breter

My wife is from Latvia and her passport still has her maiden name. Can we expect any problems if we travel back to Latvia this month? I know getting there would be no problem, but coming back, can we expect any issues at US customs? Her 2 year green card has her marriage name, but passport has maiden. I was thinking she can get her passport changed in Latvia, but that may bring even more problems trying to get back. Thoughts?

Hi all... My wife's niece is visiting from Latvia and has expressed interest in studying here. I believe she has one more year left of High School in her country. Is it possible to obtain a student visa for a high school student? If so, I know that they would have to attend a private school. What would be the first steps in obtaining legal permission to stay for studies?

Great news.. thank you for the quick replies

My wires mother recently received her 10 year tourist visa? I was under the impressionthat 90 days is the longest she can stay per year, but when filling out the application it asked how long she intends to stay. Are there exceptions to this 3 month rule?

It seems as if Latavia issues a non-citizen passport for travel in the EU. According to the Latavian consulate web site when asked about non-citizens traveling to the US the following was said.

"Latvian non-citizens are always required to obtain a U.S. visa for any purpose of travel."

So it appears that Latavian non-citizens use their Violet colored "passport" to enter the United States if the US embassy issues them a visa

Link

Excellent, thank you!

Doesn't having a passport issued by a certain country mean that person must be a citizen of that country?

No, and she isn't a citizen.

Does her mom have a passport? If no passport then no traveling to USA and no visa. Curious how you would obtain one without being a citizen of any country. It might be in her best intrest to become a citizen and apply for a passport before you try to have her come over to america. - just the way i understand it tho! I could be wrong.

She does have a passport, issue by Latvia... she is going to try and get a visa to come visit with that, we will see what happens!

Ok, my wife is from Latvia and we are just curious about her mother. Her mother does not have citizenship of any country... she is allowed to stay in Latvia and it's my understanding that she is able to obtain Russian citizenship if she decides to do so. How will this affect a petition for her if we decide to do this after my wife is naturalized, or becomes a USC? Are there any other loopholes for obtaining permission to stay in the US for individuals with no citizenship elsewhere?

Hey all... we recently have moved to Dallas from Jackson, MS. Our interview is in New Orleans tomorrow and we are here in town. I am the US citizen and I forgot my children's birth certificates. Will this be a problem at the interview tomorrow?

Also, will they let us change the address at the interview?

Any of you have any luck obtaining an equivalent university degree here in the US? My wife has an education from Latvia, but right around the time of the Soviet Union break up. Her school doesn't exist anymore. I heard the best place is here, www.wes.org, but I've been seeing a lot of complaints about them.

Hmmm- I have to think hard on that one. I've repressed most of my immigration memories.

I know we filed right before the fee increase went into effect. Most of my waiting time was while it was at the processing Center (it took 5 months alone for my EAD), they are the ones who will transfer everything to the NO field office and inform you when the interview is.

I have been going through my files and trying to find when my interview was- I probably have it posted somewhere on VJ though. I'll see if I can find that. I got 2 different RFE's- one at the interview (to get a new medical done) and one after that ( get skin test for TB even though I had chest X Ray in Canada)

The RFE's actually worked out well for me though- all the extra time pushed us over our 2 year anniversary and I got the 10 year card instead of the 2 year.

I got my GC on Oct 14' 08

Oh its ok, thanks though! If it was that long ago, it wont really reflect what is currently going on at that office anyway. I was just surprised to hear that they were only working applications from January. I saw another persons signature and they didn't take that long (in 2009), so I'm hoping that they are actually way ahead of January applications.

I called to check on our I-130/I-485 and was told they are processing applications that were received in January 2009! Ewww. Seems the influx of labor that arrived in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is taking its toll on the New Orleans field office. Don't expect the quick 3 months for an interview at this location.

What was the time frame between you filing, the interview, and your green card. Which year? We were hoping to have her Green card by October so she can we can travel (didn't file for AP).

I called to check on our I-130/I-485 and was told they are processing applications that were received in January 2009! Ewww. Seems the influx of labor that arrived in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is taking its toll on the New Orleans field office. Don't expect the quick 3 months for an interview at this location.

I've been searching these last days this very specific question. (the maternity one)

The only one I found that would cover maternity is designed for "expatriate" people and it is very costly. But the company is in my own country, not in the US. But maybe you can find something similar in your fiancé's country?

No matter what, no insurance would cover a "pre-existing condition". Which is why I asked.

Actually, I thought of looking in her country but its not easy looking for stuff online in Latvia. I'll mention that to her as she can find stuff more easily. Thanks for the advice

Hmm... Your wife is already pregnant?...

If yes and you're looking for a pregnancy coverage, you're pretty much doomed.

I'll take that as a no, you don't know of any conventional policies without this requirement. Thanks

You should find good hints in this topic:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=209083

Thanks, but looking for something a bit more mainstream. Maybe it isn't possible, but was hoping one of the big conventional insurance providers had some type of plan that didn't have the in country a year requirement.

Can anyone recommend a good insurance company that will insure a non-citizen that has not been here for at least a year? Specifically maternity insurance. I've already looked online, and only found places that want to sell us some 137.50 a month "up to 80% paid" policy. However, it doesn't sound very good and they wont let me see the policy before I buy it. (big hint there) I missed putting her on my health insurance because it was so costly. We were just going to find an individual plan for her. However, that is starting to look impossible.

In the vast majority of states, yes.

Thai Mom

Right, not all states use points, such as Mississippi (need to show you are allowed to be in the US for 180 days or more)

What's to stop them from staying? Maybe they like their country better? That isn't unheard of you know. Most people prefer their own country, especially if you are from Europe, or one of the EU countries rather. You are basically saying if someone is poor, by American standards, they don't have right to visit their family here. If a person will be turned away at the border, then don't give them permission to come here. What is so hard about screening these folks while they apply for the Visa Waiver, BEFORE they spend thousands on airfare?

If a person broke the rules, then don't give them the false security of an AP. I don't see a reason for giving everyone AP, if it doesn't mean squat.

I'm not sure why this is so difficult to understand, and why it is acceptable.

Doesn't this go for just about any visa, or document that allows someone in the United States? This is a problem. If you are authorized to come back, it should be guaranteed, and it shouldn't be at the mercy of some idiot at the checkpoint. This goes for any visa holder, or visa waive out there too. You can spend 1000s of dollars, possibly even your life savings, or what you make in a year to come to the United States, LEGALLY, and be turned away for no reason. Just wrong, sorry for the gripe, but this is a sour subject for me!

The system gives wide discretion to border inspectors, and that's not going to change any time soon. For an example of why, see here http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/26/911.commission/index.html . Before the Sept 11, 2001 hijackings changed our world view, an alert inspector denied entry to a person who had a valid visa but whose story just didn't quite seem plausible. That person has later been identified as the missing "20th terrorist" who was supposed to have been on Flight 93. Who knows exactly how things might have been different if an extra terrorist had been aboard that flight, able to fight off the passengers who stormed the cockpit and brought the plane down in Pennsylvania, short of its target in Washintgon.

The inspectors are the only ones present on the front lines. They must be given the authority to do their jobs and make sure that those entering with visas are complying with the terms of their visas, or those entering with other paperwork are complying with the terms of that paperwork. That's their job, and they've got to be allowed to do it. Otherwise, we could save money by replacing them with computers -- you could swipe your visa through the self-service reader, and the gate would open automatically.

That's the nature of terrorism. It scares people into exactly that.

However, I'm not talking about security, or potentially violent persons entering the country. I'm talking about folks like us on this board, and our families. People who are visiting on Visa Waivers, other visas, or returning from AP. They should not have to fear being turned away at the border because they look like immigrants, or because they happen to lose their job before coming, or their bank account is at zero, or they don't have any property to prove they have something to go back to...etc. They don't deserve the chance at losing what possibly took them a year or more to save up, just because of a hunch.

Oh, and it might interest you to know that there are officers who are members on this board, and they may just take offense to you calling them idiots. Just sayin.

Not all of them are, but whoever takes his bad day out on anyone at that checkpoint, certainly is. (that was mostly my gripe talking) I hear too often on this board, and others that people are at the mercy of these agents. It shouldn't be that way. A person should not have to worry about being turned away at our borders if they have permission to be here, such as an AP, visa, or Visa Waiver. Does a person have the right to appeal the decision of a gate agent? I'm not sure, I'd be interested in knowing that.

Just to give you an idea, when I came back into the country last March, while I was standing in line, I was watching one of these supervisors running around at the Atlanta airport. I was amazed at how he spoke to people. He basically treated them all like they were doing something wrong and had something to hide. He was an embarrassment to the country. Most people are good, and should be treated as such.

Doesn't this go for just about any visa, or document that allows someone in the United States? This is a problem. If you are authorized to come back, it should be guaranteed, and it shouldn't be at the mercy of some idiot at the checkpoint. This goes for any visa holder, or visa waive out there too. You can spend 1000s of dollars, possibly even your life savings, or what you make in a year to come to the United States, LEGALLY, and be turned away for no reason. Just wrong, sorry for the gripe, but this is a sour subject for me!

My wife holds a J-1 visa with a 2-yr HRR requirement. If we file a J-1 waiver, the wait is leangthy and possibly could be denied. How can we adjust the status from J-1 to some kind of resident without doing this? Is there a waiver for the waiver? I saw that a J-1 waiver is not always required, but it said to consult a attourney. CAN ANYONE HELP ?

I believe you would just follow the guidelines here.

I only included a copy of my passport. It is a bit confusing, but I think you only need the passport if you have one. That does prove citizenship, right? Strange how this copied out of order.....

4. A copy of your unexpired U.S. passport; or

5. An original statement from a U.S. consular officer verifying that you are a U.S. citizen with a valid passport.

6. If you do not have any of the above documents and you were born in the United States, see instructions under Page 3, "What If a Document Is Not Available?"

2. A copy of your naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship issued by USCIS or the former INS.

3. A copy of Form FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States, issued by a U.S. Embassy or consulate.

What Documents Do You Need to Show That You Are a Permanent Resident?

1. If you were born in the United States, a copy of your birth certificate, issued by a civil registrar, vital statistics office, or other civil authority.

A copy of the marriage certificate is fine, just bring the original, certified copy during the interview. I copied all of our passport pages, but recycled the paper through the copier so i had four passport pages on one page (it took me a while to do two passports!). It wont hurt... maybe they want to know where you've been?

I'm not sure where to get the little baggies for pictures... I was wondering the same thing. I just used quart size zip lock bags.