Desperately in need of some guidance

[bigangrytexan 0]

Let me quickly explain my situation.

My name is Cody. I am 25 years old, born and raised north of Houston. I was honorably discharged as a Sergeant from the Marine Corps in October of 2008. I am currently attending College and am working as a Search and Rescue Dispatcher. My wife’s name is Vicky, and she is a citizen of the Russian Federation. We were married in August of 2008 after an eleven month separation due to my second deployment to Iraq and other responsibilities I had in the Marine Corps that prevented us from getting married until August. When I finished my enlistment in October, I went to Moscow for three months on a student visa to study the Russian language at Moscow State University and to spend as much time as possible with my wife. For three months, we lived a normal life, free of the separation of 6,000 miles and nine time zones.

I filed for Vicky’s I-130 paperwork in September 2008 and her I-129F in October 2008. They are in the Vermont Service Center in St. Albans, Vermont. Neither have been touched since October 21st, 2008 as of today (02-03-2009). The current processing time frame for the I-130 petition at the Vermont Service Center states that it will still be eight more months before my wife's case is even reviewed for approval. Even if my wife's petition is approved immediately upon review; it will have been eleven months of waiting and separation. I have already exhausted every resource that I have available to me to accelerate my wife's petition. I contacted my District Representative, Congressman Kevin Brady. However, his Director of Case Management stated that it was not possible to accelerate case processing unless there is a life or death situation. I have spent the past five years of my life honorably serving my country in the United States Marine Corps, and due to my commitments to the Marine Corps and to my country, we have already spent eleven months apart. I will do whatever is necessary to avoid another eleven month separation from the wife I love.

Here is the exact copy of the letter that Congressman Kevin Brady's Director of Case Management sent to me:

Cody:

With respect and gratitude for your service to our country Immigration will only expedite cases where there is impending death. I wish I could make this happen sooner but this is the procedure they use. Even if you were going through the Senators office they would be given the same answer.

Janet

My question is, where do I go from here? Right now I'm feeling extremely hung out to dry by the government that I just spent the vast majority of my adult life defending. I'm feeling very disenfranchised and lost, because I don't know where else to turn. Does anyone have any idea where I can go from here?

[YuAndDan 153]

Join the crowd, there are MANY, many people waiting for NOA2 from both centers, they can and do take 6 months to process petions, the rate increase of July 2007 was supposed to help improve the centers processing times, IT HAS NOT.

Moving this to USCIS forum.

[Cuchita 1]

So sad to hear that men like you who served our country have to go thru this. It is completely disrespectful and unfair from the government.

The letter states clearly that no matter what, you have to sit and wait. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do. You ask where to go and the only answer I have for you is pray and try to make your love with that woman grow by keeping in touch anyway possible.

Good luck and thanks a lot for you effort.

[Beth/ Paris Heart 2]

Let me quickly explain my situation.

My name is Cody. I am 25 years old, born and raised north of Houston. I was honorably discharged as a Sergeant from the Marine Corps in October of 2008. I am currently attending College and am working as a Search and Rescue Dispatcher. My wife’s name is Vicky, and she is a citizen of the Russian Federation. We were married in August of 2008 after an eleven month separation due to my second deployment to Iraq and other responsibilities I had in the Marine Corps that prevented us from getting married until August. When I finished my enlistment in October, I went to Moscow for three months on a student visa to study the Russian language at Moscow State University and to spend as much time as possible with my wife. For three months, we lived a normal life, free of the separation of 6,000 miles and nine time zones.

I filed for Vicky’s I-130 paperwork in September 2008 and her I-129F in October 2008. They are in the Vermont Service Center in St. Albans, Vermont. Neither have been touched since October 21st, 2008 as of today (02-03-2009). The current processing time frame for the I-130 petition at the Vermont Service Center states that it will still be eight more months before my wife's case is even reviewed for approval. Even if my wife's petition is approved immediately upon review; it will have been eleven months of waiting and separation. I have already exhausted every resource that I have available to me to accelerate my wife's petition. I contacted my District Representative, Congressman Kevin Brady. However, his Director of Case Management stated that it was not possible to accelerate case processing unless there is a life or death situation. I have spent the past five years of my life honorably serving my country in the United States Marine Corps, and due to my commitments to the Marine Corps and to my country, we have already spent eleven months apart. I will do whatever is necessary to avoid another eleven month separation from the wife I love.

Here is the exact copy of the letter that Congressman Kevin Brady's Director of Case Management sent to me:

Cody:

With respect and gratitude for your service to our country Immigration will only expedite cases where there is impending death. I wish I could make this happen sooner but this is the procedure they use. Even if you were going through the Senators office they would be given the same answer.

Janet

My question is, where do I go from here? Right now I'm feeling extremely hung out to dry by the government that I just spent the vast majority of my adult life defending. I'm feeling very disenfranchised and lost, because I don't know where else to turn. Does anyone have any idea where I can go from here?

Hello fellow Texan,

Not much you can do, if you were still in the military and ready to deploy out, you could of got the petition passed sooner. The only thing to do now is to wait, and I know that is the hardest part. Hang in there, it will come when least expected. Stay Strong.

By the way, thank you for protecting our country Marine. My dad was a 20 year Marine, and to this day, Im so proud of him.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

Im sorry that you are still apart from your wife. Unfortunatley for you guys, you are at the VSC. We waited 8+ months for an approval of our k3. The current trend on VJ has been that some June-Aug filers are now getting approved.

Maybe it wont be as long as you think.

Either way, you have some serious waiting to do. It must be a desperate situation for them to grant an expedite

Come on over to the k3 forum and you'll see all the support there for people still waiting(esp at Vermont)

Good Luck and I hope you are reunited very soon

Lisa

[Techbrarian 0]

Cody -

Being apart is very difficult. Take a look at MY timeline. It took 7 months for the USCIS to process our I-130. Have faith though, you will get through soon. It looks as though the Centers are processing a bit faster right now than they were when it was my time. I wish you luck and a speedy shoot through their machinery from now on.

<3 and good wishes,

Sam

PS: And you're right, it IS a nightmare. But eventually it ends and you quickly forget the hell you went through to be able to live like a normal couple. All you can do for now is talk as much as possible, visit when you can, and keep each other sane. Hugs.

Edited February 3, 2009 by Sam and Metodi

[bigangrytexan 0]

Cody -

Being apart is very difficult. Take a look at MY timeline. It took 7 months for the USCIS to process our I-130. Have faith though, you will get through soon. It looks as though the Centers are processing a bit faster right now than they were when it was my time. I wish you luck and a speedy shoot through their machinery from now on.

<3 and good wishes,

Sam

PS: And you're right, it IS a nightmare. But eventually it ends and you quickly forget the hell you went through to be able to live like a normal couple. All you can do for now is talk as much as possible, visit when you can, and keep each other sane. Hugs.

Well, I'm very depressed that there really isn't much I can do, but I do appreciate all of your support. Thank you all.

[dale_trisha 3]

Patience will be a blessing later. I see by your time line that your just a couple months from hopefully getting approved. To pass the time spend it getting ready for the interview. Get all the docs together she will need. That helps me. It also takes away the stress that some have who wait.

Unfor serving in the military does not help this situation but having served a few years (>10) we both know that we learned to wait in lines......

Hopefully you will get something soon

[childress_london 3]

There is nothing you can do but wait like the rest of us. Don't plan on your wife being in the states for at least another year (because once your petition gets approved at USCIS, that is just the beginning of the process). Meanwhile, the both of you need to stay busy and come on to VJ for support. My husband and I use the heck out of MSN video chat every day. BTW, I am in Houston too. There is a good sized Russian ex-pat population here. If you haven't heard of it, I would suggest checking out meetup.com and search for the Russian Meetup Group in Houston. (http://russian.meetup.com/250/) I keep meaning to go (I was a Russian linguist in the Navy), but just can't seem to find the time.

Welcome home!