Moyo

So after chasing my family around to get copies of there tax info for I-864 I ran into a problem. Well a couple of problems. First of all they sent me there tax returns in PDF that are password protected from the accountant. I have the password but when I try to add the file to create one pdf to send to NVC it wont do it. Anyone know a way around this?

I suppose someone is going to suggest that I print and rescan the pages. I am trying to avoid that because one of the supporting family members tax returns is over 50 pages.

ps...my other problem is that I work too much and am over a week overdue on sending this! I am so upset that we have wasted this time.

I called nvc this morning. The lady told me that it looked like they received my case on Sept 14. Called by chance again tonight and another operator said it looked like my case got there the end of Aug. and it should be a couple of more days. Nothing there makes any sense at this stage of the process.

So they stopped DCF? That will mess people's lives up in the future.

If the NVC books your interview for a spousal visa...can you try for an earlier appointment or are you stuck with what they give you? I'm guessing at this point it would take 3 months from the time the NVC approves you?

Thanks alot!

I am the beneficiary. My passport expires in December and I have just received NOA2.

Due to my job I require a passport that does not expire within 3 months so I am getting a new one this week. Do I have to tell the USCIS or the NVC?

My new passport will obviously be a different number and wont match the photocopies submitted with my I-130.

Thanks in advance.

What a wonderful news you've got there Moyo... Congratulations...

Thank you!

Moyo, told you that you would be the next! I was wrong only for 1 day (not including weekend). Congratulations !

P.S. Did you get my e-mail at all?

Yeah you were right. Thanks for the moral support! Check your pm's.

Approved today. Woohoo!

Well another week has passed. Who from May has been approved? Also I know people say not to bother checking for touches but my case was never touched. I have this sinking feeling my case is lost.

I wonder if the power outage in Southern California affected the approvals this week?

Yep looks like Im the last one in May to not get approved yet. Hope they didnt lose my case. Thanks for doing this though.

. Just relax, buddy. Your petition and mine will be approved at the same time, which is next week . I got that inner feeling . It's like boiling the water: it's warming, warming and as a result you have water spill on the kitchen stove .

Moyo, buddy, there has been recently some petitions with NOA1 as of May 18th approved, so we're the next. If not, I owe you a pack of beer (Heineken or Backs). Just let me know - where to find you: in the USA or in Canada .

Is that correct that the backlog at Montreal is 4 months? It's killing me as well. Well, in fact, my wife is gonna kill me somewhere in Toronto due to this delay, because I've already told her about expected interview somewhere at the end of this year. Damn it!

By the way, does anyone here on this thread (or on forum at all) have an info on hand how to contact Montreal consulate via e-mail or phone? I'd really appreciate that help.

I'm really trying to relax. You can send my case of beer to Canada as I may be stuck here! I've heard it's 3+ months for interview recently.

Congrats on your NOA2!

Who's still waiting? I requested expedite on Monday and can't even tell if that was denied. They sent this the same day.

The status of this service request is:

Thank you for your inquiry.  You should receive a notice of action* within 45 days.  

*A notice of action may be in a form of Approval Notice, Denial Notice, Transfer Notice, Request for Evidence, Notice of Intent to Deny or Notice of Intent to Revoke

I am so sick of this process already. Seems like 90% of people go through the USCIS wihin 3 months. Now there are big NVC delays? Not to mention I have to do my interview at the Montreal Consulate and that could be a 4 month wait. Basically this could take over a year. Thanks for reading my vent.

His/her hather also needs to file I-864 and not I-864A.

If her father is in the same house he fills out I-864A and if he is not living in the house when they move there he fills out I-864 I believe.

I haven't even had a touch on my case since it got transferred to CSC. Anyone else in the same boat?

Yes, but you also need to write a letter explaining why you didn't file taxes--very simple--you didn't earn enough to get above the filing threshold.

We will thank you!

My spouse has been unemployed for 2 years. We have a strong cosponsor. Can we submit the one from 3 years ago and put 0 on the 864? Our cosponsors will be submitting their w2s with the 864.

Hm, Moyo, my timeline is exactly as yours - will see who gets NOA2 first . I guess, our countdown has been started and the chances are pretty good that we'd hear something withing next month. I'm going on vacation with my wife (we're flying from Toronto) to Dominican Republic on August, 21th. Hope, USCIS is gonna bother me with SMS while I'm enjoying time with my wife .

Well we are crossing our fingers! Let's hope we both get approval soon.

That's odd. I remember looking at the USCIS processing times for CSC numerous times as I was filing and I could have sworn it said 3 months for a petition for alien relative. Maybe I'm mistaken. Also it seems that the majority of I-130's are processed at about 3 months which would back what the site said up until this July. I guess we will start to see if the majority takes 5 months now. Time to pray.

Ok sorry I am on no sleep and actually should have titled this to "replying to 5 months for NOA2 ?".

The actual duration between your I-130 NOA1 receipt and approval has been 5 months for a very long time. Then you get to wait another 3 to 5 months for the VISA process before your spouse will be able to come here to stay.

Look at Visa Journey timelines for I-130 and you will see how long it takes. Sorry for delivering the bad news.

It took me 10 months to get my spouse here and I did everything as quickly as possible. I always had the paperwork ready for the next phase.

Good Luck

That's odd. I remember looking at the USCIS processing times for CSC numerous times as I was filing and I could have sworn it said 3 months for a petition for alien relative. Maybe I'm mistaken. Also it seems that the majority of I-130's are processed at about 3 months which would back what the site said up until this July. I guess we will start to see if the majority takes 5 months now. Time to pray.

So on the website to check the processing times for the California Service Center, it now says 5 months for I-130 to get processed. It said 3 months right up until this month. We are May filer's and this is such crappy timing.

Montreal is of course taking forever in sending P3 which is annoying.

Every time I call DOS I seem to get a different answer as to where our case is which is also annoying.

I just want to have an interview date so I can have an idea on things even though I may be annoyed to have to wait 2 months for an interview.

I was a much calmer person when our case was at Vermont....who would have thought....

Are the wait times for Montreal interviews at about 2 months now?

Hey there again,

We are sending the CR1 out Monday. It is completed. We had to wait on our marriage certificate to get mailed out to us and it got lost in the mail so we had another one sent. We are currently planning a party for the people in my country since they did not get to our wedding in the USA. So the question is can we send the CR1 package from Canada? If so can we fedex it to the courier address in Chicago? I want it to get there quick and dont want to have to wait til my partner goes back to mail it from the US.

Also a question for down the road. When I finally have an interview and the Montreal Consulate takes my passport...what do I do if I need my passport multiple times a week as I cross the border at least 3 times a week for my job? I have heard it can take a long time to get it back in the mail? this would force me to quit my job before the interview.

Thanks!

Hey there! I am the USC and am unemployed and my parents are co-sponsors.......... and I visit my hubby 3months at a time. then spend 3months at home. I've never had a problem at the border and haven't been refused entry, I just tell the truth visiting my hubby and I have all the I-130's and paperwork with me to show if they want. I also live with my parents, and I don't have anything in my name, I have a cell phone printed that stuff out, and I'm on my dad's car insurance. As for the interivew I happened to be visiting my hubby when we found out he got the interview for last week. Everyone at the consulate was really nice, and the first person we saw who didn't conduct the interview but was taking our paperwork and asking questions asked me if I work, and I told him no, asked where I used to work and I told him of the 2 jobs I've ever had, he had all my past taxes infront of him for 07,08,09. ( if he was gonna keep asking questions I had printouts from my email of jobs I had applied too, because I am looking for a job) he asked me if I live in US and I told him yes I am just visiting my hubby right now. Then he asked me about my parents and where they work and I told him, then he asked if I had a recent tax return thingy for 2010 and I gave it to him and thats all. then the lady who conducted the interview was super nice and she didn't ask me about work or anything.

I agree with what everyone is saying though, because everyones case is diffnt, and you just never know who will get aksed what. But I'm sure you could just visit, just break up the times don't do one big chunk, I would go feb-may (just got bck) stay home for 3months, then i would go sep-nov (sept is our anniversary month, don't wanna miss that!! lol.

Good luck!!! don't worry it will all be fine =)

Thanks so much Minted! Thats more of what we have been experiencing. I know that it depends on what agents you get but I have had some that were in a really bad mood and still got through the border. Fingers crossed while we go through this process!

If she can visit you for long periods of time, then go for it. Assuming you can prove domicile. So if she has rent/mortgage, utility bills, etc. The people at the consulate won't have any knowledge of her trips to Canada anyway. HOWEVER it sounds like you need to talk to other Canadians whose US spouses were unemployed at the time of the visa interview. Find out what evidence they had of domicile, and if it was accepted. It may be that she should be looking for a job for the sole purpose of proving domicile, I don't know.

Thats good advice. Thank you all for your answers. I will start collecting more evidence on proving domicile. If she doesnt own a house and cant get employment in here field (as the job rate is wonderful in America!) then it could prove tricky. We will just have to try with other things.