lustanovska

* You must have held a green card and been residing in the US for three years (a 90 day shortcut is allowed on this point ONLY)

Thanks for the informative post. We will be able to apply with the 90 day shortcut. I'm wondering if any interviews, tests, etc. can be taken during these 90 days or if one has to wait for the 3 year mark before those processes may begin. I guess I'm wondering how quickly to the 3 year mark a person can actually become a citizen. Thanks.

Thanks everyone. I tried it at work and was able to download. Probably need to update Adobe on my own computer.

We are supposed to be late June filers, but when I go to the USCIS website to download the form and directions, they don't work/open after the download (I seem to remember this happening a few months ago too when I was in a "getting ready" phase). Has anyone recently successfully downloaded the forms? Also, since I can't see the directions, can someone tell me if everyone has to do biometrics. Thanks!

As many people have posted....for whatever reason we received our 'reminder letter for ROC', sent to our old address in MN. We changed our address with the AR-11 forms, quite awhile ago and now live in another state. Luckily, our old address is actually my parents home, so there was no issues with me getting the letter.

Exact same thing happened to us - we filed the address change forms 9 months ago!!!

Hi,

I have been under the impression that my husband (he's the immigrant and we are currently and finally in the US), couldn't apply for federal aid when he goes to school because of the part in the I864 that says he's not eligible for some means tested public benefits. However, when I looked at it today, it looks like that doesn't apply to programs under the secondary education act. Does anyone know what this act is and says? If he can apply, I should get that FAFSA done ASAP!

Thanks,

Laura

Laura, Im a Import specialist, I clear international freight thru U.S. Customs, NO its not a problem at all for yu to bring to U.S. Just make sure when you declare it, tell CBP officer it was a wedding gift.

No its not wildlife "dead animals" is what that pertains to, also known as hunting trophies, yuck.

But ither way, declare to CBP and explain you hand carried to keep from being damaged in shipping to USA. Oh they may ask what type of wood it is, so be prepared there. CBP asked me when I purchased a wooden statue from a flea market in Paris, I had no problems.

Thank you!

Hi,

We received a large painting of Jesus on a piece of wood for our wedding. We got married in Europe and the tree is European. I'm wondering if it'll be a problem to bring it to the US. It's been cut for over a year, but not really 'treated'. For example, paint doesn't cover the whole piece of wood, but rather the artist used the contures of the wood in the painting. I'd rather leave it in Europe than have it confiscated, but when looking at the sample landing card, it seems you only have to mark 'plants' and since it's dead, that doesn't seem to count or 'wildlife products' and that makes me think of something from animals not trees. Maybe I don't even have to declare it. What do you think?

Thanks,

Laura

Thanks everyone

Hi All,

We finally had our CR1 interview in Bratislava. I went with my husband (Slovak citizen), and it was super easy, so I just want to encourage you all. She didn't want anything extra - pictures or anything, just the documents previously sent. She asked very basic questions. How we met, when we met, where we want to move in America, what we want to do there, if we live together in Slovakia and for how long. I think that was about it. Nothing like in the movies. She was super friendly and printed up the visa right then and there so we didn't have to have it mailed to us!

Laura

BTW, Pay-As-You-Go or prepaid plans are quite affordable compared to regaular plans if you're not a heavy user. Often they offer unlimited calls to the same network and during evenings.

I'm curious about what Pay-As-You-Go plans are available in the US.

For those of you who have already done this, you know what I'm talking about when I say that in the interivew letter there is a list of stuff to bring with a letter code behind it letting you know if it's been accepted, etc.

Ours says:

CORRESPONDENCE INSTRUCTIONS C

BUT there is no key at the bottom that says what C means. Does it just mean to bring the letter along to the interview?

Thank you!

Yep, we got an email last Tuesday that we have an interview in Prague on Aug. 25 1.30 p.m.

Congrats to you finally Orlando!

Oh man, I got an RFE!

I just got "Please be advised that the case that you have attempted to access is not eligible for further processing by the National Visa Center at this time." which trying to log in! I'm so excited!

Waiting also for interview date

Well, I'm still waiting too. We got an RFE on the I864 because I hadn't put in another copy of my passport - didn't realize NVC doesn't see I130 info and also they wanted a I864a from my mom who filled out an I864 because we don't live together. Then I got a false RFE - I think that's what it is because they are done with our ds230, but don't have the requested info from the I864 RFE back. I had to sign it and mail it from Slovakia to Wisconsin and then my mom sent it off on Friday, so we'll see. She just sent it regular mail since we aren't in such a big hurry, but I do hope that they get it this week because I can still hope for a July interview if I finishes the first week of June I think. I hope that they can just add the info and finish it in a few days.

I'm happy for you.

Actually, do I really need to redo the I-864? The directions say: Please pay specific attention to the questions marked in the attached I-864/A checklist. You will need to complete and submit a new form with the changes noted on the attached checklist. BUT they didn't check 'missing or incomplete forms' OR [ ] ___________________________________ (sponsor/joint sponsor) must complete and submit an I-864. Only Supporting Documents missing or incomplete

[x] You as a joint sponsor have not provided proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status.

That's the only thing. So do I need to redo the I864 or just send that one sheet of paper (along with the letter they sent me)?

So I got an RFE. Two silly things.

1. I didn't send a copy of my passport proving my American citizenship since I figured they already had it from my I-130. So now I have to redo the I864 and also send the copy of my passport, BUT (this is the question part), I don't have to send in all those papers again like my taxes and evidence of my domicile, etc etc. I only have to resend the I-864 and my missing passport copy, right?

2. My mom is a joint sponsor, but we don't live in my same household, so she filled out another I-864, not the I-864A, but now they are requesting I-864, so I guess we do that with original signature in blue or black ink. The last was original in black. I'm not sure how to get them to believe it. Any suggestions on that? Hers was even on American size paper and mine on European because she mailed it to me from America and then I mailed it to the NVC from Slovakia with my packet.

But, praise God, these things really aren't so big or bad at all! Nothing actually about money! Yeah!

PS Again with my mom. We don't have to resend her taxes or assets or anything like that if they didn't ask for them, right?

Hello,

I live abroad with my husband, but we are hoping to immigrate late summer. Does anyone know of a good cheap provider of medical insurance that we can pick up while waiting to find jobs and waiting for the jobs insurance to kick in?

Thanks

Laura

Us too, but I am not even sure if the NVC has our DS230 yet because we mailed it in from Slovakia at the beginning of last week...

Congrats on the baby

Haole, this one's for you:

Help much appreciated.

No definite answer. We send 2 pics of the wedding for the initial petition. My wife had 40 captioned pictures for the interview. 10 pages with 4 on each page.

Made it thru without problems.

I've been wondering about photos a lot myself seeing some people on the forum going into the interview with 350 - which is great for those of you that did it! 40 seems more like my style. I'm wondering though, what they were of? - just the wedding or time before, after the wedding, etc? What did you include? You also said 10 pages with 4 on each, so was this made just for the interview - it wasn't part of a scrapbook that you made for yourselves? I'm wondering if it's bad to look like you make a small photoalbum just for the consul because that's what I'm doing, but I don't know if I want to try to make it look like that's not what I'm doing. Was it just on regular sheets of paper of bound together in some way? Sorry for so many questions, but if sounds like you have the same type of thinking as I about photos.

Thanks a bunch!

Hello,

My husband is Slovak. We live in Slovakia, but the Slovak embassy doesn't do cr-1 interviews, so we have to go to Prague for our interview. Will he need to have his medical in Prague (or somewhere in Czech) or here in Slovakia? I'm thinking Prague, but I don't really want to wait for the letter because he has off this week from work and could try to get it done.

Thanks!

Regarding photos, they can be 4 to an 8.5 x 11 page. No need for individual glossies. Just show them your wedding and all the guests having wedding type fun.

Just print them from a computer? That'll work okay?