appleblossom

Sorry to say but it won't stay the same - as @Boiler said, it's not linear. The current date on this month's Visa Bulletin is August 2007 for F4 applicants, but if you go back 2 years to the September 2022 bulletin you'll see the date then was March 2007, so it's only moved 5 months in 2 years. The I-130 being approved isn't necessarily helpful as there's still a long wait until a visa becomes available, so I wouldn't worry about that - and in fact you want it to take as long as possible if your brother has children. You can't change the category of your petition, but your father can file a new one. It would be very sensible for him to, there's no problem having two in the system at the same time from different people. Yes, F3's that were filed 14.5 years ago only now have a visa available to them. But again, that's not linear so I'd expect that to take longer if you're just filing one now. Put bluntly, through either you or your father, your brother is probably at least 15 years away from a visa. So if there is any other route available to him, i.e. employment, I'd suggest you explores that if he wants to move sooner rather than later. Good luck.

There may be questions about why she wasn't declared on your application. But presumably you have proof that you didn't know for sure she was your child until after you received your visa? When was the DNA test done?

OK, got it now. As a mother I have to ask if your ex is really happy with this? Is she aware that she'll likely only see the child if you choose to take her back for visits? There's no route to her to the US for several decades through the child and she's unlikely to get a visitor visa. Is the plan for your wife to adopt her? It would be better for your wife to petition her, as it'll be much quicker than if you do it.

OK, so you're the beneficiary, not the petitioner? Is your spouse the mother of the child or not?

You've previously asked about filing a I-129f, your profile and title of this thread says IR-1, but you say you're not a citizen? That makes no sense. You say 'my interview' but it sounds like you're the petitioner? Is this child also your wife's child or another woman's? Can you clarify - what have you filed, what stage the application is at, whose child this is, and what your status is?

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country/Cameroon.html "Alternatively, Cameroonians and foreigners residents for more than six months may obtain a Certificate of Non-Conviction (Casier Judiciaire) from the office of the Registrar-in-Chief (Greffier en Chef) at the Department of Criminal Affairs and Pardon at the Ministry of Justice in Yaounde. This Certificate of Non-Conviction (Casier Judiciaire) can be obtained by presenting the following information: names, date and place of birth, nationality, passport number and issuance information, number and date of any Cameroon visas issued, number and date of issuance of the Resident Permit (Permis de Sejour), dates of residence and addresses while in the Cameroon. This can be done by the individual in person, or by a relative or friend. There is a fee for this service." Good luck.

This would mean I wouldn't contemplate taking the risk and trying to stay personally. Presumably they questioned you and you told them you were planning on going back?

Ah thank you, I've tried that, thought you might have an email I could try as well.

Yes, Islamabad has a huge backlog.

You can click on a username to see previous posts - @NiJOS7 has his/her interview on 6th Sept. Please fill in your timelines both of you, it's so helpful to other EB applicants. Many thanks. 🙂

I know this is an old post but just wanted to say that's only the case for family based IV's - employment based do still get the packet. 🙂

You don't mention anything in the ACRO police cert, you just order it and it arrives, you can't edit it in any way. But none of the things you've mentioned are criminal offences, only civil.

The instructions you were given are pretty clear - "We will also give you a sealed envelope containing documents that you must give to U.S. immigration authorities when you arrive in the United States for the first time. Do not open this envelope. You must carry it with you; do not put it in your checked luggage." Regardless, I don't see any option but to ask for your passport back and return to the UK to get this sorted. You'll have to explain that an error was made and you never received the packet you should have had. Good luck.

Don't know where you're reading that, but it's wrong. Your spouse will be a permanent resident ('green card holder') upon entry on the immigrant visa, exactly the same as you. The stamp on the visa when you enter acts as your temp green card for 1 year until you get the plastic ones that turn up in the mail. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/temporary-i-551-stamps-and-mrivs

No, EB visas still get a physical packet. @Sparrow01, the packet should have been couriered along with your passport/visa. Did you definitely only receive your passport back and nothing else in the envelope?

About 12-14 months for I-130 approval going on current timescales. And the process after that is set out step by step here - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition/step-2-begin-nvc-processing.html Good luck.

Yes, you can. No need to wait, the stamp is proof of your LPR status for a year and you only need the SSN to get paid, not to work. But I’d suggest you give yourself at least a week before starting work, to settle in and do all of the things like getting a bank account, driving licence etc.

London/Singapore?! Which one? Where do they live? They have to be resident there.

OK. Then I don't see any way she won't age out of F2A I'm afraid, her PD would need to be current in a month or so and we already know that's not the case in October. So as a rough guide, maybe another 6-7 years? But just keep an eye on the Visas Bulletin and see how it progresses. Good luck.

No, you haven't applied for a visa for her yet, you've just petitioned her. The visa application is the second step that comes after the I-130 is approved (once her Priority Date is current on the Visa Bulletin). 2 years is about the normal time for a spouse visa (actually, it's quicker than it is currently taking for Kenyan applicants!). So if you applied in February 2022, your step-daughter was only a month or so off turning 21 at the time?

Ah, thank you. @Mtoto Visa Kenya , so you need to watch the Visa Bulletin. As you can see from that, only those with Priority Dates of 15 November 2021 or earlier are now eligible to apply for visas. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-for-september-2024.html It's not linear though, as you can see from October's bulletin those who applied prior to 21 November 2021 can get visas, so it's moved forward 6 days in one month. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2025/visa-bulletin-for-october-2024.html It may suddenly speed up or slow down, or can even go backwards. All you can do is keep an eye on it and see when your step-daughter becomes eligible to apply for a visa. One complication you do have is that she may age out in to F2B category, and as you can see from the above bulletins, that has a much longer wait. That will depend on exactly how old she is - I know you say 23, but is she just turned 23, or nearly 24? Under the CPSA she can subtract the amount of time her I-130 took to be approved from her actual age, and that may protect her and keep her in F2A.

No, they're preference category F2A. So a couple of years for Dad to get his green card (roughly - quite possibly longer with his history as I suspect that might complicate things). Then he can petition for the child, currently those in F2A who applied prior to Nov 2021 are able to get visas, so approx 3 years wait. Obviously that wait may well shorten or lengthen between now and the Dad being able to petition for the child, but using that as a guide means 7-8 years before the child can move to the US.

What's the Priority Date (date your wife submitted the I-130)?

What visa are you applying for? I just don't see it mentioned in your post, is your partner a US citizen?

Depends on the type of visa you're applying for - which is why we need your timeline filled in!