Springlett

I filed head of household last year and then realized (after sending in the 1-130) and researching that since I was actually married last year (December) that I should have filed married. I decided to do the right thing and ammended my tax return from head of household to married filing jointly. I sent the ammendment to the Austinn, Texas center along with my application for my husband's tax identification number. He lives in Nicaragua, has a job, but has never paid any USA taxes (there is no reason to--he doesn't live here and isn't a US citizen). We ended up receiving $4000 more in a refund simply because I was filing married.

My advice--file at the center where they will give you a tax identification number. You can get all the info on-line.

Good luck!

Spring

I finally, after forever of waiting, am to the point where I can pay my fees online but the site says "service unavailable" and has for 2 days!!! Has anyone else had this problem? Is God against me? I swear, everything about this VISA process has been stalled for one thing or another!

Spring

Thankyou Phillip2! I have corrected your approval date.

Springlette, I have moved you to Cali list. Thanks for letting us know.

UPATED

Only 241 days and I finally got a NOA2!!! It's a miracle. Of course, now we wait for the NVC process to unfold but what a relief to finally say the NOA 2 is on its way!

Spring

Actually I got my aproval on 9/30 for my I 130. However in my excitment on 10/1/08 I thought that was my approval since that is when I read it

I was officially sent to California office on Sept. 8 but received the dreaded "RFE" October 1 (actually, I read online it was sent Oct. 1 and had to wait until Oct 10 to receive it in the mail).

So, hopefully you can update the spreadsheet soon with my approval but until then I'm officially only transferred to California.

Spring

UPDATED!!

The Spreadsheet is updated through this morning. Only 7 more people from 2007 need approvals! Please, please Update your time lines so we can get an accurate estimate!! Thanks!

Nicole

I was transferred to "somewhere" on Sept.8. I received the notice Sept 13 in the mail but it only told me that my application was now pending in the office to which it was transferred. I assume that means I was transferred to California. So, I guess you can update that on the spreadsheet. I really just want my husband to live with me--but apparently that's too much to ask for right now.

Spring

My husband has never been to the US so we are waiting for a I-130 Visa for him to arrive. I think the problem with tourist visas are when you apply for one after you have applied for permanent residency (I-130 Visa). As long as she legally has a valid tourist visa there should not be a problem with her visiting. The problem seems to arise when people apply for the tourist visa after applying for the I-130 and then sign on the tourist visa application that they "have no intention of remaining in the US" when in fact they are attempting to receive the permission to do just that.

I think the main thing is to not let immigration get any idea that she might being trying to "fraud the government".

If she has a valid tourist visa--by all means USE IT! Don't have her suffer like those of us who don't have one and are in the dreaded depths of the visa process which is agony!

Spring

Hello All:

Been a while. As you can tell, I've already been (successfully) through the K-3 process with my wife. Although I know quite a bit about the process and the result AOS, I have a question that I really don't know much about, because it did not apply to us.

I have a friend in Colombia (actually a girl who had a lot to do with my wife and I getting married) that needs some information. Here are the facts:

1) She is Colombian.

2) She married an American in July, 2008.

3) She remains in Colombia and he is back in the U.S.

4) They have filed for an IR-1/CR-1 visa.

5) She has a valid tourist visa for the U.S.

6) She has traveled to the U.S. many times (in fact, she met her husband while here). All 3 of her sisters lives in the U.S., two married to Americans and the other a student at a university.

She would like to use her tourist visa to return to the U.S. for a visit - to see her new husband and to visit her sister in Miami. However, she is worried that this MIGHT adversely impact (e.g., delay, etc.) her IR-1/CR-1 visa. She also understands that she will need to return to Colombia for the visa interview.

I've looked at many of the posts to the forum and tried to do a search, but most of the cases I've seen relates to folks who were visiting the U.S. on a tourist visa and married an American while he or she was here....and now wants a visa. I couldn't find a case that is similar to this one....but I swear I've seen something about this before on this board.

Can anyone give me some guidance on this? I'd really like to help my friend, since she did so much to help me and my wife.

Thanks so much,

Mike

I've been arguing with my parents (who have been helping me considerably with this K-1 process) about using a senator to speed up our K-1 process.

My parents believe that if I write a real sappy letter to a specific senator, he/she would be able to push the process along.

I simply believe that theres nothing a state senator can do with this affair and furthermore, if they could do anything they wouldn't at risk of it not being a true marriage and helping someone come into the country illegally.

besides, we're far enough in the process that by the time a senator would read his/her mail we'll probably receive our NOA2.

What do you guys think? am I wrong?

Thanks,

Trevor

I've visited the congressman and senator's office and it hasn't done a thing to speed the process along. I don't have any criteria that truly justify expediting the process. Unfortunately, they don't view the hardship of a broken heart on a daily basis to be good enough to speed things along.

They told me to call back when it's been over 6 months without any news--until then, "good luck but expect up to a year."

It's been 5 long months and still no NOA 2.

So I guess we wait.

Spring

Holy #### how long do we have to ###### wait for Vermont, god damn!

I know exactly how you feel! It is not doing me any good at ALL to read Visa Journey b/c every day I want to see that Vermont is doing something and everyday NOTHING! I just want to live with the man that I love!!!!!

I just read this and I was encouraged by it. I get so discouraged to hear about the USCIS in the news and all the delays and backlogs but I also believe that everyone at the USCIS is not out to get us and punish us by keeping us away from the ones we love. (although I do wish my husband could fly home with me when I have to return to the US tomorrow:)

http://www.dhs.gov/journal/leadership/2008...t-to-print.html

well dont know why you would get certified letter sorry to hear might be a rfe ???

but i can help with time line go to my controls once open go to edit signature and the go to window and type what you would like

ok as for uscis web site i just went to my case number and as to this day it say received and pending and the interview is in 2 week so it isnt alway accurate i dint have any touches anything just one day my noa-2 showed up in mail

any way good luck

Thanks! I've been wondering about the little timeline thing for a long time!

Spring

I'm in Nicaragua for 2 weeks visiting my husband while we await our visa approval. My mom just emailed me that I have a certified letter from immigration waiting for me at the post office and she will go tomorrow to try to pick it up for me. Why would I receive a certified letter from immigration? I received my NOA-1 (not certified) and have been waiting for NOA-2 but now I'm worried that something's wrong and I won't be home for another week to do anything about it. (can you tell I don't have much patience:)

Also, how can you tell when you've been "touched"? I've been looking up my case daily on the uscis website but all it says is they received my application on Feb. 22 and the case is pending.

While I'm into all the questions...how do you all put your fancy little time lines at the bottom of each forum entry?

Thanks for the info ahead of time!

Spring

Well I'm a new one to join the February group. My husband and I were not prepared for the long journey we were about to begin when we decided to apply for his visa. So, the I-130 was sent Valentine's day (isn't that sweet:) and the check was cashed and I received our NOA yesterday (Feb 26).

Now we wait. Is everyone moving to step #2 and applying for I-129 right away or not?

I'm glad to be on the journey with all of you!

Spring