

1) A refugee status since Russia is currently at war. Also, her Church has been banned in Russia, so her religious freedom has been violated.   Her Church was banned in Russia in October of 2021. 

2) My religion here in Florida said that they know how they can extend her visa for another 6 months if she is doing spiritual consoling. 

3) I am a Canadian citizen, and I could marry her in both the US and Canada if there is some option in that area.  As a Russian, she could not enter Canada, but if we had married her in the US, I think that might change the situation.

4) I have talked to a lawyer who said he could navigate through the situation.  

5) Both of us go to a Country where both Russians and Canadians are allowed and get a second citizenship there.

6) We get married here and now, and then go through the paperwork to get her Greencard.

Any advice you can give me ono my situation would be greatly appreciated.