I-130 petitioner upgrade to citizenship

[mobby 0]

Hello,

I recently upgraded my wife I-130 when I became US citizen on 1/12/07. I sent my natrualization cert to my lawyer who is doing our case so she could send it to USCIS so her case will be upgraded. Lat week I called USCIS to see if they received anything and if my case has been upgraded. The USCIS officer told me that no they haven't received anything but I could have done it over the phone didnt need to mail anything. So he got my information and some numbers off of my CERT and then gave me a reference number. I called today again to get an update but they told me that no it hasnt been upgraded and usuauly takes 45 days to have it upgraded. I told her that I called and upgraded the case and the officer gave me a ref code but she said that ref code is for internal use and it shouldn't have given out and she said I have to wait up to 45 days and I should get something in mail.

Anyone here has gone thru this? Does it really take 45 days? We were hoping by September she will have her visa or is September a wishful thinking?

Also since I have a lawyer do I need to worry about the agent or automatically my lawyer will be assigned as an agent? Does this actually make it go faster since we skip a step?Sending back and forth for assigning an agent?

I had originally filed my wife's I-130 on 12/120/05. It's been a long and hard journey up to now being away 10 months at a time. But we are here, we were just hoping by September this ordeal will be over but today after hearing that just an upgrade will take 45 days I lost all hopes.

Any advice will be appreciate it

Thanks

Mobby

[riblet 0]

Well, hopefully I can cheer you up a bit

I received my U.S. citizenship on 9/26 of last year. I called them 3 days later to upgrade. I was given a reference number also (that sounds ridiculous about her saying they aren't supposed to give them out!!). I believe I was told to call 30 days later - I referenced the number and was told that it would be sent as a second request. There was activity on my file in the next day, and I received a letter a week or so later confirming my call. Oh, and the second time they did tell me to call back in 45 days if nothing had happened. My case was approved about 6 weeks after that. Hopefully your request will work this second time

September may or may not be wishful thinking, depending on which consulate you are going through and whether you decide to file a I129F.

Your wife will still need to choose an agent at the NVC, having a lawyer does not allow you to skip a step unfortunately - but, if you follow James' shortcuts, as I did, you can email the choice of agent on the same day the form is generated, and this can save a good amount of time.

Good luck & I hope everything moves quickly for you!

Edited January 24, 2007 by riblet

[mobby 0]

Well, hopefully I can cheer you up a bit

I received my U.S. citizenship on 9/26 of last year. I called them 3 days later to upgrade. I was given a reference number also (that sounds ridiculous about her saying they aren't supposed to give them out!!). I believe I was told to call 30 days later - I referenced the number and was told that it would be sent as a second request. There was activity on my file in the next day, and I received a letter a week or so later confirming my call. Oh, and the second time they did tell me to call back in 45 days if nothing had happened. My case was approved about 6 weeks after that. Hopefully your request will work this second time

September may or may not be wishful thinking, depending on which consulate you are going through and whether you decide to file a I129F.

Your wife will still need to choose an agent at the NVC, having a lawyer does not allow you to skip a step unfortunately - but, if you follow James' shortcuts, as I did, you can email the choice of agent on the same day the form is generated, and this can save a good amount of time.

Good luck & I hope everything moves quickly for you!

Thanks riblet for your response that's encouraging. Can I do the james short cut even though I have a lawyer? wouldn't I be over stepping my lawyer? What do you think? Also I am going thru probably Ankara Turkey or Dubai? Do you think I should also file for K3 or I129F? Thanks for all your help.

[riblet 0]

I would talk to you lawyer and see if he/she is willing to do any of them - the choice of agent especially can save a few weeks and is the very first thing that happens.

Whether or not you file a I129F at this point is really a matter of personal choice. If you main priority is to get your wife here the fastest, without regard to some additional cost and whether or not she will be able to work immediately when she gets here... then certainly file the I129F. It would be smart to decide soon though, the longer the I130 is pending, the less sense it makes it try the I129F.

Good luck again

[mobby 0]

I would talk to you lawyer and see if he/she is willing to do any of them - the choice of agent especially can save a few weeks and is the very first thing that happens.

Whether or not you file a I129F at this point is really a matter of personal choice. If you main priority is to get your wife here the fastest, without regard to some additional cost and whether or not she will be able to work immediately when she gets here... then certainly file the I129F. It would be smart to decide soon though, the longer the I130 is pending, the less sense it makes it try the I129F.

Good luck again

Thanks riblet.. I will ask her