Jump to content
John and Sonya

B-2 Tourist VISA while awaiting DCF - APPROVED!!!

 Share

23 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

I just got a call from my wife in Ukraine at 3am this morning, her tourist visa was approved!!! :) She explained that she was at her immigrant visa interview on the 23rd when she was told that the embassy can no longer adjudicate immigration applications. She provided them with the arguement that it would be foolish to illegally immigrate on a B-2, especially when so close to getting her immigrant VISA approved soon after my background check. They agreed and gave her a B-2 VISA and told her they will see her soon for her immigrant visa interview.

She did ask about her immigrant visa, they said it will be sooner than we think, the embassy should have it back within the next month and interview rescheduled 1-2 months. SO GOOD NEWS TO ALL!!!

11/10/06 - Married in Ukraine

11/14/06 - I-130 Petition filed and approved

12/08/06 - First interview - we cancelled - shot ourselves in the foot for this!!!!

01/23/07 - 2nd Interview was cancelled due to Adam Walsh Act

02/13/07 - Sonya recieved her 5 year B-2 Tourist Visa

02/21/07 - Sonya arrives in America

02/26/07 - We are told of new interview on 3/8, but she is in america

03/08/07 - Cancelled interview, Sonya is in America

04/16/07 - Fly back to Ukraine

04/25/07 - FINALLY!!!! LOL Interview and VISA approved!!!

04/27/07 - VISA delay due to Sonya's name misspelling - Embassy typo in database

05/02/07 - Called DOS Washington - name check cleared for Sonya - but

told us no VISA was approved for daughter

05/03/07 - Embassy says VISA printed 5/2, but we caught that they forgot VISA for daughter

and the courier entered wrong address to mail VISA - SO MANY TYPO's & MISTAKES :(

05/08/07 - VISA YEAH!!!! FINALLY!

05/23/07 - Back to America - Well almost - Airlines messed up and sent daughters ticket to Chicago

05/30/07 - They finally made it!!! :)

07/03/07 - Green cards recieved

07/06/07 - Applied for SS card at local office, DS-230 application lost

2/19/2010 - Everything is great!!! We now live in South Carolina - Sonya has applied for her citizenship!! She attends USC for her BSN. Her mother has made 3 trips to US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Australia
Timeline

congratulations!, thats a first we've seen here on VJ

Oct 29th 2004 -Met online
Oct 29th -First phone call
Dec 25th -She purposed and i said Yes!
May 10th I-130 Packet and Packet 3 sent off to me by the U.S. Consulate
May 16th -Received Packets 1-3 from the U.S. consulate
June 29th -I arrived in Puerto-Rico!
July 2nd -Married in Mayaguez, Puerto-Rico and also got our interview date for September 6th
August 17th -We arrived in Australia to file for Sep. 6th
September 6th - Filed DCF in Sydney and approved 1 hour later!
September 12 -Received my passport with the visa and yellow packet
November 24th -POE.......Guam,USA
December 12, 2005-Green Card arrived in the mail
September 11, 2007 -Filed I-751 on conditions
September 17 -VSC Receives my I-751 and issues NOA1
Oct 10 -Had biometrics taken in San Juan, Puerto Rico ASC
Oct 12 -Touched.
Aug 21, 2008 -Approved!...........finally
Sep 17, 2008 -Mailed off N-400
Oct 22, 2008 -Biometrics taken in San Juan ASC
Feb 12, 2009 -N-400 Interview
Feb 26, 2009 -Oath.....the end.

....................................*What we do in this life will have an echo in the life to come*...............................

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Country: Canada
Timeline

Yeah.. the CO's are probably feeling bad on how USCIS screwed all those people out of an immigrant visa...

Not all that surprising in my opinion...

Knowledge itself is power - Sir Francis Bacon

I have gone fishing... you can find me by going here http://**removed due to TOS**

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Australia
Timeline

That's wonderful news! I like the argument she used about not trying to adjust status because of how close you are in the process!

I-130

02/17/2007 - I-130 Express Mailed to VSC via USPS. (ETA 2/19/2007)

02/22/2007 - I-130 received by VSC.

06/12/2007 - NOA2 approval email received!!!

06/15/2007 - NOA2 letter received in the mail.

NVC

06/19/2007 - NVC receives case and assigns a case number!

08/27/2007 - CASE COMPLETE!!!!

09/06/2007 - Case forwarded to Sydney

09/14/2007 - Wife receives Packet 3. Received NVC letter confirming case forward to Sydney.

10/26/2007 - Interview - VISA GRANTED!!!!! WOOO WOOO!!!!!!

11/18/2007 - Enter the US via LAX (POE). No issues thankfully. 20 minutes of processing.

11/30/2007 - Welcome letter (two of them) received.

12/19/2007 - CR-1 Green Card received.

USCIS - I-751

09/23/2009 - Express Mailed Removal of Conditions application

09/24/2009 - USPS confirmed delivery to VSC

09/29/2009 - Check cashed by USCIS

10/01/2009 - Received NOA I-797C dated 09/25/2009

10/10/2009 - Received Biometric appt letter for 10/29/2009

10/29/2009 - Biometrics taken. Whole process took about 40 min including the wait

12/22/2009 - Approved for ROC!

01/08/2010 - Received text and email: Card production ordered

01/15/2010 - Received Green Card in the mail!

USCIS - N-400

04/22/2011 - Express Mailed Application for Naturalization

04/27/2011 - Check cashed by USCIS

04/28/2011 - Received NOA I-797C dated 04/26/2011

05/27/2011 - Biometrics taken. Process took approx 35 min with wait

07/29/2011 - Received Interview Appt letter scheduled for 09/01/2011 dated 07/26/2011

09/01/2011 - Interview and Oath. Now a USC! The VJ is over!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-3 Visa Country: Belize
Timeline

WOW!!! I'm amazed but also very happy for you two. I haven't seen a tourist visa get approved that easily for someone in our situation ever. It gives me a bit of hope when my hubby goes in for his travel visa at the end of this month. Even though we can't use that same argument since we haven't even filed our I-130 yet. We aren't technically immigrating here yet though.

Speaking of...is the whole DCF thing really coming back around? I've been living in Belize until recently and when we are ready we sure would love to go that route (as many do...I know) and I know there is some talk that it is going to go back as to how it was just less than a month ago. Don't want to get too excited though until I find out if it is really true.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW!!! I'm amazed but also very happy for you two. I haven't seen a tourist visa get approved that easily for someone in our situation ever. It gives me a bit of hope when my hubby goes in for his travel visa at the end of this month. Even though we can't use that same argument since we haven't even filed our I-130 yet. We aren't technically immigrating here yet though.

Speaking of...is the whole DCF thing really coming back around? I've been living in Belize until recently and when we are ready we sure would love to go that route (as many do...I know) and I know there is some talk that it is going to go back as to how it was just less than a month ago. Don't want to get too excited though until I find out if it is really true.

Thanks everyone - B-2 VISA - Advice from myself and Sonya to get a B-2 VISA - argue that it would be insane for you to overstay your visa when you are so close to getting your immigrant visa which has so many more benefits as far as status. Also, if you immigrate off the B-2 Visa, you can be deported for many years, and its just not worth it. Sonya advises to be confident, smile and polite. She seen some woman get it, and some not. Its minimal paper work. We provided my 2006 W-2; letter from my employer, a letter from myself stating that I will be responsible and not allow her to be burden to the US as well as why they should give visa and why she is traveling. Also I provided them with a copy of my insurance card where Sonya already is on my policy. I got a letter from my bank showing over $5000 in the account and total annual deposits. The consular, looked over everything briefly, and stated she is right, it would be foolish to lose her immigration application and expects her back. So 50/50, I say go for it, it effects nothing, and costs only $100.

DCF thing, I am not sure at all where people are getting the info that it is coming back? Not saying that it is not, just I talked to two embassy's, USCIS, and immigration officer, and DOS and all say nothing. Just that if you qualify for residency in a country that has a USCIS office at the US Embassy, then nothing has changed and you continue to file DCF as well as no appointments cancelled. If your petition was approved prior to Jan 23rd, then your petition was boxed up, sent to nearest USCIS office having juridiction over the embassy you filed to await back ground check AND possible adjudication. Afterwards, it will be sent to the US Embassy were you filed for final interview. I have read or heard nothing, except statements by VJ members that it may come back and most of it is misinterpetation of what they read off web sites.

But hopefully it does come back, the handle background checks properly and quickly. We were told by US Embassy in Ukraine when Sonya went for her B-2 Tourist visa that Moscow has her application and we will probably have an appointment in <2 months and they told her to make sure she comes back from US to Ukraine because the appointment is coming sooner than we think. WHO KNOWS????????

11/10/06 - Married in Ukraine

11/14/06 - I-130 Petition filed and approved

12/08/06 - First interview - we cancelled - shot ourselves in the foot for this!!!!

01/23/07 - 2nd Interview was cancelled due to Adam Walsh Act

02/13/07 - Sonya recieved her 5 year B-2 Tourist Visa

02/21/07 - Sonya arrives in America

02/26/07 - We are told of new interview on 3/8, but she is in america

03/08/07 - Cancelled interview, Sonya is in America

04/16/07 - Fly back to Ukraine

04/25/07 - FINALLY!!!! LOL Interview and VISA approved!!!

04/27/07 - VISA delay due to Sonya's name misspelling - Embassy typo in database

05/02/07 - Called DOS Washington - name check cleared for Sonya - but

told us no VISA was approved for daughter

05/03/07 - Embassy says VISA printed 5/2, but we caught that they forgot VISA for daughter

and the courier entered wrong address to mail VISA - SO MANY TYPO's & MISTAKES :(

05/08/07 - VISA YEAH!!!! FINALLY!

05/23/07 - Back to America - Well almost - Airlines messed up and sent daughters ticket to Chicago

05/30/07 - They finally made it!!! :)

07/03/07 - Green cards recieved

07/06/07 - Applied for SS card at local office, DS-230 application lost

2/19/2010 - Everything is great!!! We now live in South Carolina - Sonya has applied for her citizenship!! She attends USC for her BSN. Her mother has made 3 trips to US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the advice!!! I am very happy that things are working out for you two. I wish you both the best of luck :thumbs:

Erin :luv:

Sonya got her Tourist VISA, its a 5 year multi-entry visa! Did not expect that. Wanted to re-post so people may want to try while they are waiting on their immigrant visa's. Its $100, about 1-2 week wait for appointment, very little paper work, and there is a chance you may get it, so go for it!! It does not effect your petition if turned down.

11/10/06 - Married in Ukraine

11/14/06 - I-130 Petition filed and approved

12/08/06 - First interview - we cancelled - shot ourselves in the foot for this!!!!

01/23/07 - 2nd Interview was cancelled due to Adam Walsh Act

02/13/07 - Sonya recieved her 5 year B-2 Tourist Visa

02/21/07 - Sonya arrives in America

02/26/07 - We are told of new interview on 3/8, but she is in america

03/08/07 - Cancelled interview, Sonya is in America

04/16/07 - Fly back to Ukraine

04/25/07 - FINALLY!!!! LOL Interview and VISA approved!!!

04/27/07 - VISA delay due to Sonya's name misspelling - Embassy typo in database

05/02/07 - Called DOS Washington - name check cleared for Sonya - but

told us no VISA was approved for daughter

05/03/07 - Embassy says VISA printed 5/2, but we caught that they forgot VISA for daughter

and the courier entered wrong address to mail VISA - SO MANY TYPO's & MISTAKES :(

05/08/07 - VISA YEAH!!!! FINALLY!

05/23/07 - Back to America - Well almost - Airlines messed up and sent daughters ticket to Chicago

05/30/07 - They finally made it!!! :)

07/03/07 - Green cards recieved

07/06/07 - Applied for SS card at local office, DS-230 application lost

2/19/2010 - Everything is great!!! We now live in South Carolina - Sonya has applied for her citizenship!! She attends USC for her BSN. Her mother has made 3 trips to US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: K-3 Visa Country: Australia
Timeline

WOW!! Congrats!! :dance:

I will

definitely look into that! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the advice!!! I am very happy that things are working out for you two. I wish you both the best of luck :thumbs:

Erin :luv:

Sonya got her Tourist VISA, its a 5 year multi-entry visa! Did not expect that. Wanted to re-post so people may want to try while they are waiting on their immigrant visa's. Its $100, about 1-2 week wait for appointment, very little paper work, and there is a chance you may get it, so go for it!! It does not effect your petition if turned down.

I-130

09/06/06: Sent I-130 to VSC via MP - sig confirm, 09/08/06 Mail arrived @ VSC

09/11/06: NOA1

09/18/06: Received NOA1 in the mail

09/19/06: Touched

09/20/06: Touched

I-129F

09/23/06: Sent I-129F (new form) to Chi P.O Box via MP - certified mail w/ return receipt

09/25/06: Mail arrived @ Chi

09/27/06: NOA1

09/28/06: Touched (no status change) - check $

09/29/06: Received NOA1 in the mail

10/03/06: Touched

10/04/06: Touched

10/26/06: Touched - case transferred Chi to VSC

10/27/06: Touched

11/04/06: Touched - VSC received case on 11/3

11/07/06: Touched

11/08/06: Touched

11/09/06: Touched - case now pending 11/18

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I'm also at FBI

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Very interesting.

Do you know how she went about getting this visa?

Did she just apply directly to her local Consulate/Embassy. Eg: would I just apply in Auckland, or does it need to make trips to USCIS and such, since the law change?

Is entry guaranteed with this visa? Im trying to avoid the horror stories of people not being granted entry on the VWP while their spouse visa is in process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very interesting.

Do you know how she went about getting this visa?

Did she just apply directly to her local Consulate/Embassy. Eg: would I just apply in Auckland, or does it need to make trips to USCIS and such, since the law change?

Is entry guaranteed with this visa? Im trying to avoid the horror stories of people not being granted entry on the VWP while their spouse visa is in process.

Sonya is in the US with me right now, we arrived today!!!! :) Yes, Sonya went to the US Embassy in Ukraine on her appointment date that you make on-line, fill in DS-156 on-line, and one week later she got her appointment. She got a 5 year multi-entry visa!

11/10/06 - Married in Ukraine

11/14/06 - I-130 Petition filed and approved

12/08/06 - First interview - we cancelled - shot ourselves in the foot for this!!!!

01/23/07 - 2nd Interview was cancelled due to Adam Walsh Act

02/13/07 - Sonya recieved her 5 year B-2 Tourist Visa

02/21/07 - Sonya arrives in America

02/26/07 - We are told of new interview on 3/8, but she is in america

03/08/07 - Cancelled interview, Sonya is in America

04/16/07 - Fly back to Ukraine

04/25/07 - FINALLY!!!! LOL Interview and VISA approved!!!

04/27/07 - VISA delay due to Sonya's name misspelling - Embassy typo in database

05/02/07 - Called DOS Washington - name check cleared for Sonya - but

told us no VISA was approved for daughter

05/03/07 - Embassy says VISA printed 5/2, but we caught that they forgot VISA for daughter

and the courier entered wrong address to mail VISA - SO MANY TYPO's & MISTAKES :(

05/08/07 - VISA YEAH!!!! FINALLY!

05/23/07 - Back to America - Well almost - Airlines messed up and sent daughters ticket to Chicago

05/30/07 - They finally made it!!! :)

07/03/07 - Green cards recieved

07/06/07 - Applied for SS card at local office, DS-230 application lost

2/19/2010 - Everything is great!!! We now live in South Carolina - Sonya has applied for her citizenship!! She attends USC for her BSN. Her mother has made 3 trips to US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. So no problems getting through the POE?

Thats wonderful news for you both.

She can stay with you for up to 6 months, yes?

Id love one of these, especially now our DCF hopes have gone down the drain.

Unless theres a way to extend your stay on VWP, but I wouldnt dare hold my breath for that.

Very interesting.

Do you know how she went about getting this visa?

Did she just apply directly to her local Consulate/Embassy. Eg: would I just apply in Auckland, or does it need to make trips to USCIS and such, since the law change?

Is entry guaranteed with this visa? Im trying to avoid the horror stories of people not being granted entry on the VWP while their spouse visa is in process.

Sonya is in the US with me right now, we arrived today!!!! :) Yes, Sonya went to the US Embassy in Ukraine on her appointment date that you make on-line, fill in DS-156 on-line, and one week later she got her appointment. She got a 5 year multi-entry visa!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. So no problems getting through the POE?

Thats wonderful news for you both.

She can stay with you for up to 6 months, yes?

Id love one of these, especially now our DCF hopes have gone down the drain.

Unless theres a way to extend your stay on VWP, but I wouldnt dare hold my breath for that.

Very interesting.

Do you know how she went about getting this visa?

Did she just apply directly to her local Consulate/Embassy. Eg: would I just apply in Auckland, or does it need to make trips to USCIS and such, since the law change?

Is entry guaranteed with this visa? Im trying to avoid the horror stories of people not being granted entry on the VWP while their spouse visa is in process.

Sonya is in the US with me right now, we arrived today!!!! :) Yes, Sonya went to the US Embassy in Ukraine on her appointment date that you make on-line, fill in DS-156 on-line, and one week later she got her appointment. She got a 5 year multi-entry visa!

Thanks, no problem at POE. She can stay upto 6 months at a time. So we believe, talking to US Embassy's in Ukraine and Moscow, that we should have a new DCF interview in 1-2 months. It is true you can possibly not get a tourist visa while waiting for K-1 or K-3 or DCF, because this shows that she is immigrating. However, its upto the embassy and the person who interviews you. Smile, be polite, have her convince them that you are just wanting her to visit while waiting for proper method to migrate to US. If you immigrate on a tourist visa, it would be fraud and she would possible deported for 5 years.

So why not take a shot, $100, fill application on-line, one week later get an appointment. Its better to take a shot at it?

11/10/06 - Married in Ukraine

11/14/06 - I-130 Petition filed and approved

12/08/06 - First interview - we cancelled - shot ourselves in the foot for this!!!!

01/23/07 - 2nd Interview was cancelled due to Adam Walsh Act

02/13/07 - Sonya recieved her 5 year B-2 Tourist Visa

02/21/07 - Sonya arrives in America

02/26/07 - We are told of new interview on 3/8, but she is in america

03/08/07 - Cancelled interview, Sonya is in America

04/16/07 - Fly back to Ukraine

04/25/07 - FINALLY!!!! LOL Interview and VISA approved!!!

04/27/07 - VISA delay due to Sonya's name misspelling - Embassy typo in database

05/02/07 - Called DOS Washington - name check cleared for Sonya - but

told us no VISA was approved for daughter

05/03/07 - Embassy says VISA printed 5/2, but we caught that they forgot VISA for daughter

and the courier entered wrong address to mail VISA - SO MANY TYPO's & MISTAKES :(

05/08/07 - VISA YEAH!!!! FINALLY!

05/23/07 - Back to America - Well almost - Airlines messed up and sent daughters ticket to Chicago

05/30/07 - They finally made it!!! :)

07/03/07 - Green cards recieved

07/06/07 - Applied for SS card at local office, DS-230 application lost

2/19/2010 - Everything is great!!! We now live in South Carolina - Sonya has applied for her citizenship!! She attends USC for her BSN. Her mother has made 3 trips to US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad she didn't have a problem. Did they ask her why she was visiting?

I'm going to be traveling to the US to visit my husband in the next couple of weeks and am trying to figure out what Ill say the reason for my trip is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad she didn't have a problem. Did they ask her why she was visiting?

I'm going to be traveling to the US to visit my husband in the next couple of weeks and am trying to figure out what Ill say the reason for my trip is.

Thanks! Yes, they asked her purpose, I was with her, did not need to be. But she told the officer to spend time with myself while we wait for her immigration interview. He answered some questions for us, then welcomed her to the US. :) Purpose of trip is to be honest, and dont worry about it, smile, be polite, and if they bring up if you have intentions to immigrate on your tourist visa, stress it would be fraudulant and bad choice since you have already started normal means to immigrate legally. Remember, they really dont want to keep families apart. Good luck!!!

11/10/06 - Married in Ukraine

11/14/06 - I-130 Petition filed and approved

12/08/06 - First interview - we cancelled - shot ourselves in the foot for this!!!!

01/23/07 - 2nd Interview was cancelled due to Adam Walsh Act

02/13/07 - Sonya recieved her 5 year B-2 Tourist Visa

02/21/07 - Sonya arrives in America

02/26/07 - We are told of new interview on 3/8, but she is in america

03/08/07 - Cancelled interview, Sonya is in America

04/16/07 - Fly back to Ukraine

04/25/07 - FINALLY!!!! LOL Interview and VISA approved!!!

04/27/07 - VISA delay due to Sonya's name misspelling - Embassy typo in database

05/02/07 - Called DOS Washington - name check cleared for Sonya - but

told us no VISA was approved for daughter

05/03/07 - Embassy says VISA printed 5/2, but we caught that they forgot VISA for daughter

and the courier entered wrong address to mail VISA - SO MANY TYPO's & MISTAKES :(

05/08/07 - VISA YEAH!!!! FINALLY!

05/23/07 - Back to America - Well almost - Airlines messed up and sent daughters ticket to Chicago

05/30/07 - They finally made it!!! :)

07/03/07 - Green cards recieved

07/06/07 - Applied for SS card at local office, DS-230 application lost

2/19/2010 - Everything is great!!! We now live in South Carolina - Sonya has applied for her citizenship!! She attends USC for her BSN. Her mother has made 3 trips to US.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...