reach449

July 15, 2010

Hi...

Can you give us an idea of what was the content of your letter? We are planning to invite my mother and sis in law next year.

Hi,

It is simply a letter inviting them to come visit you. You can add what ever you like that make the interviewer feel "more at ease" with approval. I am not the LPR, my wife is, however I wrote the letter. I explained that I would be responsible for their healthcare, sustenance and housing while they were visiting my wife and I. And most important, I promised to have them on an airplane back to Thailand at the end of their stay. I explained how important I feel that they be able to share the cultural differences here in the USA as I had shared when I visited Thailand. I also explained how I was welcomed into their home and I would like to return the favor. The letter was only a page with all the headings and stuff.

I am a Veteren of the USAF and I metioned that. I don't know if that information helped and probably never will. If I can, next week when I am off of work I will try to post my letter here on this forum if I can figure out how to redac it and post it. I hope this helped.

Reach449

July 10, 2010

Congrats on the TVs.

My stepson who graduated from Chula U. on July 8 may want to come next year.

An awesome career with the Nestlé corporation would be his reason for returning,

so I hope it won't be too much of a hassle. With aged parents it's usually not

so hard, they are happy to get home after visiting.

My brother and his family just returned yesterday from an awesome 2 weeks in Austria.

If Americans had to show the deeds for their houses to do a little foreign travel, there

would be a lot of empty planes out there.

If your stepson has a good career with Nestle in Thailand and is established with them; it will be easy for him to get a Tourist Visa. My wife had a good career and she could have got one if she needed, as her business would write a letter and endorse her. Many of her fellow female/male co-workers came to the USA to visit. She worked in the Pharaceutical Business as a rep and salesperson.

Reach449

July 10, 2010

How does a 10-year tourist visa work?

Is it 10 years of multiple entries of under X months each?

I haven't asked my inlaws how long the visits can be, (it is stated on the VISA itself), but they are usually for up to many months at a time and many visits as you want during the ten years. You are essentially cleared to visit as much as you like withing the next 10 years. I will know more when I talk to them and ask them the limitations. I will post when I find out.

Reach449

July 10, 2010

Hi Ladies and Gents,

It has been quite a while since I have been here, but I thought I would write about our experience trying to get Tourist Visas for my Mom, Dad, and Brother-in-Laws.

We started all the paperwork early this year and got our appointment, but ended up having to cancel it because of the riots in Bangkok. However we rescheduled it and got an appointment the last week of June. WE SENT EVERYTHING WE COULD THINK OF; photos, IRS returns, ID's and my in laws had a lot of paperwork. They took their title of the small house they owned and bank statements. My brother was unemployed at the age of 38. I also wrote a great letter, (in my opinion), to invite them all to visit.

Well, to make a long story short, they traveled from Central Thailand in the wee hours of the morning to make their 8:00am appointment. They turned in their package with all the photos and forms and the girl at the embassy window gave everything back except the letter I wrote. They were called in for their interview a few minutes late and sat down with the embassy official, which was an american that spoke fluent Thai. The only paperwork that the interviewer had in front of her was my letter; everthing else as I said, was given back to my in-laws earlier.

What happened next was weird. They never even talked to my mother and father-in-law. They only asked questions to my brother-in-law. Apparently he did not answer the questions correctly and he was given his passport back, while they kept my parent-in-law's passport. My brother-in-law was disaproved and my parents-in-laws was approved.

Just a few days later, (today), my parents got their passports back with a 10 year Tourist Visa! My wife and I are so happy! We wish my brother was approved, but he was unemployed. My parents were retired and in their 60's and 70's.

We hope to bring them here in November of this year or later in February of next year.

I hope everyone has the luck that we did and I hope this helps. If you have anymore questions, feel free to respond.

Thanks for listening,

Reach449

February 28, 2010

Green Card yesterday! :dance: Good Luck to everyone!

reach449

February 28, 2010

Sorry, this is a duplicate entry, tried to delete it, but couldn't figure out how..oh well... :whistle:

February 28, 2010

February 28, 2010

Hello Everyone,

Well, my wife got her 10 year green card in the mail yesterday! :dance: I have to say this part of our Journey went pretty well. Good luck to everyone else waiting out there; I am sure it will work out for everyone!

Take Care,

reach449

February 21, 2010

Congrats reach449 !! We had 2 approval from VSC today!!! Go VSC Go
You didn't update latest file (JVKn'CVO's approved date is gone!) so I put it back

And I'll add note that your approval was without Bio.

California Service Center (19 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

DEBABB.............11/02/09..........11/04/09.......12/11/09........02/12/10.... (Text and email received: card production ordered)

DEBABB's kids......11/02/09..........11/04/09.......01/11/10........02/12/10.... (Text and email received: card production ordered)

COUNTINGDAYS.......11/05/09..........11/10/09.......12/11/09........--/--/--....

PATRICK808 +1......11/06/09..........11/09/09.......12/16/09........12/28/09.... (card received 1/04)

LAURA0588..........11/06/09..........11/09/09.......12/18/09........--/--/--.... (Bio retaken 1/22/10)

RINGS..............11/06/09..........11/09/09.......12/18/09........01/07/10.... (card received 1/14/10)

PEREIRA............11/09/09..........11/10/09.......12/11/09........12/22/09....

MMMM1982...........11/09/09..........11/21/09.......12/07/09........12/19/09.... (card received 12/21)

WILLYKID...........11/10/09..........11/19/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

LUCHO562...........11/12/09..........11/16/09.......12/14/09........01/07/10....

JIGI...............11/12/09..........11/13/09.......12/18/09........--/--/--.... (RFE received 1/13/10)

UCLA CUTIE26.......11/13/09..........11/16/09.......12/16/09........01/07/10....(card received 1/12/10)

JOTS1984...........11/13/09..........11/18/09.......12/16/09........12/18/09.... (early bio 12/11)

DUSTIN NILA........11/14/09..........11/16/09.......12/24/09........01/13/10.... (card received 1/21/10)

ICEBLUE............11/16/09..........11/30/09.......12/22/09........01/09/10....

PERIDOTGIRL........11/18/09..........--/--/--.......12/15/09........12/30/09.... (card received 01/05/2010)

KEV_N_JENA.........11/24/09..........11/25/09.......01/15/10........01/27/10....(card received 02/01/10)

SYEDI01............11/25/09..........11/30/09.......01/05/10........--/--/--.... (early bio 12/21)

JC1B...............11/27/09..........12/--/09.......01/11/10........--/--/--....

Vermont Service Center (24 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

JVK N' CVO.........10/30/09..........11/03/09.......12/16/09........02/11/10....

RNQUEEN............11/01/09..........11/07/09.......12/04/09........--/--/--....

NAYAN21............11/03/09..........11/06/09.......12/04/09........--/--/--....

ROCNKIMCOLLABO.....11/03/09..........11/--/09.......12/10/09........--/--/--....

DAVID & HRISTINA...11/03/09..........11/05/09.......12/04/09........--/--/--....

YURIKA & JIM.......11/04/09..........11/09/09.......12/11/09........--/--/--....

KARI LINA..........11/05/09..........--/--/--.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

PERVEZ.............11/06/09..........11/10/09.......12/15/09........--/--/--....

SINA2009...........11/09/09..........11/17/09.......12/23/09........--/--/--....

HELEN G............11/10/09..........--/--/--.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

NYTE...............11/11/09..........11/19/09.......01/08/10........02/16/10.... (early bio 01/05/10)

REACH 449..........11/12/09..........11/23/09.......--/--/--........02/16/10.... (without Bio)

F@RSC@P3 ..........11/12/09..........11/16/09.......12/10/09........12/30/09.... (Expedite Letter, husband is deployed) (Card received 01/22/10)

KATIJOHANNA........11/17/09..........11/19/09.......12/23/09........--/--/--....

NANCY07............11/18/09..........11/20/09.......01/04/10........--/--/--....

NINA+MATT..........11/19/09..........11/23/09.......01/20/10........--/--/--....

CHERRY23...........11/20/09..........12/08/09.......01/05/10........01/22/10.... (Expedite Letter, husband is deployed) (Card received 01/28/10)

MUQZ&NONZ..........11/21/09..........11/24/09.......01/04/10........--/--/--....

BORA BORA..........11/23/09..........11/30/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--.... (early bio on 12/29)

LONA.C.............11/24/09..........11/27/09.......12/21/09........--/--/--....

CANDELARI..........11/24/09..........11/27/09.......12/23/09........--/--/--.... (early bio 12/11)

(former EBRULI)

YANNIJ01...........11/25/09..........--/--/--.......01/11/10........--/--/--....

NICKLES ONLY.......11/25/09..........12/01/09.......01/12/10........--/--/--....

STUSH..............11/27/09..........--/--/--.......12/18/09........--/--/--....

IMPORTANT!

*Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

*Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

*Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

*When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly*

*If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

Sorry about that and thanks. :thumbs:

Reach449

February 21, 2010

CONGRATULATIONS REACH~~~~HOW COME YOU DIDNT HAVE TO HAVE BIOMETRIC DONE....? I THOUGHT EVERYONE HAD TO HAVE THEIR BIOMETRICS DONE~~~

I really don't know; The USCIS just sent us a notification telling us that her Biometrics were current, (even though they were almost two years old). I won't question the USCIS on this one though! :whistle:

Reach449

February 21, 2010

Adding Reach449's approval date...

California Service Center (19 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

DEBABB.............11/02/09..........11/04/09.......12/11/09........02/12/10.... (Text and email received: card production ordered)

DEBABB's kids......11/02/09..........11/04/09.......01/11/10........02/12/10.... (Text and email received: card production ordered)

COUNTINGDAYS.......11/05/09..........11/10/09.......12/11/09........--/--/--....

PATRICK808 +1......11/06/09..........11/09/09.......12/16/09........12/28/09.... (card received 1/04)

LAURA0588..........11/06/09..........11/09/09.......12/18/09........--/--/--.... (Bio retaken 1/22/10)

RINGS..............11/06/09..........11/09/09.......12/18/09........01/07/10.... (card received 1/14/10)

PEREIRA............11/09/09..........11/10/09.......12/11/09........12/22/09....

MMMM1982...........11/09/09..........11/21/09.......12/07/09........12/19/09.... (card received 12/21)

WILLYKID...........11/10/09..........11/19/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

LUCHO562...........11/12/09..........11/16/09.......12/14/09........01/07/10....

JIGI...............11/12/09..........11/13/09.......12/18/09........--/--/--.... (RFE received 1/13/10)

UCLA CUTIE26.......11/13/09..........11/16/09.......12/16/09........01/07/10....(card received 1/12/10)

JOTS1984...........11/13/09..........11/18/09.......12/16/09........12/18/09.... (early bio 12/11)

DUSTIN NILA........11/14/09..........11/16/09.......12/24/09........01/13/10.... (card received 1/21/10)

ICEBLUE............11/16/09..........11/30/09.......12/22/09........01/09/10....

PERIDOTGIRL........11/18/09..........--/--/--.......12/15/09........12/30/09.... (card received 01/05/2010)

KEV_N_JENA.........11/24/09..........11/25/09.......01/15/10........01/27/10....(card received 02/01/10)

SYEDI01............11/25/09..........11/30/09.......01/05/10........--/--/--.... (early bio 12/21)

JC1B...............11/27/09..........12/--/09.......01/11/10........--/--/--....

Vermont Service Center (24 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

JVK N' CVO.........10/30/09..........11/03/09.......12/16/09........--/--/--....

RNQUEEN............11/01/09..........11/07/09.......12/04/09........--/--/--....

NAYAN21............11/03/09..........11/06/09.......12/04/09........--/--/--....

ROCNKIMCOLLABO.....11/03/09..........11/--/09.......12/10/09........--/--/--....

DAVID & HRISTINA...11/03/09..........11/05/09.......12/04/09........--/--/--....

YURIKA & JIM.......11/04/09..........11/09/09.......12/11/09........--/--/--....

KARI LINA..........11/05/09..........--/--/--.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

PERVEZ.............11/06/09..........11/10/09.......12/15/09........--/--/--....

SINA2009...........11/09/09..........11/17/09.......12/23/09........--/--/--....

HELEN G............11/10/09..........--/--/--.......--/--/--........--/--/--....

NYTE...............11/11/09..........11/19/09.......01/08/10........02/16/10.... (early bio 01/05/10)

REACH 449..........11/12/09..........11/23/09.......--/--/--........02/16/10....

F@RSC@P3 ..........11/12/09..........11/16/09.......12/10/09........12/30/09.... (Expedite Letter, husband is deployed) (Card received 01/22/10)

KATIJOHANNA........11/17/09..........11/19/09.......12/23/09........--/--/--....

NANCY07............11/18/09..........11/20/09.......01/04/10........--/--/--....

NINA+MATT..........11/19/09..........11/23/09.......01/20/10........--/--/--....

CHERRY23...........11/20/09..........12/08/09.......01/05/10........01/22/10.... (Expedite Letter, husband is deployed) (Card received 01/28/10)

MUQZ&NONZ..........11/21/09..........11/24/09.......01/04/10........--/--/--....

BORA BORA..........11/23/09..........11/30/09.......--/--/--........--/--/--.... (early bio on 12/29)

LONA.C.............11/24/09..........11/27/09.......12/21/09........--/--/--....

CANDELARI..........11/24/09..........11/27/09.......12/23/09........--/--/--.... (early bio 12/11)

(former EBRULI)

YANNIJ01...........11/25/09..........--/--/--.......01/11/10........--/--/--....

NICKLES ONLY.......11/25/09..........12/01/09.......01/12/10........--/--/--....

STUSH..............11/27/09..........--/--/--.......12/18/09........--/--/--....

IMPORTANT!

*Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

*Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

*Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

*When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly*

*If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

February 21, 2010

Hi Guys and Gals,

We received in the mail today the approval for the 10 year green card. Now we are just waiting for the card. The process was very simple---no RFE's, Biometrics, or Interview. I hope it will go this smoothly for all the November filers! :thumbs:

Thanks,

Reach449

February 21, 2010

Hello Everyone,

We just received in the mail today that the USCIS has approved the permanent residency status and the card will be here in 60 days!! :dance:

The process did not take as long as I thought it would. It only took three months! All we did is send the fee and application; nothing else was required; like Biometrics. The process was smooth and simple. Although I was never able to track her case on the USCIS website though. She registered and when we put her case number in, it came back saying they do not recognize the case #. Oh well......

Anyway, can anyone tell me how long it takes to get the 10 year card after her status is approved? I know the notification says 60 days, but how long does it really take? I am assuming that it will actually take a shorter time; am I correct?

Take care everyone and may everyone's process go as smooth as ours did.

Reach449

January 24, 2010

Well, that is interesting. Fingerprints are supposed to be valid for 15 months yet the removal of conditions are to take place 90 days before the expiry of the 2 year card so at the very least that would be 21 months. Did your wife re do her biometrics recently for some reason? I have never heard of this happening before except for one case where the green card had been lost and they requested new biometrics when they sent in the request for a replacement. The biometrics were less than 15 months old when they filed to Remove Conditions. There have been a few cases where Citizenship applicants did not have to redo biometrics as they were told theirs were still valid, although most people end up redoing them even though they are within the 15 month time period. Regardless, whether you redo biometrics or not, you won't be getting a refund. That word is unknown in USCIS' vocabulary.
Yes, it is very common just to receive the 10 year card in the mail without any other type of communication - except the biometrics. Very few people end up having interviews for the Removal of Conditions so this is the norm. The major exception is when someone receives a Request for Further evidence (RFE), otherwise you just receive the card.

Kathryn41,

Thanks for your prompt answer. To answer your question we did not re-do her biometrics. The only biometrics that was done was her original one in or around January 2008.

Yeah, I figured that we wouldn't get a refund. I guess the USCIS keeps her photo on a database somewhere to use if they issue the 10 year green card? Maybe all of this is a blessing in disguise and the next thing we will hear from them is getting her card. We will just wait and see.

Thanks again,

Reach449

January 24, 2010

Hi Everyone,

We never received an appointment for our biometrics after 60 days of waiting. I finally called USCIS and told them. After a few days we received the email below from the USCIS stating that my wife's biometrics was current and she doesn't need one. They also stated that we would not get a refund for the biometrics.

I am glad that the USCIS answered our request for information so quick, but I am a little torqued about paying the $85.00 for the biometrics and not needing it; then the USCIS telling me they are not going to refund it. What a SCAM!

Is this a normal occurance? Do people pay for the biometrics and then the USCIS tells them they don't need it? I have also heard that some of my wife's friends sent their 751 package and the next communication they got was the 10 year green card in the mail. Does this happen or is my wife getting bad info? Do you think I have a chance of getting a refund on my $85.00?

Thanks for all of your info ahead of time.

:wacko:

Reach449

PORTION OF EMAIL FROM USCIS:

The status of this service request is:

A review of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) records

indicates that your biometric information is current and it is not necessary

for you to appear at an Application Support Center (ASC) for a biometrics

appointment at this time. The biometrics fee will not be refunded. USCIS

will contact you if updated biometric information or any other additional

information is needed to process your petition.

If you have any further questions, please call the National Customer Service

Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Please remember: By law, every person who is not a U.S. citizen and who is

over the age of 14 must submit Form AR-11 AND notify this office of their

change of address, within 10 days from when they move (persons in "A" or "G"

nonimmigrant status are exempt from this requirement). To notify this

office of a move, visit our website at: www.uscis.gov or call the National

Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. The Form AR-11 can be downloaded

from our website or you can call the National Customer Service Center at

1-800-375-5283 and we can order one for you. Instructions for filing the

Form AR-11, including mailing instructions, are included on the Form.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 9.0.730 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2639 - Release Date: 01/22/10

13:33:00

January 24, 2010

Update...
I called the USCIS last week and after about 5 minutes of getting thru the automated phone system, I finally was able to speak with someone. I told her it had been more than 30 days since we received the I-797 and still haven't got our biometrics appointment yet.

This simple information I was trying to pass alone turned out to be a 20 minute call to a person who sounded like they were reading off of a prepared statement and checklist. I must of repeated the same information to her at least 3 times. She just took information and did not know anything or even have my wife's record in front of her. I asked if she knew if the appointment time had been mailed, but she couldn't even tell me that. I felt like I was talking to an automon.

The results of the 20 minute conversation about having no biometrics appointment was that I would be contacted after 45 days and they gave me a reference number. I guess that puts us behind schedule a little..huh?

We have been lucky since we started dealing with the USCIS for the K-1 and have had no complaints. So now I guess it is "my time" to start working and dealing with the system. I just hope all of this works out OK. Has anyone else had this problem before and what were you outcomes? I guess the 45 day wait is normal?

Thanks everyone,

Reach449

Hi Guys and Gals,

Well, after making the phone call above, a few days later we received the email below. Now, they are saying we don't need the biometrics, that ours is current. Go figure. They also stated that we would not be refunded the cost of the biometrics. HOW IS THIS FAIR? I pay the $85.00 for the biometrics fee, but don't receive the services. What a rip-off! Of-course in a way I am happy that we don't have to do it, but paying the fee for nothing, is kinda frustrating.

Has this ever happened to anyone before? My wife is telling me some of her friends just got their 10 year green card mailed to them one day, without any communication from USCIS. Have you ever heard of that happening?

Thanks a lot for your advice with this matter.

Reach 449

EMAIL FROM USCIS: