chiommy

This was back in 2005 but my sister's interview was about a week before their 2nd marriage anniversary. Their interviewing officer noticed that and told them that he was not going to approve them on that day because if he did, she would get a conditional green card which would not be fair. He asked them to submit an additional document (I don't recall what it was) and their approval came about 2 weeks later. My suggestion would be to bring it up with the officer. Good luck. Pls don't forget to come back and update us. 

about two weeks, give or take. Congrats!

Thanks Ndu. Let's pray that there are no more surprises.

Hello,

Does any forum member have an idea as to how long it takes to pick up one's immigrant visa from one of the document drop off centers in Lekki or Ikeja? My sister just concluded her 2nd immigrant visa interview at the US embassy in Lagos after a protracted period of administrative processing. She was told to repeat her medical examination and police clearance and to drop off the reports and her international passport at one of their document collection centers in Lekki or Ikeja. Thanks for your help.

If you've submitted originals to the NVC, have your mom go for the interview with photocopies just in case. They may/may not ask her for them because the NVC forwards originals received to the embassy. Your mom should ask them for the originals at the conclusion of her interview. Interview questions may include: petitioner's name, date&place of birth, occupation, place of employment, your address in the U.S. They may ask her for old family photographs showing both of you. Good luck.

You don't have to wait for your appointment date to get the medical examination done. However, a lot of people who live far from Lagos do it within a week/two of their interview date so that they can do it all in one trip and save the expense and risks of multiple trips to Lagos. You can download the form you need from the embassy website below http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html. Your spouse would need his/her international passport. You can call the number for Kamoras clinic. They are good at answering their phone and would tell you what you need to bring with you. The medical report is good for a year so as long as the interview will be within one year of completing the medicals, you'll be fine. Good luck.

Thanks. I guess she should give it some more time. I'm worried though that she neither received the email nor text notifications of acceptance. I'll tell her to go to her bank to make inquiries about the money order.

Thanks to all experienced contributors that are always willing to offer advice. A friend of mine sent in an I130 petition for her mom on November 5,2010 by federal express and it was signed for and delivered on November 9, 2010. She also signed the form for email and text notifications. Till date, she has not received NOA1. She sent in a cashier's check so she doesn't know if the check has been cashed or not? It's been a little over 3 weeks since they received it, should she be worried and what do you advise her to do? Thanks.

yes, please send the information. Isnt there a place within the local government that he can go get a birth certificate? Uggghhh, this is getting to be to much...

I couldn't figure out how to add an attachment to a private message so I'm back here. In summary, my thoughts to you is:

1. Make a copy of the National Population Declaration of Age that you already have

2. Have two of your husband's relatives execute Statutory Declaration of Age Affidavits at the Magistrate Court (see attached) and send to you. Sample Declaration of Age.pdf

3. Make copies of the school records.

4. If he has a baptismal card, make a copy of it as well.

5. Send Items 1, 2, 3 and 4 to USCIS. I believe these should satisfy them

Good Luck

Thanks Chiommy. I stated originally it was a declaration of age from that National Population Commission. It was a declaration of age from the court system there. He is having his mom get a "birth Cert" from the National population Commission that states his full name, date of birth, parents names, etc. Does he still need to get affidavits through the court. He already had to send money for the birth cert and Im sure getting affidavits done would cost as well. Do you remember what your sister had to pay to have the affidavits done? He also has school papers that has his name and date of birth on them and I thought I read somewhere he could send those in with the birth cert from NPC. . I dont really understand USCIS either. He showed the declaration of age to the Embassy at his interview and they accepted it.

The declaration/attestation of age from National Population Commission (NPC)is what the NPC gives you when they don't have a record of your birth. NPC began to register births around 1992. So, unless your husband was born shortly before or after 1992, I don't think a birth certificate from NPC will help you as the date of issue will be more than one year after the date of birth.

Sending copies of school records/papers is not a bad idea as it's accepted secondary evidence

The Statutory Declaration of Age as it's called is usually typed up at the court house and signed by the commissioner for oaths. I got one for my mom back in 2008 and the document has oath fee 200 Naira. But as you may know. In Nigeria, there's official and unofficial fee. The unofficial is usually dependent on your bargaining power. I can PM you a copy of the one I had them get for my mom with her personal information blacked out if that'll help you. Let me know.

Got our RFE in the mail today. They are requesting the "original" foreign birth certificate. My husbands birth certificate got burned in a fire when he was small. He got a declaration of age from the National Population Commision when going through the interview process. The embassy was satisfied with that and that is what I sent a copy of with his AOS package. We have no way of getting anything else. Should I send in his original of that? I know they will not return it and he may need it in the future. Or just make another copy and send it in again with a letter explaining this is all we have? Thanks

I really think USCIS should get its act straight as to what it needs from Nigeria. My sister got the same RFE that you got and what she did was resend a copy of the declaration of age from National Population commission, a copy of her baptismal card and two original affidavits from two witnesses (paternal uncle and maternal aunt) attesting to the date and place of her birth. The affidavit should contain the names, dates of birth, current residence and relationship of the witnesses to your husband. It's usually done in the court. Let me know if you need any additional information. Hang in there.

Chiommy

I would advise your brother based on my experience to file for them while they're in the United States i.e. concurrent filing of the I 130 and I 485 petitions. I sent in my mom's application on January 29th 2008 with an INS receipt date of February 7, 2008. We received her green card in the mail in June 2008. I'll also advise him to file all required forms at the same time so as to minimize the likelihood of a request for additional evidence. Thus, he needs to have them go for the immigration medical medical exam and send in the results with the rest of the application.(list of USCIS approved surgeons can be found on the USCIS website. The forms he needs to file in the same package are:

I130

I485

I864

Medical Examination Form

I-765 (if you want them to work while application is pending. It doesn't cost extra as you've already paid for it)

Make sure there's a good primary evidence of their ages and biological relationship to your brother. If inadequate primary evidence exists, get secondary evidence and send it in with your application. My mom's card would have arrived sooner if I did not receive a request for initial evidence of her age in March and sent in my response on April 20. Good luck.