Approved! I couldn’t be happier

NOA1: April 27th

NOA2: December 31st

Does the case tracker app update at the same time as the case status on USCIS’ website?

Also does anyone have the link to the app?

23 hours ago, rayych said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I finally got our RFE letter in our mail. Looks like they need more evidence of us visiting each other in the last two years. We have plenty of evidence including hotel reservations, flight confirmations, and of course passport stamps. I noticed a lot of people provide original copies of boarding passes? I don't think I've used a real boarding pass in years (digital boarding passes ftw! or not really in this case -_-) and even if I did I usually throw them away. lol (clearly not sentimental). Has anyone else provided proof of flight reservations and gotten their RFE's approved? Otherwise, do you think a passport stamps and hotel reservations would suffice?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Rach

Not directed to you but it’s really frustrating that they still send RFEs when you’ve already provided a bunch of evidence. They want the same evidence but in a different way? It’s so needlessly picky. 

17 minutes ago, Boiler said:

I was just wondering what control she had over her upbringing, is all the paperwork, school records, health showing her adopted mothers details?

School records yes, baptismal certificate no. Healthcare, no. 

6 hours ago, JFH said:

This is irrelevant. This applies to USCs who are adopting a child overseas through an adoption agency - not for people who want to bring their child here who happens to have joined the family by adoption in the past. 

11 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Please read the actual extract you quoted. That is for the process that takes place when you are adopting the child and trying to get them to the US at the same time.

Why are you out of luck for the IR pathway?  If she wants it that bad she has 3 years, more than the required time, to go back and live with her child before time runs out. If she doesn't want it that bad, she is not out of luck, she chooses not to take that option. Maybe you should just get your adopted sister to enter DV and pray to get selected. 

Omg. The Hague/Orphan process is the most COMMON way to bring adopted children over. It was our BEST BET. It cannot be applied for after 16. So we missed our chance with that. My mother went ahead and fully adopted her anyway. BUT the immediate relative pathway is damn near impossible for a USC who is based and lives in the US to qualify for because of the residency requirement! Again that’s why The Hague/Orphan process was our best bet. I’m sure most adults can see the obvious difficulty/limitations in moving to another country for 2 years. 

Yes it does seem like our only option is DV and pray or student.

40 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

What aaron says here is correct, unless you can document that all the "couple of months" at a time add up to two years - it does not have to be continuous. See bolded bit below.

 

I don't know why you keep insisting the petition has to happen before 16. That is simply not true. If it was, why would they specify 21 as the age limit for the 2-year requirement? See bolded bit below. So actually there is your answer right there. Mom can go back and live with her for 2 years, then sponsor. Still time for that. If she gets it done before child turns 21 she can sponsor her IR2, if 21 or older when she petitions then F1.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/adoption/immigration-through-adoption/other-adoption-related-immigration

Who is an Adopted Child Under the Family-Based Petition Process?

Under this process, an adopted child is considered to be the child (or unmarried son or daughter under the age of 21) of the adopting parent for immigration purposes if:

• The adoptive parent adopted the child before their 16th birthday (or before their 18th birthday, under certain circumstances as described below) and provides evidence of a full and final adoption; and
• The adoptive parent had legal custody of and jointly resided with the child for at least 2 years while the child was under age 21.
  • The legal custody must have been the result of a formal grant of custody from a court or other governmental entity.
  • The legal custody and joint residence requirement may be met by custody and residence that preceded the adoption.
  • The 2-year time period does not need to be continuous and may be counted in the aggregate.
  • If both parents adopted the child, the 2 years of legal custody and joint residence cannot be split between the adoptive parents, but only one adoptive parent needs to meet them.
  • The 2-year legal custody and joint residence requirements are waived for certain abused children.

That’s under the immediate relative process only. It explicitly states that under the Hague or non-Hague/Orphan process of adoption that the beneficiary needs to be under 16 when you petition. This is the normal/most common processes for bringing an adopted child to the US. Most USC citizens cannot live abroad for 2 years to satisfy the residency requirement (unless they work abroad) so it’s an alternate option. 
 

The Hague/Orphan process was an option my mother tried and abandoned (for outside reasons) when the child was 8. So now we’re past the age requirement for that and it looks like out of luck for the immediate relative pathway as well. 

5 hours ago, aaron2020 said:

Did you mother legally adopt your sister when she was 8 years old?

 

Did your mother live with her adopted sister for 2 years?

 

It seems that your mother adopted your sister but left her in the care of your grandmother for the last 10 years?  If this is the case, then the chances for an immigration visa will be difficult because it's going to be extremely hard to show a bona fide mother/daughter relationship.  People don't adopt children and leave them for someone else to raise.  

Essentially yes this is the case. It sucks because she was legally adopted with all paperwork it’s just that my mother is based here so she couldn’t live there for years and years to meet the residency requirement . And there are multiple long reasons why she couldn’t bring her over when she was younger. From death to finances to divorce. I’m just wondering if there’s a way now.

5 hours ago, jan22 said:

I'm a little confused by your post. Who adopted the child?  You said she's your adopted sister, but you say your grandparent was her guardian. So, was she adopted by your mother or your grandparent?  Did your mother adopt her, but never lived with her; rather she lived with your grandparent?  And, is she related in some way to your family?

 

If all the immigration requirements for an adopted child are met, it doesn't matter that she's now 18 -- the adoption had to be completed (in compliance with local law AND immigration requirements) before she was16, not the immigration.  Reading between the lines of your post a little, I suspect the adoption was not done in compliance with immigration requirements, though.  It is almost assured the adoption did not meet  the Hague Adoption Convention requirements, or you wouldnt be posting what you did here.  That only leaves the Immediate Relative category as an IR-2 child of a US citizen.  However, that requires that your mother had legal and physical custody of her for two years (i.e., she actually lived with her)...and it doesnt sound like she has lived with her for two years.

- She was adopted by my mother, legally from a court with all supporting documents at 8.

- My mother never lived with her full time as she’s a US citizen and lives here. She would go back frequently to visit for a couple months at a time but didn’t live there. So she stayed with our grandfather.

- To qualify for traditional adoption (Hague or orphan), she needs to be under 16 when we petition. That’s issue number 1. 
- We don’t meet the residency requirement for immediate relative. That’s issue number 2

Thats why I feel like we’re out of options. 
 

Like I mentioned there’s a myriad of reasons for why my mother couldn’t complete her petition before she was 16. It’s already done so now I’m wondering about what can be done now.

Long story short. My mother (USC) wants to bring over my legally adopted sister. She is 18 and that what’s the problem now. Both filing ways for adopted children are for when they’re 16 and below. She was legally adopted at the age of 8 however and her guardian was my grandparent in Ghana. We also can’t hit the residency requirement for I-130. 
 

There are multiple long reasons why she now wants her to come over now and couldn’t bring her over when she was younger. It’s unfortunate about her age that now we feel like we’re out of options.

Anyone have any insight?

Has anyone noticed they’ve officially changed the processing time on USCIS for K1? It’s now listed as “6.5-8 months” and they moved the inquiry date all the way back to late March. I’ve been keeping an eye on the inquiry date because mine was supposed to come up for late April in a couple weeks so I went to the site today and saw the change.

We can safely say now that processing for filing is taking twice as long as usual. I think I’m just going to accept that this process from NOA1 to arrival in the US for my fiancé is going to take close to 2 years. It freaking sucks. Yes, I’m well aware of patience. Doesn’t make it suck any less.

3 hours ago, Malcom_T said:

My Fiancee's country (Cameroon) is interviewing and issuing K visas. A friend was interviewed yesterday and would pick his visa up on Friday. My Fiancee's Interview is scheduled for the 14th of December. I hope other embassies around the world would do the same so we all can be with our loved ones. 

Wow happy to hear that.

My fiancé is in Ghana and the embassy is still closed. I can’t imagine how they’re deciding these things. If Cameroon ad Rwanda can schedule for K1, surely Ghana can too. 

Just going to maintain peace of mind. 

I’m so confused because I’m still seeing some people being called for interviews from all over the world and yet at the same time I read that there are only 2-3 US consulates in the whole world right now that are issuing K1 visas. 
 

So right now which embassies are issuing K1 visas now? And which embassies are scheduling people for K1 visas? 
 

I’m so over how broken and inconsistent this process is right now. 

The upcoming furlough will definitely cause slowdowns as well for K1s even when the consulates open. It sucks. 

6 minutes ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

Shuting down hair salons and leaving big box stores open was the epitome of govt overreach and hysterical overreaction 

Lol.

7 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Yep, it is narcissistic to want to feed your family.

That wasn’t the basis for that opinion article tho. They can get a job as an essential worker. I hear many of them are hiring.

You have to be a narcissist as well to take that position. Hence the people protesting demanding haircuts. Stopped reading when she mentions the stay-at-home orders are unconstitutional. 

7 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

No,  a passport is all the petitioner needs.

Thank you. I’m seeing most people have the birth certificate and passport combo. And with the way they ask for petty evidence, it just makes me anxious. I want to have as ironclad of an application as possible. 

Background: My PARENTS are the naturalized American citizens. They have certificates. I was 7 years old when they became citizens and as far as I have always understood, I automatically became a citizen through them. I have a US passport and have used that as my main proof of US citizenship my whole life (I’m 26 now) without an issue. I have a Ghanaian birth certificate.
 

I have no other official document that proves my US citizenship besides my passport. Will this be a problem? I’m terrified of getting an RFE because of this reason. 
 

Side note: My parents have since divorced. if I needed to send a copy of a parent’s naturalization certificate is it okay for it to just be from one parent?