Not in system 7 weeks after crossing POE

[intuitionsys 0]

I have a question maybe someone here can answer or has had something similar happen.

My wife received her IR-1 visa on March 20th and we crossed at the Alexandria POE on the 29th. It's now May 12 and still nothing from USCIS not even the usual welcome letter we should have received within about a month. I called USCIS and they can't even find the entry information in their system. They are asking for receipt numbers and other information that was never given us at the border we were supposedly supposed to have been given. They didn't give her an I-94 or an I-797 receipt or anything that USCIS says she should have.

Would it help to call the POE and ask if they've actually submitted her paperwork?

She never received her SSN either and it was the same issue when we went to the SSA; they don't see any of her info in their system. What's going on? It seems like nothing was ever submitted from the packet we gave them at the border. No welcome letter, no greencard, no SSN, no nothing. We're becoming very concerned that someone has seriously screwed up somewhere.

[canadian_wife 1,829]

Certainly call the POE and maybe also call your Congressman to find out what is going on. We waited about 3 weeks to go to the SSA office to get the SSN.

Be proactive - if you aren't, they certainly won't be

Good luck

[And_Sam 44]

You can definitely call the POE and see how far behind they are to turning the paperwork in to the USCIS. I didn't realize that JFK was so backlogged sending the paperwork in until I read it somewhere here on VJ.

That has to be so frustrating!!!!

[Petition2252 7]

You can definitely call the POE and see how far behind they are to turning the paperwork in to the USCIS. I didn't realize that JFK was so backlogged sending the paperwork in until I read it somewhere here on VJ.

That has to be so frustrating!!!!

Seriously, How hard is it to send a massive mail out once a week to the USCIS. My wife will either fly into Atlanta or New York (from Moscow using Delta). I was hoping to meet her in New York, but at the same time I don't think I want her stuff getting delayed at the POE.

[intuitionsys 0]

Well I'll definitely be calling the POE tomorrow. I never thought about them possibly waiting for some documentation but I can't imagine what they would be waiting for. Everything that was required was sent to and approved by the consulate. My congressman's office is right upstairs from my own office so if the POE gives me the runaround that will definitely be my next stop. Thanks for the info and suggestions guys.

[sdw 10]

That's crazy. Hopefully you get some answers tomorrow.

[Darnell 8,479]

1. CR-1/IR-1 Visa holders never get an I-94 - so don't sweat that.

2. Are you certain you activated the CR-1 visa at the POE? Stranger things have happened, but if the CBP folk dinna take yer 'sealed envelope' then there is good chance this visa wasn't activated, and you came across on some regular 'Canadien visit USA' thingie.

I do suggest calling the POE and inquiring - but -

Customs n Border Patrol also maintain 'secondary inspection' offices across the USA - you might get some 'relief' by showing up there, as well.

FWIW, you can also go into a SSA office, apply for a SSN card, and if there is any hassle (can't find you in the SAVE database system) then that'll be another 'example' of 'USCIS NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU'.

Good Luck !

[intuitionsys 0]

1. CR-1/IR-1 Visa holders never get an I-94 - so don't sweat that.

2. Are you certain you activated the CR-1 visa at the POE? Stranger things have happened, but if the CBP folk dinna take yer 'sealed envelope' then there is good chance this visa wasn't activated, and you came across on some regular 'Canadien visit USA' thingie.

I do suggest calling the POE and inquiring - but -

Customs n Border Patrol also maintain 'secondary inspection' offices across the USA - you might get some 'relief' by showing up there, as well.

FWIW, you can also go into a SSA office, apply for a SSN card, and if there is any hassle (can't find you in the SAVE database system) then that'll be another 'example' of 'USCIS NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU'.

Good Luck !

I thought USCIS asking for an I-94 was odd for an IR-1 visa so that's a bit of a relief. It is pretty clear a good number of the people that work at USCIS only know what their computer screens tell them and little else.

We did go to our local SSA to apply for a SSN about a week or so ago and they were unable to find my wife in their system (I didn't know it was called the SAVE database) so they sent off something to "immigration" (DHS or USCIS I assume she didn't say which) because she couldn't verify anything on her computer.

I called USCIS yesterday and basically got the same attitude. What? You're not in our system! Well that's your problem you figure it out! All I can do is parrot what's on my screen (sarcasm intended). She wouldn't offer any recourse or who to contact or anything. I asked "well umm should I call back in a week or two then?". "I guess if you want." with an apathetic tone was the response.

I got busy at work and couldn't call the POE but I'll be calling tomorrow for sure. They took our packet and went through it doing this and that at the border and explained they'd be sending the packet we gave them the same day we crossed but that doesn't appear to be the case. If they did send it then maybe it got lost in the mail or something. I'm just guessing because everybody we've talked to so far assumes we must have done something horribly wrong and they couldn't possibly have made a mistake.

We should have just stayed in Canada I hate this #######. Here I thought the "journey" was all but over and still more waiting and fighting with bureaucrats. Grrrr! Hopefully I'll get some answers at the POE tomorrow.

[intuitionsys 0]

One other question is we keep getting asked for a receipt number. What receipt number? Were we supposed to get a receipt number at the border? If they're referring to the receipt number we should have received in the letter we never received how the bleep do we provide it?

[Darnell 8,479]

Have you found the secondary inspection office yet? If not, since yer busy working - this would be a GREAT Homework Assignment for your wife - Give her the white pages telephone book, the yellow pages telephone book, internet access and a telephone - let her scope it all out, even talk with a human on the telephone.

She can go into the SSA office herself, without you, as well - you could drop her off in the morning, pick her up on yer lunch break????

Edited May 16, 2010 by Darnell

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

Look in your wife's visa, she should have an I-551 Stamp (I believe that's the correct number). It should have her A# written on it. Use thatnumber when you call USCIS...

[Summer75 16]

Look in your wife's visa, she should have an I-551 Stamp (I believe that's the correct number). It should have her A# written on it. Use thatnumber when you call USCIS...

Totally agree, I have an A# written in my passport when my POE a month ago. with the visa stamp CR-1 valid for 1 year.

Call them and give them the number.

[intuitionsys 0]

My wife is calling the POE tomorrow as I just never have a chance at work. We also made an INFOPASS appointment for this Thursday so if my wife doesn't find out anything from the POE tomorrow we can talk to a real person who can find out why our paperwork was never processed.