angienbrett

Well I hope it works out. But as was mentioned in a previous post which you did not respond to, "how long did your husband overstay in the US" will be crucial to figuring this mess out. If it was more than a year, that is a problem and its a 10 year bar. If its less than a year but more than 180 days the bar is up, and your documents from USCIS on the day of his deportation probably have a code relating to the bar, and of course the passport stamps etc and travel documents can also help to establish exactly how long he was in the US. Also "working illegally" can get you deported but it is not an "inadmissability" when you are married to a US Citizen, so you need to find out what the Embassy is basing the decision on, my guess they think the overstay was more than one year if they are talking 10 years.

Hi Sergi,

There was No overstay thats why I didn't mention it. No overstay only deported for working illegally and given what we thought was a 5 year ban. I've been quoted £5000 plus VAT for a lawyer and it's just too much money we would go into serious debt and lose everything. I am going to have to try something else somehow.

I feel really down at the moment as I am getting nowhere fast.

Many Thanks for all the advice I'm trying to decide still my next move.

To clarify it wasn't an overstay ban it was for working illegally. The British company that sent him assured us all the paperwork was in order but it wasn't and so he got deported. But they said it was a 5 year ban.

Homeland Sec says his ban is lifted so I can't understand the problem with the London Embassy thinking its a 10 yr ban.

I'm going to look into a lawyer but its so expensive so it will be a real financial strain on us but I guess thats my only option.

Our last appt at the US Embassy London in 2008 they said we had to file a I-212 as my husband had a 10 year ban. Even though he had been told when deported for working illegally in 2005 that it was a 5 year ban.

I filed the I-212 in March 2009 and among many other reasons they denied it because his ban was lifted in less than a year in June. We never got the denial letter until after MUCH chasing someone ar USCIS managed to see that in June 2009 they denied it and they forwarded us the letter finally a few months ago.

We seem to be in Limbo as I tried getting him an appt to proceed with the US Embassy London and they are refusing because they say he still had a 10 year ban. But we cannot file an I-212 as the Dept of Homeland Sec who I assume are the ones who make the bans says his ban is lifted.

I tried getting a lawyer in the US and one of the UK and noone seems to be able to help so we are stuck.

ANY advice is appreciated as the letter from the Dept of Homeland Sec since it was in 2009 we only had 30 days to appeal it but we never got the letter so I'm not sure what to do.

I spent over £100 calling the US Embassy London and trying to email them repeatedly and NOONE will reply. I am fed up, I can't understand why when we even decided to try and pay for a lawyer we still can't get anywhere.

I feel your pain. The London Embassy is useless. I had a number to the Dept of State in the U.S. I could call for updates but now it just hangs up on me after me holding for like 10 minutes.

I filed his I-601 in March of 2009, I sent postage paid envelope so I could get an update months ago and haven't heard anything.

I feel so frustrated. I am embarrassed that the US Govt can have such a ####### and useless system! Its no wonder people illegally stay in the country. I AM BEYOND ANGRY at this point. I have a vision of my head, these govt workers meant to answer the phone are just a bunch of dogs sitting around playing poker. Im sure thats the case.

I call this other number and they need to speak to my hubby, I get him on the phone to give authority and he goes to bed and then after she has reeled off something that sounded like stereo instructions she says she will pass me to someone else to escalate the call but she will need to go through security with my husband again.

I said to her why didn't you tell me that instead of recapping everything word for word for 10 minutes which gets me nowhere cause now my husband is in bed. I told her she makes me wanna go slit my wrists and I hung up. Not that I would EVER do that but I just hope maybe she can raise my complaint to her boss. I mean if I worked in a call center which the whole point is to just talk people into comas and just go round and round in circles I would question what the hell am I doing! Tax dollars hard at work NOT!

I feel your pain. The London Embassy is useless. I had a number to the Dept of State in the U.S. I could call for updates but now it just hangs up on me after me holding for like 10 minutes.

I filed his I-601 in March of 2009, I sent postage paid envelope so I could get an update months ago and haven't heard anything.

I feel so frustrated. I am embarrassed that the US Govt can have such a ####### and useless system! Its no wonder people illegally stay in the country. I AM BEYOND ANGRY at this point. I have a vision of my head, these govt workers meant to answer the phone are just a bunch of dogs sitting around playing poker. Im sure thats the case.

I call this other number and they need to speak to my hubby, I get him on the phone to give authority and he goes to bed and then after she has reeled off something that sounded like stereo instructions she says she will pass me to someone else to escalate the call but she will need to go through security with my husband again.

I said to her why didn't you tell me that instead of recapping everything word for word for 10 minutes which gets me nowhere cause now my husband is in bed. I told her she makes me wanna go slit my wrists and I hung up. Not that I would EVER do that but I just hope maybe she can raise my complaint to her boss. I mean if I worked in a call center which the whole point is to just talk people into comas and just go round and round in circles I would question what the hell am I doing! Tax dollars hard at work NOT!

And I am sure they are timed on words cause she spoke so fast I didn't even blink and she was done!

Can I ask what does AP mean?

Thanks EMT. I think the new police certs are valid for 3 years, these are the ones with the pictures on it. At least thats what we had been advised. I'll try and pull his out to check.

I was just told there is now a delay in processing times and its now taking up to 18 months from the lady from the number above so I think if I try and get another congressional/senatorial update it may delay things. The last update I got from like a congressmans office was a lie cause no paperwork was sent to the London embassy. The number above is the best chance for an update as they could see on the computer whats happening and they said they can see once its been approved/denied.

I just have to be patient because all I want to do is call every day

Hubby is going to be annoyed at having to pay for another med check, the US embassy told us as long as the 212 was processing that it would be valid but I should of known that was not right.

It just seems like they keep us jumping through hoops that cost us more and more money which benefits them financially, I wonder if they do this just to make money sometimes because alot of this seems so unnecessary.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH for that number!!!!!!

They could at least tell me they see it's being processed, no decision yet but they said once a decision is made they can tell me!!! YAYYYYYYYY

They also advised me there is a delay in processing times now and its taking up to 18 months and we are 11 months into this, I am frustrated it would take the full 18 months but at least its not a No,, yet that is. I heard stories where people actually comiited crimes like robbery and still got approved so I hope they weren't just stories and Brett can get in, he only worked illegally because we were both lied to by the agency that sent him to the U.S. and the American company he was working for. I am praying praying praying when I check again next month there may be a good outcome to this crazy wait.

Does anyone know if too much time passes will he need another medical? He should pass it but its the cost I am dreading.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!

It says it cannot be reached from our calling area.

Thanks I'll try that number, I called someone before about it I believe it was UCSICS or whatever its called and they told me to write in as they couldn't get any information. But I'll try that number and fingers crossed!!!

Any advice is appreciated!

I should have kept better records on everything but the whole process of getting my British husband to my good ol USA seems to never end!

He got a 10 year ban in 2005, we applied for his I-130 (I believe) to get a greencard as the spouse of a US Citizen. He had been deported along with some other British men who had been sent to the US and were told their paperwork was in order to work for this British company out there and of course it wasn't and he was deported for working illegally.

The last interview at the London embassy was like a year and a half ago and we were told the last thing we need before they decide his case and it looks like he would be approved is to get the ban lifted. So we applied for the I-212 in End of Feb/March 2009, the check was cashed I think a month later. I am desperate to be home as my Grandma and Mother are both having serious health issues which I explained and included doctors letters.

We wrote asking for an update in September with a postage paid envelope and have not heard anything at all. I spoke to someone at some congressman or senators office around September as well to try and get an update and he said that the Atlanta office we sent the paperwork to says they have sent the paperwork onto the US Embassy in London so I thought maybe they made a decision. BUT I chased it up months ago with the US embassy and they say they never got any paperwork from Atlanta.

I don't know what else to do. They said it can take a year and its been a year and when I speak to them they say I can get an update if I write in but thats a lie.

I'm losing all hope and I don't know what to do. ANYONE have any advice? I am so worried that it got lost in the mail to us and I have no way to even check.

Thats what I would have thought. I tried calling for an update but they said I had to write in and that will take ages!

To call the embassy costs a fortune per minute and they never have a clue so I guess I just have to wait. He has gotten updates from them in the past at the London embassy so I guess I can only try to be patient.

He said he would email them again so fingers crossed!

Its just so frustrating!

I am going crazy waiting to see if my husbands I-212 to have his ban lifted is ever going to happen.

I sent the paperwork off to Atlanta as requested months ago and I asked the congressman I have been dealing with to get an update and he says that he tried but the paperwork has left Atlanta and been sent on to the London embassy.

I don't know if this is good or bad and I thought we get an answer before the embassy??!!?? Does anyone have any idea on this?

Please please please any advice is a life saver I am done with patience after all the red tape.

THANKS

Aha! cool,

Okay, last 212 we saw go through Atlanta took 12 months. . .I think that all offices have sped up since then though. Mine took six months through Buffalo. . .If I were you, I would try the expedite, as long as you can get some proof together. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks for the help. I'm just waiting now for it to be definitely received so I can request the expedite and I am gonna ensure I get the doctors letters for my Dad and Mom that I hadn't gotten before.

Fingers crossed !

I misunderstood what you meant

His immigration request is filed in london and thats where he had his embassy visit but the I-212 has been sent to Atlanta GA.

I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing as processing times seem to be quite varied and I am not sure how long they are taking.

Thanks EMT!

Yes we were told to file the i-212 at the interview in London at the embassy there.

He was just banned for 10 years, deported for working illegally even though the company that sent him and 8 others told us his paperwork was in order. We had already been married for 4 years so we wouldn't have risked his chance at a greencard if we hadn't been lied to thats whats so upsetting.

I did tell them he is a gentleman and a hardworker, I was so focused on needing to point out what a hardship is I forgot to mention he has never commited a crime

Is there any way to get this expedited as it seems like every time I phone home my Grandma is worse and worse.

Thanks for your help.

I just sent off the I-212 for my hubby. I have been trying to get everything together and I am worried I don't have enough.

My hubby was deported in 2005 for working illegally even though he hadn't realized the company that sent him there didn't have his paperwork in order like they said.

We have been working since 2005 on his Immigrant Visa though we did delay it slightly as I had some health issues so we put a hold on it for awhile. Now that we started the process again the embassy said we needed the I-212 sent off to lift the ban which has scared me to death.

My main points in my letter with the I-212 for reasons we need the ban lifted is.

1. My Grandmother is 80 and her health is very bad and we need to move so I can help take care of her

( I did manage to get a letter from her doctor listing all her medical conditions)

2. The stress of her full time care is taking atoll on my mother who needs me to be home to help

( I did get a letter from my Mother who explained my Mother also has health issues and needs me to come home but I didn't get a letter from the doctor on her medical conditions)

3. Crime in the UK is out of control, I do not feel safe ( I was not sure how to prove this but it's well known)

4. Since the Iraq War there has been increasing Anti-American sentiment and I have been ostracized because of it and had to quit 3 jobs due to being bullied for being American. ( I cannot prove this though)

5. My Fathers health is also failing but I couldn't get any medical documents just an email from my Stepmom explaining his condition and begging for us to be allowed to move back to the states.

6. My husband is in his early forties and if we have to wait for the 10 year ban to be lifted we will both be too old to start over in the states.

7. Financially we would end up in serious debt if the ban stays in place because I would still have to move back to the states without him to help my Grandmother but so we could spend as much time together possible I would also have to fly back to the UK on a regular basis which financially we cannot afford also I have a severe fear of flying.

8. My Grandmother wants her house to stay in the family but we cannot buy it unless we both move there because we cannot afford to keep our UK house and buy her house, and we would have to keep our house in the UK if he couldn't join me in the states

I think there are a few other bits and pieces but my worry is I do not have enough supporting medical documents, like for my mother and Father. I also worry because many of the things I cannot really provide proof of. I sent a copy of our marriage certificate, my passport and US driving license as proof but now I worry I may have needed certified copies? It didn't seem to say that anywhere.

If the I-212 is denied does anyone know what the next step is? And if it seems like I may have a good case for approval, I am so worried about being turned down.

Thanks!