Angell Beal

On 2/9/2021 at 6:05 PM, majm said:

My wife did this last October. She is currently still here in the US on her tourist visa and she will leave by April.

 

Like everyone, we are waiting for the embassy in Bogota to re-open and begin scheduling appointments... but it will be a long time. Visiting on a tourist visa while waiting for an immigrant visa is definitely possible (and a nice option if you can arrange it) but as noted above: be ready to show CBP strong proof that you will return, if asked. My wife was NOT asked any questions about where she was staying, why she was visiting, etc (just what city she was going to) but she was 100% prepared with lots of documentation from our pending visa process and a letter from her employer in Colombia (she works remotely). She has been GRILLED by immigration in the past in ATL and MIA, so we were surprised how simple it was this time (and we realize she may have just been lucky that morning). This was at DFW at 5:00am. Good luck!

Hello Majm,

I was just wondering if your partner's letter from her employer was translated or notarized? (How do we prove to CBP that those documents are authentic?) What kinds of documentation did she bring when she entered the US? What documents do you recommend my partner bring when he visits me in the US?

Thank you.

On 1/26/2021 at 11:33 AM, Lii said:

It was very stressful.  I'm glad that she got in safely.

 

In the pocket letter I explained that my wife would be coming on an VWP/ESTA as a citizen of Japan.

Her native language was not English and provided my cell phone if they needed assistance.

Description of her flight plans and where she would be staying.

Strong statement that she would abide by all State of Hawaii covid quarantine laws.

Strong statement that she had no intent of relocating to the US at this time.

Strong statement that she would not be working in any way while in the US.

Return ticket info.

Explanation that trip was for purely personal reasons.

Explanation that we were married on a Wednesday and I left Japan on the last flight to Hawaii on Thursday - so we had only been together 1 day since being married.  All subsequent trips were cancelled by the airlines because of covid, so this would be the first time together in 10 months.

Requested thoughtful and fair review, given the circumstances.

Politely asked for permission to enter US.

 

I tried to keep it as simple as possible.

 

Good luck!

Hello again!

You had mentioned that your partner brought her apartment lease and paystub, but I was wondering did these documents need to be translated or notarized for authenticity? Thank you!

On 2/9/2021 at 6:05 PM, majm said:

My wife did this last October. She is currently still here in the US on her tourist visa and she will leave by April.

 

Like everyone, we are waiting for the embassy in Bogota to re-open and begin scheduling appointments... but it will be a long time. Visiting on a tourist visa while waiting for an immigrant visa is definitely possible (and a nice option if you can arrange it) but as noted above: be ready to show CBP strong proof that you will return, if asked. My wife was NOT asked any questions about where she was staying, why she was visiting, etc (just what city she was going to) but she was 100% prepared with lots of documentation from our pending visa process and a letter from her employer in Colombia (she works remotely). She has been GRILLED by immigration in the past in ATL and MIA, so we were surprised how simple it was this time (and we realize she may have just been lucky that morning). This was at DFW at 5:00am. Good luck!

Thank you!!!!! Did you know Bogota started the immigrant interviews on March 1st?!?!?!? Huzzah! I know it will be some more time until we get scheduled since they will start with cases who got their interviews cancelled due to covid and we are planning that my spouse visit me for just 3 weeks im the coming month. I will keep your reaponse in mind to get documentation fpr my spouse! Good luck to you. 

2 minutes ago, Lucky Cat said:

Visiting is not prohibited.  However, he should be prepared to show strong ties to his country in order to convince CBP that he, in fact, return to Colombia after his visit.  6 months would be quite an extraordinary length for just a visit. He would be a prime candidate for staying and adjusting status.   It would better to make short visits.  

 

Thank you for your advice. Yes, you made me realize that a shorter visit would be wiser. Thank you again. 

Hi everyone,

Anyone here going through the CR1 Visa and waiting for an interview? If your spouse has a US tourist visa (prior to the whole immigrant visa process), has he or she visited you during the interview waiting process? Can you share your experiences with me? We are considering that my husband visit me from Colombia on a tourist visa for 6 months while we wait for our interview at the Embassy at Bogota, Colombia.

Thank you.

6 minutes ago, Lii said:

It was very stressful.  I'm glad that she got in safely.

 

In the pocket letter I explained that my wife would be coming on an VWP/ESTA as a citizen of Japan.

Her native language was not English and provided my cell phone if they needed assistance.

Description of her flight plans and where she would be staying.

Strong statement that she would abide by all State of Hawaii covid quarantine laws.

Strong statement that she had no intent of relocating to the US at this time.

Strong statement that she would not be working in any way while in the US.

Return ticket info.

Explanation that trip was for purely personal reasons.

Explanation that we were married on a Wednesday and I left Japan on the last flight to Hawaii on Thursday - so we had only been together 1 day since being married.  All subsequent trips were cancelled by the airlines because of covid, so this would be the first time together in 10 months.

Requested thoughtful and fair review, given the circumstances.

Politely asked for permission to enter US.

 

I tried to keep it as simple as possible.

 

Good luck!

Thank you very much. Yes, sounds clear but comprehensive. 

7 minutes ago, Lii said:

My wife just came to Hawaii for 80 days.  We submitted an I-130 in April 2020.

 

At the HNL airport immigration control they had her go to the back room where they questioned her for about an hour.

Questions about our relationship, my employment, etc etc etc.

One question was about her email accounts.  She has a personal email (yahoo mail), a work one.  We also made an outlook email account specifically for her USCIS communications (so it wouldn't get lost in her personal account).  Since using the outlook account to set up her online account for the I-130, she's never used it, so she forgot that she had it.  The officer kept pressing her and she finally remembered she had that account and could explain whey she didn't volunteer it when questioned.

The officer had access to our filed I-130, so he asked a bunch of questions about me (husband) that he derived from the I-130.

She doesn't speak English well, so they had a translator from Hawaiian Airlines there to help the Immigration control officer.

My wife was scared, but in the end they let her come into the US.

One more thing.  I prepared a pocket letter explaining why my wife was trying to come to the US while here I-130 was in processing.  She also brought a copy of her apartment lease and her last paystub from her job.

She said those were really helpful - especially the pocket letter.

 

If someone is traveling with an I-130 still in processing, be prepared for tons of questions at the airport. 

If you're lucky they'll just let you through.

 

Good luck.

Wow, what a nerve wracking situation. I am so relieved your wife passed through all that. 

Could I ask what kinds of details you put in that pocket letter? My husband and I are going through the CR-1 visa and are waiting for an interview, but the Bogota, Colombia Embassy hasn't opened their interview services still. Despite our fear of him traveling to the USA on a tourist visa while we are in the CR-1 visa process, we both want to see each other in the USA for a little bit while we are waiting. 

I had sent a message to Customs/Borders and although they said they do not encourage visits during an immigrant visa process, they mentioned that those documents you listed (rent, paystubs) are useful documents. I am interested in knowing how you wrote the letter to guide me in writing something similar. 

Thank you so much! I hope you are spending great family time together!

13 minutes ago, pushbrk said:

You already have good answers from Luckycat but just to be clear, with respect to entering numbers in the tax return question, there are no "optional years".  You enter the number from the returns, no matter what they are.  Sending copies of more than one tax return is where the option is.

For an employed person, the "current income" does NOT come from a tax return.  It comes from a pay stub or employer letter.  One does not qualify now based on 2019 income.  That's the past.  Current income is KING here.

Thanks a lot. I had interpreted the same way as you with regard to current income being my pay stubs for this year but NVC said I do not meet the income requirements (but I do for this year, it just wasn't hitting the threshold for 2019 and 2018). Anyway, we added a cosponsor now and provided all three years of her taxes. I wonder if during the interview my spouse will need to vouch for me on my current pay stubs?

During the interview, is it necessary to bring the original copies of the co-sponsor's I864 and tax returns?

Thank you so much everyone.

Just now, Timona said:

The recent year is the most important. I had the same scenario

Thank you!

So for 2017, would it be better to just leave blank? 

Hi,

I have a co-sponsor and her 2019 and 2018 tax returns are above the poverty line. However, in 2017 she was a Peace Corps volunteer and made below the poverty line due to earning in the local currency of Colombia. On the 1864 form it asks as an option to provide the previous 3 years tax return information. 

Would it be wise to just fill out 2019 and 2018 and leave 2017 blank  (what should I put in that blank if I decide to not disclose that?) or fill all three years out despite the low earnings in 2017?

Thank you,

Angell

23 minutes ago, ODJD said:

Does anyone have suggestions on how to visit? I’m nervous if he comes here (US) only to be denied entry since but I am unable to go there (Peru) due to their covid policies. What do we do? What are you all doing? Are people meeting in the middle (some other country)?
 

We’ve seen each other for only 7 days this entire year. Preaching to the choir, but this wasn’t what I expected.
 

I admit I didn’t read all pages on this thread so I apologize if this has been answered. 

I am in the same boat as you! My spouse is nervous to visit me in the US (we have an immigrant visa in the works, fear of denial at border, etc) and we decided I will go to Colombia to see him instead. I would sign up for the STEP program (I don't remember what it stands for but it's like consular information from the US Embassy in Lima, in your case, and they shoot out information helpful to US Citizens) like recently, the US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia sent out that Colombia has opened their borders for international flights and that a PCR covid-19 test is needed, a form with Migracion Colombia, and to download a contact tracing application prior to entering the country. 

I have also spoke with some expats of Bogota and they have all said (four of them) that flying into Colombia was much safer (strict flight protocols, sanitizers, spaced out seats, the works) than returning back to the USA. They did not have a safe or comfortable experience riding on Spirit airlines because the seats weren't spaced out and there were many passengers. So just sharing! 

12 minutes ago, HRQX said:

Is she now in France? If so, she can travel to an unrestricted country (Mexico, Turkey, Serbia, South Korea, etc.) for 14 days and then go to the US with ESTA:

 

Note that the restrictions are not based on nationality. They are based on presence in certain countries in the 14 days preceding US entry attempt.

Oh yes. This was better stated. Thank you for the clarification.

1 hour ago, jdv2019 said:

My fiancé (from France) and I just applied for the K1 visa and assumed she could not visit me in the US until the travel ban is lifted.  Apparently the foreign fiancés posting here recently have been able to get around this.  Am I missing something?  Obviously we'd both be thrilled if she were able to visit.

I believe there are some countries that cannot travel to USA. I believe those were some European countries, Brazil, Iran, China due to Covid19. My husband does not want to risk anything or be denied at the border and it seems safer that I travel him in Colombia instead...

11 minutes ago, Hilde said:

I got the same msg. I called NVC twice and both officers told me the same: it will be up to the Officer, we recommend a joint sponsor...

If this is something you can do, I would begin gathering the information now, rather than later...

If you cannot get a joint sponsor, you can try - but know that it will be up to the discretion of the CO.

Thank you. Very concerning since now I make this threshold of the income...we will provide my husband's financials at the interview and hopefully my 2020 returns...how are you and did y'all get an interview date?

1 minute ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Yes.  I-864  Part 6 has a section for household income, where you include your spouse as the intending immigrant.  Assets can be added in Part 7.

Dang..we were thinking of putting that down but the wording of household income and intending immigrant didn't seem to be the same thing. If we have already submitted and gotten the i864 approved should we just wait for the interview to provide supplemental docs?

Should my spouse prepare a i864A form? Thank you

1 minute ago, Luckycuds said:

You have three options; you find a cosponsor, you obtain another job to boost your income or your wife doesn't immigrate at this time. Having a "government job lined up after graduate school" doesn't give you income today. No one cares what the future may or may not bring- current income is what is key. 

Thanks a lot. Could my spouse provide his income, asset, and savings information to complement mine?

1 minute ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

Hello,

 

The poverty line guideline is the bare minimum for consideration - it is not a threshold for approval.  It is up to the judgement of the CO at the embassy.  Because of your status as a student for the next couple of years, and your previous history of low earnings, a joint sponsor will more than likely be needed.

Thank you. Is there a way that my spouse can provide this income, assets, and savings to complement mine?

Hi everyone,

Our AOS documents at NVC got approved thankfully but I received a comment that said I did not make enough $ and that was based on my 2019 tax returns. Currently I make enough and hit the poverty threshold for two household members.

We are waiting for our interview to be scheduled but I was wondering what would be some documents for my spouse to bring to the Bogota, Colombia embassy to prove he will not be a public charge.

I understand there is the co sponsor option, but we do not have family members who can do that for us.

Since 2021 is around the corner and who knows when we will have an interview, let's say the interview is next year..

Could I have my spouse bring my 2020 tax returns of the earnings made during grad school? (Currently a grad student and graduate in 2022) , and I also have a government job lined up after graduate school so would a contract of that be sufficient?

thanks for any information.

2 minutes ago, Liam2021 said:

NVC feedback based on your 2019 income tax, so that seems normal. Since you will not have a full-time job until graduate in 2022, a join sponsor is needed in this situation.

Thank you so much.

What if my three mini jobs during graduate school hits the threshold of the poverty line for the next year? 

Hi friends,

My spouse and I submitted our NVC related documents and they were accepted but we also received the following feedback for my AOS financial sponsorship docs such as the I864:

"ANGELL does not meet the minimum income requirement to sponsor the intending immigrants for this case. The consular officer will make a decision regarding this requirement at the time of the interview."

I have a few thoughts that come to mind on what to do in the meantime and wanted your thoughts on the topic.

Background info:

-I am a USC and my spouse is Colombian. 

-We had to submit the I864

-I submitted my tax returns for 2018 and 2019 but they each were below the threshold for two household members of $21,550 because I was a Peace Corps volunteer.

-However, this year up to today and the estimated earnings will be around $24,000 (I am graduate student and work three mini jobs).

-I have scholarships that will be granted next year and I have a federal government job lined up after graduate school, a security clearance, and medical clearance. I will graduate in 2022, I received my medical clearance, and I am waiting for my security clearance.

Right now, would it be a good idea to add in the "additional documents" section information about the future stipends I will receive next year and the future federal government job that will be paying me on a FS scale? As well as comment that the 2019 and 2018 amounts were low due to being paid in the local currency as a Peace Corps Volunteer?

Has anyone received a notification like this?

What should my spouse do or prepare for when we can get an interview regarding my financial earnings? Could he just prove with evidence of my future job?

Lastly, it says that "After your documentation has been accepted by NVC, your interview will be scheduled at the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate."  So do we wait for further information from them? The US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia is not open yet. 

Thank you for any information you may have on this. 

3 hours ago, EA and MK said:

Yup, you have to include the "Registro Civil de Matrimonio" which is just one page, but both sides with stamps need to be scanned in. Had the same problem just a few weeks ago!

Thanks so much. Just to double check, it's the marriage certificate that is long with a stamp on the front and the back side which has a stamp saying "blank space"? 

Thank you!

1 minute ago, Celebi said:

I had the same issue. All qualifications were checked but USCIS said I didn't qualify for it. We just went ahead and submitted the I-864. Figured it will just be easier to go ahead and submit it than question them 🤷‍♀️

Thanks a lot. I just got to thinking was it because I didn't make enough money? Then, got into a rabbit hole.

Hi everyone,

I submitted my I864EZ (because I am only immigrating my husband from Colombia and I do hit the threshold of income this year). However, NVC says I am unqualified for this form and have to submit the I864.

Does anyone know why that is case?

Some background info and additional questions:

-my previous three years of salary hits the total threshold of the poverty line of $21,000 (I was earning Colombian pesos during those years).

-I don't have my 2020 W2s yet but provided my stubs for my salary this year (is it preferred to show more than one stub for each job?)

-Isn't the I864 if you don't have enough income?

Thank you!