IR1 / CR1 General Guides and Info

[simistar 2]

My advice is research, read the guides, wiki, and forums. Search answers on VJ or post your question when lost. (i personally searched and searched first. lol)

The guides really help and the instruction on the petition gives you everything. I followed the I-130 guide & the K3 guides on VJ. I also managed to talk to someone from the Blaine/Vancouver border patrol. Since I couldnt access the US phone numbers, i called the border and the lady that I talked to sent me a bunch of info (some from VJ) and it was also helpful that she had to do the immigration process for her husband previously. So, I had the inside scoop from a border patrol. I am glad to forward her email to you if you'd like. Also, i do not find the Vancouver Consulate very friendly on the emails. They always give me answers I already know and they are never clear or only have 5 word answers. That's how i started spending more time on VJ.

i received both approval on the same day recently. So now, im just waiting for docs from NVC and currently gathering my documents so there arent any last minute worries. do not stress out and be patient. I think i was too hyped up with moving that i read too much info and started worrying. lol. Im almost done with all my documents.

Since you're in vancouver, here are links that helped me out during my journey from Vanc and currently moving to washington:

1. Take a look at the guides (not sure if you are k1/2/3) and/or CR1/IR1(i followed every single step and i never received RFE)

2. check out the flow chart

3. If you are having problems with the forms, check the EXAMPLE forms

4. Once you have approval notice:check out LingChe Shortcut on wiki (i find it more helpful that James shortcut)

5. Info on Vancouver Consulate: http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/inde...p;cty=Vancouver

Good Luck!

I'm so sorry! I just saw this post now...not sure how I missed it!

THANK you so much for your advice...

My husband and I actually went to the Vancouver US Consulate yesterday and filed our I-130! Whoo-hoo!

If you don't mind me asking, what are the next steps I should be getting ready for...?

I think they'll be sending us a DS280 (or something like that) and then I'll have to get a medical, police checks etc...

BUT I am confused about the I-864... do they send this form as well....?

Is there a place on this forum I can look (sorry, am still new and having trouble figuring out where everything is) to see what the I-864 asks and what tax forms needs to be filled out...?

Sorry for all the questions...But TIA for you help:-)

[Carlos and Jocel 2]

@@@ SIMISTAR @@@

This guidelines help alot of people here and it also help me. Goodluck!!!

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...'s_Shortcut

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...he_NVC_ShortCut

[simistar 2]

@@@ SIMISTAR @@@

This guidelines help alot of people here and it also help me. Goodluck!!!

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...'s_Shortcut

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...he_NVC_ShortCut

THANK YOU! I will check these threads out this weekend :-)

[simistar 2]

@@@ SIMISTAR @@@

This guidelines help alot of people here and it also help me. Goodluck!!!

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...'s_Shortcut

http://www.visajourney.com/wiki/index.php/...he_NVC_ShortCut

Okay, so I just checked out those threads...and surprise, surprise...am even MORE confused now! :-)

I'm just not sure how much of those guides apply when you file DCF...?

My husband is American, I'm Canadian and we live in Vancouver, Canada.

We filed our I-130 via DCF at the US Consulate in Vancouver for a CR1 visa.

We were given a form right away that says "Your immigrant petition (I-130) has been accepted -- what happens next?"

It says we will be sent a case file number from Montreal and a packet of information. It says there will be a DS-230 part 1 included and that this should be filled out an mailed right away.

At the bottom of the form there is a section titled "Reminder on Domicile for the Affidavit of Support (I-864) "

Looking through the threads poste above, I see references to an "NOA2" etc...I have no idea what this is...?!

Maybe I don't need that since we filed DCF...?

Also, is it possible we would start the recommended steps in those threads part-way through since we filed DCF...?

(For example, I have no idea if our case goes through NVC...or just Montreal...?)

Sigh.

Sorry to be so confused...but any help is appreciated

Thanks:-)

Edited March 29, 2009 by simistar

[simistar 2]

Sorry, meant to also add I don't know what the DS-3032 is... there is no reference to this on the form we were given...?

TIA:-)

[Carlos and Jocel 2]

Sorry, meant to also add I don't know what the DS-3032 is... there is no reference to this on the form we were given...?

TIA:-)

DS 3032 is your Agent of Choice which you assigned someone to do the rest of your documents with you and usually the spouse that is in the US side because it does shorten the case in days. You can do that one online using the benificiary's e mail account e mailing it to the NVC.

[simistar 2]

DS 3032 is your Agent of Choice which you assigned someone to do the rest of your documents with you and usually the spouse that is in the US side because it does shorten the case in days. You can do that one online using the benificiary's e mail account e mailing it to the NVC.

So, is this form sent along with the packet of "IV Information"...?

(And does this form still apply if we're both outside the US...?)

Again, TIA...you're information/advice if VERY helpful:-)

[Carlos and Jocel 2]

DS 3032 is your Agent of Choice which you assigned someone to do the rest of your documents with you and usually the spouse that is in the US side because it does shorten the case in days. You can do that one online using the benificiary's e mail account e mailing it to the NVC.

So, is this form sent along with the packet of "IV Information"...?

(And does this form still apply if we're both outside the US...?)

Again, TIA...you're information/advice if VERY helpful:-)

You will submit that with you AOS, then they can work with your IV.... but once ur case is generated from the NVC, u can send that via e mail and send the hardcopy to the NVC like this.. by using the benificiary's e mail account

HERE IS THE FORMAT THAT YOU CAN E MAIL TO NVC TO EXPEDITE (WILL SAVE YOU 7-10 DAYS) BECAUSE SNAIL MAIL WILL TAKE LONGER BUT YOU HAVE TO WAIT TILL YOU GET YOUR CASE GENERATED.. ONCE ITS GENERATED, SEND THIS VIA E MAIL FOLLOW WITH YOUR HARDCOPY VIA SNAIL MAIL. THE REST WILL BE SEND TO YOU...IT WILL GO FAST FROM HERE ON. GET ALL YOUR DOCUMENTS READY ESPECIALLY IF ITS COMING FROM OVERSEAS, IE POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE, DS230... anything that coming from overseas or have to have signature of Benificiary, start sending that to you (if u are the petitioner). GATHERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED NOW so it will save you tremendous times. the reocrd i think is completed in 11 days, mine is 25 days..

Subject: NVC Case Number – MNL20xxxxxxxx

Beneficiary: Jocel LAST NAME

NVCINQUIRY@state.gov

NVC Case No: MNL2xxxxxxx

CIS Case No: EAC-xxxxxxxxx

Petitioner's Name: Carlos LAST NAME

Petitioner's Date of Birth:

Beneficiary's Name: Jocel

Beneficiary's Date of Birth:

Re: Declaration of the Choice of Address and Agent for Immigration Visa applicant

To whom it may concern:

My name is Jocel LAST NAME, my visa case number is # MNL20xxxxxxxxx

Per the DS-3032 (Choice of Address and Agent for Immigrant Visa Applicants), I would like to appoint my Husband, Carlos LAST NAME, as my agent of choice to receive all future correspondence from the U.S. Department of State. His contact information is provided below:

Name: , Carlos D.

ADDRESS: your town

Phone: (210) Cell; Work

Email: carlos@com or @yahoo.com

All mail from the U.S. Department of State concerning my immigrant visa should be sent to the address above. Please let me know if you need additional information. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely yours,

Jocel

Tel No. 011-63-xxx xxx xxxx

E-mail

[simistar 2]

You will submit that with you AOS, then they can work with your IV.... but once ur case is generated from the NVC, u can send that via e mail and send the hardcopy to the NVC like this.. by using the benificiary's e mail account

Thank you for all your help!

I also went through some of the forms and guides last night (didn't even know those links at the top of the page were there! (As I said...am new to navigating this forum:-)) -- and had a LOT of my questions answered there as well:-)

Edited March 29, 2009 by simistar

[raysfan 0]

have a few questions that have me pulling my hair!!!! Do I have to report that I have my dependants, my daughters 17yrs and 9yrs wich I'm not claiming on my taxes. I don't pay chlid support because we have share of custody but do I have to count then as dependant for I-864 purpose? Also I have another son with another woman he is 3yrs and I have no idea where he is at!!!!! I don't really know what to do!!!!!

Also if I have to include them and I did not make enough money on 2008 and I have a better job whick I'm making more money and with this job I will qualify will this work?????

Helpppppppppppppppppppp!!!!

Orlando....

[Carlos and Jocel 2]

have a few questions that have me pulling my hair!!!! Do I have to report that I have my dependants, my daughters 17yrs and 9yrs wich I'm not claiming on my taxes. I don't pay chlid support because we have share of custody but do I have to count then as dependant for I-864 purpose? Also I have another son with another woman he is 3yrs and I have no idea where he is at!!!!! I don't really know what to do!!!!!

Also if I have to include them and I did not make enough money on 2008 and I have a better job whick I'm making more money and with this job I will qualify will this work?????

Helpppppppppppppppppppp!!!!

Orlando....

YES you do... I have 2 daughters from previous wife and they get child support from me. You may not paying child support to them due to share custody but bottom line- they are your child (DEPENDANTS). If something happen in the long run with your ex, then the child will be depending on you financially. If you have a child no matter where they are or whom theey maybe with, they are your child and yes you will need to add them, if you cant make the financial obligation or dont meet the minimum income requirements you will be better of to get a co-sponsor, your mom, siblings or wherever. Goodluck!

[Dillan 0]

Hi,

I need help please. I have a few problems.

When I sent in the I-130s for my wife's children (separate from her I-130), I only sent one copy of the supporting documentation, the marriage and birth certificates, my proof of citizenship, etc.

Was I supposed to send in a copy of the supporting documentation for each child (two children = two copies of the supporting documentation or three children = three copies of the supporting documentation)?

I only sent in one copy total for the children, and I never received a RFE after almost three months.

So, you guessed it, I called USCIS. I'm remain confused. The USCIS agent told me that I was supposed to send in separate supporting documentation for each person. The USCIS agent said that she saw no pending RFE.

The USCIS agent never explained why the children's petitions were separated.

Second issue:

I posted in Club Colombia that I already received USCIS approval for my wife. I was wrong. The USCIS approval and documents I recently received from NVC were for my step son based on the receipt number on the first approval notice. Today, I received my wife's USCIS approval.

The problem is that both USCIS approval notices have my wife's name. What's the best way to correct their mistake?

First, I was told to contact NVC to tell them about the error in names. Second, the USCIS officer said she would also contact NVC. She couldn't explain why the brothers were separated. All the children are younger than 14 years-old. She said it sometimes happens. My oldest stepson was approved three weeks before my wife even though her initial USCIS receipt date is several weeks before that child.

To clarify: 1 of 3 children has received USCIS approval and the NVC has sent his paperwork in my wife's name. My wife has received USCIS approval. Two children are still at USCIS.

If I made a mistake by not sending in sufficient supporting documentation, I can correct it. But I should have received a RFE by now if it was a problem since one child was approved a month ago and their cases were together. Right?

I requested to speak to a supervisor in order to clarify things. The USCIS agent was reluctant and just took my name and number.

I'm considering contacting the senator (his wife works for same company as I) in order to get this handled. I'm not trying to jump the line, but USCIS made a mistake with the names and they separated the children's petitions. It's a little too much confusion for me.

I just need somebody not involved in this, like I am, to offer some sound reasoning, please.

Thanks in advance.

[100% Al Ahly Fan 53]

Begin by understanding what your visa options really are.

Click here to view the IR-1 / CR-1 Guide or check out the Guides Section for more helpful information on Spousal Visa's, as well as other visa types that apply depending on where you and your spouse currently reside.

Once you file you will have several options available to track your case.

As a note: This visa option is automatically applied for by K-3 applicants when they file the I-130 (part of the K-3 process). Historically the K-3 was used to allow the US Citizens spouse to enter the US faster than waiting for the I-130 to be approved (since that used to take a long time). Recent reductions in processing times have allowed I-130's to be approved quick enough that the IR1/CR1 visa process has been a quicker and better option for K-3 applicants. If this happens the K-3 applicant can abandon the K-3 route and persue the IR1/CR1 instead.

This information is very helpful, although some of the links no longer work. Is anybody keep these updated?? Thanks in advance.

[Mononoke28 134]

All links work and are up to date except for the last one. To track a case that's currently being processed by the USCIS you can go to USCIS Case Status Service Online.

Diana

[optionalinfo 0]

hello. im new here and i think i am going to apply for the cr1 visa. this is my plan from what i understand. my girlfriend will come here to mexico, hopefully this summer and we will get married. she will then return and file the i130 for me. it will be processed and hopefully approved and eventually, i think a few months right? i will get my package that will tell me my appointment date at ciudad juarez. i should mention that i am 19 years old, i was taken to the US when i was 5 by my mother who is still there. i remained there until december 27th of 2008 and have been in mexico since. my intentions when i left were to try and find a legal way to return, and at least to be able to have a visitors visa so i can visit during the time that i am here. i applied for a visitors visa in mexico city and was told that i have a bar of reentry for 3 years because i was in the us illegally for more than 180 days but less than a year after my 18th birthday and that i require a waiver. the waiver is the i160 waiver of inadmissibility. so back to the plan, i will go to my visa interview and they will deny it and tell me that i need that waiver approved. i recently learned about the program formerly known as the pilot program in ciudad juarez. so and please correct me if i am wrong. they deny my visa, then the next day i call the call center and schedule an appointment for the waiver, which is scheduled a week or two weeks after the phone call. i go to the appointment and have my waiver forms letters and evidence of hardship for my, at that time, citizen wife. i will also have the visa forms and proof that our relationship is legitimate and pure. if they approve my waiver that same day through the pilot program then that same day i can also be approved for my cr1 visa. how do they decide if they will process me through the pilot same day program? will they take into account that my situation is fairly simple, i was not deported i have no criminal record i was not told to leave the US and i was taken to the us as a child and left willingly? if anone has gone through a process like this at ciudad juarez or if some has gone through basically the same situation please any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated. here is some more info about my case and plans

i read in imigrate2us a memo by laurel scott that in cases like mine in that i was taken as a child that that fact is a mitigating factor. also he said that willingly entering the foreign waiver process is also a mitigating factor, and im not sure what that means, so if someone could tell me if that applies to me or what that would be great.

he breaks the levels of hardship into 4 levels. 1 being the most severe. he says that cases like mine a level 3 hardship and a few level 4 ones are often enough proof to get the waiver approved.

my level 3 is this, my girlfriend has been seeing a phsyciatrist and the doctor wants to put her on anti depressants, she also has had suicidal thoughts and has lost weight since ive been gone. surely when i use this a proof i will have all of the necessary proof i can get.

a few level 4s i have in mind are that she is going to college and moving here to mexico to be with me would ruin her pursuit of higher education.

also she has no family here and does not speak spanish and getting a job for her if she were to move here would be nearly impossible unless we lived closer toward the border where americansfrequent for vacation, and as i understand it those are states where the narco violence is present, so she could argue that she would fear for her safety were she to move to mexico.

also she could argue that during my time here since i have never worked and have no real world experience in the work force finding a decent job and decent pay for me here in mexico would be diffcult since i only speak english and my spanish is poor. so our standard of living would greatly diminish.

also if we decide to get married this summer and begin this whole process we will have to tell her parents whom she says will not approve whatsoever and at worst will no longer pay for her college education or allow her to live with them during the summer or pay for her place while she goes to school. so financially she would need me, her husband to be with her in order for me to help her pay for the expenses she will not have to pay for alone.

those are the proofs i have come up with. but i have a few other questions too. since she would be my sponsor she would have to prove that if i came she could sponsor me financially,form I-864. which i dont think she alone could do let alone approve it. as i understand she can co sponsor with someone else. my mother is inthe us right now doing her own process to become legal, but as i understand it she is still there illegally even though she is married to born us citizen and they have been married for 7 years or something. so i dont think she can co sponsor me, but her husband, my stepfather might be able to, please let me know if he can. again if there is anyone out there who has gone through this visa process through ciudad juarez please let me know. thank you so much for reading.