Will I EVER get to USA?

[MonkeyJuice 3]

We hired out lawyer in March '08 & it took them until May '08 to file our K1 petition. We got our NA01 on 16th May'08 and only got our approval 9 months 8 days later. (almost 1 year from contacting the lawyer!)

We kept bugging the senator & eventually we got our NA02 on Feb 24th '09. I don't whether he actually helped or whether it was a coincidence...who knows?

Getting stuck in security checks is the worst thing. No-one can tell you anything & the frustrating response from USCIS is "call back in another 6 months"

I'm really sorry that you are in this situation but I'm sure you will hear something soon.

I think you'll find a couple of people in the 6months+ thread in the same situation as you. They are stuck in security checks for some unknown reason.

Good Luck

[mrsB 0]

Wow, this has been a lot of info over night. Thank you, I didn't think anyone would respond now. I'll share this topic with my husband, perhaps he can find yet something else to do about our case.

cris11, I was pretty shocked to hear you had still travelled to USA while your case was pending when the answer I got about even trying was that it'd be the biggest mistake of my life. The embassy told me that yes, there is no legal reason as to why I couldn't go, but that the officials at the airport could send me back to Finland if they felt like it. It's an awfully long trip and a lot of money to go there just to be turned down. I guess I'm not as brave as you :/ The reason why I haven't tried to go to USA during this time is that the last time I went to USA in September 2007 the officials at the airport already gave me a hard time for visiting the country. I had been in USA from late December 2006 to the end of March 2007 and apparently it wasn't alright with them that I had returned during the same year. The person at the counter (who checks my passport etc) told me that if I'd try to come back any time soon it'd be unlikely that I'd be allowed into the country. Apparently I'm on some kind of a blacklist for being in love with an American. I was pretty shocked with his behavior anyway, he was trying to make me feel bad for coming over. Thanks to what he said, I've been terrified to go back without a visa. My country belongs to the visa waiver program which means ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET that there are no traveling limitations as long as the individual stay doesn't last more than 3 months. I've never extended my stay and I've always had proof of finances, yet apparently I'm no longer welcome.

Right now I'm living at my parents' and I don't have a permanent job here (just some occasional substitute teacher jobs etc) due to this uncertain status. I guess technically there's nothing for me here that would be enough to convince Homeland Security that I intend to come back, save for the logical reason. Why would I after all this time risk not getting a proper visa?

The most frustrating thing about this whole process has been the fact that I can't personally be very involved. Everything happens in the USA and my husband is the one submitting the paperworks and asking questions and so forth. All I seem to be able to do is wait. I still find it amazing that even though it has been almost a year since our papers were received at the USCIS, we haven't got ANY letters from them, save for the receipt a year ago...

[mrsB 0]

Oh and I forgot to add yet another thing that worries me. When I contacted the Embassy in early February 2009 they already sent me the package that's usually sent to people AFTER USCIS approves. They said that since it has been so long for me already, they'd send me the package so that I could get working on that. Now I'm worried that since this case seems to be dragging... How long are these papers going to be valid? I immediately went to get the papers from the magistrate that prove our marriage, I got my criminal record, had my photos taken (again) and called to ask about the medical exam and vaccinations. Now I'm worried that by the time USCIS actually completes, I'm going to need to pay for a new set of papers and photos again. It's not cheap! Good thing I didn't go for the medical exam yet, that's another 450 euros right there + 105 euros on travel as I need to go all the way to the capital for it. Hopefully I could set it during the same time as the interview (a bit over 100 euros for that) would be so that I could just do one trip there... Perhaps I should've waited to get started on those papers, but the embassy was so sure that with the senator being involved our case would get processed in no time.

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Oh and I forgot to add yet another thing that worries me. When I contacted the Embassy in early February 2009 they already sent me the package that's usually sent to people AFTER USCIS approves. They said that since it has been so long for me already, they'd send me the package so that I could get working on that. Now I'm worried that since this case seems to be dragging... How long are these papers going to be valid? I immediately went to get the papers from the magistrate that prove our marriage, I got my criminal record, had my photos taken (again) and called to ask about the medical exam and vaccinations. Now I'm worried that by the time USCIS actually completes, I'm going to need to pay for a new set of papers and photos again. It's not cheap! Good thing I didn't go for the medical exam yet, that's another 450 euros right there + 105 euros on travel as I need to go all the way to the capital for it. Hopefully I could set it during the same time as the interview (a bit over 100 euros for that) would be so that I could just do one trip there... Perhaps I should've waited to get started on those papers, but the embassy was so sure that with the senator being involved our case would get processed in no time.

This is very confusing..

Have you checked your status online with USCIS. Does say case received & pending or Cases Approved?

OR Call Department of State who will tell you the status of your case (ie whether Embassy actually received it & whether they are are awating your packet 3)

[mrsB 0]

Our case with USCIS is still "received and pending". Checking through USCIS website also confirms this. The Embassy had not received anything from the USCIS.

EDIT: Also the only date that I can get regarding our case was the April 2008 date when the case had been received by the USCIS. That's why I'm so worried.

Edited March 26, 2009 by mrsB

[mrsB 0]

Oh and I don't think I mentioned, everything went fine with the I-130, but for some reason our names were completely mispelled in the I-129F that we also sent in. The NOA date for that was June 6, 2008. (why it took so long remains a mystery) My husband immediately contacted them about the spelling error and it was supposedly taken care of. It wasn't until my husband called again in December when it turned out that our names were STILL wrong in that form. At which point we were instructed to just drop the I-129F as it wasn't doing us any good, quite the opposite. I suppose that paper on it's own was slowing us down somewhat, but... Not hearing ANYTHING from the USCIS at any point is rather worrying.

[mrsB 0]

If they are doing a name check, then maybe your name had a hit. Perhaps your name resembles someone on the FBI list??? I'm really sorry about your terribly long wait. I don't have a timeline and I have posted. I don't think it's manditory to make a timeline in order to post. The only thing I can think of is instead of doing a service request, have your husband do an expedite request for being outside of the processing time. A service request just tells you the status. An expedite request asks them to hurry it up. I wonder since the name check is what is holding it up, if your senator or congressman can contact someone in homeland security or at the fbi? I have no idea if it's possible, but it's worth asking. I have noticed that a few (not many, but a few) people have had extremely long wait times for their approvals. There must be someone out there that has waited almost as long as you.

I wish you the best!

Guess I shoud've kept my old Finnish last name after all... I seriously doubt that it would've resembled anyone hehe... Well, I guess us Finns are just very dangerous, huh? >_>

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Our case with USCIS is still "received and pending". Checking through USCIS website also confirms this. The Embassy had not received anything from the USCIS.

EDIT: Also the only date that I can get regarding our case was the April 2008 date when the case had been received by the USCIS. That's why I'm so worried.

Oh Ok, It was just because you said the Embassy sent you something. They would only do that if you have your NA02.

I would ring USCIS & ask for a service request. This will mean they will have to look at your case & report back with the status. ie whether you are in security checks or not.

[cris11 0]

mrsB'

Obviously responding to U.S. Embassy all that you should not travel to the USA when your application is in process.

I was also interviewed last time by the staff when I arrived at the airport, but instead of a 3 months tourist visa they gave me 6 months visa! I had bring with me proof that I plan to travel back to Sweden.

I had overstay one time 10 days because of medical reason, 10 days. I when I come back the last time I had the doctor report (from US) with me to show them why I was not able to travel back to Swe before the end of the 90 th days VW.

[Hannita84 0]

Hei!

Yllätyin positiivisesti että täällä forumissa onkin toinen suomalainen mun lisäksi! Luin viestisi ja ymmärrän todella hyvin mitä tarkoitat. Itse en ole ihan samassa tilanteessa sun kanssa tällä hetkellä, koska ollaan onneksi päästy pois USCIS helvetistä (tällä hetkellä NVC käsittelee meidän papereita ja K3 on jo edennyt suurlähetystöön saakka). Mutta kokonaisuudessaan mekin ollaan odoteltu kohta vuoden verran. Matkan varrelle on sattunut ylä ja ala mäkiä ja toivon niin paljon että tää kaikki olisi kohta ohi! Ei tää helppoa ole kenellekään ja varsinkaan se, että joutuu olemaan erossa omasta rakkaastaan. Mäkin asun tällä hetkellä äidin luona ja oon nukkunu patjalla viime syksystä lähtien. Itsekin tein sen virheen että irtisanouduin omasta kämpästä aivan liian nopeasti ja kun ei ollut muuta vaihtoehtoa siinä vaiheessa kun saatiinkin tietää että en pääse jenkkeihin syksyllä, jouduin muuttamaan takasin äidin luokse. Se on ärsyttävää että ihmiset utelee että milloinka olet nyt lähdössä, kun tuntuu kestävän niin kauan ja mahtaa varmaan tuntua kamalalta. Vaikka sitä kuinka selittelisi, kukaan ei sitä kuitenkaan ymmärrä millaista on olla oikeasti tässä tilanteessa. Anyway, jos haluat purkaa enemmän tunteita tai mitä tahansa, niin voisit laittaa mulle vaikka private viestiä tätä kautta Ois ihan mukava jutella ihmisen kanssa, joka on samassa tilanteessa kuin mäkin ja muutenkin vaihtaa kuulumisia ja kokemuksia!

Ei muuta ku tsemppiä jaksamiseen! Kyllä kaikki ennemmin tai myöhemmin muuttuu hyväksi.

Hanna

[mrsB 0]

Hei Hanna, laitan sulle yksityisviestinä mun e-mailin vaikkapa, niin voit sinne kirjoittaa tai jos käytät Messengeriä niin vaikka lisätä sinne, olisi mukava jutella. Ymmärrän todella hyvin sunkin tilannetta, itse olen elänyt matkalaukusta ja sohvalla nukkuen viimeiset 1,5 vuotta. Rankkaa on!

To cris11, I continue to be surprised by your amazing luck! I still don't know why I was greeted with such negativity at the airport in USA when I last went there, but all this time now I've been living under the assumption that if I'd try to go to USA it'd affect the visa application process. Perhaps the Americans just like the Swedish people more, hehe... I don't know but you've sure been lucky

MonkeyJuice, the embassy did send me the papers that I needed in order to prepare them before my interview with them BECAUSE they thought USCIS would be done soon. To this day however, they have not received any info from the USCIS. I know this is probably complicated to understand, I'm very confused with the whole process myself.

[jab1976 0]

Hey dont feel bad, you are not alone, i also applied for a fiancee visa k1 last year march 2008, and we are still waiting for response from immigration, we found out thru the congressman that our case is delayed due to security checks,

all we can do is just keep trying. good luck to all of us.

[cris11 0]

The lawyer told me a denied at the customer at the airport, cant affect the visa application process, it’s different visa rules.

We are many people here who had travel to US under our processing time, the worst who can happen you is that you need to travel back to Finland,,

And ...Please, don’t write Finnish at the forum! If we are going to help and support each other here, its better we use a language most of us at VJ can understand! I know you Finnish guys are educated in the Swedish language,,, but I use also my second language here.

Take care

[mrsB 0]

Well, since I got a response in Finnish I thought it'd be approriate to write back 2 lines in Finnish as well... I'll stick to English from now on.

Och jag är inte så bra i svensk. >_>

Edited March 26, 2009 by mrsB

[Hannita84 0]

The lawyer told me a denied at the customer at the airport, cant affect the visa application process, it’s different visa rules.

We are many people here who had travel to US under our processing time, the worst who can happen you is that you need to travel back to Finland,,

And ...Please, don’t write Finnish at the forum! If we are going to help and support each other here, its better we use a language most of us at VJ can understand! I know you Finnish guys are educated in the Swedish language,,, but I use also my second language here.

Take care

Yeah cris11, that is true we should write in english here when you actually want to find help etc. I was just telling her personal life stuff, so I thought is easier to do it in finnish sorry everyone!