I-130 Stepchild Journey?

[pknick 34]

On 3/27/2019 at 2:55 PM, nandojourney said:

Hello to all! I am looking for of those who applied for an I-130 Visa for their stepchild (under 18) but particularly from those petitioners who are US Citizen's (like myself the stepdad). Specifically, looking for the experiences of stepdads out there who had to go and get their children in the country they stepchild resides and any advise :). I have been married with my wife for over a year now and we are also in the process of her petition. However, she would not be able to leave the country yet in order to pick up our daughter in Honduras (my stepdaughter).

I have read and understand the ability/rights of petitioning for a stepchild to come t the US. However, I have not read any stories from stepdads/stepmoms once the petition is approved and any challenges they faced with things such as leaving on their international flight, any other paper work you required for that country to allow them to leave etc.

 

I do have an attorney and know I can ask, but looking for more of a personal story from others.

 

I will definitely be posting my experience online in the coming month for all (as stated nothing online I found about the stepparent GOING to pick up the stepchild and any feedback)

 

Thanks in advance!

I'm glad someone started this group, its better we start sharing the info on how much time is it taking these days. I have applied for my step daughter who is 19 in December 2020, don't know the timeline right now. I have applied online, received the online notice in a two days for the receipt to receive to my address it took me one week.

Applied I-130 : Dec 12, 2020

Receipt Received online: Dec 14, 2020

By mail receipt received : Dec 17, 2020

Status: Still reviewing the documents.

Im trying to find the general timeline for these kind of cases but it is tough to know. I understand not many people do apply separately.

If anyone can come up with a template or if there is another group please let me know.

[Sha723 2]

I too am applying for my minor step children.  They have all just been approved and are now at the NVC stage.  We paid fees and uploaded the docs for 2, we will complete the last child soon.  They will be interviewing at the Kingston Embassy.  My question is on the website, they state to bring all originals to the interview.  Does this include my originals as well?  I am in the US and do not plan to attend the interview, their grandmother will be bringing them.

[nandojourney 13]

Great question . . . since I used and attorney they recommended sending all originals.This included MARRIAGE certificate, BIRTH certificates of my stepdaughter and wife that the family got locally there,, my birth certificate (a new one one from City Hall since it was close by). That is all from the top of my head (and confirmed with my wife). I also made sure we brought copies of those docs as they will give back the originals and take a copy, in most cases.

 

Everything else was copies, for example tax transcripts provided for the case.

 

Hope this helps and not confusing

 

Nando

 

[nandojourney 13]

For our case it took about 30 days for the I-130 to be approved but that was before COVID. It can take up to 90 which is what we expected. It is VERY tough to get a timeline down though faster if the child is under 21 and not married. After that it depends on what time line you are looking for. Our process COULD have taken 18 months but instead took 25 month because of COVID (her embassy appointment was cancelled 3 day before the interview because the country went into red alert) until the embassy's finally reopened in Honduras.

 

Which timeline in the process were you looking for?

 

Nando

[Moe19 0]

6 hours ago, Sha723 said:

I too am applying for my minor step children.  They have all just been approved and are now at the NVC stage.  We paid fees and uploaded the docs for 2, we will complete the last child soon.  They will be interviewing at the Kingston Embassy.  My question is on the website, they state to bring all originals to the interview.  Does this include my originals as well?  I am in the US and do not plan to attend the interview, their grandmother will be bringing them.

Did they schedule interview for you already or not yet keep us posting please thanks.

[Southern_Belle07 146]

On 1/18/2021 at 10:49 AM, pknick said:

I'm glad someone started this group, its better we start sharing the info on how much time is it taking these days. I have applied for my step daughter who is 19 in December 2020, don't know the timeline right now. I have applied online, received the online notice in a two days for the receipt to receive to my address it took me one week.

Applied I-130 : Dec 12, 2020

Receipt Received online: Dec 14, 2020

By mail receipt received : Dec 17, 2020

Status: Still reviewing the documents.

Im trying to find the general timeline for these kind of cases but it is tough to know. I understand not many people do apply separately.

If anyone can come up with a template or if there is another group please let me know.

It's a waiting game

 

Submitted September 29, 2020
Priority Date: October 9. 2020
Received by Nebraska ofc October 10, 2020
 

 

[Sha723 2]

On 1/18/2021 at 10:49 AM, pknick said:

I'm glad someone started this group, its better we start sharing the info on how much time is it taking these days. I have applied for my step daughter who is 19 in December 2020, don't know the timeline right now. I have applied online, received the online notice in a two days for the receipt to receive to my address it took me one week.

Applied I-130 : Dec 12, 2020

Receipt Received online: Dec 14, 2020

By mail receipt received : Dec 17, 2020

Status: Still reviewing the documents.

Im trying to find the general timeline for these kind of cases but it is tough to know. I understand not many people do apply separately.

If anyone can come up with a template or if there is another group please let me know.

 

We applied for the I130 (3 petitions) in April, our first case didn't get approved until mid December, 2nd case, 1 week later and our 3rd case just got approved over the weekend.  We are in the NVC phase now

[Riley and SP 17]

Hi guys. So happy I found this topic.  I have been trying to find information about bringing a stepchild but not many people apply separately. I am so pissed off right now that my lawyer didn’t advise us to include my son in my husband’s petition for me. 
 

My husband is USC. I came to the US on F-1 student visa three years ago, we got married in February 2020 and filed AOS package for me in August 2020.

 

Now, we are preparing to file I-130 for my minor son (11) who lives in Bulgaria. He was here on B-2 for the wedding but went home after that.

My lawyer advised me not to file AOS for him because he entered with a tourist visa. His visa expired two days ago (they gave him a B-2 visa only for a year to visit a mother who studies in the US). So, now he is not able to visit us anymore. I can’t travel because I am still waiting for AP and also, I am pregnant and travel is not recommended for me anyways. I just don’t know when I will be able to see my son and he is getting jealous of the baby already. Sorry for the venting - pregnancy hormones! 
 

My husband and I are preparing to file I-130 right now. Is there any other form we need to send with the I-130?

 

Evidence and supporting documents -  we prepared

1) a copy of my husband’s US passport,

2) copy of his naturalization certificate,

3) copy of our marriage license,

4) copy of my son’s birth certificate with certified translation,

5) copy of my divorce decree with my son’s father with a certified translation,

6) passport photos of my husband and my son,

7) and of course the check for $535.

Do we need anything else? 
 

Also, does anyone know the address we need to fed ex it to? Is it the same address my lawyer sent the AOS package to - Chicago lockbox? 
 

Thank you! 

[sbarbie1914 22]

On 1/31/2021 at 10:20 AM, Riley and SP said:

Hi guys. So happy I found this topic.  I have been trying to find information about bringing a stepchild but not many people apply separately. I am so pissed off right now that my lawyer didn’t advise us to include my son in my husband’s petition for me. 
 

My husband is USC. I came to the US on F-1 student visa three years ago, we got married in February 2020 and filed AOS package for me in August 2020.

 

Now, we are preparing to file I-130 for my minor son (11) who lives in Bulgaria. He was here on B-2 for the wedding but went home after that.

My lawyer advised me not to file AOS for him because he entered with a tourist visa. His visa expired two days ago (they gave him a B-2 visa only for a year to visit a mother who studies in the US). So, now he is not able to visit us anymore. I can’t travel because I am still waiting for AP and also, I am pregnant and travel is not recommended for me anyways. I just don’t know when I will be able to see my son and he is getting jealous of the baby already. Sorry for the venting - pregnancy hormones! 
 

My husband and I are preparing to file I-130 right now. Is there any other form we need to send with the I-130?

 

Evidence and supporting documents -  we prepared

1) a copy of my husband’s US passport,

2) copy of his naturalization certificate,

3) copy of our marriage license,

4) copy of my son’s birth certificate with certified translation,

5) copy of my divorce decree with my son’s father with a certified translation,

6) passport photos of my husband and my son,

7) and of course the check for $535.

Do we need anything else? 
 

Also, does anyone know the address we need to fed ex it to? Is it the same address my lawyer sent the AOS package to - Chicago lockbox? 
 

Thank you! 

I don't think you need your husband's passport or passport photo in the petition for your stepson.  Too much information can cause confusion with the processors.  Everything else is correct.

[Sterai79 25]

Hello everyone,

I applied for my 2 step kids under 18.

This is the timeline

 

PD..April 25

Case was received and NOA received on 05/01/2020. With Potomac YSC code

 

No info since then.

 

Please, is this usual

[nandojourney 13]

Thanks for the post. The best way I can answer is  . . . that it really depends. In my opinion due to experience and others that I know going through the process from multiple countries, that its anywhere from 8months if you are lucky, to 18 months. In my case it was about 15 months (priority date Sep 8, 2018). Original embassy appointment that was canceled March of 2020 3 days before because of COVID and then rescheduled to October of lat year when the embassy finally opened up ). I believe there is a number you can call and I am embarrassed to say i need to look that up. you can speak to an agent (always see this referenced in many posts on here).

 

 

[Southern_Belle07 146]

On 2/5/2021 at 10:15 AM, nandojourney said:

Thanks for the post. The best way I can answer is  . . . that it really depends. In my opinion due to experience and others that I know going through the process from multiple countries, that its anywhere from 8months if you are lucky, to 18 months. In my case it was about 15 months (priority date Sep 8, 2018). Original embassy appointment that was canceled March of 2020 3 days before because of COVID and then rescheduled to October of lat year when the embassy finally opened up ). I believe there is a number you can call and I am embarrassed to say i need to look that up. you can speak to an agent (always see this referenced in many posts on here).

 

 

May I ask what is the next letter one will be receiving after the first one? (I know first is notice of acceptance). 

 

[Riley and SP 17]

On 2/1/2021 at 10:14 AM, sbarbie1914 said:

I don't think you need your husband's passport or passport photo in the petition for your stepson.  Too much information can cause confusion with the processors.  Everything else is correct.

Thank you. We filed online and yes - we did not need a passport or passport photos.

 

[nandojourney 13]

Her are the steps:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition.html

 

First letter was I-130 Petition received . . . next was I-130 Petition Approved ... then update for I-824 application and following steps are explained above in the State Department Site. I am sure someone can provide a friendlier timeline with each steps My wife is now at the I-184 step since here case was delayed ( 9 months ) due to a clerical error by our attorney and both my daughter and wife should have been all set at the same time, and was just fixed to expedite the I-184 process TODAY . At least my (step)daughter is here :).

[Southern_Belle07 146]

On 2/10/2021 at 11:55 AM, nandojourney said:

Her are the steps:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-1-submit-a-petition.html

 

First letter was I-130 Petition received . . . next was I-130 Petition Approved ... then update for I-824 application and following steps are explained above in the State Department Site. I am sure someone can provide a friendlier timeline with each steps My wife is now at the I-184 step since here case was delayed ( 9 months ) due to a clerical error by our attorney and both my daughter and wife should have been all set at the same time, and was just fixed to expedite the I-184 process TODAY . At least my (step)daughter is here :).

SIGH. I just a USCIS representative through Ask Emma and he said our case has been transferred from Nebraska to Texas. It is frustrating not to know this until I asked.