Scandinavians

[JayJayH 546]

I saw somebody here in the thread saying I would have to sign something? I wasn't handed anything to sign other than the envelope for my visa and documents for my POE so now you're having me all worried lol. I'm NOT going all the way back to Sweden to sign a piece of paper.

The DS-260 (immigrant visa application) needs/needed (?) to be signed in front of them. They forgot to have me sign it and I didn't hear anything from them for 4 weeks, when finally the embassy in Oslo called me and asked me to come and sign it there. But this was more than 3 years ago while most DS-260s were still done on paper and the electronic version was still in beta testing and only available in China.

I don't even know if it still exists in paper form at all anymore. In which case my advice is outdated Don't worry.

Congrats!

Edited December 17, 2015 by JayJayH

[SoerenHelmer 50]

So i had a little look at some case numbers from STK.

From what i can see taking some 36 cases, i takes about 14 days from case scan to CC.

I didn't go longer back but ppl can do that and see if the numbers change a lot.

[gusgusgus 0]

You can use assets to satisfy I-864 requirements.

Your problem here is that the sponsor must be domiciled in the United States. Even if you have a co-sponsor, the US citizen spouse must fill out an I-864 as well, and you have to be a US resident to fill that out. Since the US citizen spouse must be at least a co-sponsor on the I-864, the US citizen has to establish domicile in the US even if there is a co-sponsor. This from the State Department's website:

How can a petitioner establish a domicile?

When a sponsor has clearly not maintained a domicile in the United States, he/she must re-establish a U.S. domicile to be a sponsor. The aspiring sponsor may take steps, including the examples given below, to show that the United States is his/her principal place of residence

• Find employment in the United States
• Secure a residence in the United States
• Register children in U.S. schools
• Relinquish residence abroad
• Other evidence of a U.S. residence

If the sponsor establishes U.S. domicile, it is not necessary for the sponsor to go to the United States before the sponsored family members. However, the sponsor must return to the United States to live before the sponsored immigrant may enter the United States. The sponsored immigrant must enter the United States with or after the sponsor.

Work on that. Here's the link to the State Department's FAQ on the matter. http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/support/i-864-frequently-asked-questions.html

I am a bit confused abut the re-establishment of a U.S. domicile. How can this be done without splitting up a family?

Anyone in a similar situation with a idea how to do this?

And what would likely qualify as evidence?

- Employment. Will a proof letter of future employment from a business be enough?

- Securing a residence? We will most likely start our new journey where my wife's parents reside. And soon after we found what we are looking to buy a property.

My wife can't relinquish her residency in Sweden before we know we can move. It feels like moment 22?

I am sure there must be plenty of similar situation as ours? How did you plan all this without splitting up the family?

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I am a bit confused abut the re-establishment of a U.S. domicile. How can this be done without splitting up a family?

Anyone in a similar situation with a idea how to do this?

And what would likely qualify as evidence?

- Employment. Will a proof letter of future employment from a business be enough?

- Securing a residence? We will most likely start our new journey where my wife's parents reside. And soon after we found what we are looking to buy a property.

My wife can't relinquish her residency in Sweden before we know we can move. It feels like moment 22?

I am sure there must be plenty of similar situation as ours? How did you plan all this without splitting up the family?

You can do a lease or a notarized letter from the parents to state you'll be living with them.

The letter of future employment should be fine for domicile purposes.

Some other things might be an American bank account, an American driver's license, looking into enrolling kids for school if you have them, moving company quotes, etc. Sweden is not that strict about this, but it is better to have more evidence rather than chance it.

Edited December 17, 2015 by N-o-l-a

[gusgusgus 0]

You can do a lease or a notarized letter from the parents to state you'll be living with them.

The letter of future employment should be fine for domicile purposes.

Some other things might be an American bank account, an American driver's license, looking into enrolling kids for school if you have them, moving company quotes, etc. Sweden is not that strict about this, but it is better to have more evidence rather than chance it.

Thanks..

My wife has not been away from the U.S. for a long time. So bank account, drivers license still all in place.

[mallafri76 1,012]

So i had a little look at some case numbers from STK.

From what i can see taking some 36 cases, i takes about 14 days from case scan to CC.

I didn't go longer back but ppl can do that and see if the numbers change a lot.

Everyone I've ever heard of on VJ has had a process time of around 30 days from scan date to cc at NVC. Which excel sheet are you looking at, is it Dwheels? Then it's an average of 45 days from cc to interview date at the Stockholm embassy.

[mallafri76 1,012]

Preparing for my interview on Monday and tripple checking that I have everything and wondering what I'm missing to bring. We don't need to bring an addressed and stamped envelope anymore, do we? Do we need to bring stamps or money for the postage? How about any last minute fees to pay before the interview? I really feel like I'm missing something but I can't figure out what, or maybe it's just nerves?!

[Unidentified 2,930]

Seems like they got tired of people forgetting envelope or not having enough stamps so you won't need that. There won't be any surprise fees either

[mallafri76 1,012]

The hotel was fine and the breakfast buffet was good The room was okay too, nothing to complain about really. Nice staff and very quiet in the hotel itself.

It was easy to walk to the embassy but I'm also used to walking to most destinations lol. It was about 30 mins and not 20 mins like Google maps originally informed me of. The quickest route to the embassy entailed about 10 mins of walking across a big open field though so don't bring your prettiest shoes

If you're coming from Stockholm centrum;

The hotel is about 700 meters away from the subway. Take line no.13. Nice and easy

Thanks for the hotel review. And congratulations on your visa.

[SoerenHelmer 50]

Everyone I've ever heard of on VJ has had a process time of around 30 days from scan date to cc at NVC. Which excel sheet are you looking at, is it Dwheels? Then it's an average of 45 days from cc to interview date at the Stockholm embassy.

I used https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?eQs=o/iS8zDpeAKjMWCuebHqOw==and looked at 72 numbers going back 30+ days.

From that i found the cases and looked a scan date vs CC.

I dont look at others excel be curse most at not up to date and if they are, they dont have STK

[ckibs 52]

Preparing for my interview on Monday and tripple checking that I have everything and wondering what I'm missing to bring. We don't need to bring an addressed and stamped envelope anymore, do we? Do we need to bring stamps or money for the postage? How about any last minute fees to pay before the interview? I really feel like I'm missing something but I can't figure out what, or maybe it's just nerves?!

Nope, no stamps or envelopes. They'll have you fill out the envelope with your address on the spot. Just remember to bring ORIGINALS and not copies of whatever documents you have to bring like police record e.g.

The DS-260 (immigrant visa application) needs/needed (?) to be signed in front of them. They forgot to have me sign it and I didn't hear anything from them for 4 weeks, when finally the embassy in Oslo called me and asked me to come and sign it there. But this was more than 3 years ago while most DS-260s were still done on paper and the electronic version was still in beta testing and only available in China.

I don't even know if it still exists in paper form at all anymore. In which case my advice is outdated Don't worry.

Congrats!

Then I'm more calm because I'm pretty sure it at the end of the form when I filled it out, said I would automatically "sign" it by just confirming the page.

And thank you!

Thanks for the hotel review. And congratulations on your visa.

You're welcome! And thank you!

Good luck on Monday! Can't wait to hear how it went.

[Mick & Janni 11]

Regarding the payment to send in the i-129f package - what do you do with the check of 340 USD? Does it just go in the package with all the other stuff?

[ckibs 52]

Regarding the payment to send in the i-129f package - what do you do with the check of 340 USD? Does it just go in the package with all the other stuff?

We attached our check in the front of our petition, right behind the cover letter.

[JayJayH 546]

Regarding the payment to send in the i-129f package - what do you do with the check of 340 USD? Does it just go in the package with all the other stuff?

Yes.

Attach it with a paperclip to the cover page, or somewhere "in front" of the package. USCIS is close to being the only federal agency that is almost entirely self-funded. Money is the first thing they look for in the package, and without it, they won't even touch it.

Edited December 20, 2015 by JayJayH

[Mick & Janni 11]

So this is what our package contains, and this is also a part of our cover letter - we're posting this on Monday, are we missing anything?

Contents include:

- Payment in the amount of $340.00

- I-129f

- I-129F Supplement: Part 2, Question 34.a, explanation of meeting in person

- Letter certifying intent to marry (Petitioner and Beneficiary)

- Proof of having met in person in the past two years

- Proof of ongoing relationship

- G-325A and passport style photo of (Petitioner)

- G-325A and passport style photo of (Beneficiary)

- Birth certificate of (Petitioner)

- Certified copy of divorce decree of (Petitioner)

- G-1145