VAWA, Part 9

[Valerie899 80]

2 hours ago, RdMngo said:

Following is my Timeline: 

Arrived on K-1 visa, got married within 90 days and filed for I-485, I-765, I-131 around the end of September 2015. Received notices within couple of days. 

 

Got EAD and Advance Parole combo card in first week of December 2015.

 

USCIS sent out the interview notice for the I-485 through marriage in July, 2016. Interview was in August 2016. Asked the immigration officer to put my case on hold because I was going to file for I-360 soon. 

 

**09/15/2016: filed the Forms I-360, I-485, I-765 with Vermont service center through an attorney from a domestic violence Shelter. (I was married to a US citizen at the time VAWA was filed). Got notices within 3 weeks. 

My case was filed with: self affidavit of around 15 pages, containing courtship, marriage and abuse in details and with dates, weddings pics, pics of my spouse and I together, lease agreement in both of our names , utility bills, phone bill, joint bank account statements, joint tax return. 

Had a letter from the shelter counselor and few pictures of bruises that I took after my spouse had beaten me up. A friend wrote their affidavit as to what they knew about the marriage and abuse. That affidavit was notarized. 

I had no money to attend therapy with a psychiatrist or means to even travel to attend a free one. 

**EAD received after couple of months. 

**Long silence and No RFE’s. 

**10/11/2017 I received an email and texts from USCIS about Case update. 

Case approved on 10/05/2017. (Took a while to get an online update I guess).

** 10/15/2017 received email and text notifications that my I-485 (concurrently filed with I-360) was transferred to my Local office.  

** 01/21/2018 Received notice for I-485 interview at my local office in NY. Interview scheduled for morning of 02/27/2018. 

Did Medical exam and got form I-693 sealed in an envelope from the doctor. I DID NOT get any RFE for medical, neither did the Interview notice asked to bring an updated medical exam. My first medical feed with I-485 based on marriage had  expired in 2016. 

** Interview on 02/27/2018. Was asked Yes/No or security questions from I-485 and was told to wait for decision for couple of weeks. 

** Got texts and email updates yesterday that Green Card is being produced and will get it in mail soon. 

 

Congratulations !!! I'm in the same page as you not in the process but in the abuse, I have wrote a 22 pg affidavit, and have pictures of bruises.Just to ask did you notarize your personal affidavit or just your friend affidavit?

[Niniadara 9]

1 hour ago, rza said:

what did bu sent for good moral character rfe can u explain plz and thank u

 I sent Police clearance from my home country 

[RdMngo 9]

53 minutes ago, Valerie899 said:

Congratulations !!! I'm in the same page as you not in the process but in the abuse, I have wrote a 22 pg affidavit, and have pictures of bruises.Just to ask did you notarize your personal affidavit or just your friend affidavit?

Thank you! I had notarized my affidavit as well.

Just make sure in your affidavit, you write how you two met, when did you decide to get married? who proposed, how was the proposal like? Explain the ceremony, who was present, etc. Explain your married life and then explain the abuse in the sequence of dates it occurred. If you don’t remember exact dates, use approximate dates and mention,”on or about MM/DD/YYYY.... this happened”.  Affidavits from people who are aware of your marriage and/or abuse. Their affidavit should include their relationship with you, what do they know about your marriage/abuse, if that friend/relative hung out with you and your spouse together. People residing in USA should write their complete address and contact information on it and date it. 

Send in only copies of the documents(colored copies of pictures or get extra prints of photos of marriage, abuse etc). 

If you don’t have any document that’s on USCIS’s checklist for any of the forms, explain why you don’t have it or can’t get it. 

If you’re married to a US citizen, you can file for I-485(adjustment of status/Green card) and I-765(Employment authorization application under category C(9) together with your I-360 VAWA petition. Only down side is that if your application gets denied, you will be put in removal proceedings. 

If your spouse is a Green card holder and not a citizen, you have to wait to file for I-485 after Vawa is approved. 

You can file the fee waiver form for each application your are submitting, if you don’t have any money to pay the fees. Just read and follow the instructions on the form. 

 

Good luck. 

 

Nothing mentioned above is any kind of legal advice, nor I am an attorney. Do as you think is wise. I am saying all what I know from USCIS’s website and from this blog and my experience. 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2018 by RdMngo
Typo

[Viva 17]

3 hours ago, Niniadara said:

Today

 My i360 was approved 

 

i’m November 2016 filler

 

Congratulations. Mine is December, hope to hear something soon.

[Juta 4]

4 hours ago, Niniadara said:

10th of November 

01.18.2018 I’ve got RFE for good moral character 

They received my response 02/06/18

03/02/18 i360 approved 

Congraturations!!!!

 

 

[Juta 4]

Good day All,

Is it okay to print out and send a scanned copy of the police clearance from my home country or must it be the original hard copy? Thanks in advance

[MsVi2 50]

6 hours ago, Kleenex12 said:

@MsVi2 when did u get ur rfe?

Receipt date Nov 8th, 2016, first RFE issued Jan 11th 2018 for good moral character (state fingerprint BG check showing no criminal history.) they received it Jan 22nd, and haven't heard anything since. 

 

Niniadara's worker must be faster then mine, since my dates are all before hers, it's kind of funny actually. xD

Edited March 3, 2018 by MsVi2

[Kleenex12 107]

4 hours ago, MsVi2 said:

Receipt date Nov 8th, 2016, first RFE issued Jan 11th 2018 for good moral character (state fingerprint BG check showing no criminal history.) they received it Jan 22nd, and haven't heard anything since. 

 

Niniadara's worker must be faster then mine, since my dates are all before hers, it's kind of funny actually. xD

Don’t worry you will hear something soon!! 

[Valerie899 80]

10 hours ago, RdMngo said:

Thank you! I had notarized my affidavit as well.

Just make sure in your affidavit, you write how you two met, when did you decide to get married? who proposed, how was the proposal like? Explain the ceremony, who was present, etc. Explain your married life and then explain the abuse in the sequence of dates it occurred. If you don’t remember exact dates, use approximate dates and mention,”on or about MM/DD/YYYY.... this happened”.  Affidavits from people who are aware of your marriage and/or abuse. Their affidavit should include their relationship with you, what do they know about your marriage/abuse, if that friend/relative hung out with you and your spouse together. People residing in USA should write their complete address and contact information on it and date it. 

Send in only copies of the documents(colored copies of pictures or get extra prints of photos of marriage, abuse etc). 

If you don’t have any document that’s on USCIS’s checklist for any of the forms, explain why you don’t have it or can’t get it. 

If you’re married to a US citizen, you can file for I-485(adjustment of status/Green card) and I-765(Employment authorization application under category C(9) together with your I-360 VAWA petition. Only down side is that if your application gets denied, you will be put in removal proceedings. 

If your spouse is a Green card holder and not a citizen, you have to wait to file for I-485 after Vawa is approved. 

You can file the fee waiver form for each application your are submitting, if you don’t have any money to pay the fees. Just read and follow the instructions on the form. 

 

Good luck. 

 

Nothing mentioned above is any kind of legal advice, nor I am an attorney. Do as you think is wise. I am saying all what I know from USCIS’s website and from this blog and my experience. 

 

 

Thanks so much for all the info, I think Its really hard to gather all the evidence at once, but I'm slowly taking one step at a time. I didn't know some of the information you gave me, thanks for ratifying that affidavits should have the address and cell phone of the testimony. This helped a lot. 

[Miracle28 16]

Hello everyone. Here's my vawa timeline:

Vawa case sent and received December 21st 2016. 

Biometrics February 2017

Ead received in May 2017 ( post office lost my work permit so it took forever to receive)

In the meantime they asked me for a police clearance from back home which I did send to them and in June 2017 I got my prima facie. 

Renewed my prima facie in September 2017 and received it in November. 

Right nownim in the process of renewing my ead that ends soon. 

Haven't heard anything about my i360 since the prima facie, my lawyer tells me that the office cent3r has become very slow into processing cases. 

I feel hopeless like I'll never hear from them again .

Anyone with a similar timeline ?

[gramercy 141]

8 minutes ago, Miracle28 said:

Hello everyone. Here's my vawa timeline:

Vawa case sent and received December 21st 2016. 

Biometrics February 2017

Ead received in May 2017 ( post office lost my work permit so it took forever to receive)

In the meantime they asked me for a police clearance from back home which I did send to them and in June 2017 I got my prima facie. 

Renewed my prima facie in September 2017 and received it in November. 

Right nownim in the process of renewing my ead that ends soon. 

Haven't heard anything about my i360 since the prima facie, my lawyer tells me that the office cent3r has become very slow into processing cases. 

I feel hopeless like I'll never hear from them again .

Anyone with a similar timeline ?

Same for me I filed late November. All you can do is put the EAD to work and take care of your life as you wait. Hopefully we get news before spring ends

[Miracle28 16]

22 minutes ago, gramercy said:

Same for me I filed late November. All you can do is put the EAD to work and take care of your life as you wait. Hopefully we get news before spring ends

I agree I keep telling myself that as long as I can work and keep rebuilding my life I won't stress as much about the green card thing but it's becoming quite a long wait.

[Kleenex12 107]

12 minutes ago, Miracle28 said:

I agree I keep telling myself that as long as I can work and keep rebuilding my life I won't stress as much about the green card thing but it's becoming quite a long wait.

You guys are very lucky, someone like me I’m depending only on the 1-360 to be approved before I can apply for work permit!itssad i’ Almost losing my mind can’t even take care of my self and the baby depending on the food stamps I get through prima facie😒😒😒😒

[gramercy 141]

12 minutes ago, Kleenex12 said:

You guys are very lucky, someone like me I’m depending only on the 1-360 to be approved before I can apply for work permit!itssad i’ Almost losing my mind can’t even take care of my self and the baby depending on the food stamps I get through prima facie😒😒😒😒

Very lucky??? Some of us are facing death threats others suffered miscarriages or further abuse! Don't make assumptions, focus on how you can survive and pray instead!

Edited March 3, 2018 by gramercy

[MsVi2 50]

6 minutes ago, Kleenex12 said:

You guys are very lucky, someone like me I’m depending only on the 1-360 to be approved before I can apply for work permit!itssad i’ Almost losing my mind can’t even take care of my self and the baby depending on the food stamps I get through prima facie😒😒😒😒

I hear you!! I've got 2 little ones and I have to wait for Vawa approval for a work permit. (My AOS is going to be tricky so I was advised not to file it together)  You can always message me if you need ideas on how to survive, we are probably not in the same state but I've gotten good at finding local resources in order to survive and have learned a lot, and I'm always willing to share the stuff I've learned!