JenTex

On 12/30/2020 at 12:51 PM, rafale1973 said:

Hi guys, I crossed the border on December 15. Since I crossed I still haven’t received my SSN, I was telling myself that it might take more time due to the holidays. So today, my husband and I decided to call one of the office near us, and the agent on the phone told me it can take 30 days before being issued. Why some people received it like 7-10 days after crossing the border. The fact that I don’t have my social just make in a way where I can’t change my drivers license and putting down my chance of getting a job as the majority of the employers want their employees social... 

My wife crossed Oct 7th and still hasn't received her green card or SSN. Status for green card still says immigrant visa fee payment received. Almost time to contact USCIS about that. She had appointment with social security office almost 7 weeks ago on Nov 18. They insisted that her alien registration number was too short. Hers is 8 digits and they said it has to be 10. They were supposed to give it to a supervisor to sort out. She called 3 weeks later and they said 3 weeks is too soon to receive SSN so I guess it's about time to call again. It'd be great if there was just one stage of this process that was streamlined and predictable. 

On 9/28/2020 at 9:02 AM, MicheleRob said:

Now that interviews are being rescheduled, I would love to know who has been able to cross over by land with an approved visa (k-1 or spousal). Just wondering where they attempted and how it went. My fiance's visa was approved last week and on it's way and we are really nervous if he is going to have to fly or can drive ( he lives 1 mile from the Windsor/Detroit tunnel). The consulate told him to contact the border and ask before attempting but he wants to wait until visa is in his hands. 

My wife crossed by land on Oct 7th IR-1 visa. She called border a couple days beforehand to make sure she could cross. It was at a tiny border crossing, Bonners in BC. Everything went smoothly and took about 20 minutes.

7 hours ago, kburbasaur said:

I'm approved!!!

 

The whole process only took about 75 minutes. They asked for:

-birth certificate

-passport photos

-divorce decree

-marriage certificate

-police certificates (I had them for Canada, UK and UAE)

 

After the first window and taking biometrics, I was told to wait until I was called for the 'interview' portion.

 

Questions I was asked was:

-Where did you meet and when?

-How often did you see each other?  (since he was in the US and you in Dubai?)

-When did you get married?

-What husband does for a living?

-Is this both of your first marriages?

-Current US address 

 

Because my medical expires on October 16, he strongly advised me to pick up my visa in-person at the consulate, so I'll do that as soon as it's ready.

 

It was streamlined process all in all.

 

Congrats! So happy they didn't make you redo medical since it was cutting it close!

5 hours ago, DGF said:

I have a couple of questions about the I864 for those who have already interviewed because I can't get a straight answer on either:

 

1. Did they ask for the original I864 or was a copy ok? An original with wet ink signatures from both my husband and our lawyer does not exist since it was done over email. I have the version with my husband's wet ink signature (that doesn't match what was uploaded to CEAC because it is missing the lawyer's signature) and a copy that has both signatures (and matches what was uploaded to CEAC) but neither are wet ink. I could also potentially get the one with a wet ink signature from our lawyer but it won't have a wet ink signature from my husband since they signed a scan. Our lawyer is dodging this question so I'm a little worried. 

2. Did you bring a new I864 with recent information given that the original is roughly a year old? Did they ask for it if you did?

We uploaded a new I864 and 2019 tax transcripts, W2, and paystubs even though they never emailed us and asked for it. They were happy we already had it all uploaded and didn't ask for any originals or copies of financial stuff. They were actually about to ask for it and then said oh nevermind, I see you've already uploaded everything.

1 hour ago, US-EH said:

@JenTex have you received a tracking number yet for your Visa from your interview on Monday? When I login to CEAC it still says issued. Anxiously awaiting 

No ours still says Issued too. 

4 hours ago, kburbasaur said:

Congrats that's amazing! My medical expires on October 16 (7 months from exam) with my interview next week and hoping my passport comes back in time. The consulate is changing the date of her medical for her @JenTex? Can you clarify?

That is correct. Her medical originally expired on Sep 25 and they had to go in and change the expiration to Oct 25 to add the one month extension. So she technically has 27 days validity left on her medical until she has to enter the US. You will only have 9 days validity left (your interview is OCT 7, correct?) so that'll be cutting it close for them to get the visa mailed to you and for you to cross the border. Hopefully they'll send the visa to you asap instead of making you do another medical but I'd be prepared for the latter.

3 hours ago, Rose__ said:

The interview letter mentions that cellphones are prohibited but I thought that someone said they had lockers there to keep them? Can recent interviewees confirm please? In doubt I just won’t bring mine but it’s a pain. 
Can we bring an umbrella? 🤔

 

“The following items are prohibited inside the U.S. Consulate: 

• Food and beverages 

• Weapons or tools  

• Briefcases, backpacks, luggage, or large purses  

• Electronic or recording equipment of any kind, including, but not limited to: laptop computers, cell phones, PDAs, audio and video players, and pagers  

• Oversized strollers  

• Nail files and nail polish “

 

 

My wife brought her cell phone and it wasn't a problem. They have a place to lock it up until you leave.

4 minutes ago, Lovepeace0303 said:

Awesome! I’ll make sure to have all these items! Thank you ☺️ 
 

Great question! English isn’t my husband’s first language either. I always wonder how he can best answer the “how and where we met” question. What would be considered just the right amount information to answer that question best? For example, can my husband say: We met online through mutual friends on social media in 2012, started dating, and met physically in person in 2013 in Canada. Dated for 5 years until getting married in 2018. 

 

Is that an acceptable response, or too much information (or too little)? ☺️

That's exactly what my wife did! LOL She said we met online in 2004, met in person in 2016, and got married in 2017. And the lady said ok that should be enough and then just asked where I'm currently living. That was it. Probably because my wife answered so many questions with her first reponse. LOL.

6 hours ago, US-EH said:

Thank you! Good luck @JenTex. My husbands is at 10:15. What time is yours?

Thanks! My wife's is at 8:30!

On 4/13/2020 at 2:00 AM, Wuozopo said:

The stimulus early payment is based strictly on the tax return you filed (2019). Having a SSN now does not put it on the return already filed, nor can it be. A joint return where one party has an ITIN means no early payment for anybody on that return. Had you not filed 2019 yet, your wife could have gotten her $1200 based on her 2018 return if you and the ITIN were not on it.

The stimulus will be on the 2020 return and you both can receive it then as long as you are under the income threshold for tax year Jan-Dec 2020. 

 

The IRS application thing is for non-filers. You filed, so that’s not for you. It’s for people who had such a low income that they didn’t meet the income level required to file in 2018, 2019 and likely 2020. It’s a way for them to get their name on the stimulus list without having a return on file. 

I received a direct deposit of $2400 yesterday. Filed 2019 taxes MFJ with my Canadian spouse with an ITIN. She's still in Canada awaiting interview. Could be a mistake?

3 hours ago, portorusa said:

So, if one spouse has a SSN and the other has an ITIN and they filed 2019 taxes MFJ, NONE of them receive $1,200?

I am a USC with SSN and my wife is still in limbo in Canada awaiting interview. I filed MFJ and used her ITIN and reported her Canadian income for 2019 taxes and yesterday I got a direct deposit for $2400. I saw earlier yesterday where the same happened to someone else but can't find the post at the moment. So either they're screwing up (which is very possible) or they've changed/waived the ITIN thing. Guess we'll see what happens with everyone else. 

2 minutes ago, Caresse33 said:

Great News!!! So there is positive hope for us. Thank you Jen TEx. How did you find out that you were DQ? Was it by email or you just checked the portal?

Submitted docs Oct 8. Got an email that we were DQ on Nov 26.

9 minutes ago, Caresse33 said:

They also skipped the employment and education history on my DS260, does that mean I will get a REF, this is so weird. Let me know when you hear anything back

My wife submitted her DS-260 and everything else to NVC in October. We were also confused as to why it didn't ask for employment and education. I read somewhere in the forum that those questions only apply to males and/or people from certain countries. We got DQ with no RFE so you should be fine.