arae

On 9/3/2021 at 8:52 AM, arae said:

We had our interview yesterday so here's a brief recap.

 

Everyone we interacted with from security to the person checking people in and assigning them a number, to the officer we had for the interview were so very kind. I'd estimate our interview lasted 15 minutes and the officer explained the process thoroughly at the beginning and told us this should be pretty simple. Questions centered around our relationship, how we met, and then confirming a lot of demographic information and confirming the responses from the DS-160. Overall it was conversational, low pressure, and friendly.

 

The officer did say that one of our files was missing from their system but that that sometimes happens. They asked their supervisor if they could approve our  case. When they came back they said our case was approved but handed us a notice that it required further review. I checked the case tracker and saw "Interview Completed. My Case Requires Further Review."

 

Naturally the status makes me slightly nervous since we heard the words "approved" but also I know there was some hiccup with one of our files being sent electronically. Trying to stay positive!

Bit bummed to still have no update on my case. Status has not changed from "Interview Completed. My Case Must Be Reviewed." I've ready that a lot of other people who have gotten this have seen approvals and new cards being produced within a day or two. We're now at a week.

16 hours ago, Siggy said:

Hope your get your card soon, you said DS-160 ( we file this when you attend k1 interview) or i-485 you meant? 

No, I meant what I wrote. They confirmed the yes/no questions asked on the DS-160.

We had our interview yesterday so here's a brief recap.

Everyone we interacted with from security to the person checking people in and assigning them a number, to the officer we had for the interview were so very kind. I'd estimate our interview lasted 15 minutes and the officer explained the process thoroughly at the beginning and told us this should be pretty simple. Questions centered around our relationship, how we met, and then confirming a lot of demographic information and confirming the responses from the DS-160. Overall it was conversational, low pressure, and friendly.

The officer did say that one of our files was missing from their system but that that sometimes happens. They asked their supervisor if they could approve our  case. When they came back they said our case was approved but handed us a notice that it required further review. I checked the case tracker and saw "Interview Completed. My Case Requires Further Review."

Naturally the status makes me slightly nervous since we heard the words "approved" but also I know there was some hiccup with one of our files being sent electronically. Trying to stay positive!

Hi all,

Question on documentation for the interview. The interview letter requests "all documentation establishing your eligibility for lawful permanent resident status - this includes proof of status as an asylee, refugee, or a fiance nonimmigrant"

What are they looking for here? The I-94 and K1 visa stamp in the passport? What did others use to meet this requirement?

Same for "all travel documents used to enter the US." Would this just be the K1?

41 minutes ago, Lorf said:

My interview letter says my husband has to come. It is confusing because at the top it says you should not bring anyone other than attorney or interpreter. However at the bottom on the list of "things" to bring to the interview there is a line that says "If your eligibility is based on marriage, in addition to your spouse coming to the interview please bring:" Picture attached below 

You nailed it! I asked my question too soon and didn’t see this line in the very fuzzy picture I had my family send when the latter was received earlier. Thank you!

Got our interview letter and I'm having trouble deciphering whether both spouses are supposed to attend the interview? I've seen others say both spouses attend but the letter seems to indicate you can only bring someone if they are your attorney or representative or if you need an interpreter.

Anyone have insight about this?

42 minutes ago, Sarge2155 said:

Then thank your lucky stars!

Very lucky indeed! Thank you for your guidance. 

2 hours ago, Sarge2155 said:

Yes normal it happens all the time,  but as far as timeframe there is no telling!

Even weirder...it now says interview scheduled? This seems super fast!

Did bios on 7/15. Case tracker for the 485 says, as of yesterday "Case Ready to Be Scheduled for an Interview" but there are no updates to the 131 and 765 to show fingerprints were taken.

Normal? Possible interview will be scheduled before EAD/AP combo card given? Anyone know an approx. timeframe after getting the ready to be scheduled update?

Finally received bio appt today. Notice dated 6/18. Received 6/28. 
 

PD: 2/1 

Bio: 7/15

53 minutes ago, miserygame said:

Same here, I'm trying to find a pattern, what i'm seeing is that from Feb the 1st to like the 5th or 6th there hasn't been any movement, I really want to know if USCIS organizes cases by PD - Agent i.e.: 1 agent deals with the 1st week of each month so on and so forth, if that's the case it seems like the agent dealing with the 1st week of feb is a lazy-### dude who isn't doing his job since most of us, haven't got anything yet. 

Same here, I expedited about 19-20 days ago, I reached out to them last monday and the agent updated my expedite  my request and and they told me that i was going to hear back in 5 days, today is the 5th day and the ###### live chat is down, Now I've been literally on the phone for about 2 hours trying to be connected with a representative.

 

I swear to god I lived and worked in eastern europe for almost two years, and even in developing  eastern Europe the bureaucracy is more efficient than this country, it's insanity. 😂

I tried to expedite a few weeks ago and they hold me I couldn't because I didn't have bios done. 5 months and nothing except NOA1. How ridiculous.

46 minutes ago, miserygame said:

my PD is the same as yours, it seems like from the 2nd to like the 4th PD there hasn't been any movement. 

bs

My PD is Feb 1 and I still have no bio. Yet March filers are having tons of movement.

Tried chatting through Emma again today but received errors 3 times. Assuming it's down.

12 hours ago, Krish. said:

Anyone still waiting for biometrics appt notice? I received RFIE on 5/20 and responded, then case status online changed they received my response on 6/02. Up until now theres no update I am seeing almost everyone getting their biometrics, I feel so left out 

Yes. Tons of people are still waiting. 

23 hours ago, OntarioMan said:

Well I guess I know why my account was being weird. I got my biometrics appointment letter in the mail today!

What visa are you adjusting from and which is your service center?

1 hour ago, Diamda2005 said:

Same issue i have too for same form.

i had my bios appointment, I talked with a live agent thru emma, and said they process the case.

so maybe they work on your case also. Give a day or two and see what is happening 

To clarify, do you mean they told you the issue was because they were working on your case?

1 hour ago, OntarioMan said:

Hello, I have been waiting for a biometrics appointment as well. I have been checking the my uscis website every day for a while now and it usually says that my case was received but today it came up as blank. I was wondering if this means that there is an update coming soon. Maybe something good or bad. 

 

As an extra note the case history has nothing either.

Having the same issue today too but not sure if it means anything. I tried chatting via Emma yesterday to see if there was an update on bios and the agent was not helpful.

17 hours ago, Buci said:

Hey @arae sorry to hear about the lack of progress on your case.. no, we didn't expedite or do anything special. We're adjusting from a K-1 visa. Are you adjusting from a different visa category? That might explain the timeline difference.

 

It could also depend on the specific application support center (ASC) that's handling the biometrics for your case. There's a number of different ASC's in the Chicagoland area. The one that gets your case is typically the one that services the particular zip code you live in. You can see which one will process your biometrics here: https://egov.uscis.gov/office-locator/#/asc

 

Hopefully you'll hear something sooner than soon!! 🤞 

Yeah, we're a K1 as well. I tried chatting with an agent via Emma and got nowhere. Pretty frustrating.

18 hours ago, Buci said:

Thank you!! 🙂 Our offices are based in Chicago, IL. Hope you get some good news soon, too! 

Did you expedite?

Happy for you but also confused for me. Our PD is Feb 1 and we've had no movement. Chicago is our office too.

2/1 PD and still waiting for bio. Sigh.

1 minute ago, Wuozopo said:

Yes, that’s the bummer. On TurboTax print menu, there is a “print for filing” so you only print the necessary pages without all the extra gazillion worksheets Turbo creates. Add your statement. 
 

Here’s what IRS says:

Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following information. 

 

• A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of your tax year, and that you choose to be treated as U.S. residents for the entire tax year. 

• The name, address, and identification number of each spouse.

 

Mine was something like:

 

Mary K. Smith and Joe R. Smith are married.

Mary K. Smith is a US citizen and Joe R. Smith is a nonresident alien on the last day of tax year 2020.

 

We choose for Joe R Smith to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes for the entire year.

___________________________________   date__________.  

Mary K. Smith 

SSN: xxx-xx-xxx

123 Cherry St

MyTown, TX 77777

 

___________________________________  date_____________

Joe R. Smith

SSN: xxx-xx-xxx

123 Cherry St

MyTown, TX 77777

 

 

 

Thank you for the template letter!

Last question, I promise.

I worked through and Turbo gives me this big warning that there was $0 in foreign income exclusion which is "very rare".

The language is: "J's foreign earned income exclusion, after subtracting all deductions related to foreign income, is $0. The IRS will reject this return if electronically filed because the exclusion is not a positive number. A paper return must be mailed to the IRS."

Any concern with this? I followed all the prompts, included his salary made from work, and he had nothing else because he was living at home with his parents before he moved.

@Wuozopo am I correct in understanding that I'd need to file by mail then? To include the statement electing resident alien status?

34 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

If he is a nonresident alien, you can’t file a joint return.  So you want to elect for him to be a resident alien for tax purposes. That is a statement you write and both sign. A perk for being to a US citizen. Are you already familiar with that statement thing?  He will also qualify for stimulus payments if your total income is less than the threshold.

 

On TurboTax, choose resident alien (because you are going to elect he be treated as such on the tax return).

Bonafide resident test is easiest. They want to know he was legally allowed to live and work in Canada and not just an American on holiday trying to skip some taxes. If he was born in Canada, then his bonafide residence began on the date of his birth. You will be ask “what visa for the foreign country”. It’s not the K1 as many people get wrong. It is what visa allowed him to work in the foreign country of Canada. Say none needed, none, Canadian citizenship...anything to get Turbo to move on.

 

 

Cannot thank you enough for this thoughtful reply! This is exactly what I needed.

I am not familiar with the statement but I'm sure I can find it here or do some research...

Hi all, seeking some guidance now that the deadline to file US taxes is quickly approaching (even with the extension). Here's a bit about our situation:

• My husband is Canadian and moved to the US on the K1 visa on December 12, 2020
• He earned all income in Canada and has filed Canadian taxes for 2020
• He has zero earned income in the US in 2020
• We would like to file married filing jointly
• He has an SSN

I've started and stopped my return on TurboTax multiple times. I get stuck when I get to the Foreign Earned Income section where it checks to see if we can exclude foreign income from US taxes. 

The first question on Turbo is did my husband live and work outside the US in 2020. The answer is yes. He lived and worked in Canada until December 12, 2020

The next question whether he was a US citizen in 2020 while working outside the US. The answer is no.

This is the question that stops me: was he a resident alien while living and working outside the US in 2020 (with a note that it is possible for a nonresident alien to elect to be treated as a resident alien and to consult a tax pro if this is your scenario). The choices are:

• Yes he is a US resident alien
• No he is not a US resident alien

Selecting "Yes" brings me to the Bona Fide Resident Test or the Physical Presence Test.

Selecting "No" brings me to the 1040NR.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated! You all have been so helpful in the past.

2 minutes ago, David and Anna said:

Thank you! (I doubt I would have thought to fill out 3)

 

Sadly we filled one out with our I-129F and never got an email or text or anything.  Glad to hear it worked for your AoS documents.

Unfortunately a lot of folks have reported hit or miss results with getting texts. I never got any texts beyond the initial receipt with my 129F, but others did. 

7 minutes ago, David and Anna said:

How does one get a text with this "receipt number"?  Is this akin to an NOA1 via text?  Please explain so we can try to get this service when we file next week.  Thanks!!

Fill out the G-1145 form and include one for each of the forms in your packet (for example, I sent 3 G-1145s - 1 with the 485, 1 with the 131, 1 with the 765). I got 3 texts with 3 receipt numbers for each of my applications.