VAWA, Part 8

[TBoneTX 45,267]

This is the fresh continuation thread for "VAWA, Part 7."

The link to that thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/579084-vawa-part-7/

Edited December 26, 2016 by TBoneTX

[Shiobhan 235]

Have a safe & happy holidays everyone.

Gramercy May the good Lord bless & keep you

[Destined2beme 6]

Gramercy prayers to you and your mom and blessings to everyone else.

I'm still in the process of gathering all my documents and evidence. I just need state clearance and therapy. Did anyone have diffuculty obtaining city and state clearance? Do they ask why you need it?

[oreoluwa01 4]

Gramercy prayers to you and your mom and blessings to everyone else.

I'm still in the process of gathering all my documents and evidence. I just need state clearance and therapy. Did anyone have diffuculty obtaining city and state clearance? Do they ask why you need it?

It was not difficult at all. Just go to your county police department and ask for a clearance letter. If they ask why, you can say for immigration purposes.

[TBoneTX 45,267]

Question: Do we want VAWA Part 7 reopened, in which case this thread would be merged back into it?

The last couple of years, we'd typically closed the previous Part __ version, but those threads were much longer than Part 7 was.

[Sandra G. 5,047]

I would not reopen the VAWA part thread 7, the new members still can go back to the old threads to find some information they are looking right.

[gramercy 141]

Have a safe & happy holidays everyone.

Gramercy May the good Lord bless & keep you

Gramercy prayers to you and your mom and blessings to everyone else.

I'm still in the process of gathering all my documents and evidence. I just need state clearance and therapy. Did anyone have diffuculty obtaining city and state clearance? Do they ask why you need it?

Thank you & God bless you, I pray for you as well may all our prayers be answered & our burdens be lifted. Amen

@ Destined2beme

I see you live in NYC so here's what I also did; my attorney asked me to request a (Personal Public Record Review - Unsuppressed ) through this website http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/ojis/recordreview.htm

I read the instructions and was directed to https://www.identogo.com/locations to choose a location & appointment and paid $62.25 fee by check at the office where they took my fingerprints & photo. Within the week a detailed report (criminal search) was sent to the lawyer's office which you can have it mailed to you instead if you don't use an attorney.

Best of luck xx

[prayandbelieve 27]

Hi all,

Hope everybody has a great holiday. Especially Sandra, many thanks to you for your help with our members. 

This morning I checked USCIS website and as of Oct 31, they have processed the cases from May 4. I filed mine on May 6, since it hit the time range of 6 months, I have made 3 info pass. Yet, I haven't received any updates. My last info pass was 2 weeks ago and the field officer said that an adjudicate officer is still reviewing my case. 

To Sandra: would you give me any advice of what I should do now? I also contacted my congressman and expecting to hear from him soon. 

Thank you. 

[Ms.Green 30]

Hey everyone!

 

Just wanted to wish you all happy holidays and thank you for the wonderful threads here about the VAWA. I have been reading all of your stories and journeys for awhile now. I always refer to this thread when I feel anxious about my case.

 

I was married to my ex for year and a half, coming from a small country in Europe. Unfortunately it did not go so well. Mental and physical torment the entire time and no friends or family to help me. He would make me work illegally so I would "pay him back" for the expenses. I was a cleaning lady. Never saw a dime. Would always leave me at bad neighborhoods without clothes and phone. Just a bad time. I've never imagined such evil people exist. Apparently he now found another girlfriend, the only issue is she is 16 and is from Europe aswell. Poor kid, I wish I could tell her what horrors me and other foreign women have experienced (at least 4 of other girls have been used and threatened by him).

 

I finally filed my VAWA petition:

 

Sent out to Vermont - October 15th 2016

Prima Facie - October 31st

 

Sent out my AOS and EAD addition to my petition on the 6th of December, nothing yet... But hopefully it's just due to the holiday mail delays. I'm hoping. 

 

I always feel really anxious, the waiting game is killing me. I don't know if I have enough proof and the prima facie does not give me any piece of mind, since I've read about so many stories when people just get denied after that.

 

The one thing that did help me is being occupied by other stuff. I knew that my ex would come after me, so I was calling all the domestic violence hotlines to find some legal help if anything happens again. Afterwards one lady said that they cannot help me because I am actually a human trafficking victim. They referred me to some organizations and they managed to help me. I was qualified by a nonprofit as a human trafficking victim and received some government assistance. Cash aid and Food stamps while I get my proper paperwork. The social services were amazing and actually always check in on me. Afterwards I managed to get a drivers licence using the assembly bill 60. I proved my residence using some bills that I have, took the tests and now have a valid ID and can drive. Now I am working on my GED's. Using the drivers licence I can go and take my exams. Thank God my English is somewhat good and I just need to remember what I learned in school and college. Found out about some tuition programs that will help me pay for community college and the non profits approved me for some financial student aid. That is what keeps me going. having goals and continuing going to meetings and talking to more people who have gone through the same horrors. I had some times when dying was an actual options, but I am so happy I never stopped looking for assistance.

 

I really hope that this information might be useful for some of you guys that are reading this. There are good people that will help you. It might take awhile to find them, but you will if you don't give up.

 

The reason why I applied for a visa is because the option to go back home is no longer an option. I had to sell my belongings and everything I had back home to pay for attorney fees for the brutal divorce, TRO, immigration attorney and just regular necessities. He has went to my country and slandered me on a TV show saying that I used him for a visa and money, and he did not even find me attractive when he married me. My face and my full name used. Some of my friends abandoned me after that aired and he even whent as far as to extort my family of money that I supposedly owed him. This is my last hope to be honest.

 

Anyway. I will try to get more information on what people like me can do to get some kind of a normal life here in the states and will be sure to share it here, since so many of us read this.

 

Thank you once more guys for sharing and have blessed new year!

[Sandra G. 5,047]

Ms.Green why did you apply for VAWA? you said that you are a  victim of human trafficking, but victims of human trafficking have to file for T visa, not VAWA.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Humanitarian/T-U-VAWA-relief.pdf

https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-options-victims-crimes

[Ms.Green 30]

11 hours ago, sandranj said:

Ms.Green why did you apply for VAWA? you said that you are a  victim of human trafficking, but victims of human trafficking have to file for T visa, not VAWA.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Humanitarian/T-U-VAWA-relief.pdf

https://www.dhs.gov/immigration-options-victims-crimes

 

Sandranj,

 

When I applied for a VAWA I had no idea I was a human trafficing victim

as well as a domestic violence victim. So before I even knew I filed the petition.

 

When I spoke to my attorney and organizations, they explained that I can apply for a VAWA, because often marriage, domestic violence and trafficing go hand in hand.

 

- I was married to this man in good faith

- It was a bonified marriage not for a visa

- I am a person of good moral character

- I was abused by my spouse physically and mentally

- I resided with my spouse

 

So at the end of the day I was told I qualify gor both.

[maria43 0]

Hello everybody, I have a AOS i-485 denied because the USCIS thought our question/answers were not same. My attorney has filed a motion to re-open/re-consider, so my case is now pending. My husband have left me 3 months ago for another woman. He has been abusive since the time we got married. Harassed me, hit me, i have police report when I called the police one time. I have hospital record from when he hit me and broke my arm. I have affidavits from friends who knew the abuse, I have his recordings where he is calling me names, breaking things in the house, telling me that he will have me deported. I also have all the joint documents copies of our bills ect. I have decided to file for VAWA. 

 

I am in the process of getting my affidavits from my friends, do they have to be in a special manner? do they have to be notorized? is there any particular layout that they must be in. I dont know if I need a lawyer. But can any one recommend a lawyer in the Atlanta area? Thanks

[Sandra G. 5,047]

Ms Green You are partially right, you qualify for VAWA if you were battered or suffered psychological abuse, and you might qualify for  T and U visa as well if you are a victim of human trafficking, but the information that domestic violence and trafficking go hand in hand is not accurate at all.  I asked why you filled VAWA instead T visa was because you mentioned that you were a victim of human trafficking.

 

Happy New Year.

 

 

Edited January 2, 2017 by sandranj

[Ms.Green 30]

2 hours ago, sandranj said:

Ms Green You are partially right, you qualify for VAWA if you were battered or suffered psychological abuse, and you might qualify for  T and U visa as well if you are a victim of human trafficking, but the information that domestic violence and trafficking go hand in hand is not accurate at all.  I asked why you filled VAWA instead T visa was because you mentioned that you were a victim of human trafficking.

 

Happy New Year.

 

 

Sandranj

 

Happy New Year!

 

You are absolutely right. VAWA victims are usually not part of human trafficking. But Human trafficing goes hand in hand with violence. Which is what I meant. A lot of people don't know they have been used just like I did not know. 

 

The majority of trafficking victims come to other countries willingly, lured by a promise or a story. In my instance it was getting married and starting a family. So it can be a bunch of different things. But at the end of the day you end up being a slave.

 

I just hope maybe someone else will find some useful information in my blabbering  

[justiceseeker 1]

Hi Sandranj,

 

I got my green card based on VAWA on June 2014.I am ready to file my naturalization march 2017.What do I really need in order for my process to go smooth?Do I need a lawyer or can do it by myself?Is still I am eligible for the 3 years exception or no?Do I need a lawyer at least for the interview?

 

Thanks.