Potential impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) epidemic on the citizenship process (and timelines)

[ShawnSpiker 4]

I did not start anything yet. I was going to do it online the week.

Should I wait? Or what should I do?

Thanks,

[N400NYC 380]

The USCIS website has updated its COVID-19 alert and converted it into an automatic drop down message upon visiting the website:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/

[N400NYC 380]

Latest Updates: Coronavirus and Immigration: Find out how COVID-19 is impacting immigration to the United States

(Mar 13, 2020)

 

Quote

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Numerous countries, including the United States, have implemented travel or entry restrictions at their ports of entry. These changes will impact nonimmigrant visa holders as well as certain immigrants. The outbreak has also disrupted immigration services and proceedings within the United States.

 

[JoSteph 3]

Hi everyone - I can't imagine anyone who is dealing with immigration is asleep right now.  - My fiancee was scheduled for her CFO seminar on Monday the 16th of March - she has her US VISA - but Philippines requires a seminar (you guys know this) - CFO - website just announced cancellation of all services starting Monday the 16th -- except for people who have to pick up their stickers from previous seminars - Knowing the Philippines like I do, it is not very likely that any government official will try and be helpful to my fiancee when she goes there on Monday to see if they can waive the seminar in this crisis situation and issue her sticker since she is stuck in Manila - (travel ban in place domestically, starting tomorrow the 15th) - she cannot leave Manila and provinces can't travel to Manila - 

 

So my crazy idea is this:  SENIOR MEMBERS ESPECIALLY WELCOME TO ADVISE. - Last year, my fiancee traveled to meet me in Costa Rica for a month long vacation and she had no problems getting out of Manila - just a quick interview with immigration -  I thought - maybe I could buy her a ticket to Costa Rica -- Interestingly enough - her flight would connect in Houston, TX before departing for Costa Rica - she has a 10 hour layover in Houston where she would be required to go through immigration before boarding her United Airlines flight for Costa Rica - she would of course have her bags with her as she goest through immigration because she has a 10 hour layover - they always give you your bags when you switch airlines internationally with long layovers -- so did I mention that she would be connecting in Houston, TX?  - So my idea would be for her to go through immigration and when she goes through - she shows them her fiancee visa and she tells the immigration official that we routed her through Houston and I am there to pick her up -  

 

I know the US government only cares about her US Visa - the CFO sticker is a joke and a money maker for Philippines -- I'm thinking we can possibly take advantage of the situation by doing this -- IDEAS????

[JoSteph 3]

1 hour ago, JoSteph said:

Hi everyone - I can't imagine anyone who is dealing with immigration is asleep right now.  - My fiancee was scheduled for her CFO seminar on Monday the 16th of March - she has her US VISA - but Philippines requires a seminar (you guys know this) - CFO - website just announced cancellation of all services starting Monday the 16th -- except for people who have to pick up their stickers from previous seminars - Knowing the Philippines like I do, it is not very likely that any government official will try and be helpful to my fiancee when she goes there on Monday to see if they can waive the seminar in this crisis situation and issue her sticker since she is stuck in Manila - (travel ban in place domestically, starting tomorrow the 15th) - she cannot leave Manila and provinces can't travel to Manila - 

 

So my crazy idea is this:  SENIOR MEMBERS ESPECIALLY WELCOME TO ADVISE. - Last year, my fiancee traveled to meet me in Costa Rica for a month long vacation and she had no problems getting out of Manila - just a quick interview with immigration -  I thought - maybe I could buy her a ticket to Costa Rica -- Interestingly enough - her flight would connect in Houston, TX before departing for Costa Rica - she has a 10 hour layover in Houston where she would be required to go through immigration before boarding her United Airlines flight for Costa Rica - she would of course have her bags with her as she goest through immigration because she has a 10 hour layover - they always give you your bags when you switch airlines internationally with long layovers -- so did I mention that she would be connecting in Houston, TX?  - So my idea would be for her to go through immigration and when she goes through - she shows them her fiancee visa and she tells the immigration official that we routed her through Houston and I am there to pick her up -  

 

I know the US government only cares about her US Visa - the CFO sticker is a joke and a money maker for Philippines -- I'm thinking we can possibly take advantage of the situation by doing this -- IDEAS????

*** My fiancee and 2 sons flew to Manila from Iloilo last night to beat the domestic travel ban - her CFO appointment was set for Monday the 16th - now the CFO office is closed so - I'm trying to find out if I just rebook her on flights going to Costa Rica - which she has been to before with me - - I can purchase round trip tickets and my theory is to have her get off the plane in NYC - and take a domestic flight from there to Nashville - The only hiccup is that when she tries to get on the plane in Manila she has to go through immigration and they will ask her destination and she will say Costa Rica - -purpose of trip vacation - they may or may not look at her flights to see what her route is and if they see that United States is a transfer point - then see that she has a valid and current K1 Visa - they will say "nice try" but you have to have a CFO sticker -- to which she could say - I have to have a CFO sticker to go to Costa Rica? -- I don't know - my brain is telling me that it won't work - but my heart is hoping that they will just let her fly since her stated destination is Costa Rica and she has many stamps on her passport including Panama, Costa Rica, England, Thailand, Singapore -- ????

[gregcrs2 1,778]

3 hours ago, JoSteph said:

Hi everyone - I can't imagine anyone who is dealing with immigration is asleep right now.  - My fiancee was scheduled for her CFO seminar on Monday the 16th of March - she has her US VISA - but Philippines requires a seminar (you guys know this) - CFO - website just announced cancellation of all services starting Monday the 16th -- except for people who have to pick up their stickers from previous seminars - Knowing the Philippines like I do, it is not very likely that any government official will try and be helpful to my fiancee when she goes there on Monday to see if they can waive the seminar in this crisis situation and issue her sticker since she is stuck in Manila - (travel ban in place domestically, starting tomorrow the 15th) - she cannot leave Manila and provinces can't travel to Manila - 

 

So my crazy idea is this:  SENIOR MEMBERS ESPECIALLY WELCOME TO ADVISE. - Last year, my fiancee traveled to meet me in Costa Rica for a month long vacation and she had no problems getting out of Manila - just a quick interview with immigration -  I thought - maybe I could buy her a ticket to Costa Rica -- Interestingly enough - her flight would connect in Houston, TX before departing for Costa Rica - she has a 10 hour layover in Houston where she would be required to go through immigration before boarding her United Airlines flight for Costa Rica - she would of course have her bags with her as she goest through immigration because she has a 10 hour layover - they always give you your bags when you switch airlines internationally with long layovers -- so did I mention that she would be connecting in Houston, TX?  - So my idea would be for her to go through immigration and when she goes through - she shows them her fiancee visa and she tells the immigration official that we routed her through Houston and I am there to pick her up -  

 

I know the US government only cares about her US Visa - the CFO sticker is a joke and a money maker for Philippines -- I'm thinking we can possibly take advantage of the situation by doing this -- IDEAS????

Lying to CBP can end very badly!  

[JoSteph 3]

4 hours ago, gregcrs2 said:

Lying to CBP can end very badly!  

Well at 2am when Philippines shuts down trapping your family - you think of all kinds of crazy ideas - Thankfully the government re-considered and is cancelling the seminars but issuing stickers which are required for travel so we are still on for travel Tuesday - HOPEFULLY.

 

[ARs 4]

On 3/8/2020 at 7:03 PM, Lucky Cat said:

 

 

On 3/8/2020 at 6:51 PM, Lucky Cat said:

I am not downplaying this virus, but I think it is important to put everything into perspective.

 

https://www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/how-many-people-die-of-the-flu-every-year#:~:text=

 

Feb 11, 2020

"While everyone is in a panic about the coronavirus (officially renamed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization), there's an even deadlier virus many people are forgetting about: the flu.

Flu season is hitting its stride right now in the US. So far, the CDC has estimated (based on weekly influenza surveillance data) that at least 12,000 people have died from influenza between Oct. 1, 2019 through Feb. 1, 2020, and the number of deaths may be as high as 30,000. "

The flu has never shut whole countries down, like has just happened in mine. We never had a situation like this before.

My already set up for 16 days from today interview will be rescheduled, but Idkfor how long yet.

[Suze1 366]

Yeah, we just had our oath ceremony last Friday, and it appears that they (Tampa USCIS) moved the following one up a few days..from Friday to the preceding Tues...

Glad we just made it in time. What a nightmare.

And when we went to ours, we were concerned, of course, with people there from over 30 countries, including China, Iran, Italy, UK, South Korea, etc.

Even with that, we suspect that most of them had most likely been in the US over the past months awaiting their oath ceremony.

But we all can meet with family, friends, and strangers, from all kinds of countries wherever and whoever we are, so.

Hang in there everybody.

We must all make smart choices.

Peace.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Suze1

[SP&DT 33]

I'm not affected by the travel ban (I'm from Serbia) but I'm not sure what to do in the state of emergency that might be enacted soon. I'm supposed to move in 3 weeks. I bought my ticket at the end of February. I am now stuck. Does anyone know if K1 can be extended? My visa expires in June...

[Crazy Cat 41,982]

2 minutes ago, SP&DT said:

I'm not affected by the travel ban (I'm from Serbia) but I'm not sure what to do in the state of emergency that might be enacted soon. I'm supposed to move in 3 weeks. I bought my ticket at the end of February. I am now stuck. Does anyone know if K1 can be extended? My visa expires in June...

Extension?  No.........reissue is possible under some circumstances.

[SP&DT 33]

Just now, Lucky Cat said:

Extension?  No.........reissue is possible under some circumstances.

Like this one?

[Crazy Cat 41,982]

1 minute ago, SP&DT said:

Like this one?

I would think so....but a new medical could be required....

[Jody and Misho 99]

For instance, my concern is that we are trying to schedule my fiancé’s interview in Egypt. The Embassy is closed to everything but immigrant visas. The earliest date we could find is July 1. That is outside of our NOA2 approval date. I don’t know what to do about this…

[N400NYC 380]

The USCIS website was yesterday updated to include a statement about the impact of COVID-19 on interviews and oath ceremonies etc.

 

** The home page: https://www.uscis.gov/

 

 

** The statement/response: https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/uscis-response-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

- note the parts about travel, interviews and oath ceremonies