uncleleo

Update: Almost 2 weeks since my parents interview and since I uploaded the I-864A form (as requested by embassy officer), they finally got the email requesting they courier their passports in for visa processing which they did today. With Covid restrictions the courier service told them it typically takes 2-4wks for return of passports but I suspect it will be 1-2wks from what I've read elsewhere. Big thanks to everyone here for their support and information - it's been super helpful during the application process. Glad it is finally at an end for us. Best of luck to those still waiting for the interview.

1 hour ago, Sfb86 said:

Hello, my mom is scheduled for the interview and I am in the same situation as you so I really need your help. And, if I hadn’t seen your post, our case, it may have been refused as well.

I make enough income so I didn’t add the AOS for my husband and NVC accepted the case, dq. After looking at your post, I just had my husband do his own i864a(as a joint) and he printed his w2 forms. I am planning to send these forms to my mom so that she can take it to her interview at the embassy. The question that i have is about online upload. Do i need to upload it at ceac website? Can i just add it as additional documents or do i need to add joint sponsor all together? 
 

Thanks again for all your help! 

Hi, I would add it on CEAC website along with your I-864 "additional documents" & yes definitely send your mother a scanned copy to take to the interview. I also think it depends on the officer. My parents told me they could hear other interviews and the officers were really nice and congratulated many. Just bad luck they got this officer! Goodluck to your mom!

7 minutes ago, Bzegurl said:

I'm so sorry this happend to you and now their visa is delayed. When I completed my AOS form I also included an I864A for my husband. The previous responder was right. The I864A is not a co-sponsor document, it is a document to ensure that your spouse is in agreement with your sponsoring. I hope this is a lesson for others as well. Good Luck and also once the I864A is downloaded you need to call and email your embassy often. Don't just sit on it. Good Luck!

Thank you for sharing this. I hope it will be of help to others as well. I wish they had asked for it clearly from the beginning as part of the requirement in the instructions; could have saved us alot of time and effort. Thanks again.

3 minutes ago, Chancy said:

 

It is not unheard of for the consul officer to ask for an I-864A from a qualified sponsor's spouse, especially if they file taxes MFJ.  They want confirmation in writing that the spouse agrees to make their conjugal resources available for the financial support of the intending immigrant(s).  Even if the I-864 instructions or NVC did not require an I-864A, if the CO asks for it, then it becomes required.  That's not an error on the CO's part.  The CO has discretion to ask for additional financial support documents.  Cases like yours are the reason why I and others here on VJ recommend preparing an I-864A from the sponsor's spouse anyway even if they are not required to do so at NVC stage.

 

Thank you, this is very helpful to know. Extremely disappointing but just another hoop we have to jump through! 

During my parents IR5 interview they were told I (sole sponsor/petitioner) would need to have my spouse complete/sign the I-864A form & upload it. After that they can courier their passports to the embassy for the immigrant visa. However at no point in the last 2 years was this form requested. I earn way more than the federal poverty guideline for household size so why would they request a co-sponsor in this case? Has anyone experienced the same situation? I know they're prone to making errors so I just want to verify before I email them.

Anyone have any more details on the ban? Is it still in effect? 

Has anyone received consulate interview dates?

13 hours ago, ljmp_10 said:

I am trying to upload my Income Tax Return and other documents, but they are more than 2mb. I already compressed them but they still exceed 2mb. Any suggestion or tips how to make it smaller?

Google "free pdf converter" and use it to compress it more: https://www.pdf2go.com/compress-pdf

Make sure you're uploading one type of document at a time. tax return | salary letter etc

5 hours ago, ljmp_10 said:

Please help!!!

 

I already paid 1 AOS fee for both parents. It shows "paid" now. I am currently filling out the I-864 form. The internet fillable one is not automatically typing "1" for myself under Part 5 #2. So I am completing it written. My question is: 

1. Since I only paid 1 AOS fee, do I complete only 1 I-864 form?

2. Under Part 3 #2, do I check this box and write my other parent's name under Family Member 1 since they are immigrating at the same time? 

3. Related to my question #2, it says on Part 3 #2 "Do not include any relative listed on a separate visa petition", does this mean that I should not write my other parent's info in this form?

 

 

For Form I-864:

1. It let me type in 1 for myself but if it does not let you, then just add it after you print. Make sure you type the correct total number in "Household Size".

2. Do not check the box (it states "do not include any relative listed on a separate visa petition") and do not write anything under Family member 1.

3. Correct. You are completing 2 different I-864 forms which you need to upload to each parents account. Do not mention both parents nor count the other parent for household size. So if you're sponsoring your father and you are married, you count 1 for yourself, 1 for your spouse, 1 for your father - total household size 3. Do the same for your mothers form.

Also, don't forget to write N/A for any questions you did not answer if they did not apply to you.

Review the instructions carefully: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-864instr-pc.pdf

11 hours ago, ljmp_10 said:

Thank you! How long do you think this process will take? Are you done with your parents’?

With Covid, I'm not sure what the processing times are. The transfer from USCIS to NVC and the email from NVC were all very fast. Guessing timeline also depends on the country the embassy is in.

1 hour ago, ljmp_10 said:

What are the steps after approval?

USCIS closes case and sends everything over to the NVC (National Visa Center) for processing. You & your parent(s) will receive an email from the NVC with instructions (subject: Notice of Immigrant Visa Case Creation) - it will have login details for Department of State's Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) - you login and pay fees (need US checking account), you complete the affidavit of support (I-864) / upload required financial docs....then your parent(s) complete the immigrant visa application (ds-260) / upload required civil docs - then if everything is in order they will give your parent(s) an appointment for interview at the nearest US embassy. That's it.

Both parents approved today too (Potomac). Only took a whole year! Onto next steps...

Received RFE for both parents on 11/25 (Potomac) - responded already. First movement since I applied in Dec 2019.

2 minutes ago, Since2012 said:

 

the approval is a case to case basis. And Yes, the ban is still implemented until dec.31,2020 depends if it’s going to be extended. 
 

they are just processing the approvals but no interview schedule yet coz of the ban.

Thanks. Even the first approval is taking forever. Almost a year for me now. I understand the embassy's have stopped processing immigrant visas but the uscis approval is taking ridiculously long. Not seeing many people on here with updates either so assume this is fairly common now. Hopefully they speed things up soon!

I'm confused as to how some folks are getting approved but some are not. Is there a ban and if so, would it not apply to all applications? Is anyone going via a lawyer and if so, please share their perspective on this. Thanks!

Is anyone hearing anything about their parents petitions? Both my applications from Dec 2019 are untouched. Soon a year will have gone by. Most frustrating year ever. ☹️

10 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I can’t see the table but the numbers for total issuance sound wrong. And if by “green cards issued” you include AOS, those are not subject to the ban.

 

Official DoS data show 462k immigrant visas issued in 2019 (down from previous years). Not a million. https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2019AnnualReport/FY19AnnualReport- TableII.pdf

However the number of around 300k being affected by the ban is correct.

 

Thanks for sharing the link, good to know! Added the table as attachment in case it's not visible.

Interesting information:

As Table 1 shows, there were one million total green cards issued during all of 2019, and 316,000 green cards issued under the categories suspended by Trump’s new executive order. The executive order is initially valid for 60 days (two months); a 60-day suspension of these categories would result in an estimated reduction of 52,600 green cards, or a reduction of 5.1% of all green cards relative to the total number issued in 2019.

However, it is impossible to know whether the executive order will remain in place for just two months, multiple years, or somewhere in between. Each additional 60 days would reduce the number by an additional 52,600, or an additional 5.1% of the annual green card total. If the executive order remains in force for one full year, it would result in a reduction of 316,000 green cards, or 31%, nearly one-third, of the one million green cards issued in 2019.

1 hour ago, Unagi said:

My dad got approved today.

Nebraska service center. Now the POTUS has suspended issuance of visa so have to wait until the end of the year

Amazing news!! Congrats! Ugh now the wait for the visa!!! I really hope they start processing those soon  Worst year ever!

Anyone have any update? It's been pretty quiet. USCIS Processing in Potomac now shows Oct 12, 2019 receipt date for case inquiry. Can't get any slower!

16 minutes ago, AnDenW said:

They have updated the processing times again for Potomac today. It looks better now. Back to 7-9 months for IR-5

Thank you so much for sharing this!!! GREAT news!!! Hope it stays this way!

5 hours ago, onek said:

They is a ban on parents visa and they are not any more visas. The backlog will continue to pile up. USCIS would rather process the cases which don’t have a ban so they can get visas instead of processing the ones who won’t be able to get visa till the ban is listed. 

Thanks. When did the ban begin & do you have a link to further information? I've noticed several people posting on here in the last few months about getting approvals for their parents and all of them had applied at a date after I did so this is all very confusing. If a ban has been in place for several months, how are folks getting approved and having their case moved to the NVC?

2 hours ago, ljmp_10 said:

Potomac SC from 8.5-11 months, now this 👇🏻 😭😭😭😭

Does anyone know why this happened? I am so upset as I spoke with an agent a week ago and was told it's 7-9 months processing time for parents.  Can they just continue to keep increasing from 6 months to several years now?! Anyone using an immgration lawyer? Would be interested in their feedback on this.

Hi, curious if anyone has planned out the formalities once their parents arrive in the US - the financial piece (no credit history), buying/renting a home, any benefits for elderly etc, the social/community side etc - would be interested to hear feedback from anyone willing to share. Thanks.

1 hour ago, BatmanFlow said:

I think it would be interesting to know who’s filing online vs paper and if that’s affecting approvals. 
I did it online. 

I thought everyone filed I-130 online; didn't know paper applications were an option. FYI - I filed online in late December for both parents. Receipt came from Potomac.

Also a Dec 2019 filer - how are you submitting an inquiry? I tried to do it online but it said it is not allowed yet. When I called and spoke to an agent for an update, I was told no changes have been made to their files & that I can call back in 30 days to file an inquiry. Not sure why I need to wait 30 days?!