Has a Senator or Congressman helped you?

[Yodrak 7]

Craig,

Same thing happened to me - no online status update, no NOA2. My wife's an LPR now and the window for removing conditions is approaching, but the online status still says that a decision on my petition is pending.

The important thing is that the petition was approved, not what the online status says - why waste a representative's time over something like this?

Yodrak

I wrote my Senator almost 4 months after approval but still did not receive the NOA2. When the case was approved, someone sent the case to the NVC without updating the computer. Eliana actually received her visa, while the according to the USCIS, our case was still pending. I received a phone call 3 weeks after sending all my information to the Senators office (told I should hear from USCIS soon) and 1 week later I received my NOA2. Than, 2 weeks later, I received another NOA2 (same as the first but with a different issue date). I assume that the Senator's office helped in some way, but after calling weekly for 2 months, I knew sometime had to happen at some point.

[waitingincolo 0]

My I-129f was sent to El Paso by mistake and sat there for 3 months. I contacted 2 congressman's offices in Colorado and tried to get them to get my case expedited. They both said that they asked that my case be expedited but nothing ever came of it. Either they didn't do the proper process or USCIS didn't want to expedite my case, even though I fax them the letter I received from El Paso stating that my application was sent there by mistake.

I think the only thing a congressman's office can do is get status on a case.

With my case I don't think that contacting my congressman's offices helped at all.

I am at 216 days and counting.......

[sbgwolf1 0]

I just talked to my congress caseworker...that office really is confused. They are still under the impression that approvals order should be NOA1 dates.

I am not sure I have a lot of faith that she will be able to do a lot for me then...She claims that she as well as the rep at the nebraska office are trying to get information from the CSC rep and together they should get an update.....we will see

[Craig2006 0]

Yodrak,

The reason I contacted the Senator's office was because I knew I needed a copy of the NOA2 to file for the AOS and we wanted to file right after we got married. According to USCIS (both by phone and computer) the case was still pending (had no record of it being approved or where the file was) and there was no way to generate the NOA2 because of this. I didn't contact the Senator's office until after Eliana arrived (with her visa) so I knew the documents were back in the country.

[MrMrsKnight 0]

Man I'm so confused right now..... lol.... some say it works some say it might delay things even more. I'll think about it some more before asking for help. Hopefully an approval will come before I have to decide

[texasseoul 0]

Just spoke to my congressmans aid and my inquiry which i submitted on Tuesday won't even be looked at until the first part of next week. She said they are slammed with the same issue and they are feed up with CSC and understand our plight.

Very courtous and helpful. We will see what comes back next on the inquiry.

[Yodrak 7]

Craig,

For the I-485 supporting documentation my wife used a copy of the NVC notice as evidence of I-129f petition approval, a copy of the Online Status web page as evidence of why we could not submit a copy of the Approval Notice itself, and a brief written explanation of the situation to tie the two substitute documents together.

She was a K3, not a K1 - I don't know if that may have made a difference. At the time I was working on the assumption that adjusting from a K non-immgrant status worked the same for both K1 and K3, but maybe for a K3 a copy of the approved I-129f is not required.

Today I know (I think I know) that a K3 adjusts on the basis of an approved I-130 petition, not on the basis of being a K3 non-immigrant. But she submitted nothing with regard to the I-130 with her I-485, so who knows?

Yodrak

Yodrak,

The reason I contacted the Senator's office was because I knew I needed a copy of the NOA2 to file for the AOS and we wanted to file right after we got married. According to USCIS (both by phone and computer) the case was still pending (had no record of it being approved or where the file was) and there was no way to generate the NOA2 because of this. I didn't contact the Senator's office until after Eliana arrived (with her visa) so I knew the documents were back in the country.

[Craig2006 0]

Yodrak,

According to the I-485 instructions, you must submit:

Your original I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (if you are filing concurrently), or a copy of your I-797, Notice of Action (if the petition was already approved).

Since our petition (K-1) was all ready approved, we needed to submit a copy of the I-797 (NOA2) with our application since we didn't file the I-130.

Maybe (I am guessing here because I know little about the K-3 process) when you fill the I-130 with the I-129F, it is the same as when you apply for the I-485 along with EAD and AP at the same time. No NOA is needed when filed together, but the NOA is needed if you file for EAD or AP at a later time. Sometimes I feel this process is just a quessing game.

Craig

[Yodrak 7]

Craig,

I understand what the I-485 instructions ask for. In my wife's case, not having the specific document asked for, she submitted alternate documents that address the issue.

I-130 and I-129f do not get submitted together in the K3 situation, it is not comparable to applying for EA and AP concurrent with applying for adjustment of status. More to the point, neither the I-130 nor the I-129f can be submitted concurrent with the I-485, so evidence of the petition that is the basis for the adjustment is required (which is comparable to applying for EA or AP subsequent to applying for adjustment).

My experience may be an indication that alternative evidence of the approval of the underlying petition may be acceptable.

Yodrak

Yodrak,

According to the I-485 instructions, you must submit:

Your original I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (if you are filing concurrently), or a copy of your I-797, Notice of Action (if the petition was already approved).

Since our petition (K-1) was all ready approved, we needed to submit a copy of the I-797 (NOA2) with our application since we didn't file the I-130.

Maybe (I am guessing here because I know little about the K-3 process) when you fill the I-130 with the I-129F, it is the same as when you apply for the I-485 along with EAD and AP at the same time. No NOA is needed when filed together, but the NOA is needed if you file for EAD or AP at a later time. Sometimes I feel this process is just a quessing game.

Craig

Edited August 17, 2006 by Yodrak

[Craig2006 0]

As I stated, I don't understand the K-3 process (and I didn't research it). Thanks for clearing up how the documents are submitted. I now see that the two processes can not be compared

It is good to hear that there are other ways to show evidence. I have tried to submit all information requested by the instructions of each form. I did have the letter from the NVC stating they received an approved case and would have submitted that with the AOS application if I didn't receive the NOA2. I am sure that having a copy of the K-1 visa in my wifes passport and the I-94 would have also helped (I know those are also requirements of the AOS application). I am just glad that I was able to submit everything that was asked for.

What I have learned during the entire K-1 process is:

- Complete all douments correctly

- Submit all documents on time

- Keep copies of everything (no matter how small it might be)

- Remain patient (my wife reminds me of this almost everyday)

- Do your own research

- Listen to other people advise but make your own decision

Hopefully everyone caught up in the IMBRA gets approved quicking and USCIS does the job they are paid to do.

[sbgwolf1 0]

Senators office > After being told to call back in 21 days (aka 8/1) then to wait again until 8/11, then on the 11th I called and was told he would check on it. Today I called back (after a week of no update) and was told 'we inquired and its with a liason' for an update. I asked what that meant and was told 'I dont know, hold on a minute'. She came back and said to give them till 9/11 and they could give another update...

What does it mean 'another' update. I havent got one yet.

Anyone in OHIO, I would not vote for Dewines or Voinovich.

[gupt0014 0]

My senator's office called me back yesterday and actually had some info....

She spoke with her CSC contact and they told her that yes they have my case; yes they have my IMBRA RFE; BUT that my case needed FURTHER investigation.

She was not able to provide a timeframe.

I have some thoughts on the further investigation…

1. I applied for a K1 last July and withdrew it after they sent me a RFE asking for proof of having met. I thought they would give me an approval w/o actually meeting the person…stupid me. I was simply trying to speed things along.

2. On the I-129F itself it asks have you applied for a K1 before and I said yes and for who and the result. It also asks where…I put Kansas City instead on Lincoln for some reason…not thinking. Is it possible they are looking for some petition in KC??? I would think their computers would tell them I applied in Nebraska. That being said, they are more than likely retrieving the original petition from their archives to look over.

3. Finally, I met my fiancé on 5/21 for the first time…we were officially engaged on 5/24…Indians on this board can back me on the short engagement period.

Anyway, all that being said, CSC is probably wanting more time to sort all this out…

Thoughts?