Petition expires February 9,2010 (What should we do?)

[Nwanyioma 11]

Hello VJ,

My fiancee got an email from the Lagos Consulate stating that he should come back February 22,2010 to present the additional documents listed on the 221g that was given to him January 14. But our petiton expires February 9 2010. Is that going to be a problem? If so how can the embassy extend our expiration date?

Nwanyioma

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Nigeria is famous for extending petitions. Sometimes the initial interview takes places after the expiration

[Afrilaskan Queen 0]

Hi Nwanyioma,

I'm not a lawyer, so I hope that if you have one you will double check my thoughts here. If you want your SO to come on this approved petition you NEED this expiration date revalidated [they may use a different term], because if it expires and they do not revalidate it - in other words if they do not issue a visa - you will have that expired petition going back to the U.S. with a denial stamp and you will have to prove whatever negative finding wrong even though you will not be able to use an expired approved I-129 petition.

I'm not sure but I think I read that the interviewing officer can choose to revalidate a petition in the interview. But as precaution if I was you I would find out if it can be revalidated prior.

Ours expired before our interview, was not revalidated, we were denied, and subsequently we've waited almost 2 years. This may not happen in your case but I think it is highly important to get your petition revalidated. I could be wrong but I don't think it's a coincidence that your petition expires before the time they asked him to return.

Take Care...

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

If they are still processing the visa they have extended the date. My first pass through the embassy was in the days of the mass filing before the fee increase and it was common to wait over 4 months for an interview. Don't panic about it. It is their processing that makes it late , they are extending the date. People that have to worry are those that try to delay the processing and let the date slide.