ajigglin

It is because they are full of $h!t.

which of these 3 options of filing results in biggest refund/less taxes??? thats the only question that really matters.

it worked for us for 2011 with no issues whatsoever. And it was done by a CPA, I'm pretty sure he would know the tax laws
wow...if he could figure it out himself he wouldn't be asking for advice

I was told to file single as well on my taxes. The fact is my spouse is not here and no social security number in his name. When I fill out W2 forms for employment, it does state on the form that if your spouse is an immigrant or if your married but the spouse is not in the United States, use "single" as your current status. I do not think you will get penalized for this. However, I would not want to put am married on something and have to explain. Because don't you have to put spouse name, social, and employer, and address. If your petitioning for him/her to come am thinking that will look bad. My opinion.

In most cases no. There is no street delivery in Nigeria, mostly.
Your SO should know which general post office serves his area/town or should start making enquiries now.
They will text/call when the package arrives for pickup.

I hope this helps.
E-PASSPORT PROCESSING IS COMING BACK TO LOS ANGELES
NIGERIAN EMBASSY, WASHINGTON DC
January 26 & 27, 2013.
E-Passport Steps
Step I
- Go to the Nigerian immigration website at https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/index.htm
- Click on E-Passport Application Form
- On passport type, select standard e-passport
- On processing country, select United States, then click on start application
- Choose one of the three application to use: google, yahoo, or opened
- Choose Washington DC office as your processing office
- Be sure to print out the following important pages:
i) Application Data Page before clicking “submit”
ii) The page the lists your Application ID, and Reference Number
iii) A copy of Payment Confirmation page
Step II
- Make copies of the following:
i) Application Data page
ii) Page that lists your Application ID, and
iii) Payment Confirmation page, and
iv) put originals of all three above in a large envelope and turn in at the
Drop-off centers:
(1) SALCARE HOME HEALTH SERVICES, INC.
1159 W. El Segundo Blvd, Gardena, CA. 90247. Phone: (323) 777-9339.
[between the hours of 9:a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Mon – Friday]
(2) 1726 West 150th Street, Apt. 4, Gardena, CA. 90247.
(Sunday to Saturday – Any time)
(3) You can also send by email application to: amalu@aol.com
Your drop-off envelope should have your full name, Application ID, Reference Number, contact phone, address and email address.
Step III
Once we get your completed envelope in step II, we will schedule you for e-passport processing for either January 26, or 27, 2013. Please adhere strictly to your date and time. It is strictly by appointment only, however, if you are not able to access the Nigerian immigration website and complete the application process, help will be rendered at the processing site for a nominal fee.
For further concerns/questions, call
Reginald Obiamalu @ 310-702-4566
BREAKDOWN OF ALL REQUIRED FEES
The following is the breakdown of all of the monies you will be required to dole out for the entire e-passport process:
(a) Online application fee of sixty-five US Dollars ($65)
(b) Passport Processing fee of one hundred US Dollars ($100). You will bring a money order for the said amount to your appointed processing time. The money order will be made payable to Nigerian Embassy
© You are also required to bring either a Priority or Express Stamped US Mail envelope to your appointed processing time. Depending on urgent you need your new e-passport, Priority envelop is about $5, and takes about 5 days from date of mailing to arrive, while the Express envelope costs about $18 and takes about 2 days from date of mailing to arrive back to you.
The envelopes are used by the embassy officials to mail back your new e-passports.
(d) Overall, it will cost you between $170 and $183 per person, to obtain the e-passport.
(e) Visa Application Fee is $160
If your passport is expired, you will obtain a new one and pay all required fees
(g) Lost passport will incur a $350 plus applicable fees for new passport
As usual, the e-passport process will be strictly by appointment only. However, All Applicants will be attended to after those with appointments have been processed. Also, if you are not able to do the application online, there will be someone available to assist you but you will have to pay for the service and at the same time pay all required fees(application fee($65), processing fee($100), & mailing envelope($4) or ($18) “Gate-crashers” shall be welcome at processing venue, they will have to exercise some patience.
Our Goal is to assist All Nigerians with the E-Passport process
For questions/concerns regarding this email, please contact:
Reginald Obiamalu,
NIDOA Southern California Rep
310-702-4566 - cell

It's as if the Embassy imported the ridiculous way of doing things in Nigeria over here.
What we normally do here in Los Angeles is invited the Embassy over here once or twice a year and then we do all the necessary renewals and visa then.
You should contact your local Nigeria organizations in case as such is possible for you Guys.

There's some good information posted and some that's well, not so good.
Here's my take.
He is diabetic, plain and simple. Were he pre-diabetic he would not be taking oral meds. He takes Glucophage or something similiar so he is NIDDM (Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) Big deal. He does not need to see an endocrinologist, any Nurse Practitioner, Physician's Assistant or MD can eventually pull a HA1c which shows how his blood sugar is doing over the past month or so and adjust meds based upon that.
Will he become insulin dependent? Who knows, and if so, any dastardly problems may or may not appear and are unlikely to apppear in the next five years.
Diabetes is a serious issue, but if he controls his diet, exercises, and watches his HA1c he may never go on insulin and may never have serious diabetic issues, plain and simple. If he's 30lbs overweight and comes to America and loses the 30lbs he may no longer need oral meds, and in that case will no longer be classified as diabetic.
Now, let's look at the problem.
Perhaps if he had said: "I have non-insulin diabetes and take oral meds, it is well controlled," this issue might not have come up. His answer sort of comes across as evasive (in my opininon only) but I'm not saying that was his intention, he was honest, and only perhaps chose not the best words.
Here's the problem: He needs a one year insurance policy.
Here's the answer: Get one
As has been stated insurance is a state by state issue, yet this fact is likely not not matter a whit. Why? Because all they want is "an insurance policy," they have not indicated any specific coverage.
My suggestion is to try to obtain a garbage policy. What is a garbage policy? In the great state of Massachusetts which "requires" you to have insurance my company did exactly that. And guess what--the maxiumum that they would spend in one year was exactly the sum of what I paid in. Note (this was 2008 and MA's laws may (and hopefully) have negated such policies).
But you are in Wisconsin and so I suggest that you search Google for keywords: "Catastrophic insurance." You will find many hits, apply to one or a dozen and also call your local insurance peddlar (look under insurance in your phone book if you have one). Don't underestimate their ability to get you one, often they have a database that can access hundreds of insurance policies.
A catastrophic insurance policy is just that and it will exclude (possibly totally, or possibly for one year) any conditons related to diabetes--big deal, he's not likely to need it for that anyway. It will have a (as stated by someone who suggested catastrophic insurance earlier) $5,000 or better yet, $20,000 deducible. (The higher the better as it is unlikely to ever be used.) The cost won't be huge, the inusurance will likely be useless for him, BUT--you will have a policy, and it is very unlikely that anyone will look close enough to say: "this sucks, it's garbage," and so they'll simply approve it, as you have done your part.
Try it and please let us know if you find something and how much it costs so it might be of use for others that follow.
Good luck.

It really is a matter of controlling your blood sugar levels. Your roommate's mother was suffering complications of uncontrolled diabetes. People who control their blood sugar properly using diet, exercise, drugs, and insulin in whatever combination works for them will suffer few if any complications compared to people who fail to control their blood sugar properly. Insulin can be expensive and test strips for glucose meters aren't free, but they are cheap compared to the human cost of suffering when blood sugar isn't regulated. And more and more the drugs and insulin and monitoring equipment are getting increasingly affordable. Some damage from diabetes can even be healed if the diabetic is careful; my diabetic brother actually recovered from peripheral nerve damage when he adjusted his diet, and I personally went from full diagnosed diabetic levels with blood pressure issues to pre-diabetic levels with no blood pressure issues and taken off all drugs. It IS possible and it is less costly than you think these days.
To get back on track, my husband will be on my health insurance (through work, BCBS) when he arrives with his green card in hand. Much as I want to prove we have commingled resources, even he balks at the idea of paying many hundred dollars for US health coverage he is not in a position to use while he is in the UK making use of the healthcare program there.

I probably would agree, but isn't that what the sponsor and joint or co-sponsor are for, to help so the person doesn't go on government aid? And, this kind of insurance doesn't cover anything pre-existing, so it won't help with his diabetes needs. It will just help for emergency situations or accidents, etc. So it will hopefully be a good net, but it is a shame that they can't just ask us to find a plan to enroll him in once we set foot in the US.

Coming from Nigeria they may wear winter coats long after yours is hung up. My husband thinks anything under 80 is freezing.

I will go straight to the point. I was still waiting for my number to flashed but a young CO only beckoned me to come... Right then I greeted her and she responded and gave me the ds 230 part 2 to sign... She made me pledge to tell the truth and I did... Then the next thing she did was returned the original of our marriage cert., and my birth cert original with sworn affidavit and 8 of those pics we sent with the i 130... She then began thus:
CO: who's filing for you?
ME: my dear wife
CO: how did you meet your wife?
ME: on a social site
CO: where?
ME: I answered
CO: why did you decide to look for your wife on a social site?
ME: I answered.
CO: are there no beautiful girls in Nigeria?
ME: I answered
CO: do you love your wife
ME: I answered
CO: was your wife married before?
ME: I answered affirmatively!
CO: does she have children?
ME: Yes.
CO: how old are they?
ME: I answered
CO: have you been married before
ME: I answered.
CO: do the kids live with your wife?
ME: I answered
CO: do you have kids?
Me: I answered!
CO: do you plan to have kids together?
ME: Yes!
CO: you do?
ME: I answered
CO: how old are you?
ME: I answered
CO: how old is your wife?
ME: I answered
CO: typing, pull out a slip, u've been approved! Go to the address (she just encircled a particular address on the slip of A4 paper with a pen) on this date or any day after that date to pick up your passport with your visa.
ME: God bless u ma!
CO: thank u
I recommend front loading your petition/application the very best way possible... It only assist the decision makers make a decision before you ever appear before your interview... After you have done all you could, pray and let God. Also prepared for any possible question that might be asked.
While I was waiting I heard a CO denied a guy and told him that his petition will be returned to the office that approved it originally for review for possible revocation. That was horrible! The other guy was asked to get a joint sponsor. The waiting time for your number to be called can be hard to wait, but wait it out anyway! At the end you'll find success in Jesus name, amen!

Why front loading is highly recommended, it help eliminate suspicions as you have been adjudged to have nothing to hide. It eliminate some ridiculous questions and makes the interview easier... But if you have not front loaded and your interviewer is in the right spirit he/she can take time to review your evidences that you brought with you to the interview... Finally, God is the one who grant us the success not by our own power but by his grace... His grace is equally available to you dear. Go and receive your visa and come back with testimony in Jesus name, amen!

ErinO you know its a done deal. God has got this. Now rejoice and walk boldly in favor and in truth. It is well.

Oh I forgot the "gifts" for the registry folks. Yes she had to take
1) 24 bottles of Malt drink - N2,500
2) Box of Biscuit - N600
3) 4 carton of Vivitar - N1,500
No receipts for all these things by the way, but I blame the embassy for basically forcing me to have to deal with my people

You can only list that you are married if your spouse has a SSN. If not you have to file single. At least that is the law in Massachusetts. Many people have to file single. If you do your taxes electronically which most people do now adays if you check single the next thing it will ask for is the spouses information and their social security number in which they will not have if they have never been to the states. He should have known this. Does not matter how long you were marred. Hope this helps

Fresh Yams....Impossible...Customs will never allow that to pass through

This forum really helped me out a lot during my i751 filing and during the long VSC waiting time for the approval. If this is useful to anyone , then go ahead and follow what i sent. Here is a list of all the documents we sent. SOme people say that if you send too many documents , you might get flagged as fraud and then called for an interview. Well that wasnt my case, we sent a lot of joint evidence and we were approved without an interview.
stuff we sent;
-Court marriage certificate
-church marriage certificate (we had our big wedding 4 months after our AOS interview, we were already married in court)
-Receipts for the Church wedding and reception (flowers,limos,tuxedos,hall,dj, as well as pictures from the wedding)
-Airplane tickets for the both of us, itineraries for the 2 times we went out of the country,hotel receipts, photocopies of our passport stamps, when we re-enter the U.S (for the both of us,so it will show we traveled together)
-Light bills ,first page showing both of our names for every single month after our AOS interview till the month when we sent the i751
-cable bills
-home phone bills
-cell phone bills
-bank statements from our 3 joint accounts
-copies of both of our driver's licences with the same address of course!
-car insurance policy, w/ both of us on the same policy.
-Apartment leases.
-Health insurance paper work showing both of us on the policy
-health insurance cards, medical and dental
-Life insurance for my wife with me as the beneficiary
-4 years of joint taxes
-3 letters of recommendations (affidavits) all of then NOTARIZED.
-copies of our passports
-copies of our Social Security Cards
-Copies of our debit and credit cards
-Copies of some checks from our joint accounts(Our checks have both of our names on then)
-40 pictures (color copies) from around the time of our AOS interview till the time we sent the i751, specially pics with family @ new years, thanksgiving,holidays and stuff like that.
Keep in mind that all the stuff we sent were photocopies no originals, and all the stuff was in both of our names, or showing the same address, the whole point is to show that we still live together. I hope this can help someone. My personal opinion is I would rather be called for an interview becuse i sent too much stuff (which i have yet to c) than be called because i dont have enough evidence, or ater months of waiting receive RFE and have my application delayed even longer.We also used a lawyer to file the i751, just in case we were missing something. Its an investment of a lifetime. The lawyer didnt do much they just made sure we had all the stuff,organized it and sent. I liked the fact that everytime we received any NOA from USCIS my lawyer got a copy in the mail as well, which helps specially if you hav had problems with your ail not being delivered in the past.

Midge, keep in mind that once your fiance arrives in the US, the countdown starts and you only have 90 days to get married from the date of entry. With your proposed wedding date, he would have to arrive on July 22, 2011 or later. According to your timeline, he could possibly arrive in January or shortly thereafter. You would have no choice but to get married quickly and then have the big ceremony later that year just for your friends and family, unless if you have both already decided he would come later in the year. If I'm not mistaken though, the K-1 visa is only valid for one entry into the US from 6 months from the date of issue. Just keep an eye on your timeline.

It would be unfair if I didn't post here to say thank God I found Visa Journey and everyone here. You all have been so helpful! I would not have known what to do without all the information and help here
My fiancee and I practiced every question on the Nigerian consulate review posted by others, and sure enough many questions we practiced were asked. Not only that, she also heard a few other uestions from other people taking their own interviews as well.
Just a quick request, when you take the interview please post the questions at the minimum to help others, since it seems their questions do change even so slightly, but from all I've read there is a format or standard set of leading questions they use.
So she's finally coming home!!! :dance: :dance:

Great thread...NigeriaorBust...Come to think of it...Great user name too.
May you never bust at the seams! Go on give me a chorus to that.......
Very often folks forget this marriage issue (and the problems that often arise therein) are not exclusive to those that marry outside their race or tribe. Here is a simple fact: If you have lived in the states for awhile and you marry someone who has spent most of their adult life in sub-saharan Africa, chances are both of you will be going through some major, major, changes and battles during the early stages of your marriage.
These dynamics are also at play when you do not take the acclimatizing bit into the equation.
Understanding therefore that marriage by itself is a work in progress as so many have already alluded to in earlier posts is critical. Then recalling that the work in progress is often compounded by layers of swirling emotions induced, and catalyzed, by the whole USCIS process may well be something to remind yourself each day since the process can be prolonged.
I have found that the key to simplifying this work-in-progress is to amplify the positives and downplay the negatives. Oh and by the way, like most marriages it helps to eschew discussing what transpires between man and wife to outsiders (friends and family inclusive)and simply working it out.
Are there any quick fixes to this word- marriage? Heck no. If in doubt , ask Al and Tipper who, after 40years, suddenly realise they have grown apart.I tell you, this work-in-progress can become an uphill battle never to be surmounted without help from God.
Here`s wishing y`all a wonderful journey....not just the USCIS trip but in the more important journey called life..

We are just getting started in America, but wanted to contribute to this thread I think what has been most helpful for us is the fact that I lived in Kenya, both on my own and with him. While I'm sure my "homesickness" for Kenya is nothing like his I still have many days when I would love to still be there in the little town we lived in, teaching my classes & sneaking off to visit him So I can understand to some extent what he's going through.
I think the hardest thing for now is that we are still waiting for AOS - he can't work yet, and he's getting bored. He's been volunteering but he REALLY wants to work, and I don't blame him!
We lived apart for 2 years and now we are just happy to be living on the same continent again I still look over at him most days (he's been here right at 3 months) and say "I can't believe you're here!" Just happy to wake up next to him every morning and go to sleep next to him every night.
Anyway, I'm glad to see this thread & hear from some other happy Sub-Saharan couples

I like this topic and am happy to post in it. We are part of the happy 'beginnings' but with a rough and rocky few weeks in there. Kingsley arrived here on January 1st so he's been here just 5 months now. Each day we are finding out more about each other. Each day we are finding OUR footing and finding OUR way. People have said many times on here that the "visa journey" is not the hardest part, the hardest part starts once they get here, and it's so true. I thought "how can ANYTHING be as hard as this is ... being seperated from my husband for so long without an end date in sight?" ... and then he arrived.
I have 2 children from a previous relationship. Kingsley has never lived in the same house with children. I previously lived with my childrens father for more than 8 years. Kingsley has never lived with a woman. I've been the single mom running the show. He's been the bachelor running the show. To say that we have "butted heads" a few times would be an understatement. We have experienced all sorts of emotions during the few short months he's been here. Pure unadulterated joy, complete amazement (both good and bad), excitement, disappointment, confusion, bewilderment, frustration, silliness, love, love, love. There was a point, for about a month solid, that we weren't 'getting each other' at all and it was heart breaking for us both. I was seriously wondering if we had made the biggest mistake. GOD plans things out because we both 'hit our wall' at the exact same time and were able to bring down the walls and just talk it out. Had we hit our breaking points at different times, I'm pretty sure that this post would be quite a bit different and not under 'happy endings' as the topic!
I've never had to compromise so much in my entire life, and neither has my husband. At the end of the day, we get it figured out and we move on and we're happy that we're together. He gets homesick for the familiar. He's been job hunting (with no luck so far) day in and day out. HATES that he's at home while I'm going to work every day. His pride and his self worth has taken a big hit over the last 5 months. He's become addicted to television because there's nothing else for him to do. Since the weather has gotten nicer, he's been working in our yard which is FABULOUS because I don't love yard work and he's a bit particular about things being perfect so I told him that the yard is HIS DOMAIN .. have at it!
Marriage is a work in progress ... for the duration of the marriage. My parents just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last week and my mom said "Marriage is work. It was work from day one and it will be work until all is said and done. Just like your job, some days breeze by and it's hard to believe that you got paid to do that all day long. Other days seem endless, nothing goes right and you wish you could quit and find something else. But you don't because you LOVE what you do, you LOVE your job. It's a work in progess and it always will be. Enjoy to the fullest the days that are effortless. Let go of the days that are difficult, take whatever lesson you learned from it and let it go." I think she's pretty smart.

not everybody can do that, personal circumstances are different. its not for us to judge where folk adjust status. some can. some cant. people can try to expedite if they wish, too. its an option given to everyone that files. its whether they meet the criteria or not that counts.
just my opinion.

I posted on visa-journey yesterday about expedited petitions, I would like to say to all those who gave negative feed back and cast heavy doubts about the possibilities of an expedited petition.
My wife and I had ours expedited and ACCEPTED TODAY
I'm not in the army, nothing to do with ill health... made an educated appeal and common sense prevailed ...
Thank you and in your face Ning (visa-journey member)