Any way to expedite the IR-1 process?

[lucybelle 453]

I filed in March and I'm still waiting for NOA2!!

I do want to comment on the border hopping thing your husband has been doing. I live in Costa Rica where many gringos live as what we call "perpetual tourists". As long as they're not working, technically it's perfectly legal. (most do work illegally, but that's another story) When you go to the border you're supposed to get 90 days visa, some borders are cracking down and giving just 30 or even 10 days. Some borders now require you to have a plane ticket out of the country. BUT, not all borders. And not all officers ask for that documentation. So, he could continue to border hop. But he needs to realize that he might not get the amount of days he wants. It really depends on where he crosses and what border officer he gets.

Best wishes. And here's to NOA2s that are just around the corner.

[Canadatousa 7]

Looks like everyone has answered everything! Hopefully your NOA 2 comes in soon. My husband and I just waited ten months for ours on top of mounting financial issues that will continue with the fees we still have to pay but we're almost done! Good luck!

Edited January 27, 2014 by Canadatousa

[*Snowdrop* 604]

Did you ever get the feeling that the separation would never end? My wife and I are almost five months into the process and are anticipating another year before she's here. It feels like it's never going to end and really makes me despair sometimes. Any coping advice?

If only we all could do that....

It was the uncertainty which drove me crazy, more than the length of time. It's not knowing whether it's going to be 7 month, 10 months or 20 months.

This is what we did:

Worked, sorted through belongings, putting some in storage and working out what to pack, talked on the phone every day. researched the area of the US I was moving to, checked the USCIS website 20 times a day

This is what I wish we'd done:

Saved money like crazy by taking on as much overtime as possible and perhaps a second job (having a money cushion is so helpful when it might take a while for the immigrant to get a job, and even if that's not an issue you can use the extra money to decorate the house, buy new furniture together, travel around the US to get used to your new home)

Decluttered massively on both sides of the ocean. I did get rid of a lot of my belongings before moving over but there is still stuff sitting in boxes in my parents' house which I haven't looked at for seven years. I wish my husband had done a similar amount of pruning on his stuff before I moved to make space for the things I was bringing over. I spend the first six months in the US cleaning out closets which was a bit of a drag.

I wish my husband had done more research on his end and created a welcome to America package which contained things like - maps of the area, info on getting the drivers' licence in his town including the theory booklet for example, lists of shops and places I'd like to visit, places to buy British goods,

I wish I'd spent more time of getting ready for a big new job hunt - resume primed, contacts gathered, research on possible companies etc

[angeldaemon13 42]

Seems ironic when looking into relevant articles for the i-130 and says for immediate family members there is no wait for a visa. Yet, the waiting just too have approval of relationship takes so long. *sigh*.

I agree, the not knowing drives me bananas.

[r060106 109]

Seems ironic when looking into relevant articles for the i-130 and says for immediate family members there is no wait for a visa. Yet, the waiting just too have approval of relationship takes so long. *sigh*.

Yeah, it's the USCIS portion of the whole process that I really don't understand. The NVC and Interview have relationship verification of their own, so why do we need to wait for the USCIS to approve the relationship? It's the weakest link in the entire process and the reason we're all suffering I think. So sad.

[angeldaemon13 42]

Should scrap the petition and just raise the fees for actual visa application. You have a valid passport which your country issues you after a background check. then the petition does a check then you provide police clearance for the interview. You have to prove your relationship at the interview when it was presumably approved via petition. So redundant, a complete waste of time waiting for 6-8-10 to a year wait alone, depending on the case.

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

It was the uncertainty which drove me crazy, more than the length of time. It's not knowing whether it's going to be 7 month, 10 months or 20 months.

This is what we did:

Worked, sorted through belongings, putting some in storage and working out what to pack, talked on the phone every day. researched the area of the US I was moving to, checked the USCIS website 20 times a day

This is what I wish we'd done:

Saved money like crazy by taking on as much overtime as possible and perhaps a second job (having a money cushion is so helpful when it might take a while for the immigrant to get a job, and even if that's not an issue you can use the extra money to decorate the house, buy new furniture together, travel around the US to get used to your new home)

Decluttered massively on both sides of the ocean. I did get rid of a lot of my belongings before moving over but there is still stuff sitting in boxes in my parents' house which I haven't looked at for seven years. I wish my husband had done a similar amount of pruning on his stuff before I moved to make space for the things I was bringing over. I spend the first six months in the US cleaning out closets which was a bit of a drag.

I wish my husband had done more research on his end and created a welcome to America package which contained things like - maps of the area, info on getting the drivers' licence in his town including the theory booklet for example, lists of shops and places I'd like to visit, places to buy British goods,

I wish I'd spent more time of getting ready for a big new job hunt - resume primed, contacts gathered, research on possible companies etc

You just gave me a few ideas, thanks!

[r060106 109]

Should scrap the petition and just raise the fees for actual visa application. You have a valid passport which your country issues you after a background check. then the petition does a check then you provide police clearance for the interview. You have to prove your relationship at the interview when it was presumably approved via petition. So redundant, a complete waste of time waiting for 6-8-10 to a year wait alone, depending on the case.

Completely agree. Well said.