Sean_and_Dora

I have already been through the K-1 process and brought my fiance(now wife) here last year. A friend of mine is thinking about doing the same thing. I want to know what is the best option a K1 or getting married in Colombia and applying for a CR-1?

How long does someone from Colombia usually have to wait before they can come to the US on a CR-1? Is one more easy to get than the other?

When I brought my fiance we had to wait about 7 months for her to get her interview and she entered the Us last May and we got married in June. She had to wait until October to be approved for permanent residency and then the green card was lost so we had to apply for a replacement card which she finally got last month.

It seems everything takes longer after entering on a K-1.

Is a CR-1 a better option then?

We went through the same problem of never receiving my wife's green card. Unfortunately we had to pay the $450 with the I-90 because my wife needed the I-551 stamp to travel to Colombia next week. We went to congressman Dan Lipinski's Chicago office here and all they did was call USCIS(who told them they mailed the card in Oct) and print us copies of the I-90(which we could have done at home). I also wrote to both Illinois senators but was not contacted by their offices either.

Some people have had luck fighting this but it could take months so you have to be persistent.

Why you have to pay the fees if you never received your GC? You don't have to.

You have to pay again if the card was not returned to USCIS and they say ours was not returned. If the card was returned to USCIS you don't have to pay. My wife's never arrived so we have to pay. It is a scam if you ask me. We went to the USCIS office in Chicago yesterday and was told (as many others know) that this is a common problem. The guy told us that congress needs to act to change their policy, but when we went to the congressman's office they said that this is the way immigration works and nothing could be done. So things never change.

My wife's Greencard never arrived and I was just wondering how many people have had any luck with a congressman's help. We went to Dan Lipinski's office in Chicago and they were pretty useless. The aide just called USCIS and then told us the policy and printed the I-90 form(which I could have done). Looks like we will have to pay the $450 since my wife is stuck without her card or a I-551 stamp.

We went to one office around 46th and Ashland in Chicago back in July. My wife came on a K-1 and still had over a month left on her visa. They would not give her the SSN at this office. I even had the printout with me and they argued that their policy said something else.

After that we went to the office in downtown Chicago and they gave her the SSN with no problems.

Does anyone know if I go to the local USCIS office if they will give my wife a I-551 stamp? Right now my wife's green card hasn't arrived(which was supposedly mailed in October) so she doesn't have anything to prove she is a permanent resident if she wants to go visit her family. Is the only way if the I-90 is submitted first or will they give her the stamp anyways?

Well I went to the congressman's office here in Chicago and it was pretty much a waste of time. All they did was call someone at USCIS who said that they mailed the greencard in October and it hasn't been returned to USCIS so we have to pay $365 for the application for a new card and $85 for biometrics.

Does anyone have any other ideas of what to do?

Actually I don't think they mailed it. I think something happened because the case status on USCIS web page still shows it is in "POST DECISION ACTIVITY" but the letter they sent me says they created and mailed the card on the same date the case status was put in "POST DECISION ACTIVITY". We haven't moved so there is no issue there and I have recieved other notices when it has changed on the web site.

I have a meeting with someone in my congressman's office on wednesday

I called USCIS about 2 1/2 weeks ago to inquire about this. I recieved a letter today saying that they sent the green card on October 19 and it must be lost in the mail so we need to file a form I-90 and pay the $365 for a new card.

When I looked on the web site it still says my wife's case is in "Post Decision Activity". It has never shown that it was in card production.

What should I do now?

I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem. My wife got her approval/Welcome letter for her green card in the middle of October. She hasn't recieved her green card or any other notices. I checked the case status and it says it is in "Post Decision Activity". I called the toll free # and they couldn't tell me anything other than that they will have it looked into.

Post Decision Activity

On October 19, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

For approved applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include USCIS sending notification of the approved application/petition to the National Visa Center or the Department of State. For denied applications/petitions, post-decision activity may include the processing of an appeal and/or motions to reopen or reconsider and revocations.

We recieved an RFE today from USCIS.

We got married in the Cook County, IL marriage court. I sent a copy of the marriage certificate that was given to us by the judge. I am confused if I should have sent something more than a copy or if Cook County didn't register the marriage.

Here is what the RFE says

This office is unable to complete the processing of your Application to Register Permanent Residenceor Adjust Status(Form 1-485) without additional information. Although we recieved your application, important information is missing. Specifically, the marriage certificate submitted with your application was not registered with the county, state or civil authorities. Please read this entire notice and submit the information requested below.

K1/Marriage Certificate: You appear to be filling as a K1 nonimmigrant. Please submit a copy of your marriage certificate indicating that you have married your United States citizen fiance within 90 days of your admission into the United States as a K1 nonimmigrant. If the marriage occured in the United States, the document must show that the marriage was registered or recorded with the county, state or civil authorities. If the marriage occured outside the United States, the marriage certificate must be accompanied by a certified English translation if the document is in a language other than English

I recieved a letter from the NVC in the middle of October that they recieved an approved I-129F. I talked to someone at the NVC and they told me my petition was approved October 2.

I never recived a NOA 2 in the mail and the website for the USCIS shows my case is in initial review.

I called the USCIS and the woman on the phone was telling me that my NOA2 must be lost and that need to pay $300 to get another copy of it

I don't think they ever sent me one. How can I find out if it was sent and what do I do in this situation?