Quesitons from the military

[Chris&Kathy 0]

To start I wish I would have found this site when I started this mess, there seems to be a lot of good information on here. Okay, I am in the US Navy and I am set to deploy next year. My wife and I got married in Peru on July 23rd 2010. I sent the I-130 and got the NOA-1 August 25 2010. At the time my thought process was to send the I-129F (K-3) because it would get my wife and son her while the I-130 would still be getting processed. From what I have been reading on these forums this is no longer the way it works. The CR-1 is the way to go. Now I have never done this process before so I have no idea what the CR-1 is. Is it another form I can send in or is it the I-130 itself? Basically, just like everyone else, I am trying to get my spouse and my son by my side ASAP. Additionally if the CR-1 is nothing other then the I-130, does anyone know the restrictions to how far out I have to be det to deploy in order for them to expidite my petition? I did annotate that I am in the military and that I am getting deployed next year on the I-129F but did not do the same on the I-130 due to a time crunch. Any information would be more then appreciated, good luck to all of you in your journey.

[Used to be broken 147]

To start I wish I would have found this site when I started this mess, there seems to be a lot of good information on here. Okay, I am in the US Navy and I am set to deploy next year. My wife and I got married in Peru on July 23rd 2010. I sent the I-130 and got the NOA-1 August 25 2010. At the time my thought process was to send the I-129F (K-3) because it would get my wife and son her while the I-130 would still be getting processed. From what I have been reading on these forums this is no longer the way it works. The CR-1 is the way to go. Now I have never done this process before so I have no idea what the CR-1 is. Is it another form I can send in or is it the I-130 itself? Basically, just like everyone else, I am trying to get my spouse and my son by my side ASAP. Additionally if the CR-1 is nothing other then the I-130, does anyone know the restrictions to how far out I have to be det to deploy in order for them to expidite my petition? I did annotate that I am in the military and that I am getting deployed next year on the I-129F but did not do the same on the I-130 due to a time crunch. Any information would be more then appreciated, good luck to all of you in your journey.

Check with your JAG office they should know the procedure for military expedite due to deployment.

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, you'll be sticking with the CR-1 process.

IF you did not file an additional I-130 for the child, it's time to do so.

THIS new FILING can be expedited, please review

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/255138-k3-k4-visa-converted-to-cr-1-by-national-visa-center/page__p__3918125#entry3918125

for the 'template packaging' steps . If you follow that mini-how-to, you should get an approval on the child's I-130 within 5 weeks of initial submittal date.

Since you have orders for deployment, is possible to get the I-130 for the spouse expedited as well, whilst it's at USCIS - review http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/gc_1221837986181.shtm#5 and understand what a Tier 2, ISO human is, then when yer ready, call in to USCIS and GET an ISO, request a military expedite - the ISO will tell you exactly what papers to file.

Later, when at NVC, can get an expedite at NVC for BOTH casefiles, as well. This will be sort of 'tricky' as you'll have to get in touch with Supervisor Sue at NVC, she's the Goddess of Expedite at NVC.

Forget the K-3 and K-4 for now, these were 'shot down' on 1 FEB 2010, see http://www.visajourney.com/news/2010/02/07/department-of-state-to-close-k-3-visas-if-i-129f-and-i-130-petitions-approved-and-received-together/ for the 'promulgated closure notice'. (sorry, yer military, I couldn't resist the use of 'promulgated').

Good Luck !

[Dweezy 3]

I am in the Navy also and while its been a journey our first interview did not go well. My wife is ethiopian we got married in ethiopia and when she went for her interview they asked her alot of strange question, but some of which she should have validly known the answer to but she was nervous and got upset during the interview, needless to say she did not get her visa and she received a Notice of intent to deny which we had to send all kinds of evidence to refute,and hopefully in the next 30 days we will get some good news. You my friend need to file an 1-130 for the child, and to get an expedite which I did get also, I called the military help line which the number is on the USCIS website. Then you need to tell the operator I need to request an expedite for deployment purposes, they will then forward you to a higher authority, that person will put all your info in the computer and you will be contacted via email. After they contact you by email you will send a copy of your orders and your Id card, also type up a hardship letter stating that the distance is a financial burden on your family, and that you want your family here as soon as possible so that they can receive health care benefits before you deploy. Just a heads up put her on your page 2 now, dont wait, also put her on your sgli, and if possible get a letter from your CO. Also if you have a security clearance update that as soon as possible, all of these things can be used as evidence if you get a NOID (notice of intent to deny) as I did. Another good tip is make a video for your wife detailing real slowly and completely every aspect of your life. Family, jobs, schools you attended years in service everything you can think of, because let me tell ya man you just never know what they will ask, and trust me at this point you dont want any hold ups. Im on shore duty right now but because of this hold up Ive lost a year and a half of time to spend with wifey and my daughter. Oh yeah keep everything, if you send her money keep the receipts keep all your skype and phone records. Keep it all, God Bless and Ill keep you in my prayers.

[Chris&Kathy 0]

I am in the Navy also and while its been a journey our first interview did not go well. My wife is ethiopian we got married in ethiopia and when she went for her interview they asked her alot of strange question, but some of which she should have validly known the answer to but she was nervous and got upset during the interview, needless to say she did not get her visa and she received a Notice of intent to deny which we had to send all kinds of evidence to refute,and hopefully in the next 30 days we will get some good news. You my friend need to file an 1-130 for the child, and to get an expedite which I did get also, I called the military help line which the number is on the USCIS website. Then you need to tell the operator I need to request an expedite for deployment purposes, they will then forward you to a higher authority, that person will put all your info in the computer and you will be contacted via email. After they contact you by email you will send a copy of your orders and your Id card, also type up a hardship letter stating that the distance is a financial burden on your family, and that you want your family here as soon as possible so that they can receive health care benefits before you deploy. Just a heads up put her on your page 2 now, dont wait, also put her on your sgli, and if possible get a letter from your CO. Also if you have a security clearance update that as soon as possible, all of these things can be used as evidence if you get a NOID (notice of intent to deny) as I did. Another good tip is make a video for your wife detailing real slowly and completely every aspect of your life. Family, jobs, schools you attended years in service everything you can think of, because let me tell ya man you just never know what they will ask, and trust me at this point you dont want any hold ups. Im on shore duty right now but because of this hold up Ive lost a year and a half of time to spend with wifey and my daughter. Oh yeah keep everything, if you send her money keep the receipts keep all your skype and phone records. Keep it all, God Bless and Ill keep you in my prayers.

Thanks to everyone who has replied, I appreciate all of the support. My son has American citizenship, we have his SSN and passport. I had the ships LN1 type up the letter for the upcoming deployment. The hardship letter for healthcare is something I did not think about though, but I will send that in. My wife is on my page 2 as is my son and she is on my SGLI. My security clearence was taken care of before we got married and has been updated since. I think, with all of the information from the boards, we have everything covered once I get in the letter for my deployment and the hardship letter. Thanks again for all the help.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

honestly,i wouldnt even bother talking to the JAG office.they know NOTHING about immigration and the effects of being in the military on that.you can search the forums on this website,youll find a couple of useful old posts that explain these completely step by step,and you can also contact the military hotline.

good luck