Sukie

Just a note about the SS card... I know your spouse checked the box saying you wish a SS card - we did, too, but the immigration system doesn't always play nice with the Social Security system. When a new immigrant is processed, the processing officer needs to check a box on his/her screen that sends the data to the Social Security office requesting a card. This does not always happen - and since your husband got through so fast, there might be a chance that this step was missed. When my spouse came in (we flew together to JFK), we both went to secondary together, and I made special mention that we had checked the box for a SS card to be generated (because someone on Visa Journey had suggested we make this "special mention"). Didn't happen. If you have not gotten the card within two weeks, then go to your local SS office. If you go earlier, and the SSN is already in process, then it can really confuse the person at the SS office desk. At one point a few years ago, you had only a 50-50 chance of the card being automatically generated through the system. Somehow I doubt this has improved. Best of luck to you and yours! Sukie in NY

Just a thought, too. If the OP's friend has a government job, especially with a security clearance, he may need to alert a supervisor as to what is going on, in case of a blackmail or extortion attempt. I am sorry for the child in this situation. I also know what it is like to feel like there is impending doom with a legal case, and how worked up it can make you! OP - have your friend get a lawyer. Sukie in NY

Sometimes it is a mistake on the part of the person submitting the form(s), and sometimes, it's NVC/USCIS that is just plain ignorant. The best way to avoid an RFE is to double-check and triple-check ALL requirements for each form, double-check and triple-check EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION on the form, double-check and triple check how much money you have to send and both address the check and the envelope properly. A submission that tells a complete story will rarely get an RFE. Best of luck! Sukie in NY

We had a different issue, but in a similar category. When we came through, the manual used by NVC had not been updated regarding police certificates in Australia (Australia went from certificates issued by each state to a national certificate). We had to print off the "rules" from the Australian Police, attach this to the RFE, and return this information (which USCIS should have known in the first place). We got through ok after that. If the state.gov website says the document you need is xxxx and is issued by yyy, then copy that page, write a paragraph describing the conversation with your Nova Scotia Vital Statistics Office (better if you had that in writing from THEM), and return the explanations, and another copy of your marriage certificate to NVC. Best of luck. Sukie in NY

Sounds good to me! Car insurance with both names? House insurance with both names? Wills? Medical powers of attorney? Those are also very good "co-mingling" pieces of evidence. Good luck to you on your journey! Sukie in NY

A quarter is THREE months. So 8 full statements in total for 2ish years. IF IF IF you have other strong financial evidence. Sukie in NY

Be sure to acknowledge the whys of separation in your cover letter, and emphasize the efforts you have made to remain connected with your spouse. Things like: How often do you talk with your spouse and how (email, phone, Facetime). How often do you physically get together in the same place? If you have friends or family members who know and support your relationship, this might be a good time for an affidavit mentioning what the two of you do to maintain your relationship and how they observe/support this. Your evidence is strong - just make your story strong, too! Best of luck on your journey. Sukie in NY

OOOOO - thank you, Dashinka! I never would have guessed to look there! Sukie in NY

Question: We used to be able to "report" posts at the top of the page. I don't see that option anymore. So are the poor moderators just having to try to kill stuff as it comes up? Thanks to all of you! Sukie in NY

The issue is that your packet is scanned. If you have a double-sided packet, then someone has to flip EVERY SINGLE PAGE to scan the docs (if they don't have a fancy-dancy scanner that you can tell to do this), and that's if they notice you have double-sided stuff in the first place. You risk having "missing pages" and you probably annoy a clerk who is scanning your packet - especially if you have 500 double-sided pages. So it is best to follow the guidance of USCIS and print one-sided only. Sukie in NY

Affidavits are usually just fact-based, but as long as the pertinent facts are in the document, you will not be penalized for its length! Best of luck to you! Sukie in NY

Good luck to you! Sukie in NY

I am a child of the 50s. When I was growing up, we were encouraged to use our first name, middle initial, and last name as our "legal" name. Then Passports had to be in your FULL name. When a woman married, her middle name (initial) was her maiden name. My passport and SScard have my full name. Driver's license has middle initial. All my banks accounts have middle initials. I use my middle initial for Credit Cards, but my latest card from Citibank omitted the middle initial. Go figure. @JeanneAdil, I laughed at your entry about your late husband..... Sukie in NY

TXDOC, add a paragraph to your cover letter/Table of Contents about how you handle your finances together. Better to explain that you use your credit cards for everything up front than to have them ding you for not having bank statements. Lots of couples do not have joint bank accounts. Just tell them how YOU do it. Sukie in NY

9 a.m. EDT 5/4/2023, Windows 10, FireFox - Reporting the following error [[Block new_topics_2019 is throwing an error]]

Same with us. I already owned the house. We just had a paragraph on our cover page which explained this (no mortgage as I owned it free and clear), and why she was on the title of the car, but not the registration (had to have a NY driver's license which she did not have yet). Both names were listed on the car insurance which we included. You will be fine. Explain how you do your bills through your Cash Management account in your cover letter, Sukie in NY

It will settle down in a few months after everyone gets their letter. I understand your impatience with the amount of traffic, but it's such a big deal for soooo many hopeful people. Good luck on your journey! Sukie in NY

The services listed here are top of the line, and we did NOT do all of these! We provided our own kennels (you do not need a wooden crate for a cat, for Pete's sake), The first time I flew home from Hong Kong, my cats were on my flight. I held the paperwork, and presented the paperwork to Customs and Immigration when I arrived. Honestly, the guys at JFK looked at me like I was crazy. They had NO idea what to do with my paperwork (because the US, per se, does not need it for cats). They ummed and ahhhhed over it, took it to another guy, brought it back to me, and about 20 minutes later, here came my cats on a baggage cart. I used an agent in Hong Kong who picked up the cats, and us!, and drove us to the airport. He took us to the freight dock, where we turned in our paperwork, kissed the cats goodby, and that was that. When we moved from Australia, we used JetPets. We got our own certificates at our local vet. In this case, we were flying from Brisbane to Hong Kong to the US, and the cats were not allowed to transit Hong Kong. So JetPets picked up the cats the morning we left (we were on a night flight), took them to the airport, and got them on the flight to LAX. They emailed us when the cats got to LAX, sent us pictures of them, said they were eating well, and we felt good about that. The cats had about 16 hours in LAX until their flight to New York. We arrived JFK in the evening, checked into a local hotel, and then showed up at the Lufthansa depot the next morning. We were informed along the way about flights and timing. There are other companies besides PetAirUK that are highly rated, according to Google. Call around. If one of them forces you to use THEIR crates, think twice. I don't know how vet services work in the UK, but I was able to get all the proper paperwork done by my own vets in both Hong Kong and Australia. Oh, and in my experience, my vets did NOT want to sedate my cats. Yes, it's scary, but unless you have a very skittish cat, they'll be ok. Best of luck to you and your kitty! Sukie in NY

Wahid, We used "JetPets" from Australia - and they have a partnership with a US company, but I don't remember who it is. See if you can find a British ex-pat site and ask them who they used. I picked up the cats myself at the Lufthansa Freight office at JFK. I flew in on a Thursday, and the cats flew in on a Friday. So I just stayed the night at a hotel near the airport... I had two cats, and it was about $2000, and it was in 2011. However, this included being picked up at our apartment, Delivery to the airport, their flights, and a "spa day" in Los Angeles waiting for a connecting flight. We flew Cathay Pacific - the cats flew Lufthansa Freight. I know it probably sounds really expensive, but if you feel about your cat like I feel about mine, it's totally worth it. I was a nervous wreck. My kitties were just fine. Sukie in NY

Also, you will need to consider the vaccination requirements for both the USA AND the state in which you arrive and choose to live. Some states are much pickier than the Feds. We used a pet moving service, as we were unable to have our cats on our flights (because of routing). To the best of my knowledge (and in my experience moving cats from the US to Hong Kong and back, and from Australia to the US), all international pet imports must travel as freight - meaning, you cannot have them in the cabin with you - they'll be in a pressurized portion of the cargo hold. The carrier must be big enough for the animal to sit upright - so the carriers are usually much bigger than the one you use to take your pet to the vet. Hopefully your vet can answer a lot of your questions. FYI - New York requirements are strict - please toggle New York in the link below. https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/cats.html Sukie in NY

You cannot go wrong if you bring a copy of your tax return to the interview. You do not need to volunteer it, but it is really good if they ask for it, and you have it. We interviewed in early April - before April 15th. Our instructions did not specify that we should bring the prior year's return. I had them, and volunteered them. The officer took them, but never looked at them AT ALL. So...have them up your sleeve, but they should not be required prior to April 15th. Sukie in NY

Dear OP, I understand why you ask the question about invitation letters. In India, one must have an official invitation to apply for a tourist visa. This does not apply in the US. Your parents will have to apply for a visitor's visa strictly on their own merits. Your graduation (wedding, baby, whatever) is wonderful, but it is not part of the visa process for entry into the US. Good luck to your parents, and congratulations to you. Other Visa Journey people, please do not assume people are stupid or clueless when they ask questions like this that are common in their own countries. Some gentle guidance is all that is needed in this case. Sukie in NY

Hearty Congratulations! I am so happy your journey is complete! Sukie in NY

OP, yes, you can visit on your ESTA. Just be careful. We did it (Australia) during our journey, but we kept visits to about 80 days max, and did the twice-as-long-out-as-in route. We were also VERY prepared to say, "Yes, I am am married to a US Citizen, but we have filed the I-130, and we do not want to jeopardize the process at all. I am going back to Australia, and we will follow all the rules." We had no issues. Best of luck on the (too long) journey!!! Sukie in NY

No experience with Legal Zoom. Just be very careful, as each state has different rules for wills and poas. In some states you are required to use an attorney. In some states, the attorney keeps the original will in their office safe. In some states you name an "executor" of a will. In other states, they are called the "personal representative". Just an FYI so you don't have trouble down the road. Sukie in NY (where one attorney kept our wills in their safe, and the next one did not)