Old Dominion

One obsessed with the flavor and texture of bread can learn to bake it to taste at home. Most American bread is not very good, it's true.

If she never petitioned the US to bring you here, then there is nothing you can do. It makes no difference if your marriage took place in good faith. She is in charge, at this point. You can try to get a tourist visa, but first you will need to have strong proof that you must return to Egypt -- job, bank accounts, own your own home, etc.

Anxiety can lead us to do anxious things. You've been waiting a long time, but calling three times a week with the same question is overdoing it. Get your U.S. Senator's office involved on your behalf, and they'll see what the story is.

Either way, it is a United States Consulate. So it matters not to the applicant where the interview takes place. It's more convenient for you. An American will conduct the interview and make the decision. That's all that counts.

I agree. Re-entering the US from Estonia as a tourist probably won't be possible no matter what. If you want to stay in the US, fight for it. Catholic Charities always has someone on staff to offer immigration advice....try it

Whatever it takes, you can't let this happen ever again. If ever he starts to get nasty, call 911 and also your friend to come get you ASAP. He can't wilthdraw your green card application, nor his sponsorship. Catholic Charities nearest you has an immigration specialist to help you work through the process from here on out.

Since you are the one petitiioning, it refers to your employment. The I-130 is not for the alien.

You have every reason to be upset. Conviction on these felonies changes your life and removes some of the rights we take for granted. Probation means that you are under the watchful eye of the court.

Can your lawyer work out some better plea bargain for you?? Does your BF know of this development?

Good luck.

OK, so if my understanding is correct:

Partner to MIL: "CRAZY SCHZIT CRAZY CraZY cRAzy CRaZY"

MIL to Son/Husband: "Crazy schzit CRAZY CraZY cRAzy CRaZY"

Husband to you "Crazy schzit CRAZY CraZY cRAzy CRaZY"

Seems to me that if you can break one of those lines, you won't have to hear about it any more, and you won't have to be upset by it anymore. Tell your husband that you're simply not interested in hearing about the crazy-ness from his mother's partner any longer. As you say they can't really do anything to you, so who cares what they think? Informing you of all of this does nothing but make drama in your life. It's not useful in any way. Especially as it doesn't bother him, there's no need for him to be confiding in you because he can't handle it.

Besides, what if partner says crazy ####### to MIL thinking he's just venting to his wife in a private conversation? This sort of stuff has gone through a couple of people before it gets to you, maybe some is lost in transmission (hoping for good in people).

BTW, I am totally on your side about what you've mentioned so far.

Exactly! The OP is being made a victim of someone else's game -- possibly MIL's jealous partner or maybe even a jealous MIL. Until he can get away from his mom, husband is doing no one any favor by being the messenger. You two need to have better things to talk about, and maybe set aside one hour each weekend (or less) to calmly share what's new on the game front. Until that happens, MIL and her partner are controlling your marriage.

You deserve better, job contact or not. Contracts have escape clauses. Encourage your husband to grow up and resign and tell his mother to butt out.

Is there any chance whatsoever that your husband can find a different job? Is he trying? Once you file for AOS, you'll get your work permit and can help.

So long as he remains beholden to his mother for work, you'll both stay in this rut. My sense is that mom isn't really ready to let him go. I am wondering also why he tells all this stuff to you.

Hang in there and work together on a solution.

It's a sad situation, but under the circumstances, you need to act quickly to divorce her. That's step one; the second is to apply for ROC as a divorced person, and be prepared to prove that you married in good faith. In the meantime, get some counseling yourself to help reassure yourself that it's not all your fault, that you owe her nothing at all.

I agree - USCIS should be more forthcoming and it isn't even trying. They are saddled with a congressional action that needed to be more specific. As to suing, since there is no "right" for a USC to bring someone to the US, no rights are being violated by the terrible delays.

As an older caucasian married to a younger and very beautiful African, my fear was that this would happen to us when she moved her to this small, isolated town in the Appalachian mountains. Mixed marriage were illegal here even 40 years ago, and people were convicted under that law. There are almost no people here from overseas to start with, and a very small African-American population. Instead, there are those who walk up to start conversations - folks I've never met, even. I'd suggest finding a church home, if you don't have one, and rely on Sunday experiences to make her feel more comfortable. As to the OP, just get used to people who seem to be gawking. It may be for your racial difference, that they wonder what "kind" of Asian she might be, or that she's so young and beautiful that they can't figure out why she would marry someone as old and overweight as you might be

Raising any of the fees involving USCIS/Immigration merely shifts more of the cost of these operations away from the taxpayers and puts more of a burden on those who want these services. I am sure that the fee increases, whatever they will be, have been costed out carefully. They should probably be even higher, truth be told. Processing government paper is expensive, as the work is done by well-paid people with sizeable support staffs. Given the environment of terrorism and fraud, it is more expensive than ever for the government to be sure that those involved are "safe."

These things have nothing to do with President Obama's leadership, but rather with the general priority of protecting our homeland security. That was brought on us by others nearly ten years ago.

I, for one, would rather that the taxpayers' money be invested in ways to improve our lives as Americans, than to subsidize the process of admitting people from overseas.

The approved AP will be all she needs. K-1 visas are limited and good for entry only to marry someone, but not for multiple entries.

The OP is already dealing with so much discomfort on a continuing basis, and doing so bravely. He is able to meet his fiance, but is unwilling for some reason to take that extra uncomfortable (undignified) step -- that, unfortunately, would be the position of the USCIS. What else can be said?

The army has ways to direct-deposit to overseas bank accounts, as many of its retirees live in other countries. So do many active duty personnel assigned to posts outside the UK.

The only way your ex-husband can be required to provide support is by a U.S. court. You are dealing only with a Philiippines court to obtain an annulment. A good attorney "might" be able to do something via a U.S. court on behalf of your child, who by definition is a U.S. citizen.

Bear in mind that you are petitioning the USCIS for permission to have your fiance apply for a visa. You need only proof that you have met at least once in the last two years. The consulate has nothing to do with this petition, which will be acted upon by USCIS. USCIS doesn't need too many photos, nor do they need to be originals or on glossy paper. USCIS has no interest in your fiance's employment record. It asks where she has lived in the last 5 years, and that's all.

When it comes time for her to apply for her visa, the consulate's questions about her need to be answered. For the interview, evidence of your additional meetings will be helpful. Still, her work record is not relevant except to show that she is a responsible person. The consulate's main concern will be that a bona fide relationship exists, and it is not all about getting her a visa to enter the US.

Start on page 10 or 11...before that it is about getting the thread pinned.

From my experience, the embassy does not respond to reasons they are sending the file back via email...but, that was the embassy in Jordan.

There is no way to prevent the file from being returned to the Department of State, and thence to USCIS. It can't be done.

Are you sure you know of no other reason why he was denied??? Major religious (cultural) differences, among other things, can raise eyebrows; has he ever been gainfully employed; how quickly did you marry after meeting online?? All that and a bag of chips...

Thank you for your response...but I feel I will not be able to stop the paperwork from leaving Cairo. I've read that the paperwork sometimes takes months before it reaches the USCIS office...Should I perhaps go with a K3 visa that I had initially filed for. I originally filed for a K3 and later switched it to a CR1??? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Lizz&Mohamed

The K-3 has been discontinued and is not an option. Yes, it will take months for the USCIS to follow up on this case, but it will give you an honest chance to appeal the consulate's decision if there is compelling information to present. The consular officer's recommendation cannot be appealed within the U.S. Department of State; it is final. The age difference was not the reason for denial, but it was a clue that there may be fraud involved and the officer thought she found it when he didn't have much information about that time you spent in Ohio. This suggested that he didn't know you all that well.

He's signed a binding pledge with the U.S. Have you considered moving to Mexico?

No lawyer can represent both you and your soon to be ex-spouse. It is unethical. So, there is no short-cut; read and complete the paperwork and file as instructed. There are plenty of good divorce lawyers in NYC. Try the internet.

Left without a clear agreement between the two of you, a judge will grant your spouse some compensation for the assets gathered during the ten years spent together.

When you're interviewed, you can provide evidence of the joint checking account if needed. It's not essential with the I-130 so long as you have other evidence such as the marriage certificate to send, since the I-130 is merely a petition. That and hte AOS are ajudicated at the same time, not separately.

Just be sure that your wife is completely familiar with the restrictions both of you face while living in the U.S. The wife of a ROS buys into the consequences of the crime you have committed.

As to living in the Phils, it wouldn't hurt to explore that directly. I'm sure they take into account the severity of the crime. For example, a 35-year old having consensual sex with a 16-year old would be quite serious; an 18-year-old would not be so serious.