I-130 and PCS - please help!

[ecg19 7]

Gotcha, ok makes sense. We've decided we'll probably try to do the expedited citizenship too, I'm happy to go back to the USA if I need to at any point. From reading the space-A information, we determined that we would be the same class as priority- how did you figure out that she wouldn't be? Just incase we have interpreted this wrong.

My main concern right now is that with the I-130 processing, I will be visiting my husband in December for just under 3 months to get my PCS medical done and probably get my wisdom teeth extracted as that may stop him from PCSing in time. I will be leaving my job, but will have a return ticket to my home country, NZ, where I'll return to wait out the month or so longer we expect it will be to get my interview and medical done. I'm hoping that my 'excuse' at the border of needing my military medical done, and also sitting some industry related exams will mean I have less chance of getting denied, but with these things you never know huh.

Good luck with the removal of conditions - it's never ending! Kind of scary being at the start of it knowing that it's such a long process.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

unaccompanied dependents fly at a lower level than I would with them on leave. They have less of a chance making it on a flight than I would. Check it out here: http://www.baseops.net/spaceatravel/

Category 3 – Ordinary Leave, Close Blood or Affirmative Relatives, House Hunting Permissive TDY, Medal of Honor Holders, Foreign Military, and Others.

Uniformed Services members in a leave or pass status, other than emergency leave, including members of the reserve components on active duty, in leave or pass status.

Dependents of a member of the Uniformed Services when accompanied by their sponsor in a leave status.

Uniformed Services members traveling under permissive TDY orders for house hunting incident to a pending PCS.

One dependent may accompany a Uniformed Services member.

Medal of Honor recipients and their dependents (when accompanied by their sponsor). Except for active duty, traveler shall present a copy of the Medal of Honor Award Certificate.

Foreign cadets and midshipmen attending U.S. Service academies, in a leave status.

Foreign Exchange Service members on permanent duty with the DoD, when in a leave status.

Dependents of foreign exchange Service members on permanent duty with the Department of Defense when accompanied by their sponsor.

Category 4 – Unaccompanied Dependents on EML and DODDS Teachers on EML During Summer.

Dependents traveling under the EML Program, unaccompanied by their sponsor.

DODDS teachers of dependents accompanied or unaccompanied traveling under the EML Program.

Category 5 – Permissive TDY (Non-House Hunting) Students, Dependents and Others.

Military personnel traveling on permissive TDY orders other than for househunting.

Dependents (children) who are college students attending in residence at an overseas branch of an American (U.S) university located in the same overseas area in which they reside, command sponsored, stationed overseas with their sponsor, who is: (1) A member of the Uniformed Services; (2) A U.S. citizen civilian employee of the Department of Defense (paid from either appropriated funds or NAF); or (3) An American Red Cross full-time, paid employee serving with the Department of Defense.

Dependents, command-sponsored, stationed overseas with their sponsor who is: (1) A member of the Uniformed Services; (2) A U.S. citizen civilian employee of the Department of Defense (paid from either appropriated funds or NAF); or (3) An American Red Cross full-time, paid employee serving with the Department of Defense. Unaccompanied travel is permitted to and from the nearest overseas military academy testing site to take scheduled entrance examinations for entry into any of the U.S. Service Academies

Command sponsored dependents (18 years of age) of Uniformed Services members who are stationed overseas may travel unaccompanied from the sponsor's PCS duty location to the CONUS and return. Travel is also authorized within the overseas theater. Travel cannot be between two overseas theaters (i.e., from Germany to Japan). Dependents must have command-sponsored documentation signed by the Commander verifying command sponsorship. Documentation is valid for one round trip.

they actually lose a couple of steps when not flying with you. There arent a lot of bases that you can apply for EML leave. I havent checked to see if we can fly from Aviano (nearest airport is about 30-40 miles away.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Scott and Mhay

[ecg19 7]

We didn't actually realise that a military spouse could fly unaccompanied in the first place, so that's actually great news.

We'd just been assuming that we'd both have to travel together if we were to do the citizenship thing etc.

How's Aviano? Things are getting off to a slow start with Ramstein, but at least DEERs is updated so hopefully that will get the ball rolling for it to change from an unaccompanied 3 year tour to an accompanied 4 year too.

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Things here at Aviano are really busy as usual. Just when you think things are caught up, more stuff gets dropped on me. Oh well, it will make my last 3 years now go fast. It's hard to believe we have been in Italy almost a year. time really has been flying....now if only we would be done with the ROC that would make my day, but we still havent heard anything back yet.

[ecg19 7]

Our I-130 got approved after our expedite request yesterday!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Congrats! You can try and expedite through the NVC too. You will have to call the NVC and talk to them about it. I had to send a letter to the country specific supervisor with supporting documents. We still sent the affidavit of support and DS-230 package to the NVC, but it got forwarded to the embassy without the NVC even looking at it since our expedite got approved.

[ecg19 7]

Oh wow that is great info - thanks, we were actually wondering that. Since we got the I-130 expedited, my husband was hoping that we'd be able to get the NVC stage expedited too. I will let him know to contact them as soon as we have a case number to see if we can get that done - or can we get the ball rolling even prior to getting our case number?

Thanks so much for all your help by the way - you have been great!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

You should be able to call the NVC and see if you guys have a case number. I know they have an automated system...if that don't work, talk to a live person there and they should be able to give you your case number. Your case should be at the NVC now. I had to call a couple of times before they told me how to expedite our case....they claimed there was no expedite. I can tell you for sure there is. Once the expedite gets approved there, they will send your case file out within 48 hours to the embassy.

[ecg19 7]

Yeah we have been calling but it isn't showing in the system yet. The online USCIS database shows that it was sent out October 22, so we'll keep trying next week.

I guess we'll try for an expedite, but that will likely be held up at my end while I wait for this darn police certificate!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

If you are held up for a police certificate... that is better than being held up at the NVC waiting for the police certificate or something else they nitpick there.. At least your case file will be at the embassy. It can't hurt to ask for the expedite. The worst they can do is say no.

[ecg19 7]

My husband called and asked for our case number yesterday, they've received it but no case numbers assigned yet. The woman suggested emailing 'supervisor sue' to request the expedite - so we are doing that today.

So say they do approve it, what is the process? They forward the case directly to my embassy (Auckland) and then my husband will send his I-864 information, and I'll send my packet 3 or whatever, directly to the embassy? So NVC never reviews it at all?

I hope this all does end up working out- would love to be with my family for Christmas and then hubby to bring in the new year!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

If they never have you send the packages to the NVC (Affidavit of support and DS-230 package) then from what I have heard from other members is you just take it to the embassy when you do the interview. Supervisor "Sue" was who I sent our request to. I had to do a paper letter back in 2010.

[ecg19 7]

Oh excellent - that would work out really well with having to wait for the police certificate anyway. I'm not back in NZ (so can't have my interview) in Auckland until 1 December anyway which gives that all time to process.

Thanks once again for all the information. My husband received notification that they have received our expedite request so hopefully within a couple of weeks we will know!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

you will probably know in less than a week if they approve the expedite request. I called the NVC back after about a week once I knew they signed for the package with the expedite request letter in it.

Edited November 1, 2012 by Scott and Mhay

[ecg19 7]

Oh that's excellent - will be great to not have to feel so obsessed with this process haha.

We could sign onto the payment portal on Wednesday, then yesterday it had an error message about not being able to sign in, and now it's an error message in red about not being able to process payments right now.

Hoping that either we can pay the AOS bill, or that the expedite decision has been made! If it is just the AOS bill, would you suggest not actually paying it then until we hear of the expedite?