I-130 January 2018 Filers

[CM&KV 72]

I might be a bit ahead of myself, but I just sent off my petition for my Spouse on January 2nd as overnight with certified mail and return receipt. Should be there January 3rd by noon, and I'm expecting someone to sign for it on the 4th.

 

I wanted to send it off on December 30th, but missed the deadline to get it sent off before the 3 day weekend.

 

For the record, my hands wouldn't stop shaking while walking to the post office, and felt like I was going to get sick. But the lady that was helping me reassured me things would be fine as we tried to shove my 2 pounds of papers in the flat rate envelope.  We barely got it in... and used a lot of tape... someone in Arizona is going to hate me.

I had used paper clips to hold the documents in place, and used plastic sheet protectors on all sections of the petition, so when the envelope gets opened, no papers should be ripped.

 

I wish everyone a speedy process.

 

 

[EandH0904 1,184]

Did you put each page in a sheet protector? 

[CM&KV 72]

I put a whole section, aka I-130 in its own, I-130a by itself, marriage certificate,  each divorce decree, my birth certificates I still had my original and a vital records, bank letters photo copy of our cards and some bank statements in one per bank, pictures had their own protector same with chat logs and call logs, etc. I used about 15 or so protectors. I was going to use a binder but that didn't fit in the envelope. I recently read all what they will do with the petition is remove all the pages and place it in the folders the way they wanted. I didn't punch any holes or anything.  I got the idea from a few YouTube videos that I had saw a few months ago.

Edited January 3, 2018 by CM&KV

[EandH0904 1,184]

https://www.uscis.gov/forms-filing-tips

 

They just ask you not to put it in folders, etc. Doesnt mention sheet protectors though. 

[CM&KV 72]

It rains a lot where I live, and I have to walk almost everywhere, so I was trying to make sure the pages didn't get destroyed on travel.

[bakphx1 789]

I live in Phoenix, which is where the lockbox is.  I even found the street address of the lock box office and tried to drop it off in person, but they don't let you.  I was trying to leave nothing to chance as well!! 

[CM&KV 72]

I know a few family members that would have been more than happy to deliver the petition that way if they could. My grandmother is over the moon that she got another grandson. I told her on Facebook that I finally submitted the petition and she couldn't stop hitting like. 

[Letts 6]

I'm also a January 2018 I130 filer...I'm so nervous😵

[CM&KV 72]

Just got an email about an hour ago stating my petition has been sent to Texas. Unsure when my PD is till the letter comes in.  On the 3rd  the package was signed by an H. Brown. And according to tracking ID, my return receipt should come in today, but it's not being shown on informed mail box via USPS. Also no text notification.  Had to use my Google voice number since either my phone or my  provider has been blocking a lot of my text messages or not receiving them.

[Letts 6]

 I checked mine and they got it jan 4th, I hope to hear from them soon

 

[Donna Ali 15]

Mine was mail on 12/29 and uscis sent a text with the official case receipt number on 1/5.  And an email saying that it was being forwarded to texas for processing.  It's takes 7 to 10 days to receive your official I-797 notice through the mail.  Best to wait until you get the notice before using your receipt number to track your case status on uscis.gov.

[CM&KV 72]

I just got my hard copy! 

 

PD is Jan 3rd 2018.

[Mozambiquepaul 2]

Getting ready to send in my I-130 to the Chicago Lock box for my step daughter.   I know that means I am not a 100% match for this thread but close enough.  My wife was recently approved for a AOS in April and we tried having my step daughter visit, since the plan was for her to remain living in Mozambique and visit us on vacations.  The embassy refused her tourist visa and said he must apply for residency - so here we are.   Just awaiting a copy of her birth certificate and shipping it all off.  I know it is optimistic but I hope we can have here here by April / May.   

 

To compound the difficulty of the process her country, Mozambique, does not process immigrant visas so that all has to be done via South Africa.

 

Good luck to everyone!  

[YKL 6]

Hey there, new Jan 2018 filer here.

Set i130 on 01/11/2018 overnight

Delivered 01/12/2018

Got email /sms of acceptance on 01/17/2018

 

The long wait starts..

[KellyCdB 2]

Sent my packets UPS Next Day Air on the 23rd, got UPS confirmation of delivery at 10AM on the 24th. Now I'm waiting for a reply to my G-1145.

 

This is my second time going through this - I lived with my husband in Peru for 14 years, and we originally did DCF down there. Got approved, then had financial difficulties that prevented us from moving forward. I moved back to the US in January of last year to get a job to save money, and when I contacted the Embassy for a new appointment date, was told that the day before (!!!) they had closed our file to do inactivity and we had to resubmit.

 

The biggest nightmare is that my oldest son (stepson) is turning 21.  So we don't get another chance here - if the docs I sent are rejected, he's possibly another 5-7 years waiting. I had about 3 weeks to get everything together, translated and mailed.

 

So, here we are. It's been a year since I've seen my husband and sons, and will likely be another year now. Here's hoping I did everything right!