Kristy S

Thanks for all the replies... but I'm curious about folks who have their NOA2, did they have their accounts touched before? (lol - their probably partying right now)

I haven't had a touch since 7/12.

Also trying to figure out what I should do IF I dont hear anything by the 6th of Dec.

some people get touches, some don't at all

this is all so depressing...my NOA is dated September 3rd..I can't believe you guys are still waiting!

What the hell are they doing?????

the processing time is 5 months, if they are within their 5 months then you have nothing to complain about. if you get yours before your 5 months is up, then consider yourself lucky, but unless you PASS 5 months, come on people, stop complaing, we are ALL in the same boat as you. you are not the first people to wait this long, in fact i know couples that have had to wait years to be together, and in the grand scheme of things, 5 months is nothing.

anyone who had done any research on visa approval would know this was a long process before they even embarked on it in the first place and yet everyone is acting like they are the only ones going through this and that it's some horrible injustice that they have to wait their turn like everyone else.

December 6 is 5 months for me too. We got touched last week but no NOA2 yet.

did i tell you that i have a touch from the 16th 19th and 20th? nervous about RFEs now

Theres still quite a few June NOA1's on igors list so I suspect you'll have a few more weeks to go yet, I've got a loooooong wait still

or it could be this week, they approved like 5 between july 8 and july 14 on november 19th

december 6th will be 5 months for me too, sit tight, it'll come through eventually

guys, remember also, VJers do not signify the entirety of the cases that either service center handles, we are probably just a small number of them in fact. i'm sure they are approving cases, just not people that are members of this site.

just curious, anyone here knows how many "touches" should a case undergo before it can be finally approve by the USCIS? thanks much!

there is no set number, and they aren't always good at updating, some people say they get no touches and just approval eventually, and i myself have had 5 touches so far with no approval yet. it's completely arbitrary based on whether they update the system with the touches or not, and probably based on what worker pulls your file i'd imagine.

A sole proprietor may use any check they desire including their personal check from personal account. Since the OP has only worked this year, she isn't entitled to a W2 form or 1099 yet. The "employer" is required to provide one or the other by January 31, 2011.

The OP will need to sort out her sponsorship issues before the interview, which apparently will be AFTER January 31, 2011. I don't see any statement by the OP indicating anything illegal or even unusual has occurred with regard to her job or the owner of the restaurant where she works.

he didn't give her any form of stubs or documentation for hours worked or taxes/ss/unemployment deducted, she stated all she has is photocopies of the checks

I just read a posting that says they are working Mon-Sat.

they should be as far behind as they've let themselves get and as much time as they will be taking off around the holidays

UGH 40 days until I see him again. We better have an interview date by then.

22 days here, same thought

We were touched twice in two days and I am terrified that we may get an RFE. I think it's because of the two touches in two days. I mean if we get one, we will work on it but the thought of more delays is killing me.

i know how you feel, i got a touch on nov 16, 19 and 20, and my noa1 date is july 6 and i'm seeing all sorts past my date gettin approvals, and i paid an idiot lawyer 1700$ just so i wouldn't have to worry about RFEs, i'm going to demand a huge chunk of money back if i get one

thank you!

btw, how long did it take you guys before you got the NOA2? just curious, been waiting for 4 mos and 5 days now, and our case is still in the "Initial Review" sometimes i wonder if it will ever change, haha..,it's been like forever. Thanks again!

here's a handy timeline for you to look at, helps me stay sane realizing that they are actually approving something (even though the last 5 approved were AFTER my noa1 date, lol)

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/monthly_filers.php?visa=1&form=1&scenter=1&option=3&sortby=2

here are the poverty guidelines, you need to be at 100% for the filing with the k1, and 125% for the filing with the AOS

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-864p.pdf

I hope AOS fees go down when I am ready to file

lol, nice thought, but as far as i can tell, the ONLY fee that's gone down is the k1, everything else has gone up. and seeing as this is the government we are talking about, i seriously doubt anything will go down in cost again. in fact my theory is that they just lower the k1 in the hopes of getting more people to apply for it seeing as it will rope that many more people into paying the AOS fees down the line, and heck, if the relationship dissolves before they get the k1 file on their desk to process then it's just pure profit for them, so win/win for the desk jockeys.

yeah, that's what i really feel if the uscis is even working on it on those "idle" months, i mean checking the background of the applicant/petitioner would mainly consists of checking the criminal history, marital status, determining the legitimacy of the relationship,etc. i think it can be done in two months or so if they are really working on it but i just don't get it what's taking them too long unless of course it's an exceptional case then i would understand. Oh well, can't really do anything about it other than getting pissed. I just hope to received the good news this Christmas.

i had a uscis employee tell me that our files literally sit in a huge warehouse in boxes for most of the time they have them and they usually approve them within a week of them actually hitting their desk, and that's the one thing i've had one of them tell me that i actually believe 100%. my company runs background checks on any new hires and has it done in less than 48 hours, i'm sure it's not QUITE as extensive as the one run by the government, but in today's day and age it shouldn't take more than a week. hell, the nuclear power plant that is a few miles from my house has such strict clearance that only like one in 20 ppl pass their background checks, and theirs takes under a week to run even.

i have no doubt that the employee i talked to was right and my file has spent the last 4 and a half months in a box in a warehouse. he actually said to me: "picture the big warehouses from one of the indiana jones movie, and make it much bigger and with more boxes, and THAT'S where your file is right now, just waiting in line."

As an IRS Agent, I find this thread very interesting and entertaining. You and your Father need to talk to your employer and make sure he (the employer) helps you sort out this problem.

maybe it makes me a bad person, but i just LOLed

WOW 29 replies with diffrent answers.

well, glad you're paying attention....guess i'll stop wasting my time trying to help you, good luck, you might need it

Yes, if you get tips then definitely claim them. You will have to pay tax, but it will also raise your income number.

that is a good point, maybe she won't need a cosponsor, but i'll bet the consulate will question it if it's that close and she doesn't have a breakdown of hourly pay or anything? just her word that she made that much in tips? as a restaurant manager i know that all my servers are issued a log book from the irs that they are expected to update daily (or by shift worked) and the irs has the right to request this log for an audit at their discretion.

employeres have till feb 1st and you must wait till 16th before you can call irs on it

the OP stated the checks were BUSINESS personal checks. many small businesses have "DBA" checking accounts, the checks look like a personal check. IDK that's the case here but sounds like it to me.

i agree on taking the checks with you to the tax preparer, speaking to the employer (this is what you shoud be doing instead of us!), and absolutely agree on the business isnt going to be shut down overnight for something like this

and agree also on the assets, at 16k you're only short 2111x3

seriously? you cant think of even one reason why someone would be hiding their income? i can come up with at least 3 without thinking hard (ducking CS, receiving disability or worker's comp, welfare fraud). i doubt of OP (if they have half a brain) will be sharing on here why they're doing it because when people do illegal things it's not wise thing to tell about it.

true, but why would said person then file a petition with the US government and potentially screw themselves over royally?

I am college student. I go to school fulltime and now I have to be sponser for my fiance because I have no one to be his sponser.I had to find an emplopyer which he/she can work with my school hours. This employer is one of dad's friend.He own a coffee shop and he told me to work for him. But I never realized this would happen to me.

and you are going to need a co-sponsor probably

well, first of all you need to talk to him and see if you are even working for him legally.

if not then i doubt he will help you with a statement, and you might be in trouble from the irs.

if he is then he will have records of the tax/social security/unemployment that he is deducting from your paychecks, and you should get copies of that.

you will need to round up copies of every single one of your checks and take them to a tax person so they can advise you how bad it really is and how much you are going to owe, and to get your taxes filed. at this point i advise you admit to and claim any tips you've made (at least a guesstimate) because there is a chance the irs might look into it and audit you, and if they find out you made tips and didn't claim then, then they could make a point of making your financial life a bit difficult (my mom used to work for the irs, i got to hear the horror stories).

and for future reference, it is not normal to receive pay in regular check form with no stubs showing deductions, it is not a good sign.

You don't have to answer but im currious as to why as an american citizen you would take a strange job like that with no forms filled out and strange payments being made to you in check form? Something like that would of sent alarm bells going off like crazy in my mind at the interview and if not then the first day I got payed with a personal business check.

that was the first thing going through my mind as well...i can see it from like a 16 year old that doesn't know any better, but then their parents should step in and ask wth is going on. but from any adult that has bills to pay and lives on the up and up, i don't get it.

also, what are the odds he'll give her a written statement if he's dodging social security and taxes?

set aside about 15% of the total (guesstimate) and plan on filing tax return. you should receive a w-2 by mid-Feb 2011 for tax year 2010 and if you dont call IRS

even if you do not still file, and pay, your taxes.

as for last year, you say you've worked for a year so that would only be approx a month. file a tax return for last year now ASAP.

since you've only worked a year you may not owe anything for 2009 (were you unemployed previous to nov 2009? or had another job? this will affect)

if he's paying her by personal check and she didn't fill out a W4 then i'm guessing she'll have no W2. she will have to file and just declare her earnings with the copies of the checks as proof if they ask i guess?

and there's a good chance he isn't paying into social security as well sara.

personal checks? so no mention of how many hours or what your hourly rate?

anyone know how uscis feels about under the table jobs?