Liverpool

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO RESPONDED TO MY QUESTION. MY SON IS PEPARING TO COME TO AMERICA WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS SO THAT HE AND HIS FIANCEE CAN MEET THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU.

My son in England and his fiancée here in America have not met within the last two years. Will this affect the filing of their I-129f and if so what can they do about it? Many thanks for any help you can give with this matter.

My son lives in England and his fiancée lives here in Florida. She is about to send off the I-129f forms. If my son comes to Florida in between her sending off the I-129f and the visa being granted will he have to return to England to go to the American Embassy in London or can he complete what he needs to do here in America? Many thanks for your help in this matter.

Wow! Seven years. After having read the "US Visa Bulletin for November", for which I thank you "Penguin", I see that it would be easier, or I should say quicker, if you were a Permanent Resident rather than a U.S. Citizen; which I find strange! I must have misread somewhere that the time to obtain the visa would be in months rather than years. Oh, well, I am a little more despondent now than when I woke up this morning. At my age I'll have to stay fit and healthy for a few more years yet!! Thank you for your responses. Jack.

Much less than what? The 7 years I quoted are correct as of the current visa bulletin: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5779.html

Good morning, everyone. I came from England six years ago, married my fiancé and two years ago became a Naturalized American citizen. Sadly my wife died last year and I would like to bring my son from England, using the Form I-130, to live with me, work here and make a living for himself. I am 75 years of age and my son is single and 45 years of age.

A couple of questions I hope you can help me with.

(1) How long will it be from the time I send in the Form I-130 to my son obtaining the visa to come to America? Just a rough idea, please!

(2) If, God forbid, I was to die before my son got the visa what would happen to my application?

(3) In question B6 (Marital Status) on the Form I-130 I have obviously ticked “Widowed” but in question B8 (Date and Place of Present Marriage) do I put “N/A” as I am not married and put in a covering letter explaining this?

(4) In question B12 (Date Marriage Ended), would I put the date my wife died and put in a covering letter explaining this?

(5) What does my son have to do while waiting for a decision, e.g. gathering information about himself, his work, his police record, etc.?

(6) It states on the Instructions that copies of my son’s birth certificate and my marriage certificate are all that is needed. Is that all or would you recommend anything else?

(7) As I live in Florida it states on the Instructions that I should mail the I-130 to Phoenix. Would you recommend using U.S. Postal Service or Express Mail/Courier delivery?

Any other information you think I should have to make sure that I have filled in the Form I-130 correctly would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help in this matter.

I can't get it to work. I am using Windows Vista Home Edition. I get this message:

Locked

The requested resource is currently locked. The lock must be released or proper identification given before the method can be applied.

When I sent my application I sent everything like when I did my removal of conditions. Personally I didn't want a RFE. Hopefully you sent enough, if not you will be informed.

Document Checklist for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization

All applicants must send the following 3 items with their N-400 application:

A photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as the Alien Registration Card or "Green Card"). If you have lost the card, submit a photocopy of the receipt for your Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card; and

Two identical color photographs, with your name and Alien Registration Number (A-Number) written lightly in pencil on the back of each photo. For details about the photo requirements, see Part 5 of Form M-476, A Guide to Naturalization, and the Form M-603, USCIS Making Photos Simpler, instructions distributed with your application. If your religion requires you to wear a head covering, your facial features must still be exposed in the photo for purposes of identification; and

A check or money order for the application fee and the biometrics services fee for fingerprinting. (Applicants 75 years of age or older are exempted from fingerprinting and the biometrics services fee). Write your A-Number on the back of the check or money order. The application fee is $595 and the biometrics services fee is $80. You may combine the fees into one check or money order. Make your check or money order payable to "U.S. Department of Homeland Security."

Send copies of the following documents, unless we ask for an original.

If an attorney or accredited representative is acting on your behalf, send:

A completed original Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative.

If your current legal name is different from the name on your Permanent Resident Card, send:

The document(s) that legally changed your name (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court document).

If you are applying for naturalization on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen, send the following 4 items:

Evidence that your spouse has been a U.S. citizen for the last 3 years:

- Birth certificate (if your spouse never lost citizenship since birth); or

- Certificate of Naturalization; or

- Certificate of Citizenship; or

- The inside of the front cover and signature page of your spouse's current U.S. passport; or

- Form FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America; and

Your current marriage certificate; and

Proof of termination of all prior marriages of your spouse (divorce decree(s), annulment(s), or death certificate(s)); and

Documents referring to you and your spouse:

- Tax returns, bank accounts, leases, mortgages, or birth certificates of children; or

- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified copies of the income tax forms that you both filed for the past 3 years; or

- An IRS tax return transcript for the last 3 years.

If you were married before, send:

Proof that all earlier marriages ended (divorce decree(s), annulment(s), or death certificates(s)).

Best of luck.

Many thanks for your reply and information. I appreciate it.

Liverpool,

not to worry; you sent was it required.

Yes, I concur with milemelo that you should bring the documents pertaining to your wife's citizenship and taxes and even your cohabitation with you to the interview, but I think it's insane to send them a package as you did when removing conditions.

It can't really hurt, however, one could go as far as enclosing a recipe of their favorite meal or their childrens' report cards, but it is a waste of anybody's time, the applicant's and the Immigration Officer's. At the naturalization stage, all of that is water down the bridge.

Thank you, "Just Bob". Your information and reply is much appreciated.

Have the documents ready for your interview: 3 years worth of IRS tax transcripts, USC spouse birth certificate, your marriage certificate, divorce decree (if applicable).

When you get the yellow letter before the interview it will say what they want you to bring in - READ the letter - when I did my interview there was a girl who had to run to the IRS office to get the transcripts as she didn't bother reading the letter - IO conditionally approved her if she got the transcripts that day.

Thank you for that, I much appreciate it and I feel a bit better now. I was sweating for a while. Thanks again.

Where you applying under the 3 year or 5 year rule?

The three-year rule due to marrying an American citizen.

I sent off my N-400 yesterday BUT I think I may have misunderstood the VisaJourney Guide. I only sent with it a check, a copy of my Permanent Resident Card and two color photographs. Where the VJ Guide said, Only if required, send copies of the following documents (the USCIS will request originals if needed), I took this to mean I did not need to include them with my application. Was I wrong and did I need to include copies of former marriages, divorces, etc? If so then can I send these copies off with a covering letter? Many thanks for any help you can give me.

Thank you to "YuandDan" for your fulsome reply, it was very helpful and also a bit disheartening; especially the time it may take!! I'll have to find him a nice American lady!! With reference to the other two answers; no my son is not married. Thank you all. "Liverpool".

I have just filed an I-130 form to sponsor my 41-year-old son to come from England to live in the U.S. and I have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with. I have been a permanent resident for two years after marrying my American fiancée:

1. What kind of visa will he get, i.e. what initial and number is it known by, e.g. K2??

2. He will eventually be called to the U.S. embassy in London and to prepare for this what other forms will he need to fill in?

3. When, and if, he is granted a visa to come to the U.S. what other forms will he be asked to fill in once he arrives?

4. When he arrives in the U.S. can he apply for a Social Security Number, if so then how long will he have to be here before applying?

I want him to be prepared by practicing completing all the forms so that once he is called to the U.S. embassy he will be ready and hopefully there will be no unnecessary delays. I assume he will have to get a police report and details of his bank accounts from his bank, etc. Any other useful advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.