TrickorTea

Congrats to those who have been able to schedule their interview recently! 💕

On 9/4/2019 at 12:55 PM, jess100 said:

That's so interesting.  I never would have thought of these differences in countries so similar, except of course the horrendous medical system we have here.  It's so bad that it's usually the thing that gets between you and your health!

I was surprised to see this as well! I thought that it wouldn't be too different considering how Canada is right next to the US, but I can definitely see some differences.

Also, considering that we have very few months of summer, we tend to make the most out of it, so there's always festivals and events all the time during summer! I definitely miss being able to walk in the city and stumble upon an event almost everywhere I go.

I'm glad to know that things are looking up for you!!

Some days are definitely harder than others, but despite all of this, I know I won't give up!

Got a notice for an RFE yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if it had to do with submitting additional evidence regarding my husband's income. I couldn't submit much paystubs because he had just started a new job when we filed 😕

Oh well, I'll take an update over being left in the dark!

I'm a Quebecer that moved on a K-1 Visa back in April!

Even though it's not as big of a culture shock in comparison to other countries, there are a few things that I can  think of in terms of my personal experience!

- Being stuck at home a lot. We don't have a car, Seattle is expensive, and I can't work yet, so I spend a lot of time at home. Fortunately we recently moved to a new apartment building that has a gym directly on my floor, so it keeps me busy a bit (I used to despise doing any type of sport/Workout, but I have come to like it over time!)

- Approved doctors. When I want an appointment at a clinic, I call the clinic to make an appointment with my "family doctor" (a doctor that is specifically assigned to you) or come early at the clinic on a basic of first come, first serve. No insurance, no need to pay, I come in, have my appointment, and leave. The healthcare system has been very confusing and my husband and I are holding back on seeking medical consultations because we can't afford it 😕

- Cars and pedestrians. Even though Montreal is known for being very bad in terms of driving, people are usually very courteous to give the right of way to pedestrians. I got close to being run over a few times in my first few weeks even though I was being careful. Drivers aren't that much better in Seattle, but having gone to multiple parts of the US, people are generally better drivers, haha!

- The breakfast and the microbrewery scene are so disappointing. I know this is me being picky, but one of my favorite activities with friends was going to breakfast restaurants or trying out different types of beers at microbreweries, which Montreal has a lot of and excels at. I can barely anything here that remotely looks like it. My concept of these two things, which I thought were gonna be so similar, happened to be much more different that I thought.

- Clothing sizes are weird. I used to fit in Medium sizes in Quebec, now I fit in Small, even X Small in some cases.

- Americans like to think that adding French to their brand names/menus/advertisements is gonna make them look fancy, but none of them get it right. I always correct everything in my head if I'm alone, or I point it out to my husband (who proceeds to repeat it in the worst french accent possible in an attempt to make me laugh because he doesn't speak a word of French)

These are the first things that come to mind! Some of them are very unimportant, but overall, I'd say the hardest is overcoming the feelings of homesickness. I'm very much in the thick of it right now considering that I'm waiting on my EAD, so days can be pretty long and lonely at times.

1 hour ago, AmandaandChayne said:

Frustrated because the new site hasn’t updated at all for me from case received and people with noa1 dates after mine are getting interviews scheduled.

I was stuck in administrative processing for 69 days with my k1 visa and it took getting a senator involved to get my approval. Hope I’m not stuck again on background checks.

I absolutely understand how you feel

Back when we were waiting for our I-129F to be approved, we were wayyyyy beyond the usual response time. We kept sending inquiries about it and getting the senator involved, but we were met with "Please call back in X days".

When I finally got my approval letter, we were approved back in early August 2018, but they crossed out that date and wrote down November 1st, our actual approval date. It was incredibly frustrating to see everyone around us being approved despite my husband and I never being married before, no children, no criminal history, nothing. To this day I still don't know what was the cause of the huge delay.

Looks like we're stuck in the same boat yet again. But I really hope it's not the case! 

(Also, unrelated, but @KelsJosh, it just occurred to me that we had our interview for the K-1 Visa on the same day! I was the very first in line )

3 hours ago, sashsash said:

Just received interview invitation letter 🎉 Time to start gathering all the evidence and papers together  

Congrats! I'm glad things are going fast on your end!

I could definitely use some of that speed over in Seattle, haha!

9 hours ago, Eric&Mirella said:

If you move, make sure you change your address with enough time in advance. During my k1 my now husband moved to a different city in the same county and took about a month to process the address change. The form is called AR-11.

Thank you so much! So if we do move out I can be assured that the case follows us as long as we notify them of the address change

Hi everyone!

I've been lurking for a bit, might as well share my timeline as well!

Sent AOS along with EAD petitions on June 27th. NOA 1 is July 1st, had biometrics on August 1st at the Seattle office. Now comes the long wait!

I originally came to the US on a K-1 Visa, hopefully karma will be a bit more on my side this time around! 

(My I-129F took an extremely long time to get approved without any RFEs, so I'm crossing my fingers for this one!)

I have a question! If my husband were to move to another state while waiting for the green card, will my case be moved to the corresponding office of that state? Would it delay my case?

We're thinking about moving to Raleigh, NC in the future so we can be closer to my husband's family, so I don't know if it has any impact on my current procedures.

Thank you and good luck to everyone!

12 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

You can vent and stomp your feet as much as the next guy or gal. But in the end it does not add any value to the conversation. We all have one goal and that is to get you educated so that you can pass your visa interview without any problems. Now if you want something else so be it. I have put out there exactly why it takes so long for everyone to read and understand what goes into this process. I will once again add it to our conversation. All the best to you in your journey because you are going to need it.

 

Now here is why security checks are needed and why they take so long.

 

Routine Criminal Checks are performed by immigration officials by using the Consular Lookout and Support System (also known as “CLASS”). This system contains information on criminal convictions, FBI records, and terrorist watch lists. The system is updated very regularly, and is a valuable tool of national security to immigration officials.

 

How Can a Lengthy Delay be Prevented?

 

Although the initiation of certain security checks on the part of consular officers is entirely discretionary, some checks can be prevented if all necessary information is provided to the officers during the application process, thus speeding up the overall process. Special attention must be given to the information submitted on visa forms and in supplemental documents. All post-specific directions must be followed carefully and all manner of supporting documentation must be included.

 

Because many names are common to many people (e.g. “Maria Gonzalez” or “Jin Wang”), false hits sometimes occur. Special care must be given to such cases so that the proper documents are obtained for presentation to immigration authorities. In the instance of a criminal hit, court dispositions, arrest records, and legal briefs can be submitted to immigration authorities for clarification.

 

The Department of State’s Visa Office will field public inquiries in regards to long-pending checks of over 90 days. However, due to security concerns, little information is usually forthcoming. Contrary to popular belief, congressional offices are unable to help expedite visa issuance. The Department of State considers security checks to be a matter of national security and is not willing allow applicants to bypass the clearance process.

 

Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) or Washington Special Clearance,[1] commonly called security clearance, administrative clearance, or administrative processing,[2] is a process the United States Department of State and the diplomatic missions of the United States use in deciding to grant or deny a United States visa to certain visa applicants. The process involves sending a request from the visa issuing post to the Department of State's headquarters in Washington, D.C., to investigate an individual's case for possible espionage, terrorism, and illegal export of technology out of the United States

 

Additional screening and background checks based on country of birth, citizenship, or residency in the “State Sponsors of Terrorism” (T-7) list: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Syria; or from the “List of 26”: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen. This is a mandatory stop list and allegedly takes 2 to 4 days, thanks in part to the partially rolled out PATRIOT (Pre-Adjudicated Threat Recognition and Intelligence Operations Team) system managed by ICE, but often take 3 to 6 weeks and if there is a hit who knows how long.

I was already aware of all of that, but go ahead and assume that I wasn't educated enough to your liking just because I didn't specify it.

I know the reason for the delay, but I also think I have the right to feel sad or upset that I won't be able to see my fiance for God knows how long. I had hoped that people that have been through the same thing would at least understand this frustration. Even if complaining isn't making the process any faster, it does prevent me from losing it at times.

1 hour ago, Greenbaum said:

If only you read the threads as I've answer that same complaint/question. Educate yourself by expanding your reading material. 

T/W next week.

Wow, sorry I didn't know I wasn't allowed to vent.

My fiancé called USCIS yesterday because they exceeded their initial 45 days extension after we submitted a ticket. Now they're asking us to wait for additional 30 days.

I get that they do background checks more thoroughly, but this is straight up an abuse of power and they know it. We've been waiting for 264 days, we have nothing to hide, none of us has criminal records, we've never been married, and none of us have children. Why us? I've lost all hope at this point. I'm afraid our case will look like the infamous 460 days one.

4 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

No, these are only all the security databases that they have to query to ensure you are a good citizen and deserve a visa. Posted it so that you see WHY it's taking so long. You could have a "common" name and there is a hit requiring additional vetting. From the visa petition stage to post-entry applications for immigration benefits, USCIS works closely with the U.S. Department of State (DOS), other U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components, and other partners to ensure that those seeking to lawfully enter and remain in the United States are screened and vetted thoroughly at multiple points and by multiple agencies in accordance with laws and regulations.

 

Security and integrity are central to USCIS’ mission. In the course of applying to enter the United States, being admitted, and gaining lawful permanent resident status, the fiancé(e) of a U.S citizen will undergo four to five sets of comprehensive background and security checks. Each case is reviewed by multiple agencies. USCIS and our partners continually work together to enhance our tools and procedures for identifying those who threaten our homeland or attempt to gain benefits through fraud. For example, recognizing its potential value, USCIS is exploring an expansion of the use of social media as an additional vetting tool in the background and security check process.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume1-PartA-Chapter3.html

What a relief! I thought it was because we looked suspicious.

I have a pretty unique name, but my Fiancé has a pretty common name. Maybe it's taking much longer because there's nothing really to find about us aside from our social media accounts, and they have to dig deeper. Hopefully that won't hold us for too long.

15 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

This may be the answer to your wait:

 

https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/privacy/privacy_pia_uscis_ibbcs.pdf

 

As part of its benefits adjudication process and as required by law, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducts background checks on petitioners and applicants who seek certain immigration benefits. These background checks consist of four separate checks against systems within Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In order to facilitate the collection and transmission of information necessary to complete background check processes, USCIS maintains five information technology electronic systems: the Fingerprint Masthead Notification System (FMNS), the Customer Identity Capture System (CICS), the FD-258 Tracking System - Mainframe (FD-258 MF), the Benefits Biometrics Support System (BBSS), and the Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) Manifest. USCIS is conducting this privacy impact assessment (PIA) because FMNS, CICS, FD-258 MF, BBSS, and IBIS Manifest collect, use, and share personally identifiable information (PII). This PIA replaces the previously published USCIS PIA for the "Background Check Service (BCS)" which describes planned background check-related systems that were never implemented. Upon publication of this PIA, the BCS PIA will be retired.

I'm not sure I understand.

Are they suspecting us of fraud?

1 minute ago, madameMaison said:

That is a long time , However your next action on the case could be on the way or in the mail within the next 10 days. For our RFE which we only found in the mail yesterday, we didn't get ANY update on the either of the websites. So yes , almost there . However for your mental sanity, try extend your expected timeline in your head to perhaps November 1st? Then ANY response earlier than that will be a pleasant surprise.  And if you still get anxiety by Oct 20th, call USCIS and the higher powers such as the congressman or senator or ombudsman for further help .

 

I know your pain, and I hope you get your response SPEEDILY. 🌼

Thank you for your kind words! They reassure me a lot

So far I'm trying my best to visualize my expected timeline after November 3rd. I got an appointment for a tattoo that day, (that I wanted to get before leaving) so I know that I have to pull through until then!

Fingers crossed!

247 days and still nothing...

Yes, we called USCIS and submitted a ticket, and asked us to wait an additional 45 days. (So until October 15th). We look at the old and new websites almost every single day, and I subscribed my fiancé to the USPS Informed Delivery.

I feel so powerless. Everyone is getting approved before us and it's incredibly frustrating. We have never been married before, never had children, and don't have any criminal records. We've known each other at least for 3 years before filing the petition. I don't know what to do or think anymore....

14 hours ago, RickE said:

Feb 5 new site...still

waiting 😑 

Same here 😕 Feb 7th for the new site.
My fiancé was able to talk to someone from USCIS and they told him that we should have an answer by September 14th. But it falls exactly on the dreaded 225th day. (Old website is February 2nd) I'm pretty sure we won't even get an answer before that.

Just now, BJ & Christine said:

Not sure what it means tbh...

 

check both sites. Links are in my signature line

Will do, thank you!

I also asked my fiancé to look into it when he wakes up (different timezones woohoo) so hopefully we'll have a more clear answer later today

Hi everyone!

My Fiancé (petitioner) called USCIS yesterday and was told that they didn't send the optional biometrics to me in the mail yet. What does that mean? Wasn't there a form about biometrics that needed to be included in the past along with the I-129F that isn't necessary anymore since they added it to the form?

I have no idea if it means that we're approved or not, or if that means an RFE. I'm very confused. Still no changes on the website either.

Any idea of what that could mean? thank you in advance!

207 days and counting. I can't take it anymore. It's excessively depressing to see everyone getting approved before us.

We tried the new website, signing up for informed delivery, and my fiancé is supposed to call USCIS soon.

It's not like they require more time to do a more thorough background check, I don't know what to do or think anymore. I'm losing hope.