Help: Travel to US for funeral while I-130 pending

[serious2 5]

Just now, Lucky Cat said:

They will not speed up the process unless your spouse submits an expedite request.....and there are no guarantees since expedite requests are extremely common now.

Thank you... But what's it about. Can u short brief me about the expedite request

[serious2 5]

Just now, serious2 said:

Thank you... But what's it about. Can u short brief me about the expedite request

And please what's it advantage and disadvantage. Hope doing that will not cause any problem for my wife.

[Crazy Cat 41,865]

Just now, serious2 said:

Thank you... But what's it about. Can u short brief me about the expedite request

https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/how-to-make-an-expedite-request

 

That is just the first step.  The case would also have to be expedited by the consulate.

Just now, serious2 said:

And please what's it advantage and disadvantage. Hope doing that will not cause any problem for my wife.

There are no disadvantages.  Even if approved, it will not be a fast process.  

[JeanneAdil 6,508]

Just now, Mike E said:

Funeral and burial are different things.  I realize I myself am an immigrant but I’ve been here 41 years and was born and raised in Canada with similar cultures to the USA.   
 

Your comments are perplexing. We live in decidedly different America’s.  

i say why would he need to come now for a funeral if you say it can be decades later

and i am born here

we did not bury my dad till spring as ground was frozen but this is summer and not an issue  but the norm is 3 days and funeral can be 2 to 3 weeks 

still not time for him to get a visa to attend

 

2 minutes ago, serious2 said:

Thank you... But what's it about. Can u short brief me about the expedite request

has to be done by your wife

[serious2 5]

7 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

i say why would he need to come now for a funeral if you say it can be decades later

and i am born here

we did not bury my dad till spring as ground was frozen but this is summer and not an issue  but the norm is 3 days and funeral can be 2 to 3 weeks 

still not time for him to get a visa to attend

 

has to be done by your wife

OKay.. . I want to know doing the expedite request won't affect our i130 spouse approval?

[Mike E 11,739]

11 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

i say why would he need to come now for a funeral if you say it can be decades later

and i am born here

we did not bury my dad till spring as ground was frozen but this is summer and not an issue  but the norm is 3 days and funeral can be 2 to 3 weeks 

Been a pall bearer at least once in this country and person I bore was not burred in 3 days.  
 

America is a large country and in most cases, at least in my WASP culture, funerals and burials are scheduled to account for necessary travel.  
 

11 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

still not time for him to get a visa to attend

Possibly.  Probably.  It depends on the sympathies of the embassy and who decides when the funeral is.  Presumably a daughter of a mother has a lot to say.  
 

I agree with the sentiment that OP and OP’s wife need to prepare for the possibility OP won’t be attending.  
 

But OP should at least try.  

[Crazy Cat 41,865]

2 minutes ago, Mike E said:

It depends on the sympathies of the embassy and who decides when the funeral is.

Sympathies vs the risk of the OP staying in the US ........ A real dilemma for a CO.  I'm serious.  I could see it go either way.

[Boiler 45,519]

Well it depends on the OP showing the close relationship with his ex MIL.

[Mike E 11,739]

1 hour ago, serious2 said:

Hi guys

My wife petitioned i130 for me last year and we are still waiting for the approval. Last Friday i had a bad news from my wife that my mother in-law is dead. I need to attend the funeral too. Will it be possible for my wife to send me an invitation to attend the funeral? Please help.

https://ustraveldocs.com/gh/

 

Information for visa applicants regarding novel coronavirus: As of March 18, the United States Embassy in Accra is cancelling routine non-immigrant visa appointments. We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time. If you have an urgent matter and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://ustraveldocs.com/gh/gh-niv-expeditedappointment.asp to request an emergency appointment.

 

https://ustraveldocs.com/gh/gh-niv-expeditedappointment.asp 

“Expedited appointment requests for travel purposes such as business trips, professional conferences, funerals, or to assist a U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative are not currently being prioritized. “

and

 

”

Funeral/Death 

Purpose of travel is to attend the funeral of or repatriate the remains of an immediate family member (mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent, or grandchild) who died in the United States.  In order for your expedited appointment request to be considered, you must include the below items in your request. 

Essential documentation: 

1. A letter from the funeral director in the United State listing the funeral home's contact information, details of the deceased, and the date of the funeral. 
2. Evidence that the deceased is your immediate relative. 

Applying for an Expedited Appointment

 

…”

 

 

While it does not look good, you should still try.  You can start now. That last link has online forms form you to fill out and a way to pay the fee.  

 

[SalishSea 17,829]

3 hours ago, serious2 said:

Am in Ghana now... But i don't have a valid visa. Our i130 is in the process. Is almost seven months now.

Unfortunately, you will have to apply for a tourist visa like anyone else.  

[SalishSea 17,829]

2 hours ago, serious2 said:

Is it good to inform uscis about my loss so that they can speed up my i130.

Not how that works……

[Cathi 5,748]

You will not get a visitor visa in time for the funeral, USCIS will not speed anything up because of a death in your wife's family and you will not get an expedite.

It just won't happen.

[Cathi 5,748]

11 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

There is no way to get a visa and be here (in US ) in time for a funeral as we bury on 3rd day

Who is we?

The norm is at least a week as of late.

[JFH 12,190]

*~*~*procedural question moved from “progress reports” to “process and procedures”*~*~*

[Adventine 3,196]

I am sorry for OP's loss. I agree that it's worth trying to expedite, but they should set their expectations that it may not be granted on time.

 

A simpler, easier and cheaper alternative may be to simply set up a video livestream of the funeral and burial. This is becoming an increasingly common practice in my home country, where families are often spread out across different countries and many can't make it on time to the funeral, either. It's how several of my family members in Australia and Europe showed their support during my mother's funeral.