LBX

12 hours ago, RJ&RD said:

How did it go, did you get approved?

Well know bug. Many of us on VJ including me did nothing about the bug and just submitted online. I-130 was approved with no issues.

19 minutes ago, Nelly_M said:

Hi guys, I wanted to ask if there is a thread on this forum related to I-130 NVC stage? I tried searching for it, but I couldn’t find one  specifically for spouse visa. 

Actually, the I-130 and the NVC (DS-260) are two different stages in the immigrant visa process. You probably have to be a bit more specific as to what you are looking to find the right thread.

On 4/18/2021 at 3:56 PM, seekingthetruth said:

I disagree with what some others have said about photos.  If you have a qualified 2X2 digital photo, just upload it.  No need to print, sign the back, reupload, etc. 

 

I did it and no issues. 

Same here. No issues. Just upload it.

3 minutes ago, RJ&RD said:

Can anyone help me with I just noticed on I-130 form filed online has typo error it has my current marriage ended date same as previous marriage end date 😭😢what should I do?

It's a known glitch many of us have faced. I never noticed it until someone mentioned it. That was after my approval. 

Most just ignore it, some others have tried to contact USCIS.

4 hours ago, Dgreat said:

Can my wife refused to sign? 

Yes she can, especially if she feels the terms of the divorce are not favorable to her when it comes to alimony and equitable distribution of assets acquired post marriage.  Then you will move to litigate to get it resolved and depending on your state you may be required to pay her "pendente lite" (a type of alimony) until the dispute is resolved.  Therefore, it is best to be fair to her especially if she has done nothing wrong so you get it over with quickly and amicably.

4 hours ago, Dgreat said:

What's the implications to file for a divorce to oversea? I want to end the marriage with my wife in Ghana as I got the NOIR but I don't want to respond to the uscis anymore 

Know your state law and the different types of divorce you can file (fault / no fault). 

On 4/2/2021 at 1:15 PM, Nitali said:

Thanks for the reply!
 

Mumbai. Yeah, I’ve done a lot of research over the past 2 days. I’m hoping since it doesn’t say “administrative processing” on it and it’s just additional documentation that it’ll be within 7-10 days. What do you think? 

The 221g means the application is now in AP.  You can check the application online status to verify. There is no telling how long it will take for them to get back to you.  It all depends on what they are checking for.  Be patient and hopefully you will get positive feedback soon.

6 hours ago, Neesha051187 said:

Oh okay thanks for sharing ... god bless you dear... I m ready to provide all documents n everything but just need to get approved so I can start my live with happiness 

Many times couples plan how they will get to the US. One of them will marry a USC under false pretence and then divorce the USC shortly afterwards. Then they will stage a plan to marry their true sweetheart and apply to bring that person to the US.  This is a well known strategy to the immigration officers.

Unfortunately, I think your case seems like one of those to them. Things they will probably check is how your husband came about his CR1. Did he have any children with his ex-wife. Why did he divorce his ex-wife?  How soon did he marry you after the divorce? How long did you know each other before you got married? Are you both from the same country, same town? and so on. 

Even if you have a child with him, it may even raise more concerns if he did not have a child with his ex-wife.

So you have go be patient for them to check all this.  While your marriage may be genuine and authentic, the question could be - was his past marriage authentic?  That is what I feel the immigrations is investigating and that is why I feel they didn't ask you for anything because they believe your marriage is genuine but are not sure about your husband's past married. I will not be surprised if he is asked to be interviewed.

If both his marriages have been genuine and authentic then you probably have nothing to worry about - just wait and all will turn out to be fine.

On 3/29/2021 at 3:31 AM, Makipooh said:

Hello , now we are living  in Japan , then doing paperwork for green card . 
and we don’t have living place in the USA now . 
Do we really need address while doing

I-130 paperwork? 

As stated already - you don't. The USCIS I-130 phase is where you prove you have a valid and authentic marriage.  Once you get to the NVC stage, part of the I-864 will require you to prove your stay abroad is temporary and that you intend to return to the US.  

- Keep in mind that the intention of this whole process is for your spouse to join you in the US. 

18 hours ago, SidM said:

We got documentarily qualified on March 10, 2021. We are applying for an IR1. One parent is a US citizen and so are two of our kids. Been married 9 years and both work in Indonesia an expats. Realistically, when can we expect a letter from NVC informing us of our interview date?

Each country will vary. Ghana is about 12 months now for nonexpedited interviews. So best to look through the latest timelines for Indonesia and calculate average processing time from DQ to nonexpedited  interviews. And has already been alluded to, times will also vary depending on now Indonesia is handling the pandemic.

7 hours ago, whiterabbitt said:

Hello!! Any fellow November 2020 filers here? I haven't seen an actual thread for us guys. My husband is a US citizen and I am from the UK.

 

PD November 10th 2020

Texas Service Center (letter receipt) 

 

Haven't heard a peep since NOA1. The frustration of waiting is unreal! I've been seeing many 2021 cases being approved at Nebraska, within 2 months of waiting. Did they forget about us in 2020?!

I feel your frustration. … No one truly knows how cases are distributed amongst the service centers. Are cases assigned randomly? Does Nebraska get the easier cases? Are they more efficient? How complex was your submission compared to others? Just too many unknowns.

On average across all centers, it's now taking about 9 months give or take 3 months to get approval. Mine took 7 months.  For me, I used the wait time to understand the NVC stage and did a first pass on the DS-260 and I-864. Then I went about my business. Yeah I know, it's easy  to say it takes a lot of patience, but there isn't much else you can do but wait "patiently".

28 minutes ago, top_secret said:

I actually think it is meaningless what service center my case is at …

I agree. Why worry about it. You can't change your service center anyway.  I filed my I-130 online  .… figured average processing times across all centers at the time was about 9 months, give or take 3 months … used that time to start preparing for the NVC stage and then went about living my life. My approval came in about 7 months and I proceeded with the next stage.  If your I-130 application is outside normal processing times then you contact USCIS. 

The only people that can truly tell us what's going on in these centers are those that work there. So unless someone from USCIS has posted some explanation on a forum I have missed or someone has inside info - why worry about a game you don't know the rules. It just becomes a guessing game.

But I stand to be corrected.  

9 minutes ago, EMILIA KRISTIINA said:

I have a question when filing online:

 

We have lots of photos throughout 6 years, passport stamps, boarding passes, bank statements, email conversations, proof of having the same address for 1.5 years etc. I was thinking to create the timeline of the relationship by using PowerPoint presentation and then converting that document into a pfd file. (adding relevant photos and other evidence there in a timely order). Do you have better suggestions? 

IMO, this is an excellent idea and will also help you when you get to the NVC stage.  I sent my info in individually but your idea will make it much easier to identify your relationship as genuine.

You just have to be careful about file size and may have to upload your "story" in labelled parts (or chapters).

On 3/17/2021 at 4:37 PM, Babu Frik said:

You can definitely do it on your own if your know your way around a computer to get the info.

I know some people have some more complicated cases, or it's just more convenient for them to use a lawyer, I won't bash them as others do, but this website was a life save in getting through the process.

I agree completely. Mine was even slightly complicated yet I did it myself with the help of our vj family. If you are diligent and pay attention to detail, there is so much information you can get on this forum for every step of the way. 

17 hours ago, Avan said:

Hi, I'm a Dec 2019 filer. Its been 15 months now, and expecting atleast another 10 months of wait considering my application is in california. 

I'm contemplating applying for a K3 that will atleast allow me to move to the US. Has anyone considered this? 

Do K3s still get processed?

The last filing I have seen on VJ  for K3/K4  is from March 2020. A few people from 2019 have interviewed within the last 6 months. But the processing times were no faster than the CR1/IR1 visas. 

Not sure if K3s are still been processed but it is still listed on the US Department of State website:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/nonimmigrant-visa-for-a-spouse-k-3.html

You can always attempt a filing and see what happens.

On 3/22/2021 at 2:13 PM, Ovais KHAN said:

Hello everyone. A friend of mine (Pakistani citizen) hooked up online on a dating platform with an Amrican citizen (Somali born, moved to US in 96) some 10 days ago. Things moved quickly for them and now and the girl is coming to Pakistan at the end of april to get married.

 

His question is that how much is the probability in his scenario that his CR1 visa will get rejected? And what can he do to minimize this happening?

About a year ago, while visiting my wife, I had to get my passport renewed at the US Embassy and overheard a visa interview of a guy that married a USC after hocking up on FaceBook.  I believe they got married after 6 months on her first trip to Ghana.  The CO wasn't buying it was a genuine relationship - DENIED.

Your friend has two big RED FLAGS.

1.  Marriage after less that 2 months of meeting.  - While that can happen, we all know it takes time to know someone.  I have seen some argue that love does strange things  but personally, I don't really think the CO's are interested in whether a couple loves each other.  Rather, they are more focused on if the marriage is genuine.  It's hard to prove a genuine marriage after such a short period and in fact, the US uses a 2 year timeline to feel comfortable about a marriage. That's why you get a conditional approval if your marriage is under 2 years.

2. They met online. - Nothing wrong with that in and of itself.  But that in combination of deciding to get married after 10 days of knowing each other "online" means he will have to overcome the question as to whether he was fishing for any USC he could catch to get to the US.

So your friend has to answer - How he will prove his 10 day online romance was real enough to lead to marriage in a month?  And he already knows it will be difficult to prove that's why you are here asking.  He is not even married yet and he is worrying about his prospects of getting a visa approved.  If it doesn't feel right then the chances of denial will be high.   

Like others stated I think the likelihood is very high that their application will be denied or be in AP for awhile until immigrations is comfortable that enough time has passed to prove the marriage is genuine. 

My advise - they should take their time.   Let his wife-to-be visit a couple of times - meet his family, take pictures, spend time together and get to know each other and build a story, because that's what the CO will be looking for during the interview.  A "properly done" genuine marriage is hardly difficult to prove. 

But it's their decision - there are always surprises.

On 3/22/2021 at 6:33 PM, Maverick1990 said:

For further clarity on that. She has her drivers license, along with her voter's registration in WA. Though her bank account and permanent address is in IL. And we plan to move to Nashville, TN. Would it help to move voter's registration, permanent address to TN? Or should they be good as is?

My wife just got approved and I have been with her outside the US for almost 2 years.  I provided a friends address together with my rent-a-storage receipts in addition to some of the things you mentioned (driver's licence, bank accounts - still have my t-mobile account).  So,  as has been mentioned already, you already have enough to show ties to the US. 

On 3/17/2021 at 7:33 PM, AlbieBio said:

Her brother sent her an INVITE because she is the God mother for his son. so he wanted her to be here in the states for the naming and she got denied. and they stated if at that time i had proposed then why didnt i file for the k-1 for her instead of her brother sending her an INVITE. and she said the consular went over to another consular to ask what they think and she came back and said denied. 

Based on the details you have provided, my opinion is that the K-1 denial is because it appears that your spouse, at the time, had stronger ties to her brother than to you which raises the question as whether your relationship is valid or she was using you as a conduit to get to the US which is pretty common in Ghana. I think that is the key obstacle you both will have to overcome.
 

The timing of the marriage in relationship, IMO, is not a key obstacle.  Let me give a little background on my difficult case to explain why.

Before I married my wife, she had been denied a B1/B2 visa in 2016. Then in 2019 she was denied an F1 visa. We also had family in the US. We had been dating for a while but I was going through a bitter divorce. My divorce came through 10 days before her F1 denial (In hindsight we should have withdrawn her F1). Anyway, she went ahead and was denied.  So 9 days after the F1 denial, we tied the knot in Ghana and 4 months later I filed the I-130. So within 19 days I got my divorce papers, my wife got denied an F1 and we got married. Despite all this (and other big red flags - a huge age difference and with me just retiring) she still got approved for her CR1/IR1.  It all boiled down to overcoming the red flags and showing we had a valid rock-solid marriage.  In fact, the CO told her at the end of the interview:  "Congratulations - I can't find a reason to deny you". So the CO was looking for one.

Therefore, IMO,  to overcome a denial,  you will have to show plenty time together, strong comingling, a solid marriage, and a lot of other suggestions many have mentioned in this thread. You have some time to do all this because Ghana is running behind 12 to 14  months from DQ to interview.

Speak to your spouse and make sure there is nothing else looming in the background that she has forgotten to mention.  If her story only involves what you have posted here, then the task at hand rests on you showing that you both have a genuine marriage and proving a strong relationship.  That should not be an impossible task.

I wish you the best. 🙏🏼

3 hours ago, Aimstir said:

Thank you. I see most people are on the same boat as us. I hate this waiting. It’s heartbreaking. 

The wait has been tough for many countries. Ghana wait is 12 to 14 months from DQ to non-expedited interviews. Most embassies will also give the standard "COVID" reason if they even respond to you.

15 minutes ago, unique5589 said:

How was your wife able to remember all the questions they asked her? Did they give her a written list of these questions? That's a lot to remember!

LOL - no written list given -  she just has a good memory.   Fortunately also, we correctly identified where our red flags would be before hand, so we expected a lot of these questions and practised several variations of them for weeks.  Our strategy was to keep answers as brief as possible and expand on answers only when necessary or if prompted by the CO. 

The only surprise question was the CRBA question on if our 2 kids had DNA testing done - to which she simply said "no".

We debriefed immediately after the interview and wrote down the questions she was asked as we drove back from the embassy because we had already decided to post them to the VJ site because of all the help we got from here.   I pulled hundreds of useful interview questions from VJ that were really useful.   

So my advise is -

1. think of where your red flags would be and prepare thoroughly for them. 

2. review as many interview questions as you can find on VJ. 

3. keep your answers short and don't ramble on - the more you talk, the more avenues you open up for the CO to drill you.

1 hour ago, unique5589 said:

You're welcome. This has been such a difficult journey for a lot of us. I'm glad that the embassy was compassionate and granted you an expedite interview. 

 

I requested an expedite about two months ago. It was unfortunately denied. I sent in another request last week for the same reason. Hopefully I will hear positive news in the coming weeks, as I'm in the service and will be stationed outside of the USA. I need my base to sponsor my husband which is dependent on my husband getting a USA visa, at least that's what is written in my present orders. Some of the terminology is specific to the military, so if anyone doesn't understand a term, please let me know.

Will be praying for you.

2 minutes ago, unique5589 said:

This is the most thorough interview I’ve seen for a visa of your type.

 

Congratulations! 

Thank you.  I was expecting it to be thorough especially because of the age difference with my wife and the fact that I recently retired.  So I made sure my wife had tons of evidence for support our relationship and how I planned to support our family.  Even with that, I was still a bit worried.  We did do several test runs at home to simulate what we thought her experience would be.  And we used a lot of questions we found on VJ.  So she came well prepared.  In the end it paid off.  We are grateful to our VJ family and wish everyone success.

Approved!!

My wife and I are so grateful to the VJ site and it's members for their support and encouragement.  She is currently too excited to post so I am posting her interview experience here and on our timeline also:

Overall, a pleasant experience.  Everyone was nice and friendly, but the interview was still very thorough.

The initial lady collected the following documents:
-  Passport
- Passport pictures
- Police reports

The interview lasted about 30 mins despite the fact I was asked many questions.  
I kept my answers short and clarified just a couple of points to the CO. 

Interview question:

1. How did you meet your husband?
2. How did your relationship progress from there?
3. How much older is your husband than you?
(A lot questions surrounded my husband because of the age gap between us.)
4. When did you say you met?
5. So you have known your husband for 8 years and married for the last 2 years. How come it took you both that long to get married?
6. Can I see your wedding pictures?
7. How many people were at each of your traditional and white weddings? 
8. Do you have any other pictures of your relationship? (Yes)
9. Can I see all of the pictures you have?  
(I had about 200 pictures in collages - she went through every picture while she kept asking more questions)
10. I see you have travelled outside Ghana.  What countries?
11. Have you lived abroad and if so for how long?
12. Have you ever been arrested before?
13. Where is your husband now? (He dropped me off for the interview?)
14. When did he come back to Ghana? (He hasn't left since we got married in 2019).
15, How come? 
16.  When does he plan to return to the US? 
17. Where does your husband live in the US.
18. Does he have property in the US?
19. Do you know that your husband recently retired? (Yes).
20. Can I see his financial records? 
(Submitted copy of I-864 and his updated 2021 bank and investment statements - he used assets as additional financial backing)?
21, How many children do you and your husband have together? (She asked for their birth certs) 
22. Did your children have any DNA testing done for their CRBA? (No. None was requested.)

Then came the magic word:

"Congratulations!" -  I can't find a reason to deny you. I wish you and your husband all the best in the US"

She kept my passport and handed me a Domestic Violence document to read and instructions to collect my passport.

Documents she did not ask for but that I carried along:
1. Tax transcript (but she did look through my husbands I-864).
2. My husband's divorce papers.
3. My husband's citizenship papers and passports.
4. Call logs, whatsapp messages, Travel logs. 

9 hours ago, XCVii+ said:

So there's no document missing??? Cause I was thinking maybe there was since the flow chart doesn't of the AOS documents doesn't flow to the NVC reviews case. 

From my last review in Feb 2021 of Ghana applicants, the wait is now 10 to 14 months from DQ to interview. Unfortunately, not enough people fill out their timelines so as to get better estimates. Once DQ'd, there is nothing else to submit.  You just have to wait for NVC to schedule your interview, unless you have a good reason to request an expedite.

11 hours ago, Maria imtiaz said:

If I send them what they ask me then ......? 

… then you wait, stay positive and pray (if you are religious). Nobody here can answer what the exact decision will be. But if they have not denied you yet and have asked for photos and medical then you have a high chance of approval.  It is unlikely they will ask for those if they want to deny you upfront.  I know the process can be stressful but you have to stay positive and not over analyze what the final outcome will be. Once you have done everything correctly, there is only one other thing to do … wait for their decision.