C90

13 minutes ago, rupok93 said:

What would be considered "strong ties"? All her family is in Indonesia and she has two younger brothers and a older grandma she takes care of. 

I'm from an ESTA country so have no experience, but I googled a little bit and this is what I found. https://rapidvisa.com/what-are-strong-ties-for-a-b1-b2-tourist-visa/

Keep in mind, in the end it's up to the consular officer if (s)he believes the proof of strong ties is actually enough to issue a visa. I don't know how hard Indonesia is to get a tourist visa from. I would advise you to do your own research and after you gathered the right knowledge apply for the tourist visa.

No one can tell you what the officer is going to decide

9 hours ago, Butziee said:

Hello if anyone could kindly answer a few questions of mine thank you!  

 

Last update was biometrics which was done aug 6 2018, was wondering if i should inquire about my application.

 

1. Is my application within normal processing time?

2. Is it safe to say we didnt receive RFE since its been this long since we had an update?

3. If we dont have any update before EAD expires, do we refile ead card?

1. Please update your timeline. Without knowing which office you're going through it's impossible to answer your question.

2. Nope, not safe to say. RFE could get send out at the beginning, middle, end or not at all.

3. Yup, you have to apply for EAD/AP renewal 3 or 4 months before expiration, please look at the instructions on the USCIS website for the exact information.

3 hours ago, DA91450 said:

Hey everyone! Need some serious advice.  We went to our AOS interview on 3/15.  The officer was not very nice to my husband. She didn't want me in the interview at all and asked me to wait in the living room. She took my husband for 20 mins. She was very non approachable from the beginning. She started to go through his I485 form detail by detail. She asked him if he was working which he wasn't bc he hasn't gotten the EAD yet. We got the AOS interview sooner than the EAD/AP. We had listed the current employer or recent on the form and she was questioning if he was working but the employer address was listed in our home country.... she also corrected him as we listed "0" for "have you been married before?" so we listed 0 instead of 1 which she corrected. She also saw we marked "yes" on the question RE: Have you ever been denied a US visa before? She verified this as well which he explained that he applied for tourism before which was denied.  S he went into details on all the pictures. She stated at the end that the interview was complete. She went through the I693 and opened it up and asked him RE: the date of the signature as it was missing. She stated that our relationship was valid in the end and gave us a form that stated that "our case will be continued to be reviewed" . She told him that USCIS doesn't need anymore information and gave us this notice and said that you can now walk away and that we are waiting for the system to validate some things. We were confused when we left.

 

We got a case update 8 hours later on USCIS website that we have been RFE. She didn't mention this on the interview. I spoke with this lawyer who mentioned maybe she pushed the wrong button and that she would need to send a letter to the Indianapolis office to fix it. 

 

I don't know what other evidence they would require. We sent I485, I693, affidavit, lease of apartment, duke energy bills, marriage certificate, pictures of travel to CA, TN. I dont know what else is going on and we plan to travel for our honeymoon non 4/24. The officer also was aware of this and she stated that we should see online in 2 weeks and request info pass for I551 stamp if approved.

 

Any advice is needed! What a mess. 

Could be the fact that the I693 didn't have a signature date, since it's only valid for I believe 60 days. Could also be something else the officer didn't see right away.

Not all officers (aka, almost none of them) are allowed to approve/deny AOS, supervisor has to go over it. It's possible that the supervisor saw something they need before approval or, like your lawyer said, they pushed a wrong button.

Wait for about 1-2 weeks to get the RFE. If you status doesn't change and you don't get the RFE you can call USCIS. Before that time they'll prob tell you to wait for the RFE

2 hours ago, rupok93 said:

My fiancee is in indonesia. We are planning to file the K1 this month but was wondering if she can apply for a visitors visa at the same time while we wait? Its probably pretty unlikely that we can but is there a way for her to visit before the 10 months?

She can. She needs to show really strong ties to Indonesia, and having a pending K1 is a strong to the US, so don't get your hopes up too high, but def not impossible!

The only way to find out if she would get one is to apply and provide really strong ties to Indonesia.

58 minutes ago, Boiler said:

2017 or 2018?

I was wondering the same.

1 hour ago, Dem1 said:

I submitted my I-130 for my husband in July 2017. USCIS cashed my check in August but i have not hear back from them since Last year 2017.  No receipt from USCIS yet. Its been almost 8month of waiting without a receipt number. 

 

Does anyone have same situation ?

If you did not get any correspondence from USCIS after more than 1,5 years, why would you not have contacted USCIS?

Also, if you're as USC you're SEVERELY outside normal processing times (about 1 year) with every SC, so you'd be able to request an inquiry.

Please let us know if your USC or LPR and which SC you filed.

7 hours ago, Mollie09 said:

There are tons of these stories, it's not hard at all. Just expensive, because it requires filing the I-130 on top of the I-485.

Lol, I didn't look cause I'm not that interested XD If anyone would post it on here I would read it, but I'm not looking for it on VJ. 

11 hours ago, AAiowan said:

I did not get any RFE/RFIE for any of the applications (knock on wood).  Having said that, the processing times for EAD/AP does show for local offices. ONly for 485, you can see for local office. 

 

Thanks!

EAD/AP goes through NBC, your local office will never touch that. So if you check the processing times for I-765 you should check them at NBC.

You I-845 is the only one that goes through your local office. Some are very quick and others are very slow (aka most of them)

17 hours ago, S_Sanchez said:

This is for an Immigrant Visa from Mexico. Went to consular appointment in March 2, 2018. I was put on Administrative Processing, but consular officer did not give reason. I have been trying to contact them ever since weekly with no reply as of now and I am not sure why I cannot check my status on the AIS website. 

Everyone goes through AP. In that stage they do the last checks (supervisor checks it, they check if you can really get the visa even if they said approved etc) Depending on how busy the consulate is and what happens in AP (if they find anything that they have to research further it can take a while) AP can take anywhere from days to weeks to months to years.

Personally I wouldn't contact them every week, but you could contact them every month to check in and see if there's an update. You can't do anything else unfortunately.

Good luck!

On 3/12/2019 at 7:05 PM, AAiowan said:

I am not worried about the wait for the actual green card.  But I have not received EAD and advance parole that I had applied along with 485 for my wife.  That is what is causing anxiety. 

Did you get an RFE/RFIE? If not, what's your exact filing date? They're working on EAD/AP's of September, a lot of early September filers had to request an inquiry cause they were outside normal processing times. If that's the case for you, do the same.

Regarding your gc, what others said is right. It depends on your local office how long it will take to schedule the actual interview. Mine has that status since November and it prob won't change any time soon (Philadelphia filer)

You can check the processing times for your local office via https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/ (here you can also check the times for EAD/AP)

Does anyone know if there's a recent Philadelphia field office AOS topic/forum? I searched a good amount, but couldn't find anything (at least not recent). I thought I found one a while ago but can't find it anymore  Anyway, if anyone has a link that would be greatly appreciated! Otherwise I'll start a new topic and see if it even gets any attention lol.

2 minutes ago, Cryssiekins said:

Well, yeah, I mean, when the only condition is marry within 90 days, there isn’t a good enough reason why you didn’t.

 

I’ve read a few stories where someone married after, and there are still avenues to

adjust status from (maybe filing the i130 as well? I’m really not sure bc I followed the rules). 

 

I think the most worrisome thing is being out of status with no protection.  At least when you’ve married within 90 days, you have authorized stay pending the AoS.  If you didn’t marry in 90, every day after you become deportable, and it does take time from wedding to filing of AoS.

Hmm, I would be interested to read those stories! Not because I need them (just like you I followed the rules lol) but extra knowledge is always welcome!

Officially you would be out of status even if you're married but didn't file AOS. The difference is that you are deportable BUT it never really happens. Usually worst that can happen is that an immigration judge would force you to file AOS, where if you married outside the 90 days its prob the end of your K1 journey if they find out. And they will since they'll see it on your MC.

8 hours ago, Amber and Shawn said:

I was thinking about adding screenshot of my iphone gallery thats already a collage of multiple pics which also includes the date and location of the photo taken, just thought that was a good idea. So my questions:

1.Is it required to print out pictures for proof of meeting on photo paper? or regular paper is fine. Regular is fine

2.Is the screenshot of iphone gallery going to be to small for them? We see it just fine but i dont know if they would accept it. Depends on how small. As long as your pictures are not super tiny you should be fine. If possible you can even make them a little bigger on the computer.

3.Do we also include the evidence of meeting back in 2017 ? If yes, do we put those first or after the one from 2019 You can do both. They want to see that you met within the last 2 years, but if you include evidence from meeting until now it's fine. Just don't overload.

4.We're including almost photos from everyday of our trip together, would that be too much for them or the more = better? We included 7 pictures, 5 boarding passes and some hotel bookings and had no problem. No officer wants to look through a ton of pics or evidence. Add a few pics, boarding passes, hotel bookings etc from over the years and keep the rest of your evidence for your interview. That's where the officer might ask for some new evidence.

 

3 hours ago, Annika&Branden said:

Hi! I wondered what is the best and cheapest way to solve the following problem:

 

We already booked flights and set a marriage date and it turns out that we will get married 97 days after I will enter the U.S. - we decided on that for several reasons. So I was thinking of traveling to the U.S. with the ESTA and then maybe just travel to mexico and come in with my K1 Visa. Or can I just enter the States and then send the Visa to USCIS again? What happens to the Visa anyways as soon as I enter the States?

 

Thanks so much!

Annika

What do you mean with 'send the visa to USCIS again'? Do you mean if it can be renewed once you enter? In that case, no.

Everyone already gave you all the right answers on what your options are. And as said before, the visa has a validity of 6 months from medical, so you have about 5-6 months after issuance (assuming your interview is shortly after your medical and you get your visa quick) to travel to the States. The 90 day clock starts ticking the moment your toes cross the US border, not once your visa is issued.

4 minutes ago, Cryssiekins said:

I don’t think it becomes a big problem, BUT, that person, by failing to adhere to the terms of the visa, is out of status on day 91 and every day until AoS is filed. 

I didn't see any stories, but basically the only rule is marry within 90 days. I would not be surprised if they deny your AOS if you marry after the 90 days, simply cause you're not eligible anymore since you didn't do the only thing you had to do lol. But I could be wrong, didn't do research on this.

34 minutes ago, mmn95 said:

NOA1 was 10/30/18 and this morning I received a request for initial evidence email. Does this mean I may have forgotten something on my application? Also how does this affect processing times? I heard potomac has been processing everything relatively quickly 

Yes, apparently you forgot to send something, they lost it or they just didn't use their eyes.

I got one 2 weeks after filing (K1 --> AOS, you posted in that forum but you're doing I-130 right? Anyway, I forgot to send the W2 with the tax return, oops), send the requested document back 2 days after I got the RFIE and 1 week later my case was ready to be scheduled for interview. 

Usually RFE/RFIE's go on a pile, once they get the documents it goes back at the normal pile and will be processed. If you send the documents asap you won't really have a delay in processing.

2 minutes ago, S_Sanchez said:

My case status has been in Adiministrative Processing for more than 1 year now. I was informed to check the website ais.usvisa-info.com for any updates. I have checked this website, but do not get any information on the screen. I only get the message on the screen saying User Account: (My name and email address). What is going on? How can I check my case online? 

What country are you from and what visa are you talking about? Please fill out your timeline, it will help us giving you accurate answers.

AP can take days, weeks, months or years. Not much you can do except wait. Some embassies are notorious for extended AP, but without background info (country, embassy, 221G? any weird circumstances) its hard to give you another answer then just wait (although in the end, you can only wait when you're in AP) 

On 3/11/2019 at 10:04 AM, jasyn said:

Can we do that for USCIS? I mean technically its the same person with two accounts.

Yes, I did it. I had an account with 1 email address, but I couldn't get in. My password was fine, but it just kept locking me out constantly. I created an account with another email address and that worked. Use that account ever since.

You can add your personal cases to every ones account if you would want, so they don't really care how many accounts you have.

40 minutes ago, Ivan1979 said:

My case status was transferred to local office on Apr. 1st 2013. What’s a usual waiting time?

What visa are you adjusting from? I think the longest processing time right now is 33 months, so you're waaaay outside processing times. Call USCIS with your case number and find out why you never heard anything.

Also, just curious, why didn't you call them sooner? I mean, it's 6 years ago that you filed AOS. 

2 minutes ago, Miosotty M said:

No, the problem is in his mother's place of residence. Where he applied for the city of residence, he placed the city of birth. but it has been reported that the country of residence is USA.
We already live the NOA1 in the mail without problems.

Call USCIS, give them your case number and ask if you've gotta change it. Not sure if they look that much to the parents information, but better safe than sorry.

27 minutes ago, sly020175 said:

I am looking to start the K1 visa process and am wondering if I am being paranoid or if there is going to be problems for us.  First off, I am in Michigan and she is from the Philippines.  We have been together for over 5 years and everything is great.  I have gone to see her 3-4 times per year over the last 5 years.  I have plenty of supporting evidence for all of this.  The point is that this is a very real relationship and we are ready to take the next step.  Here are the things that scare me:

1) When she was younger she did marry a Korean guy that she hardly knew. She had grand dreams of it being like an arranged marriage and she would live happily ever after. In reality, once she went to Korea she was treated like a slave on their farm and was not even allowed to live with her husband. She eventually ran away and worked at a bar in Korea until her 1 year visa expired.  She did not overstay her visa even though she could have easily done so.  She has also been to China and back to Korea and in both cases did not overstay her visa.  So she has a history to show that her intent is not to just get into the country.

2) She does have a previously denied visitors visa to the US. She was planning to go meet her relatives in California for a family celebration. On the surface this does not seem like a big deal, but we were together at that time and I am afraid it could look like we were trying to cheat the system.

3) We do have a 16 year age gap (45 vs 29).  This is not a big deal to me, but I have read that this can be considered a red flag.

4) She is from the Philippines which is considered a high fraud country

 

Has anyone had any experience with one or all of these similar situations?  If so, did you try to front load documents to address these issues?  I really want to get through this with no issues, but when I put my self in the shoes of a Consulate I could see how these things could add doubt.  Thanks in advance for the help.

Don't really see a problem here.

You're together for 5 years what's good proof of a genuine relationship (assuming you spend A LOT of face to face time)

People get married and divorced in life, it happens. USCIS doesn't care, they care that you provide the right documents.

Denied tourist visa won't effect K1 unless it was denied cause she got caught in a lie.

Good luck with your journey!

5 minutes ago, Miosotty M said:

Hello again! My fiancé who is the petitioner until today realizes, that in the place of putting the city of the residence the city of birth was put, but if the place of residence of it is the state of residence. This represents a problem?

Thank you very much for your 

So instead of putting the address where the petitioner lives you guys put in the address where (s)he was born and (s)he doesn't live there anymore? Or are your talking about your address in the DR?

The problem you would be facing if it's the US address is that the NOA gets send to the wrong address, but according to your timeline you guys already received the NOA (I assume on the right address). So I don't really know what you're asking right now.

2 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Not necessarily. SSA's policy is to only issue SSNs in the name that DHS has on record for you. SSA is not supposed to update your name as an immigrant applicant with just the MC. Until DHS updates what they have listed as your name to your married name (when the EAD/GC is approved)  SSA is not supposed to issue you an SSN in your married name without checking with DHS. Even if you do try to update your SSN in your married name long before your I94 expires, it won't necessarily happen. The policy of SSA is not to but you may encounter an agent that doesn't know the rules or just doesnt follow them and will update your card to your married name with a copy of the MC without checking what DHS has on file for you.

I applied to update original maiden name SSN card to my married name one month before my I94 was going to expire. Unluckily I was being helped by an agent that follows the policy and was unsuccessful.

You need to take your marriage certificate, that's your proof of name change. I filed my AOS right after I requested my name change (had to go through manual verification again to check my status), and before I got NOA1 my new SSN got approved.

It seems like you got very unlucky, everyone I know that changed their name after marriage did this right before or while filing for AOS (so the name change was not known yet at USCIS) The officer I had even told me that my MC was enough and that I had the right to change my name right away. He got a lot of immigrants in this office, so he knew his way around immigration. Not saying what you're saying is wrong, it's just weird that SSN would not follow the rules.

OP should try to get her name changed before EAD, since she can't work with an EAD in one name and SSN in the other (I just started working and for the background check it states that if your SSN doesn't match you have to get that corrected first, (almost) every employer / temp agency runs a background check, even if you already started working)

12 hours ago, Usagicha said:

So USCIS had sent me a letter in July which they stated had been returned to them. As soon as I spotted that on my case file I got in touch right away. Eventually got an email back from them in November saying I'm awaiting my Interview and to give them 90 days before I bother them. It's been over the 90 days right now so I'm going to call them today.  I'm just looking for advice as I'm a bit nervous, anyone have any tips on what to ask them. Any help or advice is greatly welcomed.

Do you know what the letter was about? Usually you case status says what's going on (interview has been scheduled and letter has been sent, RFE has been sent, case is approved etc) Based on that you should be able to know what the letter was about

6 hours ago, stayfee said:

I am starting to gather documents for my AOS applications and I have numerous questions

 

1. I have filed a Social Security Number before my marriage. I am planning to change my name, is it smart to update my Social Security number first with my new name? 

As long as you do it before your I-94 expires you're good. I changed my name while I sent my AOS/EAD/AP. Got the new card with married name 2 weeks after filing.

SSN and USCIS are 2 separate entities, they don't care that you update your name after filing for AOS.

 

2. Do we need to send in supporting documents such as pictures of the wedding with the I-485 or is the marriage certificate enough?

Marriage certificate is enough (don't forget the I-864 and tax documents with your I-485)

 

3. Do I also need passport style photos of my husband or do they only need mine?

Nope, just you

 

4. I completed my medical examination and vaccinations, where do I put my medical records?

Send a copy of the DS-3025 with your I-485

 

Thanks in advance!

 

7 hours ago, LizM said:

It's standard to do secondary screening when you enter on a K1. In my case it went like this:

 

- CBP officer asked me to go to a separate room, sit and wait

- CBP officer went behind a counter in the room, looked through my envelope and tapped on the computer keyboard for a few minutes

- CBP officer called me to the counter and asked "Are you going to marry (First Name, Last Name)?" and I said "Yes."

- CBP officer gave me my things and told me we were done

It depends completely on where you enter, what time (sometimes if it's really quite they will do it right at the 'counter' instead of in a separate room) and the CBP officer.

I entered in Dublin (overseas POE), handed the CBP officer my passport with visa and the white envelope. He checked the paperwork, asked me if I had food with me (I declared it), stamped my passport and told me before which date we should get married. That was it. Never went into a separate room.

People I know that entered in Chicago and LAX didn't go into a separate room either, they basically had the process as me.

OP, don't worry, Even if they take her in a separate room it's just regulation.

She should declare all food and I believe presents (in the event she takes new phones or laptops still in the box or other presents, she'll need to declare them) All her other stuff (personal phone/laptop, clothes etc) she doesn't have to declare, unless the card specifically asks for it.

Make sure she reads the card well before filling it out, they usually have them in multiple languages (in case her English is not good enough)