Petitioning for my wife. Already in US

[DRSN 0]

My wife and I got married just recently. She's in the US on a student visa which expires in 2010.

I've read around on the UCSIS site, but it doesn't always seem clear what I need to do. This immigration stuff is pretty confusing.

Do I do the I-130? Or the I-129F? Do I do the I-130 and have her file the Adjustment of Status form simultaneously?

We've got an I-130 almost completely filled out, but have a couple of questions. She's from Hong Kong, so in the part where it asks for name and address in your native language if other than English, should she do it in Chinese even though English is an official language of Hong Kong?

In section 22 where it asks where they will apply for adjustment of status, do I fill in both locations? Or does it assume I already know if she is eligible for adjustment of status (I think she is) so I only fill in the local one?

Thanks.

[payxibka 10,045]

My wife and I got married just recently. She's in the US on a student visa which expires in 2010.

I've read around on the UCSIS site, but it doesn't always seem clear what I need to do. This immigration stuff is pretty confusing.

Do I do the I-130? Or the I-129F? Do I do the I-130 and have her file the Adjustment of Status form simultaneously?

We've got an I-130 almost completely filled out, but have a couple of questions. She's from Hong Kong, so in the part where it asks for name and address in your native language if other than English, should she do it in Chinese even though English is an official language of Hong Kong?

In section 22 where it asks where they will apply for adjustment of status, do I fill in both locations? Or does it assume I already know if she is eligible for adjustment of status (I think she is) so I only fill in the local one?

Thanks.

i-130 YES

I-129f NO

simultaneous filing YES

don't worry about native language because all is going to be done here...

adjustment of status can only be done in one location.... no visa is going to be applied for here

Edited October 8, 2008 by payxibka

[YuAndDan 153]

If wife is still in the USA and intent on entry was NOT immigrations, then use this guide to adjust status.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide2

The official language of HK is Cantonese (Chinese), so the section that asks to fill in name in native language should be Chinese.

Edited October 8, 2008 by YuAndDan

[payxibka 10,045]

The official language of HK is Cantonese (Chinese), so the section that asks to fill in name in native language should be Chinese.

true but since nobody at the USCIS will understand Cantonese and based on the OP's circumstances, this package will never leave the USA......

[YuAndDan 153]

The official language of HK is Cantonese (Chinese), so the section that asks to fill in name in native language should be Chinese.

true but since nobody at the USCIS will understand Cantonese and based on the OP's circumstances, this package will never leave the USA......

I am talking about line #20 on I-130 form: "20. If your relative's native alphabet is other than Roman letters, write his or her name and foreign address in the native alphabet."

And G-325A "If your native alphabet is in other than Roman letters, write your name in your native alphabet below:"

NOT the whole form.

My wife wrote 杨煜 Chinese Characters.

[DRSN 0]

Thanks, I'll go ahead and have her do that. Even if it never gets used, I'd rather have this done by the book.

[payxibka 10,045]

The official language of HK is Cantonese (Chinese), so the section that asks to fill in name in native language should be Chinese.

true but since nobody at the USCIS will understand Cantonese and based on the OP's circumstances, this package will never leave the USA......

I am talking about line #20 on I-130 form: "20. If your relative's native alphabet is other than Roman letters, write his or her name and foreign address in the native alphabet."

And G-325A "If your native alphabet is in other than Roman letters, write your name in your native alphabet below:"

NOT the whole form.

My wife wrote 杨煜 Chinese Characters.

I know, my point is since it will never leave the USA it seems to be a "Why bother!"

[pushbrk 12,569]

The official language of HK is Cantonese (Chinese), so the section that asks to fill in name in native language should be Chinese.

true but since nobody at the USCIS will understand Cantonese and based on the OP's circumstances, this package will never leave the USA......

I am talking about line #20 on I-130 form: "20. If your relative's native alphabet is other than Roman letters, write his or her name and foreign address in the native alphabet."

And G-325A "If your native alphabet is in other than Roman letters, write your name in your native alphabet below:"

NOT the whole form.

My wife wrote æ¨ç…œ Chinese Characters.

I know, my point is since it will never leave the USA it seems to be a "Why bother!"

There's good reason, believe me. Particularly with Chinese, the Romanized (Pinyin) is not sufficient to cross reference records becaue the same "spelling" can represent more than one "character". (sometimes as many as four or more different characters are tranliterated to the same Pinyin "spelling".

One really needs no more reason than because the form asks for it.

To the original questions, if she's on an F1 visa, no worries. If a J1, check to make sure whether there's a home stay requirement. If there is, the visa itself will mention it.

Edited October 8, 2008 by pushbrk

[payxibka 10,045]

Who at the USCIS will do this alleged cross reference?

[pushbrk 12,569]

Who at the USCIS will do this alleged cross reference?

Nobody at USCIS. Security clearances are done by the FBI and other agencies based on information required in the form. That's why they ask the questions they do.

[DRSN 0]

Where would we find her Alien Registration number for I-130? We can't find it on her I-94. Does everyone get one? She doesn't recall having one.

[pushbrk 12,569]

Where would we find her Alien Registration number for I-130? We can't find it on her I-94. Does everyone get one? She doesn't recall having one.

You should find it on her visa. It's the number that begins with "A".

[Gigli2008 70]

Where would we find her Alien Registration number for I-130? We can't find it on her I-94. Does everyone get one? She doesn't recall having one.

You should find it on her visa. It's the number that begins with "A".

I don't think Visas have alien numbers. She should write "None". If she already had an A# that would mean she had already started the process before. The A# will be issued when USCIS receive the I-130 petition. Watch out for the I-94 number, Port of Entry, Day of Entry.

[pushbrk 12,569]

Where would we find her Alien Registration number for I-130? We can't find it on her I-94. Does everyone get one? She doesn't recall having one.

You should find it on her visa. It's the number that begins with "A".

I don't think Visas have alien numbers. She should write "None". If she already had an A# that would mean she had already started the process before. The A# will be issued when USCIS receive the I-130 petition. Watch out for the I-94 number, Port of Entry, Day of Entry.

You're right, the A number is on other paperwork instead of on the visa. However, if she has a student visa, she has an Alien number even if she doesn't know what it is. So, "unknown" would be her correct answer instead of "none" unless she can find her A number.