Jack & Anne

On 10/31/2021 at 10:46 AM, akirax said:

It has been since late August and we still don't have our Biometric appointment.  is it normal to take this long?

In the letter notice it say if they determine that we need one, we will get one otherwise we don't.  Any suggestion!  thanks!

Yes it is normal to take this long. It can take 4 months or even more to get your biometrics scheduled. So be patient and it will arrive before you know it. 

3 hours ago, Saman1103 said:

I don't know anyone. I may just pay the fee so I can see. Does the fee ever expire?

I had paid my K1 visa fees before the pandemic and they kept extending the dates and like the post above it does keep getting extended. It was 2022 and now September 2023. If you do end up paying the fees, could you please let us know here if you can see any dates? I'm trying to know about Kolkata consulate but would be happy to know about any other consulate in India with regards to the tourist visa right now. 

On 10/20/2021 at 7:21 PM, Saman1103 said:

I'm in the same boat. The website says appointments are emergency only.

It has been like that for a while but if you know someone who has an unused visa fee for whatever category on their ustraveldocs, they can check and see of any actual appointments are available at any of the Consulates. 

On 10/1/2021 at 4:11 PM, Immigrant8 said:

Hello guys,

We want to apply for my in-laws B2 tourist visa from India. Can please anyone tell me what is current situation regarding B2 visa interview appointment and expected changes coming up in near future? Any workaround get visa processed faster?

 

Also, do we need to fill out two separate DS 160 forms for both in-laws if both of them are travelling together?

 

Let me know if any question.

Thank you. 

Could you please update if you get to know about the resumption of tourist visa issuance from India?? I think the only way you can check for actual available dates if you have paid the visa fees from the ustraveldocs account. If you have paid the fees and see any dates available, it would be nice to know. 

Also you can create one ustraveldocs account for one of your in laws and add the other one as dependent in the same account - however, you'll still need to fill out separate DS 160 for them. 

2 hours ago, Jeffreyyu said:

Got an update received a RFE for joint sponsor for affidavit of support 

Ahh too bad! Did you submit it along with the original package already? 

1 hour ago, Chad W said:

Received an RFE for 4 points. Everything they are asking for was submitted and even uploaded to our USCIS account by an employee. Any advice?

Happening a lot. Go through what they asked for carefully once more that you did not make any silly mistakes like not putting a date, not signing or missing pages etc. and upload the same thing to your USCIS account. Unless your RFE is for something complicated, I wouldn't worry. I've seen people getting RFE for marriage certificate, birth certificate, affidavit of support a lot recently. 

I submitted my birth certificate along with the submission, can still see it uploaded on my account by them and yet got RFE for it. So I simply sent it again. 

10 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

Although it wasn't clear, OP is talking about AOS vs K-1

Your profile says K-1, not AOS.  So naturally people misunderstand.

Oh yes! The $1225 should have been an indication.  

I am adjusting from K1 and filed in Aug. Sent everything but got RFE for birth certificate after check was cashed and biometrics was done. I can even see the birth certificate uploaded on my uscis online account by them. LOL. Anyhow, send it over again and now I wait. 

57 minutes ago, DenisaH said:

So I just checked my bank account and uscis took the $1,225 payment, I was just wondering do they take the payment when everything is good or is there still a possibility for rfe? How long till we get email mail text? What are the most common reasons for rfe? Im 100% sure everything that was needed was sent but you never know. 

Heard of several cases of RFE during K1 visa process. The payment clearing doesn't mean that no RFE is coming. But RFEs can be mostly routine and if responded properly, won't hold up your case for too long. 

21 hours ago, AW1704 said:

I am having terrible trouble obtaining my SSN after entering on K1 visa. Here is my timeline:

 

8 Aug - Entered on K1 visa

9 Aug - Called local SS office, told to wait two weeks to allow SAVE system to be up to date

20 Aug - Got married!

23 Aug - Called SS office again, arranged for appointment to apply for SSN on 27 Aug

27 Aug - Went to local SS office, brought all documents. Everything seemed fine, I was given the standard letter saying it may be up to 4 weeks (although the lady behind the window told me it was more likely to be 2 weeks)

11 Sep - File for AoS, declining all options to apply for SSN (as advised by lady at SS office as already applied for)

24 Sep - 4 weeks later - no SSN. Call the office, they tell me that SAVE couldn't verify my status

27 Sep - SS office tries to verify my status on SAVE again. It is currently just sitting as pending

 

Can save really be this slow or is there something more serious amiss here? I still have time left on my I-94 so if possible I would really like to get this rectified, mostly so I don't lose my ability to drive (in my state foreign drivers cannot drive on foreign DL after 60 days of establishing residency). I know there is nothing that can be done to "bump" the SAVE system along, but assuming they come back again not being able to verify my status, is there anything else I can do?

 

Unfortunately no there is nothing you can do if they come back again and are not able to verify your status. Keep an eye on the "pending status" and hopefully it will soon change to "case sent back to agency" (SAVE Case Check : Login Agreement (uscis.gov)) and then call your local office to issue your SSN. I am adjusting from K1 as well and monitored my verification status on this Save website. Had my appointment on July 28, it was "case under review" on July 28. Then "case sent back to agency" on Aug 9. I kept waiting to get my SSN and when I didn't hear from them I called my local office on Aug 18. They issued my SSN on the same day and I received the card in post on Aug 24. 

1 minute ago, Joeweis said:

Yea same like the sponsor must be american blabla please send birth certificate or US passport etc. I think they just lost it all this was obviously sent lol

I got it for beneficiary birth certificate (mine) and the funny part is that I can see it in my uploaded documents on my uscis account

14 minutes ago, Joeweis said:

Hi Guys,

 

Just received an update today:

 

08/04/2021: Sent package (i-130, i-485, EAD, AP)

08/05/2021: Lockbox receipt notice

08/09/2021: NOAs in my mail box for all forms

08/30/2021: Received online account mail

09/30/2021: RFE

 

 

What is your RFE for? I got one too. Same date. For birth certificate. 

32 minutes ago, thamu said:

Had my bio appointment around 4 hours ago and case status has updated to 'Case is being actively reviewed by USCIS'. I'm not going to get toooo excited just yet!

Hahah I know how you feel. It's rather hard not to get excited though. 

2 hours ago, ltlbnna said:

Hey there qq for you, did you do biometric before you came to the US? I just had mine less than 2 yrs ago and from what i heard somewhere its valid for 10 yrs? 

Yes! I did my biometric in March 2021 for my K1 visa in India and had to a AOS biometric all over. 

On 9/10/2021 at 3:57 PM, Jenn2020 said:

Biometrics appointment done! Case is “Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS”. How long after biometrics is EAD/AP approved? Does that also depend on our LFO? 

Same question here!

I got my bio done on 22nd Sept and status changed to "Case is being actively reviewed by USCIS" for EAD and I-485. I spoke to some people who have the same field office and they told me that EAD took 8 months from date of filing and GC interview 11-12 months from date of filing. Now I'm thinking that a major part of these 8/12 months was just waiting to be done with the biometric. So maybe we move a bit fast now? 

I'm at Newark NJ. Adjusting from K1. 

25 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

you r in NY state and there is Columbia (NYC) and Cornell University (Ithaca NY)/  not much better than these 2

unless u want all the colleges in Boston and there are over 50

or Pittsburgh as the whole city is dominated by hospitals doing organ transplants

 

I am actually in Clifton, NJ but NYC is at a commuting distance (1 hour one way approx.). NYU, Columbia are great schools but unfortunately I don't have what it takes to go to either of these 2 schools (My LSAT score isn't good enough). Cornell would require me to again not reside with my husband as it is upstate (My LSAT isn't good enough here either). 

I want to go into public service (like a DA or AUSA) and DC schools are very promising. I wanted to go DC or schools around DC in VA or MD etc. 

19 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

weigh into the cost of law school when u are not a resident of the state

its expensive enough without adding the our of state tuition 

and even if u made the move to  become a resident of a different state , colleges don't consider u a permanent resident until u have lived there (6 months or a year-college dependent)

I understand yes! Thank you for your input. Achieving the optimum combination of a better ranked school and the cost of the school is one of my top priorities. 

19 hours ago, Adventine said:

Alternatively, your husband could move with you to where your school is.

My husband works for the G-man and transfers have been rather difficult for the past few years. But yes I think he can at least put in for a transfer and get denied and then I can come up with an "involuntary separation" sob. 

5 hours ago, carmel34 said:

There are many online JD programs in the USA.  If you do not like the in-person JD programs close to your current residence, you can choose from lots of fully-online, accredited, and ABA recognized JD programs in most US states:

 

https://www.lawstudies.com/Juris-Doctor/USA/Online/

 

Good luck!

Thank you for this link! I appreciate it. Will definitely look into it but I'm not much of an online learner...  

14 hours ago, Adventine said:

It sounds like a voluntary separation to me. Your choice of school is entirely up to you and is entirely within your control.

Thank you. I am leaning towards this as well. Looks like I should just focus on schools within commuting distance. Thankfully there are quite a few. 

12 hours ago, Barbara99 said:

100% voluntary. You want to go to a school, a school that is located in another place.

Yes! It does look and sound like that to me even. 

39 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

Living apart for school is voluntary not involuntary and yes it will cause issues. 

Thank you for your reply and this definitely make sense. Do you think the involuntary separation might work in case I choose to go to school elsewhere, my husband puts in for a transfer and gets denied? 

1 hour ago, Allaboutwaiting said:

Read the following:

"(C) Involuntary separation. In the event that the applicant and spouse live apart because of circumstances beyond their control, such as military service in the Armed Forces of the United States or essential business or occupational demands, rather than because of voluntary legal or informal separation, the resulting separation, even if prolonged, will not preclude naturalization under this part."

 

Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-319/section-319.1

Thank you for this link. Would you say my choosing to go to law school in a different state qualify under "beyond their control for essential occupational demands?" 

Hello everyone. I am far away from the naturalisation process. But I must take an important decision in the next 6 months which might effect my naturalisation process. I'd be grateful for your inputs here. Right now I am adjusting status from K1 visa. 

1) I am applying to go to law school from 2022 - 2025. I will be doing my JD which is for 3 years. I live in the NYC metropolitan area. There are good schools here but I have my heart set on a couple of schools which are not in NJ or NY. Which would mean that for the 3 years I'm in law school, I'll not be living with my husband, even though my husband's address will remain my permanent address on bank accounts and credit cards etc. 

2) The eligibility criteria for naturalisation says - If you are at least 18 years old and: Are currently married to and living with a U.S. citizen; and Have been married to and living with that same U.S. citizen for the past 3 years; and Your spouse has been a U.S. citizen for the past 3 years.

I want to naturalise at the earliest because there are some jobs which is only open to USC and I can't apply for them if I'm older than 37 at the time. So my question is how is the part I underlined above interpreted? Are there any exceptions for this living together part? 

Filed - 2 Aug 2021
Received - 4 Aug 2021
SMS with Case No - 6 Aug 2021 (All cases start with IOE)
Hardcopy NOA - 12 Aug 2021
USCIS Account online access code - 13 Aug 2021
Biometrics appointment was scheduled - 28 Aug 2021
Biometrics appointment date - 22 Sept 2021
USCIS ASC - Hackensack NJ

Field Office - Newark NJ

2 hours ago, sl1pstream said:

We sent it in on the 31st and got a text notification on the 2nd. We got the informed mail thing a couple of days ago and then USPS lost the NOA letters. So that's cool. We did get the online account letter the day after, so they probably put the NOAs in the wrong mailbox.

I'd contact USCIS, but apparently we have to wait a month, so that's fine, I guess.

USPS at its finest! But you have your case numbers through the test notifications to track your case and your USCIS online account as well.