Isa&Sam

Hello all! My husband was approved for the ir-1 visa in El Salvador 1/29/18, he entered on 2/9/2018 through LAX and had his Salvadoran passport stamped (i-551 stamp) and I know that this stamp serves as his temp "green card" per say. My question is, can he travel into Mexico (Tijuana) from San Diego and catch a flight from Tijuana airport to Mexico City? We want to save some money and book to travel from Tijuana to MExico city rather than leaving from LAX which is about 500-600 dollar difference. But my husbands friend told him that while he awaits his green card, anytime he travels outside of the US, upon returning he needs to make sure he gets a seal in his passport to verify that he did return to the US otherwise he might have problems. IDK what to do. What agency can I call to get answers??

On 2/18/2018 at 7:23 PM, bakphx1@aol.com said:

My hunch in reading the change in POE reviews from years ago till now (along with my husband's experience)  is that most of the salient information is already entered into the CBP system without the packet.  Waiting for POE entry to trigger the green card, but also electronic. 

 

The only issue is will it hold up the green card.  Check the online status. You can see if it's processing. 

 

I don't think it's the end of the world if a problem at all.  If CBP showed he entered that may be all that is necessary, but I wouldn't count on it.  If you prepaid the fee it may already be in proces as of POE entry.  Let us know.  Maybe this is going the way of the chest x-ray they tell you to hand carry so it can be looked at by no one. 

On 2/18/2018 at 8:27 PM, pushbrk said:

The solution is to visit the nearest CBP station, take the packet with you and explain what happened.  Same thing happened to me in 2006.  The local station chief had seen this mistake before and knew what to do.  In our case, we were a thousand miles from the POE before I knew we still had the packet.

Thanks for your replies!!!! After posting on this forum I called Us customs at my local airport and the office told me to go to the federal building which houses US Customs in my city. Thank God they accepted the packet and they mailed it off to USCIS. Thanks again for all your replies, it is appreciated !

On 2/15/2018 at 3:38 PM, Californiansunset said:

So the CBP agent didn't even open the package? WOW 

Yeah this is a pretty big mess you're in now that you even opened it.. now they have to assume that you tempered with it. There's not much more you can do except for going to your local office and ask them what to do. They will know best. It's a rare case but I'm sure you are not the first one this happened to. Although it was a bit thoughtless to open the envelope before researching what's in it if it says "Do not open" in big letters on it.... also on a side note, they tell every K1 and Cr1 applicant at the embassy that they will receive this envelope in the mail with their passport and that they are under no circumstances allowed to open it unless it's authorized personnel at the border (and that you have to hand it over at the POE and thus have to carry it in your carry-on). It's a procedure they go over with every single applicant at the interview (usually they explain it when you hand in the documents at the first window). Your husband should've known better... oh well nothing you can do about it now. 

 

Yes of course if we would have known that the packet is suppose to stay with US customs then we would of made sure that it did so. No one said anything about the packet staying with customs at all. It is our first time going through this process so we didnt know. My husband did ask customs if they had to keep the packet and customs said no so therefore whose fault is it?  So no my husband didnt know any better and neither did I because we have never gone through this process before.

25 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

Oh wow, yes they were supposed to keep that. You must've gotten a very poorly trained CBP agent... If I were you I'd make an infopass at your local USCIS office and go there with your passport and stamps and the sealed envelope and hopefully they'll know how to take care of the package. It needs to go to the USCIS Service Center.

 the thing is that I opened the packet when we got home. I did not know that they were suppose to keep it to send off to USCIS so now i am praying that they wont make him return all the way to El Salvador just to get everything resealed

Hello all. MY husband was approved on 1/29/2018 in San Salvador embassy. We returned to the US through Los Angeles airport 2/9/2018 and everything went smoothly, us customs sealed his passport with the alien number and didnt ask him hardly any questions. They did not keep the sealed yellow envelope that says DO NOT OPEN which includes all of his visa information. Hubby says he asked the Customs agent if he needed the package after the agent returned his sealed passport and the agent told him that he did not need it. Im worried. His cousin went through the process in 2015 and entered through utah and he says that US customs kept the packet. Now we are worried this will interfere with him receiving his green card.  What should we do?? 

2 hours ago, Elier rodriguez said:

Hola para uno que esta casado con ciudadana tiene k ver la fecha de prioridad 

hola, para visa tipo ir-1 no importa la fecha de prioridad, es solo para todo aquel que no sea esposo/a, hijo/a, o padres de el que te esta pidiendo.

4 hours ago, ANTUNEZ said:

debio de ayudarte oh por lo menos dirijirte asegurate con otros que ya fueron a Guatemala...menos estress!

16 hours ago, Claudia-Rudi said:

Buenas Tardes!

 

Como registro mi entervista?

En mi caso, no contratamos abogado por que mi esposo nunca fue detenido ni deportado ni nada por el estilo. Pero si contratamos a un notario que tiene mas de 30 años ayudando a llenar formas de inmigracion y conoce bastante el señor de todo. Pero por mi experiencia, nunca nadie va a tener mas interes que el beneficiario en estos casos.  Abogados, notarios, tienen muchos mas clientes que atender y no van a estar al tanto de el caso como lo estan ustedes. Yo siempre revisaba todo por internet, revisaba cualquier forma que el llenaba para enviar, le llamaba hasta iba a su oficina para ponerle presion. Incluso hasta yo misma llene la aplicacion ds-260 por que el senor al tiempo que nos tocaba mandar esa aplicacion no tenia tiempo de  muy ocupado. Les recomiendo que se metan mas en el proceso, investiguen ustedes mismos si su abogado no tiene respuestas. Ustedes tienen toda informacion para llamar y preguntar o buscar por internet. Este foro tambien me ayudo bastante, buscando en google igual fue de mucha ayuda. 

Mas informacion para todos los que aun siguen esperando cita para la entrevista sin niguna respuesta de la embajada; yo el dia 12/4/2017 mande un email a la senadora de mi estado (california) para pedir ayuda en mi caso ya que tenia 5 meses esperando a que recibiera un CC y me estaba desesperando. A principo de este mes me mandaron un carta por correo indicando que habian recibido mi email y que iban a asignar a alguien de la oficina de mi senadora a que investigara. Hoy me llego otra carta por correo que me indica toda la informacion del NVC y la embajada. Entonces les recomiendo que le escriban a su senador de su estado y les pidan ayuda, si ayudan a investigar y a ellos no les pueden dar pajas por ley les tienen que reportar cualquier informacion relacionada con el caso. 

A nosotros nos dieron el CC 12/5/17 osea un dia despues de que mande el correo  nosotros ya no necesitamos mas investigacion, pero a ustedes que llevan meses esperando y que ni el NVC ni la embajada les dicen algo claro pienso que les ayudaria bastante. EScribieron en la carta que se asegurarias que todas las leyes de inmigracion fueran cumplidas de acuerdo a como lo indican para todo ciudadano americano, asi es que si tienen todo en regla entonces es el deber de la embajada igual que del NVC darles una respuesta clara.

16 hours ago, Claudia-Rudi said:

Buenas Tardes!

 

Como registro mi entervista?

Lee bien el email y sigue las instrucciones de la embajada de tu pais para que te asegures que no se te olvide nada por que si no tienes algun papel son 2 semanas mas de atraso. Si tu embajada ya te hizo la cita entonces no tienes que preocuparte de hazerla tu ni registrarla, lo unico que tienes que registrar en el web link que te di es la informacion del beneficiario usando la info del pasaporte y tienes que registrarte a un local de paqueteria para recibir el pasaporte sellado despues de la entrevista.... ayi mismo te indica como hacerlo y que opciones tienes en donde puedes registrarte. ya que haigas registrado el local para recojer pasaporte, asegurate de imprimir la confirmacion(osea hasle screen shot a la pagina con la informacion del local que escojiste) y la imprimes para que la lleve el beneficiario a la cita y les enseñe si acaso le piden prueba de que ya elijieron. Un miembro de este foro pero de Pakistan me dio esa informacion. 

a las pocas semanas antes de la cita de entrevista, la embajada de tu pais les mandara un email que titula "paquete 4" este email tiene mas listas de cosas que debes traer a la entrevista. Este email es muy importante ya que te piden copia antes de comenzar la entrevista y para poder hacer los examenes medicos igual la piden asi que asegurenze de hacer varias copias a el email. 

si lees bien los email y te metes al weblink que indica "prepare for the interview" ayi te dicen toda la informacion pertenente a tu pais.  este es el weblink:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/interview.html    

es la informacion directa que mandan en el email del NVC "interview letter (p4)"

espero esto te haiga ayudado en algo. Cual quier pregunta me la haces saber.....mi esposo tiene su cita para el 1/29 en san salvador, este domingo por la noche salimos para aya.... espero todo salga bien!

16 hours ago, Claudia-Rudi said:

Buenas Tardes!

 

Como registro mi entervista?

te tiene que llegar el email donde te da la informacion de la cita (fecha, hora lugar, etc.) y viene tambien una lista de documentos y otras cosas que deben traer a la cita, esta carta es la "Interview Letter (P4)" ayi viene la web link que te instruye los pasos que tienes que dar para prepararte para la cita. Esta es la web link para que registres la informacion del beneficiario para la embajada de guatemala city: https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Guatemala

On 1/17/2018 at 10:58 AM, MariaR323 said:

You can amend prior year tax returns filed with the ITIN so that it properly reflects the newly assigned SSN. However, keep in mind certain credits are not retroactive so the bottom line (refund or liability) would not change.

ok thanks again for all that info, you were of great help!!!! I was a little confused with this whole income tax filing issue but now I can see the light!! lol thanks again 

I'm so glad to see people getting their interviews finally scheduled after a long waiting period after CC and that people are getting approved at their interview appointments!!!! Yay 

My husband and I leave california for San Salvador, El Salvador this sunday night. His interview is scheduled for 1/29/18, we're nervous but excited and so ready to get this whole process done with!

good luck to all still waiting on an interview appointment and those of us heading to our interviews soon!

24 minutes ago, Claudia-Rudi said:

Tengo mi cita ya!!!

CC: 9/20 

Intervista 2/28/18

 

Estamos tan emocionados!

omg finally!!! felicidades!! los e seguido en estos forums y se lo que sienten al tener que esperar tanto tiempo! felicidades y ojala todo les salga bien 

15 hours ago, MariaR323 said:

He can indeed use his SSN. The (e-File) system used to not allow you to e-File if the SSN was issued in the year of filing, however, last year I know for a fact that was not the case (at least for a couple that I personally filed). [I'm a CA registered tax preparer.]

oh ok wow thanks! hmmm do you know if we can go back and fix taxes for previous years as well? we started filing together since 2015 (we got married in 2015).

On 1/11/2018 at 6:59 PM, Oto_zizou said:

Isa&Sam, did you get any response from NVC? right now i am in the same situation, my case is in queue for a supervisor review, they told me 6 weeks but im not sure how true it is... let me know please so i can have more hope in my case

Well my 11 week mark was 12/5 and that's when I was CC so ink whether it was my 11 week waiting period or if a supervisor was the one who CC.. Most likely it was the 11 week waiting period but hopefully you'll have some news back by the 6 weeks or sooner!

On 1/10/2018 at 12:57 PM, Ksenia_O said:

January 29 is the "start" for a Tax Season this year . So, you wont' be able to send  it till that day anyway. 

Wow they keep pushing the start date for filing further and further Lola thanks for the info

On 1/10/2018 at 7:50 PM, MariaR323 said:

If you *need* to file the tax return sooner  rather than later then go ahead and file with his ITIN. If you can wait, use his SSN when you receive it. It will be much cleaner to use the newly established SSN.

 

The ideal procedure is to notify IRS to combine any records under the ITIN to the new SSN so that the history will be maintained.

 

Maria

Yea that's what we are planning on doing but I read somewhere that if he didn't receive his SSN in the year that you are filing taxes for then he cannot use his SSN? I'll call my tax prepare and clarify,

On 1/10/2018 at 10:56 AM, missileman said:

Once he has his Social Security Card (and number), he can use that number.  He won't get his SS card until after he arrives in the US.  In our case, my wife entered the US on Jun 22.  She received her SS card on July 3.  She then received her Green Card on July 15th.

 

 

Wow that was pretty fast. Hopefully my husband receieves his just as fast

On 1/10/2018 at 10:45 AM, USA BRA said:

How long it took for you from CC to interview letter?

We got CC 12/5 and received appointment email 12/17

3 hours ago, melusine10 said:

Hi, just wondering if most of you found out your interview date by calling NVC or through email? Thanks!

I waited until i received the email. It was pretty fast for us from CC to appointment letter.

Good morning all! My husband will be having his interview on 1/29/2018. I marked off the option for him to be sent a SSN on his IV application so he can expect that in the mail some time in February. My question is, can we go ahead and file income taxes for 2017 using his new SSN or do we still need to use his ITIN? Any input is appreciated 

4 hours ago, GCC said:

quere decir que la de nosotros automaticamente cambia a IR1 y IR2 por mi esposa y mi hijastro

4 hours ago, ANTUNEZ said:

de verdad no estoy segura todo lo hicimos con una abogada de confianza y los papeles todos dicen  IR1

al iniciar los tramites, si tienen menos de 2 años casados entonces es la cr-1. En el segundo aniversario de boda se convierte en ir-1 si todavia estan en tramite en NVC. Igual sucedio con mi esposo y yo, cumplimos 2 años de casados en tramited de NVC y de repente cambio de cr-1 a ir-1 osea que la residencia ya se la daran de 10 años. 

3 hours ago, Pavel1982 said:

It should look something like this obviously with your home country pick up location

hmm, i'll look into it. Thanks again for all the info!! you've been of great help 

21 minutes ago, Pavel1982 said:

Please follow this instruction and take the confirmation page with you during interview

Step 1: Visit http://www.ustraveldocs.com/sv_es/index.html and then click "Create Account" on the right-hand side menu.

Step 2: After creating your account, please click "New Application/Schedule Appointment" on the left-hand side menu and select

 IV Address Registration

 Choose the visa class you are applying for

 Fill in your passport details

 Case number

 Add dependents or family members applying with you for the visa

Step 3:

 Select the pick-up location where you would like to receive your passport

 Print the confirmation page and save it for your records

omg thanks so much for that info., but how do I print the confirmation page?? print just the page where I select the pick-up location? because once I select the pick-up location and hit the next button at the bottom right hand corner, It takes me to the page where you select your appointment (but we already have our appointment set).

15 hours ago, Pavel1982 said:

you can register through this site. http://www.ustraveldocs.com/sv_es/index.html and you have to do it before interview

thanks a lot for your reply!!!!