T and M

I can't get the chart to work for me, so I am just here after several years of not posting to report that my spouse's interview went well today. No issues came up. I was asked to wait outside, so I handed her the documents. Twenty minutes later she emerged smiling. We are just waiting for the oath letter at this point. Fingers crossed.

Oh ok.. thanks and congratulations on the people that have been approved

Bio appointment received today July 30. Appointment date: August 16. We'll be out of town, so I checked the box that asked for a new appointment, which I am sending in to VSC. Let's hope a new appointment doesn't last another three months!

Went to the office this morning at 10 a.m., our appointment letter for Aug 2 in hand., Asked politely if they could squeeze us in and was told

by a friendly clerk "Of course". Took a total of 20 minutes and we are done with Biometrics. Yoohoo.

Congratulations! That's wonderful news.

These are definitely good signs folks! Remember what happened the last time there were a bunch of touches over the weekend. I think next week is going to be a very busy week for approvals and bio appointments! Good luck to all.

I love Jamericanlove! Always looking on the bright side! Thanks for your constant good cheer! I hope you are right!

Still nothing... I am very disappointed with the way this is being handled. I cannot for the life of me understand why they would put applicants ahead of those who filed on the date they required. We lived up to our portion of the commitment, why can't they?

Agreed. The majority of June filers now have their bio appointments, all of which are going to occur over the next 2-3 weeks.

It makes you wonder how an agency this disorganized has the power to detain and deport people. Scary.

I agree, they are probably rescheduling the duplicated appointment times and giving them to the May filers who haven't gotten bio letters yet rather than putting everything on hold and letting those time slots go to waste. I'm guessing what will happen is that May filers will end up with shorter lead times between when they get their bio letters and when they have their actual appointments, so be prepared to probably only have a few days notice guys!

You are a positive thinker. I hope you are right.

I agree!!!! What is going on with us the May filers?

Yet it is true. It appears USCIS skipped over anyone who filed in late May. What a disaster. Maybe they'll get it corrected in the next few months. At least our extension letters are good for 1 year.

I think I'm going to join this thread, b/c nothing seems to be moving amongst us late May filers. It's like USCIS just decided to skip us.

Updating chintan's Bio date

California Service Center (22 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

EXTRACARE..........05/29/10..........06/07/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

SKYKATE............06/01/10..........06/03/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

GCHAN100...........06/01/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

KAFFY..............06/02/10..........06/07/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

AANDLKC............06/04/10..........06/07/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

CELLARLILY.........06/04/10..........06/07/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

C AND J............06/04/10..........06/14/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

TRUFFLES...........06/04/10..........06/14/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

WEATHERMAN.........06/08/10..........06/10/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

BLUEGREEN..........06/09/10..........06/16/10.......07/27/10........--/--/10....

ALWAYSWAITING......06/12/10..........06/14/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

CHINTAN............06/15/10..........06/21/10.......07/26/10........--/--/10....

YGANDMAT...........06/15/10..........06/21/10.......07/15/10........--/--/10....

MCFEI..............06/18/10..........06/21/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

SHEL444............06/18/10..........06/21/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

THANH..............06/18/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MEOWGIRL...........06/22/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

WELLYWENCH.........06/22/10..........06/23/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

FOULTE.............06/22/10..........06/24/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

KELZM..............06/24/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

SHE_HIM............06/25/10..........06/28/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

EM79SUGAR..........06/28/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

Vermont Service Center (21 applicants)

VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

MRS W..............05/28/10..........06/02/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

OLD DOMINION.......06/01/10..........06/03/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

CIVIRAM_HCL........06/01/10..........06/08/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

HONDO1Z............06/01/10..........06/04/10.......07/20/10........--/--/10....

DHSPLEASE..........06/01/10..........06/11/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

LIZARED78..........06/03/10..........06/08/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

ELMIRA.............06/04/10..........06/07/10.......07/20/10........--/--/10....

SSAH...............06/04/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

L640...............06/06/10..........06/09/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

LINDSEY Y KOKI.....06/07/10..........06/10/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

LADYAMALTHEA.......06/10/10..........06/14/10.......07/22/10........--/--/10....

ALETHEIA...........06/10/10..........06/14/10.......07/22/10........--/--/10....

MDTOVA.............06/15/10..........06/17/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

TRAZOM.............06/15/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

LA VIDA ES BELLA...06/16/10..........06/19/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MALLA..............06/17/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

KJW................06/21/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

RANDOM NONSENSE....06/22/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MARCUS AND LAURA...06/22/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

ALL4KWEKU..........06/22/10..........06/25/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

KITEEGIRL..........06/29/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

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Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

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Any more biometric letters??

Nothing here....(thumbs twiddling).

Yes, there was a glitch in their systems. I got mine after a month of my NOA so hopefully the systems are fine now and everybody's letters will be coming soon. You can go for an early biometrics with the letter and a photo ID but whether they will let you do it depends on how busy they are. Most people have been successful, some have not. Worth a try if you live closeby

Cool! Thanks for the info.

Is it just me or are biometrics appointments coming later than usual from the VSC? Someone mentioned it might have to do with their double-letter glitch. In any case, are early biometrics being allowed these days? We would be going to the Atlanta service center. From what I have read, you just have to take your letter and try, and if they are nice they will let you go early. Fingers crossed that the other letters come soon!!!

I don't think I-751 has anything to do with a strong financial position.

It is all about showing proof that you are still in a bona fide marriage, meaning you didn't just get married for the Green Card and then go your separate ways. The title to your house demonstrates nothing in this regard, so I don't see why you would send it in. You should just send the bills.

But I'm not positive...i'm just now going through this process myself. We live in my parents house, so they are sending in an affidavit saying we live there and they pay our bills, etc.

Hi Penguin ....Thanks for the suggestions but we're really only trying to find ways to establish proof of US domicile from here in Australia so that I wouldnt have to actually move back to the states ahead of my wife to establish an actual domicile in the states.

We both need to be able to work in the states together, immediately after we arrive.

We've already decided that if the DCF process doesnt work then we will both just move to Florida and file for her green card there...Ive heard that she might be eligible for a temporary work visa until she gets her green card.

In the meantime, we're scrambling to establish proof of domicile and hoping to get through the DCF process quickly because weve already purchased one way tickets to the states in November

Also, Im a registered voter in New York, not Florida, so Im thinking that might not help establish domicile in Florida either..just my luck

Does anyone know if a co-sponser could help establish domicile for us? We're planning on moving in my sisters house and its her husband that is co-sponsoring the petition with me. Do they take into account the fact that we'll be living in the co-sponsers home until we get jobs and our own place? What if my sister was to write up a lease agreement for us, would that help?

Where are your bank accounts? Is your NY Drivers license up to date? It might be easier just to demonstrate proof with re: the NY. Then when you enter the US you file a change of address form on Day 1. If I recall correctly, I demonstrated re-establishment of domicile by flashing my drivers license at the interview. I'm not sure we even showed plan tickets, as we weren't sure how long the DCF process would take. But I had lots of mail addressed to me at my US address, which would have helped at the interviewer not been so relaxed.

Perhaps you could change your bank account and credit card account addresses to FL and show them?

Thanks, Old Dominion... Anybody else have any input?

Sorry to hear about your job woes.

There are two aspects to this. First of all, welfare agencies are prohibited by federal law from providing Food Stamps, Medicaid health insurance coverage, or TANF child benefit assistance to any immigrant during his or her "five-year waiting period." So when you apply for Food Stamps, your wife will most likely not count as one of the human beings currently living in your household. You will therefore probably receive a food benefit for yourself and your (US citizen) children, but not for your immigrant wife.

The second aspect - having nothing to do with the "five-year waiting period" - is immigration law, which requires that all immigrants obtain a financial sponsor, in case they become a "burden to society." As Old Dominion wrote, this means that a sponsor (or cosponsor) could potentially be required to pay to maintain an immigrant if he or she gets seriously ill, is not able to work, or otherwise requires help. The US government assumes no responsibility for the well-being of immigrants.

Immigrants are eligible to apply for financial support after the five-year waiting period. An immigrant who receives Food Stamps for 3 months while he or she is between jobs is unlikely to be considered a "burden to society" by USCIS, and the sponsor would not likely be bothered to pay back the benefit. If, on the other hand, an immigrant is found to be receiving public support before his or her five year waiting period is up, he or she could face criminal charges. These would originate from the Department of Justice, not USCIS.

It would appear that you should definitely apply for food stamps as soon as possible for yourself and your children (if you have them). The ROC process has nothing to do with financial wellbeing. Just make sure that 1) Your wife doesn't break federal law by receiving benefits within her five-year waiting period, and 2) Make sure to get back on your feet soon or your wife's immigration sponsors and co-sponsors could be on the hook for her financial wellbeing down the road. This is assuming that your wife cannot work and thus avoid becoming what USCIS calls a "burden to society."

Good luck in the job search!

According to "How to update" instructions, NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your NOA. So, 5/27 is the right one!

Updating T and M's NOA date

Thanks! I guess I could have read the instructions...

Good luck everyone!

Are we supposed to put the date we received our NOA1 or the date on the letter?

We received it today (6/7), but it was dated 5/27.

Onward to biometrics!!!

Ok thanks. i guess ill fill it out, even if most is blank:) and just get a co-sponser / joint-sponser (btw, is there a difference in the two?) to fill out the same form.

She's right. You fill out the sponsor form and then have a co-sponsor fill out another sponsor form.

Yes, we do have to both be in Ukraine for DCF. I did have the same problem when we appeared for our first appointment to file the I-130, my Ukrainian registration expired at the time and without registration, they could not accept the application...

BTW, as per the Affidavite of Support, if i cant provide any prof of income since I lived in the Ukraine for the past 7 years, if the Affidavite a 100% requirement for the I-130 filing and if so what can I do about it? If it a requirement and i do find a relative that could support, should they be listed as a join sponsor or can they be a full sponsor and complete the affidavit form themselves and send it to me to file?

Thanks!

I can't remember about the affidavit, but I had a relative do it. they had to provide a letter and tax returns for three years. I think they were referred to as my wife's "joint sponsor," but perhaps someone else can confirm that.

Yes, you have to be permanently residing in the foreign country to file a DCF. Each embassy interprets this in a different way, but in London, it meant you had to have been on a work or student visa for at least 6 months prior to filing.

Hi,

I just requested an appointment in the call center to file the petition for alien relative (my wife-2 years married and 7 years living together. I am a US citizen and we have two kids which are now also US citizens. Over the phone we were told that this process may take up to a year although I heard with DCF it can take up to 3 months. Anyone have any feedback on this?

Also, no matter how long does it take, I asked if my wife can file for a visitors visa and they said yes (but most likely be denied). If she is approved for the visitors visa and travels to the US with us, how soon can she be called up to the Ukrainian Embassy regarding the I-130 after I submit the petition. Also, will she have to come back to the embassy in Ukraine or can there be an interview in the US(if she is there at the time).

Thank You!

DCF is filed through the US embassy abroad. So you guys would have to stay outside the US until the case is adjudicated. I-130 is an immigrant visa, meaning it is meant to be used once, to immigrate to the United States, at which point you receive a Green Card in the mail.

The only way I know of that you can get a Green Card after already having lived in the US is by going through an Adjustment of Status (AOS). There is a separate thread for that, but as far as I know, this is for couples who are not yet married, and come to the States for the purpose of marriage. I think this is called a fiancee visa, but i'm not sure. There are also couples who meet in the States and marry. They have to then go through the Adjustment of Status, but they have to demonstrate that they did not intend to marry when they first came to the US on a visitor or student visa.

If you are already married, I think DCF is the only way to go. A visitors visa is just to visit. As a tourist. For no more than 90 days at a time. And then you are supposed to leave the US and not come back for at least 90 more days (I think.) Sorry. She can't immigrate without going through the DCF process. I say get started ASAP as the process can take a while.

But it looks like Kiev is quicker than London (where I went through a six month process). The following threads have some Kiev timelines.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/76906-dcf-kyiv-and-fbi-name-check/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/65927-ukraine-dcf-visa-approved-but-admin-delayed-now-help/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/63255-dcf-after-adam-walsch/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/174389-ukraine-filing-the-i-130-and-i-864-at-the-same-time-at-dcf/

Correcting our I-751 date. And moving us down a couple of spots. Took us a bit longer than we figured.

Good luck everyone!

California Service Center (10 applicants)

VJName..............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

MILES08.............05/01/10..........05/03/10.......06/11/10........--/--/10.... Early bio 05/25/10

YOUTOO..............05/06/10..........05/10/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MARY&RYAN...........05/09/10..........05/12/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

JYNXNDRAGNFLY.......05/10/10..........05/11/10.......06/18/10........--/--/10....

JUZERO2.............05/10/10..........05/19/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MRSSKULL............05/15/10..........05/18/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

JUSTMENOW...........05/18/10..........05/20/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

REIJO N' EDLET......05/19/10..........05/27/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

BRADCHERRIES........05/25/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

TIJUANAHILTON.......05/26/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

Vermont Service Center (25 applicants)

VJName..............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....

*JULEZ*.............05/03/10..........05/06/10.......06/07/10........--/--/10....

K&W.................05/03/10..........05/06/10.......05/28/10........--/--/10....

SAZU................05/03/10..........05/10/10.......06/03/10........--/--/10....

MALABOROCKS.........05/04/10..........05/06/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

RAMOS96.............05/04/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MGSGIRL.............05/05/10..........05/10/10.......06/18/10........--/--/10....

VIVIANDJIMJIM.......05/06/10..........05/10/10.......06/07/10........--/--/10....

CHIPSAHOY...........05/07/10..........05/10/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

ABDUR AND AZMINA....05/08/10..........05/11/10.......06/17/10........--/--/10....

FLORIDAGIRL.........05/08/10..........05/11/10.......06/16/10........--/--/10....

DANIELPARUL.........05/10/10..........05/14/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

UDLIKE2NO2..........05/10/10..........05/13/10.......06/18/10........--/--/10....

WONDERFUL07/2010....05/11/10..........05/14/10.......06/11/10........--/--/10.... (no NOA letter but got date through phone call to USCIS)

HIMHER..............05/13/10..........05/21/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

JEFFMAYETH..........05/14/10..........05/17/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

LOVELYLILI..........05/17/10..........05/21/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

SIENNA..............05/17/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

MSAM................05/19/10..........05/24/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

BSZOOM42............05/21/10..........05/24/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

RAJEE...............05/24/10..........05/27/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

DAVIDANDJENNY.......05/24/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

JJ_154..............05/25/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

T AND M.............05/26/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

ALICEMEICHI.........05/27/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

HELWARDMAN..........05/29/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

IMPORTANT!

* Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

* Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is prperly formatted.

* Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

Approved = The Date your case was approved

* Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

* When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly

* If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

We received two separate appointment notices for biometrics, one for 6/4 and one for 6/9. The one for 6/4 came first, then a few days later, the one for 6/9. Should I just go to the first one? We can't take the risk of being turned away, the center is 90 minutes away and I'll have to take the day off of work to go.

If you are going through VSC, this is a glitch that has been happening (apparently unaddressed) for the past month or two. I would definitely go to the first one. When you go, don't mention anything about your other letter. Just take your first letter and I can't imagine them turning you away. USCIS is a very disorganized agency.

Ok, I see. Sounds like they gave you extra hassle but you got it in the end and that's all that counts.

Also, maybe that's a very stupid question, but how could they tell that it was a very quick marriage? There's no question in any of the documents asking how long before your wedding you met etc.

I'm convinced that they'll ask us for affidavits as well, just because we essentially plan on applying a month or so after our wedding - as soon as we can get hold of our marriage certificates. So in their eyes it may look like a "quick" marriage, although in fact we have been a couple for 3 years now and have been living together for the past 2 years (and have well-documented evidence of the above). So who knows, we'll just wait and see what they ask for and will try to be prepared with relevant documents and such.

Good point. I'm not sure if they knew. I guess we got RFE'ed, b/c my wife moved to England shortly before we made the application. We got married in September 2007, she stayed in her home country to finish her degree, then moved to the UK in January 2008, and we applied two weeks later. We then moved back to the US after I finished my degree in the UK in July. So it looked like it could have been sketchy, but when they met us they could see that it wasn't a fake.

I understand that they sent you two RFEs???

What did they request in each one? And what was the RFE interview about??

Yes! Two RFEs and and RFE interview! We felt very unlucky at the time, but one of my friends pointed out that if he were in the embassy, he would have RFE'ed us, too. We got married quickly in a foreign country and - well - I guess they really wanted us to come in for an interview. The two RFEs were basically preludes to that.

The first RFE was with regard to my eligibility to file on behalf of my wife. I was on my second student visa in the UK, and they wanted to see my first visa - the one with my entry stamp when I first entered the UK.

The second RFE was with regard to the marriage. And they asked for three affidavits. In those days, affidavits were not standard (at least I didn't think so.) We got three friends in the UK to write them - and later we found out that they wanted our parents to be included.

The interview RFE was basically to find out if our marriage was bona fide. They interviewed us each separately, asked all sorts of questions about how we met, why we married so quickly, how many guests were at the wedding, what kind of cake, etc, etc. We passed with flying colors, and they kind of felt bad for calling us in. But then again, they explained that it WAS a pretty quick marriage.

The silly thing is that we're all eligible to file DCF, so staying illegally would be stupid when we could have a legal visa in 2 or 3 months. It should be a cut and dry case when you're able to show any ties at all and the fact that an immigrant visa is easy to acquire. We shouldn't be forced to live in the U.S. if we just want our spouses to be able to visit our families with us.

Exactly. Well, good luck Polyanna! I think the size of your paycheck will make a big difference here. You definitely want to take along a few paystubs, and your account balances. Like I say, think positive.

By the way, the fact that your country has joined the EU will also help, even if it is not yet a VW country yet. I think you have a lot of things working in your favor.

My response was to the O.P. who lives in Europe.

If you live in Mexico, the #1 country that is in the spotlight for the overwhelming amount of illegal immigration to the US, or in Nigeria, the #1 country in the World when it comes to fraud, or in any country where life is a living hell and anybody would chew off a limb in order to get the the US, the rules are obviously different.

Please, if you highjack a thread, don't twist things around and then say it's not working for your case. Obviously it makes a difference from what country a tourist comes when applying for a visitor's visa. Paris is quite different from Tijuana, and so is London and Stockholm.

Perhaps my post was a bit overly pessimistic, but...

...the OP is from Eastern Europe, not Paris or London or Stockholm. The difference is huge. Eastern Europe is the major source of illegal immigrants in Western Europe. If you go to London or Paris or Stockholm, you'll see this. You might also try to see the movie, Dirty Pretty Things, about illegal Eastern European immigrants in London.

So it doesn't make much difference that the OP is living in Western Europe. If anything, that just provides further evidence that she has fewer ties to her passport-bearing country in Eastern Europe. On the other hand, if she is working there and making a decent wage, it might demonstrate a non-intention to immigrate to the US.

It's not about thread-hijacking. It's about being honest about what the process of getting a tourist visa is like for a person from a non-Visa Waiver country, which is the only passport the OP has to show US authorities when she goes to the US embassy to apply.

I might also add that life is not a living hell in Mexico or Nigeria. Low wages aren't pleasant, but they don't make for a living hell.