Elliott & Dora

Hello everyone. Applied for the N-400 today for my wife today. Applying under 319b since currently working for US company in South Korea. Swearing in location is Dallas, TX because she wants to change / shorten her name. Received my Notice of Receipt almost immediately but no reuse of biometrics :(. Time to approval is estimated at 9 months.

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

Do you have a reference for that?  I don't see any exceptions. 

8 CFR § 211.1
 

(6) A Form I–551, whether or not expired, presented by a civilian or military employee of the  United States Government who was outside the  United States pursuant to official orders, or by the spouse or child of such employee who resided abroad while the employee or serviceperson was on overseas duty and who is preceding, accompanying or following to join within 4 months the employee, returning to the  United States; or

1 hour ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

You are probably confusing the statement at the bottom of their IR1/CR1 and IR2/CR2 visas that state "upon endorsement this serves as a temporary I-551 for one year".

 

They have IR1/CR1 and IR2/CR2 visas.  Those will not turn into temporary I-551 until they travel to the US and CBP endorses them.

 

They have until the expiration of their visas to travel to the US.  Afterwards, their visas will be void and you/they will have to start again from scratch.

 

There was a way for you to delay their visas and coordinate the timing to about when you return to the states by not submitting the required documents at the NVC stage.  But that's in the past.

 

Your options now are:

 

1)  Check to see if your employment condition qualifies as being domiciled in the US.  Certain cases, like family deployment orders, allow the family to be considered as US residents even though they are in another country.  If yes, then pay the immigration fees, travel with your family to "activate" their visas and get them LPR status.  File for SSN for both if you did not select that option, or just go to SSA even if you did.  Get the SS card and GCs, or have family/friends get them and send them to you in Korea (I would recommend you wait to get them yourselves).

 

2)  Pay the immigration fees, travel with your family to "activate" their visas and get them LPR status.  File for SSN for both if you did not select that option, or just go to SSA even if you did. File re-entry permits for both, wait for biometrics, and then return to Korea.  Or, you can return right away and they wait for the biometrics before travelling to join you.  Have family or close friends get their physical GCs (if it takes a while to get) and re-entry permit and send them to you in Korea.  Re-entry is good for up to 2 years.

 

3)  Let the visas expire and start all over.  File I-130s for your wife and step-child.  This time, when the I-130s are approved, do not pay the AOS and IV fees at NVC.  Wait until about 6-8 months before your anticipated return to US date, then pay and complete the NVC steps.

Thanks for the clarification and I guess we will be taking a small vacation to “activate” the visa’s. I don’t believe I need to do reentry permits due to my employment status of US entity.

42 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

This may be helpful.  If you qualify, your spouse may be able to file for naturalization almost immediately after activating their LPR status.

 

E. Exception to Continuous Residence and Physical Presence Requirements

Spouses of U.S. citizens who are regularly stationed abroad under qualifying employment may be eligible to file for naturalization immediately after obtaining LPR status in the United States. Such spouses are not required to have any prior period of residence or specified period of physical presence within the United States in order to qualify for naturalization.^[19]

 

^{https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-g-chapter-4}

Yes I am aware of this and that is my next step as soon as she has her green card.

The visas expire in Dec 2023. From what I have been reading if I am working overseas for an US entity then requirement that states a green card holder cannot leave the US for more than 1 year doesn’t apply. I am very interested in what starts the process. Are they required to enter? I am thinking of sending an inquiry to USCIS and the embassy and await an response.

Hi,

I am currently working as a US Gov employee in South Korea. My wife and step children were recently issued the I551 temp visa’s in their passports. I understand most of the implications that affect her green card status while residing with me here but I am confused if they are required to enter the US to start the green card issue process. I have already payed the immigration fee and the interviewer at the consulate was fully aware of my status here and that I would not depart for a few years. Should I contact USCIS to make sure they are aware of my current situation and not to expect the family members to enter the US till the end of my tour here? Will any of this delay the issuance of green cards?

TIA

Elliott&Dora

On 7/9/2023 at 5:25 PM, Straya said:

I finally arrived last weekend. 

 

Curious to anyone else who has already arrived - how long did your SSN and green card take to arrive if they have already? The officer at customs told me GC can take a year 😳

I have similar questions but upon a little research I learned that you have to use this website (USCIS case status https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do) with your receipt number when you paid the USCIS Immigrant Fee. It will change the status on the green card is printed, issues, etc. 

There is a large discussion about this in the forum below.

Hope this helps.

3 hours ago, Jimmyzr1 said:

Hello, did you have to file separate I-130's and I-864's on all of them? If so, how was the family size computed for them on page 4, step 5, 1-8? Did you have to submit this on all of the step-children? What about supporting evidence?

 

Thanks for any advice!

I did file a separate I-130 for each person but the I-864 applied to all once I submitted on the NVC site since the applications are linked to each other.

For the evidence I just submitted it the same for each person. My first attempt resulted in RFI's which caused me to submit more than enough evidence and I just mirrored all the applications the same for evidence which resulted in DQ's.

On 5/27/2023 at 9:03 PM, leeen21 said:

We have four cases at NVC (CR1, IR2 x 3) -- three of the cases (my spouse and two of my stepkids) were DQ'd on April 26. The fourth (my other stepkid) was just DQ'd yesterday, May 26.

 

Will NVC continue keep them all together for the interview scheduling, despite their different DQ dates?

My case is similar to yours but even more complex, My family and I live in Seoul, South Korea and my wife and step children are Colombian. The CR1, IR2 x2 all DQ'd on different dates. Two of the cases requested RFI's but in the end was DQ'. All the interview dates was scheduled at the same time. I will say it took two weeks after DQ till I got the interview notification in my email.

Good luck

Hello

Visa interview scheduled July 6 in Seoul, South Korea for my Colombian wife and step children.

Update!

IR-1 DQ 4 May now waiting for interview date.

I was wondering if we will track interview dates as the Mar forum has or is that too much trouble?

IR-1 RFI submitted 4/21

thank you

Hello 

I would like to add a second IR2 for submitted Apr 7th and DQ on Apr 18th.

thanks for you for the spreadsheet keeping track of all submissions

Hello
RFI IR-1 18 Apr 😞

Hello

Please add

IR-1 submitted Apr 7

IR-2 submitted Apr 7

On 8/3/2022 at 5:22 AM, Orion22 said:

We got our first active review! 😁

Which site or app did you use that told you the service center?

4 hours ago, Glory2 said:

Where can I check this? 

At https://myaccount.uscis.gov

There is a new tab next to case status for the petition you have filled

If you interested in becoming a US citizen the topics below will interest you.

4 hours ago, Timona said:

1. What stage of immigration are you at? AOS/ ROC?

2. Are these I-130 for the beneficiaries or you?

3. Are you a USC or LPR?

4. And where are the beneficiaries? Here in US or abroad?

 

 

1. Still at initial stage of i-130 being processed in Nebraska

2. Beneficiaries

3. USC

4. We are all abroad. I am a Department of Defense Civilian working in Korea. We are living here on current A-3 Visas.

4 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

B2 doesn’t change any part of the petition process, and yes obviously they will need to have biometrics taken.    Why wouldn’t they?

Because biometrics are taken when they are all issued B2 visas. I assumed they would use the same biometrics taken for that visa.

I searched but I couldn’t find this answer so I decided to ask.

I have recently filed my I-130s and my beneficiaries currently have B1 / B2 visas. Does that mean they will no longer require fingerprints since they were taken for the B1 / B2 visa? Does that shorten any part of the process since they are already in the “system”? I did list their visa numbers and US visits on the I-130 as requested on the form.

Status moved to "Case Is Being Actively Reviewed By USCIS" June 24th. 

I filed in March 2022 also and was transferred to Nebraska.

Currently "Case Was Received And A Receipt Notice Was Sent"

Hopefully this will update soon.