GarryAndMarie

Sent my wife's I-751 package on 1/19/22 via USPS Priority Express. USPS confirmed delivery on 1/21. Wife received text message from USCIS this morning 1/25 and assigned a receipt number beginning with WAC.

July2018 filer checking in: my wife & step-daughter finally received their 2 yr greencards last Friday, woot! Interview was in San Francisco on Dec 6

Wife & step-daughter received their combo cards on Dec 13, yay!

My wife & 12 yr old stepdaughter just received an update at the DHS website, as well as text messages: their EAD & AP's were approved Dec 10, yay!

We have received an RFIE on Nov 5, which was a request for my 2017 tax return (I only submitted the extension form with the AOS/EAD/AP package). Mailed the return to them on Nov 20, and AOS went to "Ready to schedule interview" on Dec 5.

We were worried that the RFIE might reset the clock or significantly delay the EAD & AP, but looks like both were approved pretty quickly after the response to RFIE was received. I'd read elsewhere that RFIE for tax returns wouldn't hold up the process or reset any clocks, provided the returns were sent in quickly in response, and that was true for us.

Now just waiting for the AOS interview backlog at San Francisco, for the interview to get scheduled.

On 11/9/2018 at 2:46 PM, batcher said:

Did you get that RFIE before you got your AP/EAD? I also sent a IRS 4868 with my tax papers, and i am wondering if i will get a RFIE because of that?

Yes, the RFIE's for my wife & step-daughter both came, and they don't have AP/EAD yet. We just sent the RFIE response on Saturday, with copies of my 2017 tax returns.

I received an RFIE for my wife & step-daughter yesterday, after getting two text messages from USCIS last week. When we filed for AOS/AP/EAD back on July 5, I hadn't filed my 2017 taxes yet and gave them a copy of the IRS 4868 (automatic extension). So, we'll just mail a copy of the (now-filed) 2017 federal returns back to USCIS along with their letters and a cover letter.

Update: my wife received her NOA1 on July 10, with a received date of July 5, and she's gone on a couple of job interviews in the last few weeks. One of the employers gave her a letter of offer, good through October 31 - they were very understanding about the USCIS situation & waiting for EAD, and so wrote the letter of offer with that in mind (mentioning specifically that the job offer is conditional upon USCIS issuing an EAD prior to hire and the October 31 deadline). We then took this to the Reno, Nevada Infopass office, where she requested an interim EAD. That was last Wednesday, October 10. There were 4 officers there, plus security and staff - but no customers at all. Unfortunately, the officer who helped my wife said "sorry but no" - that EADs now take 5 months and that they know California cases are backlogged, so no interim EAD even with a job offer etc.

So today, my wife called USCIS and requested an expedite based on financial loss considerations. There are actually two: we had a landslide on our property this year that has cost over $10k to fix (we live in a very rural mountainous environment) and there is no morning bus for our 12 year old daughter to get to school, so the EAD will allow my wife to get a driver's license to take my step-daughter to school in the mornings. It's been kind of challenging for me to take her to school each morning, my schedule is somewhat flexible but sometimes it's been choosing "meet clients or take kid to school?" and of course school comes first even though it's costing our family potential commission opportunities.

We are in the far north of California, San Francisco is over 5 hours south. Reno is 6.5 hours away but at least they have Infopass appointments available, we were really hoping the immigration officers there would have a little merciful kindness in the interim EAD request but no such luck. Perhaps the expedite request will work. We haven't received notice of an appointment yet. Keeping our fingers crossed & praying...

29 minutes ago, hockey234 said:

 

I called USCIS and they said they you have to have the EAD before you can even get an SSN. I feel like that isn't true based on what I've read online. 

My wife got her SSN about two weeks after we were married, using her K-1 Visa and I-94 printout -- the clerk at our local Social Security office told us to come back when we received the seal-stamped copy of our marriage certificate showing her name change, since they could only issue the SSN with her maiden name (since that's what was on the K-1 and I-94). Unfortunately when we went back a second time, her K-1 only had a week left on it (for the 90 day period) and the clerk said we couldn't submit the name change until after she receives the EAD. So it was our experience that there's a window of time where a SSN could be received BEFORE the 90 day K-1 period is up (actually 2 weeks before that date, according to what we were told), but after that you have to wait for the EAD to be received to apply or get a modification for name change. Hope this helps?

4 minutes ago, Going through said:

under Canadian law you have to be separated for 1 year before filing divorce in Canada---not you have to live in Canada for one year before divorce.

That's relevant and makes sense! Not sure where your USCIS statement is relevant, but this part you quoted makes sense and is relevant.

On 7/26/2018 at 8:40 AM, Going through said:

By filing the AOS, the OP was in "authorized stay" pending an approval/denial...which legally allowed her to reside in the country until a final decision on the AOS.  She was not "just a vistior" in the US the entire time, in the eyes of USCIS, due to the "authorized stay". 

True, but irrelevant, since the topic is how the Canadian authority recognizes her status (not USCIS)

On 7/23/2018 at 11:12 AM, CécileMai said:

I've contacted lawyers here in Montreal and they all told me that I have to prove that I've been living in Canada for an entire year before being able to divorce.

Just an observation, but... since you came to the US as a "visitor" and then filed for (but did NOT receive) AOS, doesn't that imply that you were still just a visitor here the entire time? I mean, you never attained official "resident" status -- which in turn implies that your official residence remained Canada, not the US. Or are the Canadian lawyers implying that you were residence-less during this time period? But that wouldn't make any sense either, since you still have a Canadian passport - that alone should reflect that you're still a resident of Canada for the entire time.

Update: my wife & 12 yr old step-daughter received their Biometrics appointment notice yesterday, scheduled for July 31 in Santa Rosa. Woot! Their NOA1's were dated July 11, so we're all really pleased with the speed of everything so far.

Hello fellow Julies!

My wife & 12 yr old step-daughter's I-485, I-765, & I-131's were mailed out on July 3, delivered on July 5, and today we received the six NOA1's - all dated July 11 - and when I put the receipt numbers for all six NOA1's into the https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov account we'd set up last week, the USCIS system shows the received date as July 10 for all the forms.

24 minutes ago, purplepink said:

What's the worst case scenario for an RFE??

 

Sorry, that's the only thing running through my mind right now. 

Actually the worst case isn't RFE at all -- it's NOID (Notice of Intent to Deny). RFE generally means USCIS is ready to approve your case, once they get the additional information they are requesting. Mine was RFE'd for bad passport photos, and 2 weeks after sending in the good ones, we got our NOA2. Another good aspect to this is that USCIS has looked over your file, and once you send in the additional documents or answer their questions, you're all done! At least with this step, and it's generally the longest one by far.

4 hours ago, Naes said:

So this is what I got; Corrections or updates are appreciated

 

June 5

@GarryAndMarie

We received our NOA2, dated Jan 10

Quick follow-up, for anyone interested in how this turned out: we paid the "fixer" 2k plus the passport fee, and they were able to book the appointment for Jan 13 at a nearby DFA office. I checked that it's an actual appointment with the DFA website. So I'm unhappy that the system works this way, but felt the only other choice was to wait until April appointments are available for step-daughter-to-be's passport, which would have considerably delayed getting her DS-160, St Lukes, & embassy appointment. We're just waiting for the NOA2 at this time, having responded to an RFE with the documents USCIS requested, for my fiancee... having daughter's passport done sooner should ensure we can book her appointments concurrently with mom's appointments.

Thanks again everyone, for your advice & assistance!

We are now struggling to get a DFA passport appointment for my fiancee's daughter... since there are no appointments available, we're thinking of paying a company on FB with the name "DFA Passport Appointment Online" a 2k PHP fee for an appointment spot in Dumaguete... sound really hokey to me! But they have 60+ reviews on their FB site, and it appears they are using some kind of travel agency / group appointment loophole to get passport appointments.

Is this real? Anyone have any experience with such things? Rip-off?

4 hours ago, Hank_ said:

You did list the daughter on the I-129F?  It is required to list all dependents, whether they are applying for a visa or not.      It is not the end of the world if you did not do this.

 

 The daughter will be a K-2.  

 

Pay two visa fees, complete two medicals... and when scheduling the interview first schedule the K-1, fiancee after that is done it will ask if you want to schedule another. say yes and then schedule the daughter for the same date/time.  That simple

 

http://www.visaconnection-philippines.com/k-1-visa-application.html

Awesome, thanks!

5 hours ago, mighty836 said:

if she was on the original I-129 submitted then thats all you need to do. Schedule her the same time as her Mom.

When was your I-129 approved?

It's not yet approved, I just received notice today that our RFE response was accepted yesterday.

4 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

First question that needs to be answered is did you include her on Mom's 129F?  Based on your answer we will give you the correct procedure.

Yes, she was listed.

Way back in June 2016, I submitted the I-129f for my fiancee -- she has a (now) 12 year old daughter, but she wanted her daughter to stay in PH to finish high school instead of doing the follow-to-join K2 or come directly with Mom.

Several months have gone by, we received an RFE back in December & I've sent in the requested documents... and here's the situation: fiancee & daughter want to move to the US at the same time now.

I've done some reading, and it seems all we need to do is schedule daughter for St Luke's & an interview at the Manila embassy at the same time as Mom. Is this correct? Am I missing something important? Is there another step?

On 12/23/2017 at 2:15 AM, jg121783 said:

I wouldn't complain about a $400 flight from the Philippines to the US. Where can I get that deal?

Well... apparently one way is to overstay your visa, let your passport expire, and act like an uncultured heathen. 

22 hours ago, Kit kat said:

But I want to give him more time to see his reaction and behavior with me. 

You asked for advice, so mine is: go with this thought of yours. Notify the govt you are removing the sponsorship, and be very clear with your spouse that your needs are not being met right now in the relationship and that this has to change if the relationship is to continue. You may even consider marital counseling - which can be done even with the distance through https://www.breakthrough.com

1 hour ago, dlsmal01 said:

pixelation where the photographer made the backgrounds uniform in color.

Could be the cause since they are not to be retouched.  Though that is just a guess. 

I think you're right about this! And the original photographer's work was sloppy, but they wouldn't take responsibility for it. She just said over & over that she's taken hundreds of US Visa passport photos without any rejections or complaints. So it was quite frustrating indeed to get an RFE because of her photos. Then when she took my fiancee's picture again, it was virtually the same as the first set. Grrrr!

12 minutes ago, JSCGPV said:

I'm not sure why it was rejected, did they tell you why? It might not be the background for the reason of rejection. It could be the size of photo and or the size of the head in the photo.

The RFE letter didn't specify (but that would be handy!) - but in looking at the photos, they weren't quite 2"x2" it was about 1/8th inch short on one side for both. I think the other proportions & measurements were in line with the requirements... but there was some pixelation where the photographer made the backgrounds uniform in color. I was a little concerned both issues, but figured hey professional photographer in an office mall store (not a kiosk, an actual store-sized studio) - what could go wrong? And yet, here I am with two photos causing an RFE