I-130 July 2016 Filers

[kokobearus 4]

On 2/24/2017 at 7:49 AM, amistry18 said:

So, My accountant said if I put "NRA" under social security number for my wife who's not in the USA yet, the IRS will reject my tax returns even though I file it as Married but Separately. Is it true? Anybody has any experience. 

 

any help is appreciated...Thanks in Advance

My mom who lives in the US was able to file married jointly. The accountant filed something to IRS so that they can issue a TIN number for my dad who lives in the Philippines. You need to submit requirements like, passport copy, i think copy of driver's license as well. Ask your accountant and he will be able to help you. You can get more tax credit by filling married jointly.

[MrsRP 2]

6 minutes ago, UsSwedlover said:

How did you qualify for electronic processing?

@misshepburn I'm interested in knowing the process too. I'm finding the information about that a little confusing. Thanks for letting us know!

[misshepburn 52]

3 minutes ago, UsSwedlover said:

How did you qualify for electronic processing?

Again, complete luck. There are 19 consulates world wide that allow electronic processing and for some its limited to certain visa categories -- remember this is just for the NVC. For USCIS everyone has to send in paper. Based on what I've read on VJ, it looks like this was rolled out a couple of years ago and they've expanded the number of embassies each year... For example, my husband is German and his interview will be Frankfurt, but FRN wasn't added until like a year ago. Here is a list of the EP consulates - I took this straight from the State Department website that is linked at the bottom...

 

(these must use electronic processing)

• AKD
• AMM
• BGH (except I-730 petitions)
• DMS
• GZO

If Your NVC Case Number Begins With	And Your Visa Category Is	You Can Choose Either
MTL	Any immigrant visa category	Email Processing or Mail Processing
GUZ	CR1, CR2, F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4, IR1, IR2 or IR5	Email Processing or Mail Processing
ADD, BNS, FRN, GTM, HNK, KEV, MRV, PHP, RDJ, SYD, TGG, or THT	IR1, IR2, IR5, CR1, or CR2	Email Processing or Mail Processing

the ones in the table above have a choice of processing...

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process/documents/Submit_documents.html

[misshepburn 52]

13 minutes ago, MrsRP said:

@misshepburn I'm interested in knowing the process too. I'm finding the information about that a little confusing. Thanks for letting us know!

I'm sorry to say that Paris isn't one of the ones on the list  

[nyokie 572]

4 minutes ago, misshepburn said:

I'm sorry to say that Paris isn't one of the ones on the list  

what about Bahamas?

[misshepburn 52]

4 minutes ago, nyokie said:

what about Bahamas?

Nyokie, Nassau is NWD and its not on the list sorry!

 

You can google the 3 letter country codes in the table I posted above and see what city/country it corresponds to. There aren't many. 

[NBA16 55]

30 minutes ago, misshepburn said:

That's insanity. Contact your congressman NOW!!! See above advice...

Thank you ma'am for your very kind words. I am sure we would be able to contact our congressman if he didn't not agree on a *** with my home country. He may tell me: "stay there! We don't need Iranians here"

[misshepburn 52]

13 minutes ago, NBA16 said:

Thank you ma'am for your very kind words. I am sure we would be able to contact our congressman if he didn't not agree on a *** with my home country. He may tell me: "stay there! We don't need Iranians here"

NBA16... point taken. I wish I could offer some better words of support. Without knowing where the USC spouse resides, perhaps the politics with your senators are a bit better? Congress aside... another route is the DHS ombudsman....check out the link below.

 

If that is still a no-go... the USC can still make InfoPass appointments to get on their radar. I'm sure you were prepared for what might be a long journey from the beginning. Finally, I imagine you might already be working with a lawyer? It might be good to check in with one (if you haven't already) to see about your options. I realize this is all kind of generic advice, but that's all I've got. Best of luck, I know this is a tough time.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/case-assistance

[cake68 6]

2 hours ago, misshepburn said:

Hmm ok that makes more sense. Don't wait until March 9. Contact your congressman/senator NOW. You have to be proactive as hell with these people. Another thing you could do --- and this goes for everyone --- assuming the USC lives in the US and not with you overseas, the USC can make an InfoPass appointment (in person) with a local USCIS office. That might also help. You have to be up front and in their face guys. I probably sound aggressive, but you should not be sitting back assuming they will process your paperwork in a timely fashion, because they already have exceeded their own ridiculously generous processing time limits. just my two cents.

 

That's insanity. Contact your congressman NOW!!! See above advice...

 

 haha! No voodoo here I promise... Its partly luck (honestly - we got through TSC in like 20 days - no idea why), partly the fact that we could do email/electronic processing at NVC (that shaved off like --8-10 weeks), and partly being super prepared and calling them like 10000000 times..... know the steps in the process, and what is considered "normal," educate yourself VJ is great and also check out the official State Dept websites. 

 

 you guys are making me laugh..... just get really proactive now.... speak up! Get congress involved. Remember it's your right as a US citizen to have your spouse with you, don't get angry, but stick on them! Especially since they've passed normal processing times. 

i hear you misshepburn but understand something is very different about your case as the dept website doesnt even mention a one month wait at USCIS, it is that uncommon.  no disrespect to you of course but there is something foul going on but what can we do...nothing.  i have a canadian doctor friend with a similar timeline (not very proactive at all).  the picture is becoming clearer.  oh well.

Edited February 27, 2017 by cake68
wrong number

[misshepburn 52]

24 minutes ago, cake68 said:

i hear you misshepburn but understand something is very different about your case as the dept website doesnt even mention a one month wait at USCIS, it is that uncommon.  no disrespect to you of course but there is something foul going on but what can we do...nothing.  i have a canadian doctor friend with a similar timeline (not very proactive at all).  the picture is becoming clearer.  oh well.

Cake68... you are right that something is, indeed, going on at USCIS!  I acknowledge that my case was faster than most, and I'm so thankful for getting through (almost all the way) in very good time, don't get me wrong. That being said I don't think you can go by their "official" time tables/estimates. They have been consistently off the entire time I've been on this journey... especially if you compare to the VJ timeline tracker/estimator.

 

Consider this as well --- in my group of Sept 2016 I-130 filers we've been keeping a spreadsheet in addition to the VJ timeline function. Out of the 40 people on there -- we had 18, or roughly 50% who got from NOA1 to NOA2 in 3 months or less - many of them in 1-2 months. The non-USC spouses were from all over the world (big variety of countries) and the centers varied as well, although TSC was definitely faster than the rest. Ultimately what I'm trying to say is that maybe 1 or 2 month waits are uncommon, but so are 8+ month waits with no communication from USCIS.

 

 

[amistry18 76]

On 2/14/2017 at 4:47 PM, hemanshummy said:

Today, I received an email from USCIS that my case paperwork has been shipped from USCIS (to NVC). I guess it takes a few weeks between NOA2 approval from USCIS and NVC receiving paperwork owing to the fact that USCIS mails paperwork in batches and sends them once a week or so. 

 

Priority date: July 29th, 2016
NOA2 approval: Jan 31, 2017
Paperwork leaving USCIS to NVC: Feb 14, 2017

Good luck to everyone! 

Did NVC receive your paperwork yet? if yes, did they provide you the case number and invoice number?

 

Thanks

[swelove 8]

@amistry18 Thought I'd update the thread as well:

 

Priority date (NOA1): July 6th 2016

RFEs and responses....(see timeline)

i130 was approved: Feb 8th 2017

Sent to NVC: Feb 21st 2017

NVC received paperwork (I called to find out): Feb 27th 2017

They said it will take them up to 2 weeks at NVC to assign case number, with notification via email or mail, but I plan on calling them to get it before that.

Edited February 27, 2017 by swelove
added priority date

[hemanshummy 2]

9 minutes ago, amistry18 said:

Did NVC receive your paperwork yet? if yes, did they provide you the case number and invoice number?

 

Thanks

NVC hasn't received my paperwork yet.

[amistry18 76]

16 minutes ago, swelove said:

@amistry18 Thought I'd update the thread as well:

 

Priority date (NOA1): July 6th 2016

RFEs and responses....(see timeline)

i130 was approved: Feb 8th 2017

Sent to NVC: Feb 21st 2017

NVC received paperwork (I called to find out): Feb 27th 2017

They said it will take them up to 2 weeks at NVC to assign case number, with notification via email or mail, but I plan on calling them to get it before that.

 

11 minutes ago, hemanshummy said:

NVC hasn't received my paperwork yet.

Thank you @swelove & @hemanshummy

 

My PD: July 25th

Approved: February 14th (Valentines Day Gift .LOL)

Sent to NVC: Today the February 27th, 2017

 

I'm going to start calling them starting next week Monday...

 

All the very best to you all

[TheFroggy 8]

Getting crazy here...

NOA1 : July 28th

We sent an inquiry, waiting for an answer that should arrive by MID MARCH ! RIDICULOUS !

Our attorney says the only thing we can do is to wait (why are we paying her so much ?)

Plus, I just left my apartment and my job (I gave them a 3 months notice 3 months ago as they required, thinking that it would be all done by now)

It is just all getting so tiring...

I know, we are many in this situation but it fills good to just complain a little...