Stand alone I-130 for stepchild(ren)

[sancruz 26]

My boys are home!!!!!!

Yay! so happy for yall! It has been a long wait but it's finally over! Enjoy your family! Congrats

[evoria 19]

Booked our nearly $4K worth of plane tickets! European travel in the summer = EXPENSIVE!

We leave in about 10 days. Medical appointment 8 am June 4. We have an apartment lined up in Sofia and we plan to make a vacation out of the trip as wel once the interview is overl. I guess that is all for now, beyond digging up more photos and trying to find anything else that might help.

My stepson has arranged to take all his exams early so he will be free to leave after June 15, and we will all come back together--- ASSUMING no DNA test. If we are required to do that, uuuuuuuuugh, I can't even imagine how much extra money that will cost... new ticket for the kid (everything is sold out so there is no ability to change it), my husband or I would have to fly back AGAIN, as we can't hunker down there for a month or so waiting. ... anyway fingers crossed that we didn't make a huge mistake in buying all these tickets.

So June 5/6 will be an exciting time around here with us, lucy4 and evoria all having interviews. Ours is at 2 pm local time, so that is 7 am Eastern time. I'll try to post as soon as we find out something.

Lucy4 and SerenityNOW we are so close. I am still in the U.S. and kinda freaking out waiting praying for all of us. I will post as soon as I know as well. Our interview is 7am local time 11am U.S. time. I think it will be interesting to see what they ask for, what they focus on, so others will know what to expect.

Because the kids are younger we decided not to tell the kids about the interview. We did not want them driving us crazy with "is it time yet". Today we are freaking out so bad we said we would tell them so they could enjoy some of this stress we are feeling. Thought we would spread it around equally.

Good luck to all of us, what I notice is those of us who use visa journey are so well prepared, the CO are usually really impressed with how we present ourselves. At least that was true in my case.

[katraska78 6]

I was dropping by to see how everyone is doing. I've been reading through and it seems everyone is moving right along. It brings back so many anxious feelings for me. I always hated when people were finally done and disappeared. (although I know everyone is busy and wants to go back to a normal life once this is over) but this was totally my outlet while I was going through the process so if anyone has any questions that I might can answer please let me know. Good luck to everyone!

Just an update our 3 yr old has adjusted so well. Better than I could have ever expected. She has learned so much English it amazes me. She speaks mostly to me in English and what she says in Spanish I figure out She still talks to her mom in Honduras about twice a week and she speaks to her half English/ half Spanish. My husband has to get on the phone and translate sometimes. Anyway she is our little blessing and we are so happy to have her home with us.

So happy for you! May God bless your family always! Thanks for sticking around, it's really nice to have someone who's gone through the process before to give us some hope and light on what's going on

[ppihtr123 68]

Interview set for the boys for 7/2. My wife (mom) will be there in person as she is heading down next week for a long visit but I fly that day so I'll just miss it. I'll be there just in time for the party with any luck!

[VICTORIOUS876 0]

Thank you very much guys for replying, I'll keep ya'll updated on my Visa Journey since then I've remained calm . Good luck to you also

[lucy4 11]

Lucy4 and SerenityNOW we are so close. I am still in the U.S. and kinda freaking out waiting praying for all of us. I will post as soon as I know as well. Our interview is 7am local time 11am U.S. time. I think it will be interesting to see what they ask for, what they focus on, so others will know what to expect.

Because the kids are younger we decided not to tell the kids about the interview. We did not want them driving us crazy with "is it time yet". Today we are freaking out so bad we said we would tell them so they could enjoy some of this stress we are feeling. Thought we would spread it around equally.

Good luck to all of us, what I notice is those of us who use visa journey are so well prepared, the CO are usually really impressed with how we present ourselves. At least that was true in my case.

We are soo close. Everyone please cross your fingers and toes for Serenity and myself tomorrow. Can't wait for this to be over.

[lucy4 11]

I'll try to post as soon as I can tomorrow, and cross my fingers and toes for evoria on Thursday.

[lucy4 11]

Good news here. Everything went well. Pretty straight forward. Just have to send the passport back for the visa.

Good luck tomorrow evoria.

[evoria 19]

Good news here. Everything went well. Pretty straight forward. Just have to send the passport back for the visa.

Good luck tomorrow evoria.

OMG I have been checking all day. Did they ask them any questions? What were they looking for? Thanks. I will update tomorrow. Congratulations.

[lucy4 11]

OMG I have been checking all day. Did they ask them any questions? What were they looking for? Thanks. I will update tomorrow. Congratulations.

Nothing much. Who I was to her? "Stepmother"

Who she lives with? "Grandmother"

How old she is? "13"

Has she ever traveled to the states before? "No"

They asked us a few other questions like what we did for a living, and he took the original of the notarized letter from her mom. Looked through the pics in the file, an said everything looks to be in order.

[evoria 19]

Nothing much. Who I was to her? "Stepmother"

Who she lives with? "Grandmother"

How old she is? "13"

Has she ever traveled to the states before? "No"

They asked us a few other questions like what we did for a living, and he took the original of the notarized letter from her mom. Looked through the pics in the file, an said everything looks to be in order.

Thanks for your reply and your crossed fingers and toes.

Edited June 5, 2013 by evoria

[thegordons2009 1]

I was able to Start filing out the DS260 online today as the IV bill shows paid now. I have been PATIENTLY waiting for my children's passports to arrive as I need the bio page to submit the form and the email.

Looks like everyone here is moving on quite nicely.

Edited June 6, 2013 by thegordons2009

[SerenityNOW 11]

SUCCESS! My stepson got his visa. Kinda anti-climactic in the end I must say. I have terrible internet access in Bulgaria so here is the update finally.

I tried to go in to the interview. Actually we had checked the day before with the security guard about who could go in, and he said only whose name is on the letter - well oddly enough, it was only my name (as the Agent on the case, the letter was addressed to me) and the beneficiary. Nowhere did the petitioner's name appear. So when we got to the security window on the day of the interview, there were phone calls made, discussion in Bulgarian unfortunately and I got the boot but my husband was allowed to go in. I went back to where my husband's ex-wife/my stepson's mother and his brother were waiting. It didn't seem like they were in there that long, definitely less than an hour.

Apparently the only question they asked my stepson was if he was the name on the petition. The rest of the questions were for my husband: Why didn't you immigrate your son with you when you came in 2008? (Um, the kid has a mother and she would NEVER have agreed to that - it took us 4 years for her to even agree for him to be allowed to visit). How did you obtain your citizenship? (though marriage or otherwise? Odd question as we did his CR-1 through the same embassy, so of course they know). Where is your wife? (HA! your security guards wouldn't let her in.... He told them that I was outside the embassy with his son's mother and brother and they were impressed apparently).

That's all I remember for now. I sent in photos in plastic pages, I think 28 in all from birth until the day before the interview and I am not sure if they looked at them or not.

I will post again if they tell me anything else relevant but overall yeah, not so many questions asked of a child - of course these are the same folks who asked only two questions at my husband's CR-1 interview and they were both to me! But lest you think this is an easy embassy, my husband had the pleasure of witnessing lots of rejections for J-1 and B-2 visas. Lots of unhappy people in there.

Congrats to Lucy as well! Any news from Evoria?

Now for the real issues of bringing a child to the US. First step is actually leaving. My stepson's mother and grandmother are FREAKING OUT that he is leaving. I feel like this evil abductor.... I keep telling them that it is totally up to him if he stays full-time or not, as he will have an American passport... The mother has made me cry twice already, as seeing someone else cry always makes me cry! We aren't leaving for another 10 days, so it will be very interesting times around here...

[evoria 19]

Thanks for your reply and your crossed fingers and toes.

YES! Three for three. We did it too.

My husband said it was very basic. About 3 questions. Thank God. They pick up on the 14th.

[evoria 19]

if i were to GUESS, it would be because they hit NVC so far apart? both my stepkids have different nvc numbers, i sent separate packets BUT they both hit NVC at same time.. maybe if you had waited for the second to come thru?? who knows??

BUT i believe on the I130 their is a question about other family members you are filing for?? shouldnt they know from that there are two cases???

Affidavit of Support (AOS) Fee FAQs

I paid the AOS fee for one case; do I have to pay the same fee for my other cases?

You must pay the Affidavit of Support fee for each case unless you are a U.S. citizen with petitions for your spouse and/or child(ren) concurrently in process at the National Visa Center. Note: payment by cashier's check or money order must include all fee bills in one return envelope with one check on top.

Dancehallquana,

I emailed NVC and asked why I was billed twice for AOS. I cut and pasted your quote regarding the fees. I received a letter last week saying my request had been sent to the State Department. I checked the box today and there was a check for $88.

Today was a good day. The interview went well and the visa was approved and I actually got my $88 back. Not real sure why they charged my twice in the beginning, but thanks for the information. As I said before I can make better use of this $88 then they can.