Will I EVER get to USA?

[Minya's wife 24]

So, my husband had his biometrics taken, though we still don't know why exactly they wanted those. All they could tell him was that it was so ordered by the California Service Center... *shrug* No news then. I continue working (it's a hard job) and he continues to work in USA and we wonder if we will be together for our next anniversary in December... or not. I'm shocked that our case hasn't been expedited by the USCIS, considering all their #### ups. Life goes on, even though in two separate countries... Good thing we don't have kids.

wait...your husband is the USC, right? why is he being fingerprinted (biometrics) when he's petitioning for you? have you considered finding and employing a competent immigration attorney at this point? there is something very wrong, somewhere in your 'journey'. it seems that your attempts to get it fixed haven't succeeded. perhaps a trained professional can be of assistance.

It does sound strange, doesn't it? USCs are not called for biometrics.

I have seen cases like this - (one here actually) -

Looks like USCIS is not sure of the bona fides of the USC (background check) so they are asked to provide bios to move the case along.

I still haven't found the reasoning on USCIS, still looking.

OK, understandable, but then this is definitely beyond the scope of a do-it-yourself case. the OP and her husband definitely should have some proper legal advise, perhaps that can sort out if there is an issue with the citizen's bona-fides and can assist in getting that issue resolved.

[Ladylethal 12]

Yes, it seems like a case for a competent immigration attorney, to find out why this unusual procedure and to expedite things.

It would appear the USC's name might be common among the "bad" names and they need prints to make sure they haven't stumbled across a "wanted" person? I'm just guessing here.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Yes, it seems like a case for a competent immigration attorney, to find out why this unusual procedure and to expedite things.

It would appear the USC's name might be common among the "bad" names and they need prints to make sure they haven't stumbled across a "wanted" person? I'm just guessing here.

That's right - could be that. In any case, the OP seriously needs to consult an experienced immigration lawyer.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

In the searching - I found this old post (not the newer one I referred to)

VJ USCIS USC fingerprinting

Even though USCIS said "?" - the poster went to the appoinment and had the fingerprinting done.

Nothing yet on USCIS stating why USC's are required - still looking...

Found it:

Biometric and Other information Collected to Conduct Background Checks: Title 8 U.S.C. Section 1324a requires criminal history background checks for USCIS applicants. In order to meet the requirements of 8 U.S.C. Section 1324a, USCIS conducts four different background checks on applicants/petitioners applying for certain USCIS benefits (e.g., applications for Permanent Resident status) (1) A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprint check, (2) a FBI name check, (3) a DHS Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Treasury Enforcement Communication System/Interagency Border Inspection System (TECS/IBIS) name check, and (4) an IDENT fingerprint check.

Source

Edited June 12, 2009 by Bobby_Umit

[Minya's wife 24]

Yes, it seems like a case for a competent immigration attorney, to find out why this unusual procedure and to expedite things.

It would appear the USC's name might be common among the "bad" names and they need prints to make sure they haven't stumbled across a "wanted" person? I'm just guessing here.

That's right - could be that. In any case, the OP seriously needs to consult an experienced immigration lawyer.

but unfortunately, the OP seems to be under the impression that USCIS gives a hoot...

I am most definitely NOT refiling anything since none of this was our fault to begin with. We didn't spell anything wrong or make any mistakes, they've screwed up and they will damn well fix it or some heads will roll. I am rather just staying here than refiling and starting that ####### all over again. Nuh-uh.

the fact is immigration is a benefit, not a right. USCIS knows that too damn well and will not do a damn thing more than necessary to allow petitioners this benefit. any snags that you hit along your 'journey' will be your responsibility to fix, because otherwise you will never get your foreign spouse/fiancee permission to emigrate.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Yes, it seems like a case for a competent immigration attorney, to find out why this unusual procedure and to expedite things.

It would appear the USC's name might be common among the "bad" names and they need prints to make sure they haven't stumbled across a "wanted" person? I'm just guessing here.

That's right - could be that. In any case, the OP seriously needs to consult an experienced immigration lawyer.

but unfortunately, the OP seems to be under the impression that USCIS gives a hoot...

I am most definitely NOT refiling anything since none of this was our fault to begin with. We didn't spell anything wrong or make any mistakes, they've screwed up and they will damn well fix it or some heads will roll. I am rather just staying here than refiling and starting that ####### all over again. Nuh-uh.

the fact is immigration is a benefit, not a right. USCIS knows that too damn well and will not do a damn thing more than necessary to allow petitioners this benefit. any snags that you hit along your 'journey' will be your responsibility to fix, because otherwise you will never get your foreign spouse/fiancee permission to emigrate.

Amen sister!!!! If any heads roll, they will NOT be in USCIS. Seriously, wth.

[jundp 191]

OP: It really sounds like your husband needs to contact an attorney about this. This is unusual to say the least and unfortunately USCIS isn't going to go out of their way to help you. It may be unfair and frustrating, but again immigration benefits are NOT a 'right.'

Also, I know you've stated before that you don't see the need to fill in a timeline, but particularly in your case it would be helpful to others. There might be someone else from Finland who could benefit from knowing your timeline, or there could be others experiencing these types of delays and snafus. It is difficult for those of us who come to help to see that you don't care to fill in a timeline that might be helpful to others - yet you still want comments.

[mrsB 0]

Well... we can't afford to hire an immigration lawyer. My internship only pays me around 600 euros a month and it ends at the end of July. Pretty much everything my husband earns goes to keeping up our apartment, car payments, animals' expenses and food + phone/cable/internet etc. Trust me, if we could've afforded a lawyer we would've hired one a year ago... We are trying to figure out what to do next here, since the senator/congressman's involvement hasn't really helped any, USCIS doesn't keep us posted, everything's shrouded in mystery... So basically we're trying to decide if we should just continue this as a long distance relationship/marriage, after all, we've been doing it for many years. It's downside would be the fact that I couldn't basically get a permanent job if I'd like to travel to visit him for a couple of months at a time. The other option would be for him to move to Finland or Europe, which would kind of suck for him because he only has high school diploma and work experience, no other schools and he pretty much only speaks English. It might work in some other European country, but here he'd be pretty screwed without a college degree at least. The downside to that (save for the ones I already mentioned) is that we got an apartment set up in USA, with all our pets there, all the furniture and things, plus he has a good, stable job in USA, his car and well, everything.

There's a lot to think about.

Oh and "jundp", I hope you enjoy the timeline.

EDIT: Oh #######, I just realized that since we're married I probably still couldn't go visit him in the USA... that's kind of the problem right now too, isn't it... The homeland security would just send me home, thinking I intend to stay permanently... Oh well, I guess it'd be down to him to visit me then... I'm sure that in a couple of years he'll start getting more than 2 weeks of paid holiday a year hehe... Good thing there's internet!

Edited June 13, 2009 by mrsB

[mrsB 0]

Oh and yes, my husband is a US citizen, born there and all. His parents were both born as US citizens as well and so forth... Shouldn't be any question about that.

[Giskat09 2]

Hello everyone.

I just wanted to share my story with you all as I'm starting to run low on hope.

I'm 25 years old, college graduate from Finland. I married my American husband in December 2007, here in Finland where I still am now. My husband is in USA, living in the apartment he had rented for us and working long days to keep it all paid for as neither of us was prepared for all of this to take so long. I made the mistake of giving up my apartment in Finland before the wedding as I went to set up our place in USA a few months prior to the wedding, thinking I'd be back there with my husband in no time. This obviously hasn't been the case. Almost everything I didn't have to sell here, I shipped to USA to wait for me. I only brought a suitcase of clothes to Finland with me. Now, about 1,5 years after my arrival to Finland to prepare for our wedding, I am still sleeping on my parents' couch as I have no idea when I actually can get to USA. During this time I've finished my college, but I've been unable to really move on with my life due to this unstable situation.

After the wedding we started to gather the neccessary documents needed to start our application process. By February 2008 we had both of our papers together and mailed them. It wasn't until April 2008 that we received note that it had all been received by the USCIS. Already I began to wonder how long would this all take after all... That was actually the last we heard from the USCIS. In October it had been 6 months since the papers had been received and I was told (by the embassy in Finland) that it'd take about 6 months to get my visa. Nothing came. No info what so ever. In December my husband called the USCIS and they stated that the case had been recently forwarded to the person who deals with them. The process had started. 2 months after I should've had my visa, according to the embassy. We have since sent out a service request 4 times (which was supposed to speed it all up) but the USCIS has never contacted us about anything. All the info we've got has been due to our own activity. I was worried sick about absolutely nothing seemingly happening and I contacted the embassy again in the beginning of February 2009 and they were shocked to hear that I still haven't gotten anywhere. They said I should've indeed had everything done in last October (2008). They instructed me to tell my husband to contact a local congressman, which should solve the case quite quickly. My husband quickly got in touch with his congressman who then soon sent a letter to the USCIS requesting information. The information he got was that FBI was doing a background check and that there'd be nothing that we could really do about it. My husband called the USCIS and they said we shouldn't worry about our case until it has been a year (around mid-April 2009).

I'm curious as to why all of this has proven to be so incredibly difficult. During the (soon) 1,5 years that we've been married, we've been able to spend 2 weeks together. Am I alone in thinking that it's rather ridiculous?

Let's think about it all for a moment. I'm not a kid, I have no kids. I've never been married before, I have a college degree, I speak English well enough (as you can see here) and I haven't got so much as a parking ticket on my criminal record. I've known my husband for years before we even got married so this wasn't just a sudden thing. He has spent close to 2 months in Finland, whenever he could get a holiday (which are hard to come by in USA). I've spent about 10 months in USA over the course of these years, during my college and it's holidays. I consider myself to be a decent person and I come from a country that (to my knowledge) has a good standing with the USA. A harmless, small northern nation. Everyone in the world who knows anything about Finland can agree with me that this is hardly the kind of country anyone would be eager to leave for "something better".

There has been plenty of proof provided about our relationship, including several testimonies from family and friends.

This has been the hardest time in my life so far. Not being able to be with the person I love and being generally stuck in my life, due to the fact that I have no idea what'll happen next month, much less in 6. All I would want to know is why this is all happening? Am I somehow a suspicious person? Why can I do NOTHING to move this thing forward?

I've been asking the embassy if I could at least go see my husband in USA... We both miss each other so much. The last time we saw each other was 2 weeks in last October when he was here. The time before that was our wedding. The embassy says that I cannot get a visitor visa because I'm already waiting for a permanent one and that if I use the visa waiver program, USA can, if they feel like it, turn me back at the border, which would automatically result in my application being denied. For good. I'm just trying to figure out how can these people have the right to keep us apart for years like this? Shouldn't take too long to check my background. But apparently it takes months.

We're both young and would like to enjoy our youth together. I'm tired of missing his birthdays and him missing mine. I'm sad that he missed my graduation and that we couldn't spend our wedding anniversary together or Christmas, my favorite holiday. His birthday is in a couple of weeks and I'm once again going to miss it... I just wish it'd be the last event that we can't spend together.

Thank you for reading this.

the last time i saw my husband was Feb 25, 2008( he stayed here for only 18 days) .. we got married last Feb 14, 2008 that is 1 year and 5 months ago...

then i went to my interview alone and i was worried coz my husband is not here with me... but thank GOD, my visa was approved.

just keep praying .. GOD bless

[gogo 6]

have you really done EVERYTHING to get your husband here? not to be bad, but a lot of people don't do a lot of research when it comes to what they are doing..

http://usaimmigrationattorney.com/Security...tiveReview.html

http://www.visalaw.com/05feb3/2feb305.html

look at how much we went through, and how much I did for my wife and our petition..

Edited June 17, 2009 by gogo

[gogo 6]

in essence.. security checks are BS after one week.. otherwise, they are just holding your case.. and don't believe their ####### about "nothing you can do about it".. if you truly believe in each other and being together, then there is "nothing THEY can do about it"..

Edited June 17, 2009 by gogo

[Arthur Roberta 1]

in essence.. security checks are BS after one week.. otherwise, they are just holding your case.. and don't believe their ####### about "nothing you can do about it".. if you truly believe in each other and being together, then there is "nothing THEY can do about it"..

You indeed are a prime example to us all for your fortitude in not allowing this process to deter you from your prime objective to be together with your spouse in the US. May I take my hat off to you for your perseverance where many would have wilted under the strain.

It is often quoted that to be with your wife in the US is benefit and not a right...well I think there is a higher court that decides this.

Really when you consider this is 2009 I find it incomprehensible that this archaic system is still in place. However as I have mentioned on previous threads it is perhaps the only means available in order to slow/control immigration to the US. There is not the political will nor the public backing within the US that would see the level of immigration that would ensue should we all be granted visas within a month of applying. I do not think it is right for couples to be kept apart as they are but I cannot see this changing in the near future.

Like many couples we have to wait for all the various stages to be completed and although I very much dislike this we will wait (as we have no other choice) until we are ultimately approved God willing.

I do believe you are correct in that if you are willing to fight for your spouse as you have aptly demonstrated then you will indeed be rewarded. Where there is a will there is a way. You indeed have to keep knocking on the door questioning and fighting for it is your lives together that is the ultimate goal. It is a shame that some breeze through the process and yet others seem to have nothing but one stumbling block after another.

I do hope mrsB that you shortly hear of your approval and get some relief from the stress and life in limbo that you appear to have been living.

Best Wishes

Arthur and Roberta

[gogo 6]

Thank you Arthur and Roberta.. I am ashamed to be so highly regarded.. I am just doing what everyone else is doing, and that is trying to get our loved ones over here.. I have seen people who gave up on during the whole "journey", and I hope that they did the right thing in doing that.. Sometimes this journey is really hard for a couple (or person) to handle.. but I think that if we can persevere through this, then our relationship will be much stronger.. we can almost handle anything else that comes in our path.. haha, I said this in another topic too.. when I go back, sometimes I just see her sleeping and I just smile.. that feeling you get can never be bought with any money.. Love is more important than money (although both are important).. you can always make back what you lost in money, but you may not make it back in the love you lost..

[faryan 4]

Thank you Arthur and Roberta.. I am ashamed to be so highly regarded.. I am just doing what everyone else is doing, and that is trying to get our loved ones over here.. I have seen people who gave up on during the whole "journey", and I hope that they did the right thing in doing that.. Sometimes this journey is really hard for a couple (or person) to handle.. but I think that if we can persevere through this, then our relationship will be much stronger.. we can almost handle anything else that comes in our path.. haha, I said this in another topic too.. when I go back, sometimes I just see her sleeping and I just smile.. that feeling you get can never be bought with any money.. Love is more important than money (although both are important).. you can always make back what you lost in money, but you may not make it back in the love you lost..