DCF in Italy-wise to cancel I-130?

[irene5269 0]

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I are currently living in Italy (I am the USC) and we filed the I-130 to the California Service Center and have a N01 date of July 13, 2007. We actually filed the I-129F after that with a N01 date August 22, 2007. After we hit the 6 month mark of waiting for approval for the K-3 visa we called the Senator for my state of residence in the U.S. He suggested we cancel the I-129F and told us he'd arrange it himself by calling the CSC (also assuring us that he'd make sure this wouldn't affect the processing of the I-130). I suspect he did as he said he would. The only proof I have is his word that he did so and a new "last updated" date on the USCIS website next to my I-130 and not my I-129F (the I-129F date remained the same 8/22/07 where as the I-130 now says 12/14/07, which is the day he said he called). OK, that brings us, basically, to the present. Absolutely nothing has changed since this date. In the meantime, being worried, I've called numerous times to the USCIS to see if I could pry ANY information out of them that isn't printed in a script in front of them. They can't even tell me if my I-129F was "administratively cancelled", as the fellow from the Senator's office put it. I'm not really sure what they are capable of helping with, honestly. I've taken to bending truths just to get past the useless front line of defense and on to more knowledgable Immigration Officers. Really this hasn't done any good either. The last news I heard was from the Senator's office and they said that they FINALLY got throught to the CSC on the phone and that someone named Keith was requesting my file and would work on it personally. Apparently Keith has since retired because nothing more has happened, not even another "touch". So here we are.

My husband and I are running out of resources here in Italy as work is scarce. We are looking for ANY other avenue to bring us back to America faster and have considered withdrawing our current I-130 in favor of resubmitting in the form of DCF. Any advice?

I'll give you some information that will help. I've been here for 9 months but still don't have my permission to stay card. They take a REALLY long time here in the Teramo province for this sort of thing. What I DO have is my temporary permission to stay that basically lets anyone of authority know that I have, indeed, filed for the permission and that it's just being processed. I really have no idea when this bit of paper will be in my hands. Everytime we call we get different excuses and they all seem to want to pass us off on to some other office. Once even being directed to Rome just to be told that whoever told us to call Rome for this matter must have been late for a lunch date and didn't want to talk. Great. In any case, I have proof that I've been living here for these 9 months via the temp. permission to stay.

What would you do?

Any help is appreciated.

[Mohgli 0]

Hello Everyone,

My husband and I are currently living in Italy (I am the USC) and we filed the I-130 to the California Service Center and have a N01 date of July 13, 2007. We actually filed the I-129F after that with a N01 date August 22, 2007. After we hit the 6 month mark of waiting for approval for the K-3 visa we called the Senator for my state of residence in the U.S. He suggested we cancel the I-129F and told us he'd arrange it himself by calling the CSC (also assuring us that he'd make sure this wouldn't affect the processing of the I-130). I suspect he did as he said he would. The only proof I have is his word that he did so and a new "last updated" date on the USCIS website next to my I-130 and not my I-129F (the I-129F date remained the same 8/22/07 where as the I-130 now says 12/14/07, which is the day he said he called). OK, that brings us, basically, to the present. Absolutely nothing has changed since this date. In the meantime, being worried, I've called numerous times to the USCIS to see if I could pry ANY information out of them that isn't printed in a script in front of them. They can't even tell me if my I-129F was "administratively cancelled", as the fellow from the Senator's office put it. I'm not really sure what they are capable of helping with, honestly. I've taken to bending truths just to get past the useless front line of defense and on to more knowledgable Immigration Officers. Really this hasn't done any good either. The last news I heard was from the Senator's office and they said that they FINALLY got throught to the CSC on the phone and that someone named Keith was requesting my file and would work on it personally. Apparently Keith has since retired because nothing more has happened, not even another "touch". So here we are.

My husband and I are running out of resources here in Italy as work is scarce. We are looking for ANY other avenue to bring us back to America faster and have considered withdrawing our current I-130 in favor of resubmitting in the form of DCF. Any advice?

I'll give you some information that will help. I've been here for 9 months but still don't have my permission to stay card. They take a REALLY long time here in the Teramo province for this sort of thing. What I DO have is my temporary permission to stay that basically lets anyone of authority know that I have, indeed, filed for the permission and that it's just being processed. I really have no idea when this bit of paper will be in my hands. Everytime we call we get different excuses and they all seem to want to pass us off on to some other office. Once even being directed to Rome just to be told that whoever told us to call Rome for this matter must have been late for a lunch date and didn't want to talk. Great. In any case, I have proof that I've been living here for these 9 months via the temp. permission to stay.

What would you do?

Any help is appreciated.

check the options at your ROME consulate on DCF, its a foreign office of USCIS located within the US Embassy in ROME

[irene5269 0]

I am doing that today, to see if I am even eligable for the DCF considering my permission to stay card isn't in my hands. Really my main concern is SHOULD I? At this stage of the game I'm wondering if starting over would help or hinder progress. I am wondering if there's anyone who can give me some advice on whether or not this is the way to go. Is there anyone who's done this in Italy or anyone with any knowledge of someone else doing this successfully in Italy? Even if you've had a similar situation in another country, it'd be helpful to hear how you handeled it. Thank you so much.

[Mohgli 0]

I am doing that today, to see if I am even eligable for the DCF considering my permission to stay card isn't in my hands. Really my main concern is SHOULD I? At this stage of the game I'm wondering if starting over would help or hinder progress. I am wondering if there's anyone who can give me some advice on whether or not this is the way to go. Is there anyone who's done this in Italy or anyone with any knowledge of someone else doing this successfully in Italy? Even if you've had a similar situation in another country, it'd be helpful to hear how you handeled it. Thank you so much.

if u browse this particular forum, i remember some folks who had escalated their cases to Rome from Germany. one aspect that they complain about is u need to be based ni the country u are applying from on a semi permanent basis i.e. showing a job/visa/apartment etc atleast those are the criteria for India.

best bet is explain the situation to the USConsulate via email and most times they are prompt in letting you know the criteria etc. I have a feeling europe might be a bit lax vs. south east asia (my perception)

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Do check with the consulate -but I'm afraid you will need the permission to stay card to be eligible for filing DCF. If that is so, perhaps -not sure on this on-e you could ask Rome to attract your case? I don't even know if this has been done before, but you don't loose anything by asking!!!!

Good luck and keep us posted, L.

[irene5269 0]

Okay, so here's an update on my situation. I hope this helps anyone who's in the same boat and I suspect there might be a few of you considering the number of views for this post and not so many responses.

You should in fact have your permesso di soggiorno (permission to stay) to file the I-130 at the Rome consulate. You should also have received your permesso di sorggiorno within 3 months of filing it. I filed mine 9 months ago. What I have, in hand, is a the temporary permesso they give you to let anyone in authority know that I have, in fact, filed for it. The province of Italy that I live in (Teramo) is EXTREMELY slow with getting this to me. When we've called to see what the hold up is they seem rather uninterested. They tell us not to worry and I'm completely within the law to stay here with my temporary. Ok.

I emailed the Rome consulate inquiring as to whether I could file the I-130 there. They responded saying that I first needed to scan over to them my permesso di soggiorno. I then went on to explain my issue with that. They responded saying they were going to investigate the validity of my statement and get back to me. Well apparently they've found the answers they needed as they wrote yesterday saying that my temporary is fine and that the actual permesso di soggiorno is taking WAY too long to process. Cool. They also said that since I will have to cancel my currently pending I-130 they'll also need a copy of the letter I must send to California Service Center to do so. That's all.

If you are in Italy and in the very same situation, I can't say whether or not you'll have the same answers from Rome. I think they look at each case separately as they don't really post any restrictions online. Some parts of Italy may be slow to process matters but they are also quite forgiving because of it. It seems everyone completely understands what it's like. That's very helpful.