BollyB

After a long wait , just got approved! 
August 2020  filler 
REF received March 2021 .
Long silence .
approval March 28 , 2023.
 
never received a PF . 
Thanks to you guys that kept me going 
in those crazy moments . 
Yes the 'jokes' worked again.

Sunday!  Time for our lucky and hilarious Official Weekly VAWA-Thread Joke:
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THE DICTIONARY OF TRUTH
 
Calories, n. - tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a little bit tighter every night
 
Synonym, n. - a word used in place of the one that you can't spell
 
Money Can't Buy Happiness, phr. - a saying created by poor people to help curb their jealousy of the rich
 
Feet, n. pl. - a device used for finding Legos in the dark
 
WebMD, n. - something that makes a mild cold into a deadly disease that will kill you within 24 hours
 
Balanced Diet, n. - one cheeseburger in each hand
 
That's Nice, phr. - what you say when you're talking on the phone and you zone out in the middle of the other person's story
 
Best Friends, n. pl. - the people you can get mad at for only a short period of time because you have important stuff to tell them
 
Cell Phone, n. - a device used for looking less alone while in public places by yourself
 
Golf, n. - an excuse for old fat men to say that they still play a sport
 
Relationship, n. - the state of putting up with someone else's (usually of the opposite sex's) bullpoop for a very long period of time
 
Pets, n. pl. - the only members of your family that you really like
 
Poor, adj. - when you have too much month at the end of your money
 
Tomorrow, n. - the best time to do everything that you had planned for today
 
Vegetarian, n. - a bad hunter; someone who survives by consuming not food, but the stuff that food eats
 
Clapping, v. - repeatedly high-fiving yourself for someone else's accomplishments
 
Bachelor, n. - a man who makes jokes about women in the kitchen
 

Hello
my case was finally approved after so long!!
Vawa submitted Dec 6 2019 and it was approved on march 10 2023!! Just waiting for the next step! Keep the hope alive for those waiting, your turn will surely come! 

Hang in there.  Keep the faith.  Everything WILL turn out all right.  

I’m from 2021, Feb 10 to be precise! No RFE and 2PFs. Vawa approved exactly 2 years after filing. Still in removal proceedings though. My lawyer filed for PD Nov 2022, but no response yet. She however submitted a new request after vawa approval last month, still waiting on that as well. Waiting till end of march before I file for a termination with the immigration judge directly. Hang in there! You should file the I 485, since you’re already out of court(my opinion). 

Sunday means that it's time for our tension-relieving, approval-evoking* Official Weekly VAWA-Thread Joke:
       *if correlation = causation
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YOUR REAL HOROSCOPE
 
You and your blind dates always hated each other's guts within half an hour.  You still have to do the best you can until the guide dogs get unhung.  A family of black bears will ruin your otherwise-nonfatal campout next week.  After sudden rainshowers, you have frequently dislocated your hip after falling 34 times trying to walk from the soap-flake factory to your car.  You need to quit with that "nobody in the world likes me" over and over again; simply accept that people hate you.  You are rightfully cautious of nudists with binoculars.  You shouldn't make too many plans beyond next Thursday's annual "Running Of The Hornets."  Your personality has caused you to search from the attic to under all the beds but not, after six months, to report your wife as missing.  Although it's unclear exactly what you'll wind up doing, because of it, both the Democrats and Republicans will push through a tougher, more restrictive gun law in record time.
 

Ooo, baby -- it's Sunday, and time for our Official Weekly VAWA-Thread Joke:
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CAN'T SLEEP HERE!
 
Three friends -- a Rabbi, a Hindu holy man, and a lawyer -- had car trouble in the countryside.  They asked a nearby farmer if they could spend the night.
 
The farmer had room for only two to sleep, so he said, "One of you must sleep in the barn."
 
The Rabbi volunteered, but soon knocked on the farmhouse door.  "There's a pig in the barn, and pigs are unclean, so I can't sleep there."
 
The Hindu holy man volunteered to change places.  However, he too soon knocked on the farmhouse door.  "There's a cow in the barn, and cows are sacred.  I cannot sleep on holy ground."
 
The lawyer grumbled and complained, but he went out to the barn.  Moments later, the farmer heard a knock on his door and opened it.
 
It was the cow and the pig.
 

An observant. Finally an approval after submitting I-360 September 2020. 
4 Prima Facie
No RFE
 

Ran into my ex over the weekend at a social event for the first time in 2-3 years. I know he has no idea how I have been because my family and friends have been a protective vault with regards to me and my wellbeing. Judging from his reaction, I gather he expected me to die of misery following our awful marriage and even worse separation/ongoing divorce. But I didn't - in that time I have lost all the weight i gained in my suffering, graduated, and now work as a physician at a fantastic hospital, moved into a cute little condo, and just overall living my best life. Finally. He said hello, I responded cordially and i think we both realized at the same time that I am now blissfully indifferent. I always thought I would hate him or be resentful but turns out I just really don't care anymore. Guess who now wants to go to therapy and do everything to work this out? Hahaha. Never again.
 
This process is long, draining, and still ongoing for me but i am grateful it has helped me find myself again even though that felt impossible at some point just a year or two ago. We just all need to hang on a bit longer, this story will have a happy ending for us.

My journey has finally come to an end. Want to say thank you to Sandra and many others who helped me years ago when i started my vawa journey & Want to share my VAWA N400 process. 
 
application Sent to uscis - sept 27 2022 Priority date - sept 29th 2022 Fee processed - oct 5 2022 Notice for biometrics received - Oct 17th 2022 Biometrics - Oct 25th 2022 Interview scheduled- Oct 26th 2022 Interview - 29th November 2022 Oath ceremony- 11th January 2023 (didn’t make it) Oath ceremony rescheduled & held - February 25, 2023 officially a US citizen. 
  feel free to ask me any questions you may have. Below is my vawa journey for those who want to know. My vawa was approved in 4.5 months. 
 
 
Jan 23 2017- filed I-360 Jan 24th - I-360 received at VSC  Feb 14th - received receipt notice for i360 Feb 21- prima facie issued March 02 - received prima facie for i360 in mail  March 20 - i485 transferred to new office, Vermont  March 31- sent out additional correspondence/evidence for i360 with blue sheet attached to prima facie  April 3rd - additional correspondence delivered  April 5th - additional correspondence received and under review by VAWA unit  April 12th - EAD and AP applications transferred to Vermont  May 23rd - EAD approved and card is being produced  May 24th - VAWA approved  May 26th - EAD/AP card received  June 6th - vawa notice date  June 15th- transfer to NBC Jan 19th 2018 - interview scheduled for feb 28th Feb 28th 2018 - interview  Aug 2019 - RFE & Response Sept 24th 2019 - approved and green card production ordered  Sept 29th 2019 - greencard recieved   
Had my green card for 3 years and applied for citizenship 

Dear all I am happy to share this wonderful news with my Vawa family.
Today I checked my case status and saw this update. Below is my timeline.
April 2019: filed I-360
June 2019: filed I-485 and EAD
August 2019: first EAD approved.
March 2021: EAD (C31) mailed.
April 2021: VAWA approved.
June 2021: Initial travel document approved
July 2022: EAD+advance parole approved
December 2022: info pass appointment at NYC field office. They told me they mailed RFE to lawyer.
January 2022: received RFE for medicals
February 21st 2023: New Card is being produced. 
I want to thank each and everyone of you for the support, the laughs, the moral support received through this forum. T-bone for the jokes, Stillwinning for the positive and uplifting words, Sandra our beloved legal resource, Balo101, and all the others. For those still waiting, your day will come soon as Our Lord works HIS own schedule. Keep the faith.

Update- Greencard delivered on 16th February, 2022
Time lines-
Feb 2020 - Filed I360 & I485 Concurrently 
May 2022 - RFE on I360
July 2022 - Response received 
August 2022 - I360 approval 
December 2022 - RFE on I485 - Birth certificate 
December 2022 - Response Received 
January 2023- RFE for Medical
February 2023 - New card production, mailed and delivered.
36 months in total. It has been God all through the way. It ended in praise. 
 
I pray that everyone on this journey success and fast approval.
 
 
 

Hi all! My VAWA got approved, I can’t even describe how I feel right now. Thankful for all the wonderful and helpful contributors in this community @TBoneTX @sandranj  @Stillwinning!!!😊 I know the wait is excruciating but let’s all remain positive and keep our minds busy with things that make us happy. I pray for everyone waiting on their good news❤️
2 PFs, No RFE! 

To God be the glory, I  got a nofication on My I485 - New card production. My VAWA journey came to an end Exactly 3 years that I filed my application.
Thanks to this forum for the valuable info that helped me along the way.
 
I will update the house on my time-lines later. Just overwhelmed with Joy at the moment. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Prayer has power.

Absolutely thrilled for you! Every dead thing comes alive in the hands of the most high!!!🙏💯 Awesome God!

After staying in an abusive marriage for two years,I came back home one day and discovered that my wife has left with everything in the house and relocated to another state.this was when we already had a date for my immigration interview.it was like the end of the world to me and I was in total darkness as all evidence and hopes gone with impossibility in my sight.my work permit expired after some months and things were so hard.i held on tightly to God with fervent prayers day-in,day-out.i presented my case to lawyers and I was told,I can't win VAWA as I can't present evidence without proof.i started the VAWA process by myself without the help of any attorney.prima facie was given at the beginning and after two years,I was given letter to provide more evidence.i wrote them again with the little to nothing evidence but God took the glory and December 2022,my VAWA was approved.dont give up,settle your case in the spiritual realm by prayer and You will experience victory in the physical.

Me all the time 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I think RFE should give instructions where to reply.

Is this it? Is it really over? Please tell me this is it and not a USCIS error! I'm trying to not get excited and wait until the card is in my hand just in case it's a technical error but omg 😭
 

@Ozy7 let me give you some light!
im in this country since 2013 I came with tourist visa and was ILLEGAL for almost 5years and then I got married .
my mother tried to get the visa 4x and they always denied her probably cause I was illegal in this country and then when I got married and sent my documentation to USCIS to legalize they denied her again and again …total was 6 times.
soon when I got my combo card the first thing I DID was book a flight to my country whiteout thinking about anything else!
I was there when the pandemic started January2020 and came back on March2020 when all the borders was closed for tourist coming from my country …and guess what they only asked me couple questions they ask me to go to a private room and they checked on the computer and let me go in last then 30min ….
DO NOT GET AFFRAID do not let your emotional and thoughts about what can happens from you to enjoy what the USCIS gave to you … you have legally the permit to go out of this country anywhere you wanna go to ….they gave to you that right to leave and come back …
my vawa was approved only on Nov2022…before that I was traveling everywhere “7 countries “ just with the combo card ! 
also my green card was approved in Jan2023.
For me was almost 5 years waiting for the green card GOD NEVER SLEEP HES WATCHING US .
I’ve never ask for asylum and never being in removed process.  
 
GO ENJOY YOUR FAMILY IN BAHAMAS BABY .
🍾🥂🏝️🍻

After more than 7 years, my 485 status changed to new card being produced. Went through 2 interviews with 3 interview cancellations, 3 RFEs, denial, MTR, 7-8 EADs.
My case history is way too long but here’s a summary of recent events: Case moved to nbc earlier this year, they issued RFE in August 2022 for BC. Then case moved to field office, medical RFE was issued in mid October. I didn’t receive the rfe notice, luckily my attorney received a copy in November. Responded in November, then waited 2.5 months for a decision.
After being traumatized in life for so long, it feels unreal, and I still keep thinking about what’s going to go wrong again. Fear has become my second nature. Missed out on the most important 5 years of my life. I can have some peace now and go see my parents, although I still feel stressed about international travel. I thank you all and this community for being there for each other, I’ve spent years reading your posts and comments.

Another update to all members from this amazing forum ! 

 
Time line 
**March 2018 - filed vawa and ask the USCIS to hold the I485.
Since 2018 they never took any action on my case ‘always renewing prima facie and work permit’. I sent a lot inquires from congressman to USCIS and they always saying ‘background check’.
**July2022- I fired the lawyer who filed my case and hired a new one. The new lawyer was doing everything to make uscis take action on my case and that didn’t make any difference to USCIS they was saying background check again and again.
My new lawyer recommended that I hire another lawyer to sue USCIS ‘MANDAMUS’.
**September2022 - I hire a lawyer to sue the uscis that cost me $5k and the amazing lawyer assured me that my case would be approved based on my evidences against my abuser.
**November 2022  - vawa approved.
**December14/2022 - RFE i693 
**January26/2023 - i485 APPROVED no interview
 
THANK YOU THANK YOU everyone finally my journey is completed so far 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I sent my I693 to USCIS on 01/17/2023 and they approved me today 01/26/2023 .

DONT GIVE UP, I hope everyone who is passing thru this long and stressful process can enjoy from this glory 🙏🙏🙏

It is Sunday -- time for our (obviously highly effective) Official Weekly VAWA-Thread Joke:
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A PSYCHIC GOES SHOPPING
 
In a small town, there lived a psychic who was known to read minds, do divinations, and more.
 
One day, she went to shop for clothes.  A salesgirl approached her and asked if she could bring her some outfits.  "Sure," said the seer, and the girl went to get her dresses.
 
When she came back, the psychic looked at the clothes and then raised an eyebrow.  "There is no way that these will fit me -- they are all Large!"
 
"I've been working at this awhile," said the salesgirl.  "Believe me -- I think that these will fit you."
 
"Nope!  No way," said the seer.
 
"How do you know if you haven't even tried them on?" asked the frustrated girl.
 
"Trust me," said the seer.  "I'm a Medium."
 

Hello all, I'm happy to report that my case has been approved yesterday, no interview. My timeline is below:
 
02/2018 - Ex husband proposed.
03/2018 - Moved in with my now ex-husband I've been with for 5 years (South Dakota).
11/2018 - Marriage.
12/2018 - I-130 & I-485 Application, notice received on same month.
09/2019 - Moved out due to abuse. Was bouncing around different places but settled for Los Angeles since I know people there and would be easier for me. Found a job that paid me $12.00/hour. Was able to get psychiatry and psychotherapy help from the local government.
10/2019 - Got notice that interview was scheduled in Nebraska. Found out through husband (now ex) who was threatening to go to the interview and ask them to deport me.
11/2019 - I decided that I needed to be brave so I went to interview alone, even if my husband appears or not. Husband did not appear, the officer who spoke to me was nice. He asked me what happened and I started to break down  and actually advised me to file for I-360. I have never heard if I-360 before, so he explained it to me. He told me to submit it before 02/2020 and gave me an RFE requesting I-360. I immediately started schooling myself on what I-360 is and gathering everything I need to file it. That's also about the time I joined this VAWA thread, which I learned a lot from. 
02/2020 - I missed the submission timeline as my vital records, police clearances, etc. from the Philippines did not arrive on time.
04/2020 - I received a letter about removal proceedings since I did not submit I-360 on time. I wrote back to my officer telling him that I'm at the mercy of the issuing departments back in the Philippines and I had no control. By this time I already had all the requirements I needed to file VAWA so I did, and I attached receipt notice.
05/2020 - Since I got really stressed out about the removal proceedings, I told myself that I would need an attorney to represent me if it were to happen again. I reached out to a couple, but every single one was quoting me for money I did not even have nor ever had in my life. I started to become really scared because I was barely surviving with $12.00/hour job that I would skip meals just to pay my share of rent.
07/2020 - I found out about Asian Americans Advancing Justice. I inquired but they did not have a capacity to take my case. They told me to continue researching VAWA attorneys. This whole month I had consultation appointments with different attorneys every other day. Some were giving me lower rates since it's VAWA, some does not.
08/2020 - Then an angel came to my life. I went to a consultation with an attorney. She specializes in family based petitions, but was a domestic violence attorney prior to that. I told her my story and the whole thing became very emotional. She offered to take my case pro-bono. A week later after her paralegal reviewed all the documents I sent to USICS (good thing I have a copt of everything), they submitted G-28 (notice of entry appearance as attorney).  
09/2020 - Prima facie received.
 
It was crickets for 2 years. My attorneys told me to be patient, and they showed me support. They told me to keep my mind off of it and focus on the other aspects of my life. So I did. I focused on healing myself from everything that just happened. From the abuse, the immigration stress. Those 2 years felt like a never ending marathon. I'm surprised that I even survived it and never gave up. I continued with my medication and of course psychotherapy. I gained back my confidence, and started to see my self worth. It was still financially hard at first but I excelled in my career as I gave most of my time and effort on that. It was my outlet. From a $12.00/hr retail job, I moved on to $20.00/hr junior designer job, then to $30.00/hr intermediate designer job, to now $50.00/hr senior designer job. I was able to move to a nicer place in a nicer area, I was able to purchase my own car. The independence felt great. I never knew that this was how my life would turn out to be. In between all of those, I found new friends, and I was just being unapologetically me. Life was worth living again.
 
04/2022 - I-360 Approved!
11/2022 - RFE for I-693.
12/2022 - Submitted RFE.
01/19/23 - New card being produced.
01/20/23 - I-485 CASE WAS APPROVED!
 
I know that this was way too much detail but I'm hoping that it would give hope to everyone who's waiting for approval. That was 5 years of my life not knowing how everything will turn out. I'm glad I did not give up.