CarolynRitesh

Happy Thursday to Everyone

car seat class for a discounted baby seat

I guess I have been out of the US too long, but what is a 'car seat class'? How much of a discount can you get? (When I shopped with my sis for one a few years ago, they could be hundreds of dollars!!)

Sauron,

I am sorry to hear this. However, there is a fallacy in what the CO told your fiancee. If you are indeed legally married under Indian law, there should be no need to go over there and get married "again" (as you mentioned in your review of the Chennai consulate). As you have seen, that is the point of the USCIS appeal from 2003. You should be able to simply file a K3 application as things now stand.

I can't really advise you, but I can tell you what I would do ASAP ASAP ASAP, while the petition is still at the Consulate. I would contact a reputable Indian immigration lawyer in this country, hopefully one who has professional contacts in Chennai who work with the Chennai consulate. I would explain the situation and see what they recommend. I would also explain to them that I am planning, imminently, to do the following:

I would also contact both my US Senators and my US Rep and ask to speak to one of their immigration liaisons. Explain the situation, tell them about the appeal ruling and the instructions of the CO, and be sure they understand that I am trying to turn this thing around BEFORE IT LEAVES THE CONSULATE.

And I would write as diplomatic a letter as possible to the Consulate about this and FAX it to them, along with a copy of that appeal and a detailed explanation of why I believe I am not legally married under Indian law (and point out that apparently the CO believes the same, otherwise why would he have advised your fiancee to get married "again").

And I would make it clear, to the liaisons and in my letter to the Consulate, that I believe that my fiance signed that affidavit "under duress".

That's what I would do. I think many people, when faced with the prospect of further lengthy separation, would leave no stone unturned in the effort to change the outcome of this. That, in itself, is good evidence of your sincerity.

I'll post this in your thread about the denial, too, in case anyone wants to offer alternatives or thinks that my ideas are not advisable.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

Maya

ETA: To be clear: I would definitely try to overturn this decision first at the Consulate (not the same as a formal appeal), before I would start all over. But I would start all over before I would try a formal appeal. To try to get this turned around at the Consulate, my understanding is that you need to act FAST. And the folks who seem to me to have the US end of the Batphone to the Consulates, are the immigration liaisons that work on Congressional staffs.

Thanks for sharing your insight Maya, I hope that Sauron is able to act quickly enough to get this turned around! Any idea of how fast a Consulate moves these things out of their hands? Sauron, you are not alone, Kshatriya also faced similar circumstances in Chennai on April 4th - maybe you guys could chat about the steps you are taking! Keep posting with the progress, it could help quite a few others out there I'm sure!

Also, is there anyway to copy/move this to the South Asia forum where others who share this problem are more likely to see it?

Hey VISH,

I wouldn't worry about the different dates for the marriages - doesn't EVERYONE know that Indian weddings are longgg processes?? Seriously, if you have proof for both you should be all set! I would recommend having things like receipts of wedding halls, etc. READY for your interview! If you were married under the Hindu Marriage Act, have plenty of pics, docs, etc. - they seem to be more picky about that for some reason.

Are you still in India? If so, GO TO THE INTERVIEW! If not, would it be possible to fly back for it? I think the COs can be intimidating for anyone going in alone, even under the seemingly easiest of situations.

As far as on-going proof of relationship (or prior) gather anything you can - if you are still in India, your being here is proof, right? The last thing we had in our package was our honeymoon pics from early Feb. You still have time to 'gather more evidence' - especially if you are in the US now. Write those emails, send some snail mail (oops, maybe not, the postal system might be too slow!), send those phone records!

Also, I did notice that they gave someone a 221g at the counter ahead of us, they wanted copies of EVERY PAGE of the spouse's passport. They kept mine between interviews and may have swiped it in the system to see when I had been in and out of the US since US passports don't get stamped on arrival/departure. Have copies ready if necessary - better to be safe than sorry!!

Only a few more weeks - YEAHHHH!!! :)

Really Parul? I didn't hear that you had any problems - I must have missed that post! What mistake did the CO make?? Glad you got yours sorted quickly! How is life in the US so far?

I don't want to speak on Kshatriya's behalf, but other K1's in Chennai seem to be having the same problem lately. Kshatriya, let us know how things are going!

GREAT NEWS!!!! HUGS BACK!! :)

Born: Nuremburg, Germany

Live: as of May 19th, back to the Motor City - Detroit, Michigan

Want to live: hmmmm... looking at options - temperate climate, close to water and mountains, not too expensive (bye-bye Cali. and NY!), city life with a smaller city feel, multi-cultural.. any ideas anyone?

Hi ad345, sorry I can't help you on that, this forum is for people who submit the I-130 directly to a USCIS office in the country of their spouse, and in India, it is usually approved on the same day submitted. Check the processing timelines in the tabs above for more information about different service centers and their comparative timelines.

Welcome to VJ, and good luck on your journey!

I am so sad it is 2:45 AM here and way past my bed-time! Can't wait to wake up and see where this thread goes next! Have a great evening/night - may all of our loved ones be safe!

I don't know if that is just a man/woman, East/West thing or not, but what the MENA hubby posted applies for Ritesh too - NEVER talk about the relationship in a 'public' way. He has learned to accept that I talk to close girlfriends, but he only talks to me about what is between us - not even his best friends.

I am trying to think of what we had in ours - both mine and my Dad's... Did you include recent pay stubs showing your income? How about proof of citizenship with a Passport Bio page or birth certificate? Or, if you are LPRs, did you include that proof? That is all I can think of that might be missing...

Gary,

Hate for an ex is love that has disappointed you. You need some counseling. I don't hate my ex, I don't love him, I have no feelings because I don't care any more. I have moved on to greener pastures.

If my husband spent this much time dwelling on his ex I would get so freaking sick of it that it would eventually lead to problems. Can't you move on????

I have moved on and I never talk about her, I only brought her up because I am curious why the difference in women from other cultures.

First let me clue you into something. Many women from other cultures do dastardly things to American Men. Take a hop skip and a stroll over to some of the other threads and you will see South American , Russian, Chinese you name it taking American men for greencard rides up and down the street. I personally have watched several south American women in the area that I live in in Florida make a laughing stock of their American husbands. Its not about culture. Its about UPBRINGING and to catagorize all American women as bad because you got taken for a ride is horrible. You are painting all women from MEXICO as saintlike and great moms and that just is not the case. You could have just as easily ended up with a former prostitute who stole all your money and waited out her AOS period and latered you.

I watch these threads started by these men that somehow think all RUSSIANS are saints. I got to the point that I just pointed out that most of the prostitutes working in UAE . Abu Dhabi and Dubai are from the FSU. The problem with prostitution of the FSU countries has become so severe that you really do not know WHAT or WHO you are marrying when you marry a woman from a foreign country. At least with an American you can run a background check. Can you do that with a foreign wife? Do you really know where she has been all the years before you knew her...The same thing stands with South America and Mexico. Do you really know the woman you marry as well as you could know an American? Just wondering.

The arrogance of some of the American men marrying foreign women astounds me. You do not have to BASH american women to point out the positives in your wife. American women also have to put up with being expected to work full time and raise kids and do everything else while alot of American men would put us out to work like farm hands and abuse the ####### out of us and then when you finally get your wife toy from overseas, you baby them. If I could sit on my ### and raise kids and not pull in a paycheck, I would be miss perfect too. The biggest problem with american women is our MEN. They want everything, give very little back, offer no romance or love story and then whine that we don't do what foreign women do. We don't get the chance to. We have to build your life on our backs,break our lives in half, raise your children for you to turn around and say we are not feminine or submissive enough. Who the hell is paying the bills while we are submissive. Not a damn person.... I do not blame you for looking overseas but most women do not start out their relationships bitter. We start out with dreams and needs.... and unlike most of my friends who just put up with the beer bellies and no personality red neck antics, we went else where too. Just like you

Sorry mena girls if my post offends anyone...

See now, you pissed of Wahrania, and she is raging preggy hormonal.

Wahrania, it is true about the Russian prostitutes in Dubai. MY SIL lived there and said they are everywhere. Imagine one of them hooking up with an American for a visa. Then we would see some hate all Russian women.

The thing I find interesting is that after looking through quite a few of the forums, I have seen many many many negative comments about American women, but this was the first one I have seen about American men. (DON'T PISS OFF THE PREGNANT WOMAN!) In all seriousness, it is tiresome to read about how 'we' are all money-grubbing gold diggers or evil or selfish, etc. I just don't know what American women they are talking about or have been associating with - no one in my family or friendship circle could remotely be characterized that way!

Nope, you are not alone.

I think a lot of us ask around and try to figure out where the hitches were (like this thread), and then from that added to our personal knowledge of the individual involved... we try to guess and prepare for what we think MAY happen. Sometimes we're right, sometimes we're wrong. Lotsof us try to focus on re-creating a "home" for the individual on the get-go, although some of that just cannot be done-- especially when they are moving into an established household with almost nothing of their own. I would think that is one thing that kind of sucks for some people, but it may not matter to others. Some individuals may prefer to try to "build something together" and others probably would love to be in charge of building their own Also I think lots of time moving to a new country you'll tend to catch a couple of colds or get kind of sick from a change in environment/viruses/bacteria/etc. That probably sucks I got that advice from a friend, and so I had stocked up on some cold medicines and OTC stuff of all kinds, just in case.

The OTC idea is fantastic - I always seem to get run-down and sick when I travel long distances like that!! Now if I could just find somthing that cures jet-lag, we'd be all set! (I HATE`that wakeup at 2AM ready to start the day period!!)

Congratulations!! A clean bill of health is ALWAYS good news! One step closer to home!

Each consulate must be a little bit different in regard to the Medical Envelope being sealed - they state everywhere on-line that it should be, but when you go through security they make you unseal it if it had been sealed before. Anthrax scare in India, maybe?? (Our doctor even recommended that Ritesh make copies of his report for his own records and told him not to seal!)

Hello everybody, i had my interview last April 4, and i got the 221 paper. The consul did tell me to submit additional documents from my fiance his two (2) divorce papers from his ex's, i only had the latest one. He got married 3 times though. But they let me pay the visa delivery. If i can submit the documents they needed, will it guarantee that i can have my visa soon?

Anyone here that encountered problem like this? Just want to know the outcome...

Thanks again...

I am confused - he has divorce papers for two ex's, but he has been married 3 times? Since you are on a K1, I am assuming you are not the 3rd? Be very careful about that, I don't think USCIS, etc. would appreciate that kind of discrepency on forms...

Good Luck in resolving this quickly!

He was married 3 times and divorced 3 times too. Yes I am on K1 and be the fourth to be. I only had submitted the divorce papers of the 3rd one, and the embassy needs the divorce papers of the 3. So i have to submit the first 2 divorce papers to them.

Ohhh, ok, thanks for clarifying - I thought he was married three times, but only told USCIS that he was married twice! Thanks for clarifying! Then it should not be too much longer, just make sure he gets those papers to you fast!

Hello everybody, i had my interview last April 4, and i got the 221 paper. The consul did tell me to submit additional documents from my fiance his two (2) divorce papers from his ex's, i only had the latest one. He got married 3 times though. But they let me pay the visa delivery. If i can submit the documents they needed, will it guarantee that i can have my visa soon?

Anyone here that encountered problem like this? Just want to know the outcome...

Thanks again...

I am confused - he has divorce papers for two ex's, but he has been married 3 times? Since you are on a K1, I am assuming you are not the 3rd? Be very careful about that, I don't think USCIS, etc. would appreciate that kind of discrepency on forms...

Good Luck in resolving this quickly!

Anything by the Portuguese singer Amalia - although we don't understand the words and they are probably all about heart-break... But ohhh, so moving!

I just love the soundtrack for Last Temptation of Christ by Peter Gabriel and friends for those long sexy-time nights...

And of course, "Shake that ### for Me" by Eminem - classic!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Way to be prepared Kaffy, I wish I had done the same so far in advance! I would say the best thing (after reading the guides!) is keep up with what the American Embassy in Australia says about filing an I-130 - that could change in the next year or so as govt. things are bound to do!

I found some really interesting and helpful checklists on their website last month, take a look at their requirements, etc. so that you know what you need to gather.

Len and Bren is right, make sure your hubby keeps up with filing his US taxes (we all have to do it, even if we don't owe anything!) They ask for the previous year's 1040, and reported income for the previous 3 years.

For domicile, make sure that he keeps up or obtains a current Driver's License (I keep mine at my parent's address) and a stateside bank account are also good proofs of domicile. (He could ensure that those are up and running on a trip home before you start the process!)

The biggest thing for DCF is proof of on-going income - our income outside the US doesn't count. Unless using a joint sponsor, you guys would (for this year, it goes up every year!) need $52,500 in assets such as CDs, bank accounts, property, etc.

I don't know about Australia, but we just did ours in India, and the whole process from filing the I-130 to getting the visa took 8 weeks and 3 days. Check the timelines for Australia DCF to see what they average. Once you get the visa, you have 6 months to use the visa to enter the US for the first time, so you can plan when you submit and give yourself enough lee-way for unexpected events!

Good luck!

Wow Bobalouie, tell me more!! I would never have thought of Oklahoma City as a place to be, but one of the job possibilities for Ritesh is in Oklahoma City, and that housing market alone is appealing! (Plus, it is a centralized jumping off point from which to explore the US!)

You might want to post in the Middle East/North Africa forum as you are out of Abu Dhabi. There may be some more wisdom in that forum to help you with the AP processing. Good luck!

WOW, I was in tears in the middle of that too! And then I was angry, and then I was happy to see someone do something... Thanks for sharing...

Here is the link for the I-130 steps:

http://germany.usembassy.gov/immediate_relatives_visa.html

And the post I-130 approval steps:

http://germany.usembassy.gov/visa/visaproc..._frankfurt.html

Glad you got an answer!

My question is; Can I apply for the DCF in Frankfurt even though she is not a German, but a visa carrying resident of Germany? I have an unrestricted visa because I was married to a German and my fiancee is in Germany on a student visa which runs out at the end of June (another reason we are nervous).

You will have to wait until after the marriage to apply, and have all the appropriate marriage certificates, etc. We got that on the day of our marriage, not sure if other places take time to get that in hand after the wedding. Have you checked the timelines for DCF Germany? If she has to be out of Germany by the end of June, what will you do for an address to have papers delivered to, and how will she get to the Consulate for her interview? Our process was very quick - Feb. 6th for I-130 submission, April 3rd for Interview - not sure about Germany!

Are you working for a US company that you will continue to work for back in the US? If so, you may not need a co-sponsor. If you do need one, I would think getting the I-864 from your co-sponsor in early June would be pretty good timing. The I-864 is NOT submitted with the I-130, but in the packet of information reviewed by the Consulate. For the I-130, you will need to show that you are living together, but that wouldn't have to happen until after the marriage. Getting a joint bank account would be a good thing, it is good proof for the I-130....

Look through those docs and guides carefully, check out the Embassy website for details on I-130 processing - it should have a wealth of information for you! Good Luck and keep us posted, this is an interesting situation!

I got married in India in July 2006 when I was visiting. At that time I was a permanent resident. I recently got my citizenship. I am planning to go to India after my finals. Lot of my friends told me that if I stay in India for 90 days and file for his visa in New Delhi, I can get him here quicker.

I am a student and I work part-time. He is also a recent graduate and not working in India. I have so many questions and I would appreciate you so much if you could answer any of these?

1. My husband resides in Kerala (Alan Paul). Is it alright if I file in Delhi? I've heard from many people who filed for their spouses that Delhi embassy calls for interview faster than the others.

You would need to file the I-130 petition in Delhi, but Chennai would be your consulate office (for the actual visa interview) for Kerala, and Chennai is FAST!

2. Do I have to stay in India for three months before I file? Or is that applicable to newly-married citizens only? Since I am a student I have to be back here for my classes next semester.and it's been almost 2 years since we got married. I was waiting to receive my citizenship before I file for my husband. Again, I heard from the same people that changing the status once I file is tedious. And can also please tell me why is there such a requirement?

Yes, you have to show that you have been a resident for 6 months BEFORE you file the I-130 - that applies to everyone, no matter how long you have been married. If you have been married for 2 years before you file, you will be applying for an IR1 visa, rather than a CR1. DCF is the FASTEST way to get a spouse to the US as far as processing through USCIS, etc., but it does require time in India - so it might even out in some ways... The good thing is, you can file your I-130 in Delhi after you have completed your residency requirements, and then return to the US to establish domicile, get a job, etc.

3. This one is about tax papers. I heard that I need to submit tax papers of the past three years. I filed for this year only as 2007 is the only year I worked enough to file taxes. Shall I file and produce tax papers of 2005 and 2006 anyway? I have the W-2s from those years(2004,2005, not 2006 as I didn't work that year). Do I need some paper to show that I didn't work that year?

You will have to provide the most recent year's tax returns (1040 and all related documents). Tax advice I am no expert on, but if you made over a certain threshold each year, you are required to file. (Check the IRS website for the exact amount, it changes each year!) If you were not required to file for any of those years, you simply need to write a statement stating that you did not earn enough money to require you to file for each year.

4. I am not sure if my affidavit form is enough for the reasons mentioned in the last question and the fact that I am still a student. Can my uncle(s) give the affidavit support papers along with mine? Or just theirs?

Your own statement that you did not earn enough should be fine.

5. Do I need a bank statement form as well? Or shall I bring my uncle(s)' as well.

If you want to prove that you have enough assets to support your husband in your I-864 form, you would need to supply a year's worth of bank statements.

6. Are any papers from my college required?

Hmmm... only if you are employed at your college!

7. I work part-time as a cashier in a pharmacy. That information is in my tax papers. Hope that is enough.

Not sure what you are referring to here, if you mean to meet the requirements of the I-864 Affidavit of Support form, probably not. Unless you have a job that pays approximately $17, 250 dollars (please check the I-864 form and Poverty Guidelines for 2008), you would need to have about $52, 500 in assets to sponsor your husband by yourself. If not that, you will need a co-sponsor for your husband who makes enough money to support his/her entire household plus your husband. (Government documents are fun, aren't they?)

8. What other papers do I need to produce?

I would look through the DCF Forum and the South Asia forum for more I-130 and India-specific information. PM me if you want any advice as we just finished this process!

Thank you so much in advance.

YEAH!!!! Congratulations! May you find good and cheap tickets QUICKLY!